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.