Episode 8 Summary

April 12th
-Ophelia gets news from pilgrims and her contacts that the situation in Laurel is heating up.
-Ben Gregson, the treasurer of Newton, announces to the council that the town is low on money and has been forced to dip into emergency funds.
-The council discusses the possibility of selling bonds, but decides to cut back the militia budget for now. Eva is upset to get the news.
-Thomas Newton discusses the possibility of using Newton's economic pull to affect Greer's currency exchange rate.

April 13th
-The news arrives that overnight, the Laurel government has been deposed by a new very theocratic regime, which has renamed the city-state "New Eden."
-Newton pledges its cautious support of the new government, as do the other two city-states.
-Lorraine talks to Corwin, and brings up the issue of Greer and the possibility of economic retaliation, as Thomas suggested. Corwin responds that the risk outweighs the benefits, and Lorraine goes along with it, but says she wants to improve the Greer situation one way or antoher.
-Tom Brass, Anders' deputy, suggests that the sheriff's office try to pick up some of the slack from the reduced militia to stave off any budget cuts.
-New Eden opens diplomatic relations with Newton by teleconference, conducted personally by the new Hierarch of New Eden, Lorenzo I. He wishes to build a cathedral in Newton, open trade, and reinforce the route from New Eden to Newton. The council is nervous about his intentions and puts off any definite answer.
-Corwin suggests that some new journals of William Newton suddenly come to light in an attempt to de-canonize him, and that they generally look into contributing to the downfall of the New Eden government. The council is split regarding this. In the end, they decide to put together a fact-finding mission.
-Both Thomas Newton and Lewis Bryant visit Sam Newton to enlist his aid, Thomas Newton as a supporter of New Eden as William Newton's closest living relative, and Lewis Bryant as against New Eden as someone in a position to say that William Newton was no saint. Sam proceeds to say he'll go along with both.

April 14th
-Opelia gets word that the press of New Eden has been taken over by the government.
-Corwin recruits Dutch to join the party going to New Eden.
-Corwin asks Lorraine to lead the party, so they can go as a diplomatic envoy.
-Thomas asks that Lorraine brings him along, and encourages her to pick her own party rather than let Corwin run the show.
-Lucius shows up, also wanting to join the party and offers to bring bodyguards along.
-Lorraine announces her plans to leave tomorrow. Corwin is upset and insulted that Lorraine didn't consult him on putting together the party, and asks to send Dutch along at least.

April 15th
-Lucius and his men put together a wagon with a bunch of weapons hidden under some trade goods Sam sends with Lucius.
-Virgil gets news from Philo that there is someone interested in hiring him and his men as mercenaries.