The Imperium
T
he Imperium is perhaps the oldest and most established faction across Utera, renowned for its militaristic prowess and technological advancements. Primarily located on Opus , the Imperium holds its base of operations in Meridia, their capital city and birthplace of the modern day empire.
Highborn & Lowborn
The Highborn are a race of individuals possessing Idalian blood. Originally half-human, half-Idale, Highborn have diversified across a selection of races as time has passed on. Considered gods among men, Highborn are often given special treatment compared to their Lowborn counterparts.Highborn
The genetic predisposition of being a Highborn is not a perfect science, though there do seem to be certain races that contain Idale blood more than others. In general, the higher the concentration of Idale DNA between two parents, the more likely the child is to front their Highborn heritage. However, it is possible for families with no prior knowledge of Highborn heritage to find that their child is in fact a Highborn. When this happens, the child is often higher status than the parents. Physical Features In the eyes of the Imperium, having a direct relation to the godly Idale is a sign of irrefutable power. Being a part of this bloodline makes an individual a Highborn, a direct descendent of the first Emperor and the Idale themselves. The easiest way to tell if one is a Highborn is by their physical features: the Idale were an elf-like race, and as such, genetic markers such as pointed ears and silver-colored eyes are key indicators of their bloodline. Highborn individuals with a high concentration of Idale blood tend to be slender and lithe, though this is not always the case as the generations diversify. Those with a lower concentration of Idale blood still present similarly to other Highborn, though typically to a lesser degree. Social Status To be a Highborn in the Imperium is to be considered a high-class citizen. Many Highborn are given special treatment and privileges within the Imperium, even if they came from a family that had never had a Highborn prior. Usually, when a family with no other Highborn has a child that presents as such, the child is given a higher status than the rest of it's family. All Highborn children attend an education program tailored uniquely to their heritage - a privilege in and of itself. Once grown, many Highborn use their privilege to fuel high-end businesses, engage in politics, or even find their way into the military. Highborn Races Some races are genetically predispositioned to be Highborn. Elves, for example, are always Highborn, unless they are the Wood Elf variety that is native to the Enclave. Humans and Azarketi have a strong chance of being Highborn, though it is not guaranteed as it is for elves. Orcs and Dwarves have been known to have a selection of Highborn individuals, though they are usually few and far between.Lowborn
Lowborn is the term typically used to describe an individual without any Highborn features. Typically, this means that the individual has no Idale blood, but there are occasions where Lowborn families have a Highborn child, indicating some level of kinship with the ancient race. Social Status Lowborn in the Imperium make up a large population across the Empire, and are important members of their society, even if they are not treated as such. Many commoners are Lowborn, and naturally, make up a large part of the economy and militant force. However, their literal importance does not always match up to their social role; many Lowborn work as farmers, fishers, and low-tier merchants. Even more of them are poor, and often express frustration with the favoritism of the Highborn. Lowborn are less likely to be within the upper strata of the Empire, though there have been a handful who have worked their way up the social ladder to get there. Lowborn are less likely to be educated, and often have to do much of the intensive labor within the Imperium, which systemically prevents them from being on the same social level as their Highborn peers. Furthermore, certain Lowborn races have been colonized by the Imperium, be it willingly or not. In the best case scenario, these races form small settlements and work for the government, be it as farmers or manufacturers, in the case of the more intelligent races. Usually, however, these races end up doing slave labor alongside Enclave prisoners. For many of them, being a slave is better than the alternative. Lowborn Races Some races are not guaranteed to be Highborn, even if it has happened before. These races include Humans, Azarketi, Dwarves, and Orcs. Dwarves and Orcs, for the most part, tend to be Lowborn, unlike Humans and Azarketi. Other races, however, have historically always been Lowborn. These include Goblins, Hobgoblins, Lizardfolk, Ratfolk, and Shoony.Culture and Religion
The culture and religion of the Imperium is largely dependent on an individual's social and economic status. To read more, please see The Meridian Church, Mother Meridia, and the Feast of Spring Blossoms.Structure
The Imperium is hierarchal in nature, and is composed of several members spanning a variety of roles.
Most importantly, the Imperium is run by a sitting monarch whom is typically referred to as the Emperor. The sitting emperor to date has always been, and likely will always be, a Highborn member of a royal house.
Second to the Emperor are those within the Council, whose main duties include advising the Emperor on decisions and enforcing laws within the highly ranked.
Next is the Highborn nobility. Royalty within the Imperium is denoted by the presence of Highborn features - the more prevalent they are, the higher concentration of Highborn blood, and thus the more status one has within the empire. Many of the Highborn nobility are wealthy business families, and often find their fortune through military contracting or selling high-end merchandise.
Following the Highborn nobility comes Highborn that do not have as many notable Idale features, typically those born into families with little to no Highborn blood.
After Highborn, the Lowborn hierarchy follows as such, with the odd exception here and there:
Please note - Human and Azarketi Lowborn are generally treated better than Lowborn of other races.
High ranking military personnel
Upper Class Lowborn, including highly regarded politicians and merchants
Soldiers
Merchants and Traders
Commoners, including fishers and farmers
Gladiators
Slaves, including Enclave imprisonment
Public Agenda
The public agenda of the Imperium is simple on paper, but complicated in practice.
In the eyes of the commoners, the Imperium stands to protect them from any and all threats, namely that of the Enclave, who they have been told is working to infiltrate the Empire and uproot everything that they have worked to build thus far.
For the Imperium leadership and inner circle, however, their goal is to uncover the secrets left behind by the Idale. Determined to follow through with the work of their predecessors, the Imperium leadership is convinced that they are the chosen race of the Idale to learn the true purpose of their existence on Utera. Though perhaps mislead in what this actually requires from the Empire, the Imperium has worked relentlessly to discover the secrets of their ancient ancestors.
History
Pre-Founding
The founding of the Imperium is closely linked to the downfall of the The Idale, though the exact history to this is unknown, and remains a mystery lost to time. The truth surrounding the founding of the Imperium alludes most, leaving any remaining common knowledge down to myth. Legend has it that the Idale, the most technological and magically advanced race of their time, were searching for the key to god-hood at the risk of their own lives. Knowing this but continuing to move forward with their search, the Idale soon took interest in the budding civilizations of humans across Utera, noting that at this point in time, they were on the brink of war with each other. It is said that the Idale appeared to the humans as gods, immensely powerful and nearly beyond mortal comprehension. They offered the humans a solution to their feuding - follow the Idale in their purpose with the promise of resources and immeasurable power, or be left to slowly kill each other and the human race as a whole. Naturally, the humans agreed, and the beginnings of the Imperium were born.The Rise of the Highborn
Some matter of years later, long after the humans had begun to praise their Idale saviors as gods and build an empire in their name, the first Highborn was birthed. His name was Ailluin the First, son of Meridia. Until this point in time, any attempt at interbreeding between the Idale and the humans had resulted in failed pregnancies and mothers losing their lives during childbirth. Legend has it that the Idale were a rapidly dying race, and that their only chance at survival was to create a race of half-human half-Idale hybrids to continue their search for power and immortality.Meridia, however, was the exception. Having survived the trying pregnancy of carrying an Idale child, she was the first woman to have successfully birthed an Idale-human hybrid, of which soon became known as Highborn. Having birthed the equivalent to a demi-god in the eyes of the empire, Meridia became a celebrated and religiously renowned figure, forever ingrained into the identity of the Imperium.
The First Emperor
To no surprise, Ailluin went on to become the first emperor of the Imperium, setting in place the precedent that Highborn are the only ones to take the throne. Having reigned during the Idale's existence, Ailluin went on to father innumerous Highborn children with a variety of women, solidifying both his bloodline and the Highborn race. Having reined for 500 years, Ailluin was revered as a godly figure in life, and continued to be praised even into his death.The Fall of the Idale
The godly founders of the Imperium kept many of their secrets to themselves, only interacting with the humans when absolutely necessary or for breeding purposes. Because of this, much of their intelligence and the true intent of their goals was lost to the empire after their disappearance. Leaving behind their Highborn descendants as the inheritors of the Imperium, the Idale were lost to an unknown event. The humans that had interacted closely with them had long since passed, which left all common knowledge of the race to myth and word of mouth. The Highborn went on to continue to rule the Imperium after the disappearance of the Idale and the death of Ailluin the First. Since then, their goals have shifted from helping the Idale to learning everything they can about their mysterious ancestors, intent on finishing their work.
Founding Date
10-01 CE
Government System
Geopolitical, Empire
Economic System
Command economy
Location
Opus
Official Languages
Common
Related Ethnicities
Elves, excluding Wood Elves
Humans
Azarketi
Dwarves
Orcs
Goblins
Hobgoblins
Lizardfolk
Shoony
Ratfolk
Type
Political, Faction / Party
Alternative Names
The Empire
Head of Government
Controlled Territories
Notable Members
Mother Meridia
by Amaati
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