Editing Welcome to Jabar (section)

==Vidan’s Quest==
As he is finishing that up, Suvatra shows up.

“Vikarna, I was not expecting to see you here.”

“My apologies, Lady, I will make way for you of course.”

She sits.

“Vidan, yes.  I am pleased you have arrived.”  She looks at the line of people, and puts us in a Cone of Silence.

“So.  I believe the first pass will be coming to a head shortly.”

“First pass?”

“At attempting to remove the Maharani.  The war is going poorly.  I believe that is at least in part due to the lack of support that Her Majesty is getting from other sources.  She’s getting the brunt.  I believe there will be a move within the next month, possibly the next few weeks, to remove her.  I expect that will be violent rather than political, and I expect the Church will be heavily involved.  There was a time I thought you had better connections in the Church than I did; I’m not convinced of that now, but you are the one I find most plausible to assist me in this matter.  Possibly simply because you are not local and therefore are more trustable.  Possibly because you are not invested in any particular Maharani.”

“Is there any evidence of the Broken in the Conspiracy?”

“Not that I know of; there could be instigators or associates who are Bent, but I believe it is more an internal fight.  I am not willing at this time to point at any one person as definitely in the conspiracy.  They are sufficiently well guarded against scrying and other investigations that I do not have proof with which to charge any one of significant political import.  The easiest way to get proof would be to find an assassin who survived their attempt, but I do not intend to endanger the Maharani in order to catch such an assassin.  We will try to discover what we can if that happens, but I would prefer no attempt will be made.”

“From your message, it sounds like the first attempt will come from Lore?”

“I don’t believe Lore wants to remove the Maharani; Lore wants to weaken the Maharani because Lore wants to weaken the Nobility.  And I believe Lore has begun those moves.”

Vidan frowns.

“But the directed attack on the Maharani does not come from Lore.”

“Where then is most likely?”

“I believe it is Life, but do not repeat that; I will disavow any such accusation.  She is certainly working with others in the Nobility if she is organizing this; she was Noble of birth, and her family is close in line should the Maharani’s family fall.  So given the combination of power involved and possible beneficiaries, she is my most plausible candidate.  But whether she is assisting others or the motivator, that I don’t have a good feel for.”

Vidan thinks about whether there’s an obvious heir.  (The prince in Middlesea is a nephew.)  She has two heirs, a daughter.  Passage of rulership is more flexible.  KS: Succession Law tells him that the Maharani could name an heir.  If an heir has not been named, then the Council of Nobles will discuss what the Maharani’s choice would likely have been.  With political shenanigans likely.