The Golden Empire of Light

The Golden Empire of Light, or known colloquially as the Golden Empire, existed during the Imperial Age as the first and largest nation of the Free Races of Light. One of the most successful governments of the world, it survived the ascension of thirteen royal houses (seven Human, four Elven and two Dwarven) as well as natural and other political disasters. Under it's reign, the Free Races expanded from one world to well over a hundred and saw an explosion of technical, cultural, and political creativity. At it's end, the Empire would oversee more beings than any political or religious entity that has risen in it's stead.

History

Foundation

The Golden Empire of Light was founded at the end of the Liberation Age and marked the beginning of the Imperial Age. The design of the first emperor Marcus Salutis, who was elevated to the name Emperor Arelius I, the Golden Empire was formed from the refugees of Neamh after the Diaspora. After being displaced with most of their nobility and other leadership destroyed, the various other Races would accept mostly human rule for almost three hundred years.

The Celestine College and the High Compact

Marcus Salutis would gather leaders from all the Races of Light into a body known as the Celestine College. There, over a month of deliberation, they would draft the High Compact, which would become the legal foundation of the Empire. The High Compact would establish the position of Emperor as Head of State and Commander of the Imperial Legions. The Union of The Wise would be formed as the elected body of the Imperial Legislature. The Union would draft laws, levy taxes, and hold elections to ascend a new emperor after the death or abdication of the old. Finally, the Compact would establish rights for citizens to property, speech and the free exercise of peaceable assembly.
The final business of the College would be to elect Marcus Salutis as Emperor Arelius I.

The Great Expansion

The first four houses of the Empire ruled for six hundred years and would see an unprecedented era of expansion, prosperity and peace. As the Imperial Capitol burst beyond it's borders, citizens of the empire roamed into the countryside to claim new steads for themselves and their families. They would also leave the relative safety of First Hope to begin another journey across the Omni to discover new worlds and re-colonize those once Dragon or Daemonic dominated worlds now made free.
There are few political or cultural events of note in this time, but the Expansion is noted by many historians for it's religious blooming. Several different faiths would compete for dominance and piety in this period. While some faiths claimed to speak on behalf of the Prophet to unite all Races, most faiths were Race-specific. These early cults would form the basis of many of the religions that would spring up in the modern day, but in these early times, where life was safe and wealth was plentiful, few paid much heed to the pulpits and the preaching of spiritualists and organized clergy.
Towards the end of the Great Expansion, the Empire was slowly losing it's ability to administer the furthest frontiers of it's territory. The further people moved from the Imperial Capitol and the more generations raised in peace away from the war, the more people sought independence from the Empire. So long as it did not express itself in open rebellion, the ruling house of Septemae was satisfied to take in a degree less in taxes in order to allow these frontier houses to have more autonomy.
The Great Expansion would end as suddenly as it began when a new Imperial House would be elevated to the Imperial Throne.

The Consolidation

House Hyrana and House Ordovanian were the two most powerful families in the Empire at the time of the death of Emperor Lucius IV, last scion of the House of Septemae. House Ordovanian, a house of Human patricians known for their shrewd business sense, favoured keeping the Septemae status quo. However, an insurgent House Hyrana, an Elven family known for their religious faith, was gaining favour and power in the Union. The debate between the two houses in the Union would draw crowds in the thousands to the galleries or to staged plays of the debates.
In the end, the vote would favour the Hyrana and Emperor Javaxis I would thus ascend to the throne. Javaxis the Reformer

Military

At the beginning of the Empire, the Imperial Legions made up the only military presence. At their height, there were ninety-four known legions that served the Emperor.
At the height of the Empire, as it rapidly expanded, two new military branches would be added. The Praetorian Legions came under the rule of the Union and were tasked with protecting the Capitol and the Emperor. Finally, local Legions or Vexallatio were formed by local nobility in more remote areas to act as rapid-reaction forces that could be quickly raised to defend local interests where it would take too long to wait for the Imperial Legions to arrive.

Semper Libero

Type

Geopolitical, Empire

Capital

High Celestia

Alternative Names

The Golden Empire

Demonym

Great Imperial

Government System

Monarchy, Constitutional

Power Structure

Feudal state

Economic System

Mixed economy

Currency

Coins from the Golden Empire of Light are rare and very valuable to collectors. There are three known remaining kinds of coins: t

1. 1.

The Rana a chipped coin made of petrified wood that is thought to have been very valuable.

1. 2.

The Diamen is a golden coin that is thought to have been the coin most used in larger market transactions.

1. 3.

The Pina is a smaller copper coin that many scholars believe was the coin most used by the common classes to conduct more daily transactions such as buying food, clothes, or daily services.

Legislative Body

The Union of the Wise acted as a unicameral house that was empowered to levy taxes, approve and establish new laws, and (upon the Emperor's death) vote to lift the new Emperor to the throne.

Judicial Body

There was no official government post of "judge" in the Golden Empire.
When a local constabulary would make an arrest, the local lord was the one who would oversee trials. If the lord was not available, an Iudex would be hired by the local constabulary or lord to oversee the trial.
In civil quarrels, the local lord would often hire an Arbiter to mediate and then resolve the dispute. Once subject to mediation, both parties would agree to abide by the judgment at the risk of banishment or imprisonment.