A decorative item on a ship's prow, or a leader with a title but no power
But how ... 
Lord of the White Elephants: this was the title given to Burmese king Bodawpaya 
(1745-1819) ... Persian fire-worshippers: Zoroastrians, who pray in front of (but do 
not actually worship) fire .... Bluff: vertical, steep and broad, said of a ship's prow.