King Manggala
Manggala is the ruler of the Kingdom of Lahat. He is the firstborn son of Kolaka, the previous king of Lahat. Manggala was raised from birth to be a king, with his days and years laid out in precisely regimented order. He is a dedicated adherent to the idea of Kosalo, the ring of divine order sacred to the Mekongga people. He wears a circle pendant at all times to remind himself of the tenets of Kosalo, namely that all things have their ordained place and order in the world, and that violating or disrupting that order will bring misery, chaos, and destruction. The destruction of Lampuato is an example of how violations of Kosalo can wreak long-term havoc, and he considers it his life's work to continue the restoration of Kosalo that his ancestors undertook when they overthrew the corrupt Mekonggan monarchy and re-established themselves on Lahat. He has written extensively on the nature of Kosalo, and how his people are still struggling to re-establish it in the wake of Lampuato's destruction.
Manggalla's reign has been one marked by meticulous planning and precise actions. He has established his line with four sons, each by one of his four wives (the approved number for a King), and each is being carefully instructed in their duties and place in the kingdom. One of his main projects has been in directing to the priests of the kingdom to firmly establish the place and nature of the various spirits and gods of Lahat within the order of Kosalo, as he feels this aspect of the divine order has not been given proper attention in recent years, and that without this crucial piece being properly addressed, Kosalo cannot be established. He is vexed by the war with the Tagápulo Empire - he sees their aggression and attempts to expand in the direction of Lahat as both a distraction from and a threat to his primary goals. He pursues the war with an eye towards ending it as quickly as possible, and in a way that permits the continuing mission of his family to continue.
Another irritation and distraction is the city of Kendari. While it provides the most substantial economic support to the kingdom, Manggala detests the city for its chaotic and disorderly ways. He has sought on several occasions to reign in the power of the city, but will not descend to violating the letter or spirit of the law to do so, and mostly avoids thinking about it as much as possible. The merchants of Kendari think of Manggala as a faintly ridiculous character, but do not attempt to defy his authority - they pay the taxes levied (when they can't avoid them), and allow the kingdom to enforce the laws (in public spaces), and then mostly try to ignore Manggala in turn.
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