Here's another interesting sidebar. We know that Khaavren's family had fallen on hard times - lost their lands, etc. But according to the text, this was becoming a common occurrence. Why?? "...but the Fallen Nobility, as they were beginning to be called..." This statement implies that -something- was going on, causing numbers of noble families to sell back their lands (or perhaps to even have them "taken" >from them) and hence titles - which is interesting and starts to bring up all kinds of questions about the peerage in Dragaera - to the Empire. What was going on that was causing the need for this? Simple over-indulgence on the part of the nobles - living beyond their means? Stacy