Moving this here, because … well, the thread title.
Oh, that’s what you meant. I thought you were talking about belt rats.
That regalia sometimes gets worn to declare allegiance, sometimes because it “looks cool,” and a lot of the time as a trophy worn by people who killed the original owners for it. I have a couple of bits of that, ah, swag, too. I mostly vaporized the previous owners. I keep it in a crate because I don’t want to confuse people by looking like I’m wearing Sabik regalia.
In other words, they’re not necessarily saying what it looks like they’re saying.
I like the “Cold Iron” SKIN, as gruesome trophies go. It suits my taste in colors and lets me reflect my status as a heathen foreigner here (white and gold don’t really suit me) without marking my hull with Blooder regalia. I sometimes feel like the Covenant invented it just for me. (Not that they would, so, it’s just a nice twist of fate.)
I don’t know if Mr. Nauplius takes the Khanid crown at all seriously. I kind of hope not; he’s the sort of person even other Sani Sabik try to distance themselves from as much as possible.
As for Empire politics … so … if you think the Amarr and the Matari don’t get on, you should see the permanent (un)civil war between the Amarr and Sani Sabik heretics. The Sabik are sort of an ancient Amarr offshoot that’s been regarded as heretical (and also HORRIBLE) since the Moral Reforms (so, a really really long time), but keeps cropping up because its conditions for growth are kind of a permanent thing in Amarr society (it appeals to bored aristocrats who get to feeling underappreciated, and social advancement in the upper reaches of Amarrian society is really slow, so, there are a lot of those).
The Empire came under Sabik control (not that this was known) for a few years before Jamyl I appeared during the Elder Fleet invasion, so they have some reason to hope it could happen again, particularly if you take into account the widespread Sabik belief that they are “Chosen,” and destined to rule. But, of course, it’s no good ruling over a pile of rubble, so it’s best if the Empire (excepting, like, the MIO, which hunts them mercilessly) prospers in the meantime.
I think that’s the reasoning.
Happily they don’t seem to get along with each other all that much better than they get along with “mainstream” Amarr, so. . . .