The Mangai Political System [Worldbuilding][Pitch]

(I wanted to have sketches for this post, but I wasn’t able to get them done in time)
(Edit, added it!)

I’m surprised that I haven’t seen any other political system purposed since the last podcast, but I guess I get to be the first. :stuck_out_tongue:

In MNOG, we were present with Ta-Koro as the most militant village on the island, and I feel that theme was never adequately explored in G1. In this vein, I imagine G3’s Mangai as a very martial government, not necessarily oppressive, but a little authoritarian.

The legislative body of Mangai’s government would be simply called, “the Council” (like RWBY, it could contrast with the “senate” of another region), and be made up of the captains of the Mangai Guard, and a few elders who are elected annually, and are required to have served a full career in the guard to qualify for the post.

(They say a rough image is better than none.)

The Mangai guard itself, a large and professional fighting force, would fulfil all administrative, law-enforcement, and security duties. Organizationally, the Mangai Guard would be divided into twelve centuries of one hundred Matoran, each with its own captain and standard. Each standard is adorned with an image of Ikir (phoenix form) and would be protected with religious fervor by its century.

(This is the one thing I do have an image for)


(sorry if my art isn’t great, but I hope you get the idea)

Centuries would be stationed at different locations across the region, and the most prestigious century within the Guard would be the First Century, who protect the Capital itself. The Captain of the First Century has two votes on the Council.

21 Likes

This sounds good. Military government without being an oppressive dictatorship.

5 Likes

Exactly. Like a neo-classical city-state.


I had some more ideas for subdivisions within the Guard, but decided that they could complicate the pitch too much.

2 Likes

Sounds pretty cool, I dig it. I was expecting something much more detailed and lengthy, but thankfully that wasn’t the case - you kept it short and simple enough, but still significant.

However, being that all of the villages are still in a tribal setting, I think they should all still 1) be relatively small communities (01 compared to 04) and 2) should each have an emphasis on a leading elder, the Turaga. That can be interpreted in different ways depending on the village, but I think it should still be there in some capacity.

1 Like

Thanks! I do have more ideas to come, but I think I’ll keep them in compartmentalized topics.

I agree. Originally I was going to leave out the Council entirely, and just have the captains calling the shots, but I decided that it would makes if there was some sort of elders, especially veterans, involved (taking cues from the very early Roman and Spartan systems).

However, I’m not so sure about a single leading elder, as I feel that wouldn’t entirely make sense in this context.

1 Like

Maybe Turaga would lead some of the more “spiritual” villages like Ga or perhaps Le, while in Ta the Turaga is simply the “chief advisor” of sorts. The Turaga doesn’t necessarily have to be the leader in this case, but I think he/she should still be considered very important to the people.

1 Like

Well, I agree that it would make sense for there to be some sort of “priestly” elder character featured in the story (I’m trying to avoid the term “Turaga” as in implies the village leader).

I did have a sub-point that each Century’s standard-bearer (unlike the Captains) would be chosen by an elder rather than the military hierarchy. Thus, we could repeat Kapura’s character arch as an eccentric standard-bearer.


I personally think that “religion” would be seen more as a political tool in Mangai than in any other region, but I still don’t really think it fits in as a part of the “government.”

Although, it would be interesting if one the other regions (water?) was a theocracy.

1 Like

I’ve seen some people suggesting similar things, but I honestly don’t like that aspect. I think all of the villages should have a sincere religious aspect, but that might just be me.

2 Likes

So sayeth Cheif Councillor Dume :stuck_out_tongue:

3 Likes

Well, just because a religion is more “political” and less “spiritual,” that doesn’t make it insincere.

That works very well. :thumbsup:

1 Like

So if Dume is Palpatine, does that make Makuta Plagieus?

Jokes aside, I really like is idea.

I think Makuta would be Sideous (same character, alter-ego).

Thanks.

Ah. Makes sense.

Perhaps you could further break up the centuries into smaller squads or groups and station them at villages. I love the idea of standards but perhaps they should not be adorned with Ikir, perhaps we could have them adorned with animal designs from the art book or whatever other animals inhabit the region of fire with the Phoenix century as the primary century.

1 Like

I agree that the Centuries will have at least three, if not five, subgroups (including a group of ranged fighters); I just didn’t want to clutter the post with more information.

I thought about the different animal mascots idea, but I’m too lazy to design twelve different animals. Also, I think it goes along with the pseudo-Roman aesthetic.


I updated the topic with a rough illustration. I hope it makes the page look a little more professional.


Re:(Above statement)

Now I’m going to work on my official Mangai Guard and Toa Fight-style Pitches. :smiley:

2 Likes