Just met with Lord Hien. Spoilers!

[Hinoto-no-Ryuji]

Uhm... I thought the WoL was the Khagan? Him knowing us and us wanting to help him out (plus the WoL winning the Nadaam) is what gives him influence or so I thought. Maybe I'm wrong?

That's how it shakes out, but only because we were the one who fought; had Hien succeeded without us, he would have been the Khagan.

[Rosenoire]

That's how it shakes out, but only because we were the one who fought; had Hien succeeded without us, he would have been the Khagan.

But he didn't. Since the WoL is the one who actually claimed the ovoo, we're the khagan. My Xaela WoL is more than a little concerned about the fact that the Xaela may have come to the Empire's awareness, and that Hien doesn't seem to remember that.

[Hinoto-no-Ryuji]

But he didn't. Since the WoL is the one who actually claimed the ovoo, we're the khagan. My Xaela WoL is more than a little concerned about the fact that the Xaela may have come to the Empire's awareness, and that Hien doesn't seem to remember that.

Whether you're the Khagan or Hien is, it's a moot point. Hien's plan was to use the influence of the Khagan - whether that be him, you, or a Mol ally - to rally the Xaela tribes against Garlemald, and you were (as per the story) 100% on board with that, so it's the same outcome.