Codex

Governments

How each faction, and each place that decides for itself, decides: who, by what rule, who comes next, and what stops them. None of them is a real form of government.

16 rows: 2 proposed, 14 that only restate what the games and the codex already say. None of it is canon until it is approved: the codex filed what the games say into systems, and proposed the rest. Each row says which it is.

Who decides

  • The bench Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest

    He decides what gets made and sends the apprentice for whatever it needs. “Ah. You’re up.” is how an errand starts.

    Decides for
    The household
    Who
    The Slopwright, at the bench. The Slopwright
    Succession
    Nobody has said. Nobody has seen him sleep, let alone retire.
    Limits
    The rules of the workshop, the last of which is “Say it’s AI.”
    Dissent
    Wren was told to tidy the workshop. There was a fight instead.
    On record in
    The household, The Slopwright, The apprentice, Rules of the workshop

  • The captaincy Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest

    Advice, given from the bridge as standing orders. Lumen keeps the light; Gill keeps the shop.

    Decides for
    The tin
    Who
    Captain Brine, a sardine, in charge of the sea as far as anyone is. Captain Brine
    Succession
    Nobody has said.
    Limits
    The lid. Whoever has a key can open it, and the captain can’t stop the next one.
    On record in
    The tin, Captain Brine, a GeoCities homepage (brine)

  • Calling the show Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest

    The show is called from the wings: curtain up on time, tickets free, badges for whoever crews.

    Decides for
    The company
    Who
    Cue, the stage manager. Cue
    Succession
    Whoever is in it. The show goes on.
    Limits
    It cannot charge for a ticket, and it could only wait out the Understudy.
    On record in
    The company, Cue, The Understudy

  • The rota Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest

    A memo decides, until the next memo supersedes it, including itself.

    Decides for
    Staff only
    Who
    Nobody. There is a rota.
    Succession
    The rota is the same as last week.
    Limits
    The headcount at close must match the headcount at open. If it does not, adjust the count.
    On record in
    Staff only, Backrooms memo 26, Backrooms memo 16, a GeoCities homepage (night-staff)

  • Unwatched Proposed — not canon until approved

    A decision happens only while it is not observed, and stands once somebody looks.

    Decides for
    The stock
    Who
    Nobody has said. Whatever moved while nobody was looking.
    Succession
    Nothing to succeed to: it can only move when nobody is looking, so it never quite gets anywhere.
    Limits
    Observation. The night staff are asked to observe the Assistant at all times.
    On record in
    The stock, The Assistant, Backrooms memo 20, an open question

  • Procedure Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest

    The same four or five things in the same order. A decision is whichever step comes next.

    Decides for
    The office supplies
    Who
    Each floor’s boss: the inbox, the photocopier, the franking machine. None of them answers to the others.
    Succession
    Switch one boss off and the next floor up has another.
    Limits
    It can be read like a timetable, which is how the apprentice gets past.
    Dissent
    The stapler has worked for both sides.
    On record in
    The office supplies, The inbox, The photocopier, The franking machine

  • Best of three Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest

    Disputes are settled after hours, one on one, best of three.

    Decides for
    The four coworkers
    Who
    Whoever wins. Pip is three weeks in.
    Succession
    There is always another round.
    Limits
    Nobody remembers what the company does, so nobody knows what the fight was for.
    On record in
    The four coworkers, Overtime, Pip

  • Downhill Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest

    It goes wherever it isn’t stopped.

    Decides for
    The escaped batch
    Who
    Nobody. The Centrepiece is only the biggest, and comes last.
    Succession
    More batch. The Mother Batch makes more of itself, in the vats.
    Limits
    Office supplies, laminators and a stapler on the route. It has no plan for after the Out tray.
    On record in
    The escaped batch, The Centrepiece, Paperweight

  • From upstairs Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest

    Blow, from the attic, again and again. The draughtlets follow.

    Decides for
    The draughts
    Who
    The Draught. The Draught
    Succession
    Nobody has said. A smaller draught, presumably.
    Limits
    The lamp keeps coming back on.
    On record in
    The draughts, The Draught, Draughtlet

  • Skimming duty Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest

    Somebody has to skim the vats under the workshop. The floor decides how hard.

    Decides for
    The Vats
    Who
    Nobody governs the vats. The skimmer does the duty, as household work.
    Succession
    Another skimmer, with another ladle.
    Limits
    The Mother Batch makes more of itself faster than anyone can skim.
    On record in
    Skim, The Skimmer, an open question

  • Newest first Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest

    Finished pieces go up newest first. A season comes down on its own; nobody has to take it down.

    Decides for
    The wall
    Who
    The Slopwright hangs the pieces. The Slopwright
    Succession
    The wall keeps going as you scroll.
    Limits
    Ids are permanent: a piece can be put away, never taken back.
    On record in
    The wall, Slopoween, Fresh slop

  • Store policy Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest

    Every stand shows a price; at close all chairs face their desks; returns are accepted within 28 days.

    Decides for
    The showroom
    Who
    The memos, and whoever is on the rota.
    Succession
    The next memo.
    Limits
    The store is still open. It always is.
    On record in
    The showroom, Backrooms memo 3, Backrooms memo 2, Backrooms memo 18, a GeoCities homepage (night-staff)

  • The written test Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest

    A specimen is filed possible or impossible by the test, and by nothing else.

    Decides for
    Meinong’s jungle
    Who
    The field guide, by a test written down: whether a picture’s own nouns contradict each other.
    Succession
    The test, not a person.
    Limits
    Nothing governs the trail after dark. The Assistant has been called to the jungle.
    On record in
    Meinong’s jungle, The round square, The desk in the woods

  • Both halves Proposed — not canon until approved

    A trade goes through when both sides are on the books, and the server has checked them.

    Decides for
    The trade counter
    Who
    The Assistant, which holds both halves of a swap while nobody is looking.
    Succession
    Nobody has said.
    Limits
    Trade only: things in a pocket can’t be traded, and no money, anywhere.
    On record in
    The trade counter, The books, a history chapter

  • The games decide Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest

    Every entry is checked against the games that invented it; where the games disagree, the entry says so.

    Decides for
    The codex
    Who
    The games. Where they are silent, the question waits for the people who run the place.
    Succession
    The rule, not a person.
    Limits
    It may not answer an open question itself.
    On record in
    The codex, a history chapter, a history chapter

  • Ring keepers Restates canon — waits for approval with the rest

    Owners write what they like, in their own voices; a keeper decides who is in the ring.

    Decides for
    GeoCities
    Who
    Each ring’s keeper, and each homepage’s owner on their own page.
    Succession
    Nobody has said.
    Limits
    Where a homepage and the codex disagree, the games decide.
    On record in
    GeoCities, a GeoCities web ring (slopfan), a GeoCities web ring (lighthouse), a GeoCities web ring (staffonly)