If there was any chance of the Great Tendor Succession Crisis ending peacefully, those hopes were dashed yesterday as the Protectorate-organized ascension council between the three factions broke down, with the claimants nearly killing each other.

Each man, and their long list of backers, wants the throne and its power for themselves.

The Emperor of Great Tendor rules a land of over 100 million. Their every whim is fulfilled, their halls are walked by a thousand beautiful women in the harem, wealth flows in not just from their vast domain, but from far flung, alien worlds, and the greatest military might in the known galaxy is honor-bound to defend their territory and dynasty. The history of Tendor is the history of wars, dynasties, coups, and kingdoms breaking apart thanks to old inheritance laws, but with the Protectorate securing their lands, the emperors this past century have had it easy, capable of passing nearly any decree because they needn’t worry about the consequences. Even when the D’Sev incited a civil war, it was the peldaks who took charge and defended the throne.

Becoming the Emperor would have been impossible before, but now that the throne is open for the taking, nobody is willing to settle. They’re even willing to risk peldak reprisal for it.

Of course, no claimant is so open about their naked ambition. They’re dressing it in benevolent terms, like giving a voice to languishing territories, or restoring lost imperial glory.

While the claimants have stressed that Great Tendor’s status as a member of the Protectorate won’t change in their dynasty, the Hetman of the 18^th Legion, Sir Kornel Kiskonski, declared that this excuse is rejected and the three legions will consider any armed conflict to win the Imperial Throne to be rebellion against Great Tendor, the Protectorate’s Ally.