Monte Cristo
Who’s Who
The RULER: Louys, Prince Ovationné par le Peuple comme President (POPP for short).
Following the local tradition has even more brothers and sisters than Maurice de Saxe (the concept of ‘legitimate’ vs ‘ illegitimate’ child is unknown in Monte-Cristo). Is rumoured to maintain a permanent force of 366 (because of leap years) ‘active’ –but undeclared– wives. Since at any given time a *lot* of young, attractive and officially unmarried Monte-Cristan women are travelling up and down whole Europe, Monte-Cristans have a ‘rumour within the rumour’ they carefully avoid to share with strangers: besides their annual matrimonial duty, the 366 ‘active’ wives (and most of ‘retired’ ones) would constitute a continental-scale web of secret messengers, spies, go-between, seductrices-then-blackmailers, and agents of any species and role of the Presipapal diplomacy.
Louys is said to be the most devious diplomat of Monte-Cristan history. He created the Presipapal Bank or Sustainable Development and Constantly Increasing Profit (‘Secrety – Security’) to harbor the anonymous numbered accounts of most european Poweful and Influential People: the best deterrent against any invasion. He had the thermal Baths (also providing ‘thalassotherapy’) and the Casino built, to attract (and despoil) overwealthy foreigners.
Political System:
The Black Company, a mercenary outfit les by Francois des Entommeures, settled in ravaged Monte-Cristo by the end of the French Wars of Religion. The warband was actually a large mixed force of six battalions strenght, the soldiery followed by at least twice their own number of women and children, widows and invalids.
At first des Entommeures appointed himself ‘Prince of Monte-Cristo’ (previously the country had been at most a minor county). Soon, in an effort to merge his followers with the native population, he enacted that the Principality would formally become a Republic. His place at the head of the country would have to be confirmed by a general ballot. All Monte-Cristans over 18, men and women, native or recent settlers, received the same civic rights.
Yet Monte-Cristo is not a republic, given the rules of succession: the ruler chooses his/ her successor, a choice validated by a popular ballot. Hence the peculiar status and title of the ruler, both an hereditary Prince (though nothing prevents the ruler from choosing from out his /her bloodline; then, given the extreme… popularity of successive Monte-Cristan rulers since the late 16°C, all Monte-Cristan families are now of princely blood) and an elected President. While Monte-Cristan use the POPP acronym as a name, strangers, specially foreign Courts, prefer to use the title ‘Prince-President’.
Previous POPPs of note:
Pausole ‘the Thelemite’ edicted the 2-articles Constitution:
art.1 : Do no harm to your fellow man,
art.2 : This fairly understood, live as you wish.
He had also the first Presipapal Manor built above the ruins of a small castle overlooking the ‘Villa’, the original settlement of the Black Company in Monte-Cristo the City.
Pierre Louys ‘the Tryphemite’ stipulated that ugliness rather than nudity being obscene, young and faily built people can go all naked.
Dyane-Adeline, the only POPPess so far; she resigned when she felt «No longer young and fair enough to be the representative of our dear Presipality»
Fabrice Louys ‘the Blue Prince’ replaced the Manor with the current Presipapal Palace –a kind of microVersailles.
MONTE-CRISTAN CHARACTERS OF NOTE:
Bernard, a brother of Louys and current Designated Successor. He knowns, would Louys die prematurately,that he would actually act as a Regent until a younger heir comes to age.
Pierre, one of Louys' sons and a promising candidate to the succession.
Angele de Polihacrilamide, heiress of one of des Entommeures’ battalion commanders and thus a Monte-Cristan Dame of high status. Known for her litterary and philosophical tea parties. Could be the most senior among the POPP’s 366 wives and thus the 'Top Centerfold' of their SPIDER web.
Louis-Ferdinand Celine de Saint-Gobain, Counsellor to the Relations with Resident Foreigners, is rumoured (again, a rumour Monte-Cristans keep carefully to themselves) to be the head of the (‘secret’) Bureau de la Surete Nationale. The special agents, the Operatifs, are said to operate only in Monte-Cristan territory in collaboration with the POPP’s wives, who fully take over in foreign countries.
Edgar Allan Lovecraft de Dunwitch et Innsmouth, Permanent Secretary of the Monte-Cristan Academy of Sciences. His main duty is actually to auction at international level the innovative military technologies devised by the Physics and Engineering Department (R&D branch) of the Academy.
Culculine d’Ancone and Prospere de Roopett are the two most celebrated ‘Madams’ of Monte-Cristo, and close friends despite their professional rivalry.
‘Le Morpion qui Vole’ (‘The Flying Body Crab’), with its red lanterns and flowered colonial balconies, adjoins ‘La Maison du Soleil Levant’ (‘The House of the Rising Sun’) with its paper lanterns and asiatic beauties, in the middle of the fabled Rue de Bourbon (Bourbon Street).
Both are reliable BSN and SPIDER informers and stout supporters of the Presipapal actions.
What's What
Emblem:
the dark pink ‘Mermaid in Beauty’, formerly a brothel sign in Marseilles.
Geography:
a peninsula on the mediterranean shore, concealed in every map under the black line marking the border between France and Piedmont-Savoy. Actually more of an island linked to the shore by a very low and narrow levee.
Economy, Mainly based on the export of (grossly overpriced) high-quality goods.
sea foodstuff: salted anchovies, smoked scorpion fish fillets, marinaded octopi, squids and lobster tails.
delicacies: fruits either dried or candied, jellies, almond and quince pastes, fruit drops, candied ginger, liquorice sticks, rose- and orange-blossom-perfumed marshmallows, pine seeds nougat, pine seeds pralines and dragees, various candies.
beverages: sparkling Rose, Anised Absinth (50% alcohol, normally consumed as a long drink; the local recipe includes a little elixir from the Monte-Cristan ‘Dream’ smoking herb –not tobacco), Monte-Cristo Green (theoretically a quasi-universal medicine with 75% alcohol, helps also to digest strong emotions; a recipe elaborated by monks centuries ago –sold with a green lizard in each bottle). Anised Absinth and MC Green are State monopolies.
Perfumery, cosmetics and medicines: very expensive perfumes (the latest, 'Ario d'Argento' reaches a truly exorbitant price), eaux de Cologne, after-shaves, shampooes (both Monte-Cristan innovations), relaxing and aphrodisiac bath salts, perfumed soaps, ointments, balsams. All from the State Perfumery, and the bottles come from the Presipapal artistic glass workshop.
Plus, the huge profits from the State-owned thermal Baths and Casino.
Where and when to visit:
The great complex built by Louys, comprising the Baths, the Grand Parc Recreatif, the Casino and the Museum des Arts et Sciences.
The festive week of Mardi-Gras (the Grande Parade Rue de Bourbon is not to be missed) and the holydays of Saint-Sulfond (the unofficial Monte-Cristan national festival).