The Mandarin are the imperial officials who carry out Jin-Mao Huang’s will in his territories. Any adult subject of sound mind and body is eligible to undergo the rigorous gauntlet of training and examinations which, if completed, allows one to be conferred the Mantle of the Mandarin. The ceremony, performed by Jin-Mao Huang himself yearly, is ancient and magical: to “wear the Mantle” is to be transformed into a Dragonborn by this ceremony so that one may be physically (and symbolically) fit to serve as a conduit for the Emperor’s authority.
The majority of the Mandarin work autonomously, guided by the empire’s legal traditions and code of ethics, so there is little “hierarchy” to speak of. However, the Mandarin do have a system of ranking. One’s rank depends mostly on the degree of learning attained, and a certain degree may be required to fulfill more prestigious duties.
The Mandarin, as a whole, have an academic bent, though most people are familiar with them as magistrates, judges, and prefects. Many also serve as instructors, heralds, diplomats, assessors, and mathematicians.