Just an observation, in relation to whether or not the ruling House always changes hands when an emperor leaves... I'd imagine, given the nature of politics, and the rocky relationship of the Houses in general, that this thread is the exact type of conversation that comes up every time it looks like an Emperor is in a position to surrender the Orb. One camp probably says, "With the emperor, goes the House." the other says "Not so fast." The length of a Reign is typically such that succession only happens once or twice in a Dragaeran's lifespan. Historical records are sometimes muddied, and an ambitious House may not feel like waiting its turn when an emperor dies or abdicates--so, even assuming that there are isolated historical examples of multiple emperors within a single reign, it's almost a certainty that a claim from within the reigning house would be contested by the next House in line any time a sitting emperor can no longer rule effectively. My guess is that most (if not all) of these intra-house claims are probably defeated--meaning that one-emperor-per-reign is likely the normal state of affairs, regardless of whether or not it is the only *possible* state of affairs. Majikjon