if you trust your rebel heart, ride it into battle

So, one feature of the isekai/etc comics I read is the inclusion of politics. Some do this very well and others...not so much.

I was coming back to a comic I'd read part of a while back and it took me a bit to remember the storyline. As part of my remembering, I started identifying and aligning factions without thinking about what I was doing. Once I noticed, I realized there was a pattern that is potentially useful for other stories (and for tabletop games).

Anyway! Every faction in these comics has the same goal: power. Power is an interesting goal because it is really just a type of currency. Power enables its wielders to shape the world in specific ways. The better comics get into what the factions want to do with said-power, but often that is just left unstated. 

In a comic, every faction has an alignment of sorts that basically comes down to how they feel about the main character's chosen faction (or the MC's romantic partner's faction). The alignment has little to do with good/evil, noble/selfish, etc. While those can be factors, what ultimately matters is whether the faction promotes or obstructs the main character's goals.

Anyway! The factions you typically find (though you may not find all of them in the same story) are the following:

• Imperial/royal: The people who rule the realm (this faction may be divided by the ruler and the spouse. If so, the spouse is likely tightly connected to either the traditionalists or the progressives).
• Traditionalists: Typically older noble houses that support tradition
• Progressives: Typically new noble houses that support change
• The Defenders: Different from the military, this is often a noble house or guild charged with the specific duty of defending the realm, such as from monsters. This faction is often represented by 'The Northern Duke.'
• The Church: These may be represented by an actual church, priesthood, or a saintess.
• The Military: These may be national forces, a mercenary group, etc.
• The Magic Tower: Not always a tower, but an organized magical group; may desire control over magic.
• Merchants: These are rich commoners whose wealth may be on par with nobility.
• Scholars: These may be represented by a university or guild; typically they are innovators developing new technologies.
• Information Guild: Rarely a power-seeker on their own, but can sometimes become a close ally rather than mere resource.
• Common folk: Rarely a faction on their own, though.

Each of these factions draw authority/power from different places.

• The imperial faction typically gets their power from the societal structure, primarily, though they may also borrow divine authority.
• Traditionalists get their power from the weight and importance of tradition and history. They also tend to have wealth. If they're nobles, they also get power from the societal structure.
• Progressives get their power via an alliance of whatever faction is fueling or most benefitting from change. So they may get the power of populism (common folk), innovation (scholars), etc. They also likely have wealth and, if noble, societal structures on their side.
• Defenders get their authority from fear (the fear of what happens should they stop their defense).
• The Church gets power from a perceived connection to the divine. They represent a power beyond humanity. They may also have power from populism if well-liked by the common folk.
• The military gets power through might, primarily.
• The mage tower gets power through might as well, but they may also have innovation on their side. (Innovation is the ability to do something others can't or do something more effectively than they can using a new method).
• Merchants have wealth on their side, primarily. Wealth lets you buy the kind of authority you want. 
• Scholars primarily have knowledge and innovation for authority.
• Information guild relies on knowledge.
• Common folk have the power of numbers. They are numerous.

Other types of authority that can occur, but that are a bit less tightly aligned are reputation (this includes honor), connections (knowing people as this grants access, information, and favors), romance, competence, etc.

Anyway. I think when setting up a game (or basic world), it could help to decide which factions you want to be major players. Then, decide how each faction is represented in the setting. Then ensure each faction has a unique authority (unless you want them fighting for control of an authority). For bonus points, decide what each faction wants to do with their power. What do they do with what they have? What have they planned should they get more? What do they fear if their power wanes or another faction's power grows?