Much was clear now that had previously been rumour and speculation. Recovering as she was, Amber shouldn't hear this.

Miro knew the whole picture now. Some valiant men, perhaps templars rising up against the Primate, had destroyed the Assembly's relics in Stonewater. With their ruin, the Primate's source of essence was gone. This courageous act had levelled the playing field, as both the Black Army and Altura's supplies of essence dried up, and the Primate could no longer produce the elixir he used to control the leaders of the houses.

However in the last few months the Black Army's devastating use of orbs, dirigibles and avengers had increased. The Primate had some new source of essence.

And now they knew what it was.

"We've destroyed the facility completely," Marshal Beorn said, "and the vats with it. I don't think it would do the common people any good to know what went on there."

"Agreed," High Lord Tiesto said. "However I think we can safely assume this wasn't the only site."

"Rumours are that there are two more, both in Tingara. I think Tingara makes sense," Miro said, "simpler logistics and faster transportation of the essence to where it's needed."

"Lord of the Earth, what a mess," High Lord Tiesto said.

"We should make the location and destruction of these… facilities… a priority," said High Animator Salvatore.

"There just happens to be an army in the way," a moustached Halrana lord whose name Miro couldn't remember said wryly.

"There are some items of good news that I think we should discuss," Miro said. "First: the situation in Vezna. High Lord Tiesto, I think you'll like hearing this. Marshal Rogan?"

Rogan spoke, "The Veznan High Lord, Dimitri Corizon, had the taint." Rogan inclined his head to acknowledge Miro. "The Lord Marshal here was on a fact-finding mission in Rosarva when Dimitri was first given the elixir. Dimitri Corizon has since become the Primate's man through and through." Rogan paused. "However, just over a week ago, a minor lord and the captain of the High Lord's personal guard swept Vezna's leadership clean."

"It can't have been easy," Miro said.

"That's incredible news," High Lord Tiesto said. "How did they succeed?"

"Well," Miro took up the conversation, "as you know Vezna is administered from the Borlag, in the heart of Rosarva. Around the Borlag is a moat, and the only way to cross the moat is via the Juno Bridge, a living system of vines and plants, imbued with the cultivators' lore. An activation sequence must be spoken to be allowed across the Juno Bridge, otherwise the bridge… reacts."

"The two conspirators changed the sequence at a very opportune moment," Rogan said, "and let the Juno Bridge do the work for them. They took out Dimitri Corizon and his coterie in a single sweep."

There were murmurs around the chamber at the news.