User:NewOriginalSchwann/Sandbox

The Empire of Dominia is a stratified society which features great differences between its class groups: Primaries, Secondaries, and Ma’zals. Beyond this it is further divided between Morozians — those descended from the original colonists of Moroz — and non-Morozians — those not of Morozian descent, such as Jadraners and Reachers. Aside from very specific circumstances generally involving military excellence or the favor of the Imperial nobility, social mobility is very uncommon in the Empire. It is important to remember that being Morozian gives an advantage in almost every situation in the Empire, and they are subject to preferential treatment. Morozians are wealthier, have a higher quality of life, and more opportunities than the average non-Morozian, with only urban Jadraners and Reacher Old Tribunalists seeing similar (though not equivalent) success. It is equally important to remember even the most successful non-Morozian will never become Morozian. These identities are not dynamic: they are set in stone. A non-Morozian may rise to the title of “Honourary Morozian” but it is simply an honourary title, and they are not a true Morozian.

The Imperial Nobility

NOTE: This section concerns Morozian nobility. Jadranic nobles are covered in their own subsection.

Also known as Primaries, Imperial nobility stands at the peak of its society. They are wealthier than all others in the Empire. Nobles are the leaders of the Empire’s military, state religion, and secular government. Yet amongst even this wealthy and powerful class there are nobles who have more than others, and nobles who must exist in subservience to their betters — individuals of higher station or of more economic power than themselves.

Major Nobility

“We are the chosen of the Goddess. Always remember that whenever a military officer attempts to belittle you for being ‘just’ a businessman,” - Excerpt from a letter by Izla Caladius to newly-elected Grand Consul-Elector Marcus Caladius, 2460.

The major nobles of the Empire are called so for their influence: they possess the ability to bend others to their will and have the ear of the Emperor, should they wish it. Found in this category are a handful of houses — collectively known as the great houses — which represent the most powerful and influential families within the Empire. Barring a few exceptions, all heads of ministries and governors of colonies come from this group.

The power and wealth of the great houses is concentrated in the immediate original family which founded them, and this group uses their influence to sway the rest of their house and the adoptive members of it, who form what are known as cadet branches of the original house. These branches are sworn to be loyal to the great house, and work to further its goals. If their loyalty is proven to be dissatisfying a branch is just as easily pruned as it is integrated into the house, and its former members will now find themselves stripped of their prestigious association — reduced to petty nobles at best or, if ennobled, once again made commoners.

At the zenith of the nobility stands the royal family, House Keeser. The royal family are the absolute rulers of the Empire and answer, in theory, only to the Goddess Herself, with the head of House Keeser being the Emperor (or Empress) of Moroz and the Empire. All others — noble and commoner alike — can merely offer advice and curry influence to sway the Emperor’s course. However, the influence held by these powerful actors within Dominia means the Emperor cannot ignore them and must keep these groups pleased or risk first displeasure or even dissent.

Petty Nobility “They call us ‘petty’ nobles behind our backs. Bah! We will have our day, and show them we are as noble as they are. Mark my words!” - Count Masahiro Kaneko (2405 - ), to an assembled crowd of factory managers on Zhurong, 2464.

Lesser in influence and power, the petty nobility outnumber their major counterparts. They lack the Emperor’s ear, have little say in the government, and are often more akin to traditional noble families than the great houses. They could be described accurately as a core of blood relatives with no cadet branches. They may be wealthy in their own rights, with multiple estates featuring household servants and employees, but they are nearly universally poorer than the great houses — though still far wealthier than almost any non-noble – and lack anything beyond local influence, being able to perhaps sway a magistrate or a constable to look the other way for a relative. Despite their relative lack of wealth, these families are more prideful in their status as nobles than many great house members, viewing themselves as true to their blood and first among Morozians.

Indeed, the mere fact of simply being a noble family can carry immense prestige in the Empire, and for many families this is their only true resource: often what industries and estates they control have gradually swallowed up or been made obsolete by those of the great houses or wealthy Morozian commoners. Some have held onto their estates, and their successful businesses, dwelling in a kind of blue-blooded version of the middle class. However, many impoverished nobles swallow their pride and work for — or join — the great houses, while others stand defiant, unwilling to bend to or unwilling to accept their increasing irrelevance compared to the major nobility.

The noted exceptions of this rule are the cadet houses of the Morozian nobility: nominally independent petty noble families who, through guile or fortune, have managed to carve out a niche of influence for themselves. To do such a thing is exceedingly difficult, and there are three cadet houses in the modern Empire: Houses Kaneko, longtime allies of House Zhao and dominant over Zhurong, von Sinzendorf, longtime guards of the royal family and allies of Houses Keeser and Strelitz, and Seok, patrons of the Imperial arts and allies of House Caladius and Keeser. Other petty noble families may have some local influence — the ability to sway a mayor or have infrastructure built — but only these three houses can say they are influential in the broader Empire, and even they must bend the knee to the will of their superiors in the great houses when necessary. After all, it is not a member of House Kaneko who governs Zhurong.

House Kaneko is an old and venerable noble family led by Count Masahiro Kaneko, whose daughter serves as advisor to Princess Hai Keeser. The family has resided on Zhurong since the late 2300s, when it purchased colonial rights to the planet after its discovery. Like the Zhaos, the Kaneko family are considered to be expert engineers — they are particularly dominant in the Imperial steel industry — and make up a large portion of the Imperial Fleet’s upper echelons. The influence of the family is intrinsically tied to its control over Zhurong’s factories, mills, and mines, and it has long closely aligned itself with the Imperial Fleet — a major consumer of steel — and House Zhao. Unlike most other petty noble families House Kaneko does have cadet branches and provides them with their own viscounties on Zhurong, which the original family uses to maintain their influence. Compared to the Zhaos the Kaneko family is relatively liberal, often bringing in foreign technology and experts to improve their operations, and closely aligned with Zavodskoi Interstellar. Behind closed doors, they are informally known as the “sixth great house” and some whisper Count Kaneko will soon try his hand at ascending to the rank.

House von Sinzendorf is, like House Kaneko, an old and prestigious noble family. Led by Reichsgraf — a unique title meaning “Imperial Count” and given to the family’s head for their loyalty to the Emperor — Klaus-Peter von Sinzendorf, it is concentrated in and around the Imperial capital of Nova Luxembourg. During the War of Moroz, the von Sinzendorf family traded their chance to lead the Imperial Army to become the household guard of the royal family of what was then the Imperial Alliance, and later became the Empire. Their loyalty to Emperor Godwin did not wane and saw them rewarded with influence and power in the Imperial court, if not beyond it. Over time this influence has waned and they have been reduced to the subordinates of House Strelitz, commanders of the Imperial Army. The house has limited cadet branches — far fewer than a House Kaneko — and little influence outside of Nova Luxembourg and the Army, where they defer to House Strelitz. The hope of Reichsgraf von Sinzendorf lies in his daughter, Elfriede: the adjutant to and childhood friend of Crown Princess Priscilla Keeser. Perhaps when she ascends his family will be rewarded again, and finally rise to the influence their loyalty deserves.

House Csaki – also written Csáki or spelled with a y instead of an i – are a house of respected physicians and academics closely tied to House Volvalaad and concentrated in and around the Imperial capital of Nova Luxembourg. They are most known through their establishment of, and continued close connection to, Moroz's most prominent university for the sciences, The Csáki Imperial Institute for Life Studies, often simply just called "The Csaki Institute." While they started as mere academics, their century-long involvement with advanced research into medicine and the life sciences has made them some of the foremost public health experts in the Empire. The majority of their house's resources outside of the university which bears their name have been put towards developing Dominia's public health infrastructure, especially on the Imperial Frontier – where disease outbreaks are unfortunately all too common. This dual focus on both scholarly pursuits and the advancement of public health has made them natural allies of House Volvalaad, and many of their members have gone on to hold prominent positions in Volvalaad-operated research sites and laboratories. The hreat house has often played a guiding role in assisting House Csaki health initiatives and the two have research-sharing agreements between many of their respective facilities. They are led by their long-time matriarch, Countess Sarlota Csaki, M.D., Dean of the Csaki Institute and one of the Empire of Dominia's foremost pathologists in her time. Though she is nearing the end of her long life, she's done well to help secure House Csaki's prominence within Imperial society by ensuring that her house's name carries its prestige wherever it goes, being associated with some of the most qualified doctors and some of the most renowned academics in Imperial space. Countess Csaki's appointed successor is her eldest child, Baron Janos Csaki, M.D., a renowned surgeon and the first in Dominia to perform a long-term successful head transplant.

House Seok is, like its counterparts, an old and prestigious noble family with its power concentrated on Moroz. It is led by Countess Yunseo Seok, PhD., it is concentrated around the old Holy Kingdom’s capital of Domelkos and is most known for its contributions to Imperial culture and artistic development, which it often patronizes, and its charitable contribution to the poor and the Holy Tribunal. Uniquely among the noble families of Dominia it is connected by marriage to House Keeser, with Empress Lei being the sister of Countess Seok. Liberal and outward-looking, they are also closely aligned with House Volvalaad and the mercantile faction of House Caladius. Countess Seok herself is known to often travel abroad on speaking tours, and is a published scholar of early Solarian colonial history and can be read in a number of academic journals. While House Seok lack influence in the military, they have a considerable influence over Dominian media and cultural products through their patronage, and many public venues throughout the Empire have the family crest — a Morozian grebe in flight — somewhere on them. Their blood relation to the Empress has brought them further influence, though the extent of such is unknown. However, the heir apparent, Crown Princess Priscilla, owes much of her influence to her mother, formerly of House Seok.

Jadranic Nobles

Informally known as “Nobles of the Frontier,” the Jadranic nobility is unique amongst the Empire for being the only non-Morozian nobility. Prideful and loyal to the Empire they serve, they are still viewed as lessers by even the most liberal of their Morozian-descended counterparts. Their influence is localized to Novi Jadran’s countryside, where several prominent families dominate — resulting in their wealth and prestige sitting below that of the Morozian nobility. But when the Empire calls upon them to do their duty, they serve — even if their more “provincial” accents are mocked at balls hosted by and exclusively for the Morozian nobility.

Commoners NOTE: This section refers to commoners of Morozian descent, not Ma’zals. Jadranic commoners will be covered in their own section.

Those of common stock ensure the Empire continues to function, though they are without the nobility’s ability to directly influence their government or the Emperor. They are the bureaucrats, middle-ranking officers, businesspeople, and managers of the Empire — its beating heart. Often referred to as “Secondaries,” they are the second most populous group in the Empire aside from Ma’zals. A diverse group, they are divided between Morozians (both a general term for those of Morozian descent and a term used to refer to the typical loyalist Secondary of the Imperial Core), Fisanduhians (loyal and dissident), and the Lyodii (Imperial-aligned and independent). They make up the majority of the Empire’s middle class.

The typical Secondary has the wealth needed to comfortably exist in the Empire’s middle (or upper-middle) class, but no influence or power aside from the local level — their city or county. In recent decades, however, the middle class of the Empire has attained more influence than it has ever before, with more and more commoners being needed to fill the officer ranks of the military or the echelons of the colonial bureaucracy. Many Secondaries find work with Zavodskoi Interstellar, where they have come to lead many aspects of the megacorporation’s Dominian branch, and sometimes have the awkward duty of supervising noble staff employed by Zavodskoi — something the megacorporation tries to avoid as much as possible within the Dominan branch. However high they rise, Imperial social norms hold that commoners should be respectful towards their noble counterparts — though not necessarily deferential.

An important aspect of Secondaries is their status as beneficiaries of the Dominian colonial system. Their rise from factory workers and common soldiers to managers and officers has only been possible through the presence of Ma’zals to fill the ranks of the Empire’s unskilled workforce, who make far less than their superiors and enjoy less rights. Similarly to their noble counterparts, Secondaries have benefited immensely from the suffering of those beneath them in the Dominian colonial system. It is impossible to divorce the wealth and success enjoyed by all Morozian Secondaries – as the Lyodii and Fisanduhians do not enjoy the same wealth – from the imperial project of the Empire, and this is understood: they are a loyal group which seeks the preservation of the status quo in the Empire, most being content with the benefits of imperialism. Some cry out for better treatment of Ma’zals, but few advocate for equality of any beyond the long-loyal Jadraners, the “Honourary Morozians” of the Empire.

Atypical Secondaries “The Lyodii are an odd people found in the Empire of Dominia’s distant reaches, known for their survival in a harsh environment against all odds,” - Excerpt from the Sol Alliance News Network’s People of the Spur: The Dominian Lyodii (2466).

There are two major outliers to the typical Morozian Secondary: the Fisanduhians, and the Lyodii. Both are discussed in greater detail on their respective pages, but it is important to note here that what makes them atypical is their refusal to bend the knee to the Empire’s systems. Some Fisanduhians within Inner Fishanduh continue to fight against the occupation of their former nation on Moroz, casting a shadow over the loyalty of other Fisanduhians — many of whom simply wish to provide themselves and their families with a good life. The Lyodii often keep to their own in the polar reaches of Moroz, where some rarely interact with the broader Empire aside from trading or treaties signed with the Empire where a tribe exchanges members to serve as soldiers in return for its autonomy. To many on Moroz they are a noble people, unbothered by civilization and only bound to one another. In reality they are often forced from their lands by Morozians seeking mineral wealth in the Lyods.

Jadranic Commoners “Reachers are not as civilized as you or I are. It’s no wonder we’re seen as their betters,” - Anonymous resident of Dulles speaking to the Jadranic Recorder, 2463.

While non-Morozians, Novi Jadran’s citizens occupy a unique niche within the Empire’s social structure. Granted the title of “Honourary Morozians,” they stand between Ma’zals and true Secondaries: elevated enough to be considered above any other Ma’zal, but still below true Morozians. Though they are de jure all equals, urbanite Jadraners are considered to be “more Imperial” than their rural counterparts, who lack the opportunities associated with the planet’s cities. Secondaries are less prone to looking down upon their urban Jadranic counterparts than nobles are their Jadranic counterparts, though many still view them as lessers by their non-Morozian origins.

Ma’zals “The duty of the Ma’zal is service,” - Imperial Fleet officer’s manual, 2465 edition.

The poorest and least powerful group of people in the Empire, Ma’zals vastly outnumber the Imperial nobility and Secondaries combined, even when one counts Jadraners as Secondaries. Universally non-Morozians, they are the conquered peoples of the Empire of Dominia. They are the factory workers, common soldiers, servants, and general laborers that support the Dominian economy and empire; it is through their labor, their blood, and their resources that the modern Empire was built and became able to influence the wider Spur, though it remains a regional power. Though not totally without rights, they are highly disadvantaged in the legal system compared to Morozians and very few possess the wealth and resources to influence anything beyond their village or town. While concentrated in the Imperial Frontier, they can be found across the Empire. Many hold working-class positions upon Moroz, with some even employed in the Imperial Palace itself. Ma’zals are further divided into three categories based upon their loyalty to the Empire: the Elevated, “regular,” and rebellious.

Elevated Ma’zals represent the highest level to which one may rise. Originally a product of the Imperial colonial bureaucracy, an Elevated Ma’zal is considered to be one which has embraced the idea of Dominia. These Ma’zals have been educated in Imperial schools, are faithful to the Goddess, loyal to the crown, and speak the Empire’s languages. Often they are the children of Elevated Ma’zals themselves or orphans raised through the Tribunal, or Ma’zals elevated through meritorious military careers. They fill a vital role in the Imperial bureaucracy and its lower officer ranks, and are trusted to rule over their fellow Ma’zals. Many do so with great strictness, harshly punishing any signs of sedition. Some hate them as a result, while others see elevation as a way to escape the poverty and grueling work of their daily lives.

Below Elevated Ma’zals stand the regular Ma’zals of the Empire, the largest of the three groups. They represent the core of the Empire’s working class, and many immigrate to the Imperial Core to seek work in the factories of Jinxiang or mines of Zhurong, hoping to make enough money to send back to their families in the Imperial Frontier even as their Jadranic or Morozian shift managers and factory owners discard their complaints and throw them out onto the street if they are mauled by factory machinery or mining accidents. With so much of their life taken up by a daily struggle to make ends meet most Ma’zals do not concern themselves with broader questions of loyalty vs rebellion, instead seeking instead to keep food on their tables and bills paid, including their Mo’ri’zals. Many opt to join the military for more pay and, in theory, less work than farm labor and (shockingly) more safety than a typical factory, forming the core of the currently all-volunteer military of Dominia’s enlisted ranks. Their lives are hard, but not without joy, and some view life in the Empire is preferable to the anarchy of the Sparring Sea or Badlands. The bureaucracy is slow and taxes can be heavy, and the typical colonial bureaucrat may blatantly sneer at their attempts to speak Morozi, but constables wearing Imperial uniforms keep the streets safe – even if man Ma’zals may despise the violence they inflict and the corruption they bring while doing so – and the Imperial Fleet keeps the Frontier secure. Perhaps this is the price one must pay for stability. But some, either by circumstance or conviction, find themselves pushing back against the Empire.

Rebellious Ma’zals represent those who push back against Imperial rule beyond what it considers to be acceptable deviance. One may yell at a constable, colonial bureaucrat, or magistrate to an extent — frustration is only inevitable at times — but a line is crossed when one begins plotting in secret with others to overthrow an administration, or attacks at a constable. Considered risks to the stability of the empire, these individuals — should they make their disloyalty known — are severely punished by Imperial authorities. Rebellious Ma’zals, if caught, can expect long prison sentences, if not the death penalty, and those who run will find themselves marked as criminals or Edict Breakers — condemned to never return to the Empire without facing the full extent of its laws. While a small group, rebellious Ma’zals are disproportionately represented within the Dominian diaspora in much of the Spur, having fled abroad to escape persecution or to try influencing the Empire from beyond its borders. Many emmigrate to the Coalition of Colonies or settle in the nearby Serene Republic of Elyra — the Empire’s regional rival — and become Non-Citizen Persons, the underclass of Elyra who often perform the most dangerous work in it. A cruel irony for those who have often fled such things in the Empire.