Imperium

Administrative divisions
Imperium is a confederation and comprises 90 first-level entities which have a self-government, their own constitution and the power to determine its internal organization. According to their government type, which varies between each entity, the first-level entities are grouped into 52 republics, 32 kingdoms and 6 archipelagos; they are further subdivided into prefectures which are, in turn, subdivided into municipalities.

The republics are the first-level entities of Imperium governed entirely by elected officers, where the head(s) of state and government is/are directly elected (presidential republic) or by the state legislature (parliamentary republic) to serve under terms defined by the state constitution. In parallel to the national system, most republics are governed by two officers, usually referred to as consuls.

The kingdoms are the first-level entities of Imperium governed by hereditary/life peers and elected officers, as required by the Second Imperial Law. Therefore, absolute monarchies are forbidden within the first-level entities of Imperium. The heads of state are the monarchs, which are usually referred to as kings; while the heads of government are the prime ministers, which are usually elected by the state legislatures.

The archipelagos are the first-level entities of Imperium and groups of autonomous islands that as a whole have limited functions, but wherein the individual islands have a higher level of autonomy. Its government consists of a council of governments, composed of the leaders of the archipelago's islands, which convene to discuss measures that require the advice and consent of multiple islands; and the state legislatures, responsible for formulating laws about collective issues of the archipelago's islands, like commerce and security.

Government and politics
Imperium is a confederation of 52 republics, 32 kingdoms and 6 archipelagos primarily located in Central Arhet. It is nationally governed as a parliamentary monarchy which operates, as established by the Imperial Laws, according to the principles of conferral (it should act only within the limits of the competences conferred on it by the Imperial Laws) and subsidiarity (it should act only where an objective cannot be sufficiently achieved by the first-level entities acting alone). Laws made by the Hegemonian institutions are classified into two groups: those which come into force without the necessity for internal implementation measures (regulations) and those which specifically require internal implementation measures (directives).

Imperium is governed through eight principal institutions: Hegemonian Council, Imperial Cabinet, Senate, High Council, Imperial Court, Hegemonian Treasury, Hegemonian Bank and the Hegemonian Military Council. Competence in scrutinizing and amending legislation is shared between the Senate and the High Council, while executive tasks are performed by the Imperial Cabinet and in limited capacity by the Hegemonian Council. The monetary policy of Imperium is determined by the Imperial Bank. The interpretation and application of the Hegemonian law are ensured by the Imperial Court. The Imperium budget is scrutinized by the Hegemonian Treasury. Imperium operations concering national security, intelligence, conscription and defense are performed by the Hegemonian Military Council.

The main officers of Imperium are the Emperor, Consules Plebeii, President of the Senate, President of the High Council and the President of the Hegemonian Council. The appointment or election of the main officers of Imperium, as well as other officers of the Hegemonian institutions, is shared between the Senate, High Council, the Hegemonian Council and the first-level governments. The chairs of each institution, excluding the Imperial Cabinet (whose leaders, Consules Plebeii, are elected by the Senate), are appointed by the members of the institutions internally, and may remove them from chairmanship if needed.

Legal system and justice
The Imperial Laws are the supreme laws of Imperium, and have supremacy over all first-level constitutions, and other national and first-level laws. The Imperial Laws grant and revoke powers to specific subjects and provide a wide variety of regulations that ensure the perpetual unity, territorial integrity and the fundamental rights of the citizens of Imperium. They must be approved by a qualified majority of the Senate, High Council and the state legislatures; can be amended by other Imperial Laws and their absolute repeal requires a qualified majority from referendums in the 90 first-level entities. The Imperial Court oversees the uniform application and interpretation of the Imperial Laws and other national laws (directives and regulations).

The national laws are divided according to their mode of implementation into directives and regulations. The directives require the 90 first-level entities to achieve particular result without dictating the means of achieving that result, which are established by each state legislature; while the regulations become immediately enforceable as law in the 90 first-level entities simultaneously. The directives require a simple majority to be approved, while regulations require a qualified majority, due to its implementation mode. At the national level, the courts only exists for Hegemonian institutions matters, and civil law exclusively related to the Imperial Laws and other national laws. These responsibilities at the national level are shared by the Imperial Court and the Hegemonian Treasury. The rest of the judicial responsibilities are exercised by the judiciary of each first-level entity, that use (as standardized by the Fourth Imperial Law) the Hegemonian law system. Each first-level entity has law enforcement institutions for national and internal laws.

Local governments
Imperium is a confederation of 90 first-level entities: 52 republics, 32 kingdoms, and 6 archipelagos. As granted by the Second Imperial Law, passed in 1720, each first-level entity has self-government, its own constitution and the power to determine its internal organization. This law only establishes as general parameters the existence of three governmental branches (executive, legislative and judicial), the direct election of at least one legislative chamber and the prohibition of any absolutist or dictatorial system, to ensure the democratic ideals that inspired the transition to the parliamentary monarchy through the Reformatio Rei Publici in 1720.

Therefore, each entity has the power to determine the structure of its government, under full compliance with the general parameters. The kingdoms and republics usually have unitary governments, while the archipelagos (by the nature of their formation) usually have federal systems with a central government closely linked to the island governments.

In parallel with the national system, it is common to refer to a legislative chamber as "Senate", which is usually the only directly elected chamber in kingdoms and some republics; in other systems, it may be the name of the unicameral legislature or the upper house of a system with another directly elected chamber. The first-level legislatures are responsible for formulating laws for the internal affairs of its entity, as well as other functions as established by its constitution, such as electing heads of state and/or government, or ratifying cabinet members. In an international sense, the first-level legislatures have powers similar to those of the national legislatures of other sovereign states; but, as provided by the Imperial Laws, the national Senate and the High Council exercise some legislative functions according to the principles of conferral and subsidiarity.

Military
The military of Imperium is classified into two groups: the Imperial Forces and the Hegemonian Gendarmerie. The Imperial Forces consist of the Army of the Legions (Classis Legionaria), Navy (Classis Navalis) and the Air and Space Force (Classis Aëronautica). The Hegemonian Gendarmerie consists of components from each of the 90 first-level entities. Both groups are formally leaded by the Hegemonian Military Council, a Hegemonian institution composed of the Minister of the Soldiers, the chiefs of staff of the branches of the Imperial Forces, the Intelligence Community, the components of the Gendarmerie and other main officers of the Ministry of the Soldiers. The Military Council can only conduct active military operations under previous authorization from the first-level legislatures (for the Gendarmerie) or the Senate (for the Imperial Forces). All Hegemonians are drafted into the military at the age of 18, for a compulsory period of 1 year for men and women. After conscription, Hegemonians can permanently join a branch of the Imperial Forces/Gendarmerie, or formally become a citizen according to the principle of "freedom is based on duty", established by the Third Imperial Law. The Imperial Laws provide exceptions to conscription, such as physical disabilities or psychological disorders that may affect military performance. Most of the exceptions entail the replacement of military service by the Hegemonian Civic Service, a national service that provides assistance to social services and requires an extensive preparation that allows exempt citizens to serve the country in the event of a conflict with medical and psychological aid, and supply logistics services.

Imperium has a millennial military history, which was fundamental in the expansion and preservation of Imperium's current territory. Its extraordinary military strategy and high combat efficiency, which led to a nearly undefeated military record, inspired the national motto "Semper Invictus" (Always undefeated). Imperium has high-tech and efficient weapons and combat vehicles, as well as the world's largest armed forces (with 1.4 million active soldiers and 900,000 in reserve) and more than 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 such as 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 an economic, military, political and magical superpower, with notable global geopolitical relevance. Therefore, Imperium maintains diplomatic relations with almost every country in the world and has great relevance 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. Also, through the Hegemonian Space Agency (for scientific and exploration purposes) and the Imperial Air and Space Force (for defense purposes), Imperium is a board member of the Arhetian Council for Space Exploration and Defense. In addition, it has high representatives for other organizations derived from the Arhetian Organization or independent non-governmental organizations.

Due to its international relevance, Imperium has large diplomatic facilities in other countries, mainly in large cities and/or their capital. The diplomatic service is administered by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, led by career diplomats (excluding the minister, elected by the Senate from among senators). Imperium organizes its diplomatic missions at three levels: international regions (established by the Arhetian Organization), sovereign states or dependencies, and internal regions (to maximize the efficiency of diplomatic services).

Magic
Magic, as defined by the Normatorium, 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 Musca 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 Academia Magna (Grand Academy) 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. As Magius and all his direct ancestors were powerful wielders of magic, it is usually believed that the ability to perform magic is related to being part of the bloodline of Magius himself. Through the ages the importance of magic has gradually dwindled, some think this is due to the rise of technology, others believe the cause to be in the dilution of the bloodline itself. The categories of magic (Divinatio) and their specializations are: