You are the emperor of a space empire. You organize regular audiences and various people come in and tell you there is some problem or some opportunity exists or just want to report something happened. Then you try to react and there are some consequences of your decisions (I'm double interested in the consequences part).

I'm basicly trying to get into the mood so you can assume any lore & game mechanics you want and overall post anything related :)

"Court" plotlines in general seem to focus on:

- arranged marriages, inheritance, or other legal maneuvers for controlling wealth.

- scandal, blackmail, and fame

- assasination

- drugs, prostitution, slavery, smuggling, and gambling (i.e. crime where nobles are making money off of it and protecting it against law enforcement)

- prejudice, racial or religion

- censorship, propaganda, and persecution of radicals/rebels/foreigners

- Emperor was Poisoned (recurring event): an attempt on your life, they were able to save you but you are need to be hospitalized so the empire gets a penalty for X turns (you can't work too much and do your emperish duties properly); you can react in two ways "become more cautious" (reduces chance for this event for next X turns) or "track the disloyal ones" (some low loyalty imperial officials will get fired without any consequences). This event can be triggered by other storylines/events (since it's a generic one).

- Constructing "Moon of death" (chain of events): the grand plan to build a super big flying space fortress to assure your rule in the galaxy. Each audience they visit you and you select what install next on the under construction space fortress or ask for money (if you decline the construction goes slower) or report delays (you can punish the responsible for delay) or report that rebels have stolen the plans/etc. In the end, afters like 200 turns and several audiences where they were bugging you about it they will finish the things, how powerfull it is and when exactly it's finished depends on the choices you made on the way.

(not very "imperial court" one but I like it :))

- Asteroids belt mining licence: A guild/megacorporation approaches you and ask for a licence/monopoly to mine asteroid belts they offer a certain perk (empire wide) the licence last for 50 turns. The trick is there might be other guild/megacorporation with a better perk next turn and you can issue only one licence/monopoly (so you need to wait till the old licence expires after 50 turns).