Family Business Succession

The setting is similar to the age of exploration and the Baroque era, but in my universe, it is called "the Age of Personalities" because of the people, all of whom are quite memorable and some figures considered larger-than-life itself, who were born and rose to prominence at the period: scientists, explorers, artists, and of course conquerors, who changed their world forever…often for a price.

During the Age of Personalities; two siblings: the Crown Prince and Crown Princess, from a famous Imperial line, attempted to conquer an entire continent…and briefly succeeded. But it didn’t last long, and due to various factors that conspired to destroy them and frustrate their plans, they lost their empire within the year they conquered it. Countries united, the Prince was defeated in battle, captured, and was summarily “executed”. The Princess was captured but was ransomed by her family; she then fled to another country overseas to live a life of peace, but her name now disgraced and held in shame by her countrymen. The Prince and the Princess was then remembered as one of the cruelest and most despotic leaders of their time, whose colorful lives was mired by controversy and scandal; but they was also remembered for being an undoubtedly peerless and ingenious military commanders and strategists-whose maneuvers are to be studied years later.

After their downfall, their younger sister, the 2nd Princess of their Imperial line took over all the loose ends and succeeded in what her elder siblings failed in. She then took her cousin and Lord Commander, her elder sister’s former fiancé as her consort, succeeded her father as Empress and became a “benevolent despot”, ruling with great popularity and was beloved in contrast to her older siblings. A small amount of peace and stability followed, though conflicts were still heard elsewhere; the Empire then began to prosper, becoming a welcome home for the arts and sciences, and helped with the Empires ambitions to make their mark in the “New World”.

But this is not about them…the Prince left 4 sons… and this is their story.

The brothers were led by the Prince’s 3rd son. From birth he was already famous; aside from being his notorious father’s son…he was also his nephew. In short, he was the result of an incestuous union between the Imperial Crown Prince and the Imperial Crown Princess, and his birth was one of the most prominent scandals his parents had to deal with, and it was a very potent weapon against his parents’ carefully guarded reputation. Anyway, his mother still kept secret contact with her younger sister: the current Empress; and the Empress asked for her children (the Princess had other 3 other children-all by her brother, the 3rd son was her eldest) to go to the capital and receive an education fit for member of the Imperial family. As the 3rd son and his siblings still held Imperial blood, and therefore part of a family who was known for their intense familial loyalty and care, they were warmly welcomed into the family; only to face the contempt and disgust of some members of the Imperial court…and seen as the children of a tyrant (the Prince) and as abominations…

So they were sent to another country to live with a close family friend and be tutored there, only to come back to the main house during the holidays…why not, the court expected and wanted nothing of them. They were in such disfavor that the Electoral College (the ones who elect the next one to sit in the Imperial throne) denied them the right of everyone of Imperial birth to be candidates for succession. (For good reason)

But the 3rd son had other plans…he didn’t want to live in a world where he was nobody…so he decided to try his luck …in the New World.

While he was in the main house he and his younger brother the 4th son met their older half-brothers: the 1st son and the 2nd son; children of the Prince by earlier relations, and formed a close bond with them. They too as their father’s sons were denied the right to succession. All 4 of them, thought they had no hope in the current state of things…that if they remained here they were destined to be nobodies; so they decided to join an uncle in his journey to the New World where their lineage and their parentage means nothing and if their designs go well, could make them insanely rich…if they survive.

with all due respect, i dont think anyones gonna read all the stuff you just wrote.

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