KG> So who is Warlord then? We know from _Yendi_ it isn't KG> Morrolan, Aliera, Setra Lavode or Sethra the Younger. In KG> _Teckla_ Vlad recognises him by the fact he is an old Tiassa KG> leading Guardsmen. In _Phoenix_ Vlad isn't surprised to hear KG> that the Warlord resigned (temporarily replaced by a Sethra). KG> In _Orca_, we're told he would have to have been ordered by KG> the Empress, and if so he'd just resign again. Note the KG> reference to resignations and the implication that he takes KG> his orders directly from the Empress. until we find out for sure, i'm going on the assumption that, due to his record of impeccable service to the crown, khaavren was reinstated as captain of the phoenix guard by zerika, in which position we see him in _teckla_, and that the special tasks group, under his leadership, has arisen and evolved in a manner somewhat analogous to that of the u.s. secret service: http://www.secretservice.gov/history.shtml as for warlord, i don't recall any mention of non-dragonlords ever holding that position; besides, with the imperial guard and the intelligence unit, khaavren's plate must be full. aside: just ran across khaavren's telling mario that the next time they meet one of them will die. bets anyone? mine's on khaavren (to die, that is), if only because his life parallels d'artagnan's in certain ways, and i therefore see the end of the khaavren romances dealing with his end, too.