Imperium

Imperium is a country primarily located in Central Arhet. It is a confederation governed as a parliamentary monarchy and consists of 90 first-level entities: 52 republics, 32 kingdoms and 6 archipelagos. Imperium covers an area of 13,847,000 km² (5.3 million square miles), has an estimated total population of 1.25 billion and shares border with 26 countries. The Hegemonian institutions are seated in 7 cities: Magium (the largest city), Arx Consularis, Orei, Dicaearchus, Balisipo, Merkatos and Lichas; although Magium is unofficially considered as the political center since the Epistalma (and its executive ministries), the Senate and the emperor are seated there.

Due to its strategic position in Arhet and its large extension, Imperium has been home to myriad civilizations. After thousands of years of human development in the area, the Phocaeans and the Icarians emerged as the predominant civilizations in the modern Imperium, consolidating their power through the Res Publica Phocaeensis (Phocaeans) and the poleis (Icarians). Both civilization disputed the control of the area during years, until the intervention of Magius allowed both civilizations to consolidate their territories as the Ethereal Empire, the earliest stage of the modern Imperium. The Ethereal Empire was governed by Magius itself for over 500 years, and by his direct descendants for 200 years following Magius' ascension to the Ether.

The Dominate started in 221 when Titanius III became the first emperor without a direct bloodline to Magius, and was established as an absolutist system in which the successors were direct or adopted descendants of the emperors. This system was superseded in 452 by the First Electivate, a system in which the emperor was elected by the High Council, composed of the regional, magical and religious leaders of Imperium. This system was reformed as the Second Electivate in 1072, with the creation of the province legislatures (elected by the people), who where responsible for appointing members of the Senate, a federal legislative body responsible for formulating federal laws and ratifying the election of the emperor by the High Council. Following significant reforms to the system, the Reformatio Rei Publici of 1720 concluded the transition to a federal constitutional monarchy.

Etymology and terminology
According to the early historian Fabius Musca, the early inhabitants referred to Emperium as Imperium Aetherium, a term from the Proto-Magonian language, using the words imperium (empire, great power) and aetherius, an adjective meaning ("ethereal, celestial, heavenly"). The term symbolizes the divine origin of Magius, son of Cronus and Rhea, and twin brother of Zeus; and therefore, of all his descendants who were emperors for 200 years after Magius' ascension to Ether. Although over time the country changed its form of government, from the Dominate in 221 to the constitutional monarchy in 1720, the word "Imperium" has remained throughout all these systems to refer to the country.

On the other hand, the use of the word "aetherius" fell into disuse after the formation of the Dominate in 221, since as of Titanius II, the emperors have no bloodline with Magius (the origin of the divinity on the throne). The Icarian word "ἡγεμονία" (hēgemonía), meaning "authority, rule, political supremacy", was progressively incorporated as an informal term to refer to the country, and eventually became official to refer to the official language, demonym, institutions and federal characteristics of Imperium.

Geography
The 90 first-level entities of Imperium occupy a combined area of ​​13,847,120 km² (5.3 million square miles). The vast majority of Imperium's territory and population is situated in Central Arhet, consisting of the mainland and several islands in the Merchant Sea and the Icarian Sea. The remaining territory consists of multiple exclaves throughout the world, which are administratively within the first-level entities of Pharos and Arces Limites. It is one of the largest countries in the world by total area. Imperium is bordered by 26 countries (from west to east): Escia, Tirandia, Amezcoas, Itano, Garbia, Hircania, Mandagora, Ecija, Bahia Oculta, Arpitania, Patrie, Mhidhinis, Diwoduro, Eborakon, Windomagos, Lemobriga, Briwadunon, Ardumagos, Genusia, Usnea, TBD, Pachnamunis, Ptkheka, the enclaved country of Sanace Sanitimi, Khem and Politea Eupatoria.

Its territory is also bordered by important bodies of water, including the Mare Mercatorium, the Schismatic Sea and the Argentian Mass (a water mass of the Oceanus); as well as important elements of the global topography, including the deserts of Vastia and Siccum, and several mountain ranges located along its non-desert boundaries.

Climate
Imperium, with its large territory and diverse topography, includes various climatic types. The southern part of the country, mostly desert (excluding southern Duronia and Palmae), has a BWh (desert or arid) and semi-arid climate. The areas around the Mare Mercatorium and its subsidiary water bodies present dry-summer climates (Csa and Csb). The west and mainly the east of the country have humid subtropical climates (Cfa and Cwa), especially around the lush woodlands.

Southern cities like Resafa and Ab Chao present high temperatures during most of the year, establishing annual averages of maximum temperature above 45°. Cities in temperate climate zones such as Topacium, Orei, Merkatos and Sanctus Augustus have annual maximum temperatures close to or below 40°. Cities in climatic transition zones like Magium and Olisipo appear as an intermediate between the previously mentioned temperatures, with maximum annual temperatures close to 45°.

Environment
Imperium is a megadiverse country, containing large numbers of endemic species. Its large territory and its climatic variety establishes the presence of diverse biomes, excluding the biomes of polar regions. Some of Imperium's endemic species are: mountain tiger, Pisonian elephant, Thenian horse, Gargaphian spotted panther, forest lynx, Olympian cocodrile and the lake cocodrile. Additionally, thousands of other species exist throughout Imperium's territory and in its territorial waters.

The Ministry of Ecological Affairs of the Epistalma is responsible for nature conservation, and works closely with similar agencies of the first-level entities. Because nature is closely related to the worship of primordial gods, its conservation has long been important to Imperium; therefore, it is one of the countries with the strictest environmental laws. The TBD Hegemonian Regulation establishes the formation of two types of nature reserves: with minimal human interference and scientific purposes; and with allowed leisure activities. The military is responsible for the safety of the animals in nature reserves with limited human access, in general, this task is done by the Wildlife Corps.

Administrative divisions
Imperium is a confederation comprising 90 first-level entities which, as established by the Hegemonian Laws, are sovereign political entities, have their own constitution and government; and have the power to determine the organization of their government and territory. Although the governance of each first-level entity varies from one to another as it is defined by its own constitution, all of them must follow the guidelines of the Hegemonian Laws to preserve the democratic principles of Imperium and prevent authoritarianism, and are grouped into 52 republics, 32 kingdoms and 6 archipelagos. The archipelagos, in the administrative context of Imperium, are groups of autonomous islands that as a whole have limited functions, but wherein each have a higher level of autonomy.

Government and politics
Imperium is a confederation of 52 republics, 32 kingdoms and 6 archipelagos, which is governed through a hybrid system of supranational and intergovernmental decision-making, and according to the principles of conferral (it should act only within the limits of the competences conferred on it by the Hegemonian Laws) and of subsidiarity (it should act only where an objective cannot be sufficiently achieved by the first-level entities acting independently). Laws made by the Hegemonian institutions are passed in a variety of forms. Generally speaking, the Hegemonian laws can be classified into two groups: regulations, which come into force without the necessity for internal implementation measures and directives, which specifically require internal implementation measures.

The government of Imperium is formally a constitutional monarchy, where the emperor is the monarch and the Consules Plebeii are the heads of government. The emperor has no political power, symbolically represents the perpetuity of Magius' leadership over the 90 first-level entities and undertakes (along with his family) various ceremonial duties. The powers of the government, as established by the Hegemonian Laws, are exercised through the eight Hegemonian institutions: the Hegemonian Council, the Epistalma, the Senate, the High Council, the Hegemonian Court, the Aerarium, the Hegemonian Bank and the Hegemonian Military Council.

The Hegemonian Council gives political direction to Imperium and comprises the Consules Plebeii and 1/2 representatives from each first-level entity (either its head of state or head of government). The Epistalma (or Cabinet of Imperium) is the executive branch of the government and is responsible for defining public policy concerning various issues, as well as permanently cooperate with the governments of the first-level entities. The Senate and the High Council are the legislative institutions of Imperium, responsible for formulating, approving and amending Hegemonian laws, including the Hegemonian Laws when necessary. The Senate consists of 952 elected senators, while the High Council has 360 members (4 from each first-level entity which includes 1 from each concilium).

The Hegemonian Court is the judicial branch of Imperium and is responsible for ensuring the uniform application and interpretation of the Hegemonian law in cooperation with the judiciary of the first-level entities. It also resolves legal disputes between first-level governments and Hegemonian institutions. The Aerarium is the finance and audit institution and is responsible for providing the budget, monitoring the use of public funds, reviewing the government financial reporting and contributing to anti-corruption efforts.

The Hegemonian Bank is the central bank of Imperium and the prime component of the Hegemonian System of Banks, and responsible for determining the monetary policy of Imperium, ensuring the price stability and administering the foreign exchange reserves and gold reserves of the first-level entities of Imperium. The Hegemonian Military Council is responsible for operations concerning security, intelligence, conscription and defense of Imperium and its 90 first-level entities. It is an intergovernmental institution consisting of the leaders of the Ministry of the Soldiers, the Hegemonian Forces, the Intelligence Community and components of the Hegemonian Gendarmerie from every first-level entity.

Legal system and justice
The Imperium's current form of government as a confederation is based on the Reformatio Rei Publici, issued by Iulius IV on November 12, 1720. This document instituted the first-level entities as sovereign political entities and developed the principles of conferral and subsidiarity, which implied the creation of eight Hegemonian institutions that exercise their duties through a hybrid system of supranational and intergovernmental decision-making. It also established that the Hegemonian institutions, in order to exercise their duties, must adopt laws (regulations and directives), decisions and recommendations. Hegemonian legislation is the sole responsibility of the Senate and the High Council, while decisions and recommendations can be issued by any Hegemonian institution.

The regulations may include amendments to the Reformatio Rei Publici, but require a qualified majority, both in the Senate and the High Council, to be enforceable as law in all first-level entities simultaneously. Therefore, Imperium is considered to have an uncodified constitution, as it can be amended by regulations and decisions issued by the Hegemonian Court or the Aerarium. These institutions, of judicial and financial-auditory competence respectively, consist of experts from the 90 first-level entities, who ensure the uniform application and interpretation of the Hegemonian law (both by the rest of the Hegemonian institutions and the first-level entities). They both have no jurisdiction over civil or criminal cases (outside of what is not conferred by the Hegemonian laws), since these are responsibility of the judiciary of each first-level entity. Therefore, the citizens of Imperium are accountable to the laws of their first-level entity. The TBD Hegemonian Directive allows citizens to be punished in legal jurisdictions outside of their first-level entity if they committed a crime or legal wrong.

Local governments
The 90 first-level entities of Imperium are sovereign political entities, have their own constitution and government, and have the power to determine the organization of their government and territory. As stated in the Reformatio Rei Publici and later amendments, each first-level entity voluntarily confer some of their powers to Hegemonian institutions, which should act only when the power of the first-level entities acting independently is insufficient. Therefore, Imperium is governed under a hybrid system of supranational and intergovernmental decision-making. This means that some Hegemonian institutions act independently according to the duties conferred on them by the first-level entities, while others act involving the first-level entities directly (the first-level governments participate in decision-making) or indirectly (the first-level governments delegate representatives or experts for decision-making).

Outside of its powers within the Hegemonian institutions, each first-level entity has its own form of government and processes derived from its constitution, laws and legal precedents that have been established by its judiciary. Their inhabitants are subject to different rights and systems compared to other first-level entities, if those established by the Hegemonian laws are excluded. However, there are similarities and common basic elements that group the 90 first-level entities into 52 republics, 32 kingdoms and 6 archipelagos. The archipelagos have a sui generis form of government where a group of islands, which individually have a higher level of autonomy, meet in a council of governments to discuss measures that require the advice and consent of all together, and their people elect a legislature with limited powers, compared to similar legislatures of the republics and kingdoms.

Hegemonian laws require a series of basic elements from the first-level entities to ensure the collective respect of the democratic ideals that inspire the current confederal system. Each first-level government must have separation of powers, either through a three-branch system (executive, legislative, and judicial) or a system of independent institutions such as the Hegemonian system; must have at least one legislative chamber directly elected by the people, and they must adopt internal measures to avoid any autocratic or authoritarian government.

Excluding the basic elements required by the Hegemonian laws for all first-level entities, there are various patterns that homogenize the systems. Most of the first-level entities have a Senate, whose members (the senators) are elected by the people. In parliamentary systems, the first-level legislatures are responsible for electing heads of state and/or government, as well as ratifying cabinet members.

Military
The Imperium military system consists of three main groups: the Hegemonian Forces (the Army of the Legions, the Air and Space Force, and the Navy), the Gendarmerie (including components from each first-level entity) and the Intelligence Community. Their operations are directed by the Hegemonian Military Council, an intergovernmental Hegemonian institution consisting of the leaders of the Ministry of the Soldiers, Hegemonian Forces, Intelligence Community, and the components of Gendarmerie from each first-level entity. Non-training military operations must be authorized by the Senate of Imperium or by first-level legislatures, according to their legislative procedures.

All Hegemonians are drafted into the military at the age of 18, for a compulsory 1-year service for men and women. After conscription, Hegemonians may officially join a branch of the Hegemonian Forces or a first-level component of the Gendarmerie, and become a citizen (even if you decide not to remain in military service) according to the principle of "freedom is based on service". The Hegemonian laws provide exceptions to conscription, including any physical disability or psychological disorder that may affect military performance; there are other exceptions for political, educational, social and religious commitments, but once these end, the exempted persons must complete their military service. People who breach the conscription are banned from citizenship, and may be arrested for it (depending on the laws of their first-level entity). Imperium has a millenial military history, which was key for the expansion and preservation of Imperium's current territory. Its extraordinary military strategy and high combat efficiency, which led to nearly undefeated military record and inspired the national motto "Semper invictus" (Always undefeated). Imperium has high-tech and efficient military equipment, as well as the world's largest armed forces (with 1.4 million active soldiers and 900,000 in reserve) and about 60% of the population with military training, due to conscription. Imperium also possesses 7,648 nuclear warheads distributed throughout its territory and air defense systems, including the PODS and the MERDS. Imperium, according to the consensus of military studies, has the most powerful military in the world, with an undefeated record for more than 700 years.

Foreign relations
Imperium is a military, political, economic and magical superpower, with notable global geopolitical relevance. It mantains diplomatic relations with most countries in the world and is fundamental in international organizations. Imperium is a founding member of the Arhetian Organization and a permanent member of its Arhetian Council for Planetary Security and Peace. Through the Hegemonian Space Agency (for space exploration purposes) and the Hegemonian Air and Space Force (for defense purposes), Imperium is a board member of the Arhetian Council for Space Exploration and Defense. It has high representatives for the Arhetian Organization, its councils and derived organizations, and other independent non-governmental organizations.

Due to its international relevance, Imperium has large diplomatic facilities throughout the world, mainly in capital cities and other populated cities. The diplomatic service is directed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, consisting of career diplomats (excluding the minister, which is appointed by the Senate). Imperium organizes its diplomatic missions into three levels: international organizations, sovereign states or dependencies, and internal regions (in order to maximize the efficiency of diplomatic services).

Imperium maintains generally friendly relations with countries throughout the world, but has many long-standing and more recent enemies. The TBD Hegemonian Directive establishes the appointment of commissioners who direct the transition of the militarily-defeated countries towards an Imperium-friendly government; prior to this directive, there was a tradition of designating dictators as those responsible for this duty.

Magic
Magic is an ubiquitous form of energy, not visible to the human eye, that is considered to be related to the energy that was required for the cosmogony. The knowledge of magic goes back to the first wielder of this power, the first emperor and founder of Imperium, Magius Aeternus. Fabius Musca, the classical writer, describes that when Magius was sent to earth by his grandmother Gaia, she gifted him the abiility to access a type of energy that was previously unknown to mankind. Fabius writes "as Prometheus gave mankind fire, it was Gaia who gave mankind, through Magius, access to that part of the divine energy, emanating from the Aether, which is able to permeate the material world as perceived by the human senses". Divine energy is considered to be the remnant of the energy as used by the great architect to create the universe and is what the home of the gods, the Aether, consists of.

Few humans are born with an ability to tap into the divine energy and can be taught how to harness and use magic. The study of becoming a Theurgus (wizard) is difficult and not many manage to become proficient users. Wizards of higher proficiency, named Magi (sing: Magus), are extremely rare. Youngsters where the ability to use divine energy is detected are brought to Magium to study in the Grand Academy (Academia Magna) in the center of the city. The study of magic is subdivided is various categories wherein specialization is possible.

The usage of magic is bound by certain rules as set by Magius himself, these rules are controlled by the Normatorium in Magium.