Government of the Celestial Imperium

Basic Overview
The government of the Celestial Imperium is oddly reminiscent of Iammelonian federalism uniquely Tordelian. While the legitimacy of the nation is held in the position of Empress, and the holder of the title does wield much informal power within the political structure, real power on a national level is held in the hands (and guns) of the Imperial Armed Forces Synod (hereafter referred to as the IAFS). Below the Imperial War council are the various states that agreed to join the Celestial Imperium after its declaration at Sennoshima. While the IAFS generally manages international relations and commerce as well as maintain the few national agencies that exist, such the Imperial Self-Defense Force and the Tordelian Mercenary Review Board, much of the administrative day to day tasks are handled by the states and their constituent planets.

Talmyr Minus the Tal
The title of Empress is on paper as strong as that of the Talmyr. In theory, the Empress of the Imperium has absolute authority, as the same amount of theoretical power was held by the Princesses of old, as well as traditional influences from the Talmyrox and the various Empires in the Nebula. In practice, however, the Empress is little more than a figurehead position, owing to the same cultural Equestrian burdens of localism and the practical realities of the fact that interstellar empires are rather too complex to handle for a normal absolutist ruler.

However, this isn't to say that Empresses are powerless. While having no real legal power, they still wield a good amount of religious and social influence that can pressure the IAFS to do their bidding. In addition, they have their own personal demense around and including Equus to administrate as they see fit. This allows them to have their own "model province" from which to govern, as well as their own power base so as to not have to fully fold to all IAFS demands.

There is currently no set line of succession, but the title is expected to be traditionally held by Skyla's descendants.

The Military with a State
The IAFS is a council of military leaders lead by a council of five "Imperial Marshals." Membership in the IAFS is generally correlated with being the leader of a mercenary band or one of the regional defense armies. However, membership (and thus political power) is also often given to representatives from important defense contractors/arms companies and other individuals with useful skills to the military (including exiles and adventurers). Regular tasks are often dealt with by a committee, with the main responsibility of the Imperial Marshalls just coordinating the pack. In times of war, the IAFS transitions into a more traditional command economy, where one Marshal becomes "High Marshal of the Imperium" and the rest are assigned to oversee various fronts.

The peacetime IAFS largely has the same government stuff you expect out of most civilized nations. The one unique department that most nations do not have is the Tordelian Mercenary Review Division or the MRD. Evolving out of old informal networks of recommendations from more skilled mercenary groups, the MRD primarily regulates mercenary and militant monastic orders that claim descent from Tordelia, Galinezia, or Newporte, though the MRD is quite open to reviewing non-Tordelian groups as well. The MRD reviews several aspects of their outfit such as logistics, tactics, and recent successes. Rating is done on a 5 point scale, with higher scores typically denoting a higher quality outfit.

United in Diversity (and Taxes)
The constituent states and planets within the Celestial Imperium are given a large amount of leeway on how they're governed and administrated. On a subnational level, many of the "provinces" that make up the Imperium are nominally democratic confederacies, though a few do break the mold. On a planetary level is where the Imperium's true diversity shows, with planetary governments ranging from syndicalist communes to authoritarian monarchies to (local) politically balkanized worlds, showing a chaos that's just a bit wider but not dissimilar to Iammelonian systems.

Due to this, the Celestial Imperium (or more specifically the IAFS) levies taxes on both planetary and regional governments on a land value basis. However, it does not necessarily require payment of these taxes to be in monetary form. Instead, provinces and planets may choose to instead send resources, food, goods, or even military divisions in order to pay for their taxes in lieu of any monetary payment. Thus, the Imperium typically classifies its own worlds based on what they usually cough up:

• Agri Worlds- These worlds primarily send food as payment for their taxes. These are usually fertile oceanic and terrestrial worlds with economies based in agriculture.

• Forge Worlds- These worlds primarily send manufactured military or consumer goods for their taxes. These are usually industrial worlds or manufacturing-focused space complexes.

• Mining Worlds- These worlds primarily send in raw material goods for their taxes. Usually exactly what it says on the tin.

• Recruitment Worlds- These worlds provide manpower for the armed forces for their taxes. These can be any world, so this category is quite diverse.

• Civilized Worlds - These worlds just send money or a varied mix. Another diverse category and often the default.

• Exempt Worlds - These worlds do not suffer any form of tax burden. Usually only given to the "cordon worlds" along the Bezi-Imperial border.

In addition to these are the "special autonomous systems," mainly Newporte and Galinezia. Due to their distance, are allowed near total freedom of action from Equus and Sennoshima as long as foreign policy aims aren't directly contradicting Imperial goals.