User:NewOriginalSchwann/Sandbox

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.

The Eastern Military Frontier

Beyond Sun Reach and to the Empire’s west lies a region known as the Eastern Military Frontier Area, or EMFA, which covers the recent conquests made under the watchful eye of Emperor Boleslaw Keeser, first of his name. Intended to act as a shield — if not a sword — against aggression by other powers such as Elyra, the EMFA is home to a large Imperial military presence, ranging from the mighty warships of the Fleet to the humble infantrymen of the Army and the noble pilots of the Flying Corps.

As a military frontier it has an unusual governmental structure where authority is shared jointly between the local Governor-Viceroy, Gauthier Caladius, and the regional naval commander, Vice Grand Admiral Xuiling Zhao — twin sister of Grand Admiral Huiling Zhao and commander of the venerable HIMFS Emperor Godwin, one of only two Moroz-class dreadnoughts in the Spur. Below them are an eclectic collection of local notables, military officers, and colonial bureaucrats who keep the military frontier running in its day-to-day operations, whether those are extracting resources from its planets, building new military bases, or repressing civil dissent.

Caria

A former tributary state of the Pirate Lords integrated peacefully into the Empire in 2424, the Imperial Viceroyalty of Caria is a tidally-locked planet referred to by many Dominians as the “Witch-World” due to its inhabited side being constantly shrouded in semi-twilight. It is located in the Paegilini System, and its residents are known as Carians. The planet is only kept from absolute darkness by its highly reflective and orbitally-locked moon, Caria Minoris, which the planet’s native religion — referred to as Carianism by Imperial scholars — claimed to be the home of their ancestor-god, the Great Mother. Caria’s surface is cold and its population centers are concentrated around geothermal vents Carians previously claim were opened by the Great Mother with a mighty sword, and now hold the Goddess opened for them. The planet’s capital is Yaeksyna, the oldest and grandest of the vent-cities and the center of the Empire’s civil and religious authority on the planet. In orbit dwell a series of long-abandoned structures resembling Solarian hegemonic-era warp gates, though long dead and mostly broken — or dismantled by the Empire. Carian mythology claims their world was a site of Solarian experiments in advanced warp technology, and refer to the act of warping as, “veil-jumping.” Reasonably prosperous by the standards of the Empire’s hinterlands, Caria is permitted a hands-off approach to governance by the Empire so long as it maintains its faith to the Goddess and Emperor alike, and continues to provide resources to the Imperial Core.

Carians are regarded as an unusual, even accursed, people due to the darkness of their native world and its insular nature — the soft hand of the colonial bureaucracy over it has contributed to these rumors, with some claiming Carians used sorcery to ensure their independence. Rumors claim they can see in absolute darkness and actively practice sorcery such as blood magic and witch spirit-calling out of the view of the Goddess and Empire alike. The unusual appearance of Carians contributes further to these rumors: they are often pale-skinned and of dark hair, with unusually bright eye colors — some even being purple. Officially referred to as a local genetic variation by the Empire, some Dominians whisper their unusual appearances are the result of long-forgotten — or still-classified — experiments by the Alliance, a curse by the Goddess Herself for a past sin, or that they are not of this Spur, but instead brought to it by some warp experiment carried out by the Alliance. Carians who go abroad in the Empire thus tend to face significant discrimination from others, with many choosing not to go abroad at all. Further compounding rumors surrounding them is that their planet produces a larger population of Goddess-touched than its size would otherwise imply.

Carianism — the native faith of the planet — is officially dead in the Empire, having been replaced by Holy Tribunalism spread throughout the planet by the Empire. It called for worship of an entity known as the Great Mother and heavily relied upon astrological divination to interpret the god’s will. Tribunalism’s spread was aided by Carianism’s belief in a female creator deity and a willingness for missionaries to overlook a degree of syncretism if it benefited the Goddess and Empire: Carians were taught their Great Mother was simply a misinterpretation of the Goddess, and that She had been their true savior. Many believed — or chose to believe — this, and Tribunalism entrenched itself. However, like Reacher Tribunalism, Carian Tribunalism has a degree of local variation: it still heavily relies upon astrology and divination — many Tribunalist churches here have a locally-recruited astrologer or other form of diviner on their staff. For accurate divination a Carian diviner must supply a small amount of their blood, typically done by pricking their finger with a small, silvered knife known as a divining blade or tuning blade. Katarinians claim the Tribunal could — if they had the resources and will — stamp out the borderline-heresy and witchwork divination of the Carians. But resources are limited and the loose hand of the Empire ensures the Witch-World is cooperative. Thus the state apparatus which would be used here to pacify a rebellious world can be used elsewhere, such as on Xiang-Xia.

Caria’s local government is unique by Dominian standards: due to reasons unknown to those outside of the Imperial Cabinet and royal family it has been allowed to retain a modicum of self-governance, though now answering to the Tribunal, Emperor, and colonial administration alike — though this self-governance is said to only last as long as it remains both productive and loyal. Carians elect a local planetary leader from their patrician families known as the Grand Estate-Holder, who answers directly to the regional viceroy. The current Grand Estate Holder is Rhian Hargest, leader of an ancient merchant family in Yaeksyna with close ties to House Caladius. She answers to Governor-Viceroy Gauthier Caladius, himself a veteran bureaucrat of the colonial administration. The Empire maintains a small garrison here and mostly relies upon local collaboration, freeing up its forces — particularly the army — for more important theaters elsewhere.

Xiang-Xia

Another Pirate Lord tributary state conquered by the Empire, the Imperial Viceroyalty of Xiang-Xia is a hot, desert-covered world in the Yi System where what few people inhabit it crowd into a series of oasis-based bunker cities designed to survive the planet’s massive sandstorms. Few try their luck in the countryside, where water is scarce and massive sandstorms can last for weeks on end. However, Xiang-Xia’s countryside is incredibly mineral-rich – there are plentiful deposits of valuable minerals buried beneath the planet’s sandy terrain. These mineral deposits have made the planet into a strategically important one for the Empire and much of its native population now works to extract its mineral wealth. Little of this wealth returns, with the profits — and materials — going to the Imperial Core, and the planet is one of the poorest in the Empire. Residents of the planet — Xians — often joke, out of the hearing of colonial officials, their world is most known for its three nos: no water, no money, and no future.

Xiang-Xia did not join the Empire peacefully. In 2423 the remains of the Lords concentrated their forces here and opted to make a last stand against the Empire, which invaded the planet later that year. It was subjugated by 2424, with the last of its oasis-cities surrendering to the Imperial Army in March. A desire to make money back on what had been a large investment — the campaign against Sun Reach — led to the imposition of a harsh military-run colonial regime through the 2420s focused on crushing any remaining dissent and turning the colony into a productive one at minimal cost to the bureaucracy. The military government based itself in what it renamed Godwin’s Oasis, a well-developed oasis-settlement that became the planet’s capital as colonial operations expanded. Imperial prospectors found vast mineral deposits under the dunes, and heavy-duty mining equipment was brought in from Zhurong to exploit them. All the while, the Imperial Army’s local administration paid only lip service to the idea of developing the world for Xians.

Life for Xians is a difficult, unpleasant one split between months underground sheltering from massive sandstorms and backbreaking work in the mineral fields that employ most of the world’s population. Above them are the colonial bureaucrats — Jadraner and Morozian — the Tribunal, the military, and the entire Empire. Below them is nothing but the wealth of their world, which is shipped abroad to factories as far afield as Moroz once extracted. Little wealth returns to them, and they are often depicted in the broader Empire as destitute even by the standards of the Imperial Frontier. Poverty has ensured the typical Xian has close relationships with their fellows in a kind of informal economy, with particularly successful families sharing their wealth — mostly food — during a productive year in the expectation they will be aided in turn if their fortunes sour. Family units are tightly-knit due to the struggle to make ends meet, and it is common for several generations to live in the same house or apartment. Some families will pool their resources to send one member abroad in the Empire, to the mineral fields of Zhurong or the factories of Novi Jadran, in the expectation they will send back some of their wages, as salaries are generally higher off-world. The military is, as always in Dominia, an option for its poorest, and many of the boots on the ground in Fisanduh or on Sun Reach originate from Xiang-Xia. Some rare few instead find employment with Zavodskoi Interstellar, which offers wages unfathomable to most on the planet — more than enough to live comfortably and send a stipend back to your relatives.

Xiang-Xia’s government, centered around the capital of Godwin’s Oasis, is divided between a military and civilian government, with the civilian government handling much of the mineral resources and the military government handling the population. The military government lies under the authority of Colonel-General Klaus-Peter Holzknecht, one of the Army’s highest-ranked Morozian Secondaries and a seasoned veteran of the invasions of Sun Reach and Xia-Xiang. Known as “Our Nasty Yastr” by his troops due to both his keen strategic mind and short temper with fellow officers, Holzknecht is an able — if often distant — administrator who shows no particular sympathy for Xians, viewing them as barely removed from uncivilized frontiersmen. His opposite is Colonial Director Prachi Gadhavi, a minor noblewoman from Alterim Obrirava and close affiliate of House Zhao. Prachi is a technocrat who likewise cares little for the inhabitants of the planet, and only seeks to ensure minerals continue flowing from its ports. She is not hesitant to call on constables and the Imperial Army to enforce quotas, and has a reputation for harshness. This combination of an impassively cruel government and extraction-based economy is common across the Imperial Frontier and is a major reason for the continued wealth in the Imperial Core. Without the extraction-based system of the colonial regions, the core worlds would not be nearly as wealthy.

The grip of Imperial control is tightest on Xiang-Xia. While the troops and constables stationed on it could have be moved elsewhere, the Empire has deemed the resources here too valuable to lose. With only so many ground troops available, most are concentrated in its oasis-cities to defend Imperial interests and keep the population from revolting. This concentration has led to a looser grip on the other worlds of the military frontier the Empire has deemed acceptable, but one that has caused whispers of concern: if the mighty Imperial Army cannot commit enough troops to secure every world here, how far can colonial expansion go? And if it stops, what will become of the Imperial Core’s wealth and prosperity?

Chaldea

Located in the Youdu System, the Imperial Viceroyalty of Chaldea is a pan-thalassic world covered in shadow seas and mineral-rich seafloors. With no true land to build on, the cities of Chaldea are built on sea mounds — points where the seafloor reaches nearly to the surface where it is easier to sink the reinforcements needed to construct the planet’s sea-cities. Chaldea submitted to the [Dominian Imperial Military#The Imperial Fleet|Imperial Fleet]] in 2435 following a brief parley between the planet’s leading citizens and the staff officers of the 2nd Battlefleet, where Fleet Admiral Wei Zhao remarked he could simply obliterate the planet’s cities as, with only water below them, there was no room to build any bunkers. Chaldea surrendered the next day. The planet’s surface is covered entirely by water and is known for its frequent inclement weather, which can cause typhoon-like conditions Bactrians refer to as “sea-storms” or “great sea-storms” depending upon their severity. The sea-cities of Chaldea are designed to withstand these sea-storms, but are rotting after centuries cut off from the broader Spur and neglect by the Empire in favor of the Youdu System’s orbital and spaceborne installations and defenses.

Chaldeans, like Xians, are one of the Empire’s poorest groups, though they are poor out of neglect while Xians are poor due to exploitation. Their sea-cities — once magnificent works of the Alliance’s golden age — have sat for centuries without off-world support and many systems are barely functional or jerry-rigged, with locally-produced components having substituted the original parts long ago. The hands-off policy of the Empire has led many to desperation, turning to piracy on the planet’s seas in hopes of eking out some kind of living. Equally desperate sea-cities are rumored to unofficially sponsor privateering to secure the supplies they need to survive and weather the sea-storms of the planet, as the act of dredging materials from the seafloor and turning them into usable parts is an arduous one. For some, it is much easier to steal them. The Empire has yet to intervene against this, perhaps viewing it as beneath its notice, or believing this organized chaos may prevent any possible dissident movement. Seeing no better option on their home, many Chaldeans opt to migrate abroad in the Empire and the world has seen a steady population decline since its annexation. While some expatriates join the military first, many instead go to work in the mines and factories of the Imperial Core, or in the Empire’s growing service industry, where many serve as hired help for wealthy Secondary or Jadraner families.

In contrast to the decay and poverty of Chaldea proper, the Youdu System is a beacon of activity — though primarily military activity. While its two moons are too small for true large-scale military development, the extensive orbital works found in it have led to the military designating the system as Fortress Wei. The forces here are subordinated to the nearly Shandi Fleet Command Center in the Caer Sidi System and Fortress Wei itself serves a dual role as a backstop to prevent enemy forces from overrunning the Empire if Caer Sidi’s Western Bastion fell unexpectedly, and to serve as a strategic reserve for it. Most facilities here are dedicated to repair and resupply efforts, with badly damaged vessels serving in the Imperial Frontier often being sent here to make them usable again. These installations are concentrated around the planet itself, with concentric defensive rings throughout the system. Fortress Wei’s defenses were heavily influenced by Nueva Patria’s, with Colettish engineering experts having been brought in by the Empire to help with their design and construction.

The Empire’s hold on the planet itself is tenuous at best outside of its capital, Forsegard, with no Imperial Army units stationed on the world and its small rural constable service only truly effective in the capital and its surrounding waters. Officially the reasoning behind this is that resources are better spent elsewhere, with little attention being paid to the native population aside from protecting missionary stations and Imperial businesses. Unofficially, the lack of any real effort to pacify Chaldea is a sign the Empire has stretched its colonial possessions far enough that it cannot secure all of them', leading to it prioritizing some over others. Every Imperial Army trooper who could theoretically be committed to Chaldea is needed elsewhere, be that on Xiang-Xia, in Fisanduh, or elsewhere. If there is a true problem in Forsegard, such as a riot against the colonial government or apostasy, the Fleet can bomb it into submission or deploy armsmen to contain it.