The sword was laid down by a dead Emperor, and shall be lifted by a living one.

But justice weighed Gordian's enemies in her scales, and the dead Emperor's spirit did not long wander unavenged.

The dead Emperor seemed almost amused.

The dead Emperor towered over him, vast and golden.

We're only Vor because some dead Emperor declared one of our dead ancestors so.

Then he knelt at the side of the bier, beside the body of the dead Emperor.

With the Emperor dead, who decides policy?

If anyone noticed, they might think he was simply one of the dead Emperor's ancient academic colleagues.

The thread of the story kept breaking whenever he looked down into the dead Emperor's eyes.

Just inside lay the Emperor, dead.