The saddest part about Humanity is that we gather scientific knowledge faster than wisdom-Isaac Asimov, Terran Author c. 2nd Millennium
The role play is centered around the state of the Milky Way Galaxy in the 26th Millennium. The all encompassing Galactic Imperium is crumbling. Economic and social stagnation, moral decay, the slowing of scientific inquiry, technology run amok to its own detriment. Knowledge being lost and forgotten in the fires of increasing amounts of conflict across the Galaxy. Humanity, founders of the Imperium, and the dominant species in the Galaxy is fading in power. As numerous sectors and constituent states splinter, fragment, while warlordism proves increasingly rampant. The central authority of the Emperor and the Imperial Government weakening as more and more power is handed over to regional and local rulers. The Imperial Senate, founded four thousand years prior to the start of the role play, has grown ineffective, lax, and hedonistic in their day to day running of the Imperium. Imperial bureaucracy once known to be uncompromisingly efficient in governing such a vast domain has grown fat, convoluted, and corrupt. Players will have to make a hard choice. To try and save the Imperium or work to their own ends, whether if it hastens the Empire's fall, or a resurgent revival. As such players are encouraged to take positions of power in the Galactic Imperium in order to keep themselves relevant in the role play. As a politician, head of a Great House, high ranking Imperial officer, or whatever interests the player most. Further I cannot stress enough the fact that advanced Imperial Technology is increasingly rare. Due to the gradual decline in technology, knowledge, and technical expertise as the Galaxy recedes into what could very well be an Interstellar Dark Age.
Humanity in these times is just as various and lords over various Xenos species. Humanity of the 26th Millennium has diversified heavily through adaptation to new worlds, genetic editing, cybernetics, and mutation. Nova Terrans for example sport reflective cat eyes allowing them to see in total darkness. As such Humanity is just as varied as the Xenos they've assimilated or dominated into joining their Imperium.
It is the 26th Millennium and the Tsaraj-Emperor sits uneasily upon The Celestial Throne. The Galactic Imperium stretches across the Milky Way Galaxy and even claims dominion over the Magellanic Clouds. An Empire of approximately thirty-five million worlds and even more space stations, outposts, and mining colonies. For over twenty thousand years it has endured; encompassing Humanity's Golden Age as a space faring civilization. Extending over a period longer than any except for Human pre-history. Emerging victorious against numerous foes of all sorts. Giving rise to an unprecedented Golden Age for Humanity. The Pax Imperialis having lasted for several thousand years. Yet, the façade is cracking. Being chipped away at an ever increasing rate. The Imperium is decaying, failing, as economic and social stagnation take hold. Wars ravage countless worlds from insurrection, rebellion, and civil strife. Technology having run amok to cause frightening levels of damage to the Empire's infrastructure as devastating weapons are brought to bear by more and more warring factions. Inadvertently, causing such internal damage as to lead to the loss of knowledge, prosperity, and hasten the spreading rot of a Galaxy sliding towards anarchy. Knowledge is being replaced by religious fervor and dogmatism, nurtured by fear and paranoia of hungry warlords. This may not readily perceptible to the average Imperial citizen, who may reside on a world yet untouched by all the horrors going on in the Galaxy, but it is happening.
The Imperium is centered on the world of Nova Terra, a city planet, and capital of the Empire. Home to two and a half Trillion people. A planet almost entirely covered in continent spanning city-scape. Stretching from dangerous Under Cities to the glittering gemstone encrusted spires of the top levels which are home to the Nova Terran elite. The Imperial District being the only region that still retains natural fauna and native wildlife. Covering a significant portion of the Northern continent and within it's confines sits the Imperial Palace. The Imperial Dynasty, The Imperial House of Val'Vaeniad, also holds residence on the Imperial World of Odin. A paradise world of beauty and untarnished environment. Opposite of the built up and completely urbanized world of Nova Terra.
The Imperium is the sole sovereign nation at the start of the role play. A Galactic political entity that stretches the breadth and width of the Milky Way Galaxy. Previously the bastion for civilization and all of its achievements in the Known Universe. However, it is not centralized by any means. Due the sheer size and scope of the Galactic Imperium the Empire is heavily decentralized and supported by a delicate balance of power. A balance grown more turbulent in recent centuries.
The Galactic Imperium is broadly constituted by four main political blocs:
Imperial Worlds which are governed by Imperial Governors. Their titles reflecting the level of jurisdiction they possess. Imperial Amtsbegs are Governors whose power is entirely civil in nature. Imperial Ambans are military governors and generally also hold rank in the Imperial military. While lastly the Imperial Siridar are civil governors also given control over military forces assigned to their region of governorship. A technical fourth type exists in the form of Imperial Palatine-Siridar whom have been granted hereditary control over their territories but still a technical Imperial Office and thus not accorded the same rights and privileges as the Galactic Peerage. Directly above Governors which oversee singular planets or star systems are the Imperial Gespan. Overseeing entire Oversectors of space approximately amounting to specific star clusters. Operating under the supervision of Imperial Viceroys overseeing entire Sectors spanning dozens, hundreds, or even thousands of Star Systems. The exact 'borders' of these administrative zones shifting and changing as the Emperor and Imperial Senate dictate. The title of Ispan also exists in parallel to Gespans in that they are Governors dual wielding civil and military power on an as needed basis. While Viceroys may have the additional title of Guvernadur bestowed upon them by the Emperor and Imperial Senate which effectively grants them governing autonomy over a specific region of space in the name of the Emperor.
Next are the territorial possessions of the Imperium's Dominai Majora. The Great Houses. The Galaxy's most powerful noble families who oversee private dominions confirmed by blood and charter. Some may be as small as singular worlds or moons. Others comprise hundreds of worlds across dozens of star systems. Further, not all of these interstellar fiefdoms are consolidated. These private dominions criss-crossing across the breadth and width of the Milky Way Galaxy. The result of millennia of political maneuver, colonization, internecine warfare, and strategic marriages. The Peerage of the Empire is multitudinous and powerful. Many host large fortunes and private military forces of their own. Their ambitions kept in balance by the other powers of the Imperium. Their titles in turn vary from lowly Barons who would be lucky to possess a single world to those of Count, Marquis, Duke, Bey and King. Though title does not always reflect power, it is a safe indicator.
Third are the Semi-autonomous states existing in a bewildering array. Effectively, Semi-Autonomous States or SAS are the non-peerage vassals of the Empire. Acquired through subjugation, created via legislation, or assimilated into the Imperium's larger political framework voluntarily. The SAS's have a seat in the Imperial Senate and are given the privilege of maintaining their own internal structure, most if not all of their cultural practices, and to an extent their own military forces to patrol their domains. SAS's may be as small as a single star system or stretching across entire star clusters. In the same category are the Imperial Protectorates. Polities forbidden from having their own military forces but possess their own internal self-rule.
The Fourth power which be are the Orders Ecumenic. The Ecumenical Council of the Imperium which was a recent addition to be officially recognized and given seats in the Imperial Senate. The Orders Ecumenic represent the major, state recognized, and often territorially sanctioned (given plots of land or even entire worlds) religions of the Galaxy. Such as Mahayana Cathericism, Bahai'Shido, Kalergism, Terranism, Evangelical Hatterism, and Zensunni.
There are of course various other powers, but often have to rely on lobbying and connections rather than having any voting seat at the Imperial political table, and these are The Galactic Commercial Combine (GCC) which is a major publicly traded mega-corporation and the Imperial Interstellar Spacing Guild (IISG)which is the largest guild of interstellar space travel servicers and companies to name but two.
The Galactic Imperium of past epochs used to be firmly in the hands of the Tsaraj-Emperor, advised by the Imperial Council, until the Act of Consolation in the 24th Millennium created the Rhaum Szenatus or Imperial Senate. A bicameral body with the upper house populated by the Peerage in the Rhaumsraad containing the Great Houses and the Lower House or Niedsenedd made up of representatives from each Sector, SAS, and the Representatives from the Orders Ecumenic. Divulging the legislative power from the Celestial-Throne. The Act of Consolation also separated the Tsaraj-Emperor's right to structure the Imperium's judicial apparatus. Forming the Imperial High Judiciary as a third branch of Imperial governance. However, the Emperor is still recognized as Supreme Justice and may preside over appeals and grant pardons. As such the Imperial apparatus is theoretically supposed to be in balance.
The Galactic Imperium is host to many cultures and customs. To detail each and every one would take a multitude of lifetimes. Even languages stretch into the many thousands. However, there are several which hold dominance. Lingua Imperialis or Imperial Standard is for all intents and purposes English, for the facilitation of the role play. This is followed by Nova Terran Basic which is the language of the capital and common in many sectors is a hodge podge of many past languages melded together. There is also Bicameral Cant the language of machines, AI, and those interfaced with them. This is followed by the esoteric language of Lingua Ancien which is the language of Old Terra according to ancient manuscripts and appears as a much more archaic form of Nova Terran Basic.
The Economy of the Galactic Imperium is massive and multitudinous from sector to sector make up. The Imperial Currency, as issued by the Imperial Treasury via the Imperial Mints located across the Galaxy, is the Aureus Imperial or Gold Backs as colloquially known. A physical paper or electronically formatted currency backed by Helium-3 and 4;. In fact due to the sheer mineral wealth of the Imperium it is not uncommon for Mints to provide Aureus Imperial in gold or silver bullion for a specific amount stamped onto the pieces. These currencies are by Imperial Decree to be accepted on every Imperial World or exchanged into the local currency. There also exists Credit Imperial or Imperial Credits which is an Imperial government sanctioned cryptocurrency popular in the Periphery. However, due to the volatile nature of cryptocurrencies one does not always get a good exchange rate or even cost when purchasing goods. Some planets may not even accept them as is. Alongside these official forms are a plurality of local currencies, that while pegged to the Imperial Currency, are tailored to the local economies of a Star Cluster or region. Generally, these are practical by the fact the vast majority of Imperial Citizens seldom leave their home star systems or Star Cluster. Indeed, the cost of owning, let alone maintaining, a star ship is beyond the means of many; nor, particularly necessary for private citizens to own them throughout their normal lives.
The Imperial Military operates under a universal, yet decentralized, command and control hierarchy; which, depending on branch can be more or less in terms of decentralization.
