Empire of Dominia

Dominian

H. Sapiens / Human

Home System: Mira Sancta

Homeworld: Dominia

Language(s): High Morozi (Tradeband), Vulgar Morozi (Solarian Common)

Political Entitie(s): Empire of Dominia

The Empire of Dominia, often simply referred to as “the Empire,” is a heavily religious absolute monarchy with its capital, Nova Luxembourg, on the planet of Moroz in the Mira Sancta System. This autocratic state is presently ruled by His Imperial Majesty Emperor Boleslaw Keeser I. The Empire of Dominia was proclaimed in 2385 by Emperor Godwin Keeser, the father of Boleslaw Keeser. Imperial society is dominated by the Great and Minor Houses under the Emperor and is very socioeconomically stratified due to the so-called blood debt, known as the Mor’iz’al. All citizens are born with the Mor’iz’al debt in exchange for the privileges of citizenship, a debt that takes some a lifetime or more to pay off. Imperial society is heavily divided by class and the Mor’iz’al blood debt is a very important part of Imperial society. Many in the Empire follow a strict code of honor, which originates with its great houses. The Empire is considered by many to be a threat to the free frontier. Its state religion is the Moroz Holy Tribunal which lays a heavy hand upon the Imperial government, with their edicts enforceable as law and those that violate its edicts being referred to as “edict breakers,” a class of unpersons actively hunted down by the government. Perhaps the most famous export of the Empire is the gene-boosting techniques it has carefully developed over centuries, though they lag behind the Skrell. It remains highly imperialistic and somewhat isolated but has recently made strides to enter further into the galactic stage. “In the Goddess’s Name, So Shall It Be Done” is commonly regarded as the unofficial motto of the Empire, due to the association of the phrase with the Tribunal.

Contents

Population and Planets

Based on the 2459 Imperial Census, the total population of the Empire is roughly fifteen billion, though this number has grown in the intervening years. Citizens from the Imperial Core tend to be extremely devout in their belief in the Tribunal due to their proximity to the heart of the Tribunal's power. As one travels outwards from the Imperial Core loyalty to both Emperor and Goddess slowly fades, and the presence of the Imperial Army increases in response.

Citizens of the Outer Empire or "Imperial Frontier" tend to lack loyalty to both the throne and the Tribunal, largely due to being conquered by force rather than colonized by Morozians as the Dominian core worlds were. Many subjects are new to the Empire in these regions and are unwilling to bend the knee, leading to a great number of military units being stationed here. Imperial frontier subjects have a reputation for being uncivilized in the Inner Empire. They tend to be unwilling to convert, with these regions seeing higher amounts of edict-based executions.

Moroz

The capital planet the Empire with roughly six billion residents. The planet is largely dominated by its large polar circles which encompass around 70% of the planet’s surface. Moroz is by far the wealthiest settlement in the Empire and owes much of its wealth to the extraction-based economics of Dominian imperialism, which has led to some resentment from other planets in the young Empire.

Zhurong

A closer image focusing on the planets and territory of the Empire.

Colonized in 2367 by the combined efforts of the Imperial Alliance and Holy Kingdom of Domelkos, the Imperial Mandate of Zhurong is the Empire’s oldest continuous colony. Zhurong is home to plentiful mineral deposits which form the backbone of the local economy, and have ensured the planet is the beating industrial heart of the Empire and its Fleet. Its capital Hongse Chengbao, literally translated as Red Castle, is in one of the few stable regions of the planet and takes its name from the large Imperial Fleet Arsenal which was established there in the early 2370s. Much of the planet’s surface outside of the stable regions is constantly shifting and exposing new mineral deposits which the Empire readily exploits by using large mobile mining walkers designed to withstand the frequent earthquakes and volcanic activity Zhurong is known for. The planet is known to be far hotter than Moroz and local fashion discards the long sleeves and heavy coats of Moroz for short sleeves and lighter fabrics.

In both the present day and historically Zhurong has served as a critical industrial hub for the Empire which produces many of its weapons of war, ranging from humble infantry rifles to the venerable Moroz-class dreadnoughts of the Imperial Fleet. Most in House Zhao, which has long dominated Zhurong, believe the War of Moroz was won in Zhurong’s factories and orbital shipyards. The ever-increasing demands of the Empire’s colonial conquests has resulted in the Admiral-Governors of Zhurong creating the Red Castle System: a decree which divides the planet into a series of counties which are ruled by minor nobles or qualified Secondaries affiliated with House Zhao. Appointed by the Admiral-Governor, these Counts and Countesses are responsible for ensuring the quotas set for Zhurong by the Imperial Council are met. If they are not met, the rulers can simply be removed. Despite the risk of removal some families have had a great deal of success as Counts minted by the Red Castle, and have made themselves and their holdings immensely wealthy in the process.

Perhaps the most successful of the Red Castle Counts is the Kaneko family, a group of minor nobles who are responsible for large-scale steel production in Kaneko County. Unfailing in their loyalty to House Zhao and the broader Empire, House Kaneko is known for its fair and relatively meritocratic policies towards its subordinates, including its Ma’zal workers, and has never once failed to meet its assigned quotas. Their family crest — a yastr holding a forging hammer in its claws — is stamped on every piece of steel they forge and is a common sight throughout the Imperial military. House Kaneko’s motto — Zhurong Steel — has become a slang term in many corners of the Empire for a high-quality product which will not fail. The family has consistently refused offers to integrate it into House Zhao, citing their role as servants of House Zhao above all things. More cynical souls have pointed to House Kaneko’s independence allowing for it to more easily interact with foreign companies, such as Zavodskoi Interstellar.

Those beneath these Counts and Countesses are primarily Ma’zals and less wealthy Secondaries, though some minor nobles can be found in administrative positions across the planet. The factories and mineral fields of Zhurong are a common destination for Ma’zals looking to quickly work off their Mo’ri’zal, and those of their family, despite the hazards associated with working in the mineral fields. Earthquakes and volcanic activity are two major hazards which face the mining walkers of Zhurong, and injuries can be quite common among the planet’s miners despite safety standards and protective equipment demanded by the Admiral-Governor for all miners. In the factories in orbital works of Zhurong life is significantly safer but pay is lower. Zavodskoi Interstellar, a recent partner of the Empire, has begun to invest large amounts of funds into the planet’s industrial infrastructure, and Zhurong’s fortunes seem to have improved greatly through cooperation with Zavodskoi. Some in the broader Spur have whispered of Zavodskoi’s intent to turn Zhurong into their version of New Hai Phong — an industrial planet which they can cite as a major accomplishment and source of income.

Zhurong Imperial Shipbuilding

“Let me phrase this in a way even you can understand, Grand Consul. A sculptor cannot function without her materials, yes? The resources you will be diverting into this pet project of yours are my materials, and my sculpture is our Empire!” — Grand Admiral Huiling Zhao during discussions preceding the creation of ZIS.

Zhurong Imperial Shipbuilding is a Zavodskoi Interstellar affiliated company subordinate to the larger Zhao-run Zhurong Imperial Naval Arsenal (ZINA) which is located on the Empire of Dominia’s industrialized core world of Zhurong. The ZIS is focused around, as the name implies, the construction of ships but has a focus on civilian hulls rather than military ones. Founded in 2462 after the construction of multiple shipyards in orbit of the industrial planet Zhurong by House Zhao and funded by House Caladius, ZIS is a successful attempt by the Empire to force Hephaestus Industries out of a market, in this case the need for civilian and industrial vessels within the Empire of Dominia, and replace it with a native Dominian company.

Contemporary Operations and Influence: Currently, the ZIS profits along the Great Houses of the Empire, using the raw resources of newly conquered frontier worlds to build the vessels which transport those resources from the frontier worlds. By cooperating with both House Zhao and Caladius and focusing their efforts on civilian vessels rather than military ones, ZIS has come to hold a near monopoly over the construction of those vessels within the Empire, and limitations on other megacorporations places by the Chief Commissioner of Economic Development ensure their position remains secure. Outside the empire they currently compete with Hegeranzi Starworks, a Hephaestus subsidiary for markets not only in the Badlands but across the Spur. Currently, the Starworks has a leading edge due to the help of Hephaestus Industries and ZIS’ focus on serving the Dominian market first. However, ZIS is increasingly finding an edge in more specialized vessels and equipment compared to the mass production design of the Starworks. ZIS works closely with Zavodskoi Industries, who buys their ships for sale outside of the Empire. Zavodskoi also provides many skilled engineers for the ZIS through a work contract program. Most ZIS employees not affiliated with Zavodskoi are Ma’zals from the Imperial Frontier seeking better work and higher wages to pay off their Mo’ri’zal. These Ma’zals are typically supervised by Secondaries, who make up the vast number of white-collar jobs found in both ZIS and its parent company, ZINA.

Executives Lord Master of the Shipyard (CEO): Lanying Zhao

Though criticized by many in House Caladius for being clear evidence of Imperial Fleet meddling in the affairs of civilian shipbuilding, the Admiral-Governor of Zhurong has doggedly maintained her position as Lord Master of the Shipyard through her own influence, vast talents, and the patronage of the Grand Admiral. Lanying’s tenure as ZIS’ first, and so far only, leader has been relatively unpopular with House Caladius due to her repeated choices to direct ZIS resources into ZINA, which she also controls, despite protests by many merchants. Conversely, these choices have made her quite popular with her own house. Rumors have recently spoken of the Admiral-Governor, a woman bored half to death by her duties, resigning her position as soon as a successor emerges. Only time will tell if these are true.

Master of Production: Xiu Zhao

The mind behind many ships used by civilian and military actors across the Empire, Xiu Zhao is often regarded as one of the house’s greatest contemporary engineers. Serving as Master of Production is something of a retirement for the old engineer as he is now responsible more for production schedules than military vessels. Some say it is more a punishment than retirement for his promotion and production of the somewhat inefficient Empire-class cruiser, but House Zhao has been quick to deny these rumors. Regardless of why he is there Xiu has proven to be an effective technical mind, though he often finds himself in conflict with Lanying over how best to allocate resources.

Commissioner of Finance: Annette Caladius

The comptroller of ZIS’ budget, Annette Caladius — otherwise known as the Countess of Saint’s Landing on Alterim Obrirava — is a woman often frustrated by her associates on the executive committee. Much of her time is spent thwarting Zhao plots to funnel more money away from ZIS and its merchant ship production. The time which is not spent doing this is often instead spent managing the affairs of her distant, though religiously important, holding or meeting with the myriad House Caladius-affiliated merchants. Countess Caladius is almost always surrounded by a throng of Secondary and Ma’zal clerks, secretaries, and functionaries who work tirelessly to ensure the will of House Caladius is carried out at ZIS. While the Countess has won great approval in her position she has long yearned for more, and some believe she is merely using ZIS as a springboard to launch herself into the position of Grand Consul — House Caladius’ elected leader.

Chief Supervisor of the Shipyard: Henryk Gottfried

An Imperial Knight with a long history of service in the Imperial Fleet, Sir Gottfried is the only Secondary on ZIS’ executive committee. A former Fleet logistics officer assigned to the elite First Battlefleet, his organizational skills — and family connections to House Zhao — made him an ideal candidate for the position of Chief Supervisor of the Shipyard, and he is now responsible for much of the day-to-day running of ZIS. A Fleet man to the core, Gottfried is not unwilling to shift ZIS resources to Fleet projects if the Governor-Admiral or Grand Admiral deem it needed.

History

With the shipyards of the Zhao-dominated Zhurong Imperial Naval Arsenal almost entirely focused on the construction of military vessels and their accessories, the Empire, and House Caladius, found itself struggling to transport resources from their expanding frontier colonies to the Imperial Core for use in heavy industries or other economic activities. The Empire, ever wary of outside influence, curtailed the expansion of Hephaestus Industries, who had been attempting to enter the market with their ships produced by Hegeranzi Starworks, one of their subsidiaries. House Zhao was instructed by the Emperor and Chief Commissioner of Economic Development Izla Caladius to create an imperial company to supply ships for the empire's industry, being the great house most familiar with shipbuilding. As the Zhaos were more obsessed with their military shipyards however, they came to an agreement to work closely with Zavodskoi Interstellar, a well respected company in the empire, to accomplish their orders with minimal effort. Were it not for Zavodskoi, the ZIS would be an often ignored and poorly supplied organization.

Many in House Zhao, including — according to the Fleet’s rumor mill — the Grand Admiral herself, resent ZIS for taking up valuable manpower, resources, and time which could have instead been diverted to the Imperial Fleet’s arsenal, and perhaps allowed for the construction of a third of the feared Moroz-class dreadnoughts. But the House and the Imperial Fleet are not blind to the reality of the situation: while the existence of ZIS may result in a small decrease in materials sent toward what truly matters, more ships for the ever-complaining House Caladius will allow the Fleet to divert its cargo transports toward more important tasks.

Alterim Obrirava

A lush and Earthlike planet in a system rich in Helium-3, the Imperial Mandate of Alterim Obrirava is a wealthy core world of the Empire of Dominia and a key hub of its fuel industry. Colonized alongside Alterim Balteulis in 2379 during the tail end of the War of Moroz, Obrirava is dominated by Houses Caladius and Zhao. The two great houses do not typically agree on the matter of selling the planet’s bountiful Helium-3 abroad: the Caladius advocate for it, the Zhao advocate against it, and the governor rounds himself caught in the crosshairs of the great houses. Despite Zhao-dictates restrictions on selling its most valuable resource abroad, the planet’s capital, Ilstel, is home to a thriving foreign merchant community sponsored by House Caladius. The planet’s environment is pleasant and many of its residents are immigrants from Moroz who have migrated from the frozen capital of the Empire for greener climates. Clothing on Alterim Obrirava is lighter and more colorful than its counterparts on Moroz.

The pleasant and green environment shows signs of having been terraformed at some point by an unknown, likely now extinct, galactic power. Some have theorized the terraforming may date to the Glorsh era but the Empire has consistently refused foreign researchers access to the planet for the purpose of studying its biosphere. House Caladius and much of the broader Empire have claimed the idyllic environment of Alterim Obrirava are a clear indication of the Goddess blessing the Empire with boons. House Volvalaad has long allegedly researched the biosphere alongside the other great houses but has yet to release any information beyond the Empire’s scientific community. More Goddess-touched — the rare women gifted with the ability to “hear” the Goddess — have originated from Alterim Obrirava than any other planet in the Empire.

The tourism industry is one of the largest employers of Obrirava’s residents aside from the Helium-3 industry, which employs more Obriravans than any other single industry. Most tourists are other Dominians, and they tend to be either Primaries or wealthy Secondaries. The Secondaries and Ma’zals which make up the service sector of the planet hold themselves to the highest standards to ensure they satisfy the wants and demands of these rich Dominians, and often find themselves employed by Idris Incorporated when they go abroad. Those who do not work in the service sector are often Ma’zals who are employed in the planet’s orbital Helium-3 mining and refining industry. While not as hazardous as Zhurong by any stretch of the imagination the asteroid fields which the system’s Helium-3 is harvested from are located far in space and demand painstaking EVA work to harvest. Zavodskoi Interstellar is a recent entrant to the Helium-3 mining industry in the system and has established several joint ventures with the engineers of House Zhao.

Alterim Balteulis

The dry and hot Tribunalist Mandate of Alterim Balteulis was originally colonized in 2379 by devout members of House Caladius who felt called to spread the Moroz Holy Tribunal beyond Moroz itself. They established the planetary capital of Casotania and quickly set to work constructing shrines and churches to honor the Goddess’ conquest of this uninhabited world. Alterim Balteulis is home to vast, dry savannahs and hot deserts which encourage the planet’s dominant form of extreme weather: sandstorms. While they can be devastating to unprepared crops and settlers the residents of Alterim Balteulis have overcome these obstacles through faith and clever engineering techniques such as shielded farms and protected railroads.

The primary draw of Alterim Balteulis is its immense number of Tribunalist churches, including the massive Grand Cathedral of the Holy Tribunal – an extravagantly expensive structure commissioned by House Caladius to demonstrate their unwavering commitment to the Goddess and built in an area painstakingly terraformed with assistance from House Volvalaad to resemble an idyllic settlement outside Domelkos on Moroz. While some more liberal Tribunalists have balked at this expense the religious grandiosity of the planet has attracted many migrants and pilgrims from across the Empire, some of which opt to settle upon the planet’s dusty surface.

Due to its climate Alterim Balteulis is home to a large amount of the Empire’s Unathi population, but they remain a small minority on the planet.

Novi Jadran

The flag of the Empire's frontier regions. Its colors symbolically represent Houses Caladius, Zhao, and Strelitz in addition to the Empire itself.

A tundra planet initially colonized by inhabitants of the Adriatic coasts with a population of roughly 100 million people, located near the edge of the Empire's westernmost frontier. Predominantly cold and icy with short summers, this climate has kept the economy primarily rural and much of the planet underdeveloped, with most living in small cities dotted around the coast and major waterways. A few major population centers exist, such as the capital of Nova Rijeka, that have a semblance of a modern service-based or industrial economy, though these are typically based around processing the foodstuffs the planet is well-known for. Noble authority on the edge of the Empire in Novi Jadran is quite strong, with many people viewing themselves as loyal to their local nobles first and the greater Empire second.

Novi Jadran has been under firmly the Empire's control since its peaceful annexation in 2389, and has proved itself to be a loyal colony despite not contributing much to the Imperial treasury. Many in the Empire view it as the “model colony” of the Dominian frontier and it is visited by many functionaries on tours due to this status, with the Chief Commissioner for Colonial Affairs visiting the planet twice a year. These visits are major events for the planet’s inhabitants and bring with their best offerings for the visiting Primaries in hopes of attracting attention, and the benefits from having a Primary’s eye upon you. These gifts are usually finely crafted feasts and food, though it is not uncommon for horses and other animals to be presented.

Planetary cuisine holds true to its Adriatic roots, with many Croatian and Italian elements still present. Fish-based diets are ubiquitous among the rural people as the vast oceans make for perfect fishing conditions and much of the ground is too cold to properly till. The raising of livestock is common towards the equator of the planet, but is not as prevalent as fishing.

Despite its status as the “model colony” the planet is not without its problems. Many local nobles are negligent regarding the needs of the rural population and often refuse to carry out mandated infrastructure or electrical reforms. Many of the rural inhabitants in far-flung regions still have either no electricity, or very little. The petty nobility that oversees the various settlements and cities often protests this mismanagement, but the dukes keep them in check through vast and indulgent parties and balls. Calls for a new administration have been spreading around the planet for some months, but only time can tell if the nobility will be reigned in by the Empire or not.

Sun Reach

Fully conquered by the Imperial Dominian Army in 2422, the Imperial Viceroyalty of Sun Reach is the least populous of the Empire’s major worlds and derives its name from the planet’s largest settlement — a small town which has been transformed into a metropolis over the last forty years due to House Caladius’ investments into its infrastructure and the system’s incredible amounts of Helium-3, the lifeblood of the Imperial Fleet. Sun Reach is a world commonly known through the Empire for the hot, wet climate which supports large fields of algae farmed by those citizens of the planet not employed by the Helium-3 industry. Much of the planet’s surface is dominated by mangroves and swamps which make building infrastructure difficult, and what infrastructure is built through these regions must be painstakingly maintained lest it falls into disrepair and ruin. A resident of Sun Reach is generally referred to as either a Sun Reacher or, more informally, a Reacher.

Prior to its annexation by the Empire — described in official Viceroyalty histories as a triumphant rescue from the banditry and anarchy which had ruled the planet, and by dissidents as a brutal occupation which has continued for four decades — Sun Reach was one of dozens of post-Solarian Hegemonic Era colonies, worlds colonized during the pre-Interstellar War era during the Alliance’s golden age and abandoned in the Alliance’s retreat from the Southern Solarian Frontier after 2302. Utilized by the Solarian Navy, much like the later Imperial Fleet, it was abandoned with valuable assets such as its Helium-3 industry and limited shipbuilding facilities intact. In the intervening years Sun Reach’s colonial government — left behind during the retreat — turned itself from a Solarian government into a bandit state which relied upon its Helium-3 resources and shipbuilding to dominate its poorer and weaker neighbors, and had successfully a small piratical empire of its own by the late 24th century. These Pirate Lords, descended from the original colonial administration, enriched themselves but not the planet’s people, causing resentment to build in a poor, mostly rural population kept in check through fear and intimidation.

But by the dawn of the 25th century, the beginning of the end for the Pirate Lords was in sight. The rise of the nearby and much more powerful Empire of Dominia had created an opponent they could not hope to best, and the former tributary states of the pirate empire beseeched Moroz for protection — as did a small group of Tribunalist faithful on the planet. A minor skirmish between Pirate Lord-aligned vessels and the Imperial Fleet’s 1st Battlefleet in 2422 was utilized by the Empire to launch a formal invasion of the planet within the same year, and the Pirate Lords rapidly found themselves defeated, tried, and mostly executed by the triumphant Empire — though some escaped to the Republic of Elyra or Coalition of Colonies. Some of the population, ecstatic to be free of the Pirate Lords, accepted the Empire with open arms, while others saw it as trading of one despot for the other.

In the forty years since its conquest the Viceroyalty has done much to both endear itself to and aggravate the Empire. While much of the population — particularly those in the Imperial capital of Sun Reach and the fertile “Algae Belt” around the planet’s equator — are steadfast in their loyalty to the Empire, the swamps and mangroves which define much of the planet's surface have proven themselves to be a persistent source of trouble for the Empire. Dissident Sun Reachers, or Imperial Army deserters, will often flee into these areas and from there, launch guerilla attacks against Imperial forces and loyalists. A longstanding campaign by forces of the Imperial Army, local militias, and Imperial Flying Corps has suppressed these guerrillas, but has not entirely eliminated what the Viceroyalty described as, “rural banditry,” on the planet. Problems with development due to the planet’s environment still remain and many Sun Reachers live as sustenance algae farmers, with only a career in the He-3 industry that dominates its industrial centers or a life in the Imperial Military as exits. Perhaps in honor of their piratical heritage, many Sun Reachers join the Imperial Fleet or, failing that, the Goddess’ Flotilla.

Economy

The Dominian economic system is based around the extraction of goods from its frontier to enrich the Imperial Core and fuel the Empire’s war machine. It is dominated by the Empire’s four human great houses, who are powerful enough to absorb or subvert potential competitors, and primarily concerns itself with defense-related production. The main currency of the Empire is the Imperial Pound (Ф), which is backed by precious metals owned by the Imperial Central Bank in Nova Luxembourg, Moroz. However, currencies such as the Solarian Standard Credit or Biesel Standard Credit are commonly used by merchants throughout the Empire. The Empire’s largest employer is its industrial sector, followed by the service sector and the agricultural sector. The Imperial government is the Empire’s single largest employer as it de jure controls many defense-related industries, though in reality these industries are often run by Houses Zhao and Strelitz.

One of the most profitable industrial sectors in the Empire, particularly in the wake of the phoron crisis, is its Helium-3 (He-3) refining industry. This industry is the lifeblood of the Imperial Fleet, the Empire’s main method of colonial conquest and control, as the Fleet’s ships almost exclusively burn Helium-3 in their engines. Most of the Empire’s conquests are done in an effort to find more Helium-3 to fuel its continued expansion, and it often aims to establish control over formerly Solarian He-3 facilities in the Sparring Sea which have sat mostly unused since the Elyran Revolution forced a general retreat by the Alliance from the region. These facilities are often located in orbit above abandoned colonies, such as Sun Reach, which are integrated into the Empire, regardless of their willingness to join it.

Houses Zhao and Caladius have, particularly since 2462, been at odds over what to do with the Empire’s Helium-3 as it is now one of the Spur’s major producers of the fuel. House Caladius seeks to sell it for a profit while prices are high while House Zhao seeks to preserve the Empire’s strategic reserves for what they view as an inevitable conflict with their nearby rival: the Republic of Elyra. Even the Emperor has been unable to make the two houses see eye-to-eye on the issue and the leaders of the two houses are known to become involved in heated discussions on the issue during meetings of the Imperial Council of Electors, and the Imperial Cabinet itself often becomes involved in similarly heated discussions over the issue. Izla Caladius, the current Chief Commissioner of Economic Development, and her close aide, Josephine Caladius, have long avoided the topic and instead busies herself with the development of sustainable industries which will allow the Empire to grow and endure a potential conflict with Elyra.

More liberal elements of the Empire, such as the outward-looking House Volvalaad, have expressed concerns regarding the Empire’s extraction-based economy. They have noted the Empire will, inevitably, run out of easy conquests and instead be faced with the prospect of war against a regional power such as Elyra or the Hegemony, and be forced to endure a prolonged conflict where it will not have easy access to resources to extract and thus sustain its military-centric economy. This stance is not popular amongst the Empire’s nobility outside of House Volvalaad and certain elements of House Caladius, but rumors in the capital of Nova Luxembourg suggest the crown Princess has taken an interest in this particular mode of economic thought.

Economic Sectors

Industrial

The industrial sector of the Imperial economy is its largest and is constantly growing, particularly following recent investments by Zavodskoi Interstellar into it. Most known abroad for shipbuilding and weapons manufacturing, the most profitable subsector of the industrial economy is its Helium-3 mining and refining sector. Though the heavy industry of the Empire is most often associated with Zhurong’s mines and industries, including orbital shipyards, the industrial sector can be found throughout the Empire and is particularly concentrated in its frontier — where most of its Helium-3 production outside of Alterim Obrirava can be found. The Helium-3 industry of the Empire is dirty and hazardous but is an attractive line of work for many Ma’zals and impoverished Secondaries who cannot afford to pay their Mo’ri’zal — the Empire’s form of taxation. Most of the raw materials used by the industrial sector come from the Imperial Frontier and the Empire’s conquests there.

Workers of the Empire’s heavy industries are almost always Ma’zals from the Imperial Frontier drawn by its high wages and unwilling, or unable, to join the Imperial military. Work is hazardous and hours are long, with few protections for the rights of workers and institutional favoritism towards workers from older colonies of the Empire. How the workers of a given factory or facility are treated is often entirely up to the discretion of the facility manager — themselves often a Morozian or a trusted Ma’zal who has risen to the rank of Honourary Morozian, most typically a Jadraner. While these supervisors can be reported to local Imperial authorities for misconduct, investigations can take months and supervisors are rarely severely punished. Workers do have a quicker recourse: accusing their superiors of sabotaging the military’s supply chains. Those accused of this are swiftly investigated and, if found guilty, dismissed from their positions. Those found not guilty are often given military police officers to investigate the initial reporter, who is often sent to prison for the very crime they accused their superior of.

Service

Slightly smaller than the industrial sector, the service sector of the Empire’s economy is growing alongside its larger counterpart. The prominence and size of the Empire’s service sector is rooted in the stark class divisions of its society, with its nobles and wealthy commoners having a large need for luxuries and consumer goods. This sector is dominated by House Caladius, which controls much of the consumer aspect, and House Volvalaad, which controls the medical and welfare aspect. It is not associated with any single planet and can be found across the Empire, though its consumer aspect is more commonly found in the Imperial Core due to its greater wealth and larger population of Morozians. Idris Incorporated, in cooperation with House Caladius, often hires gifted individuals from this sector to work abroad and bring a touch of exotic Dominian culture to the broader Spur.

Those who work in the service sector are often more trusted Ma’zals, wealthier Secondaries, and sometimes minor nobles. Ma’zals are often employed in lower-end jobs as servants of noble families or as hospitality workers, but many can be found in the medical profession working alongside Morozians. The Secondaries and nobles found in this sector are generally employed in the medical field, either by House Volvalaad or by the Tribunal’s medical facilities. Treatment is generally better than in the industrial sector and work is often easier, if at times less profitable. For Ma’zal servants their pay and treatment depends greatly upon the family — or business — which employs them.

Agrarian

The smallest and least profitable of the Empire’s three sectors, the agrarian sector is most commonly associated with the remote regions of the Imperial Frontier such as Sun Reach. Many Imperial farms are owned and operated by Ma’zals themselves, but House Caladius currently stands as the largest agrarian landholder in the Imperial Core. Those in this sector are often less wealthy than their counterparts and can work more than their counterparts due to the time commitment farming necessitates. As the frontier farms of the Empire are given wider access to mechanized equipment many of its former workers have since moved to cities to make their fortunes in the factories and refineries of the Empire or have instead joined the Imperial military.

Those who still work in the agrarian frontier are in one of the only industries where Ma’zals are influential — though they are often indebted to agronomists and geneticists of House Volvalaad, which dominates the Empire’s genetically-modified crop industry. Life on a farm of the Imperial Frontier is often romanticized as idyllic or bucolic by many Morozians and more integrated Ma’zals, but the work is often physically taxing and provides little in the way of upwards mobility for those living in the countryside.

Great House Corporations

Essentially state corporations under the management of the great houses, these corporations are major forces in the modern Imperial economy. Each of these corporations is aligned to a singular great house and has a web of subordinate companies across the Empire in both the Core and Frontier. Most have, in recent years, begun to work with Zavodskoi Interstellar but are not dominated by it — at least, not yet. Due to their close relationship with the great houses, and thus the Imperial throne, they are able to exert influence over Zavodskoi within the Empire and their relationship is much more equal than pre-Collapse Solarian-Zavodskoi Interstellar relations.

Morozian Imperial Armaments Conglomerate

Affiliated with House Strelitz, Morozian Imperial Armaments Conglomerate (MIAC) is the main supplier of equipment to the Imperial Army, Dominian law enforcement, and the civilian firearms market in the Empire. It produces everything from main battle tanks to concealable handguns and has, since 2462, produced equipment for Zavodskoi Interstellar on license. Most of its staff are Morozian Secondaries or Jadranic Ma’zals and few Primaries can be found within its ranks, as House Strelitz nobles and affiliate noble houses view military service as the righteous, honorary pursuit — to instead pursue factory management work is debasing oneself, and a duty better for commoners.

MIAC is found throughout the Empire but its two largest subsidiaries are Jinxiang Imperial Armaments (JXIAM), located in Jinxiang, Moroz, and the Royal Jadranic Armaments Works (RJAW) in Durres, Novi Jadran. JXIAM is the oldest continuously operating military contractor in the Empire and dates to the War of Moroz, where it supplied the weapons which unified Moroz. In the modern era it is the Imperial Army’s vehicle manufacturer and produces everything from logistics trucks to the feared JA-57/2 breakthrough tank. RJAW is a younger corporation which was initially a civilian firearms manufacturer on Novi Jadran. Bought out by MIAC in 2405 it has since become a major small arms manufacturer for the Imperial Army, Imperial law enforcement, and the civilian market. Zavodskoi has a contract with RJAW to expand its operations and its engineers, often wearing gas masks to protect against Durres’ air pollution, can be seen throughout its facilities.

MIAC employees who go abroad typically find employment with Zavodskoi Interstellar.

Juro Genetics & Biotechnological Innovation

Affiliated with House Volvalaad, Juro Genetics & Biotechnological Innovation (JGBI) is a conglomerate of medical and pharmaceutical companies which dominate the Empire’s healthcare industry. One of the first corporations in the Empire to open itself up to the broader Spur, JGBI has long worked with the NanoTrasen Corporation to acquire phoron for medical equipment and research purposes. In recent years this relationship has waned with the advent of the phoron crisis and the entry of Zavodskoi into the Empire. Most JGBI are Volvalaad Primaries or Secondaries and it employs few Ma’zals, with most serving in low-level roles such as custodial or security personnel.

JBGI’s most well-known subsidiaries are the Nova Luxembourg Genetics Institute (NLGI) and the Domelkan Agrarian Research Corporation (DARC). NLGI, the most well-known subsidiary, is responsible for the development and distribution of geneboosting technology throughout the Empire. Headquartered in the Imperial capital, it is one of the wealthiest companies in the modern Empire as a result of its exclusively noble clientele. DARC is a less prestigious, but arguably more important, company due to its focus upon agrarian research, particularly in regards to growing crops in cold climates. It is through their work that Novi Jadran and Moroz are more productive than before, though its spread to the Imperial Mandate has been very slow due to interference by colonial bureaucrats and simple distance. Moroz is, after all, far more profitable

JGBI employees, when they go abroad, typically find employment with the NanoTrasen Corporation. More rarely, due to its pro-augmentation stance, they find employment with Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals.

Royal Morozian Investment Group

Affiliated with House Caladius, the Royal Morozian Investment Group (RMIG) is an investment firm used by House Caladius’ merchant faction to further the great house’s mercantile goals. RMIG is the wealthiest great house affiliated corporation in the modern Empire and controls significant amounts of its real estate market and investment capital. It provides much of the capital used by Dominian corporations to expand their operations and has recently begun to loan Imperial Pounds to Zavodskoi Interstellar. Like House Caladius itself, RMIG has a greater number of Secondaries and Ma’zals than any other corporation, and its executive board has several non-nobles on it.

RMIG does not have major subsidiaries and instead operates several different branches which are responsible for various areas of the Orion Spur and the Empire. The Core Sector — based on Moroz — manages investments in the Imperial Core, whereas the Outer Sector — based on Novi Jadran — manages investments in the Imperial Frontier. Smaller branches manage investments in other human nations aside from the Republic of Elyra, the regional rival of the Empire.

RMIG employees, when they go abroad, typically find employment with Idris Incorporated.

Imperial Engineering & Shipbuilding Conglomerate

Affiliated with House Zhao, the Imperial Engineering and Shipbuilding Conglomerate (IESC) is the largest single producer of spacefaring vessels in the Empire and dominates its construction industry. If a notable government building must be constructed, an IESC subsidiary is the most likely candidate to do so. Unlike other conglomerates, which are headquartered on Moroz, IESC’s headquarters is in the capital of Zhurong, Hongse Chengbao, where House Zhao’s power is at its apex. It has recently become a major cooperator with Zavodskoi Interstellar, particularly its Ingkom subsidiary. IESC staff are cross-class, with its engineers coming from House Zhao’s noble ranks, Novi Jadran’s academies, and more rarely Sun Reach’s Zhao-run schools. Despite the stratified nature of the Imperial Fleet, its primary client, the IESC is fairly meritocratic.

The most famous IESC subsidiaries are the Zhurong Imperial Naval Arsenal (ZINA) and Zhurong Imperial Aeronautics (ZIA). ZINA is the larger corporation and is the main producer of the Imperial Fleet’s vessels, with its naval yards in Zhurong’s orbit supplying nearly every ship used by the Fleet and its engineers attempting to constantly innovate upon its designs. ZINA does some work with Zavodskoi Interstellar and has essentially given its civilian subsidiary, Zhurong Imperial Shipbuilding, to the megacorporation as few in ZINA care to produce civilian vessels. ZIA is a smaller firm that specializes in producing aircraft and is the main supplier of the Imperial Flying Corps. It has, in recent years, attempted to diversify into the civilian aviation market to some degree of success, with many Morozian Primaries swearing by its airliners.

IESC employees, when they go abroad, almost always find employment with Zavodskoi Interstellar.

The Mo’ri’zal

The Empire’s unique form of taxation is the Mo’ri’zal, or “Blood Debt” in Vulgar Morozi. The Mo’ri’zal is a lump sum every Imperial subject receives upon birth (or otherwise acquiring their citizenship) that is paid to the state over the course of their life, and is often high enough to require decades to pay off. How quickly one can pay off their Mo’ri’zal is a key marker of one’s economic class in the Empire. Most Primaries — those of the Empire’s aristocracy — have theirs paid off at birth, most Secondaries — the Imperial middle class — pay theirs by early to mid adulthood, and many Ma’zals — the colonial subjects of the Empire — must work their entire lives to pay it off.

One’s Mo’ri’zal can be paid off by others, and many noble houses of Dominia attract commoners into their employ through promises of paying off parts of their debt. The Mo’ri’zal can also be paid off in other ways: military service pays five percent of the debt per year served, and injuries received in the line of duty — particularly severe ones — can pay off large amounts of the debt. Those that fall serving the Empire have their entire debt and a part of their immediate family’s debt forgiven.

While the Mo’ri’zal is a significant sum — and criticized by some as simply a state-sponsored form of indentured servitude — it is quite popular in the Empire’s core worlds due to the benefits it provides them: their paying of the Mo’ri’zal funds healthcare, public services such as education, infrastructure, and the might of the Empire’s war machine. It is additionally often trivial for many of them to pay off their Mo’ri’zal due to the wealth of many in the Empire’s core. In the Empire’s colonies, such as Sun Reach, the Mo’ri’zal is looked upon much more poorly. Many Ma’zals were initially born as non-Imperial subjects and only received their Mo’ri’zal when the Empire conquered their planet, and few of them view the debt — which is meant to be paid off gradually from one’s birth onwards — as reasonably payable. While the debt is legally meant to not carry over to one’s descendents, should it be unpaid at one’s death, a familial history of being unable to pay Mo’ri’zals can result in a denial of privileges such as healthcare until the debt is settled -- generally through a family member joining the the Imperial military.

Compounding the issues of these recently-conquered Dominian subjects is the nature through which the Mo’ri’zal is calculated. As the Mo’ri’zal is assigned to an Imperial subject at their birth -- or at the point that they become a subject -- it is not, like other taxes, based upon one’s income. Instead it is based upon one’s perceived loyalty to the Dominian state, and the Imperial throne by extension. Primaries and many Secondaries often have small Mo’ri’zals due to generations of dedicated service to the Empire while less loyal populations -- such as Fisanduhians, Lyodii, and some Ma’zals -- tend to have larger Mo’ri’zals.

Edict Breakers

Breaking of an edict is punishable by death so it is not uncommon for an "Edict Breaker" to go on the run outside of Dominian space. Due to the nature of the Empire, in-depth records are kept on all subjects and once one runs, their details are reported on the local ExtraNet daily until they return/are returned. These details include name, address, picture, family details, everything. As such, any "Edict Breakers" are instantly identifiable to Dominian subjects. In Dominia space, any "Edict Breakers" are violently sought for capture. Outside of Dominian space, however, due to the nature of the fourth edict, subjects of Dominian usually do not violently attempt to apprehend these criminals but instead try to convince them in the nicest way possible to return to Dominian space under their own volition for judgment. This usually devolves into near-passive harassment where the loyal imperial subjects will remind the "Edict Breaker" over and over that they have violated the law and should return to the Empire to repent, usually in a sickly sweet manner. The effect is usually maddening for the lawbreaker and it's not uncommon for them to allow themselves to be returned to Dominia for judgment and in some extreme cases take their own lives. Edict breakers and exiles abroad in human space sometimes find themselves pursued in the legal realm for infringing on the trademarks of their House if they refuse to change their surname.

Government

The Imperial standard of House Keeser, intended to represent three nation-states of old Moroz that formed the basis of the Empire of Dominia.

The Empire of Dominia operates as an absolute monarchy, with a powerful central government and an expansive, all-consuming imperial bureaucracy. The Imperial Cabinet and Electors are major parts of the government.

Imperial Cabinet

The Imperial Cabinet is the direct will of the Emperor manifested in the hundreds of officials that work in his name and carry out his will. The ministers, judges, and bureaucrats of the Imperial Cabinet manage many parts of the Empire, as well as advising the Emperor on all major decisions. The majority of all political posts are directly controlled by Emperor Keeser. His Imperial Cabinet consists of:

Colonel-in-Chief of His Majesty's Special Operations Group: Angelika-Lina Strelitz

The typical soldier of the Imperial Army is a well-trained, well-equipped, and well-motivated individual that is able to take and hold ground from the Empire’s typical opponents with ease. But there are some things that even these individuals cannot do, and this is when His Majesty’s Special Operations Group is deployed. The position of its leader — the Colonel-in-Chief — is considered to be an extremely prestigious duty that has been held by a member of House Strelitz since the Group’s creation following the War of Moroz.

The present Colonel-in-Chief is herself a veteran of the Group, as every member before her has been. Recently ennobled into House Strelitz shortly before her ascension, the twenty-five-year veteran of the Imperial Army prides herself on being above politics. Prior to her promotion the Colonel-in-Chief served with distinction in the non-geneboosted section of the Group — an unusual unit for the Moroz-born nobles that often serve with the Group. While her service would cost Angelika-Lina her left eye (lost to shrapnel while in Inner Fisanduh), it would give her the network — and the prestige — required for a promotion to Colonel-in-Chief in 2461.

As Colonel-in-Chief, Angelika-Lina has desperately attempted to stay uninvolved in politics while attempting to mold the Group into a perfect special operations force. While she has managed to consistently increase its budget — and, as a result, its successes — the Colonel finds herself pulled further and further into the realm of noble politicking, and often privately wishes to be back on the field. When the Emperor goes to join the Goddess, many believe that the Colonel-in-Chief, with her multitude of connections to Ma’zals she has served with and obsessiveness towards the Group, will have no choice but to formally align herself with the Crown Princess or be sacked. And to her, the thought of another in charge of the Group — her Group — is not something she can bear. Her desire to stay away from House politics may also be the reason why, despite tensions between the Strelitz and the Unathi of Dominia, and limitations imposed on said Unathi in the army by her House, the Group still accepts the occasional sinta soldiers within its ranks.

Chief Commissioner of Economic Development: Izla Caladius

All states — including empires — are built upon their economies first and foremost. Without a strong economic base to support its wars of conquest the Empire of Dominia would doubtlessly buckle under its own weight and begin to shrink before collapsing, defeated by internal forces rather than external opposition. A position that can only truly be filled by a person addicted to their work, the CCED manages economics through the Empire: everything from taxes to tithes to trade passes across their desk, and is stamped by their hand. The position is regarded as so vital that it has been held by the Caladius since inception and has remained with one family of the house for its entire history, slowly passing from relative to relative through Imperial history.

Born in 2420 to the Montague family of House Caladius, Izla Caladius bears a resemblance to her distant predecessor: Maria Caladius, CCED from 2398 until her unexpected death in an aircraft crash in 2421. Her immediate precursor, Victoria Caladius, perished under similar circumstances in 2445, thrusting the young Izla into the position of chief commissioner alongside her aide, Josephine Caladius — herself quite similar-looking to her relative, Victoria — at the age of twenty-five as a freshly-minted doctor of economic studies. Izla scarcely has a life outside of work and is viewed as something of a reclusive night owl by the rest of the court, with very few daytime appearances ever recorded — a habit which seems to define many CCEDs, which often work atypical hours long into the night.

In her nearly twenty years as CCED Izla has led the Empire through booms and busts, but has committed it to a steady course intended to ensure the Empire can retain much of its economic and military output even in a disaster scenario where it is embargoed by the entire Spur. Despite this policy she has not shied away from broader trade relations with the rest of the Spur, and is often credited for enticing Zavodskoi to permanently relocate its headquarters to Moroz. Notably, she was a major factor behind the Empire’s decision to stick with Helium-3 refining rather than investing into phoron. With the crisis deepening this policy, criticized in the short term for being unprofitable, is paying dividend hand over fist.

Chief Commissioner of His Majesty's Imperial Military: Eliza Volvalaad

While the various cabinet members may hold near absolute power over their respective military branches, it is the Chief Commissioner that directs much of the military’s efforts from behind the scenes. The chief commissioner is, on paper, intended to exist as the primary director of military research and development. In reality the position — which has been occupied by a Volvalaad since its creation — is used by House Volvalaad to exert influence over Houses Strelitz and Zhao. The research of the Volvalaads is used and valued by all branches of the Imperial Military, but often comes with a price attached, and the cost is typically repaid by carrying out the Volvalaad’s goals abroad.

Born in 2398 to a family long deeply involved in House Volvalaad, Dr. Eliza Volvalaad, PhD. is regarded as one of the Empire’s foremost researchers in the field of laser-based weaponry — much of the military’s laser weaponry currently in use can be traced to her and her Volvalaad-staffed laboratory in Jinxiang on Moroz. Decades of work and research, along with her connections to Houses Zhao and Strelitz, made her an ideal candidate for the position of chief commissioner, which she was appointed to in 2454 in the hope that she would be able to balance the influence of her own house, the Zhaos, and the Strelitz while ensuring the military retained its technological advantage over its neighbors.

In the ten years she has spent as chief commissioner, Dr. Volvalaad has effectively balanced the demands of the Volvalaads alongside the desires of Houses Zhao and Strelitz while ensuring the Imperial Military retained its edge over the frontier systems it must conquer for resources and prestige alike. But despite her best efforts the chief commissioner has not been able to keep pace with the Serene Republic of Elyra’s phoron-backed development sector, and some believe Doctor Volvalaad - now rapidly approaching seventy years of age — will soon retire, leaving the critically important position vacant.

Chief Commissioner of Imperial Sovereignty: Antonio Caladius

Diplomacy — even for the Empire, which has long had sour relations with its neighbors — is key to any modern state. But despite the importance of diplomacy, the role of the Chief Commissioner of Imperial Sovereignty is somewhat limited due to the Empire’s poor reputation abroad, aside from the Republic of Biesel and Jargon Federation. Much of the CCIS’ duties instead relate to maintaining good relations with Zavodskoi Interstellar, which has quickly become one of the Empire’s major employers.

Though a member of House Caladius, Antonio has had close relations with House Volvalaad since his birth in 2412, and often collaborates with Grand Duchess-Electress Landi Volvalaad to push for the demands of both houses abroad. A lifelong liberal Dominian and advocate for a greater Dominian market abroad, Antonio’s ascension to the position of chief commissioner in 2455 was seen by many as a concession by the Emperor to Houses Volvalaad and Caladius.

But despite his high-minded goals of a more liberal, more politically involved Empire, Antonio's time as chief commissioner has been fraught with disappointment. He has been stymied by the more politically powerful Huiling Zhao and Dorothea-Frieda Strelitz, who favor strength over diplomacy when it applies to the Empire’s frontier, and his efforts to have the Coalition’s embargo formally lifted ended in failure in 2462. Many talk of replacing the often-unsuccessful diplomat, and Antonio worries the Emperor — who now rarely calls upon him — has begun to listen to these detractors.

Chief Commissioner for Colonial Affairs: Alessandro Amadei

In a society such as the Empire of Dominia where expansion — for resources, primarily — is a key pillar of its continued ability to survive and thrive, the duty of managing its colonies is one of the most critical in it. Every colonial official found in the Imperial Frontier,from the viceroys in charge of entire planets to lowly Ma’zal bureaucrats, is the responsibility of the Chief Commissioner for Colonial Affairs, the master of the Dominian colonial empire. To be entrusted with such a critical position is to be one of the closest individuals in the Empire to the Emperor, and the current Chief Commissioner has long been a close friend of the royal family.

Born into a family of Morozian bureaucrats in 2426, the young Count Amadei spent much of his youth cavorting with his fellow nobles, including the royal family, and building connections with other Morozian nobles. Wanderlust pulled the young Count into the Imperial Flying Corps where he proved himself an effective — if egotistical — pilot and won multiple accolades for himself, returning to Moroz a decorated veteran. His decorations and connections, particularly to the royal family , led to his ascension to the position of Chief Commissioner for Colonial Affairs in 2456.

Count Amadei, the current Chief Commissioner, is a man of both charisma and controversy: an exceptionally talented administrator, longtime friend of the Emperor, and veteran of the Imperial Flying Corps, Amadei has long been an advocate for both his old Corps and the burgeoning colonial domain that the Empire finds itself ruling. But some in the high society of the Empire gripe at his posting and view him as a mere unaffiliated noble granted privileges solely due to his friendship with the Emperor, and believe they should be represented in the position instead. The Count has long had a poor relationship with House Caladius as a result, and is often known to become involved in spats with Antonio Caladius over the diplomatic repercussions of the Empire’s colonial endeavors. In almost every fight they have, the Emperor sides with Amadei – not Caladius. But as the Emperor ages the Count grows nervous, wondering what will happen to him when he is finally shorn of his greatest protector.

Chief Minister of Unathi Affairs: Kasz Han’san

Considering the notable Unathi population now in Dominia, and most importantly the fact that the large majority of said population are primaries, the Emperor needed something, or someone, to keep them loyal and in check the moment the Han’san and Kazhkz clans became a house. This is certainly not an easy task when speaking of an alien race. From cultural differences to distinct biological characteristics such as diets or sleep cycles, the Empire needed someone who truly understood the Unathi to both represent them efficiently in the Cabinet, and who could then properly communicate to the Sinta of the Empire to coordinate them to the best of their ability and use within the bureaucracy.

Lord Marshal Kasz Han’san, Contact War veteran, once a General under Seryo Kazhkz back on Moghes, and leader of the Han’san faction within the Kazhkz House was chosen for such a role. If the Unathi of the Han’san earned the reputation of being fantastic soldiers, their ability to make charismatic, and at times, cunning leaders is also true, and the old Lord Marshal proves to be both. Though perhaps cautious due to his extensive history of war, he provides some insight on both his people and his political history in maneuvering among a cabinet. In particular, he is often close with Amadei due to the latter's charisma and knowledge and the former's interest in the Empire's political sphere. This spawned from the Unathi's employment in the outer reaches of the nation's colonies as shock troopers and enforcement, and as such, Kasz has remained informative and helpful in coordinating with the Chief Commissioner. However, this sometimes puts Kasz at odds with Antonio at times due to his relationship with Amalei, and House Kazhkz's burgeoning friendship with House Caladius is in an awkward position in the cabinet's circle as a result. These friendships are something that Kazhkz does his best to maintain in order to stand a chance against all three of the Strelitz within the Cabinet, with which relationships have been tense at best, especially with Dorothea-Frieda.

Despite house Han'san's current weakened state after its humiliating defeat against the Fisanduhan Freedom Front, Kasz Han'san remained in the cabinet, most preferring him over the alternative, the much more politically inadequate Salak Kazhkz. The Lord Marshall also managed to prove to be right pick over time for such a role, managing to convince Dominian Unathi to convert to the Tribunal. Many theorize that the Lord Marshal's work is the only reason why the Han'san still exists and wasn’t wholly absorbed into the Kazhkz after their defeat.

Grand Admiral of His Imperial Majesty’s Fleet: Huiling Zhao

One of the most powerful cabinet positions, the role of Grand Admiral has been filled by a member of House Zhao since its creation. The Grand Admiral holds almost unquestioned authority over His Imperial Majesty’s Fleet — with only the Emperor able to overrule them — and is often regarded as the third most powerful figure in the Empire after the Emperor himself and the Immaculate Hand due to this authority. If the Fleet is both the sword and shield of the modern Empire, the Grand Admiral is the individual who wields both.

Born in 2416, no individual represents House Zhao more than Huiling Zhao. The leader of House Zhao in all but name thanks to her position, Huiling has given her life in service to His Imperial Majesty’s Fleet and now serves as its Grand Admiral following her appointment in 2450. Huiling is a figure beloved in the Empire and often despised abroad, but revels in the infamy her reputation brings.

In her 14 years as Grand Admiral Huiling has seen several systems subjugated by the Fleet and added into the Empire, and has zealously guarded the Empire’s reserves of Helium-3 despite House Caladius’ demands to release parts of the reserve in order to make a larger profit. She has also cultivated a close relationship with the royal family — particularly Lei Keeser — in order to better push a naval agenda. Huiling is confident that, no matter what the Goddess may have in store for her, she will be able to hold onto her position and the power that comes with it.

Chief Commissioner for Imperial Aviation: Annaliese Strelitz

Despite being the youngest of the Imperial Army’s branches, the Imperial Flying Corps have no lack of influence and sponsors due to its status as a club for Morozian nobility. But there is no greater sponsor of the Corps than its commissioner, Annaliese Strelitz. While her aunt — and often rival — Dorothea-Frieda must go through the trouble of managing an entire Army, Annaliese spends the majority of her time cavorting with Morozian nobility and ensuring the Corps maintains their patronage. Much of this fundraising work is done in conjunction with her two allies: Izla Caladius and Alessandro Amadei, who ensure the Corps never lacks for funding — even if the Navy and Army are hardly fans of it at times.

Born in 2423 to a wealthy family long affiliated with House Strelitz, Annaliese was always destined for a life in service to the Empire’s military. But the young Strelitz showed little interest in fighting on the ground and often avoided her cadet courses to pursue flight lessons. Eventually her family conceded and allowed Annaliese to pursue flight full-time, and enrolled her in a cadet course for the Imperial Flying Corps. The young flight officer has used her connections throughout the intervening years to pull the right strings at the right time, eventually ensuring her ascension to the position of Chief Commissioner in 2462.

In her short tenure Annaliese has proven herself to be an exceptional connection-maker for the Corps and an incredible annoyance for Duchess Zhao and Grand Duchess-Electress Strelitz. Annalise spends much of her time boasting of the Corps’ achievements and presenting it as the peak of martial nobility in the Empire. She has effectively drawn sponsors and funding away from the Fleet and Army through this, which gives her military counterparts no end of headaches. Annalise’s attitude — which is infamously narcissistic — has made these headaches far worse.

High Lord General of His Majesty's Imperial Army: Dorothea-Frieda Strelitz

The most senior leader of the Imperial Army, the High Lord General’s position has been exclusively held by a member of House Strelitz since its inception. The High Lord General’s authority over the Imperial Army is absolute, with only the Emperor able to overturn their decisions. However, the Army’s inability to travel from system to system itself limits this authority and for es a degree of cooperation with the Fleet — something some Strelitz grind their teeth over.

Born into a family with a long history of martial Service in House Strelitz in 2418, Dorothea-Frieda has spent her life in the Imperial Army. While health concerns prevented her from being geneboosted, her strategic brilliance and sufficient grasp of politics has allowed her to become both High Lord General in 2445 and leader of House Strelitz at the same time — a significant achievement that makes her the only cabinet member currently also in command of one of the five great houses. This status makes Dorothea-Frieda a woman of many responsibilities, and she is almost never seen without a throng of aides surrounding her in order to allow her to better respond to any problems that may arise.

In her nearly twenty years of service as High Lord General Dorothea-Frieda has seen multiple worlds and systems conquered — or at least occupied — by the Empire, with Sun Reach standing as the Army’s most notable recent conquest. She has doggedly tried to stay above politics and has, for the most part, succeeded in this effort. Yet in private corners some whisper that the High Lord General grinds her teeth over the crown princess’ apparent liberalism when it comes to the use of force abroad, and fears the inevitable transfer of power could see the Army lose its importance as the primary instrument of the Empire’s will abroad. But only time will tell if these rumors are true. For now, a very real issue for her might be the tensions with the Chief Minister of Unathi Affairs, Kasz Han’san, who she sees as meddling in affairs that aren’t his own when he tries to better positions for the Unathi of the Imperial army who often find themselves under the authority of an unsympathetic House Strelitz.

High Seneschal of His Majesty's Justice: Ngo Juric

Regarded by many as the most trusted member of the cabinet by the Emperor, the High Seneschal is the primary legal authority of the Empire as it applies to secular law in the Empire’s borders. For better or worse, the High Seneschal must defer to the word of his religious counterparts on matters of the Edicts in the majority of conditions with the exception of violations of the Fourth Edict, where the judiciary takes priority. Navigating this legal environment while advising the Emperor demands an individual who is both unerring in their faith to the throne and able to negotiate with many, many parties.

Fortunately for the Keesers, Ngo Juric, born in 2395 in Nova Luxembourg not far from the palace, is precisely that individual. A friend of the dearly departed Emperor Godwin Keeser and a close associate of the current royal family, Juric has served as the legal councilor for the Keesers for nearly forty years, and has served as Seneschal for almost thirty. A kind and gregarious man, Juric has a reputation for being liked by all he speaks to — including the infamously stone-hearted Inquisitrix of the Holy Tribunal — and is well regarded by all five of the great houses.

But despite his friendly reputation, the High Seneschal is anything but a pushover. His thirty years of service have seen the absolute rule of the royal family set even further into stone, and his legal expertise has led to the Empire ensuring its dealings with Zavodskoi Interstellar are favorable to both parties rather than tipped in the megacorporation’s favor. But Juric is an old man — older than his dear friend, Emperor Boleslaw Keeser, by almost a decade — and many believe the High Seneschal will soon retire, living out the rest of his days content that he served faithfully and firmly – content in the knowledge he left the Empire in a better place than it was thirty years ago.

Director of His Majesty's Imperial Intelligence Directorate: Alojzia Molnarova

Power is all too often a fickle, fleeting thing that tempts many and is granted to very few. While House Keeser commands the respect of many in the Empire, from Primary to Ma’zal, there are always those that will seek to rise above their station through ungentlemanly means and subterfuge. The Imperial Intelligence Directorate has long served as a bulwark against such ungoddessly individuals, and its Director is often regarded as one of the most important individuals in the Imperial Cabinet as a result. Since the ascension of Emperor Boleslaw Keeser I in 2437, the position of Director has been held by Baronet Alojzia Molnarova, the only commoner to hold a position in the Imperial Cabinet and a close personal friend of the Emperor himself.

Born in 2408 to a family of commoners awarded a Baronet during the War of Moroz, little is known of Alojzia’s personal life beyond her current duties. Few photographs exist of the camera-shy Director, and rumors regarding her past — and that of the Molnarov family — abound. Some rumors go as far as to suggest that the Molnarovs are of Fisanduhian descent, or that Alojzia is not a member of the Moroz Holy Tribunal herself. Such rumors have never been formally acknowledged by the Director or her Directorate, but many that promote them publicly are shortly thereafter revealed to be shell infilitators hellbent on destroying the Empire and all that it stands for. They are, of course, promptly executed after their discovery.

As Director, Molnarova has seen that the Directorate has been constantly improved and modernized in order to keep pace with the growing regional threats the Empire faces — Elyra and the Coalition — while ensuring that it is never vulnerable to internal enemies. No price is too great to pay in order to ensure the Empire’s stability, and the Directorate has been accused by many that flee the Empire of employing draconian methods — often alongside the Imperial Army — to crush dissent in the Imperial Frontier. But these rumors are difficult to substantiate, as the Directorate — and its enigmatic Director — are consistently tight-lipped. When her close friend and Emperor dies, none are sure what will become of Director Molnarova. None aside from the Director herself.

OPENLY ACTIVE IMPERIAL INTELLIGENCE DIRECTORATE AGENTS MAY NOT BE PLAYED IN-GAME. UNDERCOVER IMPERIAL INTELLIGENCE DIRECTORATE AGENTS MAY ONLY BE PLAYED AS CONSULARS.

Theodora Gottlieb, High Inquisitrix of the Holy Tribunal

While the High Seneschal and Director concern themselves with the laws and behaviors of humanity, the Holy Tribunal concerns itself with those that break higher, greater principles: the Edicts laid out by the Goddess to Her faithful to follow and obey. The ultimate adjudicator of Her Edicts is none other than the Tribunal’s High Inquisitrix: a woman born with the rare gift to hear and interpret Her words who had been forged into a leader through the crucible of the Holy Tribunal. The High Inquisitrix possesses unquestioned authority over matters of religious law — only the Immaculate Hand, the leader of the Holy Tribunal, or the Emperor himself may overturn one of her decisions.

Born in 2431 to a noble family of little renown outside of Nova Luxembourg, Theodora’s path to High Inquisitrix was not clear to her or her family until she revealed herself able to commune with the Goddess and interpret Her words shortly before her eighth birthday. The following twelve years were spent training in the Holy Tribunal in order to ascend to the position of Inquisitrix — one of the Tribunal’s religious officials responsible for carrying out the Goddess’ will by returning edict breakers from abroad — at the age of twenty. As an inquisitrix Gottlieb was responsible for many things, though her primary duty quickly became apparent: tracking down edict breakers and ensuring they were returned to the Empire alive, to face Her justice. Following a decade of service she was recommended for the position of High Inquisitrix, which she accepted in 2461.

In her three years as High Inqusitrix, Gottlieb has spent much of her time interpreting Her words for the Emperor in addition to her typical duties as High Inquisitrix. High-profile trials and public events — often alongside the Immaculate Hand, her immediate supervisor and one of two individuals Gottlieb must answer to alongside the Emperor — are commonplace, and something the High Inquisitrix excels at. But a part of Gottlieb wishes to return to what she was trained to do: tracking down edict breakers and bringing them to face the Goddess’ justice, no matter where they attempt to hide themselves. But for now her duty is clear: to remain in her lofty position as long as She wills it, and to carry out Her work with all the High Inquisitrix does.

Agnes Caladius, Immaculate Hand of Our Lady the Goddess

The Empire’s state is not complete without the Holy Tribunal, which interprets Her will and applies it to the imperfect world of humanity. In the Tribunal there is no authority holier — or higher — than that of its leader, the Immaculate Hand of Our Lady the Goddess. Elected for life by a convocation of priests and priestesses, the Immaculate Hand is regarded as the highest authority on religious matters in the Empire due to their mastery of scripture. Though primarily intended as a religious advisor on the council, the Immaculate Hand’s religious authority arguably makes her the second most powerful person in the Empire after the Emperor himself.

Born in 2386 to a family long involved in House Caladius, Agnes’ path to the position of Immaculate Hand was anything but clear due to her inability to receive the gift of communion from birth. Though no fault of her own, her lack of this gift prevented the young theologian from joining the ranks of the Inquisitrix as she originally desired, and Agnes instead committed herself to the study of the Goddess and Her words. The young woman proved herself to be a dedicated — if conservative — theologian and a gifted orator, and quickly rose through the ranks of the Tribunal. In 2432, following the death of her predecessor, Agnes was elected Immaculate Hand, the supreme religious authority of the Holy Tribunal.

In her three decades as Immaculate Hand, Agnes has charted a steady course through a quickly-changing Spur. Her reign has seen the addition of the Tenth Edict, codifying the Tribunal’s opinion on augmentations, and generally good relations between the Emperor and both major schools of Tribunalist thought. Additionally she has formally consecrated the largest Tribunalist cathedral abroad, which is located in Mendell City and serves many Dominians employed by Zavodskoi and has worked with the High Inquisitrix to ensure no edict breaker escapes Her justice. But despite her successes the Immaculate Hand grows older each day, and is known to have a poor relationship with the crown princess. What the future holds for her, only the Goddess knows.

Great Houses

A moniker for the five most prominent Houses in the Empire, these families are the most powerful political and economic influencers in the Empire. They currently consist of:

• House Volvalaad - House Colors: Blue, Black - A Human-dominated house. This house's wealth is in genetics and biological research. Of all the Great Houses, it is the biggest supporter of integration into the wider galactic community.
• House Caladius - House Colors: Purple Shades - A Human-dominated house. This house's power lies in its money lending and banking, alongside its many land holdings for which it receives a breathtaking sum in rent money. They also control a large amount of the Moroz Holy Tribunal.
• House Zhao - House Colors: White, Gray - A Human-dominated house. The power of this great house sits in engineering and its numerous naval contacts. It dominates the navy of the Empire of Dominia, with other houses constituting minor portions of the fleets.
• House Strelitz - House Colors: Gold and Red - A venerable Human house. Largely a military and martial power, it provides most of the Imperial Army’s officers and equipment. It is also the origin of Dominian honor as it is known today.
• House Kazhkz - House Colors: Orange, Red, Yellow - An Unathi-dominated house. Most of their wealth comes from its budding privateering enterprise. Of all the Great Houses, House Kazhkz is the most against integration into the wider galactic community. It has an internal faction, the Han’san, who often enjoy their work bolstering the army’s ranks.

The Imperial Electors

The five great houses form the only voting group in the Empire of Dominia, the Imperial Council of Electors. These five individuals, leaders of their respective houses, are expected to meet with the Emperor - or Empress - to discuss and pass legislation impacting the entire Empire. Debates amongst the electors can become extremely heated and can be roughly divided along reformist and conservative lines. The reformists - those that seek a more liberal and widely integrated Empire - are led by the Volvalaads with support from House Caladius’ pro-trade faction. The conservatives - those that believe the Empire is fine as it stands and does not need further integration - are headed by the Kazhkz with support from much of House Caladius’ clergy. Houses Zhao and Strelitz, being more militarily-minded, tend to flip-flop on issues depending on Imperial security interests. The Emperor rarely steps into debates himself but, when he does, he is often able to easily shift the argument in his favor.

The Peerage, Noble Orders, and Titles

The Imperial nobility is defined and sorted in prominence by their peerages alongside a complex mixture of noble orders and titles, many of which can trace their origins back to the era before the modern Empire. The Empire’s nobility is well-respected in its core worlds and is regarded as the peak of polite Dominian society. Below is a list of some common titles found in the Empire of Dominia, ordered from highest to lowest in the Empire’s peerage. This should be used as a general guide for the Empire’s nobility.

Land-owning nobility going abroad to seek employment or for extended amounts of time is a major social faux-pas that will inevitably see their land redistributed to another member of their family, their title stripped and their status as a member of the nobility placed in question. For this reason, it is impossible to play land-owning nobles on the Horizon, with the only exception being the Consular position.

Royal Titles (Unplayable):

• Emperor/Empress: The unquestioned ruler of the Empire of Dominia. This title can also refer to the spouse of an Emperor or Emperess.
• Crown Prince/Princess: The heir apparent to the throne of the Empire of Dominia, next in line for the Imperial succession. The current heir apparent is Crown Princess Priscilla Keeser.
• Prince/Princess: Children of the current Emperor that are not the heir apparent.

Lord Noble Titles (Unplayable):

• Grand Duke/Duchess: The leaders of the Empire’s great houses.
• Grand Consul: The leader of House Caladius. Unlike a Grand Duke, this position is elected by members of its own great house.
• Governor: The rule of an Imperial March, one of the Empire’s core worlds. Governorship is not inherited and is instead granted by the Emperor.
• Marquess/Marchioness: The ruler of one of the systems on the border between the Imperial Core and Imperial Frontier, such as Novi Jadran. Appointed by the Emperor.
• Viceroy: Ruler of an Imperial Viceroyalty, a colony in the Imperial Frontier. Viceroys are appointed by the Emperor rather than inheriting their title.
• Duke/Duchess: The immediate subordinates of a governor or viceroy that are responsible for managing regions of a planet. This title is bestowed by a Governor and is not hereditary.

House Noble Titles (Playable):

• Count/Countess: The hereditary ruler of an Imperial province and subordinate to a Duke. Counts can also be the administrators of Imperial military bases, though these Counts are not hereditary. Military Counts retain their title, but not their county, after their posting.
• Viscount/Viscountess: The ruler of a subdivision of an Imperial province, subordinates of the province’s Count. A hereditary position.

Minor Nobles (Playable):

• Baron/Baroness: The hereditary ruler of a barony, a small plot of land that has been declared the domain of a family in exchange for their loyalty to the Emperor. Typically answer to a Count or Duke.
• Lord/Lady: A generic title used to refer to a landless noble lacking other honorifics, such as the children of a noble.

Secondary Titles (Playable):

• Baronet: A gender-neutral, landless hereditary title granted by the Emperor or a Governor to a notable commoner family, granting them the status of Primary in the Empire. Often the first step to becoming fully ennobled.
• Imperial Knight/Dame/Chevalier: A title granted to members of a sanctioned Imperial Order of the Empire such as the Order of the Golden Albatross or The Order of the Broken Mountains. Bequeathed to Primaries, Secondaries, and sufficiently Morozian Ma’zals such as the nobles of Novi Jadran. Holders of the title are not considered nobility through knighthood alone but hold rights and privileges that place them above an untitled Secondary. Whilst regular knights are free to go aboard, those who have achieved significant rank within an Order are expected to remain within the Empire and leaving would see their knighthood stripped from them.

History

Initial Colonization

The original settlers of the planet of Moroz arrived and founded the city of Nova Luxembourg in July of 2137 within the Mira Sancta System, so named after a belief that the planet would be a bountiful new frontier for humanity. The settlers had been primarily recruited from Europe and East Asia, promised a fertile new home in the deep frontier of human space as many were during this era of colonization. However, these settlers were going farther than any human colonists had gone before. The three colony ships were equipped with a new generation of warp engines that made the trip only take three years and they had been told by their sponsors that terraforming efforts had transformed three barren worlds into utopian paradises to surpass Earth itself.

But as the settlers stepped out onto their new home, they found the planet almost entirely frozen. What terraforming equipment had been there had been abandoned for years— the failing states of Earth had effectively sent tens of thousands of people off without making sure they had a home to arrive to. Their mission was not an official United Nations-sanctioned effort, but a disjointed effort between scattered, failing states. Only three years after they landed the United Nations had even ceased to exist - transformed into the Sol Alliance. In the transition red tape and chaotic bureaucracy consumed everything and old data was lost or neglected, including records of the Morozi colonial effort. And with the colonists' warp-based transponder signals broadcasting on phased out frequencies that no longer existed within Sol, Moroz was cut off with no hope of resupply or escape. With no other option, they brought their colony ship to touch down on the planet's surface.

The initial colonists of Dominia arrived in three separate areas, as per the original flight plans of their colony ships. Landing Site Fisanduh was located in "temperate" plains to be utilized for farming that was surrounded by mineral-rich mountain ranges, intended to become the industrial base of the colony— unfortunately for the colonists, the landing zone and its surrounding area were discovered to be quite cold. Landing Site Ofassel was located in the most "fertile" area of Moroz, a relatively temperate region of the planet. Intended to be the "breadbasket" of the planet, the colonists of this landing site viewed themselves as blessed with good fortune compared to their fellows. Landing Site Telminia was located near flat, fertile plains intended to serve as the primary launch point for shuttles coming on and off of the planet. Exacerbating the issues of the colonists upon landing was the failure of their local warp-based transponders, meaning that the three landing sites developed isolated of one another for some time.

The Forgotten Colony

After landing, all three colony ships were unable to relaunch due to a lack of fuel. In this harsh environment, the colonists quickly learned how to adapt and overcome through a variety of means. Some overcame through unity, while others tried more radical methods.

At Landing Site Fisanduh, the name of the mountainous region in which they had settled, the colonists managed to quickly adapt to their harsh circumstances. They unloaded crate after crate of heavy equipment originally intended for mining and industrial work, managing to establish the respectable city of Neubach in the foothills of the Fisanduh Mountains. The colonists of Fisanduh opted to unify as a whole to conquer their harsh environment and managed to avoid the radical measures undertaken by other landing sites due to the strength of their unity. As the area around Landing Site Fisanduh expanded, and it became clear that the original colonial staff would no longer be able to manage it all, the Confederated States of Fisanduh were formed. To the members of the Confederacy, there was no such thing as a Primary, Secondary, or Tertiary - there were simply Confederates. To the members of other states, however, the population of the Confederated States is primarily Secondaries, due to the lack of a colonial rationing program or nobility.

At Landing Site Ofassel the colonists were more religious than their fellows, being primarily recruited from Eastern Orthodox populations. When faced with the hardship they relied on their faiths to guide them through the harsh initial years of the colonial process, and the clergy quickly became a wealthier and better-fed class than their contemporaries. The religious class of Ofassel was taller, stronger, and more educated than their fellows that worked in the agricultural industry and quickly began co-opting control of the landing site from the small staff of colonial administrators sent along with the ship. It was not until an administrator, a senior official named Valentia Caladius, proposed an alliance with the clergy that the settlement truly began to prosper. The start of the Holy Kingdom of Domelkos grew out of this political alliance, as did House Caladius. The importance of the religious leaders to the Holy Kingdom led to a great amount of emphasis being placed on them, with many referring to them as the "first and most important citizens" of the Holy Kingdom. Over time, this would simply be shortened to "Primaries."

At Landing Site Telminia, two families rapidly came to prominence: the Zhao family, a group of engineers involved in ensuring that the engines that powered their capital of Nova Luxembourg kept running, and the Volvalaad family, a group of scientists responsible for the genetic engineering of crops and livestock to prevent the starvation of the colony. The two families would eventually rapidly expand their capabilities and power, with the Zhaos becoming prominent engineers and the Volvalaads moving into human genetic manipulation. They would also, through a combination of their power and manipulation of the colonial bureaucracy, turn the landing site into a monarchy controlled by the two families - now referred to as House Zhao and House Volvalaad. Eventually, they would refer to themselves as the Imperial Alliance of Zhao and Volvalaad. Or, more simply, the Imperial Alliance of Telminia. The engineers of House Zhao were lucky to create a working long-range radio system shortly after landing, which put them into contact with the fledgling Holy Kingdom of Domelkos. The religion of the Holy Kingdom spread to the Imperial Alliance as the two groups grew closely together due to their similar systems of government and similar state of quasi-castes. The nobility of the Imperial Alliance was, like their contemporaries in House Caladius and the Holy Kingdom's clergy, generally taller and stronger than their commoner counterparts due to a better diet. The caste system of the Imperial Alliance was further reinforced by a primitive version of the later blood debt, in which those living under the control of a noble paid them in service or goods to reside on it.

By 2300 these three groups had grown significantly from their original sizes. The Confederated States had expanded to become a major industrial powerhouse in the Fisanduh Mountains and area around them, but remained behind their mountain ranges aside from the occasional expedition due to the hostile attitude of the Holy Kingdom, occupying western areas surrounding the mountain range— and Imperial Alliance— occupying the eastern regions surrounding the mountain range. Due to the differences between the Confederacy and the Holy Kingdom-Imperial Alliance coalition, conflict was inevitable at some point. It would come in 2355 when the Imperial Alliance and the Holy Kingdom gave the Confederated States an ultimatum: bend the knee and come into the fold as a unified Moroz, or resist and be annihilated. The democratic Confederated States opted to resist, and the bloodiest war in the planet’s history began.

The War of Moroz

Lasting almost a full century, the "Holy Crusade to Unite Moroz" as it is called in the Empire of Dominia (the Confederacy refers to it as the "War for Liberty") economically and militarily devastated the planet. While the war began with victories for the Coalition outside of the Fisanduh Mountains, it became a stalemate when the mountain range was reached by Coalition forces. The Fisanduhian Army had fortified the passes through the mountains and was not willing to give territory. The full might of the Confederated State's industrial economy was used to defend its harsh mountainous environments while the Coalition turned its biological prowess towards breaking the stalemate. The foundation of the modern geneboosted Primaries originated from this effort to produce more effective soldiers. While the Coalition tried their best to break through, they could not. There were breaks in the warring, but they were only temporary ceasefires - simply interludes in what the Coalition viewed as a holy war and the Confederated States viewed as a war for its existence. But in 2384, after decades of war, the balance of power shifted dramatically.

2356 - Contact with the Wider Spur

During the initial months of the War of Moroz, in the hectic mass of radio communications between the two sides, a long-range radio station in Jinxiang picked up an unusual signal in an odd dialect of what they assumed was Vulgae Morozi. None in the station could tell what the communications were, and a House Strelitz codebreaker was summoned in an effort to break what the station assumed was a Fisanduhian cypher. The codebreaker, while unable to decipher the language, summoned a linguist who deciphered the communication and discovered the truth of the message.

The message was a communication from the Solarian Alliance to a survey ship involved in the Warp Gate Project, and had been sent at least a year prior. The message itself was an order to inquire as to the status of Sun Reach, a planet then unknown on Moroz. While not directed at the Morozians, this was the first time they had discovered other humans remained in the Spur. A message was sent in response and the Alliance acknowledged it, and confirmed they did not intend to interfere in Morozian affairs. It was a tremendous day, and 18 December remains widely celebrated throughout the Empire as the day the broader Spur was recontacted.

2384-86 - The Collapse of Fisanduh

In late 2384 the Imperial Alliance and the Holy Kingdom made a desperate move. House Zhao was confident in its ability to launch a functional spaceship fleet after decades of research alongside House Volvalaad with the aim of flanking the Fisanduhian lines and deploying elite geneboosted commandos of House Strelitz to destroy the Fisanduhians from the inside. An infantry captain from the Imperial Alliance, Wilhelm Strelitz, was chosen for his exceptional faith in the Morozian Holy Tribunal and leadership abilities. As Captain Strelitz and his crew launched, they were firm in their faith that they would aid them. As the ships took off with their troop compartments full of crack Strelitz troops, all aboard prayed that this would be the end of the bloody war. In the Imperial Palace, the Emperor himself is said to have prayed for the success of the mission.

The Confederated States were not prepared for an orbital assault by the commando units on all their major cities, including their capital of Neubach, with their lines collapsing as Imperial Army troops surged across the borders. By early 2384 the government of Fisanduh had collapsed, but never signed surrender terms to the war, instead opting to enact "Plan SCRAM" and start an insurgency. The last Prime Minister of the Confederated States, Helga Kesselring, shot herself while draped in the standard of the States rather than be taken prisoner. No fully intact copy of Plan SCRAM has ever been recovered from Moroz due to the Confederated States' efforts to destroy sensitive documents in the final hours of its existence as an official government - the only recovered parts of it are a two-page section: a title page reading "PLAN SCRAM" and a second page reading "DESTROY ALL INFORMATION PAST THIS PAGE AFTER READING." By 2386 the entire region was declared secure. With the reunification finally completed at long last, the Imperial Alliance and the Holy Kingdom joined hands with the formation of the Empire of Dominia and the coronation of Godwin Keeser, the ruler of the Imperial Alliance, as the first Emperor of Dominia. The years that followed his coronation on the 29th of June, 2385, would be a time of great change for Moroz.

2385 - The Early Empire

The first true Emperor of Dominia, Godwin Keeser reigned from 2385 until his death from old age in 2437. During his rule the newly-formed Empire of Dominia would go from a minor power to a regional force on the level of the nearby Republic of Elyra. Domestically, Emperor Godwin was faced with repeated issues in Fisanduh as the Empire attempted to bring it under control while expanding abroad. Ultimately the 2402-03 Navy Day Uprising, which saw the Empire lose control over Inner Fisanduh, would prove to be the greatest failure of his reign.

Under Godwin’s reign the Empire flourished and its modern institutions began to take shape. He formalized the Imperial military’s structure, much of its colonial bureaucracy, its use of privateers, and the primacy of Morozians over the Empire. Emperor Godwin, while never managing to establish formal relations, did establish ties to the Southern Reaches of the Solarian Alliance and the then-Solarian system of Tau Ceti. When he passed from the material world into Her loving embrace in 2437, he left behind a nation which — while unable to directly challenge the Coalition of Colonies — was a regional power capable of elbowing its way into the broader Spur. His eldest son, Boleslaw Keeser, was left to rule over a significantly more stable and powerful state than the Imperial Alliance his father had inherited.

22 July 2437 - Emperor Boleslaw’s Coronation

Imperial portrait of Emperor Boleslaw Keeser (artwork created by Sleepywolf)

As Emperor Godwin departed into the loving arms of the Goddess on 18 July, 2437, plans had already been made to crown his eldest son as the new Emperor of Dominia. The new Emperor’s coronation in Nova Luxembourg was the first such ceremony viewed by the wider Spur, and was attended by representatives from various Solarian systems, some Coalition member states, Elyran diplomats, and others. Following three days of national mourning the Immaculate Hand placed the Imperial crown upon Boleslaw Keeser’s head, and the second ruler of the vastly expanded Empire was born, with its domain now stretching from Nova Luxembourg to Sun Reach.

2437 - The Modern Empire

Under Emperor Boleslaw’s reign the Empire has continued to prosper, though many view the current Emperor as not having surpassed his father. His reign has seen the addition of a new — yet controversial — great house in 2440 with the arrival of House Kazkhz, further improvements to Morozian infrastructure, and more cooperation with the broader Spur. Notably, NanoTrasen established formal business relations with the Empire in 2452 while Zavodskoi Interstellar did so in 2441. The Empire was one of the first stellar nations to recognize the newly-independent Republic of Biesel and has had a cooperative relationship with it ever since.

Boleslaw’s reign has seen more conflict with the broader Spur than his father’s, particularly with the nearby Republic of Elyra, and has brought the Empire into worse relations with the Coalition of Colonies through expansions of its privateering and aggressive use of the Imperial Fleet against unaligned frontier worlds near the Empire to annex them. Military expansions throughout his reign have seen the Empire’s continued expansion toward the territories formerly controlled by the Alliance, where it repurposes Solarian hegemonic era structures for its own resource extraction needs. Some in the Empire call this an unsustainable expansion which will inevitably draw it into conflict with the wider Spur, but none can deny the resources brought by its expansion aid its continued growth. Internally, Inner Fisanduh remains an issue and many of the great houses are rumored to look poorly upon House Kazkhz for their recent arrival and Emperor Boleslaw’s favor of them.

In the 2460s, with the shadow of the phoron crisis beginning to fade, Emperor Boleslaw continues to reign, but he is increasingly elderly and infirm. As more and more of his duties are taken over by the heir apparent, Crown Princess Priscilla, the Empire looks towards the future with trepidation. Priscilla, when she ascends, is anticipated to be more liberal than her father, and none can anticipate what this outlook will bring to the issues currently facing it.

Dominian Society

Primaries

The Primaries are the noble and liturgical classes of the Dominian Empire's humans, though the noble class of Dominia often sees Secondaries adopted into it. Due to centuries of eating better than their commoner and lay counterparts, Primaries are physically larger and more imposing than their Secondary cousins. Secondaries that are elevated to nobility, though still primaries, tend to be slightly shorter than older families. Dominians (or Morozians, if you are from the former Confederated States) of this social class are not typically found in Fisanduh due to its lack of nobility and can reach heights of six feet in both genders.

The Unathi of the Empire are near-universally Primaries, as members of the Great House Kazhkz-Han'san. Though some Unathi Secondaries exist, they are a small fraction of the already-small Unathi minority in Dominia, and are often mistaken for Primaries by laypeople.

Land-owning Primaries going abroad to seek employment or for extended amounts of time is a major social faux-pas that will inevitably see their land redistributed to another member of their family, their title stripped and their status as a member of the nobility placed in question. For this reason, it is impossible to play land-owning nobles on the Horizon, with the only exception being the Consular position.

Average Male Height: 5'6" - 6'5". The older a noble lineage, the taller they will be on average.

Average Female Height: 5'4" - 6'3". The older a noble lineage, the taller they will be on average.

Secondaries

Secondaries are the commoners and laypeople of Moroz, those on the planet lacking noble titles or liturgical positions. Exceptional Secondaries are often ennobled, becoming Primaries. They make up the bulk of Moroz's population but are the second-most populous group overall in the Empire after Ma'zals. Secondaries as a whole tend to be smaller than Primaries (though there are exceptions) and represent a more diverse social class than the Primaries do, but are a part of the same Morozian ethnic and cultural group. The key difference between the two classes is the presence of a noble title. In the Empire proper, Secondaries form the core of the Moroz Holy Tribunal and Imperial society as a whole. Within the former Confederated States, Secondaries are instead referred to as "Morozians."

Recent Unathi immigrants from outside the Empire, or those rejected by the Kazhkz-Han'san, are considered Secondaries. Unathi Secondaries are very rare, with most of them eventually either being adopted into House Kazhkz-Han'san or leaving the Empire for greener pastures.

Average Male Height: 5'6" - 5'9"

Average Female Height: 5'1" - 5'4"

Ma'zals

A blanket term used to refer to those citizens— or subjects— of the Empire that are not from Moroz, Ma'zals represent the Empire's underclass. They are an extremely diverse group that tends to be generally rebellious, and resistant to Imperial control. Those that do opt to side with the Empire have either been integrated into the Empire's colonial system or are turncoats. Ma'zals also form a large population in the Coalition of Colonies, as they often flee from the Empire through whatever means are available. Ma'zals form the backbone of the Dominian Imperial Military and can rise to great heights in the Imperial Army, though the majority never rise beyond the most junior officer ranks.

Ma’zals, while diverse, can be divided into three distinct groups that the Empire of Dominia keeps track of. The largest of these groups are the “regular” Ma’zals of the Empire that have yet to fully accept Imperial rule. These Ma’zals are generally found on recently conquered planets and tend to be the most resistant to Imperial control, with violent resistance not being uncommon. No matter how much the Empire tries there are always those that continue to resist even after most have accepted their status as Imperial subjects, and House Strelitz often becomes involved in counter-insurgency warfare on Imperial colonies. However, in due time, these Ma’zals will eventually bend the knee to Imperial rule; in part due to the next, and smallest, category of Ma’zal.

The so-called "Elevated Ma’zal,” is an unusual and often misunderstood figure both inside and outside of the Empire of Dominia. Originally an “invention,” of House Caladius, the men and women that make up this category of Ma’zals are trained to serve as bureaucrats in the massive bureaucracy of the Empire of Dominia. This has quite a few advantages as the Elevated Ma’zals know the planet, understand the local language and customs and can be utilized as a friendly face for the Empire’s control of the planet. Sometimes referred to as the “nobility of the Imperial frontier,” Elevated Ma’zals will often— with blessings from House Caladius of course— form their own noble houses and orders, assuming they are not integrated into House Caladius. These frontier houses are generally always affiliated with House Caladius, and have proven to be a valuable ally of their merchants.

The final category of Ma’zals are those that have accepted Imperial rule and now live as full citizens of the Empire. The “Integrated Ma’zals,” of the Empire make up a smaller portion of the total Ma’zal population than their non-integrated counterparts but possess a greater amount of economic power than their rebellious counterparts and are, though not fully Morozian, considered to be loyal subjects of the Emperor and Goddess alike. The loyalty of some Integrated Ma’zals is so great that many are often awarded the prestigious title of Honourary Morozian, also referred to as “Morozian beyond the void,” in some areas, which represents that they have demonstrated a very high level of commitment to the Empire. Such an award is accompanied by immediate ennobling with the great house that recommended the award be bestowed.

Geneboosting

A technique dating back centuries, geneboosting is descended from colonial efforts to genetically engineer species adapted to the harsh Morozian climate. Geneboosting was originally used on humans by the Volvalaads at the behest of House Strelitz with the intent of improving the Imperial Army's officer corps before being adopted by House Volvalaad as a way to create a better class of nobility. Geneboosting is done during the fetal development stage. It greatly enhances the natural genetic structure of the patient, removing flaws and emphasizing strengths. This form of genetic modification is limited to the nobility due to the high cost and status associated with it. The effects lead to enhanced attributes and appearances: those geneboosted are stronger, faster, more able, and much longer-lived than their non-geneboosted counterparts. Geneboosted playable species tend to be slightly taller than average, with humans becoming as tall as 6'8" (2.03m) and find it very easy to maintain peak fitness. A geneboosted person is obvious at a glance, and geneboosted humans are often held as paragons of Imperial society. Geneboosting carried out after birth, known as gene therapy, is very rare and generally dangerous in addition to being prohibitively expensive. Talks with Zeng-Hu to improve upon Dominia's pre-existing gene boosting techniques have not yielded results.

Dominian Heads of Staff

As a result of the Empire's fanatical outlook on certain issues such as synthetic life and edict breakers, Dominian heads of staff are fairly rare aboard Stellar Corporate Conglomerate facilities such as the SCCV Horizon. Those that do pass through the requirements needed to become a head of staff are typically considered to be liberals (or, rarely, reformists) in the Empire and typically belong to or are affiliated with a Great House, with House Volvalaad having the greatest representation abroad and House Caladius following closely behind. Nevertheless, they must still go through a great amount of orientation in order to adapt to life aboard such a cosmopolitan vessel.

Dominians that are elevated to a leadership position within the Conglomerate are regarded to be the best and brightest of the Empire by the cartel and are highly-regarded by the for their professionalism and honor despite some difficulties in working with IPCs and other forms of synthetic life. Please note that playing a Dominian head of staff is not an excuse to make a player's round miserable just because they're a synthetic.

Languages

The Empire is a multilingual society divided between High Morozi, a Tradeband dialect, and Vulgar Morozi, a Sol Common dialect, along with various Unathi dialects, such as Sinta’Azaziba, and Freespeak. Which of these languages one speaks are generally determined by one’s class and planet of birth. Among the Primary aristocracy and natives of the Imperial Core High Morozi is often the first, and primary, language, with Tau Ceti Basic and Vulgar Morozi fluency viewed as the sign of a good upbringing and education. Primaries who do not speak Vulgar Morozi are extremely uncommon, and those who do not speak the language are generally looked upon poorly by their peers. Many Secondaries speak Vulgar Morozi as their first language, though this varies from family to family.

As one travels further from the Imperial Core, High Morozi begins to rapidly disappear as a first language and is replaced with its Vuglar counterpart, or with Freespeak. Often pejoratively known as “Gutter,” or “Rebel-Speak,” by Dominians the language is associated with the uncivilized frontier. Speaking Freespeak, even if one has knowledge of the language, is considered to be a major faux pas.

Synth Relations

CHARACTERS ABOARD THE HORIZON HOLDING DOMINIAN CITIZENSHIP WHO ARE DISCOVERED BY THE DOMINIAN GOVERNMENT TO BE INVOLVED IN ANY KIND OF INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP WITH AN IPC MAY BE EXTRADITED TO DOMINIA TO FACE PUNISHMENT FOR BREAKING THE FIFTH EDICT AND FOR DEGRADING THE IMAGE OF THE EMPIRE ABROAD. EXTRADITED CHARACTERS WILL NO LONGER BE PLAYABLE ABOARD THE HORIZON AND MAY BE SUBJECT TO THE PUNISHMENTS OF LIFE IMPRISONMENT, PERMANENT EXILE, OR DEATH.

Dominian hatred of synthetic life stems from its deep faith in the Holy Tribunal and all positronics are sought out and destroyed upon entering Dominia space. To Dominians, higher level Synthetic life like self-aware AI and IPCs are ontologically evil. Interestingly, to observers, there seems to be a disproportionately high number of shell IPCs present in the sector compared to those beliefs. Rumors that Emperor Boleslaw Keeser declares political rivals untagged shells before black bagging them have been vehemently denied by the Empire.

Imperial citizens working abroad in human space often interact with synthetics. In foreign lands, Dominians are expected to maintain some degree of tolerance in the presence of synthetics, abomination though they may be, in order to continue being permitted to work in these environments. While robots, or synthetics without a positronic brain or similar, are not objectionable to the Tribunal, citizens who refused to work alongside AI or IPCs would soon find themselves out of work and are expected to cooperate with these entities when their occupation demands it.

Dominian Extradition

While the Empire's subjects may live and work outside of its borders, they are still expected to uphold the Empire's reputation abroad. This includes acting in a way that would not embarrass or otherwise be an affront to Dominia or its interests. Should a Dominian citizen abroad be caught perpetrating either of these acts, they may be investigated by His Majesty's Imperial Diplomatic Service and extradited by local authorities back to Dominia in order to receive the proper punishment from a Dominian court. For purposes of Dominian characters living and working aboard the SCCV Horizon, the information relevant to this procedure is detailed below.

The Empire of Dominia has an extradition treaty with the Republic of Biesel. It can exercise this treaty to hold investigations pertaining to the conduct of Dominian subjects inhabiting Biesellite space and extradite them back to Imperial space if a breach of an Imperial Edict or other behavior which may besmirch the Empire's reputation abroad is found. Extraditions and investigations may only be conducted at the request of a consular or if a Dominian character's conduct is so egregious as to warrant notice by His Majesty's Imperial Diplomatic Service without the aid of a consular. Dominian Consulars found to be abusing this power or otherwise using this power dishonestly will be considered as breakers the Sixth Edict and will be summarily ejected from His Majesty's Diplomatic Service and extradited back to the Empire themselves to face punishment. The expediency of an investigation or extradition decision is balanced by a number of factors including an accused person's class, the severity of the alleged crime, and the amount of evidence weighing against them or in their favor. For example, the most scrutiny and expediency would be paid to Primaries and those accused of flagrantly breaking Tribunalist edicts or plotting against the empire. The processing of extradition requests typically takes a few days, but exceptions can be made if the crime or embarrassment to the Empire's pride would warrant that the process be expedited. If an investigation or extradition has been requested concurrently with a request for asylum or refugee status with another faction in the setting, the request for asylum DOES NOT nullify any investigation or extradition request unless asylum is granted. Whichever completes first, the asylum-seeking process or the extradition process, is what holds. Extraditions from the SCCV horizon are conducted by Biesellite or SCC authorities in cooperation with His Majesty's Imperial Diplomatic service. Judgements on extradition and investigations are made by the Human Lore Team and cannot be appealed. Through playing a Dominian character, players implicitly consent to be bound by the decisions made by the Human Lore Team in the event their character is investigated or extradited.