Empire: Difference between revisions

===Departing the Federation===

{{Quote|The origins of the Empire date back to the colonisation of the Achenar system in the middle of the 23rd century. Marlin Duval was a wealthy woman from Earth, who, disenchanted with their administration and authorities, set off with her own colonising fleet to Achenar 6d because it was so far from Earth. Her leadership ended abruptly when her brother Henson oversaw a flying 'accident' in which she perished. The democratic government changed abruptly to one of strict imperial rule and from then on the family assumed leadership. Female children in the family were prevented with genetic techniques, such was the hatred of Marlin Duval's principles and vision of a world in peace. This restriction was gradually phased out over the years, but the succession of Emperors has remained along the male line until recently."|Tourist Spot 0128, Achenar system<ref name="S128">Tourist Spot 0128, "Origins of the Empire"</ref>}}

What is now known as the Empire began around in the middle of the 23rd century, with the architect of peace and an anti-Federation activist [[Marlin Duval]].<ref name="GalnetBirthOfAnEmpire">[https://community.elitedangerous.com/galnet/uid/559fe59e9657ba1b5a47e853 GalNet: The Birth of an Empire]</ref> She had long spoken out against the oppressive Federal administration of the time. Such was her disenchantment that she gathered her family together, along with many supporters, and left the Federation. Marlin led them to a distant star system called Achenar, many light years from Sol, in order to found a new colony based on peaceful ideals.<ref name="GalnetBirthOfAnEmpire" /> In 2292,<ref name="EE" /> a suitable home was found orbiting Achenar 6, a Class III gas giant, and Achenar 6d was colonised. Now called [[Capitol]], this moon formed the core world of the [[Republic of Achenar]], which would later become the Empire.<ref name="GalnetBirthOfAnEmpire" />

 

 

===Accusations of Genocide===

 

Federal historians, citing Federal decrees of the time, paint a different tale. The official Federal version of events alleges that Capitol was in fact sterilised on the orders of [[Henson Duval]], brother of Marlin Duval, prior to terraforming some years after Marlin's death. Imperial scholars disagree on whether this was due to innocent confusion over misunderstood or misrepresented information, associating plans for the terraforming of nearby world Conversion, a project which would not be completed until 2696, with that of the genocide, or a deliberate political smear campaign based on Marlin Duval's antagonistic relationship with the Federation.

 

=== The Battle of Achenar ===

{{Main|Battle of Achenar}}

The [[Battle of Achenar|war]] between the Federation and [[Achenar]] was notable as the first large-scale interstellar conflict. Much has been made over the years of the Federation's reasons for invading Achenar, in particular the claim that the annihilation of the native sentient species was little more than a slim pretext. While it was certainly true that the principal reason for the military action was Achenar's refusal to join the Federation, it is also worth noting that the protection of xeno-culture and life forms was a key tenet of the Federation's founding.<ref name=":8">[https://community.elitedangerous.com/galnet/uid/55a910889657bad10af67b12 GalNet: A Clash of Titans]

</ref> The Imperial succession was again thrown into question, with Hengist's granddaughter [[Aisling Duval]] jockeying for the position. On October 6, the matter was finally settled when Arissa Lavigny-Duval was declared Emperor by a vote of the Imperial Senate, and she was formally crowned on October 18, 3301.<ref name=":4">[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/561397259657ba7007435572 GalNet: Senate Declares Arissa Lavigny-Duval Emperor]

</ref>

 

That same month, Senator [[Denton Patreus]] waged a military campaign to eradicate Emperor's Dawn. Many Emperor's Dawn bases across Imperial and Federal space were destroyed, and on February 5, 3302, Patreus declared the group had been wiped out. In recognition of Patreus's service, Emperor Arissa promoted him to Admiral of the Fleet, giving him command of the Imperial Navy.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/galnet/uid/56cae5a39657bade449aaddb GalNet: Galactic News: Denton Patreus Receives Promotion]</ref>

 

On October 6, 3303, authorities in the Pleiades Nebula reported that the Federation had completely withdrawn its ships from the region, likely marking the end of the Federal-Imperial cold war over meta-alloys. The Empire was expected to follow suit in the coming days. Political commentators suggested that the attitude of cooperation brought about by the joint formation of Aegis, as well as escalating Thargoid attacks in the Pleiades, had been the catalyst for the withdrawal.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/59d7526d8101dd5da464f2fa GalNet: Galactic News: Federation Withdraws from Pleiades]</ref> The Empire's own withdrawal was confirmed by regional authorities on October 11.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/59ddfbc6122be924b4645a7d GalNet: Galactic News: Empire Pulls Out of Pleiades]</ref>

 

Relations between the Federation and the Empire appeared poised to continue warming on June 22, 3304, when Princess [[Aisling Duval]] of the Empire announced her engagement to Federal Ambassador [[Jordan Rochester]].<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5b2a5313ac998e5aec013c6b GalNet: Aisling Duval Announces Marriage to Federal Ambassador]</ref> The planned marriage proved controversial not only among Federal citizens, but also in Imperial circles.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5b335f4b308c8b18a33feb05 GalNet: Galaxy Reacts to Federal-Imperial Betrothal]</ref> However, days before the ceremony was scheduled to occur in August 3304, anti-slavery activist [[Jarl Toredo]] revealed to the public that he had been in a secret relationship with Aisling, and Jordan's mother, [[Isolde Rochester]], cancelled the wedding.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5b742ce2563afa25f241db2f GalNet: Aisling Duval's Secret Relationship Revealed]</ref><ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/5b7d48ec3cc7f7442d0414e4 GalNet: Aisling Duval Wedding Cancelled]</ref>

 

====3306 - Present====

The Empire was shaken by a series of terrorist attacks on four [[starport]]s on September 10, 3306 that were carried out by the [[Neo-Marlinist Liberation Army]], an extremist paramilitary faction dedicated to abolishing the monarchy by force and replacing it with a system of representation by elected senators.<ref name="Terrorist Attacks">[https://community.elitedangerous.com/galnet/uid/5f59df9848baea0ae33e1e05 GalNet: Terrorist Attacks on Imperial Starports]</ref> Four days later, the NMLA also assassinated Prince [[Harold Duval]].<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/galnet/uid/5f5f5a4a838b10170647e29b GalNet: Prince Harold Duval Assassinated]</ref> In response, the [[Imperial Navy]] embarked on a widespread anti-terrorism operation to root out the NMLA. Believing that supporters of the more moderate [[Marlin Duval|Marlinist]] ideology were collaborating with the radical and violent NMLA, the Imperial Navy attempted mass arrests of Marlinists. Millions fled their homes to escape persecution, sparking the [[Marlinist refugee crisis]], and by October 20, 3306, many had arrived in several outlying Federal systems. The Empire formally requested that the refugees be returned, but Federal Ambassador [[Jordan Rochester]] refused and asked [[Federal Congress]] to grant them asylum.<ref name="Refugees Flee">[https://community.elitedangerous.com/galnet/uid/5f8eccd964813d010413e662 GalNet: Marlinist Refugees Flee to the Federation]</ref> On October 26, Federal Congress granted the Marlinists temporary Federal citizenship at the request of [[Shadow President]] [[Felicia Winters]] despite [[President of the Federation|President]] [[Zachary Hudson]]'s stated intention to return the refugees to the Empire.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/galnet/uid/5f96dae3c5f82d16485c8ba7 GalNet: Congress Votes to Accept Marlinist Immigrants]</ref> As a result, tensions between the Empire and the Federation increased, with some fearing that the Empire could declare war to recapture the Marlinists.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/galnet/uid/5f9c3b09f940387d9539a785 GalNet: Empire and Federation Clash Over Marlinists]</ref> The situation worsened on November 5, 3306, when the Empire invaded LTT 1935, a Federal system in neutral space that the [[Imperial Internal Security Service]] had reason to believe contained multiple hidden NMLA bomb-making facilities.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/galnet/uid/5fa3f841861db67e3c548667 GalNet: Federal and Imperial Forces Engage in Battle]</ref> The conflict ended on November 12, with the LTT 1935 Confederacy securing a decisive victory and preventing an Imperial occupation.<ref name="FedResists">[https://community.elitedangerous.com/galnet/uid/5fad25247ca22b31b03796c3 GalNet: Federal System Resists Imperial Takeover]</ref>

 

The NMLA was finally defeated in a decisive confrontation in the Mudhrid system on December 2, 3307. The bulk of the NMLA's remaining cells and supporters gathered there in an attempt to rendezvous with Theta Seven, who had gone into hiding after bombing the Marlinist Colonies in July, but they were defeated by Imperial forces with the assistance of independent pilots.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/galnet/uid/619f87b6ec2baf12582da95a GalNet: The Battle of Mudhrid]</ref><ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/galnet/uid/61a8b6928debb451f45185cf GalNet: Battle of Mudhrid Ends in NMLA Defeat]</ref> With nowhere left to run, Theta Seven killed himself, his last followers, and thousands of [[Far God cult|Far God cultists]] who he had taken hostage by detonating bombs aboard the [[Sacrosanct]] megaship on December 13.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/galnet/uid/61b22be2043a8c1f9e7ae20c GalNet: The Death of Theta Seven]</ref>

 

 

The superpowers agreed to shut down Aegis on January 18, 3308 per the recommendation of the [[Paul Baumann|Baumann Report]], which had found that Aegis was no longer able to effectively carry out its anti-Thargoid responsibilities. The Imperial Senate approved Senator Patreus's request for a military budget increase, allowing the Imperial Navy to assume Aegis's role in defending the Empire from Thargoid attacks.<ref>[https://community.elitedangerous.com/galnet/uid/61e6ba29f6b3cd47d1758763 GalNet: Superpowers Plan to Replace Aegis]</ref>

==Government==

===Leadership===

The [[Emperor]] is the head of state and head of government of the Empire. Monarchs of the [[Imperial Family]] have ruled the Empire since the coronation of [[Henson Duval]] in 2320.<ref name="LineD" /><ref name="EE" />

 

All [[Senators]] and the [[Emperor]] can sit in the [[Imperial Senate]], but it is rare that all participate at the same time. The [[Chancellor]] is a Senator with additional powers, and he or she runs any debates in the Senate. They are appointed by the Emperor. It is otherwise structurally flat by law, but in practice has power blocks within it, led by the more important/powerful Senators. Not all Senators are equal. There are regular votes on issues of the day, and the Senator’s voting power is the total number of [[Imperial Citizen|Citizens]] (in turn represented by [[Client]]s, and blocks of Clients by [[Patron]]s) they currently represent. They are influenced by their most powerful Patrons – who in turn are not all equal, and Patrons may move their block to another Senator at a whim, particularly if they feel their current Senator is not representing the views of their Clients. Senators can lose Patrons quickly if their actions are unpopular, but bear in mind a Senator sets tax rates and healthcare for all those that support them, so can effectively bribe Patrons to ally themselves with them. The most powerful Senators can have a hundred or more times the voting power than others, and a Senate majority can be just a few of the major Senators, but honour requires that the views of all Senators are listened to politely before voting against them.<ref name=":5" />

 

Historically the Imperial Senate used to always physically sit in the [[Senate House]] on [[Capitol]] (Achenar 6d). It is near to the [[Imperial Palace]]. Technically it still does sit there, but in practice most Senators "sit" virtually by remote projection – though by tradition there are a number of events (like the accession of a new Emperor, and on Empire Day (January 2nd) where it is considered proper and polite to attend physically, where a party atmosphere descends on Capitol as the entourages of each Senator arrive in their finery.<ref name=":5" />

 

 

==Key systems ==

*[[Achenar]] - An early extrasolar colony that became the capital of the Empire. The planet [[Capitol]], seat of the Emperor and the Imperial Senate, was once home to a native sentient species known as the [[mudlark]]s before human colonisation drove them to extinction.

*[[Cemiess]] - Home system of [[Aisling Duval]].

==Videos==

<gallery>

File:The Empire- The Second Chance - Elite Dangerous

File:EMPIRES - Elite Dangerous- Odyssey

File:Elite Dangerous OST - Empire Mix

File:Elite- Dangerous Fiction Diary -1

File:Fiction Diary -4

</gallery>

 

File:Empire Capitol Achenar 6D.png|Capitol, capital of the Empire

File:Imperial-Navy-Fleet.png|Imperial Navy fleet

File:Elite-Dangerous-Imperial-Palace-Concept-Art.png|Imperial Palace concept art

File:Elite-Dangerous-Empire-City.png|An Imperial city