Emperors, Empresses, Mothers, Kings and Queens

Cybertron is ruled by several different types of rulers - one matriarch who rules over the whole planet, and the rulers and people who follow under her. Detailed below are the types of rulers, their roles, and what they do as well as a list of them.

The Mother of Cybertron
(See Also: Galaxyleap)

The Mother of Cybertron is the matriarch that rules over the entire planet. While not literally everyone's mother, she nurtures the Great Tree she lives in and by extension, the entire planet. She is the sole matriarch that rules over the entire planet, and therefore the Cybertronian Empire before its fall during the Great War. The last Mother of Cybertron is attested to be Galaxyleap.

The Mother is never to show her face to anyone unless they are of higher rank than her (i.e, a Prime), in death, or to family. She is to keep her face and head hidden under a dense veil at all times, which has been passed down since the dawn of the Afterdawn, or the first era of Cybertronians after the Age of Primes. In the situation that a Mother dies, her veil is removed ceremoniously and her face exposed to her subjects in means of honoring her. A statue of her without her veil is then erected in the Hall of Mothers, which she is then ceremoniously buried under. Her eldest heir takes the throne after her, unless the Mother has chosen someone else to inherit or she had no heirs - which at this point there is a planet-wide Althing.

The reason as to why a Mother wears a veil is so that her people put symbolic blind trust in her - not knowing what her face looks like means that the people don't know the identity of who leads them, and because of this, have to put trust in a face they don't know. Mothers who are tyrannical are typically overthrown and her veil removed forcibly as a show of shame. She is then exiled from Iacon City, Cybertron's capital.

Jarl
Jarls are the leaders of individual countries, serving a rank under the Mother. The Mother rules the entire Empire, while the Jarls rule their individual countries. There are only ever eight Jarls at a time, reflecting Cybertron's nine countries (excluding Iacon as that is ruled by the Mother). They all follow uniform planet-wide law as dictated by the Mother, but have numerous bylaws in their own countries. This is dictated by culture, or anything that happens in said country.

They are required to appear at the Mother's annual Althings, where they will address concerns regarding their countries, extra-planet issues and concerns, and various other political things. Jarls may also host their own Things in their palaces to address their own people en masse, or they can have private audiences in specialised meeting rooms.

Jarls are expected to not only represent their people and the country they live in to the Mother and other races in the galaxies, but represent the Cybertronian Empire as a whole. They're like mascots while also being major political figures at the same time. Sometimes, when meeting with other colonies or people in the galaxies, the Jarls are required to stand with the Mother but are not allowed to say or do anything. They are the face of Cybertron and her people and the reputation of their kind rests on the shoulders of the Mother and her Jarls.

Jarls operate in a monarchy. A Jarl is expected to marry and produce heirs to take the throne once they pass on. If, however, the Jarl doesn't adopt or produce heirs, their Thane will take over as the next Jarl. Thanes can either be chosen, or marry in.

If a Jarl is ill-fit, the means of dealing with them varies based on each country's culture and background. When the offending Jarl is dealt with, either the country comes together to elect or choose a new Jarl, or a new Jarl is assigned by the Mother when situations are dire.

Sometimes, Jarls may be called Jarkskona (Jarlskonar is plural) which means "Crowned-Jarl".

List of Jarls
This is before the Great War, and after the Great War. Note that these names are transliterated from the respective Cybertronian languages. Note that Iacon is not included here, as they are led by the Mothers.

Thane
Thanes (also Theigns) are the second-in-commands of Jarls. They will take care of business if the Jarl leaves the Capital city, and attend to duties involving the military, meetings, and events among other things. Sometimes, a Thane can be chosen by the Jarl, or they marry in. In some cases, even both where a Jarl can choose their Thane and then later marry them.

They are responsible for speaking for the Jarl when they can't appear themselves or if they choose not to appear themselves, and they are responsible for helping the Jarl with any work they may have - whether this be wandering the city and saying hi to everyone, daily household tasks, and much more. Their role is simple.

Sometimes, they also assume the roles of military commanders such as Imperial Legates.

Thanes are often aided by housecarls, who aid a Thane in protecting an estate.

King/Queen
Kings and Queens are often not rulers of countries or nations, rather influential groups and organisations that are often political in nature. For example, the Autobots or the Decepticons. They are a group that have a political nature. Kings and Queens often hold luxuries like access to living in palaces, and political recognition from the Jarls and Mother.

Emperor/Empress
See above.

Being called an Emperor, King, Queen or Empress is all a manner of personal preference.

Karl
Karls are average civilians. Workers (but not heavy labourers), artists, everyday people.

Thralls
(See Also: The Pits of Kaon, the Purity)

Thrall can denote one of three things.

In most regions, a Thrall refers to any heavy labourer such as a lumberer or miner. In these types of places, it is regarded as a complimentary term which references the worker or workers' strength.

In other regions, specifically where the Purity's hold is strongest, Thrall is regarded as a vulgar term used to belittle someone for living in poor quality or weak, contrary to its most common connotation as a reference to a strong worker.

In hamlets dominated by the Purity and the Pits of Kaon, Thrall never lost its old connotations from the Dark Ages. It was used to refer to their slaves that they imprisoned to fight in arenas and do hard labour nobody else wanted to do. They were kept in appalling conditions, and some were even forced to do unthinkable things against their wills in fear of the Purity's wrath.

Trivia

 * Jarls are derived from ancient Scandinavian society. They ruled a rank under a King.
 * Karl is also derived from Scandinavian society. It is where the name Carl/Karl came from and it means "Free-man".
 * Thrall is also derived from Scandinavian society.