Arrival in Iest Cerebus arrives in the
city-state of
Iest, where he checks into the high-class
Regency Hotel (whose design was based on the
Chateau Laurier) and becomes embroiled in political machinations as the Chief Kitchen Supervisor to
Lord Julius. Cerebus is kidnapped for ransom by
Dirty Drew and
Dirty Fleagle McGrew. Cerebus soon arranges with the kidnappers to split the ransom money, but when the time comes to pick up the ransom, Cerebus is betrayed by the brothers and knocked unconscious, and he enters a long
dream sequence where he speaks once again with
Suentius Po. When he comes to, Cerebus finds himself back at the Regency Hotel, where he is told that he is expected to pay back the ransom that was paid for his release. He discovers the
Regency Elf in his room, who informs him that the brothers have been captured. He goes to talk with them at the prison, but finds out they never got the moneyall they got was a statue of a "duck". With the help of the Elf, Cerebus contrives to get the money to repay his ransom. At the moment that he seems to have schemed the money out of Holland M. Hadden, Hadden is assassinated by the
Moon Roach (a new guise of the Roach; a parody of
Moon Knight), who is under the control of
Astoria. Cerebus is under the Inquisition's suspicion for Hadden's murder, and is only safe due to his diplomatic statusa situation which is complicated by the Moon Roach's assassination of two members of the Inquisition. Astoria takes Cerebus under her wing, telling him she will make him "
embarrassingly wealthy".
Campaign During PetuniaCon (a parody and commentary on Comic Book Conventions, put on by Lord Julius), Astoria announces that she has gathered enough disaffected ministers to form a new party that wants to run Cerebus for Prime Minister. Elrod the Albino wins the election to become the ranking diplomatic representative from Palnu, the position formerly held by Cerebus. Cerebus gets a critical letter of recommendation from Mr. Blakely and begins his campaign. Cerebus tours the various districts of Iest, making speeches while Astoria makes backroom deals with the real power brokers. Things seem to be going very well but when the delegates meet to declare how many representatives each candidate will receive, many districts turn away from Cerebus.
Election Lord Julius puts forward a goat to run against Cerebus as Prime Minister. Election night ends in a draw, with one vote uncounted. Cerebus sets out with Astoria and the Roach (this time in a caricature of
Sergeant Preston of the Mounties to find Lord Storm'send in snowy Northbell to secure the last vote. After talking with Cerebus, Storm'send lights a beacon indicating who he has voted for, but refuses to tell Cerebus whom he has decided on. Cerebus, Astoria and the Roach head back through the snow, but eventually are stopped due to a bridge being out. They check into an inn located by the bridge, where they find out that Cerebus has won.
Prime Ministership (
Cerebus #45-50) Almost immediately, the government of Iest begins to crumble around Cerebus. Sensing opportunity, several military forces from surrounding regions - notably, the Sepran Empire - begin campaigns to capture the city-state. The new Iestian Pontiff announces the reunification of the Church, and that it will support the Sepran Empire. All of Cerebus' allies abandon him, and he walks out on Astoria. Cerebus is left with nothing and flees the city with the things he came into it with: his sword, his vest, and his medallions. At the very end, he finds the Albatross Statue that eluded so many people for so long; with it, he could have united the church himself and ruled Estarcion. Cerebus destroys the statue and leaves the city. ==Characters==