Makes me giggle just thinking about what they'd be getting up to. Probably growing A LOT of grey hairs and cursing everyone else's lack of foresight in their absence eh? ;) XD 

I've been struggling to think of where they would go from there, naturally it'd be a kind of...security (?) for them to fill the place as soon as possible, but would ANY of the current Elders be willing to fill it? Ailel certainly wouldn't, Cheriss....ehhh, I guess she'd agree to it if the others put her up to it (and she certainly has the "shut up and do what I say" personality for it, but that doesn't make her a good candidate for being the absolute leader of the Order *scratches imaginary beard in thought*) but it's not something she's going to be jumping at to volunteer for if that makes sense? XD I obviously can't speak for Matt and Malu, so I guess that leaves us at a toss up between those three (Cheriss, Matt or Malu)? 

Its a real pickler, thats for sure XD We don't have to decide straight away either so maybe like you say its best to leave them to it and see what kind of formation they decide to fall into naturally? o.o