The Four Families
The Four Families are the primary elite of the Ai, the confederation which selects the clan rulers from themselves.
Each family has primary and minor branches, and while rulers are selected most often from the primary houses, it is not so unusual for a scion of a minor branch to be selected for public service.
The four ruling families voted upon a silth or aru, who will serve for the next thirty years—if he or she safely navigates the three confidence votes at the conclusion of the first, third, and seventh years and then governs well enough to avoid a recall during the ensuing reign.
The North Family - Notable members include Ronal'sho.
The South Family - Notable members include Oniwe'aru and Tamaryl.
The East Family - Notable members include Edeiya'rika.
The West Family - Notable members include Daranai'rika.
The South Family has held power recently, under the rule of Oniwe'aru and Caliel’silth, but by no means does the family possess a secure hold on Ai politics. Indeed, that run makes their position more precarious, as the other families will feel pressure to displace the South's position even if their policies are serving well, to avoid keeping one family in place for too long.
Even an aru or silth (see Ryuven Castes and Roles) must govern with an eye to the Four Families' future decisions, for their service will determine future candidacies. For a particularly sticky example, see the crisis of the Findore blight.
Each family has primary and minor branches, and while rulers are selected most often from the primary houses, it is not so unusual for a scion of a minor branch to be selected for public service.
The four ruling families voted upon a silth or aru, who will serve for the next thirty years—if he or she safely navigates the three confidence votes at the conclusion of the first, third, and seventh years and then governs well enough to avoid a recall during the ensuing reign.
The Families
The families are known by the cardinal directions, though this does not reflect their present property holdings or other physical assets.The North Family - Notable members include Ronal'sho.
The South Family - Notable members include Oniwe'aru and Tamaryl.
The East Family - Notable members include Edeiya'rika.
The West Family - Notable members include Daranai'rika.
The South Family has held power recently, under the rule of Oniwe'aru and Caliel’silth, but by no means does the family possess a secure hold on Ai politics. Indeed, that run makes their position more precarious, as the other families will feel pressure to displace the South's position even if their policies are serving well, to avoid keeping one family in place for too long.
Even an aru or silth (see Ryuven Castes and Roles) must govern with an eye to the Four Families' future decisions, for their service will determine future candidacies. For a particularly sticky example, see the crisis of the Findore blight.
Public Agenda
The Four Families work together to select the next aru or silth and ensure the smooth transition from one administration to the next. Their negotiations prevent extremism and promote a more equitable rotation of power among the Ai elite.
The Four Families are expected to vote upon the next leader, trading concessions or actions for votes.
Type
Political, Confederation
Leader
Leader Title
Government System
Oligarchy
Parent Organization
Comments