Imperial Trust Constitution

#### I.A.i. High Council

1. The High Council shall serve as the legislative body of the Imperial Trust as a whole, and shall meet once every fifty years.

2. Membership in the High Council shall be set as follows:

* 2.a. Each Sub-Sector Government shall appoint one member to the High Council.

* 2.b. Organizations deemed important to the Imperial Trust's security and continued function shall be granted the right to appoint a member to the High Council. Organizations may be added by a two-thirds majority vote of the High Council. As of this time, this list includes:
	+ The Adeptus Mechanicus
	+ The Inquisition
	+ The Astra Telepathica
	+ The Adeptus Astartes

* 2.c. System Governments that are considered to be of strategic importance to the Imperial Trust through their contributions shall be granted the right to appoint a member to the High Council. System Governments may be granted this status a by two-thirds majority vote of the High Council.
	+ 2.c.i. The number of System Governments with representatives gained in this manner can not exceed the number of Sub-Sectors in the Imperial Trust. As of this time the list of Systems of strategic importance includes
	+ Avernus
	+ Muspelheim
	+ Midgard
	+ Vanaheim
	+ Menagroth
* 2.d. Each Member Species that does not already have a member standing on the High Council shall be granted the right to appoint a member to the High Council.
* 2.e. Honorary membership in the High Council may be granted to individuals by a two-thirds majority vote. Honorary members have no voting power, but may propose laws and speak in an advisory role.
* 2.f. The High Council shall require half plus one of its members or their designated representatives in order to have a voting quorum.
* 2.g. No individual or System Government may hold more than one seat on the High Council for any reason.

3. The High Council shall have the following duties and powers:

* Elect members of the Executive Council once every 50 years.
* Create laws by majority vote. These laws will supersede Sub-Sector and System laws where applicable.
* Amend the Constitution by two-thirds majority vote.
* To set the budget of the Imperial Trust government.
* To set the rate of tithes, both material and military.
* Declare war.
* Approve treaties and agreements with foreign powers.
* Impeach and remove members of other branches of government.

4. Major organizations without representation on the High Council may put forth petitions to the High Council that must be considered as proposals to be voted upon. Such organizations include but are not limited to the Ecclesiarchy, Navigator Houses, and the Imperial Bank.

#### I.A.ii. Executive Council

1. The Executive Council shall serve as the executive body of the Imperial Trust, acting to enforce laws created by the High Council, command and coordinate the Trust's military forces in times of conflict, and act towards the general unity and prosperity of the Trust's members and people.

2. The Executive Council shall consist of the following members.

* Minister of State - Oversees diplomacy and negotiation with foreign powers, and handles relations between the different Sub-Sectors and other organisations, working to ensure internal stability.
* Minister of Finance - Responsible for overseeing internal trade and economic policy, like investment in the colonies and Dragon's Nest, and organising the collection of the tithe. Heads the Trust Administratum.
* Minister of Intelligence - Responsible for internal security and foreign espionage, coordinating with the organizations such as the Inquisition.
* Minister of Science & Technology - Represents the Trust's scientific and engineering community, and coordinates the Trust's cooperation with the Adeptus Mechanicus and other such organizations.
* Minister of War - Commands the Imperial Trust military. They appoint the Chiefs of Staff, assigns tithed troops to both Sub-Sectors and the central Trust forces, plan and execute campaigns where necessary, and decide the general military strategy and policy of the Imperial Trust.
* Two Ministers without Portfolio- Members of the Council without specific ministerial responsibilities who are serving in an advisory capacity, though have full voting powers.

3. The Executive Council holds the following regular duties and powers.

* To command the government apparatus and bureaucracy, and ensures that laws are properly implemented and upheld.
* To submit proposals for laws and constitutional changes to the High Council.
* Collectively approving key policy decisions made by its constituent members.
* Calling for an emergency High Council meeting.

4. The Executive Council may take on emergency powers to react to a crisis by majority vote by the Executive Council members or their designated representatives. The use of such powers must be ratified by a vote of the Grand Council within the shortest possible timeframe, as determined by the speed of warp travel and FTL communications. Examples of such powers are:

* To rally the military forces of the Trust in response to invasion or other imminent threats to the Imperial Trust's security.
* To expend resources in the Imperial Trust's reserves beyond the budget set by the High Council.
* To declare martial law at the Sub-Sector or System Government level.

#### I.A.iii. Administratum

1. The Administratum shall be responsible for the collection of taxes and tithes, ensuring the efficient distribution of the Imperial Trust's collective resources, and any other bureaucratic duties as determined by the High Council.

2. The Administratum shall have the following departments:

* Departmento Munitorum - Responsible for military logistics and management of military tithes.
* Estate Imperium - Record keeping department.
* Logis Strategos - Responsible for analysis of threats and working with the Inquisition, local Arbites, and other intelligence and security organizations.
* Imperial Mint - A department that will be responsible for the minting and management of currency.
* Imperial Trade Bureau - Responsible for the management of the Imperial Merchant Marine and collection of trade taxes.
* Departmento Treasurius - Responsible for the distribution of funds to various organizations.
* Departmento Revenus - Responsible for the collections of all other tithes, taxes, and fees.
* Departmento Standardis - Responsible for fixing standard weights and measures.

3. The Historical Revision Unit from old Imperium of Man shall be forever disbanded and no similar department shall be created.

#### I.A.iv. High Judges

1. The High Judges shall serve as the Trust's final judiciary authority.

2. The High Judges shall be made of thirteen judges appointed by majority approval of the High Council, with nominations coming from the Sub-Sector Governments. No two High Judges may be from the same sub-sector. High Judges are appointed for life, subject to removal only due to corruption, gross misconduct, or inability to perform their duties.

3. When there is a legal dispute between Sub-Sector Governments or System Governments in different Sub-Sectors, a randomly selected panel of five of the High Judges not from the worlds or Sub-Sectors in question shall be convened. The panel will attempt to mediate the dispute. If no agreement can be reached, the panel will hear arguments and make a judgement to settle the dispute. Deliberations between the High Judges will be held in closed chambers, and their votes regarding verdicts will be kept secret.

### I.B. Sub-Sector Governments

#### I.B.i. Sub-Sector Councils

1. The Sub-Sector Councils shall be bodies whose duty it is to coordinate the System Governments in each sub-sector that is part of the Imperial Trust.

2. Each System Government in a sub-sector will have a representative in that Sub-Sector Council. Additional members may be decided by the individual Sub-Sector Governments.

3. The Sub-Sector Councils shall have the following powers and responsibilities:

* The power to pass and impose common laws and policies across the Sub-Sector, and may integrate their laws and institutions to whatever degree they choose, as long as it does not infringe on a System Governments to choose their system of government or prosecutes unfairly any System Government.
* The power to appoint a representative to the High Council. Sub-sectors composed of mostly colonies or undeveloped worlds will not be able to receive representation.
* The ability to conduct reasonable interim diplomacy with small groups, such as refugees, approved protectorates, and other worlds in the Trust.

4. The Sub-Sector Councils shall have the following responsibilities:

* To faithfully uphold and implement the laws of the Imperial Trust. Failure to do so may result in sanction, prosecution, or military intervention.
* To establish as much economic self-sufficiency as can be reasonably achieved.
* To meet military and defence requirements set by the High Council.

#### I.B.ii. Sub-Sector Command

1. Each Sub-Sector Government must maintain a robust command structure to coordinate their military forces in order to better respond to attacks. These commands will be headed by a Sub-Sector Militant.

2. Sub-Sector Commands and their Sub-Sector Militants will follow orders from the Minister of War.

3. Sub-Sector Commands may impose additional sub-sector tithes during times of emergency, with approval of their Sub-Sector Councils.

#### I.B.iii. Judiciary

1. Each Sub-Sector Government must maintain a judiciary system to settle disputes between members System Governments. The exact structure of this may be decided upon locally.

### I.C. System Governments

1. A System Government shall be defined as the ruling government over an individual star system and population within. The form each System Government takes is determined by that government, and not the Imperial Trust Government or Sub-Sector Government.

2. The System Governments reserve the following powers:

* The power to raise and maintain armies.
* The power to built and maintain a navy.
* The power to create and enforce local laws suited to their individual conditions and needs.

3. System Governments give up the following powers:

* The power to conduct foreign diplomacy without authorization of the High Council or the Ministry of State. However, they may conduct diplomacy with local planetary species, and limited interim diplomacy with non-hostile human and xenos refugees, subject to later review by the Inquisition and High Council.
* The power to grant letters of marque.
* The power to mint currency.
* The power to emit bills of credit.
* The power to deny the extradition of criminals and suspected criminals to other System Governments.
* The System Governments shall give full faith and credit to the public Acts, Records, and Judicial Proceedings of each other System Government.

4. Each System Government is responsible for the following:

* Maintaining a PDF force to at least a minimum standard and size set by the High Council.
* Maintaining orbital defences to at least a minimum standard and size set by the High Council.
* Working to ensure a basic standard of living and education for its populace.
* Adhering to the laws of the Imperial Trust and their Sub-Sector Governments.
* Pay tithes set by the Imperial Trust and their Sub-Sector Governments.

## Article II. The Imperial Guard and the Imperial Navy

1. Members of the Imperial Trust must provide a portion of its military forces to serve in the Imperial Guard.

* 1.i Additional forces may be tithed to the Imperial Trust Guard with the permission of the Security Council.
* 1.ii. The Imperial Guard will serve as a reaction force against threats that cannot be defeated by local forces.
* 1.iii. When an Imperial Guard force is on the ground on a world actively engaged in a defensive war, the commander may take command of the local PDF and militia forces under their local commanders.

2. The Imperial Navy shall be headed by one of the three admirals to be decided upon by the High Council, with the other two admirals serving as sub-admirals.

* 2.i. Members of the Imperial Trust must provide a minimum of half of each class of warp-capable warship in their possession, rounded down, to be placed under the command of the Imperial Navy to be stationed and deployed where needed. Vessels placed under central command will be maintained using the Imperial Navy's resources.
	+ 2.i.a. Worlds may place more than the minimum of their fleet into the care of the Imperial Navy if desired and accepted by central naval command with each such additional vessel becoming a permanent component of the Central Navy.
	+ 2.i.b. The Security Council may set up a points-based valuation system by which ships of different classes may be tithed as an alternative to tithing every other ship of the same class.
* 2.ii. Orbital defences and non-warp capable defence vessels shall be owned and commanded by local forces. However, if the Imperial Navy is present during a battle the senior officer may take command of all local naval assets for the defence of the system.
* 2.iii. The Imperial Navy may purchase additional vessels at its own discretion to be kept under its permanent command, provided it has the budget to do so.

## Article III. The Inquisition

1. The Inquisition is an organization of individuals and their chosen agents with a high degree of autonomy who are charged with preventing the corruption of the Imperial Trust, whether this corruption be from the Ruinous Powers, hostile xenos, or simple greed and incompetence.

2. Inquisitors shall have immunity to local laws. Inquisitorial Acolytes shall also have limited immunity, to be determined in the code of conduct. Inquisitors are encouraged to work with local law enforcement where possible, but this is entirely at their discretion.

3. The Inquisition will create a code of conduct to which its agents are expected to adhere, to be approved by the High Council. Changes to this code must be proposed by the Inquisition and again approved by the High Council.

4. The Inquisition is expected to be self-policing. In the event that an Inquisitor violates the code of conduct or otherwise oversteps the boundaries of their authority, the other members of the Inquisition are expected to deal with the matter appropriately. In the event that the Inquisition does not resolve the matter, no less than two members of the High Council may call for a trial to remove the accused Inquisitor from the organization. The trial shall be lead by a panel of judges made up three randomly selected members of the High Council that are not among the accusers or the Inquisition. The accused Inquisitor must be allowed competent defense counsel.

5. No Inquisitor may be a Planetary Governor, member of the Security Council, or head of an Administratum department.

6. Inquisitors do not have the authority to command the Planetary Governors or other members of the High Council, nor do they have the authority to call Exterminatus.

7. The Inquisition may maintain a force of warships, merchantmen, and troops that does not exceed 5% of that held by the Imperial Navy and Imperial Guard. Purchase and maintenance of these assets will be paid for by the Inquisition. Distribution of these assets among their numbers will also be controlled by the Inquisition.

## Article IV. Species

1. The Imperial Trust is not inherently hostile to non-human species that give humanity the same respect.

2. The Imperial Trust may incorporate non-human nations and species as protectorates. The details of each nation or species shall be handled on a case by case basis by the High Council.

3. The Imperial Trust can further incorporate non-human species as full Members of the Imperial Trust.

* 3.i. Member Species are given the right to appoint a member to the High Council if they do not already hold a seat.
* 3.ii. Members of Member Species may not be discriminated against due to their race, and every system, sub-sector and sector government is expected to ensure that laws and systems are put into place to ensure that discrimination is prevented. The Inquisition is to ensure that these laws are enforced like all other Trust wide laws.
* 3.iii. The current list of Member Species of the Imperial Trust is as follows:
	+ Quartok
	+ Boessaewth

## Article V. Religion

1. The official religion of the Imperial Trust is the New Imperial Truth, as revealed to Saint Seamus Lin by the God-Emperor of Mankind himself.

2. Local religious traditions and practices that are not in conflict with and acknowledge the New Imperial Truth will not be oppressed. Xeno protectorates may maintain their own religion so long as they do not contradict the New Imperial Truth.

3. The worship of the Ruinous Powers or any other daemon is forbidden to all and punishable by death. All humanity has a duty to disobey and attempt to stop any other who they suspect is corrupted by the Ruinous Powers.

4. Cults worshipping xenos are proscribed for humans. Any cult worshipping hostile xenos is proscribed for any xeno protectorates.

5. The Cult Mechanicus is acknowledged as an accepted religion within the Imperial Trust. At the time of the founding, the senior member of the Adeptus Mechanicus shall be given the title of Fabricator-General and be considered the head of the Cult Mechanicus within the Imperial Trust. Future Fabricator-Generals shall be decided upon within the Adeptus Mechanicus itself by their own internal policies.

## Article VI. The Imperial Bank

1. To provide for ease of credit and transfers of funds within the Imperial Trust, each of member world shall establish a branch of a central bank, with the central branch located on the capital. Each branch shall be able to call upon all the others for credit and shall share reserves.

2. Each of the member worlds shall have shares in the bank, with the total shares owned by the planetary governments of the member worlds becoming no less than 70% of all total shares. At the time of the bank's founding, half of the 70% required to be held by the planetary governments will be split between the member worlds evenly and shall be held in perpetuity, with the remaining half being divided according to the wealth of the individual planets and may be traded among them. The remaining 30% may be traded freely and will be put on the open market for purchase, though no single individual or organization may own more than 3% of the total shares.

3. The treasury department shall deposit currently unused funds in the central bank.

4. Other banks and merchants may deposit money with the central bank.