High Priest Nevis

Nevis is one of the four Archons or Archbishops of the Church of the Ancestor, until his election as High Priest.

Appearance and Personality
Nevis is a fat, pale faced man with greying hair, deep set eyes, and wet lips. He is well connected in the emperor’s court, and has something of a reputation for corruption.

History
Nevis and Abbess Glass have a history, and were lovers when they were young.

Red Sister
High Priest Jacob arranges for Nevis and the other three Archons to travel from the four corners of The Empire to Sweet Mercy for the Church trial of the novice Nona Grey and Abbess Glass. The High Priest tries to rushes through the trial and conviction of the pair, but the Abbess puts up a strong defence, arguing that Nona’s conviction for killing the sociopath Raymel Tacsis was corrupt, and that any nine-year-old girl capable of killing a famed Gerant ring fighter would serve the Church well. The other three Archons are convinced and conclude there is no case to answer. Nevis seems reluctant to agree, but Abbess Glass reminds him of a promise he made her long ago. However, High Priest Jacob overrules them, and proceeds to the sentencing.

Seemingly panicked, Abbess Glass now claims that Nona is the prophesised Shield of the Argatha, and agrees to take an archaic test to prove it. She must hold her hand above a votive candle until believed. Although the Abbess roars in agony as her palm burns, the High Priest is utterly determined to see her found guilty. So Nona stops the test, and agrees to take the ordeal of the Shield Test instead. Yet through her Hunska speed, the young novice amazingly survives the trial against three projectiles: a spear, a throwing-star, and an arrow. The High Priest accepts defeat with bad grace, but before he can leave Abbess Glass accuses him of having sold himself entirely to the Tacsis family. Jacob tries to brush off the accusation, but all four Archons agree and vote to remove him from office for his stupidity, corruption, and malice. To his own surprise, Archon Nevis is elected the new primate of the Church of the Ancestor, as the candidate most likely to be acceptable to Emperor Crucical.

High Priest Nevis visits the Sweet Mercy again with the emperor's sister Sherzal, and insists that her ward Zole must be enrolled in the convent, against the objections of the Abbess.

Grey Sister

High Priest Nevis seems to openly conspire with Abbess Glass to bring the emperor's sister Sherzal to justice, for stealing the Sweet Mercy Shipheart. He sets his seal to a document giving her permission to practise heresy at the convent.