====== Pontifex Superbia ====== ==== Cat and Mouse ==== Dear Pontifex Superfluous, Nice try with the estate agent, not a bad plan. Too bad for you I'm good at this, though. You hid your influence from a cursory background check, but we both know that anyone who only does a //cursory// check deserves to get caught. I knew this place was compromised before I bought it - I just kept it as bait. Don't worry, I didn't hook up anything lethal to the air conditioning - your people will recover. Eventually. Probably. Yeah, not sure how much I can relate to that, personally - downside of picking candidates as kids is, by the time one of them grows up and realises they're actually straight, it's a bit late. Why do you think I wanted out? Her Infernal Majesty is great and all, but very much not my type. But yeah, it's also great not to have to keep up the charade. The charade I'm playing is a lot lower stress, and (assuming I'm good enough to evade you, anyway) the worst that's gonna happen if people get suspicious is that I have to move in a hurry. That's a bit more manageable than Angry Demon Wife Just Realised She's Been Being Fooled For A Thousand Years. Weird how limited our education is in Indulgence - you can probably tell from my writing that I've gone native, all that proper courtly speech sticks out like a sore thumb anywhere outside the Mountains. And yes, I fully expect you to do a full analysis of my writing style and word choices to try to work out where I've settled, and I'm going to tell you now to save the effort because it won't tell you anything useful. But you really should try to improve the education standards, learning more about the rest of Nequam can only help your intelligence operations. I'm learning so much, and you wouldn't want to fall behind, would you? Anyway, better luck next time. Just keep trying, I'm sure you'll catch me one day. Yours, You (but better) P.S. The guy you had watching the dead drop was embarassingly obvious. The second guy was slightly better, but only slightly. Are you even trying? //- A letter left for Pontifex Superbia in a dead drop near Epicentre// ==== Other People Have Spies Too ==== **For the attention of:** His Imperial Majesty, The Emperor of a Thousand Eyes **From:** Agent Iris, of the Emperor's Eyes Sire, Our sources in Indulgence have reported some information of which I am not certain of the implications. It seems that the Left Hand of Arkh'azia, Pontifex Superbia, has been acquiring tomes and following rumours on the subject of attaining immortality. As Superbia is, to all appearances, immortal already, and has been for over a thousand years, I cannot say why she would need this information. To speculate, if this is an indication that the Pontifex has been cursed to lose her immortality, then there is a chance that Indulgence will be vulnerable within a few decades. Your Eyes will, naturally, continue to watch the situation, that you may know the moment we learn more. ==== Top 10 Villain Fan Clubs (Number 8 Will Shock You) ==== Our round-up of the top fan clubs in Epicentre wouldn't be complete without our next entry! Founded twenty years ago, this club has gone from strength to strength, and is unusual among Epicentre fan clubs in that it's actually celebrating a foreign villain! You know them, you love them, it's the Cult of Arkh'azia! For anyone that hasn't heard, Arkh'azia is a demon goddess from the Tenebrific Mountains. The fan club was founded by her second in command, the beautiful, immortal, Pontifex Superbia, who is the club's President For Life! A woman of fiery passions, Superbia sure knows how to whip up a crowd! Check out these speeches! //// And Arkh'azia's fans sure know how to riot! They've won SCOOP!'s Riot of the Year award nine times in the past 20 years! You can always tell an Arkh'azian riot by their signature chant, known within the club as the "Battle Hymn of Arkh'azia". Some of them even think that chanting it grants them extra strength and fighting skill! Wow!