Zodiac Empire Rough Notes

So, here’s what I’ve been mulling up.
The Zodiac Empire of Puranas (waiting until 500k and I can actually make the name edit) hails from the Zodiac Galaxy (naming still not my best ability). Though there is an imperial family, the ruling emperor/ess holds but one of the 13 seats of the Zodiac Council (odd number to, in part, allow for tie breaking votes), the top executive branch equiv. Depending on decisions to be made, may or may not require the whole group or not.
Backstory being that the Zodiac Galaxy was sealed away for use in various experiments by some hyper advanced race in the forgotten past. One of the seals was a time dilation field, so things inside happened faster than outside (me hand waving an explanation for chronology differences) that they only just relatively recently found out how to disable the controls and turn off (not control or turn back on).
The 13 of the Zodiac Council are the leaders and/or representatives of the founding nations. Originally, the galaxy was consumed by near constant warfare over finite space and resources. The three Gs - god, glory, and gold - pretty much ran things. Slowly, one by one, these 13 allied with each other in order to survive - each bringing something unique to the table and covering the weaknesses of the others. In time, this mere alliance of convenience evolved into the Zodiac Empire.
Below those 13 are two sub councils, also part of executive branch but more general. The Council Of Leaders is the equiv of the UN’s General Assembly - these are the leaders of those who joined post founding and essentially run the basic day to day in Puranas. Then there’s the Council Of Elders - as a few members had reasons for seeing those able to survive past the average lifespan (commonly due to death by violence or disease was a regular thing), this group was established to give a select group of respected elders an advisory voice to allow their wisdom to be heard and considered.
The legislation is a two house body simply known as the Imperial Senate. One house uses hereditary seats chosen by candidates earning right of nomination, and a second that uses elections (meant to balance each other out). More detailed notes are buried somewhere.
Following the founding, the 13 states of the Zodiac Council assigned themselves areas of responsibility. 12 of them were assigned one each of the galaxy’s twelve spiral arms, the 13th is in charge of the core region.
Unfortunately, they do not control the full galaxy (felt to grandiose to start there) and Puranas just represents the most stable, large body in the galaxy (and gives me opportunities to run IC arcs based on them and unaffiliated states....and leaves room if anyone talks me into letting them start there, lol).
From what I’ve gathered skimming International Incidents, the Milky Way Galaxy is overcrowded and not easiest place to tell a big story without stepping onto someone else’s toes
Category:Puranas
Category:Reference