Holy Khaetolic Empire

The **Holy Dominion of the Empyrean Empire** (Lingua Venettea: *Dominio Sancto dexa Imperium Empyreo* //), also known as the **Holy Dominion**, **Khaetolic Dominion** (*Dominio Cattolíca* //), **Holy Khaetolic Empire**, or simply the **Holy Empire**, is a theocratic imperial hegemony comprised of a conglomerate of systems unified under the spiritual direction from the Holy See (*Sede Sancto* //) of the Römaano-Khaetolic Church (*Ecclesia Cattolíca Romaña* //). The Holy Empire spans 33,5 ly at its widest, between the Cristana and Narres systems, and 31,7 ly between its second widest, between the Darre and Eletta Systems; following the Altkorr’s galactic-coreward spherical curve. The Holy Empire oversees thirteen star systems across the Affa, Eppsel-Onne, and Dell-Tat Octants and several-hundred trillion citizens. The Empyrean Empire’s closest neighbors are the rimward Afa-Settaari Genetic Impyrriad; the spinward Alfssandic Kingdoms, Free Jeethaja Guilds, and Essite Sjahaarate; and the coreward Empire of Gaennaan, Free Worlds Triumvirate, and the Empire of Thuul.

As a theocratic state, the Holy Empire bears an indivisible union of church and state. The Holy Römaano Emperor (*Imperatóre Romaña Sancto* //) governs the state guided by the Vicareo (//; lit. "Fatherly"), whose words are considered infallible. When not counseling the emperor, the Vicareo guides the church in matters of religious teachings, spiritual health, and general and personal morality; they are supported by the Magistanis who tend to the administrative needs of the church. Once counseled, the Emperor oversees the political, societal economic, and marshal concerns of the Holy Empire, both supported and held in check by the Consilerrem.

Religion influences every aspect of Khaetolic-Chryssite (*Cattolíca* //) daily lives. Mornings begin with a prayer as nights end with another, and no meal is had without praising their god, Chryss. Mass is held ever four days, wherein clerics and priests teach the scripture and the gathered listen with rapt attention. Their religion also dictates their positions in life beneath the nobility and the food they are to be allowed.

Technologically, *Cattolícas* are the least augmented humans in the Sphere meaning a heavy reliance of scripted programming-reliant, non-intuitive computing to aid their work in toiling for their companies and lordships. Analogue technology is to be expected throughout the HKE.

## Etymology

The **Holy Dominion of the Khaetolic Empire** is simply the name for the region of space held by the theocratic empire, however, the Dominion and the Empire are synonymous with one another of which both are considered 'holy.' The origin of the religion's name (featured in the qualifying adjective of the nation's official title), 'Khaetolissism,' is the *Cattolíca* god Himself, Cristeo.

The **Römaano-Khaetolic Church** derives its name from both its modern religious background and historic religious traditions as taught by their Trumpet of God (*Lo Vox Angelus*). Like the term “See,” or Heavenly Seat, is derived from the Römaano-Khaetolic Church—the governing religious body of the star nation. The Holy Dominion is the sanctified political body of the Khaetolic See.

## History

Throughout its many existences, the Holy Dominion of the Empyrean Empire has been a secular institution through the Unified Merricáni Republic, a theocratic republic in the Empyrean Ascari Republic, and finally, a theocratic hegemony today. Though the Holy Khaetolic Empire is comparatively ancient in its current state, being nearly five-thousand years old, the political weight is now held with the Vicareo rather than the Holy Emperor—a fluctuating power balance that seems to have its roots buried in both open and clandestine civil warfare every several hundred years.

The See was instated on 5.560.16.22 by unanimous vote in its House of Lords through the dissolution of the Empyrean Ascari Republic, a vote carefully influenced and molded by both the First Holy Khaetolic Emperor, Asier Marinero VI, and the First Vicareo, Regulus I. Its borders largely laid through conquests known as *Cruzadas*, or Crusades, during the time of the Empyrean Ascari Republic, the Holy Empyrean Empire’s modern political and religious structure wasn’t solidified until 5.782 AKn.

## Astrography

The Holy Dominion of modernity spans a gargantuan thirteen star systems. It spans a significant portion of the Spin-Coreward equatorial region of the Altkorr. At its widest points, it reaches across 33,5 ly (Narresa – Cristana) and 31,7 ly (Darre – Eletta) as the crows fly. Out of Afa, Eppsel-Onne, and Dell-Tat Octants, the bulk of its systems are kept within Eppsel-Onne. From the Altkorr's perspective, it is a stellar monster reaching out its tentacle across the rest of the octants it rests in.

The Holy Khaetolic Empire shares an interrupted border with the Empire of Gaennaan, Empire of Thuus, Free Worlds Triumvirate, and the Afa-Settaari Genetic Impyrriad, and is a proximity neighbor to both the Free Jeethaja Guilds and the Omadaeic League.

All thirteen systems are considered "fully inhabited," each planetary system within being home to several trillion in total per star system. Two worlds are green, though through the successful efforts of ancient terraformers. Several worlds are nearly finished terraforming.

Below are the various Empyrean stars and their realms of holding.

* Piedrus, *home system/former capital*
* Tre Bastónnes, *current capital*
* Terreza
* Josué
* Eletta
* Materia
* Roamma
* Brionne
* San Recenza
* Darre
* Marría
* Narresa
* Cristana

## Government & Politics

The **Holy See** (*Sede Sancto*), also called the See of Ascaria or Solenic See, is the jurisdiction of the Praecipt of Ascaria, known as the Vicareo, which includes the voxelic episcopal see of the Praeticese of Maridia with universal ecclesiastical jurisdiction of the interstellar Römaano-Khaetolic Church as well as a sovereign entity of international law, governing the Holy Dominion of the Empyrean Empire.

Under this ecclesiastical body exists a duality of governance. Within each star system, houses of nobility rule their holdings, whatever form that may entail, under the guiding principles of state leadership side by side with terrestrial regions (if applicable) or stellar habitats under episcopal purview. These praeticese, under the local praeciptic see’s administration and usually a population center of some renown, act as both centers of national bureaucracy as well as regional religious polities. The various polities encompassed by a star systems’ bounds are protected by the local duchy or march’s security jurisdiction.

Tolerated by the Vicareo' benevolence, the Holy Empire’s aristocracy is expected, by the Vicareo, to both protect the nation through its household military and security forces as well as represent its people through policy and politicking. The distinction between levels of both military preparedness versus maintaining security forces and system political representation is whether or not the subject of inquiry is a ducal house or not:

System counties, viscounties, and baronies all maintain security forces within their holdings for policing and self defense in the event of foreign invasion, and in theory, represent their citizenry to the local ducal court and praeticese.

Orbital and terrestrial marches maintain security forces in size and strength on par with ducal militaries, as their mission is maintaining border integrity, but have comparatively small courts and church interaction. It is tradition for a marquis to swear fealty to nearby ducal houses within their interstellar locality. Despite its historical usage as a "boarder holding" against terrestrial enemies, marches today are localized military holdings that are capable of fast reaction units that are able to deploy across a globe or within their stellar locality. Marquis are tasked with external threats and are not allowed by law to respond to internal threats or uprising, which is only allowed to be handled by ducal households.

As stated, only duchies are allowed to maintain household militaries capable of maintaining the peace within their regional holdings and the holdings of lesser houses as well as mobilizing for national defense or foreign deployment. Because of this overwhelming martial power and expansive territorial responsibility, ducal houses are allowed to assemble politically to represent their subjects to the Vicareo through the Holy Römaano Emperor.

Several ducal houses are exceptions to the rule requiring large household militaries being that they support the church through their finely-tuned financial institutions; in fact, these houses are protected by widespread use of elite mercenaries and even the church’s own security forces usually not seen outside of the Cathedral Worlds. Despite this inconsistency, they are able to represent their subjects to the Holy Emperor.

However tolerated the aristocracy may be in its current form, there is a tension growing between the noble houses and both the national bureaucratic and administrative body, the **Magistanis**, an institution of the church made of the **Corrosancti**, or the clergy, as well as the Vicareo' personal advisory cabinet, the **Council of the Voice**.

### Political Divisions

Khaetolic space is divided, primarily, by aristocratic and ecclesiastical control. Each house is responsible for maintaining internal, localized administrative centers for their in-system holdings and the metropolitan areas therein in accordance with Imperial policy, just as the church is responsible for maintaining system and regional administrative centers to ensure the Holy Emperor’s state decisions are properly managed. Ascaria is the Holy Seat which bears the Sacred Capital, Maridia.

Both the ducal houses and the lesser houses that make up their courts choose members of regional government positions, while the reigning duke appoints stellar officials to act as their cabinet. System and household governance is reserved to appointment by the local liege. Within ecclesiastical system centers, governance is held by vote from the local Praetors who then appoint clergymen as members of their administrative staff.

Citizenship is granted by birthright alone. Should a citizen of the Holy Khaetolic Empire have a child outside the borders of the Empyrean Dominion, the child must undergo the immigration process and complete the religious teachings and ceremonies before being granted provisional citizenship for five years upon which time the child becomes a full citizen in the Holy Khaetolic Empire.

### Voxeceli Cattolíca

The **Vicareo** (lit. Fatherly), also known as the **Khaetolic Voicehead** (*Voxeceli Cattolíca*; "Khaetolic Voicehead"), **The Voice** (*La Voxe*), and the **Holy Deacon to All** (*Diáconno Sancto dexa Omniem*; a Khatolic *diáconno*, or deacon, assumes similar duties to a common, traveling priest or holy man), is the religious leader of the Römaano Khaetolic Church as well as the Empyrean Empire’s defacto head of state. The Vicareo' words guide the entirety of the Holy Khaetolic Empire spiritually, and by design, administratively.

Below the Vicareo are a series of offices and bodies that advise them on matters of church and state. It is through these ecclesiastical advisors that a Vicareo may make sweeping and far-reaching decisions that influence the whole of the Holy Empire. These decisions are usually broadly worded so that affected ecclesia polities and nobles houses may interoperate them as it pertains to their specific, individual cases.

The current sitting Vicareo is *Vicarea* Ida IX, formerly Rebeca Saya dexa Castañeda.

### Consejolem dexa Voxe

The **Council of the Voice** (*Consejolem dexa Voxe*) is the principle advisory body to the Vicareo of the Holy Khaetolic Empire consisting of the Holy Römaano Emperor, the secular head of state, and the College of Praecipts (*La Collegia Praeciptores*) on matters of church and state through regular reports and briefings gathered on the condition of the nation. Both the Emperor and members of the Praecipts are appointed by the Vicareo and are positions held for life.

The College of Praecipts is made of the upper echelons of the Church and act as the Vicareo' direct advisors in matters of the church. These powerful clergymen are elevated from the highest title in the church, Praetor, to a special title to reflect their status: *Praeciptór* or *Praeciptora*. Currently, sixty-two Praecipts sit on the vicaral conclave: forty-two acting as the ecclesiastical heads and representatives of every fully-inhabited star system, the Vicareo holding the position and title of Praecipt of Ascaria to make forty-three; and eighteen acting as the heads of various church institutions working throughout the entire Holy Dominion.

The council’s sixty-second member also its most powerful: the Imperatóre. A position of the church’s authority over the nation, Holy Emperors are the voice of the state to the Vicareo and the voice of the Vicareo to the state, and are thusly the Vicareo's right hand. They possess executive powers and functions in order to accomplish that goal, but are limited ultimately by what the Vicareo demands of them. As the title Holy Römaano Emperor is one bestowed upon a member of the aristocracy without power over the church and the Holy Emperor cannot place their own household administrative staff in positions of national power, the office is bestowed with the ecclesiastical title of Praecipt of the Dominion allowing them access to the church’s overwhelming bureaucratic power to ensure the state as a whole runs smoothly. While a legal title that technically makes the Emperor a person of the cloth, the title is largely honorary and serves more as a measure to smoothly control the reigning government. Despite this technicality, the Imperatóre is treated as if they are removed from the College of Praecipts.

Ultimately, the Council of the Voice serve at the discretion of the Vicareo, who has the power to dismiss and appoint members with or without stated reasoning, create new offices to fill necessary gaps in church administration, and abolish positions that are deemed wasteful or unnecessary. Should a simple majority within the council take umbrage with the actions of one of its members, a formal petition for impeachment may be submitted to the Vicareo, who still retains full control over the fate of the impeached individual, to trial for ”treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors.”

### Sínadeo dexa Ascaria

The Synod of Ascaria (*Sínadeo dexa Ascaria*) acts as the Holy Empire's highest level judiciary branch in all matters of state and religion.

### Officio dexa Imperatóre Romaña Sancto

The **Holy Römaano Emperor** (*Imperatóre Romaña Sancto*) is the church’s representative over state matters, given extensive executive powers to maintain control over the aristocracy without needing to refer to the Vicareo for minor (or what is considered ‘minor’) disputes or necessary changes to policy. Their capacity for independent action is best-observed during Sessions of the Assemblage where the state-level politicking is mostly retained, amongst their Megistanial state cabinet, and within their own court.

With the secular and ecclesiastical dually granted by the title of 'Praecipt of the Dominion' the Holy Emperor may enact those policies they are allowed to instate, with permission from the Vicareo, via an army of ecclesiastical bureaucrats, the Megistanis.

The **Office of the Holy Römaano Emperor** (*Officio dexa Imperatóre Romaña Sancto*) is the only other political and ecclesiastical entity capable of issuing a call to arms; this is a measure allowed only in the most extreme circumstances where the Vicareo is unavailable for time-sensitive decisions or is otherwise incapacitated.

The current sitting Emperor is *Imperatóre Romaña Sancto* Javier dexa Mazzeo-Valderas XI.

#### Megistanis

The **Megistanis** is the ecclesiastical administrative branch that falls under the control of the Holy Emperor for the management of the state and its various offices, bureaus, and programs. Their numbers legion, this managerial body operates out of the Ecclesia polity zones dotted across planets and/or throughout star systems.

Their primary duty is to ensure that the aristocracy behaves in accordance with the Holy Emperor’s (and thusly, the Vicareo) mandated policies. This often times means sending bureaucrats, *diáconnos* usually, of various offices to inspect the various aspects of a lord’s lands, including but not limited to: proper taxation, prompt and appropriate tithing, inspection of household military regulations and force readiness, economic standards and practices, treatment of the parish and its parishioners, and overall faith in the Church and belief in Khaetolissism.

As the Megistanis’ duties are so vast and cumbersome, their range of responsibilities are separated into system and sectoral districts. Star system Megistanis branches report to the sectoral district headquarters who then report to the Imperatóre’s cabinet members.

#### Consilerrem

Interstellar localities, known as sectors, are represented in the state by the highest echelons of its aristocracy (its ducal houses) in a legislative body known as the Consilerrem. Loosely built on the Unified Merricáni Republics' late legislative body, the House of Lords (*Caza dexa Domines* //), representative officers of the Consilerrem are tasked with ensuring the lesser houses, under the Rights of Tenancy, are heard, politically, as a reflection of the larger nation. They are lead by a Consul (*Cónsul*) that mediates between noble house disputes as well as the Consilerrem’s unanimous, as rare as that is, voice to the Holy Römaano Emperor who oversees the body’s actions and politicking.

The Consilerrem meets regularly during Sessions of the Consilerrem to provide a forum wherein each ducal house can relate to each other as well as legislate on state policy and appeal for changes to said policies. Nobles representing their tenanting lesser houses discuss and debate legislation to maintain the health of their holdings and the state.

Once agree upon by simple majority, legislation is presented to the Imperatóre for instatement or veto based on the will of the Vicareo. Should legislation address a concern not evaluated by the Vicareo previously, the Holyhand may have the power to act upon the legislation without first consulting the Vicareo depending on the perceived seriousness of the matter leaning on historical precedent, or similar decisions (no matter how vague) the Vicareo has made in the past. Should legislation be so different to any decision any current or past Vicareo has made, the Imperatóre must meet with the Vicareo to discuss its terms, where upon the Vicareo may accept its words into policy, veto with the opportunity to reform the legislation’s purpose, or outright veto it without opportunity to re-legislate on the topic, again.

The forums also creates an opportunity for houses to arrange trade agreements, form political alliances, and settle feuds between one another or on the behalf of their tenants in an official capacity.

### Taxation

Taxation in the Holy Khaetolic Empire is dependent on one's station as well as where one resides.

The layman is taxed via two different methods, through various imposed taxes resting on income and purchasing goods as imposed through the local liege lords as well as through tithes to the Church. These taxes are supposed to be used to fund local social programs and projects such as infrastructure, public safety (policing, firefighting, professional medical responders), transportation, education (fundamental, intermediate, and higher education), health care, community management, policy research, public waste repurposing, corrections, and more. Though this is supposed to be the case, the usage of taxed moneys is ultimately up to the realm's lord; while some realms flourish, others suffer. Liege taxes are enforced through implied and physical violence through the local guard. Tithing, which is essentially ecclesiastical taxation, is enforced through social and religious shunning and those who cannot tithe because of hardship are not given leniency. This can be done at the start of one's pay period or given directly to a father of their local church via electronic "donations."

Houses of the Consilerrem are taxed by the Holy Khaetolic Emperor to fund state-necessary programs, and that which the state does not use is considered overflow and given to the Church. Most if not all of this taxed treasury is gathered from their subjects rather than a house's private treasury. This is not considered tithing, which is still expected of these noble houses and enforced via social and religious scorn and may be relinquished in the same manner as commoners do to their *padres*.

Both noble and commoner mercantile pursuits are placed under taxes befitting of their customer base. Those who ship off-world or outside ducal territories are subject to tariffs, which are then placed under the care and command of the ducal house residing over the tariff levied. That taxed good or set of goods is then used to fuel regional plans such as large-scale infrastructure projects or military defense spending. What is left is given up to the church.

### Military

Regardless of the routine one takes into the Empyrean See’s various military branches, military service is voluntary unless both the church and the aristocracy demands conscription to fill their ranks. Because of the decentralized model the See’s militaries follow, Empyrean forces can rapidly deploy across their expansive nation via either the Ecclesia’s naval forces or a ducal household navy to reinforce bordering marches.

By the Command of Vicareo Regulus II (5.633.04.12), all military forces of the Holy Khaetolic Empire—either professional or household arms—must be equipped equally, or more realistically, similarly.

#### Armas dexa Ecclesia Sancta Romaña

The **Arms of the Römaano-Khaetolic Church** (*Armas dexa Ecclesia Sancta* *Romaña*) is the chuch’s professional armed forces and is made of two branches: the **Holy Empyrean Navy** (*Estrella-Marina Sancta Empyreo*), the Ecclesia’s astronautical, aeronautical, and limited nautical forces; and the **Holy Army of the Römaano-Khaetolic Church** (*Esercito Sancto dexa Ecclesia Römaano-Kaatoliche*), the church’s terrestrial forces.

The Church’s military forces are often compared badly within and without the See to the household militaries of the Consilerrem. It is often suggested that the aristocracy’s protection from threats both foreign and domestic has created a soft ecclesiastical military. Ecclesia commanders have been anonymously quoted for the las two centuries as requiring more funding and attention from the Vicareo for broad and sweeping improvements to both the Holy Navy and Holy Army in the event of a total collapse state scenario but are constantly “brushed off” with officials citing the Consilerrem’s role to protect the whole of the See as reason enough to keep costs and concerns low.

While technically only kept as a final defense for the Church’s holdings amongst the World Cathedral, especially the Ascaria, the Holy World, the Church has granted protections under the Empyrean Arms to the Sevillan orbital ducal houses for their roles in Ecclesia finances. Though they are free to use the naval and terrestrial arms of the Armas, the Sevillan dukes still rely on mercenaries to maintain their Imperatóre-mandated combat readiness.

##### Orders Militant of the Holy See

Broken into various **Orders Militant** (*Órdines Militante* *dexa Sede Sancto* //), such as the Order of the Advent Dawn, these orders are the military elite of the Church. Provided the best equipment and the newest technological military advancements, the numerous Orders Militant possess their own specializations specific to their military doctrine. Most form the tactical armored fist of the church while few act as the reconnissance or even precision target acquisition or termination. Orders Militant do not discriminate between the the different theatres of war, and will mold their doctrinal speciality to fight all of them.

##### Vicaral Zouaves

The **Vicaral Zouaves** (*Zuavos Vicareo* /???/) are a subbranch of the Holy Army of the Römaano-Khaetolic Church and are the *Voxeceli Cattolíca*’s elite personal troops. The Vicaral Zouaves are almost entirely made of troops from Paladin-Duke Va Vuuren’s well-marshaled household armsmen and are considered internationally as elite medium, or regular, troops due to their equipment and weapons. All three brigades, made of five mixed battalions each, guarding the Empyrean Palace and Meridia from strategically placed garrisons throughout the palace compound and megacity.

Notable former members of the Vicaral Zouaves are Paladin-Duchess Janeza Ferreiro of the Romma and Paladin-Duke Cedillo of the Vere de Canza, himself.

#### Consilerrem Household Militaries

The power of the Holy Dominion of the Empyrean Empire is through the ducal houses of the Consilerrem. Personally financed through their houses’ companies, the taxes gathered from their holdings’ industries and people and their tenants, and donations from the Church to ensure its faithful noble houses maintain their military readiness, ducal militaries are considered the nation’s most powerful defense against those that could harm its citizens. Internationally, however, the Holy Empire’s military capabilities are seen as lacking. It seems that Holy Römaano Emperor dexa Mazzeo-Valderas XI understands this as well.

There appears to be a recent military modernization program within the last several years run primarily by the Holy Empire’s ducal and march militaries with old equipment being given to tenant household militias as they are replaced. Current models of power armor, weapons, combat vehicles, aerial-and-stellar capable small craft, and starships are being even replaced by new designs that are being approved of with undue haste, though it has been theorized by defense specialists and analysts that the See’s sudden activity in their industrial military complex is in response to the Gaennid Empire’s. Regardless of their motives, international neighbors are growing nervous with the shift toward modernization.

The only houses that are allowed to hold the same amount of military power are the marches, though they are only allowed to mobilize in the defense of the See in the event that an enemy force invades. Counties and lesser houses are only allowed to field defensive forces.

#### Imperial Sunguard

The **Imperial Sunguard** (*Custode Solea Imperiale* //) are the elite guard made of powered infantry to protect the Imperatóre. Armed and armored with the best equipment that the Holy Empyrean Empire has to offer, the Imperial Sunguard are prepared for every potentiality and are regularly drilled to ensure that fact. This elite infantry unit is equipped with a mixture of weapons and power armor types to be as mobile and effective as possible.

The Sunguards are recruited from the aristocracy’s auxiliary children and are held under wardship from the age of 14-standard to the common Of Age 20-standard and are educated via the Sunguard Military School. Upon their 20th birthday, they are given the opportunity to become a member of the Imperial Sunguard. It is a fool's bargain, however, because there is only one correct choice between joining the Imperial Sunguard or refusing:

1. Join the Sunguard and bring fortune to your family.
2. Refuse and make your house a social pariah while becoming the black sheep of your family.

There is no real choice. Training begins the moment a student accepts Imperial Sunguard service.

### Foreign Relations

*Main article: Foreign Relations of the Holy Khaetolic Empire*
The Holy Dominion of the Empyrean Empire is, as per the declaration by *Vicareo* Regulus I, is to spread the Word of Cristeo and to rule over His domain until Kingdom Come. It has been suggested by following *vicareos* that to spread His Word is to also submit a people to Cristeo's dominion, thus necessitating the expansion of the Holy Empire's borders. This is forever at odds with the nations around it, such as the Empires of Gaennaan and Thuul as well as the free Worlds Triumvirate. Peripheral nations such as the Free Jeethaja Guilds and the Inaean Republic are free from the Vicareo's craven eyes, at least for now.

## Economics

The Holy Khaetolic Empire possesses a market economy, possessing an enormous wealth of natural resources within both planetary and stellar locales, particularly gold and iron. Despite being one of the largest stable nations in the Sphere, due to their largely xenophobic policies and [...]

The Holy Lierra (*Lierra Sancta* //; Currency Symbol: Łs) is the Empire's currency.