kiuvai
AUTHORITY
Legally speaking, the kiuvai has absolute authority over the empire. They can change and create laws as they please, but with the ideals of fairness, equality, and freedom that are deeply ingrained in Thali culture, kiuvais rarely act on a whim. Over the years, a number of advisory councils have been formed to oversee different aspects of running the kingdom, and only rarely does the kiuvai need to personally step in.
There are a few aspects of the empire that must be handled by the kiuvai. The kiuvai is the only one who can declare war on another nation or authorize military movement and/or action beyond empire lands. Establishment of new colonies also requires the kiuvai's authorization. Petitions to join the empire undergo rigorous inspections and negotiations to avoid any underhanded dealings before being presented to the kiuvai for his signature.
DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES
Day-to-Day
Most of the time, the kiuvai spends his days meeting with advisors and officials and going over reports of events in the kingdom. Every Rindan and Niodan, the kiuvai spends the morning listening to and addressing citizen petitions. Any citizen, no matter their status in the empire, may have their request heard, provided they understand the the kiuvai's decision on their issue is final.
Military
During times of peace, the kiuvai meets weekly with the empire's jaruls to discuss any military matters that require his attention. During times of war, the kiuvai focuses almost exclusively on military and diplomatic matters, meeting daily with the jaruls, ambassadors, and diplomatic advisors to ensure the conflict is handled efficiently and with as little risk to Thali citizens as possible.
Religious
While most religious matters are handled by the empire's many priests, the kiuvai does take part in every festival held in the capital. These parts vary from a ceremonial lighting of a fire to planting the season's first crop seed. While mostly just for show, these traditions remain valued by the people, and the kiuvai's see them as a means of remaining close to the gods in the midst of their duties.
Every five years, the kiuvai invites the mujas of the kumajai to Durleik to discuss the relationship between their clans and the kingdom. These meetings frequently involve spiritual messages the mujas may have received from the gods or ancestors. The meetings end with a ceremony to honor both clans and kingdoms, in which the mujas and the empire's High Priest lead a prayer together for the continued prosperity of the people.
I love how involved the kiuvai seems to be with his people and empire. I particularly like how he is involved in the religious festivals, even if just in some small way.
Thank you for reading! I wanted to go for a leader who's both aloof and not. So many emperors are portrayed as godlike or untouchable by "normal" people and I wanted a leader who is much more connected to his people than that.