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Old 11-01-2011, 11:32 PM   #101
ak_aramis
 
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Default Re: 'Imperial Culture' (non-canonista)

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Originally Posted by combatmedic View Post
That could be read a number of ways. One way would certainly support Hans' idea about the 'Sylean Command' serving as the ad hoc core of the 'Imperial Army.'

Imperial military hierarchy
is somewhat vague.
:0



In any event, I like all the models proposed. Nice filling in the blanks, guys!
IMTU, the "Imperial Army" does exist, but has no units during peacetime, only Subsector HQ's and Sector HQ's. Huscarles are private forces of the Nobles, but form the core of the Imperial Army when war breaks out. After all, the 4518th LIR is pretty much a full on grav-mech-inf regiment.

When the 3I needs troops on short notice, it uses marines or huscarles.
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Old 11-01-2011, 11:43 PM   #102
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Default Re: 'Imperial Culture' (non-canonista)

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IMTU, the "Imperial Army" does exist, but has no units during peacetime, only Subsector HQ's and Sector HQ's. Huscarles are private forces of the Nobles, but form the core of the Imperial Army when war breaks out. After all, the 4518th LIR is pretty much a full on grav-mech-inf regiment.

When the 3I needs troops on short notice, it uses marines or huscarles.
This makes sense.
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Old 11-02-2011, 09:25 AM   #103
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IMTU Huscarls are private troops that a noble has an actual warrant to raise(similar to that which is given to Byzantine generals) and I think that's what canon says. Thus they are Imperial troops at one remove.

Other groups can have private troops. These can range from innocuous warehouse security to troops intended to be actual political muscle for megacorps to mere goons for intimidating recalcitrant natives or workers but who couldn't fight a robust group of Imperial Youth Rangers(or whatever). All of these whether respectable(like warehouse security) or not(like thugs) are different from huscarls because huscarls are specifically recognized by the Imperium and have the privileges and responsibilities of personal in Imperial service, sometimes including Legal Enforcement Powers.

Security would infact be a great devourer of manpower. Even in a mercantile culture other aspects can be automated far more easily.

Huscarls might also include personal counselors if they are intended to travel with a given noble. Other ideas include a personal private investigator, a personal bard or whatever. Naturally young nobles of lesser status would be fostered as huscarls. In fact Huscarls can be thought of as something like an Owsla. Naturally, toward coreward Huscarls will be more ceremonial or at least less militaristic. An roving investigative team might be more likely then actual soldiers though roving investigative teams are also found among border Huscarls.


In My Heroes Country there is a similar practice but it is modified because nobility as such is mostly honorary; the Patricianate is in intention primarily as a technocracy though it has nepotistic tendancies which would make it's evolution into a straightforward aristocracy a real possibility. A fair sized clan can usually field enough militia to provide it's own security force with every male and some females from coming of age to retirement being reasonably trained in arms. Chiefs aren't the same as Imperial Nobles being chosen by Tannistry and are first among the clan rather then overlords of a fief; nepotism is expected and tolerated within limits but chiefs are not intended to be feudal overlords. A given chief as well as some city or federal officials(like a flag or general officer for instance) will have guards and staff around him. These are sometimes called huscarls and sometimes called householders and bear comparison to Imperial noble's huscarls though whether or not they have official status depends. They accompany the chief or whatever when he goes on a mission. A Clan Consigliere isn't the among these; her job is usually as chief administrator as well as chief executive in the chiefs absence. Often a consigliere will be a chief's wife or other close relation. In my story Johnathan, when he became chief left his grandmother as consigliere and made his wife Rachel captain of householders, a matter of efficiency in this case as the grandmother was an experienced consigliere and Rachel was used to working directly with Johnathan.
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Old 11-04-2011, 10:13 PM   #104
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Archbishop of Sylea:

During the Intersteller Wars the Roman Catholic Church was like many organizations forced to decentralize, placing a subsector Archbishop in each subsector. Following the Long Night the cut off in communications forced a split.

When the arising Third Imperium reached Terra the Intersteller Conclave of Terra was formed to standardize doctrine, organization and liturgy. Local ritual procedures were left to be for the most part so long as they had no doctrinal implications that were considered questionable. The result was the Imperial Catholic Church, the largest Christian sect in known space.

While the Archbishop of Terra and Baronet of Rome, still known to the old fashioned as the Pope(based on an ancient Terran title) remains high in influence as well as in social cachet, the head of the Imperial Catholic Church is the Archbishop of Sylea. He is appointed by election by the representatives of all the subsector Archbishops who in turn are appointed by the Subsector Cardinals.

By tradition the Archbishop of Sylea follows the most senior Maarist Kel ten Zon in precedence for religious leaders paying respect to the new Emperor at Coronation. This, according to tales is because of a casting of lots at the coronation of Cleon I. The Archbishop as a function of his office is granted the Imperial Noble title of Baron of Cathedral Square. This title is not meant to show favoritism; despite the name, the Imperial Catholic Church is not a state religion. Rather it is a common custom to give noble titles to prestigious religious leaders.

The Cathedral Square refers to the Cathedral of St Shana the Gifted, Imperial Patron Saint of Architects and Mathematicians. This fine work is said to be St Shana's masterpiece and indeed few see it without being impressed.
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Old 11-04-2011, 11:12 PM   #105
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Oh, and after I'm done watching Blue Bloods tonight, I intend to write a post about the Chamber of Emperors. Wait with anticipation.
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Old 11-05-2011, 12:13 AM   #106
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The Chamber of Emperors in the Imperial Palace is unique in that it is designed completely according to ancient techniques, some of whom were once extinct and had to be painstakingly studied by historians and revived. It is a three sided room forming a right triangle. The floor contains a mosaic with a stylized map of the worlds of the Imperium. The walls are of gold inlaid tiling decorated according to complex patterns. On each wall portraits of the Emperors of the Three Imperiums are hung, the Third along the hypotenuse, and the first two imperiums on the other walls. Each portrait has written below it a summary of the history of his reign.
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Old 11-05-2011, 12:29 AM   #107
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Default Re: 'Imperial Culture' (non-canonista)

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Archbishop of Sylea:

During the Intersteller Wars the Roman Catholic Church was like many organizations forced to decentralize, placing a subsector Archbishop in each subsector. Following the Long Night the cut off in communications forced a split.

When the arising Third Imperium reached Terra the Intersteller Conclave of Terra was formed to standardize doctrine, organization and liturgy. Local ritual procedures were left to be for the most part so long as they had no doctrinal implications that were considered questionable. The result was the Imperial Catholic Church, the largest Christian sect in known space.

While the Archbishop of Terra and Baronet of Rome, still known to the old fashioned as the Pope(based on an ancient Terran title) remains high in influence as well as in social cachet, the head of the Imperial Catholic Church is the Archbishop of Sylea. He is appointed by election by the representatives of all the subsector Archbishops who in turn are appointed by the Subsector Cardinals.

By tradition the Archbishop of Sylea follows the most senior Maarist Kel ten Zon in precedence for religious leaders paying respect to the new Emperor at Coronation. This, according to tales is because of a casting of lots at the coronation of Cleon I. The Archbishop as a function of his office is granted the Imperial Noble title of Baron of Cathedral Square. This title is not meant to show favoritism; despite the name, the Imperial Catholic Church is not a state religion. Rather it is a common custom to give noble titles to prestigious religious leaders.

The Cathedral Square refers to the Cathedral of St Shana the Gifted, Imperial Patron Saint of Architects and Mathematicians. This fine work is said to be St Shana's masterpiece and indeed few see it without being impressed.
Actually, Jason, it's far more likely the rank of Patriarch would be the subsector level rank; it's never been discontinued. (There are at present 10 patriarchs; 3 are Roman Rite "titular" patriarchs, the other 7 are heads of "sui iuris" churches in union with Rome.) It's likely that each subsector would be organized as a sui iuris church, and some major worlds would be their own sui iuris churches.

Archbishops would likely remain the same level of authority as they are now - Major cities of a nation, or primates for a smaller nation... in most major worlds, thousands of bishops and scores of archbishops.
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Old 11-05-2011, 12:33 AM   #108
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I actually thought of Patriarch. I just went with Archbishop. Patriarch might do well enough. It is a worthwhile suggestion.
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Old 11-05-2011, 12:33 AM   #109
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The Chamber of the Emperor's sounds nifty.


The Imperial Catholic Church as described by Jason would be a pretty good model for my Imperial Church, with the only major difference being that my IC is a 'state church' for the Imperium ( not necessarily for member worlds of course!).
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Old 11-05-2011, 12:41 AM   #110
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The Chamber of the Emperor's sounds nifty.


The Imperial Catholic Church as described by Jason would be a pretty good model for my Imperial Church, with the only major difference being that my IC is a 'state church' for the Imperium ( not necessarily for member worlds of course!).
Well what I needed was a way to explain what happened after contact was lost with Rome.
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