Dark and Dirty Days.

[Erik Mortis]

The Count of Monty Crisco was out in his apple orchards again, tending to them as was his hobby. When times got tense, and life demanded to much of him, it was to these trees that he fled, for solace and comfort. And it was in these orchards that an attended found the Count. Short of breath and red with exertion the attended bounded to the side of the Count.

Not turning from his pruning: "This better be important. I don't like to be disturbed when I'm out here. It makes me...upset." The Count made a swift and aggressive snip of his sheers at a dead branch to drive his point.

Still winded: "Yes, My lord. Grave news. Yvain Wintersong, Rightful duke of Brookshire, has been replaced by the Kaiser with Harold of Froyalan. Proclaiming him duke of Brookshire, and Vice-Duke of Froyalan."

The Count of Monty Crisco paused, staring at an apple in front of him. He picked the apple and examined it. "The Kaiser removed the Duke, and replaced him. Effectively removing myself as Emissary in the process. I knew he was unhappy with me in the Landsraad, but I never thought he would resort to such an action. There is now an outsider on the throne of Brookshire, one we did not put there."

The attendant began to look uneasy viewing the cold and stony expression on his count's face.

The Count turned to the attendant: "I am returning to the manor. Summon my War Master. Have him meet me in the conference chamber. Tell him what you have told me, and tell him to prepare for an expedition. Then send word to the Duke of Yardistan, I will give you a message to give them. "

The attendant bowed and ran back to the manor. The Count of Monty Crisco walked leisurely back to his residence. Today would be a dark and dirty day.

[Erik Mortis]

From the Court of the Count of Monty Crisco.

While the County of Monty Crisco recognizes the supremacy of the Kaiser over the Empire of Shireroth, the County of Monty Crisco does not recognize Harold of Froyalan as Duke of Brookshire. Yvain Wintersong is the true Duke of Brookshire.

The County of Monty Crisco hereby declares itself to be in a state of open rebellion against the False Duke and outsider, for the glory of the Rightful Duke of Brookshire.

[Ari Rahikkala]

I think directly contravening an Imperial Decree kind of implies being in revolt against the Kaiser.

[Erik Mortis]

Yes, well. Not necessarily. But it never hurts to be clear.

[Kaiser Hasan I]

Wait, Yvain is Duke? I was under the impression that Brookshire currently did not have a Duke? If this is the case, then I will retract the Imperial Decree.

[Erik Mortis]

And I'll retract my rebellion.

[Aurangzeb Khan]

What is the mechanism for installing a duke these days?

[Kaiser Hasan I]

Consensus of the population with a rubber stamp from the Kaiser.

[Erik Mortis]

If even that.

Technically, the throne fell to Yvain when he was the only active cit, and I stopped being Duke. Line of Succession rules... basically.