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The only reason why the Republic is doomed to fall is because it's too diverse, too politically divided. Most of the Senators can barely speak each other's languages, let alone work together. By establishing my Empire, I sought to eliminate that. Unity through cooperation, cooperation through cultural annihilation.
—Gargan the Conqueror
Gargan's Empire (Garganese:
Gargan Imperat "Gargan Empire"), alternatively known as the Gargan Empire, also known as the State of Garganath, the Gargan Imperium, and the Four-Thousand Tyrrhan Kingdoms was an interstellar empire based in Gargan Space in the Outer Rim Territories.
Founded in 2320 BBY by Gargan the Conqueror, the Gargan Empire was a totalitarian, imperialist nation which sought to eliminate the cultural boundaries between its citizens. Those "enlightened" under the Empire's banner had their identities and cultural backgrounds vanquished, instead having the homogeneous Garganese culture forcefully imposed upon them. Culturally, the Garganese were heavily influenced by the Tyrrhans, a splinter species of Humans.
The Gargan Empire was often credited for spreading the torch of knowledge and civilization to the planet Tyrrha, later renamed Garganath. Before the Empire's inception, Garganath was a planet of squabbling micro-states and feudal kingdoms, who suffered a significant cultural setback following a planet-wide war on their planet.[4] Subsequently, however, the Gargan Empire was criticized for its brutal peacekeeping policies, totalitarian leadership, and its practice of "assimilating" other species.
Although usually described as an isolationist nation, Gargan's Empire was a member of the Triumvirate of Free Sectors alongside the Slaver's Republic and Kingdom of Amun-Zol. During the Clone Wars, the Empire was allied with the Confederacy of Independent Systems and saw a period of decline following the Gargan Civil War at the conclusion of the Clone Wars. The Galactic Empire assumed control over Gargan Space when the civil war ended, installing a military junta led by Gereon Vexus to assume total administrative control. Upon Vexus' death by Orabane Tremere, Gargan's Empire reaffirmed themselves as a major political power - gaining considerable influence in galactic politics even following the dissolution of the Triumvirate.
History
Establishment
Did you know the first Gargan was a Sith Lord? Yeah, so you get an idea of what kind of mentality those people have.
—CT-7567
A young Gargan the Conqueror, founder of the Empire.
In 2320 BBY, a group of fifteen Human scientists from Coruscant were sent to the planet Tyrrha in an attempt to reintegrate it back into the Galactic Republic. The Tyrrhans, considered a culturally stunted people, descended from Coruscanti colonists who were cut off from the galactic community following the Great Hyperspace War.[4] For the next three thousand years, they devolved into tribal communities, with some of the more powerful tribes forming confederacies and petty feudal kingdoms. Reuel Ahlcain and Sandro Moore, two seasoned anthropologists from the Ministry of Science, were chosen to spearhead the project to "reeducate" the many splinter tribes of Tyrrha, under a team led by Bor Kovats.
However, the scientists' main encampment was under attack by a reasonably sophisticated Tyrrhan tribe called the Kingdom of Myrra, led by King Adamos. They feared the "men of black knowledge" and attempted to have them driven off the planet. The scientists were given a relatively meagre amount of protection before they left Coruscant, making it increasingly difficult for them to combat the encroaching advance of the Tyrrhans. Ahlcain, who held a fascination with military strategy, noticed that the Tyrrhans' attacks were sloppy and unorganized. The attacks were little more than skirmishes, rather than well-organized battles. Though the Tyrrhan attacks didn't prove particularly destructive, they were still impeding on Ministry affairs.
Reuel Ahlcain was also, unbeknownst to all, a Tyrrhan native who was raised on Coruscant as an orphan. He had joined the expedition team in an attempt to familiarize himself with his people - and possibly have a chance at ruling them. As part of a "plan" to repel the attackers, Ahlcain surrendered himself to a portion of the Tyrrhan attack host. During his "captivity", however, he taught them how to properly organize attacks, how to maintain their weapons, and how to effectively use modern technology. Ahlcain's teachings allowed the Tyrrhans to all but annihilate the scientist encampment. As reward for his aid, King Adamos allowed Ahlcain to choose nine of the fifteen scientists he wanted to keep alive. He picked Moore, and eight scientists who were specialized in the fields of strategy, logistics, science, medicine and engineering.
Following this victory, Ahlcain continued to manipulate the King of Myrra, Adamos, suggesting he should annex the other kingdoms on Tyrrha. In a manner of months, most of the warring nations had all fallen under Myrra's banner. The Tyrrhans were so impressed with Ahlcain that they appointed him the new King of Myrra. Ahlcain addressed the newly-unified planet of Tyrrha that he was sent by "Ur, the Cosmic God", to lead the Tyrrhans into conquering their neighbors. He uttered one word "Gargan", which he claimed was a primordial word for "guide". In truth, Gargan was a made-up word that meant nothing, but Ahlcain chose to use it to symbolize a unifying term for a new and advanced people.
Ahlcain and Moore wrote the Red Sun Scrolls, a set of religious and constitutional doctrines which defined the government of the Empire and the basis of the Cult of Ur. Moore also renamed himself into the Mordan, the right-hand man of the Gargan. The newly christened Gargan and Mordan went on a war of conquest to solidify their new rule over the planet and its surrounding star systems. Gargan's Empire also maintained its own calendar, which used the founding of the Empire as its epoch.
Tyrrhan Unification
Following the reformation of the Kingdom of Myrra into Gargan's Empire, the new Gargan went on a quest to assimilate the remaining kingdoms of Adamant, Rodahl, Semrita and Nylos. Although Tyrrha was said to have counted at least "four thousand" kingdoms and nations by the time Reuel Ahlcain came to power, the four aforementioned kingdoms were arguably the largest and most advanced out of all of them. The Kingdoms had all fallen in line in a relatively quick succession, though Adamant proved far more difficult to submit, despite the conquest of their city. As such, the Gargan married the prodigal daughter of Queen Lillith of Adamant, called Lady Sil, to cement the new relationship between Adamant and their imperial overlords.
After the fall of Adamant, the Garganese reactivated the derelict shipyards on the planet, allowing the manufacture of new starships meant to colonize the other planets in Gargan Space. Many other kingdoms and tribes within this period were also assimilated into the Empire. These nations were considered to be so weak and backward that no records of their names, culture, languages, or religions have remained intact after their defeat.
The Oldboy Conspiracy
Here lies your King. The hubris of his pathetic attempt at an insurgency has laid bare for you to see. The will of Ur cannot be refused. The will of the Gargan cannot be denied. Under my guidance you will rise from the squalor you have known, and find true civilization!
—Gargan the Conqueror following the execution of King Qynaster.
The former King of Nylos, Qynaster failed to form an insurrection against the Gargan.
Despite having assumed complete control over Tyrrha and the other surrounding systems, there was still unrest brewing in the fledgling Empire - which Ahlcain expected after the quick conquest and change of rule on the planet. While the new peacekeeping forces of the Gargan proved efficient in maintaining peace and order, there soon rose a new underground insurgency movement called the Oldboy Conspiracy, led by the eponymous and enigmatic Oldboy - who was a self-confessed Tyrrhan patriot and liberator.
The Gargan ordered his Mordan, Sandro Moore, to investigate the up-and-coming rebellion and quell any dissident where necessary. However, while the Mordan made quick work of the rebels, he was soon ambushed and assassinated by a group of insurgents before he could uncover the identity of their leader. His death prompted the Gargan to switch to more brutal and violent methods of quelling the rebellion, even resorting to torture where necessary.
He ordered raids across his realm, arresting many insurgency suspects or those who were accused of harboring said suspects. He used torturous methods to try and discover the identity of their leader, ultimately with success. An insurgent who broke to his torture revealed the name and location of their leader, who was revealed to be the former King of Nylos: Qynaster. This information led to his arrest and a lengthy torture session to get Qynaster to produce a confession. To make an example of anyone who would rebel against the rule of the Gargan, he was doused in tar and set on fire publicly in Myrra's town square.
The arrest, execution, and death of Qynaster has since been mimicked yearly during Founder's Day, by burning wooden effigies made in his likeness.
Wars of Conquest
Gargan Civil War
Ever since the defeat of the Oldboy, the Empire continued to enjoy a steady growth in population, a stable economy and a powerful military. Going into 42 BBY, the Empire had also improved their relations with the Galactic Republic. While they hadn't outright joined the Republic, the Empire had managed to ease the mounting tensions between the two nations by signing a trade deal that allowed Garganese merchants to move freely between the Core Worlds and Gargan Space, and vice versa for Republic traders.
By 25 BBY, the Gargan of Many Shades had passed away at the age of 97 and the Order of Gargan elected the young Vendrien Relka, who would later be known as Gargan the Abominable. Unlike the wise and benevolent Gargan of Many Shades, Gargan the Abominable was a cruel despot and xenophobe who reveled in warfare and carried a fervent hatred for the Galactic Republic, believing that the earlier efforts to improve relations was to soften the Empire up for eventual integration into the Republic, something that he feared.
In 22 BBY, shortly before the beginning of the Clone Wars, Gargan the Abominable had begun to involve himself with the Confederacy of Independent Systems and frequently spoke with Count Dooku and General Grievous about his wish to see Gargan's Empire remain independent from Republic influences.[5] Dooku offered the Gargan a seat on the Separatist Council in exchange for his support for the inevitable conflict with the Republic. The Gargan agreed, providing Dooku with a sizeable force of Garganese soldiers and resources from Garganath's mines.
Unbeknownst to the Gargan, however, this was a plot by Darth Sidious to eventually lay claim on Gargan Space once the final stage of the Grand Plan had drawn itself near[6]. While Gargan's Empire would exhaust their resources and soldiers trying to fight the Republic, the Sith would take over their territories and their foundry worlds, which could significantly increase the production of starships and speed up production on the Death Star.[7]
Once the Clone Wars neared its end by 19 BBY, the Gargan Empire had been severely weakened. An enormous part of their resources had been poured into the war effort, leaving the Empire with little to manufacture on their own. The death of General Grievous caused for the eventual disintegration of the CIS, while the number of allies Gargan's Empire had left dwindled drastically. By the time Palpatine had reformed the Republic into the Galactic Empire, the Order of Gargan began to break apart into two camps of Gargan loyalists and Gargan reformists, the latter of which wishing to see Gargan the Abominable deposed for having been manipulated by outside forces into destroying his own Empire.
The Gargan Civil War carried on for about ten years. Gargan the Abominable died after being poisoned by the Reformists, prompting the Galactic Empire in 8 BBY to step in and restore order after the conflict had begun to get out of hand. Moff Gereon Vexus was given control over the Gargan sector, dissolving the Order of Gargan and imposing martial law over the territories of Gargan's Empire. Over the next twelve years, the Gargan Empire remained under the administrative control of the Galactic Empire, in an era known as the Interregnum Period.
Interregnum Period
When the Galactic Empire had assumed control of the Gargan Empire's territories, they were met with immediate unrest and hostility from the citizenry. According to Moff Vexus, his men had a notoriously difficult time suppressing the Garganese and keeping them under his thumb, but pridefully exclaimed that they had learned a thing or two from the old Gargan emperors. They used similar methods of brutal suppression to silence dissidents and keep the citizens in check, while promising prosperous careers in the Imperial Military for citizens who remained loyal. Palpatine's Empire promised protection and an ordinary return to normal life - lest the population would not interfere with Imperial matters whilst they were in command.
However, the Empire did not particularly bother in lording their new territories as Moff Vexus was more interested in siphoning the resources on the Gargan Empire's refinery worlds, instead. Moreover, the Empire had come into the midst of the Galactic Civil War and the resources of the old Gargan Empire were much-needed for the ongoing war effort.
Despite their efforts, the Empire did face some opposition from the populace during this period. Several insurgency groups rose and orchestrated relatively small, guerrilla-like attacks on trade lines and food processing plants. However, these minor rebellions did not prove to change the political landscape in any significant way, and most of the insurgents were either captured or killed by the Imperials early on.
End of the Interregnum
In 0 ABY, the galaxy faced a sociopolitical shock when the Death Star - the Empire's principal instrument of warfare - was destroyed by the Rebel Alliance led by Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, and Leia Organa.[8] The citizens of Gargan Space observed the events closely, instilling them with some sense of hope that Ur had not given up on them and that the Empire would be driven away sooner or later. Moreover, some of the former members of the disbanded Order of Gargan claimed to have received visions of a Tyrrhan national hiding amongst the Rebel Alliance. The old members came together one more time to meditate on their visions and coordinate their efforts into locating this lost Tyrrhan.
The "Lost Tyrrhan" the Order had sensed was known as Emeric Armac Aloysaine. The Order predicted that in time this Tyrrhan would vanquish the oppressive Empire and return the rule of the Gargan. Some in the Order even argued that this Emeric would become the next Gargan, a belief that the others had come to firmly advocate for. Ever since, they attempted to telepathically establish contact with Emeric, convincing him to return to Garganath and overthrow Moff Vexus.
In 4 ABY, the Empire had been defeated. The Battle of Endor was won by the Alliance, Emperor Palpatine and his enforcer Darth Vader were dead, and the Death Star II had been destroyed.[9] The galaxy rejoiced in celebration, but meanwhile Garganath remained under the control of Moff Vexus and a handful of Imperial troops. Vexus refused to believe in Palpatine's death, instead believing it propaganda fabricated by the Garganese insurgents to try and get Vexus and his men to abandon their posts in a panic. Shortly thereafter, however, the Garganese engaged in a wide-scale revolt and quickly overran the undermanned Imperial forces.
During that same revolt, a young man accompanied by a group of soldiers had fought their way into the occupied Imperial Palace and arrived in the Gargan's old throne room, which had been refurbished into a command center operated by Moff Vexus. In a relatively short fight, the young man killed Vexus and threw his body off of the palace battlements and into the roaring streets below. He roared "Gargan!" to the masses under him, proclaiming an end to outlander rule. The period following the death of Moff Vexus would later be known as the Resurgence Period.
The Resurgence
I am the Blood of Garganath. I have returned to you to free you from the outlanders! Garganath belongs to the Garganese, and once more we will be victorious!
—The Crimson Gargan.
The man who killed Gereon Vexus called himself Orabane Tremere, claiming to be a Tyrrhan exile who returned to his homeworld to free his people from the Imperials. Within the same week as when he killed Vexus, the Order of Gargan reassembled in Myrra, telling Orabane that they had foreseen a Tyrrhan exile driving out the Imperials and restoring the Gargan Imperium to its former glory. Apparently, however, they had misinterpreted him for Emeric in their visions. Instead, they hailed Orabane as their chosen savior.
Orabane was crowned Gargan in an elaborate coronation the following day. Upon assuming the seat of Gargan, Tremere promised a return to traditional life and the rebuilding of the Gargan Empire's collapsed economy. Despite being of the comparatively young age of fifteen, Tremere had proven himself a more than capable ruler. Gargan's Empire, although still weak after suffering through a socioeconomic collapse, slowly rebuilt itself over the coming decades. Tremere would later also be known as the "Crimson Gargan", due to the color of his chosen Imperial robes.
When the New Republic was founded[2], it offered to aid Gargan's Empire in its reconstruction efforts. However, the Empire declined, as many still remained wary after witnessing firsthand what happened the last time the Empire involved itself with other nations. The Empire attempted to slowly rebuilt itself on its own, with help from local Tyrrhan-founded commerce guilds.
Gargan Golden Age
In 25 ABY, the Crimson Gargan had died at the relatively young age of 36. Gargan's Empire did not disclose the details on his manner of death, instead blaming it on a "stress-induced illness." The Spring Gargan succeeded him in the same year, with some Empire officials claiming that his appointment was a personal choice by the Crimson Gargan. By the time the Crimson Gargan died, the Empire had just about repaid all their debts and reestablished themselves as a major power in galactic politics. This period would be known as the Gargan Golden Age.
The Spring Gargan proved to be a relatively competent leader, as well. However, he was often criticized in the Empire for opening his doors to dealings with the New Republic - a tactic his predecessor vehemently opposed. Moreover, the Spring Gargan's leadership was almost immediately put to the test, as his tenure almost immediately began with the invasion of the Yuuzhan Vong.[2] In a sense, the Spring Gargan was almost forced to make compromises with the New Republic as to efficiently combat the encroaching threat of the Yuuzhan Vong together.
Gargan Space saw relatively limited amounts of combat with the Yuuzhan Vong compared to the rest of the galaxy. The battles the Empire did fight with the Yuuzhan Vong were quickly repelled due to the Spring Gargan's effective strategies. He utilized the strategic position of the Vahpunuuth system as to try and centralize the combat within one system, preventing it from spilling out into the other systems with important resource worlds. By 29 ABY, the Yuuzhan Vong were defeated[10]. The galaxy suffered a tremendous amount of losses, counting as far as 300 trillion. The Empire, however, suffered some of the least amount of casualties.
In the decades that followed, the Gargan Empire reached out to the New Republic and offered to help them rebuild, the same offer the New Republic made to the Empire twenty years earlier. Relations between the two states improved, and by 40 ABY the New Republic and Gargan Empire had established several peace and trade treaties.
By 138 ABY, Gargan's Empire was still extant. It was unknown if they involved themselves with the Second Imperial Civil War[11], nor if they maintained the same relationship with the Galactic Federation Triumvirate as they did with the New Republic.[12]
In 140 ABY, an Imperial Knight was sent as an envoy to an unnamed Gargan, implying the post of Gargan still retained its power over the Empire.
Logo
The primary symbol of Gargan's Empire was believed to have been a modified version of the coat of arms of the Kingdom of Myrra, which depicted the Imperial Palace of Myrra eclipsed by a rising sun. The seal was apparently designed by Gargan the Conqueror himself, and it was supposed to represent the rising hope of the Tyrrhan people as they shed aside their former identities in favor of the uniform culture of the Empire (symbolized by the sun). According to the heraldic customs of the Empire, only official institutions were allowed to use the seal, and were required to maintain all the dimensions and colors used in the original design.
There have been several versions of the royal seal, most notably the one used by the Armada of the Red Sun. Other variations of the logo, using the same design style and color choice, included the banners of the Gargan Army and the Gargan Navy, respectively. The three colors utilized by the Empire in their banners, flags, and logos were Tyrrhan Red, Orange, and Pure White.
Government
Serve the Empire, and little else.
—An often used motto in the Gargan Empire
Garganath, capital of the Empire.
The Gargan Empire was a highly stratified, authoritarian, totalitarian elective monarchy centered around the unquestionable authority of the Gargan. The Gargan was an elected, monarchical title which in theory was passed down to the most powerful Force-sensitive in the Empire. In truth, the Order of Gargan, the Empire's inner council, chose its own Gargan, usually amongst themselves. According to religious lore, however, the Gargan was the continuous reincarnation of the First Gargan; Reuel Ahlcain.
The Order of Gargan was initially formed from a group of Republic scientists who travelled along with the first Gargan to Tyrrha to attempt to reintegrate the natives into the Galactic Republic. The Order of Gargan maintained the religious doctrines of the Empire, but also passed legislation and handled foreign and domestic policies. Above all, the Order of Gargan served to advise their leader, but also ran the Empire in times of interregnums. Members of the Order of Gargan kept the tradition of choosing Force-sensitive members of the scientific community to join their ranks, and each aspiring member had to undergo a mental aptitude test for measured intelligence before being accepted to join.
Gargan Space, the region of space which encompassed the Empire's territory, was typically governed by several Imperators, regional governors who were charged with overseeing and controlling the many systems of the Empire. The Inner Realms, which encompassed the Empire's core worlds, were instead ruled by the Order of Gargan directly.
The Gargan as a King
The election of a Gargan proceeded fairly straightforwardly. Members of the Order would cast ballots on which Imperial citizen they deemed the most fitting to become Gargan. Theoretically, any male Force-sensitive citizen could be elected - but it was tradition to elect someone from the ranks of the Order, instead. The Order of Gargan required a 5-4 majority to elect a new Gargan, though there have been cases where elections proceeded for exceedingly long amounts of time due to multiple equally competent candidates. Election procedures for a Gargan were kept strictly confidential, as to maintain the illusion that the Order telepathically chose the reincarnation of the First Gargan. Whether the Gargans were in fact reincarnations of the First Gargan or rather entirely separate individuals remained uncertain, though the latter seemed more likely according to scholars on the Force.
After a Gargan was elected, an elaborate public coronation would be broadcast live throughout the entire Empire, traditionally followed by reading an excerpt from the Red Sun Scrolls. After election, the new ruler would drop his given name and be solely known as "the Gargan". To differentiate multiple Gargans in history, they were retroactively given epithets to identify them (Gargan "the Conqueror", the "Crimson" Gargan, etc).
The Mordan was traditionally the Gargan's right hand man, and oversaw all military matters within the Empire. It was often said that a Gargan could not live without his Mordan, and a Mordan could not live without his Gargan. The Mordan was handpicked by the Gargan, who traditionally chose the most skilled Wranth in his Legion. Like the Gargan, the Mordan was considered to be a position of holiness, as he was appointed by the divine hand of the Gargan himself. The Mordan was one step below the Gargan, though they held similar powers as in they could freely dissolve the Order of Gargan or veto any vote they had cast.
The Gargan as a God
As a dictatorship, the Gargan had complete control over nearly every aspect of the Empire's economy, government, religion, and even society. They held immense influence not only as the principal political leader, but also as the head of the Cult of Ur. Additionally, the Gargan was also a motivational force in the Empire. During times of war, they proved to have no difficulty in gathering the citizenry for battle, as they fought only for one goal; to honor the Gargan.
Despite being an elective monarchy, children of the Gargan were referred to as "Princes" and "Princesses", yet they were not allowed to be elected as Gargan as to prevent the formation of a hereditary dynasty, the same style of succession extant within the "divergent" precursor kingdoms. Nevertheless, children of the Gargan could still attain honor and glory in their own right, becoming renowned generals or scientists.
The Towers
The Order of Gargan remained in control of the majority of the government's departments and ministeries. Each member of the Order controlled one of the Nine Towers of Might, governmental branches responsible for overseeing specific sectors and branches of the Empire. They were the Tower of Justice, the Tower of Foreign Affairs, the Tower of Civil Defense, the Tower of War, the Tower of Mysteries, the Tower of Production, the Tower of Technology, the Tower of Health, and the Tower of Knowledge respectively.
Gargan the Conqueror specifically modelled the concept of the Towers after the twelve Spheres of Influence of the resurgent Sith Empire's Dark Council. He considered this structure of government to be highly effective in properly allocating governmental leadership while leaving enough room for the absolute, totalitarian rule of the Gargan.
Society
Ideology
When Gargan's Empire was founded, it was set around the principles of survival and self-sustainability. Gargan the Conqueror acquiesced to his newly-ruled people, who had learned that the Galactic Republic had abandoned them to their fates after the Great Hyperspace War had ended. The Garganese disregarded peaceful co-existence with other species as destructive and democracies as ineffective. As such, Gargan's Empire was a highly militarized autocracy which focused on full assimilation of people within their borders.
Every aspect and facet of life within the Empire was dictated by the ruling documents of the Empire, the Red Sun Scrolls, which itself were regulated by the Order of Gargan, the proxy council of the Empire. People within the Empire were taught to obey their laws unconditionally and without question. Any trace of disobedience or "divergence", as the Garganese called it, was "treated" with rigid reconditioning and brainwashing.
To the Garganese, all that mattered was their servitude to the state, whether as a tool for warfare or production. Personal sacrifice for the Empire were seen as the highest attainable honor, and rewards were given to those who had shown the greatest feats of patriotism and nationalism. As such, a fervent love for the Empire and their Gargan was fostered, and those who expressed their distaste or disapproval with Gargan society or leadership were called "divergents", a term that was considered highly offensive to any citizen of the Empire.
Language
The main language of the Gargan Empire was Garganese, a creole language evolved from native Tyrrheneese and Galactic Basic Standard. Garganese was supposedly developed by a linguistic expert within the Order of Gargan, built to solidify the relationship between the native Tyrrhans and the Coruscanti Human scientists. Up until the New Sith Wars, citizens of the Empire almost exclusively used Garganese. By the time of the Battle of Yavin, which coincided with the Empire's turn from isolationist policies to establishing trade routes, most Garganese were raised bilingual and could speak Galactic Basic Standard at a fluent level, as well.
Some Garganese also spoke the archaic Tyrrheneese, though its status within the Empire was dubious and learning the language was heavily discouraged.
Religion
The Empire enforced the Cult of Ur, a cult of personality focused on worshipping the Gargan as the appointed prophet of Ur, the Cosmic God. The Garganese believed that Ur was the immortal and transcendent creator of the Universe and that His will was extended through the Force. Force-sensitives were considered to be mortals "touched" by Ur, and were placed in the Universe for some greater purpose. Divergent Force-sensitives, which the Garganese used to call the Jedi and Sith, were considered the most heinous and dangerous of the Ur-Touched, as they were given the blessing of Ur but chose to use it against His will.
In the Empire, the Gargan was always Force-sensitive and they were widely considered to be among the most powerful Force-sensitives alive. When Reuel Ahlcain declared himself Ur-Touched and the first Gargan, he claimed that he would be reincarnated after each death, and that through the telepathic power of the Order of Gargan - a new Gargan was to be chosen. As such, the Cult enforced the belief that the Gargan was not only a politically vital position, but also a spiritual responsibility and that without a Gargan - the people would fall out of favor with their god.
Force-sensitives
According to the Empire, Force-sensitivity was a divine gift granted on certain individuals whom the god Ur had favored. The Cult of Ur preached that the entirety of reality, including the Universe, was the lucid dream of Ur. Most people experienced Ur's dream passively, while Force-sensitives - whom the Empire called "Ur-Touched" - were granted some form of lucidity to the dream, allowing them to exert minor control over aspects of reality, manifesting as Force powers.
The Order of Gargan kept records on the Empire's inhabitants, including the amount of midi-chlorians in each citizen. Those who showed an exceeding number of midi-chlorians from birth were removed from their families and fostered at the Temple of the Dreamers, the headquarters of the Order of Gargan and the main institution dedicated to training Force-sensitives. The Ur-Touched here underwent rigorous education programs meant to condition them into powerful Force adepts. The majority of the male Ur-Touched served in the military and the females served as healers or priests after completing their training, while the men would also be able to serve as apprentices to the Order of Gargan - and potentially fill a vacant seat once a member would pass away.
Male Force-sensitives were coincidentally also the only people in the Empire able to become Gargans. Usually, members of the Order of Gargan chose a Gargan amongst themselves, while in theory any Force-sensitive man would be eligible for election.
Lifestyle
Upon birth, a Garganese citizen was given a serial code to identify their citizenship within the Empire. From the age of 3 until 15, every Garganese citizen undertook basic education, regardless of sex or gender. These included curricula such as maths, history, gymnastics, biology, and physics. Garganese children would also be required to take a basic aptitude test to determine their predisposed occupation within Garganese society. While an emphasis was put on military service, not all Garganese citizens were equally considered to be competent in warfare.
Education
At their sixteenth birthday, all male citizens were put under a mandatory military training program called a Bogrot. During Bogrots, Garganese citizens were subjected to extreme physical and mental conditioning, meant to mold them into true warriors. During their Bogrot, the boys were stripped off their nationality and all other citizens were required to address them with disdain. Upon the completion of one's Bogrot, the young men returned to their families with lavish celebrations. Those who failed their Bogrots had to earn their citizenship back, usually through civil service. These were considered the lowest of the Garganese social classes, and often worked humiliating or physically demanding jobs.
Vocations
As adults, male Garganese citizens were drafted into the military, forcing to serve four years whether abroad or in boot camps during times of peace. At the age of twenty, male Garganese could opt to remain in the military or choose a different vocation. A career in the military was often the safest option for a stable job, income, and/or advancement in the social class. The latter, while literally the most safest, could bar a citizen from advancing socially or earning more money.
Women in Gargan's Empire arguably had an easier choice in vocation. They were almost exclusively set to work as physicians, therapists, artists, musicians, philosophers, writers, prostitutes - or any other job that did not require "physical labor". Conversely, they were also allowed to join the military, though they could not advance to Pestren or higher.
Leisure and entertainment
The Garganese did not regard entertainment or leisure to add anything of value to the Garganese way of life. Despite that, the Garganese were involved in basic activities of art, music, literature, and philosophy - albeit it to a certain limited extent. In a society that restrictively focused its occupations to a career in the military, relatively few people held vocations in any other fields. Yet, it was believed that for every 10 citizens who underwent a Bogrot, three failed the course and thus were forced to seek employment elsewhere. Most of the other non-military jobs were also filled by women, who held the main majority in the fields of medicine, art, and music.
Garganese films or literature were rare. Most books or movies were mainly works of propaganda or non-fiction, and the Garganese were not particularly fond of speculative fiction or watching films purely for entertainment. Despite this, the Garganese were much involved with music and visual arts - and considered art to be a way to evoke feelings of nostalgia and patriotism in citizens, and express one's love for their homeland.
Economy
The centralization of goods and the means of production are paramount if we wish to maintain a healthy, stable economy. The government will assume complete control over this aspect of our society, naturally.
—Gargan the Conqueror
The symbol of the Imperial Honor.
A Gargan Imperial Honor coin.
Gargan's Empire used its own currency, called Gargan Imperial Honor. Gargan Imperial Honors were worth about 2.25 Galactic Credit Standard, and the Garganese were praised with having a very stable and healthy economy that could withstand and recover from significant sociopolitical shifts in its climate. The Garganese were also invested in the Galactic Market, and by the time of the New Republic held lucrative trade routes into the Inner Rim.
The Garganese primarily traded in exotic spices and herbs that were endemic to Tyrrha. They also manufactured their own style and brand of clothing and jewelry, and Gargan fashion saw moments of popularity throughout history. Conversely, the Garganese exported many of their foodstuffs to the other worlds, and Gargan Moonlight Steak was considered a delicatesse particularly with the Neimodians, further improving their trade and exports.
The Garganese also imported from other worlds, mainly materials such as metal, fiber, aluminum, plastic, wood, and substances such as cobalt, gold and copper which they used to manufacture various technological projects.
The Garganese adopted a command economy, whereby production and distribution of goods were centralized and directed by the government. There was emphasis on the nationalization of industry, centralized distribution of output, coercive requisition of agricultural production and attempts to eliminate money circulation, private enterprises, and a free market altogether. The Garganese rejected the idea of private property, and the dictatorial powers of the Gargan made it easy for the government to take totalitarian control over the economy and limit the free market. The power of the Garganese economy came from its large amount of resources on its conquered planets and its effective utilization into technology and energy. They were also backed by the immensely influential InterGalactic Banking Clan, adding to the power of their economy.
Despite the Garganese's stable economy and steady flow and distribution of resources, they suffered a severe economic setback during the Gargan Civil War, taking them years to regain their financial prowess under the leadership of the Crimson Gargan. Resources depleted dramatically, and those that were available were poured into the ongoing war effort. This left little open to the development of consumer goods, and in time the Gargan economy suffered a major recession and subsequent inflation of the Imperial Honor. By the time the Crimson Gargan died, however, the Garganese had repaid much of their debt and oversaw a reconstruction effort to their collapsed economy - which had stayed relatively strong ever since up until 130 ABY.
Military
Military hierarchy of Gargan's Empire. (Click to expand)
The military of Gargan's Empire was considered highly effective, trained, and well-armed. Their military prowess was widely renowned throughout the galaxy. The Garganese maintained a strict and stratified hierarchy within their troops, and a system that stayed alive even through the days of the New Republic.
- The Legion of Gargan: The entire armed forces, led by the Gargan (political leader) and his Mordan (military commander). The Legion of Gargan was divided into "Altrites" (infantry), "Tremites" (navy) and "Undermites" (special forces). Each specialized division was headed by a Teiateal, who reported back to the Mordan.
- The Legion divided itself into Loreans of about a 10,000,000 men, which were divided into:
- 10,000-500,000 of Wrantheans of 50,000 men, each led by a Wranth, which divided into:
- 500-1,000 Pestralites, each led by a Pestren. The Pestralithium was the squad-level unit of organizations and the usual size of a task force.
Rank within the military was earned through time served, experience and merit in combat. Experience within the Gargan military was measured by Mettle. Mettle was earned on the battlefield or when in times of peace, during peacekeeping deployments. Soldiers who had earned enough Mettle could apply for promotion, and their commanding officers usually determined whether they were fit for greater responsibilities. Advancement in the Gargan military also came with significant bonuses, and subsequent advancement in Gargan society.
Every male Gargan citizen had to undergo mandatory military training from the age of sixteen, which included endurance and agility testing aside from weapons and strategy training. This rigorous education program was called a Bogrot, and those who were still undergoing their Bogrot had their citizenship status temporarily taken away from them, they could not contact their relatives or friends and any citizen in the Empire was expected to address them with disdain or disgust. Only when completing the Bogrot, was a Gargan citizen reintegrated back into society, usually with lavish parties and celebrations.
Veterans who proved themselves as leaders would also be eligible to apply as a Wranth, which was considered the highest-possible social status within Gargan civilian society aside from the Mordan and Gargan themselves, who were considered to be near-holy figures. The Teiateal, which were one step above the Wranths hierarchy-wise, were in fact councils formed by Wranths to lead the specialized divisions.
Hierarchy
The Empire maintained a strict hierarchy within the ranks of its military. Advancement in rank was considered the greatest achievement for male Imperial citizens, and promotion almost always came with significant bonuses and social recognition. High-ranking officers lived luxuriously, were often the center of attention, and attained near celebrity statuses. Women would also be able to join the military, though their advancement was stunted due to their gender, and could never advance to positions that required leadership.
The Empire divided its main operations under three divisions. The Altrites were the infantry troops and ground soldiers. The Tremites were the navy and operated mainly in outer space or in close orbit to planetary operations. The Undermites were the special forces, amphibian troops, or counter-intelligence. Ranks in the specialized visions followed the same nomenclature, and came with near-identical responsibilities.
Military divisions
The servicemen could be divided according to experience as such:
Recruit nascant
- Recruit nascants were the lowest ranked members of the Gargan military. These were often young men who had just completed their Bogrots and were freshly trained. Within the Empire, recruit nascants were seen nothing short of cannon fodder - and recruits who survived whatever trials they were exposed to were quick to gain a promotion.
- The nascantee technilar, the first rank of heavy infantry in the army were expected to hold the front of the line in the center of a battle. Their lighter armor and position in the front inevitably caused them to suffer the highest casualties in any battle, but good performance (and survival) meant promotion and upward social mobility.
Primarch nascant
- Primarch nascants were the second lowest ranked members of the military who were given a (usually easy-acquired) promotion from recruit nascant. As such, these had some form of experience in warfare, although they were still seen as junior members of the military.
Veteranis nascant
- Veteranis nascants were the veterans in the junior ranks. They were given some of the best equipment available to low-ranking soldiers, and were also the most experienced among them. They were typically held in reserve during battles until the other recruits were defeated. Veteranis nascants were often groomed to attain higher positions, and some could apprentice under officers.
Pestren
- Soldiers were given the position of Pestren when they displayed leadership potential consistently in battle. A Pestren had the authority to run small forward camps as well as act as a deputy for the local Wranth. Like the nascants, the Pestren had their own hierarchy, ranked from lowest to highest as recruit Pestren, primarch Pestren, and veteranis Pestren respectively. A Pestren was considered to be a "junior officer", essentially.
Wranth
- Wranths served as field commanders during major operations. They were often appointed to their position through years of dedicated service, and were clad in elaborate armors available only to the elite of the Gargan military. Wranths were renowned throughout the Empire for their ferocity and power, and in civilian life the Wranths were considered among the Empire's social elite, some being even able to be granted an audience with members of the Order of Gargan.
- A council of Wranths was called a Teiateal, and they led the specialized divisions within the military respective to their most experienced fields.
- The Mordan was the supreme commander of the Gargan military and was subservient to none but the Gargan himself. The position of Mordan was not acquired through regular advancement. The Mordan was traditionally chosen among the most seasoned Wranths by the Gargan. Within the Empire, the Mordan was seen as the ultimate warrior. Relentless, ferocious, and undefeated in battle. Like the Gargan, the Mordan was also regarded as a divine position, as they were handpicked by the very chosen of Ur himself.
Ranks of unknown hierarchy
Nascant scouter
- The nascant scouter was trained in the fields of reconnaissance and usually belonged to the Undermites. They were often experts with snipers and camouflage, and were deployed mostly during spec ops missions.
Nascant essploren
- The nascant essploren was a veteran nascant scouter. They were not intended for combat and thus only carried basic weaponry. They served as scouts, messengers, and sentries in various Gargan camps.
Nascant assassinis
- The nascant assassinis were a specially trained nascants, sent during assassination missions. They were extremely dangerous due to the fact that they were regarded outside the boundaries of Gargan law, and could operate freely and use any methods necessary. Nascant assassinis were used sparingly, and were only sent after the Gargan's most hated enemies.
Adeptis Uralis
- The Adeptis Uralis were a specialized group of Force-sensitive soldiers who served as support groups, flanking forces, or healers. The Adeptis Uralis were kept outside of the main hierarchical structure of the military, instead their experience on the battlefield influenced their appointments into the Order of Gargan, if at all.
Foreign affairs
The Garganese were a very supremacist people, and they held the belief that they were far more sophisticated, advanced, and civilized than the rest of the galaxy was. Early on in its existence, the Garganese felt that it was their sacred duty to spread the torch of knowledge to the rest of the galaxy and to "enlighten" the divergents. It was locked into conflict with the Galactic Republic for this very reason, and they were often feared and disliked by their neighbors for their expansionist and supremacist ideology.
The Empire also saw to assimilate outsiders into their empire, usually through extensive mental conditioning. Though the Empire didn't actively attempt to conquer worlds and to assimilate them into their culture, they freely opened their borders and spread through propaganda that the only way to enlightenment was through the Gargan way. This led to many disenfranchised or troubled people to try and seek guidance and purpose within the Gargan borders.
Coincidentally, while the Empire was often criticized for its hostile or at the very least tense relationship with other nations, they continued to see unprecedented, prosperous trading throughout its existence. The Empire maintained brutal, but highly effective methods to combat piracy and keeping the peace, which maintained peaceful and stable trade routes throughout their territories. The Empire also lowered taxes for traders, further making the Empire a preferred area of trade among merchants.
When in times of war, the Garganese used varying methods of psychological warfare to apply motivational pressure on their enemies. On top of that, they openly propagandized the assimilation of defeated enemies and emphasized the apparent opportunities and happiness of its new citizens. They often claimed that those who lived under the Empire's protection enjoyed unprecedented employment opportunities, and the acquisition of inner purpose.
Astrography
We don't need large holdings and empty star systems. We expand intelligently, to ensure that our administrative capacity can handle the growing number of planets. It has proven most effective, and we have still maintained a sizeable growth.
—Anonymous
In total, the Empire consisted of Garganath and forty-five inhabited star systems, each containing at least one or more colonized planet. The Empire didn't necessarily focus on expanding their borders as vast as they could, instead focusing on claiming star systems which yielded significant resources on their planets. This ensured that, while relatively small, the Gargan Empire maintained a healthy bureaucracy that didn't fall under its administrative weight.
Gargan's Empire was located on the north-west portion of the Outer Rim Territories, bordering on the entrance to Wild Space. The Empire counted about fifteen major hyperspace routes, the largest of which was The Guideway, which ran through the heart of the Empire. The Empire had two subsectors, the Boneyard and the Inner Realms. The Inner Realms encompassed the core worlds of the Empire, ruled directly by the Order of Gargan.
Most of the colonies of Gargan's Empire functioned as refinery and foundry worlds, turning minerals and other resources into technology, starship parts, or consumer goods. It also counted recreational colonies settled on "garden worlds", planets with a very comfortable atmosphere and a tropical or near-tropical climate. It had also settled on a number of "hive worlds", planets with continent-sized cities and an extreme population density.
Notable colonies
- Garganath — the capital homeworld of the Empire, an alpine world whose surface is covered with mountains, gorges, and valleys. As the founding world of the Gargan Empire, it was the first planet conquered by the Garganese in their wars of conquest.
- Orric — a resource world of the Empire, Orric had a very comfortable oxygen-rich atmosphere and a diverse ecosystem. It was one of the planets the Empire used for hydroponic farming.
- Van Sillun — a volcanic moon orbiting a gas giant which housed massive foundries and refineries. Van Sillun was used primarily to mine for raw minerals and ores.
- Oirufus — a production world which the Empire used to build starships on. Oirufus imported from refinery worlds such as Van Sillun and exported their starships to Garganath.
- Trintoniat — a planet that was used as a "garden world", planets with a very comfortable atmosphere that housed recreational districts, villas and palaces. All of its locations were in direct control of the government. Trintoniat was also home to the Trintoniat Institute of Technology, the primary institution in the Empire devoted to scientific education and research.
- Ason-Yol — a "hive world", a planet used primarily to provide habitation to the Empire's citizens. It housed cities that spanned entire continents, had a very extreme population density, and a near-extinct ecosystem.
- Idhon — another hive world, located in the Empire's outer colonies.
- Ekan — location of one of two major Armada of the Red Sun bases.
- Skego — location of one of two major Armada of the Red Sun bases.
- Hikediar — housed a secret facility of the Tower of Health where human experimentation was reportedly done.
- Osnoraan — a major planet in the Empire. Osnoraan was a prison world, where society's outcasts and political dissidents were sent to fend for themselves. Osnoraan was once a hive world which had been abandoned following the colonization of Ason-Yol. Prisoners here created entire colonies with very little direct interference from the prison guards, who kept a close eye on the prisoners through planet-wide surveillance.
- Eamoro — a frozen, terrestrial world which the Empire used to mine for silicon, copper, silver, gold, argon, and radon.
Behind the scenes
Gargan's Empire was directly influenced by Caesar's Legion from the Fallout universe. Parallels have been drawn with the Legion's ideology, government, and religion. Other loose influences for Gargan's Empire include the Sith Empire from the Star Wars EU and Klingon Empire from Star Trek. The author also drew some influence from his own Slaver's Republic page and the Chiss Ascendancy, mainly on the structure and formatting of the article.
In regards to the structure of the article and its length, the author's main inspirations were Sakaros' Golden Empire and Brandon Rhea's Bendu Order.