Ardatham

## Overview

Ardatham is a colossal city-state founded upon a mass graveyard of unknown archaeological remains. it originally began as a mining town in the Northeast quadrant of Rathnir, but has since expanded across an entire nation-scaled region of the former Commonwealth of Plagatea, and is now an active member of the New Republic within Aurora Novum. It is densely populated and excessively multicultural, and acts as a hub between different planes of reality and worlds that are known. It is also the political and cultural capital city of The Dominion of Free Folk.

## Politics

### Constitution

The Dominion of Free Folk is a constitutional, democratic, republican commonwealth comprised of the City-State of Ardatham and its present extensions across known reality, along with other city states that exist within its commonwealth; the power of which comes from the will of its people under the stewardship of the Governor-General.

Section 1: Overview

The Dominion’s government retains exclusive jurisdiction of:

• foreign relations directly relevant to Ardatham.

• civil, ethical, religious, ideological and economic freedoms of the individuals within.

• immigration, emigration, exile, corporal/capital punishment, and extradition.

• customs and trade.

• currency and coinage transfer internally to the Dominion of Free Folk.

• Military, ministerial, and diplomatic services.

unless the Governor-General allows for the highest jurisdiction of the above to rest externally, i.e in the hands of a greater government or power.

With the exceptions of the subjects for which the Alabaster Court posesses exclusive jurisdiction, the Boroughs and extensions are free to govern their respective territories as they see fit. However, greater Dominion law superseeds or nullifies laws beneath it in the event of an internal or external conflict. Adjudication of conflicts within different sections of government is the jurisdiction of the Alabaster Court. Local authorities are required to enforce Dominion law and must uphold it among their people.

Section 2: The Alabaster Court

Elected seats are to be assigned by a ballot held by members of the relevant subject. Each Governor may serve only so long as they possess the confidence of their respective local Borough or extension. Members of the Alabaster Court represent the entire nation and are bound to the rules and conventions as set forth by the standing Governor-General. There is to be a seat in the Alabaster Court for every borough General to reside, which they are elected into by a vote which occurs once every two months. The first and second winners in the election share the seat, with the former assuming the role of Governor of that borough and the latter being on call to assume the former’s position should circumstance design it as such.

The Governor-General is an impartial, benevolent judge over the Alabaster Court and Dominion as a whole who serves a continuous term until they choose to step down or are otherwise deplatformed, wether through insurrection or by other means. If a member of the Alabaster Court is deemed a failure in fulfilling their obligations under the constitution or Dominion law, the Governor-General may deplatform them or assign sanctions if they deem it necessary. Furthermore, the Governor-General possesses the power to take measures – including the use of armed force and/or the suspension of civil rights – to restore law and order in the event of a serious threat to public safety or Dominion security.
The Governor-General determines the direction of their government and is responsible for ensuring its stability and prosperity. The Ministers are compelled to resign under convention should they act against the will of the people or of the Governor-General. The Cabinet (of which all ministers of their respective ministries preside) formulates decisions by majority vote, as does the Alabaster Court. In the case of a tie, the Governor-General's vote is decisive.
Section 3: The Military
The military of the Dominion is to be meritocratic and expert. They are to follow strictguidelines on ethic, behaviour and presentation, and are always to be seen in uniform or some variation of it. The Governor-General elects the heads of each wing of military, the heirarchies of which are as follows:
Zeppelin Corps. Cloud Marines Grand Army Grand Navy
Sky Admiral Brig. General Lord-Commander Fleet Admiral
Sky Captain Sky Brigadier Major General Captain
Zeppelin Officer Cloud Marine Officer Naval Officer
The heads are to select their inferiors based on merit, and work their hardest to improve their strategy, coordination, loyalty and effectiveness. Each rank possesses its own uniform.
Section 4: legislation
Legislation may be proposed by a member of the Alabaster Court or by the Governor-General and are passed on the majority vote of the Alabaster Court. The Governor-General has the power to decree that a proposed law be presented to the common voters to be deliberated upon before taking effect. The Common folk are entitled to object to laws passed by the Alabaster Court. If this objection could not be resolved, the Governor-General may at their discretion declare a Dominion-wide vote or decide upon their own conscience wether or not the proposed law passes.
Section 5: Basic rights and obligations of The Citizenry Each citizen is guaranteed the rights set out below, regardless of any means by which they personally identify or the state identifies them.
1. All are free to believe and declare upon matters of faith, ideology and personal or community identity.
2. All may move and congregate within the Dominion as they please.
3. All may vote, even prisoners.
4. All may possess arms with permission, possession of arms without permission from an authority will result in confiscation.
5. All other rights as generally understood to be owed to all are protected.

Section 6: Education and School All educational organisations are beholden to the state. :3
Section 7: The Economy
The economy of the Dominion of Free Folk is based upon a fundamental principle that economic life should conform to the principles of justice and equality, with the goal of achieving a dignified life for all and securing economic freedom for the whole community.
All property is state property, although stewardship in a semi-privatised manner can be achieved through assignment from the Alabaster Court with the express permission of the Governor-General.
The state protects the fruits of labor, and intellectual creation. The right to form unions and to improve working conditions is guaranteed to every individual and to all occupations, and protection of the self-employed is a right. Workers are on an equal footing of power with employers, in the regulation of wages and working conditions as well as in economic development.

### Current Position

At the time of writing, Ardatham rests within the lands of Aurora Novum and is politically a full member of their republic although still lies within the grace period prior to senate representation. Its Governor-General is Voithontas Airgethlam, who assumed reign over the City-State when he and the refugees of Rattan and Auralich arrived by chance on its dilapidated shores a few years previously.