A time of change for the Empire

The Yoiul celebrations are usually a quiet time in the cluster, and I used it to complete a short summary of the history of Empire in its early space-faring era. This is a period of great change, and it is also the period in which, as we know, many relics were spirited away from Amarr and scattered over the cluster. It is not unlikely that the Ametat and Avetat were among them, especially given the struggles between the Emperor and the institutes enforcing checks and balances on the throne. So, let's have a closer look at the period between 21134 and 21930, the fateful 22nd millenium that changed our Empire so thoroughly.

It starts with the discovery of a stargate in the Amarr system in 21134 and the realization that other interstellar civilizations exist. This will be confirmed a few centuries later with the discovery of the first alien culture, the Ealurians in 21423. This is a massive change in how we see the universe, and it caused three major shifts in our Empire.

The first shift is one away from tolerance of sects and towards repression and orthodoxy. The religious zeal, which had lain dormant for nearly a thousand years after the completion of planetary conquest, was rekindled by the realization that we are not alone in the universe. This rise of a more fanatic kind of faith soon led to clashes and bloodshed between sects and cults initially tolerated, and the newfound orthodoxy.

A new religious movement, the Equilibrium of Mankind, had formed in the bosom of the established sect of the Followers of God. Soon branded heretic for their destructive views – calling Amarrians to depart “this universe” to save themselves from God's wrath – a civil war ensues. It is only after the brutal repression by emperor Queron I following his ascension in 21310 that orthodoxy prevails. The repression caused many sects and divergent congregations to flee the Empire and try settling in space themselves or looking for our ‘origin’, the place beyond Eve gate.

Not long after, by 21340, the Sani Sabik were the next targets for a religious catharsis. Many Sabik held positions of power within the empire. The church launched a massive inquisition, purging many Sabik and sending the survivors scattering to the winds. Many of the survivors stole cryo-ships and spread to the corners of the cluster.

The second shift is one away from checks and balances and towards more power to the Emperor. Queron I is succeeded by Zaragram II, the Mad Emperor, in 21346. He tries to curb the power of the Council of Apostles, and at first he is successful. But, he overplays his hand as he tried to glorify himself building Mezagorm, the City of God, to his honor. He is assassinated by his grandson, St. Tetrimon around 21450. The power swings back to the Council of Apostles and the new Order of St. Tetrimon, and the Zaragram heresies are purged.

The struggle for power between Emperors and Council continues for the next four centuries, until the ascension of Heideran V in 21870. The Empire had began handing out the newly conquered stellar systems to prominent holders in the early years of exploration, and Heideran V allied himself with these powerful colonial Holders to start the Moral Reforms. Between 21875 to 21930, the power of the Council of Apostles was methodically dismantled and shifted it towards the Emperor and the Privy Council, formed by these colonial Holder families that we know as Imperial Heirs. After a painful civil war, the Council of Apostles was no more. The Order of St. Tetrimon was subjected to the authority of the new Theology Council, but many of its writings and relics were hid away by its grand master Tetrimon IV before they could be purged.

The third shift is the start of the Second Reclaiming, or interstellar reclamation. The planetary reclamation had been complete in 20544, and since then the Udorian, Khanid, and others who were slaves in these early times had become free during the golden era when the Empire was without enemies. However, the Ealur were new souls not yet blessed by the faith, and after their discovery, the Mad Emperor declared that the Reclaiming was to be restarted, this time for the benefit of the alien races. Slavery, which had almost become extinct, was suddenly on the rise again. Pressure from the colonial holders for manpower only fueled the expansion of slavery further.

Of course, there was also a shift in technology. The early ships from were indeed cryoships: it cost 50 years to travel from Amarr to Hedion, cruising at 2% of light speed. The first gate was functional in 21190, and by that time already cryoships had became much more efficient. In a timespan of only 240 years, the gate network would already reach Ealur and Shastal.