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Old 10-14-2011, 06:51 PM   #37
RainOfSteel
 
Join Date: May 2005
Location: USA
Default Re: 'Imperial Culture' (non-canonista)

IMTU:

The Order of the Rose and Silk is the Imperium's most prestigious artistic Knighthood, only granted by the Emperor at the recommendation of its own membership.

The Order of the Heroes. Any sophont recommended to the SEH twice is instead sent to Capital for investiture in this Order.

The Order of the Sword. The general Imperium-wide ground soldier's Order of Knights.

The Order of the Void. The general sailor's Imperium-wide sailor's Order of Knights.

The Order of Conquest was created during the Pacification Campaigns, and is exclusive realm of Generals (Marine or Army) who have led their forces to capture a world, and the similar Order of Victory, which goes to Admirals who have won major space battles (the minimum is held to be a battle that decided ownership of a contested starsystem with not less than a fleet engaged on both sides).

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As far as the general public opinion of the Imperium goes in cultures where even remotely positive media is available regarding the Imperium, it is the Military Orders of Knighthood that attract the greatest attention. Literally hundreds of billions of small boys and girls dream of growing up to become a pure hearted soldier who does great deeds and is elevated to the peerage as a Knight of some fabulous Order.

Cynically, this is one of the Imperium's secret weapons, the carrot it holds out to the Citizenry, even if it is a carrot at the end of a string held far above their heads. Even if every sergeant in every unit is telling every soldier under their command that dreams of medals and Knighthoods will only get them horribly wounded or dead, still, they dream, still, they strive. Of course, there are the disillusioned, too. Those who avoid dreams of war, idealistic naive dreams, or whatever kind, or whose hopes have been forever dashed.
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