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Episode: Stability

Posted by Story on 02/21/17
Lycene Succession Crisis:

First Archduchess Carlotta Velenosa was murdered during the King's Rest and then her daughter Archduchess Esera Velenosa was pushed off Sovereign Bridge by the Dominus of the Faith. Can't the Lyceum keep a highlord until at least the rest of the world stops falling apart? The communal breath of the Lyceum is held following Esera's death, figuring that a round of assassinations or the civil war is in the making, but remarkably, it seems violence isn't imminent. Duke Niccolo Velenosa has served as voice as House Velenosa for decades, and while he's not Velenosa by blood, most wouldn't question his fitness to rule... but at least most of the Lyceum would have expected someone in his family to challenge his claim. Instead, it seems the opposite is happening. His daughter, Princess Isolde, publicly renounces her claim and proclaims her support for Niccolo, as do her cousins Luca, Serafine, Eleyna and others that might stand in line of inheritance. Niccolo's claim is further supported by the merchant caste, Duchess Belladonna Pravus, Duchess Calista Fidante, and Duke Hadrian Malvici. While that is solid enough to safely be recognized by the rest of the Compact, it would be a mistake to say his reign is secure- there's persistent discord throughout the Lyceum on account of his lack of Velenosan blood, the troubling precedent for a title to revert to a parent, and most importantly the implicit lack of stability from the arrangement. The Lyceum has enough to worry about- Niccolo's reign will not be secure until he marries someone that can support his rule, appoint voices from other houses that can bring the badly divided Lyceum together (House Rubino or Zaffria would be wise), and this time they want a damned will with a declared heir and line of succession in advance, and not just when his grandchildren are born. They wish the new Grand Duke of the Lyceum a long life, but it's the -Lyceum-, let's not have a civil war after a routine poisoning. Get it secure and stable.