Raubhan Aldynn is the true leader of Ul'Dah?

[Caffekon]

It is known that Ul'Dah was in the past a city of Lalafels and therefore it's royal family, politics and I believe most nobles are in reason most made of Lalafels as well, Nanamo Ul Namo stands as the supposely head of the state with Raubhan Aldynn is the general of the Immortal Flames.

So who is the real leader here? The Syndicate, Nanamo or Raubahn?

Nanamo powers are limited by the syndicate and she oftens seeks the help of Raubahn, which is very loyal to her, to use his influence and power to help her, I believe her position as a sultana is also basically kept by Raubahns doings, the Syndicate is just a bunch of nobles, in gameplay as well Raubhan also appears more than Nanamo in every cutscene, join in reunions, has more presence, even in the very end of a Real Reborn it was Raubahn who crossed weapons with the other leaders of the great companies!

http://finalfantasy.wikia.com/wiki/F..._of_An_Era.png

[Caffekon]

So we conclude Raubahn is in fact the true leader of Ul'Dah and he can kick out Nanamo at anytime, as he has no reason for that, I have high reasons to believe he is in love as well

[Anonymoose]

The balance of power between Nanamo and Raubahn is in itself a conspiracy of their own making, believe it or not. After Sasabal and Nanasha (Nanamo's parents) died (though I'm not sure how they died), Nanamo was a rather young inheritor of the crown. In such a situation, a wanna-be-oligarchy such as the Syndicate can either turn the child into a puppet or attempt to brush their power aside.

Nanamo is not a willing puppet, but she is predictable and thus easily out-maneuverable.

Raubahn was a refugee from Ala Mhigo that rose to fame on the Bloodsands of the Coliseum. It was during this time that he and Nanamo came to a secret arrangement - the details of which are still kind of murky. With her support and friendship, he won so many matches that he overtook the owner of the Coliseum in wealth, securing his place on the Syndicate.

When he won that match in 1570 Sixth Astral Era, before he'd even left the field, Nanamo raced out to confirm him (leaving her retainers in the dust and jumping into his arms, because teenage lalafell), and the first thing he did was whisper that he'd fulfilled his promise to her, publicly kneel and pledge his sword, and lift her up for all to see. From his place on the Syndicate, Raubahn was able to start pushing back against the erosion of her power by the Monetarist faction (Teledji, Lolorito, perhaps Fyrgeiss).

Precisely what Nanamo's end of the bargain is, though, I don't fully understand. You'd expect he would have asked for specific aid to the refugees or committal of military resources to the re-taking of Ala Mhigo, but, instead, Raubahn has become the very public face of Ul'dah's might and the Sultana's wishes.

You're right - he probably could ensure her downfall. But probably at the cost of his own. He's the linchpin of the turning tide.

Perhaps we'll learn more about it if we move to re-take Gyr Abania from the Garlean Empire...

[Morningstar1337]

Given the scene at the Allience's moment of almost-surrender, and the recent Grand Melee, its seems like Nanamo might be the representative of the Alliance in general (and possibly de facto leader) while Raubahn is the repersentative of Ul'Dah, but both sharing power over that city-state when it comes to local politics.

[Theodric]

So we conclude Raubahn is in fact the true leader of Ul'Dah and he can kick out Nanamo at anytime, as he has no reason for that, I have high reasons to believe he is in love as well

I hope they're not in love. It's a pretty creepy size and age difference...and interracial relationships are supposedly frowned upon by many in this setting but we seem to see more people completely fine with it than we do who are against it.

[Sekundessounet]

ISn't Lolorito a sultanist ?

[Rocl]

ISn't Lolorito a sultanist ?

Absolutely not.

[Caffekon]

Perhaps we'll learn more about it if we move to re-take Gyr Abania from the Garlean Empire...

How retaking Gyr Abania might unfold more about the politics in Ul'Dah? imo I believe the answers are within the Ul'Dah~Ala'Mhigo axis, now that you exposed that Nanamo's parents, the previous rulers died in an unknown way might be related with the Syndicate, I suppose...
Another big mistery are the whereabouts of the Royalists, what happened with them? I think Raubhan is the only royalist within the syndicate now, what happened before him? What could had happened before him? Maybe one of the reasons Nanamo rushed for Raubhan was to save her own skin too! There is a silent revolution happening in Ul'Dah...

[AstralKaos]

Now if you the topic title was "Raubahn is going to be the true ruler of Ala Mhigo" then the answer is...

As for who the true ruler of Ul'dah is, it's a mixture and tangled web of answers, but the short of it is, who knows. Syndicate, seem to have way more sway than Raubahnamo in Ul'dah and goings on in Thanalan itself, though the political stuff for everywhere else is handled by Raubahnamo as well as what wars and fights Ul'dah puts itself in.

It's... not exactly clear, to me anyway. So all of them are in charge?

[Chewy2nd]

Given the scene at the Allience's moment of almost-surrender, and the recent Grand Melee, its seems like Nanamo might be the representative of the Alliance in general (and possibly de facto leader) while Raubahn is the repersentative of Ul'Dah, but both sharing power over that city-state when it comes to local politics.

I've always thought this too, IIRC she was the one doing the speech at the Ishgard ceremony at the end of 3.0 too.