Terran Imperium

## Government Overview

### Leader

God Emperor of Mankind (officially, symbolically)Steward Celestine (head of government)

### Military

Armus Imperium Dea Sanctus:- Navus Imperialis (Imperial Navy)

- Astra Militarum (Imperial Army)

- Sparta Ensis Excursiato (Joint Strike Special Force)

## Political Overview

### Foreign Affiliations

New Republic (rival)Lorien Confederate (neutral)

### Important Events

Great Galactic War

The **Terran Imperium** is the largest nation in the galaxy and is the ultimate representative of humanity in galactic affairs. It spans over 45,000 light years and controls over a million worlds. The previous steward, Karl Franz, recently passed away due to mysterious circumstances. It is currently led by Steward Celestine Auditore de Fienze.

TIP FOR DELEGATES: **SKIP TO THE HUNDRED-YEAR DARKNESS FOR MORE RELEVANT INFORMATION REGARDING TO THE MODERN TERRAN IMPERIUM.**

## History

### Great Collapse and the Formation of the Imperium of Man

Humanity suffered greatly with the advent of the Collapse. Its interstellar mother nation collapsed spectacularly as its worlds were severed from their transwarp gates. Brother fought brother in conflicts so vicious that even those in the Inquisition shiver at the thought of the atrocities that were committed during those dark days. Worst among these planets were Terra, the cradle of humanity. In the centuries following humanity’s first indoctrination into the Alysian Republic, the planet had become an integral cog in the galactic economy, serving as the Republic’s main economic hub. When the transwarp gates mysteriously malfunctioned, all hell broke loose on Terra.

Within ten years, Terra’s population had been cut by 70% — a planet with a population of hundreds of trillions, killed by the grim circumstances of the far future. However, from the chaos, the God Empress revealed herself from the shadows and proclaimed the start of a great crusade — one that will unite all of humanity under the sigil of the Imperium. Aided with her Spartans, she carved a path of destruction in her woke. Any techno-barbarian who refused to see her as their master met a fate worst than death, they say. After three thousand years, Terra was finally unified under her banner. She turned her gaze to Mars, to the Mechanicus Cults that dominate the hellish landscape. She broke a deal with the Cult Mechanicus, allowing them to practice their own religion, despite espousing complete secularism and detachment from any forms of religion. When she returned from Mars, a flaming sword materialised on her hands and raised the sword into the air. Its majesty blinded the audience.

“Let it be known to the galaxy that man shall suffer no more. The great crusade is nigh, and when it is done, the galaxy shall finally know peace.”

### Great Crusade

The small empire quickly grew in scale. Guided by the God Emperor, her armies conquered swiftly and decisively. In almost every world they came upon, they were greeted as heroes; however, there were other planets that were less welcoming. In most cases, the human population had been slaughtered by Xenos. In other cases, a minor lord had taken a few star systems for their own empire. Regardless, the Spartans of the Imperium smashed any opposition they found; for the Astartes was humanity’s greatest weapon. Eventually, their conquest came at an end when the Imperium first made contact with the **New Revarian Republic**, a bourgeoning power located near the former seat of the Old Republic . Minor skirrmishes broke loose until the two sides came to an agreement that the other half of the galaxy will belong to the Imperium. Although the Imperium continued expanding, it was clear that the spirit it had before was gone. But all was not lost, for the embers of revolution lie patiently in the dark.

Regardless, the Imperium pushed onwards into the unknown, reclaiming lost worlds and battling the myriad forces of chaos. Greatest of the Emperor’s warriors was Othello Aslan, a lowly Spartan who rose to the top after displaying incredible strategic and combat prowess. He was the Emperor’s closest friend, so much so that she considered him as her son. Eventually, he was indoctrinated into the Circle of Nikea — a secrete cabal of some of the most powerful individuals in the Imperium, Genetrix herself included. It is here where he met his new brothers: Sanguinius, Primarch of the Blood Angels; Leman, Primarch of the Space Wolves; Roboute, Primarch of the Ultramarines; Corax, Primarch of the Ravensguard; Osiris, Primarch of the Custodians; Magnus, Primarch of the Thousand Sons; Fulgrim, Primarch of the Word Bearers; Alpharius, Primarch of the Alpha; and Ferrus, Primarch of the Iron Hands. Together, they pushed the Imperium’s advance even harder, conquering hundreds of thousands of worlds in less than three centuries. Ultimately, in 545.M30, after the Imperium’s triumph against the Banean Star Empire, Genetrix announced the end of man’s great crusade and retreated to Terra to complete her greatest project — the reactivation of the Mass Relays. However, as she secluded herself from everyone she knew, rumours began to spread about a potential coup against the Emperor — one spearheaded by her estranged ‘son’, Angron; but fate had other, far sinister plans for the Imperium...

### Aslan Heresy

#### **Fall of Othello**

It began with the first seeds of doubt. During the Great Crusade, Genetrix forged a law stating that mankind was their own god and that these religious values are what caused humanity’s calamity prior to the Age of Strife. However, as man’s domain grew, it became increasingly harder to monitor the nuances of daily life. Some questioned the laws she imposed, but none were as prominent as the rising cult of the Emperor — a group of religious zealots who view the Emperor as the one and true God of humanity. Eventually, these seeds spread to the various Spartan legions. These words were so captivating that even Fulgrim, Primarch of the Word Bearers legion of Spartans. When the Emperor received news of these religious dissidents, she ordered Leman to hunt down the zealots while the Emperor, in front of her royal court, publicly dismissed Fulgrim and denounced his religion as heretical. Embarrassed, Fulgrim retreated to the edges of known space with his legion, where they would live in complete isolation from the rest of the Imperium.

Two decades after the Fulgrim’s dismissal, Othello was sent on an expedition to the Caladria sector to investigate rumours regarding an ancient weapon stored deep beneath the surface of Nova Istanbul. When he arrived, he discovered that the local population had been transformed into monstrous beings the likes of which the galaxy hasn’t seen before. They slew them with ease, but the parasite infected some of the Spartans, turning them into a raging mass of contorted flesh. They doubled their efforts and moved quickly into a tunnel system that ultimately led them to an empty catacomb. In the centre of the room was a sword and, beside it, was a man cladded in ancient, Terran steel. Othello took the sword from the skeleton’s hand and saw a vision — one that foretold a grim possibility. A reality where progress is discarded for superstition and humanity lumbers on as a husk of its former, glorious self. He left the planet in haste.

Weeks passed since the vision and Othello hasn’t slept a day without seeing the same vision. He searched through copious amounts of books in search for answers, only to find nothing. However, as if like an angel, Fulgrim approached him one day on Othello’s legion-world. He had clearly changed since the last time they last met. His flesh was wrinkly and his body seemed incredibly fair — traits that were supposedly removed from a Spartan’s genetic code. He confessed to Othello that he had seen those visions too in his dreams and is willing to offer his hand in cooperation. Othello reluctantly agreed. Over the course of five years, Fulgrim taught everything he learned while he was living in exile. The two estranged brothers quickly developed a friendship as the two of them were very opinionated, though that did not spare the young Primarch from the abuse he incurred during his training. It seemed that Fulgrim was the push Othello needed to confront their mother about the state of the Imperium. However, Fulgrim had other plans. Years of isolation had led him to find solace in the warp, and as he pushed deeper into the warp, he felt his power grew — and this new lust for power is what led him to seek Othello as he believes that he could manipulate the young Primarch of the Luna Wolves legion to overthrow the Emperor so that he may rule as the new, undisputed ruler of mankind. One day, under the blistering sun of Secundus V, Fulgrim procured an old man from out of thin air and ordered Othello to kill him. Othello hesitated for a moment, but a wave of whispers crushed against the young Primarch’s mind — and within a split second, the man’s head was on the floor. Blood tainted Othello’s sword. He kneeled in front of the corpse when a pillar of light bursted from the man’s chest. When the pillar subsided, Othello nodded his head slowly, picked up his sword, and knelt before Fulgrim. The decrepit husk of a man that was Fulgrim smiled smugly as his quest was complete; but the elder Primarch did not anticipate his own death by Othello’s hands until it was too late. Othello pierced Fulgrim’s chest with his sword and sucked his soul from his body. As Fulgrim lifeless body was thrown aside, Othello raised his sword into the air and proclaimed a new crusade — one against the Emperor Genetrix — to prevent the corruption of the Imperium; but as his and Fulgrim’s legions knelt before him, the man that was once known as Othello began to slip away into obscurity until there was nothing left but the shell of angry, broken man.

#### **Imperium Divided**

Due to the nature of hyperspace travel, the Emperor wouldn’t hear Othello’s betrayal until she received the collective message of a hundred thousand psykers from one of the mid-rim worlds calling for his help against the Great Enemy. She sent Magnus, Corax, and Ferrus to deal with Othello. No one could have imagined a civil war between the Primarchs, but those statements of impossibilities were thrown away when brother fought brother on the fields of Soria III. Corax and his Ravensguards charged first into the supposed lands controlled by the traitor legions, only to find nothing but rubble. When they returned to regroup with the others, Magnus and Ferrus were mysteriously absent. Suddenly, a wave of cyclon torpedoes struck the earth with a thunderous boom that wiped out all life on the planet except for Corax. His body was retrieved by Ferrus. He asked where they went, but his eyes widened when he saw the Othello’s towering figure approached him. He extended his hand and asked for his help. Corax spat at his face, proud and unbent to the dark temptations of the warp. He ordered Ferrus to eject him from the ship, but before Ferrus left the room, Magnus volunteered to eject him instead. The two Primarchs walked silently as they treaded towards the prison cells. “Why?” Corax asked softly. The other Primarch whispered that they needed to know more about the threat they are facing, and he couldn’t do it without aligning himself with Othello. He tells to Corax that he is still going to kill him as that is the only way for him to assure Othello that he has his loyalty. Corax reluctantly accepts his fate and, with the press of a button, was sent floating into the vacuum of space.

The Emperor was deeply frustrated by the sudden betrayal of two of her sons. She tried reaching with Othello through her psyker powers, but every attempt she made was seemingly rejected by him. There is no room for discussion. If humanity was to survive this age, then she must fight her sons — for the good of all mankind.

Within a decade, the Imperium was split into two, and with each passing day, Othello’s armies grow stronger. The traitor legions persuaded Alpharius to join their cause, bolstering their forces with the mighty spartans of the Alpha legion. Meanwhile, the remaining loyalists fought desperately to fend off the traitor legions from entering the core rim, but their forced proved to be a formidable adversary. Suddenly, a massive warp storm began to encircle around the core rim, making hyperspace travel almost impossible without precise, manual calculations. Cut off from the rest of their loyalist brothers, Sanguinius and Osiris sounded the Imperial retreat to Sol to prepare for the last battle of the war. Meanwhile, on the other side of the Imperium, Leman and his Space Wolves legion managed to catch Magnus and his Thousand Sons legion off-guard while they were excavating an ancient Forerunner artefact on Maya Prime. A fearsome battle ensued between the two Spartan legions. It was a massacre, because though the Thousand Sons were adept at the utilising the warp during combat situations, they were ill-prepared to face the angry, bloodthirsty tide of the Space Wolves. A few managed to escape, but that day was the day when the Thousand Sons legion was killed by the hands of their own brothers. Magnus used his last ounce of psychic strength to teleport himself to the warp. His plans was in shambles, but at least he could try to reach out to the Emperor to warn her about the impending traitor invasion.

On Terra, the loyalist legions were counting their dead. Great fortifications were erected all across the solar system and every Imperial citizen was handed a lasgun to defend themselves from the coming storm. Titan saw the most changes. Once a barren world, its surface is littered with fortresses, Nova cannons, Ion cannons, and super-turbolaser towers. The Emperor convened with Sanguinius and Osiris and discussed their plans for the coming battle. Roboute was on his way with a massive fleet, but it will take him some time for him to come due to the warp storms that surrounded the core rim. For now, they must hold on for as long as they could before reinforcements come from the rest of the Imperium. A wave of psychic migraines crashed against the Emperor’s head. She retreated into the depths of her palace. These migraines were unintentionally made by Magnus, who was trying to reach out to the Emperor. There was a great wall in front of him that prevented him from entering Terra. He smashed the wall with all of his might, allowing him to manifest himself in the physical realm before the Emperor. When she saw him, she didn’t even raise her sword; her eyes were wider than saucers. Magnus turned behind him to see a ruined Mass Relay construct. Suddenly, the relay started pulsating energy and, with a mighty thud, rose to Terra’s orbit. He explained to the Emperor about Othello’s plan, but it was too late. As he explained to her about the traitor’s plan, a massive fleet of traitors appeared above Terra’s orbit. The mass relay Magnus had unintentionally activated was connected to another mass relay on the other side of the galaxy. Realising that he had been deceived, Magnus knelt before the Emperor and asked for forgiveness. She told him that they will have to talk about his intentions, but that would have to wait until the battle is won. With the sound of horns blaring across the planet, the arch-traitor Othello shouted with all of his might, “let the galaxy burn.”

#### Battle for the Dawn

The battle was fierce. Brother fought brother on the tight corridors of Terra’s surface. A massive firefight broke out on the desert steppes of the Pacificae; trenches stretched from one side of the barren wasteland to the other. Magnus and the Emperor fought side-by-side as they led their men against the arch-trator’s forces. Meanwhile, in the skies of Terra, Sanguinius was battling against Ferrus. His body was contorted, transfigured by warp energy. He was no longer a man; reptilian-like wings protrude from his back and his skin was redder than the surface of Mars; and his legs resembled that of a goat. He had become the living embodiment of Satan. The battle in space was equally as fierce; the arch-traitor’s ship, the Undying, tore through the Imperial lines with a barrage of cyclonic torpedoes and MAC round bursts. By all accounts, the battle should’ve been lost — until Sanguinius plunged his sword deep into Ferrus’s abdomen, sending him tumbling down into the fiery depths of Terra’s core. With the Daemon slayed, the loyalists pushed harder against the traitors until they were forced to retreat to their ships. The land battle on Terra was a success, but in space, the loyalist ships were getting destroyed left and right. Osiris led his small fleet of Spartan ships deep into enemy lines, destroying a sizeable chunk of their fleet.

The Emperor recalled Sanguinius and Magnus to her palace so they can lead the assault on Othello’s ship. They were quite uncomfortable with each other at first, but as their mother explained to them their task, they turned their discomfort into determination. Accompanied by a platoon of guardsmen, the Emperor teleported the group onto Othello’s ship. They fought their way across the monolithic hallways of the ship until they met Othello — in the flesh — at the bridge. The Emperor stared at her son in disbelief. His eyes were yellow like the blaring glow of the sun. His skin was wrinkled and his muscles seemed weak, but when he strode towards the the group, he carried with him the aura of a god. But those eyes.

They fought valiantly in battle — twelve against one. However, what seemed like an easy battle turned for the worse when Othello unveiled his sword. His blade cut through the guardsmen as if they were made out of feathers. A wave of warp energy pulsated throughout the room, sending the group flying in all directions. Magnus crashed his head hard against the adamantium hull of the ship, knocking him unconscious. He covered the Emperor in a band of warp energy, forcing her to stay on the ground. As he raised his sword into the air to deal the final blow against Magnus, the red angel Sanguinius flew in to save his fallen brother. Othello stabbed him through the heart with his stomach, and Sanguinus’s aura of brilliance dissipated as his body fell onto the floor. The Emperor could only weep for her fallen son. She looked up at Othello once again and concluded that the son she once knew was no longer there. She laid there on the floor, helpless and defeated — until a single, lone guardsman rose from the bodies of his fallen comrade and stood in front of her, putting his own life at the mercy of the arch-traitor. He fired his lasgun at Othello, letting loose all of the fury a lone guardsman can produce, before his head was crushed by the arch-traitor’s hands. At that moment, the Emperor gathered the strength she needed to break herself free from Othello’s bonds. Her body floated into the air, her eyes empty, devoid of life except for the powerful presence it produced. A blue glow surrounded her body and, with the flick of her wrist, unleashed all of her psychic power at Othello.

It is unknown what the Emperor did, but when Magnus woke up, he was in bed in the Imperial palace. He walked out to see Othello’s ship crashing towards the Pacificae Steppes. Above him, a mighty fleet of loyalists ships — led by Leman and Roboute — manifested in Earth’s orbit and destroyed the remaining traitor ships. Alpharius was captured by the Custodians. He was sent to the warp, where his body would be tormented by the malevolent forces that lurk the realm. Angron, however, managed to escape through the mass relay. After his departure, the mass relay above Terra was deactivated. When the remaining sons met in the Imperial palace, Magnus recounted the events that occurred on Othello’s ship. For the first time in his life, Leman fled. He ran away alone, on board of a small craft, and warped to an unknown location. Roboute exiled Magnus, to which the latter accepted wholeheartedly. Thus, the Circle of Nikea was broken. Osiris retreated to his legion-world to lick his wounds. Meanwhile, as the first steward of the Imperium, Roboute launched a crusade against the last traitor-primarch, Angron. The Indomitus Crusade was brutal, but ultimately, the crusade ended with a loyalist victory, but it was not without casualties. During the last battle of the war, Roboute slew Angron at a great cost. He stood on the edge of death, but his Spartans plugged him into life support, hoping one day that the Emperor will return to revive her wounded son.

Thus, the Aslan Heresy came to an end. Out of the ten sons of the Emperor, only one managed to survive unscathed. Yet when the people of the Imperium called for Osiris to lead them, he refused and left the Imperium for unknown reasons.

### Hundred-Year Darkness

#### **Great Hyperspace War and the Second Reformation**

The Great Hyperspace War was a large-scale conflict that took place in 3475 to 3490 and was fought between the Old Republic and the Imperium of Man over the territories of the Lorien cluster. It is considered by many to be one of the most important conflicts in galactic history as it saw the reformation of both the Old Republic and the Imperium of Man into the Third Republic — otherwise known as the New Republic — and the Terran Imperium respectively. During this period, Terra was heavily depopulated as the Republicans entered Sol and ravaged the system, splitting Mars in half, thus bringing an end to the Adeptus Mechanicus. Despite their heavy losses, the Imperium also managed to deal a catastrophic blow to the Republic when their original capital world, Coruscant, was destroyed by Admiral Fernando Haseldonti. At the end, no peace treaty was signed as both governments collapsed, but the aftermath of the war could still be felt as the two nations became bitter rivals over the actions each side committed during this devastating war.

### Pax Imperium

The three hundred year pause that followed after the Great Hyperspace War is referred to as the Pax Imperium by the peoples of the Imperium. In this period, the Imperium managed to recover a number of lost technologies, including the revered replicator technology, which allows for the instant manufacturing of small goods. Due to their discoveries, the Mechanicus was rendered useless as their monopoly over technology was shattered by the administrative rule of the High Council.

#### Great Galactic War

There had been many skirmishes in the past between the Republic and the Imperium, but for a hundred years, the two nations have co-existed in peace. Though relations can get sour, they remain indifferent to one another. However, this peace was interrupted abruptly when the ambitious steward Karl Franz took power. He mobilised the Imperial army for war and, in 3786, officially declared war against the New Republic over the Republican-controlled territory of Bactria.

#### **Imperial Civil War**

The Imperial Civil War, though brief, was a pivotal period in the galaxy’s history. For the first time in millennia, the foundations of the Imperium were at risk from collapsing. The Ecclesiarchial traitors fought valiantly, but they were ultimately crushed by the Carlists. During the conflict, the Loriens found themselves caught in the conflict when Ptolomey, leader of the Lorien Confederate, slew the traitor Pompei for Karl. Disgusted, Karl aided his sister Manda Atreides in her rebellion against his rule. When the boy-king was deposed, Karl participated in the coronation of Manda Atreides, therefore cementing the foundations for a potential alliance with the Loriens.

Karl returned home a hero. For a time, peace reigned supreme once more, but everything must come to an end.

#### Death of Karl Franz

On July 4th, 3466, Karl Franz was found dead on the steps of the Imperial Palace. A hooded man was found on the scene, but before the authorities could arrest him for questioning, the man exploded violently.

### Present

The Imperium is currently mobilising for war as Imperial spies have reported an increase in Republican military activity alongside the Demilitarised zone. With their beloved leader dead, the people of the Imperium hope to start another war with the Republic, believing that they were the ones responsible for the assassination of their leader.

## Government

### System of Government

The Terran Imperium is currently employing a Feudalist Theo-Monarchy, where the God Empress Genetrix (still presumed alive to this day after her disappearance) is officially and symbolically head of state.

### Politics

Recently, Imperial politics has been divided into two groups: the Karlists and the Frieudians. These groups were formed during Karl Franz’s time in office. They hold contrasting beliefs from one another, so it is common to see the two groups send gangs to bully to each other.

#### Karlists

The Karlists believe that the Imperium should be reformed to be more friendly towards its citizenry. They believe in granting access to replicator technology to all economic classes and they also believe in liberating the xeno population of the Imperium. They harbour disdain for the Ecclesiarchy, who they believe to be the root cause of the corruption that festers within the body of the Imperium, and wish to seek an equilibriium for their religious beliefs by abiding to the God Emperor’s divine will — peace and prosperity for all living beings in the universe. Though they officially believe in granting more rights to psykers, many within the party are still suspicious of them due to their natural affinity with the warp.

Summary:

* Liberal
* Wishes to grant replicator technology to all groups living in the Imperium.
* Hates the Ecclesiarchy.
* Anti-slavery
* Pro-xenos
* Mixed feelings with Psykers.

#### Frieudians

The Frieudians, however, are more akin to the traditional aristocracy. They believe that *aspects* of the Imperium should be reformed, like the introduction of a friendly tax for all economic classes, but they also believe that the Imperium shouldn’t be altered too much as it would damage the empire the God Emperor had left them with. They believe that the Ecclesiarchy should remain in its current position — unarmed, yet all-powerful. They also believe that ending xeno slavery would be detrimental to the economy of the Imperium as most of their facilities are manned by slaves. Like the Ecclesiarchy, they hate the use of magic and thus seek to limit the rights of psykers across the Imperium.

Summary:

* Conservative
* Wishes to introduce a friendly tax instead of granting replicator technology for the common masses.
* Likes the Ecclesiarch
* Pro-slavery
* Anti-xenos
* Anti-psykers

## Military

The legitimate military of the Terran Imperium is the Armus Imperium Dea Sanctus.

## Society

### Religion

An overwhelming majority of the people in the Imperium worship the God Empress as their deity, despite the fact that she proclaimed herself as a regular human being. It is the official religion of the Imperium and many of its duties are overseen by the leading religious authority within the Imperium, the Imperial **Ecclesiarchy**. In recent years, there has been a sudden rise in agnosticism -- a change commonly attributed to Karl Franz's reforms. As such, Imperial society is divided into two camps -- those who believe in the divinity of the God Empress and those who don't.

### View of Nonhumans

As a xenophobic, militaristic, religious fanatic group, the Imperium view aliens with disdain. Most aliens who live in the Imperium are slaves, but there are some exceptions, like the Vicar Saren Patel. However, since Karl Franz’s reign, the Imperium has been divided into two groups — those who believe in xenos enfranchisement and those who believe that they should still be slaves.

## Territory

* Eridanus
* Nobu
 Caldaria
* Macragge
* Alsaka
 Nova
* Eretria
* Aedirn
 Ultima
* Gothal
* Makedonia
Capital: Enfield Regional Capital

## Current Issues

### Escalation Tensions with the New Republic

Ever since the end of the Imperial Civil War, tensions with the New Republic has risen exponentially. As the ‘unofficial’ overlords of the Lorien Confederate, the Republicans are worried that the Loriens might switch sides and join the Imperium instead. There are also reports of an unknown fleet ravaging the demilitarized zone.

### Revolutionary Fervour

Fueled by Karl’s reforms, the Imperium is more divided than ever. Political parties have formed that threaten to tear the Imperium from within. One of the most popular parties are the Carlists — a political faction who believe in reforming the governmental system to resemble that of a representative democracy.

### Impending Civil War

The shroud of mystery still looms over Karl’s lifeless form. It is unclear who killed the Steward, but it is most likely caused by the people who opposed him the most. Nevertheless, one cannot make assumptions without any evidence. With the political divide wider than ever, it is likely that the Imperium might plunge itself once more into civil war — unless the perpetrators can be apprehended in time.