On Thu, 26 Jun 2003, Thomas FURNITURE ARTIST wrote: >2) The Orb, interrogating the Cycle -- the Orb, after all, interrogates >the Cycle to see of which House the next Emperor is a member -- begins >looking for the Phoenix Heir. >3) Zerika, most likely due to House rules and despite not yet born, was >the Phoenix Heir. Why? Clearly because she was the next Phoenix to >rule, although an argument can be made that she rules because she is >the only Phoenix left, hence MUST CURRENTLY be the Phoenix Heir. Why >she was Phoenix Heir at that time is open for speculation, but she may >have been, due to House rules on the matter. Presuming she WAS Heir: >4) The Orb, finding the 'next Emperor' in utero, found itself in what >can only be described as a quandry; how do you 'crown' a person who >doesn't entirely exist yet? I have my own thoughts on the matter of the Orb, but I'd just like to point out that I think you may have misunderstood how the matter of the Heir stood. The Phoenix Heir was Princess Loudin. Assuming things had Worked Properly, she would have become Empress. Of course, things *not* working properly may have contributed to her death. At any rate, this is what then lead to Zerika, her daughter, becoming the Phoenix Heir.