From "The Tough Guide to Fantasyland", Diana Wynne Jones
Politics occur only in the Vestigial Empire and on some PanCeltic Tours. The Rule is that they are always very complicated and involve issues most Tourists have never heard of. A typical piece of Politics would be:
House/Clan Frumpus, who worship Ad and trade in leather, have intermarried with House/Clan Trumpus, who worship Bagel and wish for leather concessions in their sheep business, and are allied with House/Clan Dorpus, whose head is a weak person and who trade in perfume and skins and worship Vinus, against Houses/Clans Drumpus, Corpus, and Bremo, who trade in skins, wine, and pottery and worship Bagel, Ord, and Vinus. Because of Bagel- and Vinus-worship (see Religion), Houses/Clans Drumpus, Dorpus, and Trumpus also have a secret understanding against the others. Only one senator can be elected here. While the Houses/Clans maneuver, there is also great jockeying for headship inside the Houses/Clans, and people merrily Poison each other...
Anyway, it eventually cancels down to the head of House/Clan Frumpus, because he is on two sides at once, having to sell himself sheepskins and then Poison himself, leaving the four deities glaring at one another.
House/Clan Frumpus, who worship Ad and trade in leather, have intermarried with House/Clan Trumpus, who worship Bagel and wish for leather concessions in their sheep business, and are allied with House/Clan Dorpus, whose head is a weak person and who trade in perfume and skins and worship Vinus, against Houses/Clans Drumpus, Corpus, and Bremo, who trade in skins, wine, and pottery and worship Bagel, Ord, and Vinus. Because of Bagel- and Vinus-worship (see Religion), Houses/Clans Drumpus, Dorpus, and Trumpus also have a secret understanding against the others. Only one senator can be elected here. While the Houses/Clans maneuver, there is also great jockeying for headship inside the Houses/Clans, and people merrily Poison each other...
Anyway, it eventually cancels down to the head of House/Clan Frumpus, because he is on two sides at once, having to sell himself sheepskins and then Poison himself, leaving the four deities glaring at one another.