Warrant of Restoration
When Cleon Zhunastu formed the Third Imperium, he was actually reviving the First and Second Imperiums, and therefore laying claim to the many thousands of worlds which made up those earlier entities. What follows are selected excerpts of the text of the Imperial Constitution, including the Preamble, or Warrant for the Restoration of the Imperium.
Description (Specifications)
The Warrant consists of the following sections:
Preamble:
Warrant of Restoration of the Imperium: The worlds of the universe lie separated by the vastness of space, each alone, and dependent upon its own resources. In the past, a greater community of worlds has existed, promoting a greater good for all its members, and for all those who have interacted with it. The time has now come to reestablish that greater community.
On the foundations of the past, in order to promote:
Safe Travel among the stars, the Exploration of worlds circling those stars, the Pursuit of Knowledge, mutually profitable Trade and Commerce, the Active Exchange of Information and tech, the Individual Pursuit of Personal Betterment, and the Collective Pursuit of Community Good, we hereby reestablish the Grand Empire of the Stars.
Article I - Imperial Governance, Membership, Citizenship
The Imperium shall exercise no direct governance over any member world. Instead, the purpose of the Imperium shall be to provide for the Defense of all of the member worlds as a group, and to bring the Rule of Law to the spaces between worlds. No interference with local law or custom is contemplated, except where such local law or custom is in conflict with Imperial Law.
Any world may, through a recognized Representative, proclaim allegiance to the Imperium, and in so doing, such world shall become a Member of the Imperium, equal in status to all other members of the Imperium. Member worlds shall govern themselves as they see proper, provided that such government does not violate Imperial laws.
The Imperium reserves to itself the power to create as it sees fit Governmental Entities superior to the member worlds but subordinate to the Imperium. This shall include the power to abolish said entities as the Imperium sees fit.
The Imperium reserves to itself the power to create as it sees fit Bureaus and Agencies to carry out and enforce the Imperial will. This shall include the power to abolish said bureaus and agencies as the Imperium sees fit.
The Imperium considers as citizens any living recognized sentient creature native to or naturalized by a member world of the Imperium, or any living recognized sentient creature swearing fealty to the Imperium directly. No immunity, protection, right, or privilege granted by the Imperium to a Citizen of the Imperium may be abridged or denied by any member world.
Article Il -The Emperor, Hereditary Succession
The Powers of the Imperium shall be vested in an Emperor, who shall maintain that title and those powers until his death or voluntary abdication. Upon such death or abdication, the title and powers shall pass to the oldest child of the Emperor, whether by birth or by adoption, provided that the child shall have been publicly acknowledged as the rightful heir of the Emperor by the Emperor, and providing that there are no conditions which would disqualify the child as fit to maintain the Powers of the Imperium.
Article III - The Moot, Nobility:
The recognized nobles of the Imperium shall provide their advice and counsel to the Emperor prior to any legislation or action by the Emperor. The recognized nobles, acting in this capacity, shall be designated as the Imperial Moot. The Imperial Moot shall have two powers over the Emperor: They shall have the power to declare the dissolution of the Imperium, and they shall have the power to disqualify an Imperial Heir Apparent from ascending to the Imperial Power.
However, the latter power shall only be exercised for just and proper cause. If the Emperor dies or abdicates having provided no heirs either by blood or by adoption, or if no heir of the Emperor is found fit to maintain the Powers of the Imperium, the Moot shall have the power to designate the next recipient of the Imperial Powers. Should the Moot find it necessary to exercise this power, the designee shall be a citizen of the Imperium.
A recognized noble of the Imperium shall be a citizen granted a Noble Title (by the Emperor or by one empowered by the Emperor to grant noble titles). Noble Titles granted by member worlds may be recognized by the Imperium on a case-by-case basis.
Article lV - Free Trade
The Imperium shall support Free Trade among its members. No member shall engage in piracy or smuggling, nor allow its territory to be used for piracy or smuggling, nor shall it issue letters of marque or reprisal or other permission for ships operating within its territory to engage in piracy or smuggling.
Article V - Standards
The Imperium shall conduct all of its activities according to the Imperial Calendar, which shall consist of a year made up of 365 (three hundred and sixty five) consecutive Days of 24 (twenty four) consecutive hours each. The Days shall be numbered 1 (one) to 365 (three hundred and sixty five) in order. The day that this Charter shall become effective shall be designated Day 1 of Year 0 on the Imperial Calendar. Day 1 of any year on the Imperial Calendar (henceforth “Imperial Year”) shall be designated as an Imperial Holiday, named Holiday.
The unit of exchange in interstellar commerce, and between the Imperium and the member worlds, shall be the Imperial Credit. The Imperial Credit shall be valued independently of the value of any coin, currency, or value of any member world. The Imperium shall have the responsibility and power to control the value of the Imperial Credit.
The Imperium shall use as its standard of measurement the presently accepted standard measures and nomenclature used by the Sylean Federation. These standards shall be designated the Standard Imperial (SI) Measurement System.
Article Vl - Slavery Prohibited
Chattel slavery shall not exist within the Imperium, nor in any territory directly under its control, nor on any member world, nor within any territory with which a member world shall have dealings.
Article Vll - Extra-territoriality of Designated Imperial Possessions
The governance and operation of starports or other territories ceded to Imperial use is reserved to the Imperium. Movement of material and sentients between such territories and the member world shall be controlled by the member world, subject to Imperial laws governing such movement. Such territory shall be excluded from the jurisdiction of any member world, and no material or sentients shall enter such territories from any member world without the express consent of the governing Imperial authorities responsible for such territory.
Article Vlll - Acknowledgment of Imperial Power
Notwithstanding any provisions to the contrary contained in this document or in subsequent Imperial actions, the Imperium, for the purpose of ensuring its continued safety and stability, reserves to itself the power to unilaterally enact changes in any or all aspects of the relationship between itself and any member world or citizen.
History & Background (Dossier)
The Long Night produced numerous myths and legends about the first two Imperiums, some of them true and many much less true. Imperial societies advocating for the restoration of Imperial rule and a strong, central government were widespread.
Hundreds, perhaps thousands of fantasy restoration warrants circulated what was left of the interstellar spaceways. Cleon Zhunastu was clearly aware of these social movements and his Warrant of Restoration appears to be a clever amalgamation of the most popular warrants designed to appeal to Sylean and Vilani preferences.