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Interstice

The Interstice

The Interstice, the loose polity of human settlements left on Earth, organize itself according to the tenets of the Georgia Guidestones, which are as follows:

• Population Balance: With much of the earth ravaged and restructured, population clusters are smaller, fragmented, and live in delicate balance with their surroundings. Gone are the massive megalopolises; cities are now designed to be sustainable.
• Guided Reproduction: Genetic diversity has become an urgent concern, especially in isolated communities. Reproduction is approached with care, and there's a lot of emphasis on avoiding inbreeding and genetic disorders.
• Unified Language: The chaos that followed the apocalypse wiped out many languages. The survivors, driven by the need for communication in their struggle against the Realms, created a creole language, a mix of global languages, which now serves as a universal tongue.
• Tempered Reason: The apocalyptic wars made humanity realize the importance of reason over unbridled passion. There's a collective memory of how fanatical zeal caused discord.
• Fair Laws and Just Courts: The world court in Antananarivo symbolizes this principle. Local disputes are settled at local levels, while global issues, especially those involving the Realms, are decided upon here.
• Internal Governance & World Court: While local cultures and rules prevail, the World Court ensures that no external force exploits internal squabbles.
• Avoiding Petty Bureaucracy: Humanity doesn't have the luxury for bureaucratic inefficiencies. Governance is direct, streamlined, and purposeful.
• Rights & Duties: Citizens are taught the importance of personal freedom, but with an understanding of the larger good. Every individual knows they have a role to play in keeping humanity alive and thriving.
• Harmony with the Infinite: The trauma of the apocalypse and its ethereal war has made humanity introspective. There's a deeper appreciation for beauty, love, and truth. Spiritual beliefs, though diverse, revolve around harmonizing with the universe.
• Environmental Stewardship: With ecosystems so drastically changed and combined with elements from the Realms, there's a newfound reverence for nature. The Freewilds, in particular, are seen as sacred spaces, a testament to Earth's resilience.

The World Government

The world government is run by the Directorate, a five-member council with ten-year terms. Every two years, coincident with parliamentary elections, the most senior Director retires, and a new junior Director is likewise voted in. Directors may not serve more than their one term. The nominal head of state takes the name of "President Madagascar", is chosen among members of parliament for a lifetime term, and has a largely symbolic position, most often called upon when magic that assumes the existence of a king is in play. This may include sacrificial-king duties in times of great emergencies, such as during a famine. The President also breaks ties in case a Director is indisposed and there's a 2-2 split. A one-chamber parliament with exactly 500 members also exists; cities and towns send delegates to it, based on relative population. Human cities and towns largely self-govern, and must have regular free elections to send a representative to the world government; cities stick to this, towns sometimes don't. Voting is restricted to residents who have obtained neurological maturity (including freedom from either Realm's influence), and pay a symbolic one-ary poll tax which is used for census purposes. The Sentinels use a command structure similar to that of the SMOM and, in fact, the SMOM converged into the Sentinels shortly after Armageddon (Understandably, the Sentinels have abandoned most spiritual traditions, as they would be too closely aligned with Order).

The Directorate, with its rotational cycle and one-term limit, is designed to ensure a consistent influx of fresh ideas and perspectives while preserving institutional memory. Each Director brings a decade of guidance to the world government, with staggered exits to prevent any abrupt loss of experience. Their power is substantial, but their inability to be reelected helps prevent consolidation of individual authority.

Role of President Madagascar

The title "President Madagascar" emphasizes unity and pays homage to the island-nation that withstood the chaos of Armageddon. While the role may seem mostly ceremonial, the President's potential as a tie-breaker in crucial decisions underscores their significance. Furthermore, the sacrificial-king aspect is a reminder of the heavy weight and responsibility carried by the office, echoing ancient practices of societies that believed in the divine nature of rulership.

Parliamentary System

The 500-member Parliament reflects the diverse array of human settlements. With cities being more populous and organized, they often uphold the democratic norms more stringently. Towns, with their close-knit communities, sometimes tend to favor local consensus over formal elections.

The one-ary poll tax, though symbolic, functions as an important tool for population tracking and civic participation. By tying the tax to voting, it ensures accurate population counts and voter turnout. By making the amount symbolic, it makes sure everyone can vote, while hopefully avoiding the trap of making something have no value so that it seems worthless.

Sentinels and SMOM Connection

The Sentinels' assimilation of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta (SMOM) is an interesting aspect. Historically, the SMOM had a unique blend of being a religious order with a sovereign character and diplomatic relations. Post-Armageddon, the Sentinels, adopting the organizational structure of the SMOM, transformed it into a more secular but no less dedicated force. Though they've moved away from the religious underpinnings of the SMOM, they've retained its dedication to service, protection, and global outreach.

This structure, with the Directorate, the symbolic President, a democratic Parliament, and the sentinel force, ensures a balance of power, representation, and security in a world recovering and redefining itself after Armageddon.