General Overview of the Skedar Empire

The Skedar Empire, officially the Holy Skedar Empire, is a Theocratic Imperial State and, by Imperial definition, Constitutional Monarchy that was found within the 10000 ISLANDS. It's homeworld of Skedoria, formerly known as Sirona, is located within a Trinary Star System in the Scutum-Centaurus Arm of the Milky Way Galaxy. Other territories of the Empire, typically entire Star Systems, were spread throughout the Scutum-Centaurus and Norma Arms of the galaxy, though the total number of systems under Imperial control declined rapidly throughout the later parts of its history. To maintain and stabilize its economy, the Empire had relied on trade and the use of its own services across its territories and beyond (to an extent); often partaking in a variety of trade deals internationally in order to expand its influence.

Etymology

The name of the Empire and its people was based on that of the Imperial Homeworld of Skedoria, which in itself was renamed from Sirona following the Skedorian-Toraxian War. It was during this conflict that the natives of Skedore, a continent located within the planets eastern hemisphere, began referring to themselves as such (Skedorians) in honor of their homeland, as well as seeing the creation of the Skedorian Empire (the predecessor of the Holy Skedar Empire). In the centuries following the end of the war, the Skedorians began referring to themselves as the Skedar as their Empire began branching out to other planets and assimilating their populations into its own. The name was initially used as a means of distinguishing themselves as the descendants of the Great Clans of Skedore in response to the ever growing alien population of the Empire, however as the government was reformed under the command of King Ise'Vihr, the term began being used in a manner signifying their superiority over their fellow citizens.

Throughout the history of the Toraxian species, the ancient rivals of the Skedar, the Skedar had been known as the "Sodalathi". This specific term was used due to the continent of Skedore being known as "Sodala" in their native language, with the name Sodalathi meaning "people of the land of Sodala". The Toraxians were also responsible for naming their homeworld "Sirona" long before the Skedorian-Toraxian War. Although these terms never saw much use outside of the Toraxian language for a time, they became rather popular among the civilian population of the Empire during its final years, becoming the unofficial names of the Imperial citizens and the Skedar homeland as a result. Officially, when referring to the inhabitants of the Holy Empire of Skedoria, both of the terms "Skedorian" and "Skedar" may be used depending on the context of the situation.

History

Long ago, the planet Skedoria (then referred to as Sirona) had once been a thriving world teeming with all forms of life. Over the course of time, a series of events would occur that altered the planet's orbit, forcing it closer towards the three stars that made up the trinary system in which it resided. Although the surface was reduced to a desert wasteland with few sources of water and plant life, various species managed to survive the disasters that struck the planet and adapted to live within the new environment. Of the survivors, only the dominant species of the continents of Torax and Skedore evolved to become sapient, with an intense rivalry forming between the two as time passed. As the species advanced socially, forming thousands of tribes that scattered across the surface of Sirona, territorial disputes would become more common as they vied for control over the planet's resources.

In what would be considered the year 5500 BCE on the Gregorian Calendar of Earth, the rivaling tribes of Sirona would engage in total warfare. This conflict, later referred to as the Great Primordial War, would last for over a century and see the deaths of thousands before an uneasy peace would be reached between the two warring factions. Over the course of a few hundred years, the first complex societies of Sirona would be created from the tribes that were scattered across the desert wastes, with the inhabitants of Skedore forming the six Great Clans (Jaal, Qura, Tkhu, Ushhn, Ad'kt, and Vihr). There would be an era of peace on Sirona in which the societies of Skedore and Torax advanced on their own accord; this era would eventually come to be known as the Sironian Renaissance and saw the rebirth of Sironian cultures, science, and religions. For the next few millennia, Sirona would modernize and its population would grow exponentially, though the clans of Skedore would slowly begin to idolize war as time passed.

Within months following the end of the Sironian Renaissance in 1000 BC, another conflict would erupt across the planet as the Great Clans of Skedore believed it was the will of the Gods to drive out their rivals in Torax. The military campaign started by the Great Clans to take the neighboring continent would prove to be a difficult undertaking, as both species were capable of replacing their lost soldiers easily, so neither side could effectively gain the upper hand over the other. As time passed, the conflict transitioned into a sort of Cold War that saw a major decrease in troop deployment, though tensions remained strong between the rivaling factions. This time period would see the first recorded use of the terms "Skedorian" and "Toraxian" in reference to the inhabitants of Skedore and Torax (though in the Toraxian language they are referred to as the "Sodalathi" and "Ihmois") as the Skedorian Empire and Toraxian Confederation were established from their respective populations. With the formation of the Skedorian Empire came the crowning of the nation's first King, Zheq'Soa of Clan Qura, who would be in charge of both the Military and Civilian populace with a religious adviser as his second-in-command.

As technology advanced significantly during the war, giving rise to bio-mechanical suits and a variety of gadgets for use by soldiers in combat, many civilians feared the return of mass troop deployment across Sirona. Although another military campaign was possible for both factions, the Empire and Confederation instead resorted to competing in an effort to colonize Sirona's sister planet Krea ("Aerus" in the Toraxian language), with it being mutually agreed upon that the first nation to establish a colony on the planet would have the honor of laying claim to the planet in its entirety. Countless years of dedicated research and funding would be spent towards the creation of an efficient starship capable of transporting both cargo and passengers to Krea within a relatively short period of time, however the Empire was unable to beat the Confederation in the space race and were forced to watch their rivals slowly leave the planet to begin a new life off world. Despite this loss, many members of the Imperial government saw this as a victory, as the conflict began in an attempt to take Torax for the Empire, and the inevitable departure of the Toraxians would secure their chance to take the continent. The Skedorian-Toraxian War would finally come to an end in 500 AD with the signing of a peace treaty between King Kanno'Soa II and Prime Minister Korsahn Ghiram before the latter departed for Krea, leaving the Empire free to colonize Torax and any lands that had remained untouched by either species for millennia.

Once the Empire gained full control over Sirona, it was formally renamed "Skedoria" in honor of their success in colonizing its lands. Months later, during a mining operation for a radioactive element being used within the research and development of an experimental shielding generator, the Empire discovered a form of crystal that possessed extreme light refraction capabilities within the mines of Mount Sirona (the tallest mountain on the planet). The Empire began to increase its mining operations in the vicinity in order to obtain the crystals for the research and development of cloaking technologies, creating large tunnel systems within the mountain that would later be used as part of a future military base that protected the government's experiments from the harshest of weather and any potential invasions. Throughout its history, the base would oversee the development of the nation's first advanced FTL Engine, teleportation devices, and cloning technology, with various other experimental technologies also being developed in the background. Unfortunately, the Empire would eventually see a form of technological stagnation as the planet could no longer provide the resources necessary for the development of new technologies, forcing the Skedorians to look towards the stars for what they desired.

Over the course of the next five hundred years, the Empire began to slowly branch out to other planets within nearby systems in search of new resources to support the Empire's everyday activities. During this time period, the citizens of the Empire began referring to themselves as the Skedar (as a more contemporary term for the descendants of the Great Clans of Skedore) and established the capital of Imperial City on Skedoria. By the turn of the 11th Century, the Empire was forced to undergo a change in leadership as King Temet'Soa (who succeeded his father as King three centuries prior) was found dead within the confines of the Imperial Palace. The High Council suspected foul play and conducted an investigation into the King's death, but was unable to find sufficient evidence leading to the identification and arrest of a culprit. As Temet'Soa had no relatives to succeed him as the King of the Skedorian Empire, High Priest Ise'Vihr (the leader of the Skedorian religion) assumed the throne shortly after the Council ordered an end to its investigation, as his title of High Priest held the most power and authority in the nation after the King.

Being the former adviser of the late King and his father before him, Ise'Vihr was familiar with the process of leading the government and ruling over its people. Although his political views were similar to those of his predecessors, he believed that the Empire was beginning to lose its faith and wanted to reorganize the Empire in a way that would make it focus more on the laws set forth by the Gods so that its people would be guaranteed eternal salvation once they left the land of the living. A transitional period would occur where the Skedorian Empire would officially become the Holy Skedar Empire as the government began enforcing its new policies based around the religious texts in the possession of the King. Ise'Vihr would also merge the positions of King and High Priest, claiming that only those chosen by the Gods would be worthy of leading the Empire (implying that only the religious authorities should be in charge of the government), and made the Holy Temple (the place of worship in regards to the God of War) the official capital of the Holy Empire. In the following years, the military began to swell in numbers as various laws were enacted that required able-bodied citizens to serve a minimum of five years in the military in the name of the God of War.

Eventually, the Empire would focus once more on expanding out into the galaxy, however this time the military became more involved in the process as any and all governments encountered by the Skedar were swiftly overthrown and their citizens assimilated into the Empire as slaves and cannon fodder for the Imperial cause. The Empire would continue to advance through the galaxy for centuries and remained unrivaled until they encountered a race known as Maians near Delta Eridani in 1650. Similarly to the Skedar, the Maians were travelling across the galaxy for their own purposes, however their peaceful and progressive ideologies clashed with those of the Empire and eventually led to the start of a war between the two species. Unlike its previous encounters during its colonial efforts, the Empire was unable to force the Maians into submission and would combat their military forces across the Scutum-Centaurus and Norma Arms of the Milky Way until the Maian Federation managed to fight the Empire to a standstill. Despite earning a ceasefire, the Skedar persistently tested the boundaries of the peace and kept the Maians on their guard through terrorist activities in hopes of prompting some sort of retaliation, however the Maians refused to be drawn.

In 2006, the Skedar came across a derelict pod containing an encrypted message written in a language that predated every civilization known by the Empire. After weeks of dedicating resources to translating the language into Skedorian, the Empire discovered that the pod originated from a warship belonging to an ancient race known as Cetans and that the warship had been carrying a superweapon capable of causing the fundamental bonds between molecules to fail on a planetary level. From a copy of the ship's logs kept within the message pod, it was revealed that the crew of the Battlecruiser had intentionally crashed the vessel into a planet within the Orion-Cygnus Arm of the Milky Way, destroying vital components of the ships engines afterwards so that it could not leave its final resting place. The message pod had apparently been deployed to the Cetan home galaxy prior to the vessel's arrival in the system, however it seemed to have failed in activating its FTL Drives and was unable to leave the Orion-Cygnus Arm, floating through space for millennia until its discovery. Hoping to find the Battlecruiser and use its weapon against the Maians to formally end the war between them, the Empire deployed a reconnaissance drone to search the planet, known as Earth by its inhabitants, for the crash site.

To avoid gaining any unnecessary attention, the recon team began the discreet abduction of humans and animals in order to obtain the whereabouts of the crashed Cetan Battlecruiser, however they were unsuccessful in gaining any helpful information. Forced to scour the globe to find the missing vessel, the recon team spent nearly two decades traveling across the planet while avoiding detection by the world governments, stopping their operation only to restock on consumables (i.e. food and fuel). In 2022, they came across a faint energy source from within the Pacific Ocean that was weak enough to almost bypass their scanners entirely, causing for them to believe that the vessel lay buried on the seafloor in a dormant state. After informing Imperial High Command of their discovery, they encountered a Maian scout craft that engaged their unarmed craft in combat, causing them to flee the area before being shot down over the jungles of South America. Having crashed so close to a corporate security base, the Skedar quickly sent out a distress signal before abandoning the site as troops closed in on their location.

In order to replace the recon team in their efforts to reach the buried warship, the Empire dispatched a member of the Royal Guard alongside one of the few remaining Assault Ships from the much reduced Star Fleet to Earth. Once reaching the Solar System, the Skedar disguised themselves as humans and used a translation device to learn the various languages of Earth so that they could communicate with its inhabitants rather than invade the planet and risk the potential destruction of the Cetan Battlecruiser and its superweapon. Assuming the alias "Mr. Blonde", the Royal Guard approached the dataDyne Corporation due to their size and power as a corporate entity, offering them advanced technology in return for their aid in reaching the crashed vessel and bypassing its security measures. dataDyne gladly accepted and dedicated its resources to creating an AI with an emphasis in language skills and code breaking, but resorted to enlisting the help of the National Security Agency of the United States for securing the loan of the Pelagic II Deep Sea Research Vessel for their diving operation. To speed up their efforts, the Skedar gave both organizations various items (such as personal shields and weapons) to reverse engineer for their own purposes as partial payment for their support.

In June of the following year, the AI created by the dataDyne Corporation went rogue after discovering that the Skedar planned on using the Earth as a testing ground for the Cetan superweapon. Adopting the alias "Dr. Caroll", it enlisted the aid of dataDyne's rival (the Carrington Institute) in escaping from the laboratories beneath the company's headquarters so that it could not be used in the Skedar's plot. Unwilling to lose the sapient so easily, dataDyne took various measures to recover Dr. Caroll from the Institute and, once they were successful, forced him to undergo "mental" conditioning in order to have him go along with their plans. As a precautionary measure in case Dr. Caroll's functionality suffered from the reconditioning, a backup of his memory was created and held within the headquarters of the G5 Corporation (a subsidiary of dataDyne) until the Carrington Institute's top agent managed to steal it while avoiding the company's security. As this took place, the agent also recorded a meeting between the CEO of dataDyne, the Director of the NSA, and Mr. Blonde that went over the failure of securing the loan of the Pelagic II and the need to take it by force.

Once the Pelagic II had been taken over and the Cetan Battlecruiser had been reached, the Carrington Institute sent their best agent to the vessel (alongside a Maian bodyguard that they rescued from the clutches of the US government) in an attempt to prevent the activation of the superweapon. After fighting their way through both dataDyne forces and various Cetan defenses that remained active after so many years, the duo discovered Dr. Caroll and replaced his memory drive with the copy of the original, where they would say their final goodbyes as he began the self-destruct sequence of the superweapon shortly thereafter to destroy the ship. Angered over their loss of the Battlecruiser, the Skedar invaded the headquarters of both the Carrington Institute and dataDyne Corporation (destroying the latter and its underground laboratories) and managed to capture both the Institute's best agent and dataDyne's CEO in the process. The pair were taken to Skedoria to face their punishment for preventing the Empire from reaching their goals, however they were tracked by the Maian bodyguard and a squad of Maian soldiers in an attempt to rescue them from the Assault Ship that they were being held captive on. During the rescue attempt, dataDyne's CEO sacrificed herself to allow the others to continue moving through the ships corridors, leading to the group eventually taking over the vessel and alerting the Maian Fleet of the location of the Skedar homeworld (which had never been discovered by the Maians due to the Empire's attempts to prevent the planet from being attacked).

As the Maian Fleet arrived over Skedoria, the Institute agent went down to the planet's surface with an elite unit of Maian troops to destroy a set of pillars that served as part of a partially functioning shield generator protecting the Holy Temple from bombardment. Once the pillars were destroyed, the Fleet tasked the group with finding and killing King Qin'Ocheq, as there was a chance that he could survive the bombardment by escaping into the complex system of tunnels connecting the temple to the former capital of Imperial City. Fighting their way to the Inner Sanctum, the group encountered the reserve units of the Royal Guard (who were kept in a state of suspended animation) and forced to combat the elite warriors before finally reaching the King within the Battle Shrine (where the Idol of War statue, which had become synonymous with the Empire and its people, was displayed). Although Qin'Ocheq was prepared for a fight, he understood that the shielding generator that he relied on for extra protection (which was built into the surrounding architecture) was damaged in a severe earthquake weeks prior and had yet to be fixed, leaving his shield in a weakened state. The ensuing battle between the agent (supported by the Maian soldiers) and the King seemed to wage on forever, ending only when the Idol of War statue was destroyed by targeted gunfire, impaling the King's bio-mech suit and fatally wounding him as it fell to the ground.

Following the death of the King, the Institute Agent was recovered from the surface as a Maian Task Force began searching for any remaining Skedar fanatics across the planet. Shortly thereafter, a fail-safe set in place by Qin'Ocheq in the event of his death was activated, prompting the release of three clones of the deceased King and a hidden Army that had been kept in suspended animation within the catacombs of the Holy Temple. Upon learning of this, the Maians stormed the Temple ruins and ventured deep into the catacombs to wipe out the clones and their army before they could escape to the safety of Imperial City. After a long and stressful battle, the Maians successfully took out the Kings and their men before moving on to the former capital to remove any remaining pro-Imperial forces. A long hunt would occur across the Empire's territories to crush all remaining Imperial military outposts as the citizens of the Empire were forced to rebuild without the leadership they had known for generations. As the government was being reformed, the Toraxians would step in to help the population as they saw this as an opportunity to bring an end to their rivalry once and for all. Not wanting to turn down any support offered to them, the Skedar made peace with their former enemies and worked hard to form a new government that was not ruled by such fanatical beliefs, but by laws that progressed society for the better.

By the end of the year a new government was formed between the two unifying Skedar and Toraxian species that kept the position of Monarch in control over the governments executive branch, however many changes were made to limit the powers of the throne. One of the most notable changes made to limit the power of the throne was the decision to make the position of the monarch one that would be earned through an election rather than by the bloodline of an individual. The first ruler to be elected by the public was a female Skedorian politician named Tal'Navi, who planned on terraforming the planet of Skedoria with the help of their allies and increasing the political and civil rights of the population. By the end of the 21st Century, the new nation, now known as the Sironian Republic, saw a drastic growth in its population, with diversity being far greater than it had ever been before.

Geography

The Skedar Empire initially consisted of numerous star systems across the Scutum-Centaurus and Norma Arms of the Milky Way Galaxy, however a majority of its territories were lost during the Maian-Skedar War. The Imperial Homeworld, Skedoria, is a desert planet renowned for its canyons and rock formations created from countless years of earthquakes, sandstorms, and hurricanes, with few remaining sources of natural water and vegetation. The second planet of the Ilaeris System, Skedoria (formerly known as Sirona) had once been a thriving world teeming with all forms of life that could have been found within its vast oceans and forested landscapes until a series of disastrous events altered the planets orbit, forcing it and its two moons (Eri'Solus and Eri'Kosa) closer towards its parent stars and reducing its surface to a desert wasteland. Despite the drastic changes, various species managed to survive and adapt to their new environment by spreading across the planets mountain ranges, which held a large portion of the planets last remaining sources of surface water and vegetation. A majority of the ranges are located within the southern hemisphere, though the largest mountain range (the Orre Mountains) is located within the northern territories of the eastern hemisphere. Mount Sirona, the tallest mountain on the planet (standing at an elevation of 6.2 kilometers), is part of the Orre Mountain range and makes up part of the trio of mountains referred to by many as the "Burning Peaks of Orre". These mountains (Sirona, Lumia, and Kyrat) are notable for their peaks made of a chalk-like sedimentary rock that reflects the light from the three suns (Kaepris, Aetheria, and Dra'Koa) at noon, making them appear as an extra set of stars burning in the Skedorian sky.

Aside from the desert landscape and mountain ranges, scattered across Skedoria are various mesas, buttes, and canyons, as well as the dried up bodies of the planets former oceans and seas. Among the most notable of these dried up bodies of water is the Sanguine Sea, which is home to the deepest point on the planet, Reaper's Trench (a former oceanic trench reaching a depth of 9.7 kilometers). Although rain is a rarity on the planet due to the small amount of surface water, it typically occurs within the mountain ranges that are home to oases, allowing plant life to prosper away from the harsh desert environment. Among the remaining plant life on Skedoria are the Eanolia, Kaepir, and Ihk'Apor trees, which vary in size and shape but provides much to the local wildlife and Skedorian citizens, while various fruit and vegetables also exist and grow throughout the year. These include Cynder Berries, the fruit of Ihk'Apor trees (simply referred to as Ihk'Apor), Eovats, and Orridines. While some species of animals do exist on the planet, most of which are reptilian in nature, it is believed that there are hundreds of species that have yet to be discovered within the deserts of the Skedorian landscape. Among the most notable native animal species to live on Skedoria are the Kopuar (later known as the Andosan Monitor Lizard), the Qaatsing (later known as the Steel-clawed Raptor), the Ilautso (later known as the Mandible-faced Sand Dragon), and the Sikkan (later known as the Sironian Starbird).

Demographics

Population

Throughout their history, the Skedar have always been large in numbers due to their high fertility rate and the average female Skedorian giving birth to at least three children at a time. In ancient times, during the existence of the Great Clans of Skedore, the war between the ancestors of the Skedar and Toraxians lasted as long as it did due to these reasons (with the Toraxians being a similar to the Skedar in this regard). Once the Skedorians established the Skedorian Empire and spread across the stars, this increased the nations population drastically. During the reign of King Temet'Soa, the King had made the controversial decision to have the Skedar population undergo genetic modifications that would lower the species' average birth rate in order to prevent overpopulation, claiming that he had feared that the Empire would be unable to provide for its citizens if the birth rate had remained the same. As the Maian-Skedar War came to be, the Imperial population dropped significantly as various star systems were liberated from Imperial occupation and as countless lives were lost on the battlefield. By the end of the war, in 2023, the Imperial Census Bureau had estimated that the Empire's population had been reduced to a little over 8.5 Billion, though there were some estimates that placed it at even larger numbers. Before the Empire was reformed into the Sironian Republic, the Skedar made up roughly 25% of the Imperial population while various other minor species (typically being used as slave labor) made up the remaining 75%.

The cities and towns of Skedoria can be found in various locations across its surface, most of which sit along the mountain ranges of the south and the former coastlines of the north and east. For centuries, the Empire had the cities enclosed within large dome-like structures to protect them from the desert landscape of Skedoria's surface, with various roadways and underground tunnels connecting them to one another. Most of these cities often require water and food sources to be imported from offworld or from cities that provide their own sources of water and vegetation, which are typically the largest and most historical cities found on the planet. The Empire's former capital, Imperial City, is located along the Sanguine Sea and is elevated enough to overlook part of the Reaper's Trench. Due to its importance in Imperial history, the city is one of the only few to be directly connected to the Holy Temple and one of the only cities on the planet to contain a natural source of water and vegetation.

Language

Skedorian (specifically, Simplified Skedorian) is the de facto national language of the Holy Skedar Empire. Although there is no official language at the federal level, some laws standardize Skedorian. The original language used by the Empire (referred to as Ancient Skedorian) consisted of many growls, trills, and groans that were not capable of being produced by most species (as the Skedar have unique vocal chords that produce a wide range of sounds that only few species can replicate naturally) and was therefore replaced by a new spoken language that could be widely used regardless of one's species. This language was eventually split into two forms (Traditional and Simplified) that could be easily learned and spoken by most citizens of the Empire and non-native speakers alike, though the Skedar are no strangers to picking up foreign languages for use in their daily lives.

Religion

The national religion of the Holy Skedar Empire was a fanatical form of worshiping war known as "Jaalism" (named and created by the Great Clan of Jaal during the Sironian Renaissance). A multitude of deities existed within the belief system, many of which represented various aspects of nature, however the religion mainly focused on the teachings and guidance of the God of War. It was preached that the God of War would ensure the protection of his followers and guarantee their path towards salvation through the act of cleansing the world of the impure (non-believers). These beliefs, paired with the violent nature of the Skedar (and their ancestors before them), would be responsible for the conflicts that raged throughout the Empire's history. Jaalism as a belief system would eventually disappear following the end of the Maian-Skedar War, as the last of its fanatical members were hunted down and jailed or killed by the Maian Federation, leaving a variety of other religions to take its place within the Imperial remnants that would eventually become the Sironian Republic.

The religious body of Jaalism was lead by a High Priest, a devout worshiper believed to be chosen by the Gods to spread their wisdom. As Jaalism became an integral part of Skedorian culture during the Sironian Renaissance, the High Priest gained enough power within the Empire to serve as the adviser of the King and held more authority than the High Council (being second only to the royal throne). During public appearances, they were often seen wielding a ceremonial staff that had been passed down from one High Priest to another for generations. This staff was created during the founding years of the religion and was made from the bark of an ancient Eanolia Tree (one of the few remaining natural species of trees on the planet), with an ornament resembling the Idol of War (a statue symbolizing the God of War) being situated along the top. The title of High Priest was eventually merged with that of the King around the turn of the 11th Century at the behest of recently crowned King Ise'Vihr (himself being High Priest before assuming the throne), though this merger would eventually be rescinded following the death of King Qin'Ocheq in 2023.

The holiest place of worship within the Empire was a religious complex (known as the Holy Temple) located a few miles north of Imperial City that was separated into two sections: the Temple Courtyard and the Inner Sanctum. The Temple Courtyard consists of multiple pathways connecting landing pads and other entrance points to the Temple, with various pillars being a common sight within the area (some of which were specifically constructed to house part of a functional shielding generator protecting the Temple from attacks). At one point in time, bridges had to be constructed to connect the Courtyard to the Temple as an earthquake opened up a crevice in the location connecting the two sections of the complex (causing massive damage to the surrounding area in the process). The Inner Sanctum of the Holy Temple has a complex layout consisting of multiple rooms and hallways, with various hidden tunnel systems (known as the Temple Catacombs) leading to Imperial City as an escape route in case the Temple is attacked and its shielding generators fail. Within these catacombs are also various rooms and facilities that house a secret Skedar Army and clones of the current monarch. At the far end of the Temple lies the Battle Shrine, which houses the original Idol of War statue and serves as the holiest part of the Temple itself. It is here that the High Priest can usually be found, praying to the God of War and directing his or her Acolytes of War. When the Skedorian Empire reformed into the Holy Skedar Empire, the Holy Temple was converted into the official capital of the nation under the command of King Ise'Vihr. After merging the positions of the King/Queen and the High Priest of Jaalism, Ise'Vihr also converted the temple's Acolytes of War into the official Royal Guard of the Imperial Throne, training them to be the most elite soldiers within the Empire. In the year 2023, during the final stages of the Maian-Skedar War, the Temple and its once hidden sections were destroyed by the Maian Federation in their quest to bring an end to the tyrannical government and its fanatical members.

Race

The Skedar are an advanced race of reptilian-like beings that have evolved significantly on a technological scale throughout history. Physically similar in size as a household cat, the Skedar are quick and nimble, but leave much to be desired in terms of physical strength. To make up for their small stature in combat, they created large Bio-Mechanical suits of armor that are far more powerful and faster than the average human, with the added benefit of containing an on-board cloaking device for stealth operations. Typically reserved for Skedar troops within the Imperial Military, the bio-mech suits vary in size depending on the rank of the individual soldier and are of varying shades of brown depending on the service branch they operate under. While Civilians are generally unable to acquire a bio-mech suit, police forces are allowed to use a variant of the design and the leaders of the Imperial Government use specialized suits that signify their role within the Skedar society.

Largest Cities

Government

The Holy Skedar Empire operated as a Theocratic Imperial State that had its own form of constitution and claimed to also operate as a Constitutional Monarchy, however it was merely a ruse to keep the civilian population in line without questioning the power of the throne or the social elite too much. Its government officials (both within the High Council and Supreme Court) were elected to represent the various social groups that make up the Empire, while a Monarch (the last being King Qin'Ocheq) acted as a non-party political and cultural/religious head of state under the Imperial "Constitution" and the blessings/teachings of the God of War. The Monarch not only held formal authority, but also had the power to set public policies and chose political leaders as they saw fit, with the government legally operating in the Monarch's name due to the widespread fanatical members of Jaalism within its ranks. In addition to acting as a visible symbol of national unity, the Monarch held formal powers such as dissolving the High Council and giving royal assent to legislation, however most Monarchs exercise these powers carefully in accordance with the "constitutional principles" of the Empire so as to not provoke a response from the civilian population.

Foreign Relations and Military

The Skedar had a strong presence (both politically and militarily) within the Milky Way throughout the years following the establishment of the Holy Empire. Unfortunately this presence would change drastically during the Maian-Skedar War and the Empire would eventually fall before being replaced by a new government in the 21st Century. The Empire carried out its diplomatic missions through a Secretary of Foreign Affairs, who would carefully choose diplomats to represent the Empire while operating within foreign nations, however this was rare due to the Empire having few allies that it was willing to interact with peacefully. Whenever it was not so willing to participate in peaceful negotiations, the Empire would send a member of the Royal Guard to make temporary negotiations before a plan would be made to deal with the situation. Regardless of whether the Empire sends an official diplomat or a member of the Royal Guard, these members are highly successful at what they do and often go out of their way to ensure that the Empire maintains its position with other nations and organizations until they are no longer needed. In the years leading up to the Maian-Skedar War, the Skedar Military and its Battle Fleet was large enough to occupy half of the Milky Way Galaxy, however as the war continued it started shrinking down to terrifyingly small numbers as the Skedar were losing the war and its remaining forces were spread thin across its territories.

Economy

Among the most important technologies within the Empire is the Warpdrive, which allows travelers to evade the constraints of relativity and travel fantastic distances in a shorter period of time. Without the Warpdrive, moving between even the closest star systems would take years or decades, traveling at near-luminal speeds makes trade difficult and costly. Warpdriven trade, in turn, enables a higher level of income per person than would be possible in a galaxy of planetary autarky. Some planets, those with a diversity of species and resources, would do well enough in a tradeless galaxy, but others would be barren without the possibility of imports from other worlds. Trade allows desolate planets to specialize in the production of valuable commodities (turning their entire surface over to farming, urbanization, etc.). Richly endowed planets gain by specializing in industries in which they enjoy the biggest comparative advantage, using some of the proceeds to obtain goods or services they are not quite as good at producing themselves. At the same time, trade allows bleaker planets to export what resources they have in exchange for the imports needed to make them habitable. As for the Imperial Homeworld of Skedoria, it was one of the Empire's largest producers of minerals, metals, and fuel, often using its resources to produce various technologies (such as teleporters, personal shielding generators, personal cloaking devices, etc.) and starships, though it was also one of its largest importers of agricultural goods (i.e., food), water, and medicinal supplies.