Empires

The galaxy consists of seven main empires: The Grand Orient Empire, The Ezarian Republic, The Allem Consolidation, The Void Pact, The Dynasty of Rakkai, The Coalition of Planets, and The Nafarian Empire. Although these nations are technically at peace with one another per conditions of the Planetary Alliance, the old relationships - and tensions - of past and present conflicts between them continue to define and shape the galaxy.

## Grand Orient Empire

The oldest government known to mankind, the Grand Orient Empire - as it is called by the people of the left arms - dates back to Terran times. The first of the major Empires to take to the stars, the Orients made first contact with nearly every other empire, and was the first to discover the Azok in the 8500s. Despite this, the physical territory of the Orient Empire remained a small, concentrated cluster at the center of the galaxy for thousands of years until their expansive victory during The War. The Empire is known for championing historical and cultural events as well as the exploration of the galaxy. The Orient Embassy knows more secrets about Terra’s history than any other faction, and these secrets are both well-guarded and treasured – unless, of course, they are used for propaganda or to prove Orient superiority. Regardless of the validity of their claims to historical significance, with 21 major systems under the control of the Orient Empire and a heightened population due to lax population control methods, there’s no doubting that this empire is large, powerful, and influential.

## The Ezarian Republic

Founded in 15,201 PT, (19241 GT) The Ezarian Republic is the most recent major empire to take shape, comprising of 4 major systems and expanding rapidly. Taking the territory that once belonged to the Allem Empire before The War, the Republic is guarded from invasion by the crime-ridden Broken Worlds, which stretch across the center of the left arm. Originally an aggressive empire named after is emperor Ezaron, the Empire was quickly overthrown after the Yuronian war, the nation’s first territorial conflict over the jungle planet Yuron in a nearby system. Its capital planet, Ezar, is the nation’s main source of credits, since it is the single largest source in the galaxy of Cyronium, an expensive and heavy metal that can be smelted into an incredibly useful alloy used in all high-quality metalworks. Because the entirety of Ezar’s initial population came from the Cyronium rush, Ezar’s politics are incredibly capitalist; most candidates that are eventually elected are also in high standing with the Mineral Lords, the wealthy owners of Ezar’s largest Cyronium mines. Despite Ezar’s seclusion from the rest of the galaxy, it is also the nation closest to the Nafarian Empire, both physically and politically. Despite their disdain for the human race, the Nafarians have respect for how Ezar defended itself during The Unveiling. Since then, the Nafarians have even been observed to take part in joint operations with the Ezarians when they share a mutual interest. As a result, Ezar is regarded as Nafaria’s only potential ally in the galaxy, granting it a position of power on the galactic political scale.

## The Allem Consolidation

The Allem Consolidation is a combination of two empires – one human, then called the Tenets, and one Azok, known as the Kesra - that merged into one entity over 3,000 years ago. The two had been at war for decades before coming to an eventual agreement of peace. Most Azok in the galaxy are Allem citizens, and make up over 40% of Allem’s population. This diversity gives the Allem Consolidation a unique blend of Human and Azok culture, with high cultural emphasis on innovation, creativity, and production. The Allem Consolidation is also a place of general social acceptance, and many groups that are usually seen as outcasts in the galaxy (such as, for instance, Anthromorphs) are warmly received there.

A Universal-based empire, the Allem Consolidation controls 16 major systems and is famous for both superiority in space/atmospheric combat and in vehicular manufacturing. Allem Incorporated, one of the largest companies in the galaxy for manufacturing and metalworks, is run by the Allem government, and works in close tandem with the Ezarian government to ensure a constant flow of Cyronium to the coffers of Allem diplomats. This collaboration, along with their physical proximity to Ezarian territory, is one of the reasons why the Consolidation is one of Ezar’s greatest allies - after all, the only gate that leads to Ezarian Republic space, the Ch'karzan gate, is the Consolidation's main trade hub. The Allem Consolidation is the largest source of ground-based vehicles in the galaxy, and they ship them everywhere – even to the Nafarians.

## The Void Pact

The Void Pact is often seen as the governmental side of the Void Pilgrimage, there are 5 major systems controlled by the Void Pact. As a religion, however, the views and beliefs of the Voids spread across the galaxy, far beyond the border of their physical territory. The Void Pact is thus named after the agreement between the Void Resource Org. and the then-named Allem Empire during the Great War. The Voids agreed to offer support in voidspace combat in exchange for the lower arm of the galaxy. The Voids use this territory as a base of operations for their exploratory missions and research, with the government and the religion working together to increase their scientific and explorative knowledge. Members of the Void Pact are responsible for many advanced galactic maps and the most advanced parts for spaceships in the galaxy.

The Void Pact works closely with the Orient Empire, the first to take it upon themselves to explore the galaxy proper, and the two share information fairly freely. On the other hand, Void scientists are constantly at ends with the Dynasty of Rakkai, a historical enemy of the Orient Empire and a direct competitor with the Voids for sales in the spacefaring market. Nevertheless, the Voids continue to send out hundreds of thousands of exploratory voyages every year, discovering new things about the galaxy and finding new planets for future colonization. As a result, the galaxy’s greatest explorers are almost all Voids, and believers in the Void Pilgrimage can be found in every corner of the universe, making the Pact a powerful force indeed.

## The Dynasty of Rakkai

An Orient-based empire, The Dynasty of Rakki is set upon honor and respect. Historically, the Dynasty was traditionally an aggressive, warmongering people. They were and are an extremely Christian society, and during their more violent past they often staged crusades to rid the galaxy of everything they viewed as heathen. This violent expansion continued until the Great War, where a failed crusade against what would become the Orient Empire led to the loss of many key planets, leaving the nation with 9 major systems left.

The border agreed upon at the conclusion of the Great War has remained the extent of the Dynasty's reign. Rakkians instead chose to turn inward to the resources they already had, getting resources from off-world sources and building up the infrastructure and technology of their 9 major systems. As a result, each and every major system within the Dynasty has a Class 10 tech level, making the Dynasty of Rakki the most highly technological state in the galaxy (though The Ezarian Republic is quickly catching up). This technological prowess has made the Dynasty an important asset to its allies, most importantly the Coalition of Planets, and has guaranteed its relative safety due to the importance of its acquisition. Because of this, the Dynasty is also known for its scientific and corporate espionage, especially against their main competitor, the Voids, whom they not only see as a threat to their industry but also as a heathen nation. The Dynasty of Rakkai is the source of most technological advancements in consumer and scientific fields, and the Dynasty thrives on a constant flow of new and useful discoveries.

## The Coalition of Planets

An assortment of planets from a close cluster of systems, this Universal-based empire is comprised of 14 different major systems, most of which have two or even three individual governmental systems, held together by the bond of the Coalition of Planets. This huge assortment of small governments and ethnicities have led the Coalition to a competitive and successful capitalist market, with each planet specializing in a few areas of production. The Coalition excels in the export of food, firearms, and many other everyday items and appliances that can be found all over the galaxy. These independent governments within the alliance take pride in their individuality, and are known to occasionally make war with one another, despite the oath of peace that all Alliance members are required to take. With a representative-based government in which every planet’s leader gets one vote, the Coalition of Planets acts as an alliance within an alliance when it comes to terms with TPA, making collective decisions as a group of 31 representatives with one ambassador voted to take the seat at TPA once every year.

## The Nafarian Empire

The Nafarian Empire is, by far, the most mysterious and unpredictable of all empires. The largest civilization discovered after The Unveiling, the Nafarian Empire is calculated and prejudiced against anything other than themselves, and rarely attempt to parley with outside forces before attacking unexpectedly and indiscriminately. The Nafarians are their own hybrid race, using water in the atmosphere to survive for long periods of time without need of hydration.  Although a shaky agreement to join the Planetary Alliance was formed with the Nafarians, there are still rumors that the Nafarians are weaponizing for an interstellar war, and many believe that the Nafarians will be the catalyst for a new war to end the uneasy peace that has persisted for over a thousand years since The War. The lack of access to the Nafarians’ territory, coupled with routine rouge Nafarian raids on diplomatic outposts near this space, does nothing to assuage these fears. In any case, the Nafarians are an unsettling but needed addition to the Alliance, since – at least for now – they have abandoned their warmongering ways in the Unclouded galaxy, abstaining from full conflict near borders and generally avoiding political contact with other parties at all. Whether or not this is a ruse for some greater purpose is all but a mystery.