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Imperial Power

The Mugrobi monarchy is based on a family line, with the current line tracing back its "calling by Hulali" (a Mug claim for divine right) for over eleven generations. The current Emperor, Un Fera, is but a boy at twelve years old and has been on the throne for three years, his mother, Queen Behta val-Dinah, having passed away after contracting the Plague during a humanitarian visit to Fen Kierden to assess the situation of the disease herself.

While technically a monarcy under Emperor Un Fera, Mugroba as a whole would likely best be considered a merchant republic, if only because the Emperor is currently a child and the current Speaker of the Civic Assembly is considered his Guardian and Voice. Though the boy is allowed to speak his opinion and overrule anything he'd like at any time, he is perhaps a little over-advised by the various heads of current political parties. Legally, the cities and towns and villages all answer to the imperial crown, they are all independent and autonomous in terms of local policy unless called upon by the Emperor for a national emergency. This means that Thul Ka, the seat of the crown itself, is the most powerful and well-defended city in the nation. When the Symvouli of the Six Kingdoms, the Crown opens Thul Ka to its delegate visitors and policy makers while the Emperor returns to his more public residence in the Ashu'tei Palace built in the political center of Thul Ka for that reason.

Mugroba isn't quite an absolute monarchy, for while the Emperor of Mugroba wields a substantial amount of power, the every day tasks of policy-making and jurisprudence are left to a mixed-party system, with individuals elected based on their wealth, influence, and so-called merit within the merchant and upper classes, jostling for position and representing a myriad of different political parties.

The Civic Assembly

It is a settled fact that merchants love to haggle. It is also a truth universally to be seen that when merchants found a city and make up so much of its history, politics, and culture, that the spirit of haggling with endure and shape the governance of that city. Thul Ka is no exception.

The Civic Assembly, the governing body of the city, is famously argumentative and divided into factions. So too is the city with merchants vying against each other and against powerful labor groups, the ancient patrician families, imperial interests, and dozens of other factions. Political life in Thul Ka is neither simple nor quiet and the city’s reputation of quarrels is well deserved.

At the present time, the government of the city is formed by a coalition of two of the political parties: the Brotherhood of the Crocus, representing the traditional merchant interests of increased trade and civic functionality, and the Worshipful Company of Pipefitters, representing the interest of labor and industry. This coalition is itself tenuous for there are great points of division between the two parties and though each needs the other to stay in power, it is unclear if that necessity will be fruitful.

The rivalry between the Crocus-party Mayor Bulu Erlu Bandu and Boss Jakali of the Pipefitters is well known and the subject of considerable comment and speculation. It is widely believed that Jakali is preparing herself to run for the office of mayor though she officially denies this. Nevertheless, Pipefitter organizers have been unusually assiduous in drumming of support and lining up voters ahead of the elections.

Other parties in the Assembly have capitalized on the fragile government and are even now growing support. The Fat-Purse Party, advocates for cutting the city’s services, lowering taxes, and doing away with the traditional power and influence of the merchant guilds, have been making inroads among the smaller merchants and business people of the city, siphoning off some of the traditional supporters of the Crocus. At the same time, the bellicose and radically anti-foreigner Bull Elephant Party has been making inroads as well, making allies among those who demand greater public security in the face of an influx of refugees and the looming threat of an expanded revolution.