John Carr - Kalvan Kingmaker

"Good advice, Skranga. I'm glad someone in Hos-Hostigos is still thinking clearly! What are your suggestions regarding the issue of succession to the Seat of Phaxos?"

"We must walk very carefully there, Your Majesty. Rylla, in an excess of zeal, not only had Prince Araxes put under the headsman's ax, but also all the members of his immediate family."

The sudden drawn cast to Kalvan's face suggested the King might suddenly lose what little food he had consumed at first meal. Skranga waited until Kalvan appeared to have composed himself before continuing.

"There are about a dozen possible claimants to the Seat of Phaxos, but few would be in the Throne's best interest. Alas, with the unhappiness accompanying the conquest still in people's minds, I urgently suggest that we place someone on the Seat with blood ties to Araxes. Fortunately, we have one such claimant in Hostigos, a mercenary captain who goes by the name of Hyphos. He has served Your Majesty faithfully through three campaigns and is a devout follower of Allfather Dralm. For this 'disloyalty' he is not held in much regard in Phaxos, which will further bind him to the Throne now that Phaxos has become part of the Kingdom of Hos-Hostigos."

Kalvan nodded. "It's not like we can give it back to Hos-Harphax."

Skranga laughed like a barking dog.

"This must be the same Captain Hyphos that Harmakros recommended before I left Tarr-Ceros. The Captain-General says he's a good commander and that he is loyal to the Throne. I'm not personally familiar with him."

"Captain Hyphos is a forthright soldier from all appearances and one who speaks his own words, although not with the earthiness and directness of our friend Prince Sarrask. He has no great love for Araxes, who has always held his family in contempt, for Hyphos' father-a lowly baron-was only related to Araxes by blood through the sister of his late mother.

"Baron Hyphos would not be in contention for the throne now had his father not died last year of pleurisy and his older brother not perished at the Siege of Phaxos Town. There was little love lost between the two brothers and word has it he died an honest soldier's death."

Kalvan nodded and said he would have General Klestreus do a counter check on Skranga's intelligence information. "It wouldn't do to put a man on the Phaxosi throne who had a blood debt to his Great Queen because his brother had died at her hands, no matter how far removed."

Skranga nodded sagely, even though he didn't like the idea of the fat fool Klestreus looking over his shoulder. "You are wise to move cautiously in this matter and others, Your Majesty. There have been far too many changes in the Great Kingdoms since your arrival, and if there is one thing Princes and lords do not like it is change. I pray Your Majesties have no plans for any new Great Kingdoms, such as the new kingdom of Hos-Rathon!"

"Not at the moment." Kalvan's scowled.

"Good. Few of the Throne's allies have happily accepted a Trygathi Great Kingdom, and now there are rumors you have promised Ranjar Sargos the Throne of Great Kingdom of the Sastragath."

"Balderdash! More of Styphon's work. Do what you can to put a stop to these rumors, and put out the word that we are planning to put a rightful claimant upon the Seat of Phaxos. Furthermore, let me add your advice about the Phaxosi succession is both welcome and valued. I will have our Treasurer make a deposit of five hundred Crowns into your account as further measure of my appreciation."

Skranga left Kalvan's audience chamber with the feeling that today had somehow magically turned into the best of all possible days, and that His Majesty was the finest Great King since Erasthames the Great!

As of late, thought Archpriest Anaxthenes, there have been far too many emergency Council meetings. Of the thirty-six Archpriests of the Inner Circle, only thirty-one were in attendance today. Of the five Great Temple Highpriests, only Archpriest Theomenes of the Great Temple of Ktemnos was here; this Council having been called too quickly for the others to have time to travel to Balph. The other absence was explained by sudden death, although whether by poor health or misadventure no one knew.

Nor was anyone particularly interested in finding out; not in these times, when the number of white-robed priests were increasing daily. Investigator Roxthar and his followers were insinuating their way into every arm of Styphon's House, although, so far, they had made no inroads into the Inner Circle. Give them time, Anaxthenes thought cynically. They already had their allies and stooges, such as Archpriest Dracar. The Investigators even had allies in the Temple Guard. The Order of Zarthani Knights was the only body left that had any independence from Roxthar's Investigation, and mostly because they were situated at the frontier-far away from Balph.

There was a murmur of voices in the Hall as the assembled Archpriests questioned each other about the reasons for this meeting and the disastrous Siege at Tarr-Ceros. Anaxthenes, nor anyone else but Roxthar's allies, knew much about the Council's agenda. Styphon's Own Voice Sesklos had called the session at Roxthar's insistence.

Anaxthenes had lost many of his sources as the Investigation purged his informants and allies from the ranks of Styphon's House. The yellow robed highpriests were disappearing from Balph at an alarming rate, the smarter ones leaving for places as far away from the Holy City as they could get. The rest were victims of the Investigation. If Roxthar continued to purge Styphon's heretics from the priestly ranks, in a few years there wouldn't be enough priests left to man the Temples. Most of Roxthar's Investigators were not True Believers, as far as Anaxthenes could tell, but ambitious underpriests who saw Roxthar as their means to ascend the Temple hierarchy. Many of the Investigators reveled in their power to terrorize their superiors. What happens, he asked himself, when the Investigation begins to investigate the Investigators?

Now, Anaxthenes knew only rumors: Grand Master Soton had been shot and killed at the Battle of Drynos. Tarr-Ceros, the great Zarthani fortress, had fallen to the nomads. Now the great nomad horde was threatening to turn and attack Hos-Ktemnos. Kalvan was reported to be leading the invasion and planned to storm Balph itself. Now Rylla and her army were before the walls of Tarr-Harphax… And so on and so on.

He didn't know enough to credit or discredit the rumors; although, based on general knowledge of Kalvan, he doubted the Usurper was leading any army into Hos-Ktemnos. Not with the Army of Hostigos split into two armies, and the False Queen Rylla leaving part of her army behind in Phaxos…

The voices suddenly stilled as Sesklos, still wearing the red robe of Primacy, entered the hall and took his seat at the apex of the triangular table. Moments later Roxthar, bladelike in his white robe, entered to sit directly opposite Sesklos at the foot of the table. Anaxthenes noted the empty seat next to Roxthar and wondered why it was being held vacant.

What new surprise is the Holy Investigator about to spring upon us now?

After a short prayer to Styphon and his usual introductory preamble, Supreme Priest Sesklos rose up and began to speak. Anaxthenes, seated to his right, was close enough to see that Styphon's Voice was reading from a parchment. He wondered who had scripted it. He knew it had never passed his eyes.

"My fellow Archpriests, the city is rife with rumors and reports of defeat and invasion by our enemies. Know this, that while some be true, most are false."

There were a few hoots of derision, but when Archpriest Roxthar nodded the room fell quiet again.

Sesklos continued on in this vein for sometime in his quivering voice, explaining that the rumors were being spread by allies and dupes of the Usurper. It had been decades since old Sesklos had spoken more than a few sentences, and already the assembled archpriests were fidgeting in their seats. Finally, he finished, "Here, to report in person, on the nomad problem is Grand Master Soton." Hardly a heartbeat had passed before the Grand Master entered the Hall and stood beside Roxthar. Roxthar stood up saying, "I will let the Grand Master brief the Inner Council on the war against the Daemon Kalvan."