The Throne & The Crown

The rules of Incaendian society may vary from Domain to Domain, but the rule of Power above all remains constant. That said, despite their often brutal societal customs, Demon society is also quite specific in its rules and rituals: the byzantine system of Class & Hierarchy in Incaendium is a prime example of this.

The Object of Desire.

Thus, the universally accepted rule is: if one wishes to seize power from the current Dominus Regas, the way to do it is to directly challenge them, and defeat them in a fair battle. It is as simple as that, and when power is transferred in so straightforward a way, the transition is simple as well.

However, if a Dominus Regas loses power for some other reason - retirement or sudden death, for example - the question of who fills that place becomes relevant.

In most cases there is an obvious successor - the Legat Regas, to be specific. However, if power is to be transferred without a formal combat challenge... then the heir must prove themselves in some other way.


A Note to Consider!

While the tradition is often referred to as the Trial of the Crown, it is a metaphorical title, as most Dominus Regas do not actually have literal crowns, opting instead for Kuvarut-Rem.

Phase One: Patience

Trivia Moment!

While the three Phases are used throughout Incaendium to deal with a nonstandard transition of power, some Domains use pieces of it in other contexts, as well - particularly Phase Three. For example, in Cras the self-confrontation trial of the third phase is required before any Dominus Regas can ascend regardless of method, while Marsi subjects a potential Legat Regas to Self-Confrontation in advance of being officially named heir.

There is a decade waiting period before an unproven Legat Regas can truly take the title of Dominus. This could be considered a formality, and in most ways it is: the lack of an official title does not limit their authority in any technical sense. They act with all the weight of the Dominus Regas' role.

However, it is something of a signal - a statement to both citizens of the affected Domain and rulers of other Domains that the ruler is not yet proven. This often results in challenges from within and tests of the Domain's strength from without. A neighboring Domain might begin to set up army bases just by the border and begin trying to encroach on the Domain's territory, for example. Traditionally, this is the time when power is the most mutable and transferrable: many coups and attempts at conquest occur during this trial period.

 

Phase Two: Challenge

Asther vs. Asther

One of the best known pre-trial challenges would be Taladan Asther's challenge to her brother, Legat Regas Samael. The challenge itself was not especially unusual, but it became noteworthy in retrospect when Taladan attempted a coup against Samael alongside his friend Mastema Amarandos.

Phase One is prolonged and serves to establish the prospective Dominus Regas as a viable political force able to competently rule and withstand pressure and challenges. Phase Two, by contrast, is generally no more than a day or two and serves to establish the aspiring leader's physical dominance.

It is undertaken in the last days before the final Trial and demands that all challenges be accepted and overcome. A single loss forfeits the crown to the victor, with all of the potentially sweeping changes that implies.

Aside from the obvious difficulty of staving off challenges from people who have reason to believe they might win, there is the additional lack of recovery time, as the candidate is expected to complete this phase inside of a handful of days.

 

Phase Three: Self-Confrontation

Occasional Consequences of Self-Knowledge

Not everyone survives self-confrontation intact, even if they do technically pass the trial. At times, the experience has only created, or exacerabated, instability in the new Dominus Regas. An example of this would be Troyes Vandeil, the tyrant of Dispat who, upon emerging from the trial, seemed to have lost his capacity for empathy.

This is because the trial is designed to make a person face and overcome their fears and weaknesses... but what those fears and weaknesses are is highly individualized. Someone who considers kindness a weakness would find themselves challenged to stamp out their better self.

In other words, the experience is meant to make a leader stronger, not morally better.

Once the candidate has made it through their waiting period and defeated whatever challenges they have been made to face, they must then face themselves.

The fine details such as location and length of the trial may vary from Domain to Domain. However, the basics remain intact: they must undergo an enchantment that brings them into direct contact with representations of their great fears, desires and weaknesses. How these things manifest depends entirely on the structure of the mind being tested - a certain kind of candidate might encounter their fears in the form of physical assailants to overcome, while others might find they manifested as visions or extremely difficult conversations.

The important thing is that the form reflects something that is resonant with the individual tested.

Despite the length of the first phase and the physical danger of the second, many say the third is by far the most difficult. Some candidates never emerge from the dreamworld... or come back mentally shattered.

However, they have completed the challenge if they return intact. Or mostly intact.

 

The Aftermath

With the completion of the third phase, the candidate is considered worthy and can be legitimized as the Dominus Regas!

Typically, this is done via a public ceremony or announcement (e.g. an Unveiling or the local equivalent) with that announcement followed by a week of celebration.. though the details vary, as does the scope. In theory, the celebration should be as grand as the Domain can afford. However, in practice many Domains will overspend in a more extravagant than necessary festivities in an attempt to make a show of their wealth and power.