The Empire

For 3000 years the Empire of Life has endured under the ancient decrees of the Imperial Creed. The creations of Evolution lie scattered across the stars. Terrorized and preyed upon by unfathomable aliens and horrors lying in the deep dark. The Empire exists in an age of unceasing war, and harrowing discovery.

The Empire is not simply a mere nation, for it transcends such simple definitions. It is a vast collection of a million star systems, controlled by thousands upon thousands of different political and cultural entities. Each indescribably different from each other. Yet all uniquely directed by the Imperial Creed. That Life, no matter it’s form or nature, is invaluable and must be protected. The Empire is the supranational manifestation of the Creed. Acting as the banner for all manner of natural and synthetic life to unite under.

While the Empire is made up of countless factions that still maintain their own semi-independent governments and societies, it does have a centralized government. The Imperial Diet, or the Council of Ten Thousand, is an enormous government apparatus made up of individuals, super-organisms, and collectives from across the Empire that represent their place of origins and species. This body is tasked with maintaining and upholding the Imperial Creed and Imperial Unity through governance and intervention.

Above the Diet sits the Emperor and his court. The Emperor is the Imperial singularity, a physical manifestation of the Creed. As such their process of selection and election is an arduous and long process. The Emperor’s court is made up of individuals, super-organisms, and or collectives that are placed in positions of particular interest and speciality. Such as the Lord Commander Militant, or the Lord Enginseer of the Warp.

There are approximately one million star systems that currently make up the vast expanse of the Empire. Contained within the stars of the Imperial space  are an estimated 10 million planets, the vast majority of them colonized by an Imperial species in some form.

While it’s mighty size brings much strength, it also comes with many weaknesses. Ever since the War of Ethereal Wrath, the Empire has always been subject to it’s vast distances. It could take decades, sometimes even a century for word to cross the Empire. It is not rare for a distress call to reach the Imperial Diet, only by the time the Emperor’s Legions arrive, it is years too late.

However, over the millenia, the Empire has learned through experience and input to organize it’s defence, to provide the most amount of protection for the most amount of Imperial Systems.

The Imperial Factions
The Empire is divided into some ten thousand entities. Each made of anything from one species to hundreds, based on only a single world, or maintaining a vast territory of a thousand stars. Some factions, such as the Empyrian Assembly are a prosperous scientific and peaceful society, made of a multitude of species. Others, such as the Ralian Imperium, are a warmachine, whose a hundred species and many worlds have been altered for the purpose of total war.

Amongst the mightiest and most influential of the Imperial Factions are the founding factions. Over 5000 years ago, Eight factions that had arisen from the ashes of the Age of Strife forged the blood red banner. Together, they formed a power that would end the Strife once and for all. Today, in the modern Empire, Seven of the founders have survived the passing millenia. The fallen founder being absorbed by its neighboring Imperial Factions, after a devastating and mysterious event.

The Imperial of Church of Reino de Vida
The Empire was founded as an atheist state, looking down upon religion and superstition as shackles preventing Life’s true potential. However, the Imperial Creed, being a product of moral and existential thinking, created the circumstances that would lead to the formation of the Imperial Church. After the chaos of the Age of Strife, superstition and legend had taken hold on countless civilizations that had achieved FTL travel. The Empire attempted to root out such limited thinking, but it only achieved in cementing the beliefs, in a different form. Many saw the Empire and it’s soldiers as saviours, manifestations of holy servants. This would lead to the founding of the Church of Vida by the Eztraterr, an elusive religious species.

This Church has since then grown to become the Religion of the Empire, even though it’s existence is contradictory towards it’s faith, a highly religious and zealous interpretation of the Imperial Creed. The Imperial Diet and the many Emperors throughout the millennia have attempted to contain it, or even outright outlaw the religion. However the Church has taken root in Imperial thinking across the Empire. It’s tendency to create some of the most devoted leaders, forces, and citizens to the Empire, has resulted in the Empire tolerating it’s presence. To the point that the Church of Vida has become unofficially the Empire’s Religion, across nearly a quarter of it’s systems. In the present day, the Church holds immense influence over the Imperial Diet, and vice versa. The two have become intertwined, the Emperor of the Diet empowered by faith, and the High Patriarch granted authority by the Imperial Creed.

The Church worships the Holy Mother, Viamorada, the defender of life, with the Empire interpreted as her holy dominion. Leading the faith is the High Patriarch. The Emperor and the Imperial Diet are seen as equals to the highest cardinals and echelons of the Bishopric in holiness. Emperors and some Imperial councillors that have now passed are seen as saints.

The Imperial Creed
One thing binds the nations of the Empire, advancing all of them towards the same objective. The Imperial Creed, is that invisible force. The Creed is the product of an ancient think tank, made up of 12 different species. Together they developed a sort of philosophy that would transcend anything before it. It was upon the principles of the Creed that the Eight Founders unified and formed the Empire.

The Imperial Creed at its simplest is; That life, no matter it’s form or origin, is of uncountable value, and must be protected. The Empire is the apparatus by which this is executed. Because of the nature of the Creed, and the hostility of the Abyss, the Empire is geared towards military might and defense, rather than meager policies and political ideals. Such petty tasks are left to the individual factions, species, and planets to determine for themselves, so long as it does not hinder the execution of the Creed.