The Imperium Astorum

The Imperium Astorum comprises the current largest known interstellar empire within space. Predominantly, though not exclusively human in population, the Imperium Astorum originates from Terra, with its capital city being the sprawling, beautiful city of Rome. The Imperium's roots and general culture follow in the steps of the ancient Terran nation of Rome, who over time unified humanity under a single common banner in 2202. The Imperium itself heavily reflects roman society, featuring a senate, with an emperor serving as a crisis leader and head of government. The imperium itself is massive with a population somewhere in the hundred trillions, spread out across thousands of worlds in dozens of sectors. Which is protected by a vastly massive, well trained and loyal military, and navy.

As it unified slowly the imperium gained many cultures from the ancient nations of terra, and as part of the conditions outlined in the unification event, was that the imperium would allow certain peoples to continue practicing religions, traditions, and even keep naming conventions, in exchange for common loyalty to a single flag. Because of this imperial populations can be incredibly diverse, practicing many traditions, not entirely roman in nature and even retaining accents over the many years since unification.

## Expansion

There are two primary languages used and spoken throughout the empire. Unofficially, and for the vast majority of interactions imperial populations use Terran English due to the language's universality by the time of the unification. Officially however, most documents, official addresses and other official interactions are handled in Roman Latin.

The empire is actively growing increasing its size virtually every month with new colonies. Currently the scholars of the imperium place the empire's number of controlled star systems at 2 to 3 million with 10-20% of them having habitable planets. However this figure is debated frequently by the Astorum astronomical scientists.

The Imperium's holdings are divided into Sectors, which can contain any number of both habitable and non habitable star systems. Each sector is predominantly governed by a sector governor, and has its constituent population represented in the Imperial Senate found on Terra. While colonized worlds within are ruled by planetary governors. Sectors can be named from a variety of sources, be it the name of their capital city, world, or star system, purpose or industry, constellation, or any other suitable means of naming. The production and goods provided by sectors can also vary wildly, with some responsible for contributing: food, minerals, military personnel and equipment, research, consumer goods, banking, and countless other services or goods to the rest of the empire.

One well known truth is the empire would struggle to survive without the contributions of so many worlds, and that some sectors are almost wholly dependent on the prosperity of others. This interdependency ensures that most sectors feel a need to be prosperous both for their own and the sake of others, and that sector populations feel a sense of general unity in their mutual support of each other.

## Society

Roman society is divided into 3 main categories of stratified peoples. Non citizens, citizens, and nobility.

being born into one of the many new colonies in the empire lands one into status as a non citizen. However, becoming a citizen of the empire is possible through a multitude of avenues. The most common means is to serve in the Imperium military auxiliary corps, which after approximately 1 full year of service, automatically grants citizenship to an individual along with their entire family line. Other means include marrying into a citizen's family, bureaucratic service, application, and various other methods. In addition, after 20 years of imperial rule a colony will be automatically transitioned from the status of: "Frontier planet" to "Constituent planet". Which after this change in status, people born on these worlds will automatically be granted citizenship into the empire at birth. Despite their status, non citizens still enjoy many of the benefits living in imperial rule, though with some small restrictions, and the Roman military will often fight to the last man to protect any who lie in the embrace of the empire, citizen or not.

Citizens comprise the vast majority of the imperium population and work in countless jobs across the empire and its worlds. Citizens enjoy many if not all the benefits from the empire. With much of their needs provided by the empire where available. The price of these boons, is that citizens are required to work for the empire and provide their loyalty to it. Such are the necessary components of being a citizen of the empire. However, in return for these efforts, the nation's government spares no effort ensuring its people are well taken care of, and provided with all the amenities and support needed to remain prosperous and happy. The quality of life in the Imperium is considered quite high for those living as imperial citizens who can look forward to a prosperous and frequently stress free life, for both themselves and their family.

The final category of imperial population is the nobility. Nobility consists of various family lines that have reached prominence in the course of imperial history. While on ancient terra the original nobility would be comprised of individuals exclusively born in Rome, the definition of the term has expanded massively in the wake of the imperium's rise. In modern days nobility refer to individuals who exist in the highest standards of Roman life and who have attained the status through efforts both political, military, and economic. While the hereditary nature of the term may imply that nobility can only exist of those who marry or are born into such status this is not the case. Nobility within the imperium takes on a highly different approach. For an individuals family line can be granted noble status by even the average citizen should they prove themselves able to attain a high position in the imperial government both military or civilian, attaining extreme wealth, Becoming senator or governor of their sector, or otherwise making a substantial contribution to roman society be it cultural, scientific, governmental or in any other field. Once an individual and their family has ascended to nobility, their status as such is guaranteed for life, and otherwise only removable at the decree of the emperor or by the will of the senate.

Noble's frequently make up the individuals in the highest positions of Imperial government serving as prominent military leaders, sector governors, senators, and countless other important duties, across imperial space.

Several alien species also make up parts of the imperial population, including the red skinned, humanoid, Salieron species. Along with the Ape like Zanquix species. As two prominent examples. Though their introduction to the empire has been relatively recent these aliens and their home worlds make up small but important parts of the empire. Initially their entrance into the empire was treated with suspicion and even a small degree of racism, however since then their existence has been accepted by most if not universally within the empire.

Due to its sheer size the imperium military plays a key role in imperial society. The military both serves as the guardians of the imperium, as well as the long arms it reaches out with to conquer new systems, and even in peacetime, offers many chances and instances for those serving within it to distinguish themselves. Serving in the military is considered to be an honor by many within the empire, a means of gaining citizenship, and it also serves as the location from which many new noble families arise.

During peacetimes the imperial military is rarely left without purpose. between protecting star systems, expanding into new ones, assisting other areas of the imperial government, drilling, and other duties. The imperial military is near constantly set with tasks which keeps its troops ready for the outbreak of any conflict, and frequently busy.

## Economy

The Imperium's Economy is vastly massive and multi faceted with thousands of large corporations and countless small ones contributing to all sectors of its output. If there can be any weakness to the Imperial economy its that it is only barely able to keep up with the rapid rate of expansion of territory. Policy wise the imperium is technically a semi planned economy, with the government dictating which star systems it plans to either colonize or integrate, and allowing economic forces to then distribute themselves naturally.

That being said the nation is not without regulation as many economic restrictions and regulations do exist. To which Some companies have tried to circumvent. As a result said companies no longer exist or otherwise were forced out of the empire into the Outlands.

A particular example being development in the field of artificial intelligence. which is strictly regulated and heavily monitored post the Corpo Wars. Due to the event, AI usage is rare in the Imperium, and mostly outlawed with only some small exceptions.

## Diplomatic Stance

The imperium as an expansionist empire commonly approaches diplomacy with external micronations or if it should ever happen contact with an equal empire with one of two methods. With regards to outlands settlements and nations the policy is simple: "Join and we wont have to force you." the imperium believes that many of the settlements in the outlands which are often comprised of criminals or other humans are illegal and otherwise would be better off being a part of the empire. A sentiment which given the harsh life in the Peripheriae often rings true.

Otherwise the imperium may initially approach diplomatic contact cautiously. Due to its interdependent sectors the imperium would be open to the ideas of trade and mutually beneficial agreements with other empires. However would likely never submit to one should they exist.