Byzantine Imperium

The Byzantine Imperium

Otherwise known as the Imperium of Man, the Byzantine Imperium was founded by Byzantine colonists from Terra Nova during the first wave of human colonisation from Nova Terra in the 23rd Century.

Government

Formal Name: Byzantine Imperium, Imperium Romanum, Eastern Roman Star Empire

Informal Name: Imperium of Man, Imperium

Type of Government: Constitutional Monarchy

Head of State: Emperor Heraclius XX Komnenos the Great, Basileus and Autokrator of the Eastern Roman Star Empire, Imperator and Augustus of humanity, and revered as the God Emperor of Man by many of his people.

Imperial Cabinet: The High Senator leads a Cabinet that governs the relevant ministries.

Civil Service: Known as the Roman Curia, which administers and runs much of the apparatus that governs the Imperium.

Legislature: Imperial Senate

Judiciary: Imperial Judiciary

List of Roman Curia Ministries

• Ministry of Defence
• Ministry of Finance
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs
• Ministry of Home Affairs
• Ministry of Trade and Economy
• Ministry of Transportation and Space Exploration
• Ministry of Environment, Terraforming and Colonisation
• Ministry of Adeptus Mechanicus Oversight
• Ministry of Health and Genetics
• Ministry of Justice
• Ministry of Interplanetary Affairs

At the head of the Byzantine Imperium, is Emperor Heraclius XX Komnenos the Great. Revered by many as a God, he is a superhuman who has lived for many hundreds of years, and is a power psyker by right. He rules an Imperium that is xenophobic to the extreme, and the Imperium has exterminated many an alien race that was unfortunate enough to blunder into the Imperium.

However, as theocratic a state as the Imperiunm of Man, it also pursues Science and reveres it; seeing it as a tool required to exterminate all alien races in the galaxy. The main pillars of the Imperium are: the Adeptus Mechanicus, the Adeptus Astartes, the Imperial Guard, the Imperial Navy, the Eastern Orthodox Catholic Church, the Imperial Curia, the Imperial Senate, the Adeptus Urban Cohort and the Imperial Inquisition.

Much has changed of the government of the Byzantine Imperium since its founding days. Whereas at the beginning, the Emperor commanded only the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Defence, the Emperor now commands the Imperial Treasury, thus wielding near-absolute power. Much of this is owed to the Imperium-Tau war, that saw the full mobilization of the State to the defense of the Empire. The Emperor Heraclius XX the Great declared the Great Crusade, and called upon all the come to the defence of the Imperium in any way possible. The Imperial Senate granted him Emergency Powers, of which some has been granted back to the Imperial Senate. The Imperial Senate still administers most of the civilian apparatus, but the control of the Imperial Treasury now lies in both the Emperor's and the Senate's hands, and the former commands greater authority. However, in his benevolence, the Emperor Heraclius XX the Great has never exercised powers that results in the dissolution of the Imperial Senate, and keenly engages the Senate in various matters of state.

Further, the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Science and Technology no longer exist, instead replaced by an Ministry of Adeptus Mechanicus Oversight that works closely with the Adeptus Mechanicus to provide for the Imperium's technological and education needs. Much of this has been transferred to the control of the Adeptus Mechanicus, which administers the universities of the Imperium, along with guaranting all citizens of the Imperium an education. Education is compulsory, and it is through education that the various persons are streamed to ensure that they all become productive members of the Imperium.

It should be noted that the Imperium still respects the freedom of religion, and this is enshrined in Imperial Law, which dates back from the Byzantine Empire on Nova Terra. The Church is not part of the State per se, and the Roman Curia is secular in nature.

Population

Strictly human, and xenophobia still rages on ever since the Great Crusade, in no small part because of the Eastern Orthodox Catholic Church's urgings and venerations of the Emperor himself. However, considerable cybernetics and genetic engineering has resulted in humans who can live far longer than the original human. Only the Emperor and his sons are unique in that they did not require genetic engineering to allow them to continue living for hundreds of years and still counting. The average life span of humans is now about 300 years, and this is slated to simply increase because of further perfection of the human genome. This has not stifled human aggressiveness however, as increased manipulation of the human genome seemed to have not only increased the average intelligence and hunger for knowledge and power. Cybernetics is also heavily used, especially for many of the Adeptus Mechanicus where it aids in their work. No one has gone as far as transform his or her consciousness into an Artificial Intelligence entity however, as the issue of the soul still rages around, not least with the Eastern Orthodox Catholic Church mixed with the debate. Nevertheless, doubly redundant and isolated mind-machine interfaces are used, and if people needed more brain power, there was always the option of 'plugging' in to a Central Processing Unit Module for additional brain power.

Economy

Main article: Economy of the Byzantine Imperium

During the Great Crusade, the Imperium went into a state of Total War where all the economic and financial resources of the Imperium were strictly commited to the war effort. Most industries were nationalized and every citizen was pressed to the war effort. Much of the economy came under the direct control of the Imperial Curia. After the war was over, it took a decade at least for the Imperial Curia to restore the economy to a state whereby most was dominated by a private sector and the remainder by the Adeptus Mechanicus, which is for the most part a de facto Government controlled entity that supplies much of the war materiel of the Imperium and conducts a sizable portion of the civilian and military research and development.

The economy of the Imperium of Man is dominated by the Adeptus Mechanicus (approximately 30-40%), but large numbers of large private corporations exist, along with tens of thousands of smaller companies. Many of the more enterprising members of the Adeptus Mechanicus leave to join private corporations or form their own. Much of the heavy industry and defence industry however, is in the purview of the Adeptus Mechanicus. The various forgeworlds are massive factory worlds that produce much of the equipment and weapons and warships for the Imperium's armies, though the forgeworlds do lease part of their land to private companies who work closely with the Adeptus Mechanicus for civilian and defence projects. Much innovation occurs within the Adeptus Mechanicus, as the various forge worlds constantly vie for contracts from the Imperium. Major competition also occur between the Adeptus Mechanicus and various companies as well. Active government support, and private innovation, has allowed the Imperium to field some of the most advanced equipment and weapons the galaxy has ever seen. As one would expect, a progressive tax is levied on all the Imperium's citizens, though the Adeptus Mechanicus does receive tax rebates in return for their service and sacrifice to the Imperium, both in the form of technology, research, and their Titan Legions, and also providing the necessary logistical and techical support to the Imperium's military.

In general, the economy of the Imperium is fairly diverse, ranging from resource exploitation with sophisticated technologies, to high technology products. All high technology products are subject to export controls, to control the spread of the Imperium's technologies. Major exports range from natural resources and food, to heavy machinery, computers and nanotechnology products. Nanotechnology and Picotechnology allows the Imperium to develop extremely sophisticated computers and materials required to build and run other high technology products such as Warp Reactors and so forth. Sophisticated shipyards, weapons and munitions manufactoriums operated by the Adeptus Mechanicus support the Imperial Military.

As one might expect, the Byzantine Imperium, as with its predecessor, the Byzantine Empire, is a major trading and banking power. It operates sizable trade fleets, and has a sizable banking industry to provide the necessary finance to the companies of the Imperium.

Education

All citizens are required to receive compulsory education, provided for by the Adeptus Mechanicus and the Roman Curia. The scientifically adept are immediately inducted into the Adeptus Mechanicus and given thorough training before becoming an Technician, followed by Engineer and Technomagos. Some who excel in the fundamental Sciences, are given titles such as Academicians.

The remaining citizens are then allowed to join various parts of the Imperial Government, as well as military. Those who meet extremely stringent requirements such as genetics, are inducted into the Adeptus Astartes, the mailed fist of the Imperium. Some become traders, businessmen, while many join the Imperial Guard and Imperial Navy, and perhaps the more gifted join the Curia, or the Imperial Inquisition. The more religious become priests in the Church of Man, venerating the God Emperor. This is highly regulated however, despite the protests of the clergy. The Roman Curia does not believe priests contribute as positively as other professions, though they regard the Church as useful.

The only real problem with an Education system with such regimented streaming is that the creativity of the masses have been so honed towards the Sciences and Engineering and some Humanities and Social Sciences, that the population has no time to develop skills for art. Some musicians exist, but they are relatively few and amateurish at best. Luxury items such as bags and fashionable clothes do not exist, and hence these are largely imported.

Territory

No. of NCP points: 25

Total GDP: $63,000 (1 Home, 3 Core, 1 Mid, 4 Colonies, 1 hyperlane junction , 1 GDP boost)

Territories: R24, S24, T24, S23, T23, U23, U22, T22, V22

Constantinople Sector

Sector Type: Home Sector

GDP: $17000

Location: T23

Sector Capital: Terra

Main Forge World: Mars, Jupiter

Notable Systems: Sophia, Ravenna, Constantinople

Additional Notes: Warp Gate and Hyperspace Junction present

Thessaloniki Sector

Sector Type: Core Sector

GDP: $10000

Location: T22

Sector Capital: Thessaloniki

Main Forge World: Athens

Notable Planets: Benevento, Carthago

Antioch Sector

Sector Type: Core Sector

GDP: $10000

Location: S23

Sector Capital: Antioch

Main Forge World: Actium

Notable Planets: Nikea, Sicily

Stasograd Sector

Sector Type: Core Sector

GDP: $10000

Location: T24

Sector Capital: Stasograd

Main Forge World: Stalingrad

Notable Planets: Severodvinsk, Shadowgrad

Ephesus Sector

Sector Type: Mid Sector

GDP: $8000

Location: R24

Sector Capital: Ephesus

Main Forge World: Cyrus

Hyperspace Junction Present

Orena Sector

Sector Type: Colony Sector

GDP: $2000

Location: T22

Sector Capital: Orena

Main Forge World: Morski Zamek

Arabiapolis Sector

Sector Type: Colony Sector

GDP: $2000

Location: U22

Sector Capital: Arabiapolis

Main Forge World: Damascus

Sicily Sector

Sector Type: Colony Sector

GDP: $2000

Location: U23

Sector Capital: Sicily

Main Forge World: Bari

Rome Sector

Sector Type: Colony Sector

GDP: $2000

Location: V22

Sector Capital: Rome

Main Forge World: Taranto

Major Organisations

Adeptus Mechanicus

Main article: Adeptus Mechanicus

The Adeptus Mechanicus is the all encompassing organisation within the Imperium charged with funding scientific research and pushing the boundaries of Imperial Science to the far frontiers. Among the achievements of the Adeptus Mechanicus was the Rift Generator, and the Warp gun that gives the Imperial Navy a near unparalleled advantage on the battlefield. The Adeptus Mechanicus also provides engineering and scientific services to the Imperial Armed Forces, and runs the various forge worlds throughout the Imperium, producing goods and weapons materiel for the Imperial Armed Forces.

Imperial Inquisition

Main article: Imperial Inquisition

The Imperial Inquisiton is essentially the evolution of Imperial Intelligence. It has now been granted greater powers than before, and its reach is pervasive throughout society. Their role is to defend the Imperium from external and internal threats, and it has never hesitated from sanctioning the exterminatus of a planet beyond Imperial space if so required.