Politics

Her Exaltedness Monique D'Aubainne established the moon as an independent world, a self-described democracy. (D'Aubainne's official title is "President".) Actually, it is an anarchic monarchy, or perhaps a monarchic anarchy. The elections, which D'Aubainne always wins, aren't fooling anyone.

D'Aubainne has eschewed any connection with the Starways Congress, declaring it a fascist, collectivist, anti-freedom organization designed to put the far-seeing minority under the control of the small-minded majority. Individual relations between between Al Amarja and other worlds are scant at best, at least officially. D'Aubainne must be exerting some kind of covert pressure on the politicians of other worlds to maintain Al Amarja's independence. Indeed, she prefers that few people even know about Al Amarja, and she's succeeded in dampening any significant media coverage of the place.

There are no embassies on Al Amarja, and no Al Amarjan embassies on other worlds. Whether or not there are clandestine negotiations between the Al Amarjan government and other governments is a matter of rumour and speculation.

In the Al Amarjan system, D'Aubainne's word is law, although as a practical matter the Peace Force presence outside of Slylandro's gravity well is light. Primarily, though, she lets people do as they please. The result is an ever-changing political scene in which money, information, and power rule. The government only interferes in personal life when the government has something to gain thereby. On Al Amarja, the government is something to be universally avoided. In this way, it is essentially like the Mallrachen (or the United States), although without the elaborate façade of participatory democracy.

Large portions of this document were reproduced from the Over the Edge role-playing game, and are Copyright © 1992, 1997 John Nephew. Over the Edge is a trademark of John Nephew. It's a great game, and you should buy it.