On Tue, 16 Mar 2004, Sean Whalen wrote: # Definitely not. The Great Cycle of the Phoenix #(the first Great Cycle) ended when Cherova abdicated #in favor of Tortaalik. She was Empress during the #Reign of the Athyra, Cycle of the Athyra, Great Cycle #of the Phoenix. When Tortaalik became Emperor he #began the Reign of the Phoenix, Cycle of the Phoenix, #Great Cycle of the Dragon. # # There are not two reigns of the Phoenix during a #cycle, despite what the poem at the beginning of most #books appears to some. When the Phoenix is mentioned #at the end it just indicates that it has turned to a #new cycle, beginning just where the last began. That #is, the Phoenix is the first reign in a cycle, not the #first and last. # # This may be getting repetitive but Zerika IV is the #first Empress (who came after the first Emperor) of #the Reign of the (only one per cycle) Phoenix, Cycle #of the Phoenix, Great Cycle of the Dragon. Before her #the only reborn Phoenix Emperor or Empress was Zerika #I when the Empire was first created. Textev for all this, please? -- Mark A. Mandel http://cracksandshards.com a Steven Brust Dragaera fan website