I can think of scenes I'd like to see.
One was an expansion of Thirsk's meeting with Bishop Maik where he discusses his thoughts on what his responsibilities are now that his family is no longer a factor, and that what he
can do will depend strongly upon Maik. It will likely be where he says "I can no longer obey King Rahnyld and his ministers as their actions lead my navy and my country to ruin in the service of the Jihad", and Maik confesses that he can no longer obey his vows to serve and obey the Grand Inquisitor, as Clyntahn has led Mother Church to irreparable schism and the point of run, has systematically lied to everyone, and has demonstrated himself unfit to be a priest, let alone Grand Inquisitor.
(I'd also be curious to know just when Thirsk said "By the way, Staiphan, my family is alive. A couple of associates of Seijin Merlin got them off the vessel transporting them to Zion before it went to the bottom. Merlin himself showed up in my townhouse to tell me and offer proof!" Likely not till Maik laid his cards on the table, though.)
I'd also love to see more of the behind the scenes stuff that resulted in Thisk's meeting with Bishop Executor Lainyr and Father Karymych, where we discover Thirsk is the new First Councilor of Dorath, and units of Thirsk's Navy and Alvharez's Army are in the process of kicking the Inquisition out of Gorath.
I'm not startled at Duke Fern stepping aside. He's always been in a difficult position as point man for an unfit King. Rahnyld had
wanted to abdicate previously, but had not because his heir was too young to take the throne. With the Jihad being lost evident to everyone else aside from the Inquisition, and the Inquisition being forcibly removed from the playing field in Dohlor, Fern might just have breathed a huge sigh of relief. Circumstances were such that Rahnyld
could abdicate, and Fern could hand off his responsibilities as First Councilor and head of Raynhld's heir's Regency council to the best qualified man to do it, with Earl Ahlvarez and now Archbishop Maik to assist. It's pretty obvious he stepped aside voluntarily.
Thorast likely is under house arrest, though an unmarked grave isn't out of the question.
Background on what all went on in Zion after Duchairn and Magwair made their move against the Inquisition would also be nice. Once they had established control with Duchairn as the clear leader, him becoming Grand Vicar was pretty much inevitable. I suspect Grand Vicar Erek happily resigned. He'd never been more than Trynair's puppet in any case, and might even have been more terrified of trying to rule Mother Church after the upheavals than he was of Clyntahn before the end. The Grand Vicar is elected by the Vicarate, and what was left of it probably elected him by acclamation. (Though the 42 that Duchairn went after for various high crimes and misdemeanors once he became Grand Vicar likely made a few of them regret that.)
And I am curious in retrospect about Merlin and Nimue waiting to intercept Clyntahn and Rayno, after taking out the 70 Inquisitor's Guard left waiting by the mouth of the tunnel from the Temple. I assume Nahrman and Owl were able to point them at the spot, and I suppose it's possible something the Paityr's dump passed along to his ancestors by Schueler might have indicated the tunnel existed, but Merlin, Nahrman, and Owl's reluctance to operate remotes too close to the Temple would indicate discovery of was from the other end.
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Dennis