Twenty years ago, on the tarmac of the city’s airport, a man - middle aged even then - in a general’s uniform had stood and made a speech. There was no audience; the army has sealed off the airport, and the other decorated generals behind the man were just for show, as were the attack helicopters lazily spinning their rotors in the background. But the address was televised, and broadcast on radio. It was reprinted in full in newspapers across the world, and discussed at length in every corridor of power.Every citizen knew of that proclamation, for it altered the fate of their country irreversibly.

Now old, the general - he still styled himself as a general - had the sheet of paper he read from framed in the national Museum of the Revolution. The single act, that single speech, had not been all that was needed to sweep the old, corrupt government from power; no, there had been fighting, years of it, millions dead. But that was in the past now, and the last decade had been peaceful. He had give his country security, and protected it from outside forces. Was that not worth a little blood spilled?

Apparently there was no loyalty in this world, though, no gratitude, for his courtiers, sensing weakness in his age, had started to circle. He had made them, each and every one; he had elevated them to wealth and power, while under the old Parliament they would have been, what, merchants? Academics? Pfeh. If money can’t buy you loyalty these days, what can?

Force. Only force.

If you want my power, he thought to himself, you’ll have to prise it from my hands.

Repeal all dynastic rules, replace MN wherever it appears in the Ruleset with Oligarch, and replace Speaker wherever it appears with Despot.