Watakilai

The twenty five Watakilai are the officers and elite members of the Motosui Assembly, who both lead Assembly discussions and form their own inner chamber of the legislature: the Inner Council. The Watakilai are the most powerful legislators in all the Khilaia, drawn overwhelmingly from the elite twenty great houses and led by the Five Great Clans of the assembly.
The Watakilai of the Inner Council have several powers over the Assembly:

• They can lead and structure assembly discussions, choosing who gets to talk and for how long; if all Watakilai dislike a speaker, they can be effectively censured
• They can vote to delay, edit, or even veto measures
• They can form committees and hold nominate people for the assembly to vote onto the committees
• The Watakilai vote to decide the rules of the assembly floor
• They handle coordination between the main chamber of the assembly and the Selkie Circle of Elders 

Given all this, the Watakilai are incredibly important, and factions can essentially not exist in the Assembly without the support of at least one. 
Clan Mikiraka and Clan Woshalui have the most power in the Watakilai, and lead the assembly through this power. Their power is far from absolute, though, and opposition factions remain a powerful force despite these clans' dominant position.

Appointment

The Inner Council can nominate new members, which the Assembly then votes on. According to the current set of floor rules, only individuals from Clans that hold a Viceroyship can be nominated. Watakilai serve for life unless voted out of the inner council by a majority vote (which is rare).

Accoutrements & Equipment

Watakilai have special necklace-amulets and signet rings designating their position. They also have ceremonial outfits, with elaborate turqouise-and-obsidian studded bead veils, swan-feather capes with red silk, and blue-red horn hats.

Type

Civic, Political

Form of Address

The Honorable

Related Locations

• Halamahi

Related Organizations

• Motosui Assembly
• The Khilaia