The Gelaan Empire has existed for more than two hundred thousand years, formed when the First Emperor conquered the Bhamind homeworld (whose location is unknown to all but them and the Empress now) and created the first of the Gelaan. In the time since it has spread out to conquer more than thirty thousand inhabited worlds across two separate universes and has gone through four reigns on the Imperial throne. The Empire, below the level of the throne itself, is a meritocracy. Anyone who accepts Imperial citizenship has the right to claw their way as high in the Imperial hierarchy as their abilities can take them. Imperial taxation is relatively light, taking no more than five percent of any individual world’s income. While planetary rebellions are common, they are usually rebellions against an Overlord rather than the Empire itself. The reason for this is quite simple… there is no possible methodology for overthrowing the Empire, due to the absolute power of the Gelaan and the overwhelming might of the military. Rebellions against an Overlord are always handled by that Overlord’s planetary military, and if he or she falls, it is considered to be a failure on that person’s part and he or she is simply replaced. Standard Imperial methods for managing true rebellions involve first destroying any military resources in space held by rebel forces, then dropping troops to the rebellious planets’ surfaces to suppress the resistance there. Imperial conquests are most often carried out through a well-synchronized invasion using their greatest advantage - the gates - followed by the obliteration of any resistance in space and a request for surrender. If they are dealing with a vast nation, spanning multiple star systems, the commander on site may command the destruction of an inhabited world as an example. In this case, most races and nations surrender immediately afterward. There have been rare occasions when a nation or race refuses to surrender after such a scorching, but that just means that either Imperial troops will be landed to take control of the situation on the ground, or that all planets within that nation or race’s control shall be scorched bare of life. The last option has only been used twice in Imperial history, despite the fact that more than two hundred different races have been contacted and forced to submit to Imperial rule since the founding. The Companions Guild, the Artisans Guild, the Mercenaries Guild, the Assassins Guild, the Merchants Guild, the Scholars Guild, and the Transporters Guild are the seven major institutions given Imperial Mandate to regulate their chosen fields. Many Imperial Citizens who do not wish to join the military use one of these institutions to advance themselves in the Empire’s society. Each is a path to power and influence in their own way, even the Companions Guild.
The Companions Guild- The Companions Guild is perhaps the most mysterious of the seven great institutions allowed the Guild title. The purpose of a Companion is to serve… but the meaning of that word changes depending on the contract and the individuals involved. Companions come from all races and many different origins, each with a differing goal in choosing service over the less subtle types of ambition. All those who complete the training successfully and become members of the Guild eventually serve people of power. They provide a listening ear that will never betray, bound to confidentiality, to people who cannot afford to trust in others. Depending on their individual skills, they can do anything from providing services similar to the head butler in an ancient human noble’s house, to giving advice on political maneuvering or military tactics. The universal quality of this Guild’s members is that their ambitions are fulfilled through those they serve. Some contracts last for only a few days, months, or years, but most who join the Guild are seeking a lifetime of service to a single person. While the Guild conveys offers to its members, only those individuals can chose to take on a contract. This Guild is commonly utilized by Gelaan, who cannot afford the weakness of confiding in those not bound to confidentiality. Amongst the non-Gelaan, the binding of a contract with a Companion is a statement of intent and ambition, a desire to rise high and grip power.
The Assassins Guild- Despite its name, this guild is not entirely composed of hired killers, but it also possesses aegis over spies, saboteurs, and ‘problem solvers’ of varying types. The actual assassins within the Guild are men who have met the rather harsh requirements for joining, namely a certain level of skill in their profession and a binding oath to abide by the Guild’s laws. Would-be clients give their job requests to the Guild, which presents them to its members - based on their Guild rank (apprentice, journeyman, master) - after determining whether the request is legal as regards the Guild’s charter and specialized exceptions. A would-be client can request a specific member to take on their request, but it is the Guild’s decision as to whether that request will be taken on by that member. The Guild serves a vital role in policing the underworld of the Empire, and on many planets, they have even taken on the role of acting as a local justice system. Guild members are immune to the prosecution of most laws, but in exchange must abide by certain limits placed on their professional activities, such as never taking on a contract independent of the Guild or fostering the formation of a rogue agency. Guild membership is confidential and can only be released with the assent of the members involved. All conflicts between Guild members are mediated by the local Guildmaster or a council of Masters, depending on the involved members’ rank and the seriousness of the conflict.
The Mercenaries Guild- The mercenaries Guild provides trained combat professionals of all types to anyone who can pay their fees. Their most common uses are as crack troops in internal conflicts, advisors to Overlords who have just begun forming and training their planetary armies, and guards for commercial interests. The Mercenaries Guild provides legal backing and services for its members as well as a place to take on contracts and find out the locations of the latest conflicts. Most members pay part of their money into a retirement fund held by the Guild, and few members remain active much past early mid-life, as the profession tends to either pay well enough to retire young or kill them off before they reach the retirement age bracket for most professions. The Guild also provides training for aspiring members, carried out by semi-retired veterans and active members in between jobs. The Guild is the only legal method for hiring military professionals in the Empire.
The Merchants Guild- By Imperial law, all inter-planetary and inter-galactic commercial interests are required to register as members of the Guild and submit to regular Guild audits. Unlike the other Guilds, the Guildmasters of the Merchants Guild are not merchants themselves, but specially trained auditors and accountants who have the right and the duty to investigate any commercial interest that is suspected of hiding financial assets. However, on the flip side, all members have the right to legal representation provided by the Guild and the right to confidentiality in the audits - provided nothing illegal is discovered. Also, the Guild prevents certain trades that the Empire forbids - such as slave-trading - from being carried out with its regular financial audits. In addition to regulation, the Guild provides a neutral and absolutely confidential place to carry out transactions between merchants and corporations.
The Transporters Guild- All non-Imperial Military ship crew are required to take on membership with this Guild. In addition, Mercenaries Guild combat pilots are required to satisfy Transporters Guild standards before they are allowed to take on their missions. Basic pilot training can be obtained at the Transporters Guild, and the Transporters Guild is the only legal place to purchase ships. In this, they have a partnership with the Merchants and Scholars Guild, who provide ship parts and ship designs respectively.
The Artisans Guild- This guild is the smallest of the seven, with its membership being fluid as old members die and new ones enter. To put it simply, it is a Guild for those who have taken inventive genius to a level beyond that which can be seen in the Scholars Guild. Artists, genius engineers, madcap scientists, brilliant architects, and even a few mercenary tacticians that have honed their craft to the level of an art are accepted as members. A Gelaan who only goes by her title is the Guildmaster and has been so since the founding. It is her decision who becomes a member of the Guild. While Guild members occasionally take on commissions, for the most part they work only on personal projects funded by Guild or Imperial interests.
The Scholars Guild- All knowledge-seekers, scientists, researchers, historians, and teachers join this Guild, for it has the most lax entry requirements. However, to rise high within the Guild requires a singular dedication to their interest. It should be said that the Scholars Guild has the single largest population in the Empire and certain branches of it are known for producing brilliant diplomats, economists, and the like. The only requirement of the Guild is that members be seekers of knowledge and promise to provide the Guild with the fruits of any research they finish.
The Companions Guild- The Companions Guild is perhaps the most mysterious of the seven great institutions allowed the Guild title. The purpose of a Companion is to serve… but the meaning of that word changes depending on the contract and the individuals involved. Companions come from all races and many different origins, each with a differing goal in choosing service over the less subtle types of ambition. All those who complete the training successfully and become members of the Guild eventually serve people of power. They provide a listening ear that will never betray, bound to confidentiality, to people who cannot afford to trust in others. Depending on their individual skills, they can do anything from providing services similar to the head butler in an ancient human noble’s house, to giving advice on political maneuvering or military tactics. The universal quality of this Guild’s members is that their ambitions are fulfilled through those they serve. Some contracts last for only a few days, months, or years, but most who join the Guild are seeking a lifetime of service to a single person. While the Guild conveys offers to its members, only those individuals can chose to take on a contract. This Guild is commonly utilized by Gelaan, who cannot afford the weakness of confiding in those not bound to confidentiality. Amongst the non-Gelaan, the binding of a contract with a Companion is a statement of intent and ambition, a desire to rise high and grip power.
The Assassins Guild- Despite its name, this guild is not entirely composed of hired killers, but it also possesses aegis over spies, saboteurs, and ‘problem solvers’ of varying types. The actual assassins within the Guild are men who have met the rather harsh requirements for joining, namely a certain level of skill in their profession and a binding oath to abide by the Guild’s laws. Would-be clients give their job requests to the Guild, which presents them to its members - based on their Guild rank (apprentice, journeyman, master) - after determining whether the request is legal as regards the Guild’s charter and specialized exceptions. A would-be client can request a specific member to take on their request, but it is the Guild’s decision as to whether that request will be taken on by that member. The Guild serves a vital role in policing the underworld of the Empire, and on many planets, they have even taken on the role of acting as a local justice system. Guild members are immune to the prosecution of most laws, but in exchange must abide by certain limits placed on their professional activities, such as never taking on a contract independent of the Guild or fostering the formation of a rogue agency. Guild membership is confidential and can only be released with the assent of the members involved. All conflicts between Guild members are mediated by the local Guildmaster or a council of Masters, depending on the involved members’ rank and the seriousness of the conflict.
The Mercenaries Guild- The mercenaries Guild provides trained combat professionals of all types to anyone who can pay their fees. Their most common uses are as crack troops in internal conflicts, advisors to Overlords who have just begun forming and training their planetary armies, and guards for commercial interests. The Mercenaries Guild provides legal backing and services for its members as well as a place to take on contracts and find out the locations of the latest conflicts. Most members pay part of their money into a retirement fund held by the Guild, and few members remain active much past early mid-life, as the profession tends to either pay well enough to retire young or kill them off before they reach the retirement age bracket for most professions. The Guild also provides training for aspiring members, carried out by semi-retired veterans and active members in between jobs. The Guild is the only legal method for hiring military professionals in the Empire.
The Merchants Guild- By Imperial law, all inter-planetary and inter-galactic commercial interests are required to register as members of the Guild and submit to regular Guild audits. Unlike the other Guilds, the Guildmasters of the Merchants Guild are not merchants themselves, but specially trained auditors and accountants who have the right and the duty to investigate any commercial interest that is suspected of hiding financial assets. However, on the flip side, all members have the right to legal representation provided by the Guild and the right to confidentiality in the audits - provided nothing illegal is discovered. Also, the Guild prevents certain trades that the Empire forbids - such as slave-trading - from being carried out with its regular financial audits. In addition to regulation, the Guild provides a neutral and absolutely confidential place to carry out transactions between merchants and corporations.
The Transporters Guild- All non-Imperial Military ship crew are required to take on membership with this Guild. In addition, Mercenaries Guild combat pilots are required to satisfy Transporters Guild standards before they are allowed to take on their missions. Basic pilot training can be obtained at the Transporters Guild, and the Transporters Guild is the only legal place to purchase ships. In this, they have a partnership with the Merchants and Scholars Guild, who provide ship parts and ship designs respectively.
The Artisans Guild- This guild is the smallest of the seven, with its membership being fluid as old members die and new ones enter. To put it simply, it is a Guild for those who have taken inventive genius to a level beyond that which can be seen in the Scholars Guild. Artists, genius engineers, madcap scientists, brilliant architects, and even a few mercenary tacticians that have honed their craft to the level of an art are accepted as members. A Gelaan who only goes by her title is the Guildmaster and has been so since the founding. It is her decision who becomes a member of the Guild. While Guild members occasionally take on commissions, for the most part they work only on personal projects funded by Guild or Imperial interests.
The Scholars Guild- All knowledge-seekers, scientists, researchers, historians, and teachers join this Guild, for it has the most lax entry requirements. However, to rise high within the Guild requires a singular dedication to their interest. It should be said that the Scholars Guild has the single largest population in the Empire and certain branches of it are known for producing brilliant diplomats, economists, and the like. The only requirement of the Guild is that members be seekers of knowledge and promise to provide the Guild with the fruits of any research they finish.
