Tokgok 'nro

"A new era of greatness has begun! We, the Tokgoks, have always been many tribes, but one people. Like the eagle soaring on an updraught, the Askre banner will lead our tribes together to new heights... I stand before you as your 'nro, and pledge that it will be so."

Askre'nro Tohmut, first 'nro of the Askre banner

When a tribe succeeded in unifying the other Tokgok tribes, the leader of the tribe would declare the beginning of a new reigning banner, and they would be given the title of 'nro. The most recent unification occurred under the Askre, or Flying Eagle banner, where Askre is the name of the familial clan leading the tribes. Titles are appended to the end of the familial name. Thus, for example, the man named Tohmut who was a 'nro of the Askre banner is styled Askre'nro Tohmut.

Succession

For the Tokgok tribes, at the very core of their traditions and political structure was the need for a single strong, capable leader. In contrast to other states that might accept regents, oligarchy, or decentralization, the unification of the Tokgok tribes was only possible under the fist of a partially meritocratic despot. To have a leader that had proved their worth is the reason for their succession order that prioritizes brothers before sons. Brothers were usually older men who had more time to gain experience and respect, often serving with the title of 'she for decades as a regional leader or military commander, while sons ran the risk of young or even child rulers inheriting the title.
A few addenda to succession:
1) Men in the succession who felt they were past their prime, or preferred to acquiesce to the ambitions of younger sons or nephews, or simply themselves unambitious for the title, could step aside without much fanfare or contention. These men could continue to be respected elders and leaders, and were understood to have given up any future claim to the 'nro title. For example, upon the death of Askre'nro Bulah, his younger half-brother Budam preferred to remain as a 'she and regional governor in the west, allowing the title of 'nro to pass to Bulah's eldest son, Keloh.
2) Given the many offspring leaders often had, it is unreasonable to cycle through entire generations as the family tree branched out to first cousins, second cousins, and beyond. Thus, for example, when the youngest brother dies, the children of the eldest brother have priority over cousins, even if the uncles had served previously as 'nro.
3) Adopted sons, a common practice for military tribal leaders to do for their fallen comrade's children, have equal inheritance rights to blood-related sons. However, this was only if their bloodline was considered noble. This applied to blood sons as well, as sons born from ignoble mothers were not part of the official succession.
4) Successors lower on the ladder have the right to challenge those above them, as a way to contest the throne without bloody civil war. In the early days of the banner, the most straightforward method of doing so is a duel, but this has fallen out of tradition as the state grew and stabilized. Dueling is still seen as a way to defend and gain honor, but is now also perceived as a crude method of doing so and insufficient to decide the succession of a title with as much influence as the 'nro. The remaining method is to assemble a majority faction in support of supplanting the current successor with a different one. Such factionalization among successors could only occur in secret or risk affronting the reigning 'nro, brewing and festering under the surface until such time as a succession crisis would erupt upon the death of the 'nro. This became one of the long-term troubles of the banner, as the potential for successors to jump the queue via factionalization led to in-fighting and civil war, the very event challenges were supposed to prevent.
5) The 'nro obviously theoretically had the power to affect the succession indirectly, such as by giving his favored successor more military and political opportunities, or even adopting if he preferred a successor not among his sons (most commonly, a nephew). However, he was not supposed to actively interfere, leaving the succession as a purportedly meritocratic competition between brothers, with advantage to the eldest; a success of the strongest, because a man who could not lead his own brothers could not hope to lead the tens of thousands of warriors across all the tribes.

Requirements

Successors must be of noble lineage and have served with the regional/military title of 'she beforehand.

History

Following the Fall of the Flying Eagle Banner to the Ingan Empire, the autonomy of the Tokgok tribes remained partially preserved. There continued to be a 'nro from the lineage of the Askre clan nominally ruling over the tribes, albeit vetted or even directly chosen by the Ingan imperial court.

Type

Royalty, Hereditary

Status

Active - currently as a puppet subjugated title under the Ingan Empire

Form of Address

My 'nro

Equates to

King

Source of Authority

Bloodline and merit

Length of Term

Lifetime

First Holder

Askre'nro Tohmut

Past Holders

• Askre'nro Bulah
• Askre'nro Keloh
• Askre'nro Ketapa