Ho Dynasty

The Ho Dynasty is a sovereign state that occupies much of the northwestern quadrant of the galaxy. It is an absolute monarchy ruled by the Immortal Khagan, which controls every aspect of government. There are no administrative divisions in the Ho Dynasty. Instead, territory within the Ho Dynasty is overseen by military officers through the vested authority of the Immortal Khagan.

Including its territory in the Damian Insurrection, the Ho Dynasty is the largest state in terms of area, followed by Guong Ming. Its large economy, which is heavily overseen and directed by the military, is based primarily on industry and weapons manufacturing. Its largest export, however, is milk and cheese. It is rumored that the Ho Dynasty is responsible for over half of cheese production in the galaxy. It is also reliant on imports from Smithganistan and the Sycamore Union.

The Ho Dynasty Forces are engaged in a civil war with the Damian Insurrection, formerly a region of the Ho Dynasty ruled by an influential member of the Imperial Family for which the rebellion is named. Due to Damian's unique authority within the Imperial Family, he was permitted to maintain a personal army within the region, which now battles the Ho Dynasty in the name of the insurrection.

## History

### War against the Diamond Kingdom

At some point, the Ho Dynasty went to war with and defeated the Diamond Kingdom, deposing its king in the process. Not much is known about this time in Ho Dynasty history. It is thought, however, that the fall of the Diamond Kingdom coincided with the rapid centralization and militarization of what is the modern Ho Dynasty.

### Damian Insurrection

Damian, an influential member of the Imperial Family, broke away from the Ho Dynasty, inciting a civil war in the process. Although doomed to fail, an unexpected turn of events granted Damian time to fortify his territory within the Ho Dynasty, temporarily protecting himself from incursions by the Khagan's Imperial Guard.

### Attack of the Georgian Hive Mind

Years into the civil war, which had persisted for far longer than expected, Georgia conducted her assault on the galaxy. After conquering the Gilbertium Caliphate from the Georgian Exclusion Zone, Georgia made inroads into the Ho Dynasty. After falling victim to the hive mind's corrupting influence, it was realized that Damian's Insurrection was empowered by Georgia so as to weaken one of the galaxy's prime superpowers, explaining the insurrection's unnatural endurance. Additional Ho Dynasty forces supplemented by the Imperial Guard were mobilized to the Contested Zone, working to stem the flow of the hive mind.

## Astrography

Situated in the northwestern quadrant of the galaxy, the Ho Dynasty was the largest of any known state, even after the rise of Damian's Insurrection. It was bordered by the Gilbertium Caliphate to the south and Guong Ming to the east, which followed the Ho Dynasty in size.

## Government

**Government system:** Absolute monarchy

**Head of state:** Immortal Khagan

**Religious authority:** Paragons of Niggethry

The Ho Dynasty was ruled by the Immortal Khagan, which exercised supreme power over the government and the military. The only area in which the Immortal Khagan delegated some level of authority was to the Paragons of Niggethry, the empire's religious authority. A Negus is the Ho Dynasty's foremost religious figure.

The Immortal Khagan's will was realized through the Ho Dynasty's armies and fleets, which retained a dominant role in Ho Dynasty society. Every soldier pledged allegiance to the Immortal Khagan, and treachery would be quickly uprooted through the Khagan's Imperial Guard. Treason from within the military was exceptionally rare, however, as the military's fluid organizational structure made it impossible to mount a coup of significant strength. The empire's nationalism and zealous loyalty towards the Immortal Khagan also ensured faithfulness from within the military. The only known instance of rebellion was Damian's Insurrection, which was due to its leader's unrivaled status within the Imperial Family as the Khagan's brother.