Clan Woshalui
The clan of a Thousand Blossoms, some call them. The Woshalui clan is a rising star currently in charge of the March Kingdom of Arashoka, and they lead the Samvaran fleets and ports. Clan Woshalui leads one of the most prominent factions of selkies in the Khilaia, with substantial power in the Motosui Assembly.
As a Khilaian Faction:
According to Woshalui's rhetoric, they support the interests of all sedentary selkies in foreign lands, though in practice they mostly listen to sedentary Samvarans. The Woshalui champion religious plurality, Samvaran investment, and constitutional reform to create more clearly defined lines between March Kingdoms, armadas, and sedentary groups while still granting them all seats at the table. Close with the Sumoxan, Zihari, Ayshan, and Aretan temples - all of whom struggle to find alternative selkie connections, and thus rely entirely on Woshalui. Tailors, rubber-smiths, and metalworkers all align with Woshalui (except for the Islander artisans, who resent them opening the isle to competition).
The Khilaian Assembly representative of the Woshalui clan is Kioni Woshalui, the Angry Bureaucrat. Kioni is diligent, vengeful, and can be a real mean guy; he doesn't lack a moral compass, though, and can be characterized as 'decent' (he is no idealist). Kioni is more piously Pratasa than most in his family, and has more ties to that clergy than is normal for a Woshalui, but still puts family and politics above faith. He is fairly competent, working tirelessly as the leader of the Woshalui faction and co-leader of the broad, informal Judicialist party.
As Arashokan Royalty:
Woshalui rose during the 1908 Arashokan revolution, and is symbolic in many ways of the secularism and federalism that came with that revolution. The Woshalui are not total decentralizers - they work to embed their family members in as many state bureaucracies as possible - but they tend to favor joint rule and benign neglect. This makes them very popular among merchants, regional elites, and religious minorities.
The current Arashokan Exarch (monarch) is Salun Woshalui, the Charismatic General. Salun is not as much a federalist as his siblings, and he relies heavily on military centralism to get things done - and he is extremely close to his soldiers. He is great at running the army (unsurprisingly), but struggles at times in projecting power outside of those centers of power. He chafes at the rules of the realm and yearns to simply do as he pleases. Salun practically worships the family ancestor, Haramai Woshalui, hero of the Revolution. While his warriors love him, he perhaps trusts them too much.
As Samvaran Naval Royalty:
The Woshalui have worked hard to assert themselves in the Samvaran fleet over the last century, and managed to seize control in 1981. Their rule is not unchallenged, though: Clan Naimaka, the masters of the waters of Garadel and Pratasa true believers, have their share of connections and followers in Samvaran waters. The big Samvaran shipping families support Woshalui, though: their extreme religious and political neutrality policies are just good for business, particularly business in bulk. It is the small ambitious actors, moved by faith, a desire for privateering opportunities, or for a desire for advancement by playing the geopolitical game, who resent Woshalui. They accurately note that Woshalui's benign policies always tend to favor the big, established merchants - including themselves.
The Current Viceroy of the Samvaran Seas is Kawaki Woshalui, the Tired Explorer. Kawaki is a woman of great personal ability and history, a paladin of Emesh who drew maps of distant Nafena in her youth. She has aged gracefully, but she is forgetful, tired, and simply ready to retire - but unsatsified with her potential replacements. Kawaki has a loyal following and is good with budgets, but simply cannot keep up with the swirling nightmare politics of the Samvaran watermarch.
As a Dynasty:
Clan Woshalui is a diverse patrician family, with merchants, bankers, military officers, guild leaders, and city councillors all present. Woshalui is best known, though, for their patronage: they are called the Clan of a Thousand Flowers because they patronize many competing ideas and artforms, even some critical of their dynasty. Woshalui sees art patronage as a key to prestige and legitimacy, as well as cultural sophistication and moral virtue. Woshalui represents art, they represent science, they represent philosophy. They are also, like any political dynasty, corrupt gangsters, but that goes without saying.
Some minor members of Clan Woshalui include:
- Panuki Woshalui, head of the Woshalui Bank (the largest bank in Arashoka currently), and personally an Orthodox Idealist known for their very rigid and legalistic ways of thinking as well as their large heart. The staff love them, as do the charities, but they definitely coast on previous, better bank leaders.
- Hukapa Woshalui, head of the Woshalui Trading House (the family business), and personally a Ambitious Negotiator known for their calculated risks and aggressive investment policies. They are competent and have managed to do well, despite risks talen.
- Kiko Woshalui, Seneschal of Diereka (governor of the family's original center of power) and Stalwart Defender - a former military officer and mercenary with an intense loyalty to the clan. As Seneschal, has been unusually successful and competent - perhaps more than the Exarch.
- Ahava Woshalui, the Matron of the Estates who manages the family estates, mutual funds, and communications. She is innovative in her strategies and choice to use investments to bolster cash storage, but she is perhaps least personally capable of the big Woshaluis in terms of swordplay, magic, etc. Very competent, very loyal, but also has a bit of a torrid family background (she is technically a bastard).
The Sun That Feeds One Thousand Blossoms
Founding Date
1754
Type
Political, Family
Ruling Organization
Location
Related Species
Related Ethnicities
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