The Overlord
The Overlord rules the Dominion.
The Overlord holds power by the authority of the Codex of Laws, and their own Overlordly Magnificence.
Once an Overlord takes office they hold the position for life, or until they relinquish power.
Succession
Default
The default succession of the Overlordship (and Underlordships) ishereditary, irrespective of sex, through the first eligible (F-ID) spouse(polygamy being legal.)
All children through that spouse are exhausted before the next spouse is considered.
Nomination
However, the Overlord may formally and publically Nominate an eligible successor (must be F, with two F parents).
The Underlords
Underlords hold power ‘at the pleasure of the Overlord.’ If the Overlord does not intervene, succession takes place in the same way as an Overlordship, however, the Overlord can replace an Underlord at any time.
The Underlords were the former rulers of the Octants (see below).
The Secretariats
Each of the Octants is now ruled by a Secretariat.
The Secretariat is comprised of the leaders of the Bureaus of each of the Octants, plus a representative from the Vizierate, the Legion and the Overlord’s Household.
As a practical matter, the Secretariat comprises the Secretariat and the Under Secretariat.
The Secretariat is the central decision and working body and the Under Secretariat mostly providing and distributing information.
Octants
An Octant is an administrative region within the Dominion, like a State or Province. There are eight Octants (hence the name) surrounding the Zargonia system. Zargonia itself is not part of any Octant (though it is sometimes referred to as ‘Octant Zero’.
See this sub-page for more information about Octants.
The Codex of Laws
The Codex of Laws is the constitution of the Dominion, it contains the rules for government, succession and the basis for the legal system.
Some points of interest:
- It contains the rules of succession (above) and Overlordly succession
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There is no provision for elections or other forms of popular suffrage.
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- It contains the rules for Names and Social Class.
- It creates several official positions, such as the Grand Vizier, Grand Inquisitor, Nomenclator and Grand Marshall, to name a few.
- It creates the Legion, and there is no distinction in the Codex between the Legion military and domestic police.
- It creates the Vizierate, a framework for the Bureaucracy and the Overlord’s Household.
Concepts in the Codex
The codex of laws contains a number of legal concepts that form some of the basis of the Dominion’s legal and constitutional system. These include (but are not limited to):
The Overlord’s Magnificence
The Overlord rules through their own Overlordly Magnificence.
Overlordly Magnificence is the concept that by being Overlord their words and wishes embody the power of the Codex and the Dominion.
The Overlord’s Benevolence
The Overlord allocates the resources of the Dominion through their Overlordly Benevolence.
Overlordly Benevolence is the concept that the Overlord has the power to direct the resources of the Dominion.
The Overlord’s Command
Instructions issued at the Overlord’s Command have the force of law.
The Overlord’s Decree
The Overlord may issue Decrees that amend or create laws that do not conflict with the Codex.
Decrees and Commands are very similar, in practice the Overlord will Decree something written by someone else (such as a team of Bureaucrats writing a slab of legal documents that come into force when the Overlord Decrees them); a Command is anything the Overlord says is a Command.
The Overlord’s Pleasure
Many roles in the Dominion are served at the Overlord’s Pleasure.This means, for as long as the Overlord says so. In practice, the Overlord often issues a Decree that delegates the determination of the Overlord’s Pleasure to an individual for a certain class of roles. For example, the Overlord does not personally determine the Overlord’s Pleasure for the thousands of Dominion Legion Special Recruits who serve their term with the Legion ‘at the Overlord’s Pleasure.’
While this usually refers to people in roles, anything can technically be ‘at the Overlord’s Pleasure’, for example, an Overlordly Preserve is designated at the Overlord’s Decree or Command for the duration of the Overlord’s Pleasure.
Overlordly Preserve
An area designated by the Overlord as being under the Overlord’s direct control. In current Dominion terms, this means not under the operational jurisdiction of a Secretariat.
Local Government
Since the abolition of the Underlords, system- and planetary-level government arrangements are usually along the lines described below:
Way Stations
Way Stations with small populations are often run by a member of the Legion. Ones with larger populations have a Governor appointed to lead the civilian areas, although the Way Station facility itself will remain under the control of the Legion member.
B Colonies
Most B Colonies are administered by a council consisting of a Governor appointed by the Octant Secretariat, a Legion Officer (titled Commandant Councillor) and a Minor Vizier.- The Governor rules but can be vetoed by the others if they both agree.
- Some worlds may have a temporary or permanent additional member; the Overlord’s Envoy.
- The Envoy has veto powers alone.
A note on Veto powers
This is permissible:
Governor: We will do A!
Commandant and Vizier: We don’t permit A.
Governor: Then we will do B!
Commandant and Vizier: B is fine.
This is also permissible:
Governor: We will do A!
Commandant and Vizier: We don’t permit A.
Governor: What will you permit?
Commandant and Vizier: B.
Governor: I will not do B. This will be escalated to the Octant Secretariat.
Commandant and Vizier: Very well.
This is not permissible:
Governor: We will do A!
Commandant and Vizier: We don’t permit A, we will do B!
A Colonies
Usually have a council as per B colony plus additional members with specific portfolios. The Governor rules and can be vetoed by the Legion representative and the Vizierate representative, as per a B Colony, or a majority of members of the council.
Octant Capitals
The Secretariat usually rules the capital as part of its duties. Usually such a council has one member (the Governor on Council) with responsibility for coordinating local affairs.
Zargonia
Zargonia is ruled by the Secretariat of Octant Zero. Their jurisdiction excludes the Overlord’s Preserves.
An Overlordly Envoy always sits on this Secretariat.
Exceptions
Some worlds are ruled directly by an Overlordly Envoy.
Smaller Facilities
Smaller facilities outside the Mainworld of the system are usually run by a single individual from whichever service is responsible for the facility.
- Bureaucratic/Civilian installations will usually be run by a Local Governor or an Acting Governor (an individual of Executive or Secretariat grade who has not been appointed to the Governor grade)
- In terms of Bureaucratic Grade, a Governor (who is in charge of a Mainworld) is the same Grade as a Local Governor (in charge of a world other than a Mainworld), however, in situations where there is a conflict of portfolios, the Governor’s decision takes precedence over the Local Governor.
- Military installations are run by Legion Officer, usually titled as the Commandant, of appropriate rank to the size of the installation
- Any Legion-led facility will also have a Commissar appointed to support the Commandant
- Vizierate installations will be run by a Minor Vizier or a Vizant-4
- Any facility may be run by, or in conjunction with, an Overlordly Envoy
Overlordly Envoys
Overlordly Envoys are appointed by the Overlord’s Command and serve at the Overlord’s Pleasure.
There are no rules as to who can or cannot be an Overlordly Envoy, once the Overlord Commands it, it is so. However, it is common for members of the Overlord’s Household to be appointed as Envoys.
Sorry for ignorance, where can i read about “f” lineage?
I need to expand the description a bit on how it applies in play, but https://sites.google.com/site/dominionspace/home/dominion-life/citizens