Encyclopedia Galactica:

Background Information for the Voyagers Campaign

Last Updated -- May 11, 1997 by Bill White

Admiralty -- The High Admiralty is the supreme military headquarters of the Imperium; the High Admirals are answerable only to the Emperor himself. The High Admiralty commands the Navy, charged to maintain the peace and security of the star lanes. It fights piracy, suppresses rebellions, defends against external threats, and maintains lines of communication among the worlds of the Imperium. It also maintains Naval Academies on several worlds to train officers of the Fleet. Subordinate to the Imperial Navy is the Imperial Corps of Marines. The Marines are used to conduct planetary assaults, and small contingents are usually carried aboard warships.

Ark -- A type of starship whose main function is the transportation of colonists and terraforming equipment and materials. An ark may or may not be equipped with stardrive.

Beam, the -- The network of powerful lasers constructed by the Terran Hegemony in order to facilitate slower-than-light travel via starsail between the worlds of the First Diaspora.

Bureaucracy, Imperial -- Also known as the Civil Service or the Executariat. The Imperial bureaucracy is the organization responsible for the administration of Imperial territories and dominions as well the execution of certain governmental functions, primarily taxation but also including the enforcement of Imperial edict on client and protected worlds.

Beyond, the -- That volume of the galaxy outside of Settled Space, the 1400 ly radius sphere centered on Sol which marked the extent of human expansion prior to the Civil War.

Charter, Imperial -- Any of a class of documents created by Imperial edict which grants the possessor certain privileges, rights, responsibilities, freedoms, immunities, or authorities through a delegation of power from the Emperor. Imperial Charters may be granted to individuals, families, organizations, or even entire worlds.

Civil War -- The conflict which destroyed the Second Imperium during the 50^th century AD (the 12^th pre-Imperial century). Opposing forces of Generationalists and Individualists fought to impose their policies and views on the other. The outcome of the conflict was the collapse of interstellar order and commerce and Terra, associated with Generationalist politics of central control and technological limitations, was bombarded by Individualist war machines and sterilized.

Client World -- Any Imperial planet which has not been granted full member status but which is ruled directly by an Imperial Governor appointed by the Emperor. Imperial Governors are typically members of the Bureaucracy. Other political world classification terms include member world and protected world.

Clionomical Conference -- A loose organization of Imperial clionomists, historians, and social scientists, who are based within merchant houses and planetary academies, which sponsors and conducts clionomical research.

Clionomy -- the scientific discipline associated with the prediction of the effects of historical forces upon society; it draws upon mathematics, particularly theories of probability, chaos, and complexity, as well as economics, sociology, and political theory to make its predictions. "Applied" or "experimental" clionomy attempts to manipulate those forces to achieve desired ends.

Courier -- A type of small, fast starship used for the rapid dissemination of messages from one part of the Imperium to another.

Dead World -- A world incapable of supporting life, or one from which all life has been eliminated or become extinct. Other ecological classifications include garden world, desert world, death world, and others.

Death World -- A planet whose native life forms are inimical to humans. Death worlds are often used as prison or exile planets. Other ecological classifications include garden world, desert world, dead world, and others.

Desert World -- A terraformable world whose main deficiency is an inadequacy of water. Other ecological classifications include death world, garden world, dead world, and others.

Domain of Man -- see Second Imperium.

Dreadnought -- A type of starship armed for space combat and heavily armored and shielded. It is capable of fleet action and planetary bombardment, and it typically holds a contingent of marines for planetary assault as well.

Ecological Classification -- A descriptive label for a planet's ecosystem, useful in developing mathematical models for terraforming, climate control, and other ecological interventions. The system of ecological classifications used by the Third Imperium is based upon the classification scheme of the Terran Terraforming Team.

Encyclopedia Galactica -- The volume of information gathered, organized, and updated by the Grand Survey for the purpose of preserving human knowledge throughout Settled Space.

Fighter -- A type of small craft, usually designed for close orbital operations, used in space combat. Sub-types include aerofighters and deep space fighters.

First Diaspora -- (1) The volume of Settled Space, some 600 ly in diameter, centered on Sol and encompassing the worlds settled by humanity during the Subluminal Era. (2) Referring to the processes of interstellar emigration, colonization, and resource utilization which occurred during the Subluminal Era. (3) The Subluminal Era (-2807 Imp Yr to -1607 Imp Yr).

First Imperium -- Also known as the Terran Hegemony. From circa 3300 to 4500 AD (-2807 Imp to -1607 Imp Yr). A large cluster of worlds within 300 light years of Terra. The First Imperium had no ftl starships; instead, it relied upon slower than light "starflyers" riding huge laser beams controlled by the Interstellar Authority. Terra and its colonies sent out many generation ships never intended to alight on a world; instead, they would extract resources, create more generation ships, and continue on.

Frigate -- A type of starship utilized extensively by the Admiralty and the Major Houses as well as by many planetary navies. A frigate is equipped to fight, to explore, and to carry cargo and passengers.

Fringes, the -- See the Frontier.

Frontier, the -- Also called "the Fringes" or "the Periphery". The region of space approximately 1400 ly from Sol, representing the extent of human settlement prior to the Civil War. Areas outside this region are called "The Beyond".

ftl -- Faster-than-light. Used to describe interstellar propulsion methods.

Galactic Academy, the -- The premiere scientific, scholarly, and professional training organization within the Imperium. It trains bureaucrats for the Executariat, scholars for the planetary academies, and researchers for the merchant houses.

Galactic Magistrate -- The panel of judges established by the Terranovan League as a mechanism for resolving interplanetary conflicts. Dissolved by Imperial edict in Imp Yr 38.

Garden World -- Any planet capable of supporting terrestrial life. Other ecological world classification terms include death world, desert world, dead world, and others.

Generationalist -- A member of the Civil War faction advocating a policy of generationalism, which emphasized humanity's obligation to its future generations and promulgated a political creed of reasonable exploitation and settlement, arguing that the policies of Individualism were short-sighted and selfish.

Grand Survey -- Established during the the Second Imperium, the organization called the Grand Survey was originally intended to explore new worlds and catalog human settlements. Eventually, it became an educational institution as well, and was responsible for the preservation of much knowledge and technology during the Interregnum. The Grand Survey has Chapters on many worlds throughout Settled Space and commands significant resources. It also sponsors a class of itinerant, missionary-like educators and explorers known as "voyagers." Within the Imperium, some worlds with Grand Survey Chapters have been designated client worlds, with the Chief Surveyor of the chapter designated the Imperial Governor. The Grand Survey also maintains and disseminates the Encyclopedia Galactica.

Gravitics -- The branch of engineering and science that deals with the manipulation and practical use of gravitic particles for technological ends.

Guard, Imperial -- (1) The organization of technicians, administrators, and soldiers in direct service to the Imperial Presence. (2) A member of that organization.

High Admiralty -- see Admiralty.

Individualist -- A member of the Civil War faction advocating a policy of individualism, which emphasized the primacy of individual freedom, choice, and opportunity. Specifically, the Individualist platform advocated a policy of allowing individuals to accrue power and resources, and the extensive use of robots, AIs, and other automata to assist in the settlement of worlds.

Interregnum, the -- The period -1132 Imp Yr to -1 Imp Yr, following the collapse of the Second Imperium in the wake of the Civil War and prior to the founding of the Third Imperium in Year Zero.

Interstellar Authority -- The government of the First Imperium, concerned with the maintenance of the Beam and the flow of interstellar traffic.

Israfel I, Emperor -- Reigned from Imp Yr 0 to Imp Yr 95. Originally Israfel Cabriola, scion of a prestigious Terranovan merchant family, who became an Admiral of the Terranovan League. Cabriola served with distinction in the Relic Wars and gathered a faction of loyalists around him. During the constitutional crisis which followed the Relic Wars, Cabriola seized power and was acclaimed Emperor by the Space Union and the Navy. In Imp Yr 66, Israfel I used captured and duplicated war machine technology to create the Imperial Presence, a network of AI nodes containing his decision-making routines which has been continuously updated by him and his successors.

Israfel II, Emperor -- Reigned from Imp Yr 95 to Imp Yr 243. Established the tradition of Overlay, in which the previous Emperor's personality and knowledge would be maintained within the Imperial Presence while that of the new Emperor augmented rather than replaced it. Created the Imperial Courier Network to facilitate the rapid transmission of personality updates to the Imperial Presence.

Kamikaze -- An asteroid or other large interplanetary object accelerated to relativistic speeds and used for planetary bombardment. Generally results in the destruction of the ecosystem of target worlds. Outlawed by Imperial edict codified in the Imperial Laws of War.

Lander -- A class of vehicles used for transferring people and cargo from orbiting ships to a planet surface.

Law of Space, the -- Also known as Imperial Law. This is the body of imperial edicts and other decrees governing the conduct of space-going craft. The laws of space include regulations regarding maintenance, safety, required equipment, communication signals, conduct aboard ship, the duties and privileges of the captain, and other aspects of space travel. Essentially, ships are required to obey Imperial and planetary mission control orders and naval commands, to avoid protected worlds unless authorized landfall, and to adhere to postal and customs regulations on member worlds. Aboard ship, certain required safety equipment must be maintained and inspected and emergency drills conducted at scheduled intervals. The captain is granted supreme authority aboard ship save under extraordinary conditions, while the navigator (if present) is given the right to refuse such orders regarding astrogation as his considered opinion deems potentially unsafe, hazardous, or dangerous to the health and well-being of crew, passengers, and cargo.

Laws of Salvage and Recovery, Imperial -- see Salvage Edicts

Laws of War, Imperial -- The series of edicts governing the conduct and resolution of conflicts between planets. Rules for the employment of mercenaries are also detailed. Generally, the Laws of War prohibits aggression against member worlds, but does allow for the resolution of grievances and the policing of colonies, outposts, and settlements. Nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons are outlawed, as are relativistic kinetic weapons.

Lightkeeper -- A type of ancient AI, created during the First Imperium, used to maintain Beam stations within the First Diaspora. Some Lightkeepers are still active, though most were deactivated during the Second Imperium or destroyed during the Civil War.

Lightsail -- A type of slower-than-light spacecraft, common during the Subluminal Era, relying on light pressure from laser emplacements or a star for its motive force. Also called "starsail" or "starflyer."

Lost Colony -- Any of a number of human-inhabited worlds existing within Settled Space or the Beyond which has lost contact with the rest of humanity (or, less broadly, with the Imperium). Many have reverted to barbarism.

Marine, Space -- A heavily armored and armed soldier in the service of the Imperium whose primary use is assaulting key facilities during planetary invasions. Space Marines are among the most feared military forces in Settled Space.

Member World -- Any planet or system granted semi-autonomy by Imperial edict or charter. This status generally confers upon a world the ability to order its internal affairs with minimal interference from the Imperial Bureaucracy as long as certain Imperial obligations are met; these generally have to do with taxation but may involve basing rights for the Imperial Navy or access to natural and other resources within the system. Other political world classification terms include client world and protected world.

Mercenary Planet -- Any of a number of minor worlds in Settled Space upon which mercenary regiments are mustered and recruited. A mercenary planet within the Imperium has been granted an Imperial Charter by edict which permits such recruitment.

Merchant House -- An organization (usually centering on a single family or group of families) that has been granted an Imperial Charter for the manufacture or distribution of a particular commodity within a particular area of the Imperium. Some of the largest of these organizations are referred to as "Major Houses"; the smaller are called "Minor Houses."

Navigator -- An individual with psychic powers that enable him to improve the performance of the stardrive. Within the Imperium, all Navigators are members of the Space Union, a powerful political organization.

Near Fringes -- That volume of the Periphery of Settled Space that lies within or just outside the borders of the Third Imperium.

Old Earth -- Referring to Terra in the Sol system before its sterilization during the Civil War by kamikaze attack.

Periphery, the -- see the Frontier.

Planetary Academy -- Any local institution of higher education and research located on a member world of the Imperium. Most planetary academies have been granted Imperial Charters that give them some measure of independence from the world upon which they are located.

Planetary Squadron -- Any of the small space-going military forces under the control of member worlds rather than directly commanded by the High Admiralty. All planetary squadrons may be "activated" by the High Admiralty for direct Imperial service. Generally, planetary squadrons protect local shipping and the boundaries of the member world which commissions them. Not all member worlds have the right to raise a planetary squadron; this is a privilege granted by Imperial edict or charter.

Pocket Domain -- Any of a number of small interstellar polities within Settled Space that have emerged during the Interregnum. The Imperium is actively engaged in campaigns to incorporate various pocket domains within its boundaries.

Pre-Space Era -- The period before circa -2700 Imp Yr (2112 AD), when human civilization was limited to its planet of origin, Terra (Earth) in the Sol system.

Presence, Imperial -- (1) Any of the sophisticated AIs bearing the personality, knowledge, and decision-making routines of the Emperor himself. (2) The network of Imperial Presence AIs (3) A dreadnought or space-fortress upon which the Imperial Presence is located. (4) The actual physical location of the Emperor.

Protected World -- A world subject to Imperial administration and which has been declared off-limits to non-indigenous individuals not authorized by naval or imperial authorities. Generally, newly contacted lost colonies are given this status until they can be reintegrated into the Imperium; other examples of protected worlds included those with dangerous native life forms or emergent sentient species. Other political world classification terms include client world and member world.

Relic Wars, the -- The series of conflicts from -125 Imp Yr to -10 Imp Yr fought between the members of the Terranovan League and a force of war machine relics of the Civil War.

Salvage Edicts -- The body of Imperial law governing claims on derelict, crashed, abandoned, and other non-functioning spacecraft. These edicts are a part of the general class of decrees known as the Laws of Space. Generally, any spacecraft whose crew has abandoned her may be taken in possession by a salvager in whole, while any ship with crew dead at their posts may be recovered by the original title holder for the payment of a salvage fee. Disabled ships with living crew must be assisted to the extent that an encountering vessel has the wherewithal to offer help.

Second Imperium -- Also called the Domain of Man. 4500 to 5000 AD (-1607 Imp Yr to -1107 Imp Yr). The interstellar polity centered on Terra governing a sphere of space some 1400 ly in radius at its greatest extent. At the beginning of this period, humanity discovered the stardrive and developed gravitic technology, enabling a rapid expansion from the worlds of the First Diaspora.

Settled Space -- A volume of space centered on Sol, about 1400 light years in radius, that marked the extent of the Domain of Man and human settlement prior to the Civil War.

Shadow House -- Any organization engaged in illicit or semi-illicit activity such as smuggling, slave-trading, assassination, or piracy.

Skyhook -- Also sometimes called a "space elevator" or "beanstalk," a skyhook is a facility that uses high-tensile strength cable bundles as the basis for a mechanism for moving people and cargo to and from planetary surfaces for embarkation and debarkation on spacecraft. Uncommon due to technical difficulty and economic expense during the pre-gravitic era, skyhooks are now a common means for interface with planetary surfaces.

Sleeper -- Any individual who, due to the time dilation effects of relativistic stl travel or other means, arrives in Imperial space having left his or her point of origin before the start of the Imperial era. Many of these individuals have been cryogenically frozen during their voyage (thus the term "sleeper") but the term applies to other types of stl travellers as well. Imperial edict classifies some stl ships as derelicts subject to salvage, others as protected pre-Imperial artifacts, and still others as spaceworthy craft, depending upon a number of criteria.

Slowship -- Any interstellar vessel capable only of stl travel using any of a variety of propulsion methods.

Solar Confederation -- A pocket domain centered on Sol, encompassing systems within approximately a 50 light year radius. Its capital is Luna, the satellite of the planet Earth -- now uninhabitable and uninhabited, although archaeological and salvage work takes place on the surface.

Solar Era -- The period from approximately -4000 Imp Yr to -2800 Imp Yr. During this time, exploration and limited exploitation of the resources of Sol and her planets took place. Humanity gradually expanded its habitat from the worlds of the inner system throughout the jovian moons and finally to the Kuiper belt and Oort cloud. Late in the period, generation ships would depart for near-solar star systems. The emergence of "spacer culture" would later form the basis for the Individualist doctrine. The terraforming of both Mars and Venus, Earth's interplanetary neighbors, took place during this period.

Space Boat -- Any small systemship used generally for ship-to-ship or ship-to-station transfers. Space boats are generally not used for landfall.

Space Union -- A political organization of Navigators, granted a monopoly on the commercial use of psionic powers for interstellar travel. The Space Union emerged during the latter part of the Interregnum.

Stardrive -- A method of interstellar travel that lets starships travel faster than light. While those aboard ship note the passage of only 1 hour per light year, 1 week passes in the normal universe per light year jumped. Navigators can improve the performance of the stardrive, enabling ships to travel at 1 light year per day (relative to the external universe). Some navigators can increase a ship's performance even further.

Starflyer -- (1) Any laser-lightsail propelled stl craft which plied interstellar space during the Subluminal Era. (2) a crewmember of such a craft.

Starship -- Any vessel equipped with a stardrive or other means of ftl propulsion.

stl -- Slower-than-light. Used to describe interstellar propulsion systems. Sometimes STL.

Subluminal Era -- The period after the Pre-Space Era during which humanity expanded throughout the Sol system and into neighboring systems, eventually encompassing a sphere some 600 ly in diameter.

Systemship -- Any vessel designed solely for stl travel within a planetary system.

Terra -- Also known as Earth and Old Earth. Humanity's world of origin, sterilized during the Civil War. Located in the Sol system, which is now the center of the Solar Confederation pocket domain.

Terran Hegemony -- see First Imperium.

Terran Terraforming Team -- Also known as the TTT. A Second Imperial institution which was responsible for the creation of human-compatible ecosystems on marginal worlds within Settled Space. Many TTT arks were used as warships during the civil war by Generational forces to attack Individualistic worlds and habitats.

Terranova -- The capital of the Imperium, Terranova was settled in 4812 AD (Imp Yr -1295) by colonists from Old Earth. Terranova is approximately 700 ly from Sol.

Terranovan League -- The precursor state to the Third Imperium. A loose confederation of worlds, centered upon Terranova, encompassing a 50 ly radius. Emerging after the defeat of a large war machine force at the Battle of Gorgias Ecliptic, the League's accomplishments included the establishment of trade standards and banking protocols that revitalized interstellar commerce, a political charter guaranteeing the (limited) sovereignty of individual worlds within the League, and a mechanism for resolving disputes between planets (the Galactic Magistrate).

Third Imperium -- A large interstellar polity encompassing a 1200 light year diameter sphere, centered upon the world of Terranova.

Vagabond -- A member of any of a number of space-faring cultures that rely upon stl propulsion to move from system to system, usually in large generation ships. They typically do not reach relativistic speeds. Vagabonds generally do not recognize Imperial law, and conflicts have occurred as a result. Some vagabond cultures have adopted the stardrive, using their giant stl motherships as bases from which to explore, trade, and occasionally engage in piracy. They are sometimes referred to as "Space Gypsies."

Voyager -- A member of the Grand Survey who has committed himself or herself to a life of travel, acquiring astronomical data and anthropological knowledge of human cultures among the stars.

War Machine -- A type of automated, self-replicating cybernetic starship created by both Individualists and Generationalists during the Civil War. Highly destructive and capable of extended independent operations, war machines remain a danger to all inhabited systems.

Water World -- Any planet whose surface area consists of 90% liquid water or more.

Year Zero -- The first year in the Imperial calendar is considered to be the "zeroth" year in the chronology of the Third Imperium. Year Zero is equivalent to 6107 A.D. or C.E. (the "Common Era" dating of pre-Imperial humanity).