The process depends on how scattered the REs soul parts are due to a variety of factors. If he is simply physically killed, then it is a relatively simple matter to find a new host to hold the Emperor within (though the bloodshed in the noble houses as their candidates compete for the honour, is often not so simple). If his soul is attacked and broken too, as when killed by Sheng, or at the Nights of Horror, then he can be gone a long time. The Egi have the task of bringing his soul back together as they are the "holding pattern" that allows him to reform.
After the raid of Sheng on the Moon, the Egi have been unable to do what they used to, which was form an identical physical body for the Emperor. The Takenegi period is gone, now, instead they have another method where the Emperor is effectively heroformed by one of his worshippers. The Emperor worshippers are not run of the mill people, these are elite heroquesters who are given permission by the Emperor himself to be his devotees. Many of the great noble houses compete for the priveledge of having such a candidate for when the Emperors Mask needs replacing, they attempt to manifest his full spirit within their man.
Often this process can be difficult and fatal, sometimes several candidates have differing soul parts of the Emperor at different times (the Proxies are imbued with such a soul part on their creation as the Emperor literally gives a part of his power to another) and this can lead to conflict between the houses, but the Emperor usually manifests in one person fairly quickly with the majority of his soul and then gathers the rest to him as he sees fit.
He then proves himself RE and passes all the tests to become the various ruler aspects he fulfils - Padishah, All Seeing Eye, Eleven Tests Emperor, Manimat etc.
More on this will be evident in ILH 1, when it comes out this year.
Who rules in his place? The inner council - the Ordanestyum - performs this role, made up of the Satraps, the greatest heroes of the Empire and its military, church and economic leaders. They all have other interests or issues and this can lead to conflict, though the expectation of an Imperial return is the linchpin that holds them together.
Should the Emperor not return or the Egi be able to specify when he might be "gathered" once more, then the centrifugal forces of the Empire will begin to manifest with greater and greater speed.
Martin Laurie
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