The most active "main" players are the Dukes, Duchesses and similar high-ranking nobles of The Empire
tm, heretofore referred to as the PCs. The Empire
tm has recently discovered a new continent full of natural resources and all kinds of good things, as well as waves upon waves of
Gnoll tribes. The PCs have received an Imperial Mandate to colonize and exploit the new world, and are allowed to claim land and resources as their own provided they pay tribute to the Emperor. The mechanics of the faction politics will encourage infighting and backstabbery, but if there is too much disunity the Gnolls and other menaces will be able to wipe The Empire
tm off the map.
The PCs aren't just given free reign by The Empire
tm, however- some lands are claimed in the name of the Emperor himself, and there are Imperial forces available to help defend the citizens. The actions of Imperial forces are dictated by the Council of Lords, played by the waitlisters. The Emperor is responsible for making every decision, but since his power is based on the support of the Noble Houses he frequently abides by the decisions of the Council. The germ of this idea was the Sponsor/Driver relationship in my Mario Kart RTD- I've really been digging how it's almost two different games that influence one another in significant ways. What I'd like is for the PCs to be maximizing their wealth/power while the Council is trying to... well, something. Ideally they'd have some mechanical stake in what is happening, but I'm not sure what to do there yet.
Finally, random waitlisters may also "Guest Star" (in the fashion of lawas' Bowinauts) as Megabeasts or Barbarian Hordes. Basically, there will be a table of random events, and if Megabeast or Horde shows up a random waitlister get's to hop in and cause as much havoc as possible. I really like this idea, but it is at odds with the Council having actual impact- as imagined, it'd require me to either make the Council not care at all about what happens in game (making them nosy pricks, which isn't necessarily a
bad thing,) or it would require people to choose whether they want to be a Councilman or Monster (which... I'm not sure how that'd play out, whether the lists would be balanced or if everyone would sign up for one and let the other wither.) I'd like to be able to reconcile those, but I haven't yet.