Shroom Empire

***Shroom Empire** redirects here. For more articles of the same name, see Shroom Empire (Disambiguation).*

## Shroom Empire

### Capital System

Throne Worlds, Inuah Prime*Formerly known as High Impera*

## Politics

### Commander-in-chief

Grand General
*Chief Commander of the Imperial Army*
Grand Admiral
*Chief Commander of the Imperial Navy*
Grand Director
*Chief Commander of the Imperial Military Intelligence Department*

### Legislature

Imperial Throne Court
High Assembly

### Judiciary

Imperial Supreme Judiciary
Imperial Military

### Military

Imperial Army
Imperial Navy
Military Intelligence Department

## Demographics

### Religion

No official state religionVirism *de facto* largely under the Grand Virist Church until IC 6165 (UC 6243)

## History

### Formed by

Vega Sherom, in UC 78, after uniting the warring Shroom feudalities.

### Date of Dissolution

UC 6312 (IC 6234)

The **Shroom Empire**, also commonly known as just the **Empire**, was a unitary autocracy that ruled over a large portion of the galaxy for most of contemporary history. It was the largest, perhaps most influential civilisation to have ever existed in records, and undoubtedly the most powerful. The millennia-long rule of the Shroom Empire served the much intertwined growth and decline of the Shroom people, who comprised nearly all of the Empire's racial makeup and also existed almost exclusively within it. Originally formed on the ideal of uniting the galaxy's then-second largest race —the Shrooms— into a single, powerful nation, the tenets of the Empire have since evolved into loyalty to the Throne and, above all, the unyielding pursuit of total galactic dominance.

During the beginnings of the Empire in the Hamartia period, the young nation contested various smaller non-Shroom factions in its neighbouring galactic space, all while consolidating its power internally. The combination of isolationist and expansionist traits, backed by a near-invincible military, lead to the rapid growth of the Empire in every metric imaginable. As the larger galaxy began to take notice, the aggressive rising power continued its pattern of gaining territory and resources through violent subjugation.

For much of the chaotic Fracture period, the Empire stood virtually unchallenged by any other galactic power. The Imperial Military was the strongest fighting force in the galaxy, helping the Empire to wage and win conflicts on every front imaginable. Motivated by supremacism and xenophobia and spurred by the de facto main religious body the Grand Virist Church, the Empire began the crusades. By the end of the Eleventh Crusade the war-worn Empire began to splinter as the Throne's power degraded, while noble influence spread. In response to rising aristocratic sentiments, the Nobles Confederation was formed to oppose the sole power of the Imperial Court. This would lead to the Imperial Civil War, a devastating feud that would last over 70 years.

By the dawn of the Reclamation period the dynamics of the galaxy would have shifted. No more is the complete dominance of the Empire unquestioned by the rest of the free galaxy, but rather the newly-formed Galactic Federation looked poised to seriously rival the Empire in terms of economic might and influence. Having just emerged from a major civil war, the Empire was forced, for the first time in history, to the negotiating table. After the breakdown of the Dallur Armistice, however, the Empire would begin the Twelfth Crusade (aka The Reclamation Wars), in a bid to crush the Federation once and for all. At the zenith of the Battle of Metropolis and the eve of the return of complete Imperial authority, the Vahr Gendan Coup breaks out in the Throne Worlds, destabilizing the Empire and leading to its prompt dissolution following the unprecedented destruction of the battle that ensued.

After the fall of the Empire, the remains of the Imperial military would break into various remnant groups.

## History

### A divided people

> *"Let it never be forgotten the extraordinary power we would wield if we stood as one united."*
>  —Vega Sherom
>
>

The Shroom Empire was first founded in the year UC 78, formed of the then-split feudal Shroom states. Prior to the formation, the Shroom feudalities would frequently wage war against each other, with major factions including what are now the modern Imperial worlds of Corraldi, Tham Dokalla and Vadion. Despite making up nearly a third of the total galactic population, the Shroom race were still relatively backward and insignificant compared to the galaxy's larger races like Humans and Abaanese due to their constant infighting. Starting in UC 70, a warlord from the small Inuah feudal clan began to gain power and supporters after winning several decisive victories against larger neighbours. This warlord was Vega Sherom, and soon he had garnered enough influence to rival the then-supreme Suilon, Camahr and Aeshin clans. In UC 76, the rival warlords of the three clans promptly moved to crush Sherom and his forces, putting warlord Koushin Amahr in charge of an armada under the Suilon sect.

Having united many of the smaller nations, Sherom was able to amass an army comparable in size to Amahr's. The standoff started immediately, with the first skirmish being in the Carinae system, where Sherom's forces took massive losses from the more powerful Suilon armada. Desperate for a decisive victory, Sherom struck again in the systems of Proaldi and later Korilus, but was unable to sufficiently cripple Amahr's forces. In UC 77, Sherom gathered the remnants of his armada for a last-ditch attack. Ambushing the Suilon fleet while they were refueling in the Camahr capital of Caoros, Sherom defeated Amahr's fleet, just barely. Following the victory, Sherom was able to seize the Camahr capital and force a surrender.

After subduing the most major opposition to his growing power, Sherom continued to strengthen his control over many of the different Shroom nations. He had placed himself in command of the vast armadas of the defeated clans, and used his military power to subdue any factions he could not win with charisma alone.

Finally, in UC 78, Vega Sherom officially united the Shroom states into a single entity, the Shroom Empire, proclaiming himself first Emperor. Many of the powerful states opposed his declaration, with much of the Suilon sect rising up once again to oppose Sherom. This time, warlord Jiri Gendan would face down Sherom on the battlefield, with the fight taking place in the Vadion system. While both sides were equally matched in power, Sherom slayed Gendan in a duel on the planet, marking his victory over the last major opposition to his rule. The failed uprising only further cemented Sherom's ultimate authority as Emperor, with other factions seeing no chance of defeating the warlord after he bested the Suilons, who were perhaps the most powerful group at the time. Sherom designated the system of Inuah to be the capital of the new nation, and renamed it High Impera.

### Hunger and growth

> *"Go forth, establish our banner on every world we see greener pastures."*
> —Kahngu Airahman
>
>

From the beginning, Sherom had made the purpose of the new Empire clear: to be the united homeland of the Shroom peoples. With the end of the feudal wars, the Shroom population began growing rapidly, signalling the need for new territories to settle in. From UC 118 (IC 40), Sherom began embarking on a series of aggressive territorial expansions. He would pass on just 2 years after, but future Emperors would all continue his enshrined legacy. In UC 231 (IC 153), the Empire won its first victory against a major galactic power when it defeated the Prismarian League over Thoveter, securing the planet and its auxiliaries for themselves. By the 4th Universal Century, the Empire occupied most of the lower half of the galaxy, and made up nearly half the total galactic population.

**War against the Salau**

*⇒ Main article: First Salau War*
In UC 364 (IC 286), Imperial warfleets entered Salau space in the southeast quadrant of the galaxy. Occupying a large key swath of the Imperial backyard in the Outer Rim, the Salau Regency was a prime target for annexation. Despite initial predictions by Shroom military advisors that a quick and decisive victory would be achieved, the war on the Salau front stretched out for years into a brutal war of attrition. Unable to make much progress and demoralised by the unexpectedly strong resistance from the Regency, the Empire retreated from the theatre in UC 671 (IC 593).

**War in the Inner Colonies**

*⇒ Main articles: Invasion of Anathem, Fall of the Mokeden Empire, War in the Inner Colonies*
In UC 371 (IC 293), the Empire began several campaigns in the Inner Colonies region of the galaxy. The now-bygone civilisations of Sol Solphis and the old Mokeden Empire resisted the invasion for decades, living under interstellar siege until their eventual defeat. Following this, the frontline moved up to the borders of the human states. The system of Aurigae in particular was the site of an intensive campaign against the Yukon state. Managing to halt the Imperial momentum, the Yukon systems, together with their northern human allies, drove the Imperials back to Anathem and Preau.

### The Great Glory

*⇒ Main article: Rise of the Virist Church*
> *"Vondah Versat Versuu. Harin Uhkai Versuu. Mora Bain Versat Versuu."*
> —Virist Chant, meaning, *"Praise the Great Glory. Praise the Rumination. Praise the Purge."*
>
>

Throughout the continuous wars fought on the Empire's ever-inflating borders, the Virist faith grew in popularity within the secular Empire. Practiced across nearly all of the Imperial territories, the branches of Virism coalesced into the Grand Virist Church. After amassing nearly 20 billion followers in UC 420 (IC 498), the Church was officially recognised by the Imperial Court under the leadership of Noble Prior Sihn Sahik. While partially government funded, much of the Church was privately funded by wealthy devotees like aristocrats and court officials. The Church would simultaneously gain followers and influence, until it became virtually the sole religion in a nation still officially secular. Using their religious ideas like the "Great Glory", the Virist Church massively helped the Imperial government to rally popular support for the many draining wars being fought at the time. Within the century, the Church established a professional private military, strong enough to rival the Imperial warfleets of the time.

### "The Gold Leap"

As the expansion of the Empire began to slow and its military suffered progressively more and more losses, Imperial military planners began a serious reevaluation of their military doctrine and strategy. A comprehensive plan was laid out to revitalise and improve the Army and Navy, with the objective of forming what would be marginally the most powerful fighting force in the galaxy. Apart from a complete overhaul of military doctrine, nearly all of the military's outdated assets were replaced with new, top-of-the-line technology. From UC 1028-1039 (IC 950-961), the declared Martial Precedence Order ensured that all possible resources were devoted to research and development for the military.

It was during this period that the principles behind the Empire's permanent military doctrine would be formed. The first iteration of the modern Shroom Soldier gear would also emerge during this period. "The Gold Leap", as it was coined, was perhaps the beginning of the Empire's gradual transition into stratocracy.

### Return to arms

*⇒ Main article: Second Salau War*
> *"We shall purge the lower realms of the savages and return these lands to our glory. The Great Glory will stand unopposed!"*
> —Prior Aishaa Novul, Mandatory of Seilu
>
>

Now under the influence of the Grand Virist Church and supported by the refurbished Imperial military, the Empire relaunches its invasion of the Salau worlds with newfound ferocity. The war reaches a climax at the Invasion of Vahun'Sak Na, led by Imperial Navy High Fleet Admiral Huye. Confident in an easy victory after months of bombarding the planet, Shroom Emperor Zohn Echsl II was personally present to oversee the battle. In a shocking turn of events, the Emperor's flagship *Kerata* and its fleet were ambushed near the fourth moon of the system by Salau warlord Kqorri Sithul. Imperial retaliation was swift and brutal, marked by the near-complete glassing of the planet over the next 2 weeks; known as the Days of Rage. The invasion ends shortly after in UC 2167 (IC 2089).

#### Rising instability

*⇒ Main article: IC 2089 Provisional Government Coup*
In the wake of the devastating Second Salau War, a bold scheme by members of the Interior Ministry is rolled out. The mysterious terrorist organisation Nantos' Fist launches an unheralded attack on the planets of the Throne Worlds. The coup initially succeeds and the Throne Court is displaced from the system. A Throne counterattack from the Carinae system defeats the Provisional Government and its allies, but the coup highlighted the fomenting instability within the Empire.

#### Catalyst for war

*⇒ Main article: Crisis of IC 2089*
After hearing about the Imperial infighting during the Provisional Government Coup, the human states of Orion, Zaka and Yukon form a temporary coalition to attack the Imperial-held systems of Au and Aria. Unable to mount a successful defence, the Shrooms retreat to the indefensible Rakeer system. Compounding the Empire's troubles, the Emperor Kas Vizodi I, who had just surmounted the Provisional Government crisis, succumbs to a chronic illness and dies. Just after Eiruht Sherom I becomes the new emperor, Salau forces launch a surprise attack on the border systems Panuh and Criea. Zhavu Sherom leads a successful counterattack on the humans in the north, while the Salau retake Gendan, reclaiming the ancestral homeworld (Qao'Shat Naril) of the Qao'Matat. After gunpoint negotiations, Sherom convinces Zaka to pull out of the war, abating the situation. Ankgatis is held under Orion-Yukon siege as the belt worlds are penetrated. Eventually, the belt worlds are retaken but Orion and Yukon retain a strong grip on the Anathem sector.

### Age of the Crusades

*⇒ See also: Crusades (Disambiguation),*
Beginning in UC 2168 (IC 2090), the Imperial government reaches a new agreement with the Grand Virist Church over foreign expansion. Unable to field the full capabilities needed for such a full-scale, multi-front invasion, the Imperial military would partner with the private Church forces in the wars. Thus began the First Crusade, which focused on the Western quadrant of the galaxy. While comparatively humble compared to the ambitious plans of the Crusades that followed, the First Crusade laid the foundations for the Empire's long-term strategy to encircle the impenetrable Core Worlds. This period saw the strongest feelings of nationalism and xenophobia in Imperial history, fuelled by the religious, Church-backed, undertones of the violent invasions.