All these planets officially owe allegiance to the Phoenix Throne, currently held by Emperor Alexius Hawkwood. The truth however is much more nuanced: the central government is relatively weak and local rulers may chose to ignore edicts issued by the government. Further complicating things is the fact that the Known Worlds are divided into several factions. The most important characteristic is the lack of any form of faster-than-light communication. News often travels by word of mouth and the Town Criers.