Clan Mikiraka

The Clan of the Eastern Winds, some call them. Clan Mikiraka is currently ascendant, with some of the most well-constructed networks of patronage and investment in all the Khilaia. They control all selkie contracts and trade surrounding the city of Asalay and are the Admirals of the selkie fleets through Izekra. They also more or less control the fleets of Desmia and Ekraht, and have substantial influence in the Halikvar realms. In short, Clan Mikiraka controls the central seas, and in an increasingly global age, that means controlling the most vital trade routes. Clan Mikiraka leads one of the most prominent factions of selkies in the Khilaia, with substantial power in the Motosui Assembly.
As a Khilaian Faction: Clan Mikiraka have a reputation as hyper-neutral technocratic diplomats, always eager to import new technologies. They believe that the selkies should actively carve a space for themselves as neutral diplomats and intermediaries, and that the Khilaia represents a kind of global sacred middle ground and market. To this end, the Mikirakas support strict treaty enforcement as well as more paperwork generally. Jewelers, dyemakers, tinkerers, clerks, and finance workers often align their guilds with Mikiraka.
The Motosui Assembly representative of Mikiraka is Lirili Mikiraka, The Iron Pragmatist. Lirili knows someone just about everywhere, and makes a point of forming connections and relationships with people well outside her established circles of allies. She is a well-respected senior politician, someone who makes a point of knowing something about everyone in the assembly. Her knowledge of people is seemingly encyclopedic, and she appears like a haunting specter even at the parties of her enemies. This is made all the more haunting by her chill stoicism and laconic wit. She is the architect of the Judiciary party's current incarnation, and many would say the "Prime Minister" of selkie kind - and she has earned this title with extreme diligence, stubbornness, and cunning. Perhaps the most competent member of Clan Mikiraka, seemingly destined for the Selkie Circle of Elders whenever she deigns to retire from the assembly.
As Keepers of the Asalay Contract: Clan Mikiraka keeps a light touch, but is far from being libertarians like Clan Manuhel - they have a licensing system in place for magic item transportation and sales, as well as for mercenary adventuring. They aren't quite as close-fisted as Clan Naimaka is about licensing, but they do tend to charge a fee for those who come into the business from outside of their standard corall of set fleets. They have also subtly pushed more people from the hyper-lucrative but limited magic item business towards the personnel and mass-item shipping that best complements local industry; they have encouraged these selkies to act as industrial shipping, a postage service, and as agents of the local stock markets. In essence, they have worked to tie selkie commerce to the flourishing Asalay-Zerua finance corridor.
The Chief License Broker and Investment Manager of Clan Mikiraka is Numara Mikiraka, the Greedy Technocrat. Namara is a competent futurist who is deeply invested in the clan ideology, and is thrilled at all marvels of change and technology. She is, however, both a little corrupt and prone to ignoring corruption; she sees herself and her agents as the incarnation of the future, and therefore is easily blinded to crimes of self-interest. She isn't greedy to the point of evil, unless that evil is abstract or indirect; she is still an idealist in her way. A rare example of a selkie wizard-lord.
As Izekran Naval Royalty: Clan Mikiraka's true power lies in its control of the central waterways. Clan Mikiraka has ascended swiftly to the top of the pile over the last century due to their masterful gaming of financial systems, relentlessly dependable and neutral reputation, and careful ambition - and currently, their vassal fleets are loyal and have great faith in the clan. Corruption and over-extension are developing problems, though, which threaten to begin a slow decline in sea-vassal influence. In particular, Mikiraka struggles with pirates and smugglers - both selkie and Desmian.
The Viceroy of the Izekran Navy is Serahi Mikiraka, the Idealistic Spymaster. Serahi is good at balancing books and balancing information, and he works hard to try and hunt down corruption and traitors within the fleet ranks. For the most part, he's had astounding success - much moreso than the other Navies of Desmia, Makal, and Ekraht. He is extremely zealous for the clan's cause, though, and is a devoted paladin of Orchid of Blue. His lunar alignment and odd personality have estranged him from some of the family.
As a Dynasty: The Mikirakas are known for their very professional appearances and behaviors and their very high internal expectations for children. Mikiraka heirs are well-studied, polite, and martially adept in some way: they are expected to know science, law, history, and business practice, and are often subjected to stints as pirate hunters during their formative years to gain martial experience. This practice infamously produces a large number of "burnouts", who are summarily discarded by the family leadership. Clan Mikiraka takes itself deadly seriously, and is very committed to utilitarianism in all things.
Some minor members of Clan Mikiraka include:

• Rakwai Mikiraka, the Head of Mikiraka Trading, a loud and boisterous former pirate hunter, a knight of the seas trapped by the family into business to get him out of a lapse into knightly Ishkibism 
• Napava Mikiraka, the Matron of the Mikiraka Estates who manages the family estates, mutual funds, and communications. Napava is capable and cunning, but also has a cruel and streak and is generally kept on a tight leash by the family. She half-dotes upon, half-torments her children, who she is pushing relentlessly to become the next Mikiraka heirs. 
• Sarli Mikiraka, the Chief Pirate Hunter and performative traditionalist, very fond of Hamekun ceremony. 

The family has a great estate in Asalay as well as several other estates in notable selkie ports in their territory.

Type

Political, Family