Ethereals: History

The Ethereal Empire

"We will never reclaim the glory of our old Empire, but we can emulate its power."

- The Imperator

Personal Log of Zar'Chon'ravarian'vitiary

"Where did they come from?"

"Of all the curiosities a species like the Ethereals bring, there is a distinct lack of history behind them. A lack of context as to what molded their species into what they are today. As presumably privileged as I am concerning some secrets the Ethereals keep, they have still not told me what happened before they were destroyed by the Synthesized…"

"And even then, Quisilia offered no details. No explanations as to how a species so powerful could fall to an enemy that seems so…simplistic. Sheer numbers do not account for their fall, not without direction and guidance. But beyond the war itself, there is so much that remains unknown about their culture, society and way of life."

"Certainly it is preserved in some Ethereals alive today…but it is at best a mockery of what was. I can only draw assumptions. Fragments from what little I've been able to squeeze out of Quisilia and the Battlemaster. And even then it is far too little for me to draw conclusions I am satisfied with. Their species was far beyond the others, that seems logical, and was on a technological level beyond our own."

"Then…hmm, they are clearly masters of genetic manipulation. It makes me wonder how they were able to solve our own genetic plague so…quickly. It was a process that should have taken years, not mere months."

"Almost as if they had done it before."

"…In that case, unlike us, they survived their genetic catalyst and mastered their genome. But if that is the case, why have they not replaced their numbers yet? Cloning is not an elusive technology, so the only explanation is that Ethereals themselves are difficult to create. Could the difficulty have something to do with psionics?"

"Endless questions. Ones that will likely remain elusive. Perhaps they will trust me enough one day to share their secrets, but it appears that day will not be soon. Rest assured, Quisilia, I won't waste more time pondering this. I know there is a species that is yet to assimilate."

Log A12N – CODEX Archive System

Category: Historical Log

Type: Audio Log

Participants: Archivist Cogitian; The Overmind of the Ethereal Collective

Begin playback:

"Respected Overmind, I first thank you for taking time to answer several questions of mine. I am of course aware of the duties, especially relating to the new species we discovered, given to you by our Imperator."

"And yet you came to me anyway. Ask your questions."

"Certainly, though I must first ask if you are aware of my directive here?"

"The Imperator informed me of your purpose. By my accounts you perform your function well and have your own experiences in our Empire. You lived and participated in the war. What could I add to your archive?"

"You are certainly correct, and I was very familiar with the modern Empire…though that sounds wrong now. Regardless, there are gaps in my knowledge, specifically our history before our rapid genetic advancement and immortality. Those records were only available to the Chief Archivists and have long since been destroyed, and I unfortunately never reached the rank required. And as it stands, I would not want that aspect of our history to remain lost, and you are the only one who might be able to reveal the secrets of the time before our immortality."

"An admirable goal, but tell me, Archivist, what even do you know about me?"

"I know that you are the oldest of us, even the Imperator doesn't appear to know your age. But Overminds have existed for thousands of years, and the title itself is only given to the ancient among us."

"You came from the tanks, correct?

"Yes, I was not a natural birth."

"Then listen, child, if you want to learn about our own history. If you must know, I was born naturally roughly fifty years before we discovered the key to immortality. Your educators taught that we were always a united species, and that was the cause of how we drastically conquered our genome and continuously improved ourselves."

"Correct, though there are infuriatingly few details. Records of the time were extremely difficult to find, so I've heard."

"They were lied to. I lived through our "unification," and it was not a peaceful time. Our species was few and scattered, congealing into many different clans, for there were rarely enough residents to form cities of thousands. Our kind never increased beyond one hundred thousand before we developed cloning. Each clan was autonomous, and they were as varied and diverse as other lesser species. We were not special, we were no less petty and cruel than others who failed to ascend to where we are today. But the path to ascension was bloody."

"…Is that right? There were civil wars even within our own species?"

"Of course there were! One of the largest clans, led by the Ethereal you know as Regina, were aggressively experimenting on our genome and they managed to break the code, allowing unprecedented control over themselves."

"Ah, Regina. I actually met her once; quite the visionary as I recall it. One of the finest geneticists in our Empire. A shame the Imperator didn't bring her along."

"He would have, had I not dissuaded him from that notion. Regina was a visionary, I cannot dispute that, but she was a debased tyrant and liar. Once her clan had made the discovery, she set to impose her standards of the perfect Ethereal. Specifically, ones who were loyal to her clan. And she began her conquest of the lesser clans, who were caught completely unprepared from her attacks.

They were further shocked when she used her clan's skills of genetic modification to force the captured populations to become loyal to her. She removed any traits within them she felt would pose a threat to her and heightened ones that enhanced loyalty. To the soldiers, she did the same, and altered their memories so they believed they had always fought for her.

We did not remove traits that simply because we as a society came to a conclusion that it was the right thing to do; we did not do it to make a better Ethereal; it was simply a means of control Regina placed on our species to mold them into what she desired, which is a people completely loyal to her, and who would unite under her leadership.

The war lasted centuries, and she led thousands of Ethereals against each other. Some of the larger clans began to unite, but by then it was far too late. With full knowledge of the Ethereal genome, Regina further enhanced the psionic, physical and mental attributes of herself and her soldiers, and unleashed devastating genetic plagues on the weaker Ethereal genomes that drove them mad, broke them down at the molecular level, or simply killed them.

Even the clans that surrendered to her had their bodies changed and memories altered for her needs. Ethereals that resisted her genetic tampering due to mutations or other conditions were taken away to be experimented upon, arguably a fate worse than death. By the end of the war, Regina was responsible for causing nearly half of our entire species to die, and the ones that remained were completely loyal to her, and with an entire species she could begin her vision of the perfect species."

"I…see. I didn't realize she was so…influential. In that case…why was she not leading the Empire?"

"Because it had grown far beyond her. She most certainly did direct the fledgling Empire when we had barely mastered spaceflight, but her dream of constantly improving ourselves amusingly backfired on her. Once cloning was discovered, it suddenly opened the door to truly creating superior iterations of ourselves. So she did, and these Ethereals were smarter, stronger and better than she was. And within a few generations she simply became obsolete, a former figure with no relevance in the modern age; handicapped by an inferior genome and per her own standards, only the best of the Ethereals were fit to lead the Empire, and she no longer fit that category."

"But…she also prioritized loyalty, correct? Why would she not do the same, even to those enhanced?"

"Because she had believed that she was untouchable and that no one would dare change anything. But she failed to account for those in her original clan, those she had never touched, perceiving all of us too loyal to even think of betraying their leader. And it was true, but soon after she began leading the Empire, they stepped in and removed any loyalty restrictions on future Ethereals without her knowledge and her grip over the Ethereals was broken forever."

"Yet she was still alive, and everything…"

"Everything you grew up with was explained by lies. While Regina was rendered powerless by the First Guardians, nearly everything that was within the Empire was a direct result of her influence. Our directive to enhance ourselves was her vision, and one we nearly fulfilled and despite her actions, she is the reason we ascended beyond the concerns of lesser species."

"That certainly explains why the actual records were kept so secret…something like that would have come close to splitting the Empire."

"Hence why the decision was made to keep with her story and continue her work, but without her tainted interference. Perhaps it was a mistake, but it was simply another concern in the larger Empire. I trust that this answers your question?"

"Without a doubt, Respected Overmind. Thank you for speaking with me…and as an additional note, what do you make of this new species? The gray bipeds?"

"A devious species whose genetic ambitions have turned them into a hollow husk of a species, controlled by their weak-minded leaders. They will serve a purpose, but they will never be anything more than pawns."

"As it should be, I wish you well, Respected Overmind."

"To you as well, Archivist."

XCOM File E1E1

Authorization Level: Internal Council

Subject: The Ethereal Empire

Document Type: Historical

Report Author: Ethereal Aegis

Approved By: The Commander

Preliminary Note: All of the following report is based entirely on Aegis' knowledge and account of the Empire, and cannot be currently analyzed for historical accuracy. Psionic monitoring does confirm that Aegis was not lying when writing this, or at least he thinks he isn't. Keep that in mind. - Psionic Overseer Patricia Trask.

SECTION 1: Overview

I have been asked to record my own knowledge of what was once the Ethereal Empire for historic purposes. Though my role clearly did not entail access to every facet of the Empire, I can provide a basic overview of general life within the Empire, and the overarching governmental and military structure. In this event, I will forgo the template provided in favor of one that emphasizes specific parts of the Empire.

SECTION 2: Childhood and Education

There were two types of Ethereal children: those who were born naturally, and those grown in cloning centers. Before continuing further, I should clarify the differences between the two:

Natural Children: Natural births were extremely rare, even before the modern Empire. It is likely another genetic issue that we've yet to discover, though if the theories about our origins are correct, it is not unreasonable to assume that the reason for this is to offset our extremely long lifespan. Because of the unlikelihood of their birth, children were heavily protected and guarded in pre-Imperial eras, and were the only ones declared off-limits between any clan disputes. The killing or abuse of children was one of the few offenses that was punishable by death in the times before the Empire.

Natural children were not only precious to the parents, they were an extremely valuable resource as they were genetically superior to both of their parents, which before cloning, ensured that each generation after the parents would be smarter, tougher and overall better than the one preceding it.

Modern Imperial natural children were often several iterations ahead of even the most advanced clone, and were prodigies in their own right, and each natural child was subject to testing that used the data collected to improve the next iteration of Ethereals, progressing our species and bypassing additional years of iterations.

All natural children were powerful psions, and many became military leaders such as Overminds, Guardians or Aegis'. Physically their skin was typically a darker purple than grown Ethereals, though this is only superficial. It is also not uncommon for natural children to be physically taller and stronger than the current iteration of Ethereals, though this does not extend to later iterations where their genetic factors can be implemented to adjust height.

Grown Children: Ethereals grown in cloning vats comprised the majority of the Ethereal population, with the children being grown by combining various traits from genetic vaults to produce the Ethereal desired. Despite the fact that cloning technology was used, there were no "clones" in the Empire, at least not in the literal sense. They were a combination of genetic markers and traits from hundreds of other Ethereals, making the one being grown very much unique compared to others in the Empire, but often superior. The time of growth heavily varied, with a minimum gestation period of half a century, but more complex or powerful Ethereals could take a century or more to properly develop safely.

During the period of growth, they were overseen by the Creators, who determined how the Ethereal was to be grown and what they would be. They had full control over the being soon to be created, and could determine the intelligence, strength and various other attributes. There was a baseline established, but even we had limits. A being like the Imperator was simply not possible during the modern Empire, as having an Ethereal enhanced in every way risked the Ethereal dying in the vat or seconds after birth, or worse, suffering rapid tissue degeneration or insanity. There were limits that had to be respected and the Creators took few chances with ordered batches of Ethereals.

You might ask the question as to who dictated which Ethereals were to be grown, and there are several answers to that. The Imperial Civil Command gave orders once every ten years, ordering a certain number based on data they had collected over the previous decade and what the specialties were to be. The Creators were then given free reign over their construction, provided they followed the basic guidelines and appropriate gender diversity (Note: Gender diversity was implemented as a requirement after an incident occurred where an entire Civil Command batch was male, which I presume was an attempt at humor, or a pointed consequence to Civil Command being too lax in their requirements).

The Imperial Military acted in a similar manner, though sent several Battlemasters to oversee the Creators and ensure they were following the far stricter guidelines enforced. Unlike Civil Command, the Imperial Military made sure to get the Identification Numbers of every grown Ethereal they ordered to approach them later for service. Because while the Military is allowed to order the growth of Ethereals, they cannot impose service until an appropriate age. The children are, however, informed who was responsible for their growth.

The final group were, as you have probably guessed, Ethereal couples who wanted a child of their own. The majority of the time they appealed on the basis of being unable to have children of their own, but there were of course, other reasons beyond that. Only a few received a personal child of their own, but the ones who were selected had full control over the attributes of the child, and unlike other grown children, the DNA was exclusively comprised of the Ethereal mother and father to simulate a natural birth as much as possible. The gender of the child could also be chosen, or it could be unknown initially.

Priority in these cases was often given to Ethereals of some prominence within the Empire. Scientists, advisors, and it was especially prevalent in the Military. However, the Creators did make sure not to have a completely merit-based list, and there were many ordinary Ethereal couples who received children of their own.

Education: Where and how the Ethereal child received their education depended entirely on their method of birth. Natural children, or grown ones with parents, had options to choose from and were free to choose their own specialties. Those without parents were raised in communal education centers where they learned fundamental knowledge of mathematics, science and engineering. Basic schooling is a twenty-year process.

Afterwards, the Ethereal is allowed to choose their further specialization of interest. This is by no means locked in, as we are immortal, but it lays the foundation for what they want to accomplish and contribute to the Empire. By this time many have been approached by military or Civil Command representatives. There are almost no "independent" jobs like within your own species, as there was no need for non-government positions as the Empire provided everything needed for free.

Regardless of the path chosen, what followed would be at least several decades of additional training or schooling before officially receiving a position. From there the Ethereal could acquire advanced knowledge in their specialization or move to a completely different specialization of interest.

SECTION 3: Imperial Civil Command

This is what you would define as our 'government', though that is a term that does not seem accurate because it implies that there are opportunities beyond those sanctioned by the Empire, which was not the case. The word "civilian" not have the same correlation to us as it does to your species. To us, a civilian is one who is not involved with any government or military aspect of the Empire, which was exceedingly rare.

Civil Command was composed of many different branches that each managed an aspect of the Empire. Note that the Imperial Military is not among them, and is technically a separate organization, though Civil Command and the Military cooperated closely on almost everything of importance. It also does not include the Creators, which is the only other organization that is not under their command.

The Scientific Branch comprised all science and experimental aspects for purely civilian purposes, many of which did include genetic experimentation, as well as terraforming, cloning and the analysis of various alien plants and species. In addition research was done on new elements, and materials and foods were altered to become stronger or more nutritious.

The Engineering Branch dealt exclusively with the architecture, design and implementation of all spacecraft, structures and equipment within the Empire on the civilian side. In addition they were responsible for the management and maintenance of all of their creations in the Empire and as a result were one of the largest parts of Civil Command.

Our leaders and managers were not elected or chosen. There was no set limit for representation for the councils determining major matters of the Empire. It was simply a matter of motivation. If an Ethereal wanted a greater role in making decisions, they could acquire the necessary training and upon completion, achieve their goal. There is no 'president' or 'chancellor' either in the sense of one person with special authority. There is one who becomes the Voice, who officially states decisions or proclamations, then the position is given to another of the council.

SECTION 4: The Imperial Military

The Imperial Military is tasked with defending the Empire from all threats, and in the modern day Empire, were known as the strongest military force in the galaxy. Unlike the military structures of your world, there is not a purely straightforward hierarchy, and instead, the military is divided into sections who have representatives in a special council that speaks for the Imperial Military.

The Imperial Military also had their own Scientific and Engineering Branches, albeit slightly smaller but often just as advanced if not more so. Both branches were instrumental in new advances for the military, all of which were shared with Civil Command, with the exception of those having to do with the Creators.

Military Doctrine: The Imperial Military held one very simple rule: Do not act unless there is clear evidence of a threat. When the Military moved, it was never unjustly or without reason, and when they struck, it was without mercy. When our Empire first made contact with other civilizations, several attacked and prompted a swift response. The Imperial Military decreed that the aggressors posed an intrinsic threat to the Empire and promised to remove the problem.

And remove it they did. Opposing forces were easily destroyed, and their leaders executed. The civilian populations were taken by the military to strip them of their genetic codes and every one was experimented on, and those that managed to survive were executed, and orders were put out to kill any surviving members of the species. Several attempted to flee to other civilizations, but were shunned once the Military demanded they be turned over.

Not wanting to risk their own people defying us, they complied and over time the species that fought us was extinct. The Imperial Military was not averse to preemptive attacks when they had sufficient evidence of an impending attack, and they once did so against a multi-species collective that was planning to launch attacks to capture civilians on the outlying regions.

Immediately the structure of this collective was decimated, and out of fear we would retaliate against the member species, those civilizations helped hunt down and kill every one of those members pleading ignorance, and the Military determined it was an acceptable explanation, though warned they would not be so lenient again.

That was the last time the Imperial Military went to war against an established alien government, but that illustrates their approach to warfare and diplomacy. If left alone, they will do nothing. Pose a threat, and they will remove it completely.

In terms of reasonings for why certain aspects of our military differ from what is 'conventional' for yours, I will provide explanations now. Melee weapons are by and large considered archaic and useless for your people, and there are certainly valid reasons for that. But it is different for us. Every Ethereal has some power of telekinesis at a basic level, and even basic training renders firearms obsolete and useless.

Projectile combat was rarely used within the military because there was no reason to. The Division of Battlemasters were proficient in telekinesis which stopped projectiles, and even basic forms of shielding which protected from directed-energy and attacks. With the main dangers of enemies negated, they had no defense to a purely melee attack and could easily kill the opposition. And in the event that their enemies were similarly armed, they were trained to be master swordsmen, each with at least thirty years of training with Battlemasters.

In addition, projectile weapons were deemed ineffective compared to psionics, which were capable of both blocking and attacking opposing armies from range with little to no counters. Ask yourself, what use is an army of soldiers carrying plasma weapons when they be torn apart by a single psionic maelstrom?

That is not to say that the Imperial Military did not invest in the creation of projectile weapons, as it should be clear, they have their uses against a species that are not primarily psionic, though the ones who used them during the modern Empire were much rarer and primarily within the Division of the Battlemaster. But the ones that existed were without equal compared to similar units. They were enhanced with cybernetics that specially allowed direct linking with Overminds for enhanced concentration and power, and primarily were used not for removing single soldiers, but performing surgical attacks on structures, vehicles spacecraft. It was very rare for them to take more than one shot to neutralize their targets.

The Divisions of the Imperial Military:

The Division of the Battlemasters: When aliens imagined the Imperial Military, they imagined the soldiers of the Division of the Battlemasters. Ethereals armored in gleaming and ornate armor, with built-in shielding and constructed from the best materials in the Empire. Blades of all kinds were held in their hands, from greatswords to daggers. And leading them were the terrors of the battlefield: the Battlemasters themselves.

Soldiers in this division were not constrained in terms of weaponry. Some specialized in the usage of only one weapon, others mastered dozens and switched between them in combat. Several became proficient enough to wield two greatswords at once, though this was exceptionally rare, and those were often the Battlemasters themselves.

Above the soldiers were the Disciples of the Battlemasters, Ethereals who had either expressed interest or been picked out by Battlemasters themselves. A Battlemaster rarely took more than two disciples, but taught the ones under his or her command personally, usually over a period of several centuries. I do not personally know the full rites required, but there were ceremonies that only Battlemasters participated in and excluded all others. The Disciples were identified by similar capes to the Battlemasters, but were colored white.

Then there were the Battlemasters themselves; beings of such strength, power and agility that they were able to single-handedly take on and destroy entire armies. They were masters of telekinesis, personal psionic shields and had usually mastered every single weapon created. In addition they were master tacticians, and were recognized as the battlefield strategists of the Imperial Military. They were always easily recognizable by the crimson capes that fell from the shoulders of their armor. Another interesting note is that Battlemasters are immune to all forms of mental influence, including psionics. Please make note of that, Patricia.

The Division of the Aegis: Our original function was to protect the soldiers under the Battlemasters, but eventually we were elevated beyond that to oversee the defense of entire portions of the Empire. Unlike most divisions, there are only two ranks within our division: Disciple and Aegis.

Disciples are chosen from Ethereals who display affinities for defensive psionics, or are devoted to the protection of other Ethereals. We did not distinguish between Civilian and Military during the process of selection. I personally was a Disciple to an Aegis that had once been an Engineer, and I had a disciple of my own who was a doctor on the outskirts of the Empire.

Discipleship varies heavily depending on the Aegis in question, as there are no set standards, but for me, my Aegis taught me everything he knew and when I surpassed him in ability, he revealed that I was ready to take the role of an Aegis without any prior warning. For the disciple I had, I was less concerned about raw ability than I was about dedication. During the War with the Synthesized, we were forced to split up and she was stationed on a lone colony world which was out of the way, but nevertheless important and would warn us if enemies came from that direction.

I received word that the world had been attacked and I made for it as soon as I could and found her almost all alone, surrounded by hundreds of Synthesized wrecks and dead Ethereals, while the ones still alive were near death. Despite the horrific attacks she had endured, she had not retreated or left the ones still alive to such a fate, and that was when I knew she was ready to become an Aegis, and pronounced her one after the planet was evacuated.

I wish I could say she survived the war, but it is unfortunately not the case.

Returning to the subject at hand, the responsibilities of an Aegis were the defense and protection of a certain portion of Imperial space. Strategies, plans, oversight and contingencies were all the responsibility of an Aegis, and there was heavy coordination between the Aegis' and the Imperial military so that they were aware of the best methods should a sector come under attack.

Psionically, Aegis' were among the most powerful in the Empire. We have the ability to shield entire armies, or individual members. We were often instrumental in battles between fleets, as we both protected our fleet and trapping their own in stasis fields. We are often telepathically able, as well as proficient in telekinesis which we use when defense fails, or in addition to it.

The Division of the Overminds: Prior to the creation of the Imperators and Reapers, the Overminds were the most powerful psions in the Empire. They were very few, like the Aegis', and specialized in coordination and telepathy. What you may find interesting is that many Overminds were exceptionally old, the oldest one I was aware of being nearly thirty thousand years old.

I do not know how an Overmind is chosen, but like the leaders of the other divisions, they have their own Disciples, who wear black robes as opposed to the orange ones typically worn by true Overminds. They rarely meddle in Civil Command or even Imperial Military matters, but are always willing to assist when asked.

Overminds often display their psionic power in one of two ways. The first is that they enhance their allies around them, granting them increased coordination, speed, reflexes and an overall sharper mind. I personally witnessed a small group of Ethereal soldiers and their Battlemaster take on an army six times their size and win without a single casualty, largely thanks to the Overmind supporting them.

However, Overminds are far more dangerous offensively. They alone are also capable of subduing entire armies, but they do so through direct mind control, for the telepathic might of an Overmind is only challenged by an Imperator, and sometimes not even then. An army faced with an Overmind will destroy itself long before the Overmind is even in danger.

The Division of Shadows: This is the most comparable division to an "intelligence" agency within the military. Shadows were experts in both telepathy, illusions and bladework, using their abilities to cloud the minds of suspicious minds to gather information, illusions to throw enemies off track, and of course were supplemented by electronic and cloaking equipment. Shadows were nearly impossible to find and detect, put provided valuable information to the Military.

Unlike other divisions, this division has no signature leaders, but one overseer who does not go by any title. The Division knew his name, as did the special council, but no one else. Shadows often went by their names as well, and never revealed their missions even to Ethereals, unless they encountered a superior such as a Battlemaster or Overmind.

However, I am aware that the leader of this division was exceptionally powerful, even for a Shadow. He allegedly is rumored to have infiltrated a Director Flagship, killed all those inside and taken control, though this has never been proven. It was also rumored to be powerful enough to obscure himself from other Ethereals (With the exception of Aegis', Overminds and Battlemasters), though I am personally skeptical of this. There is little point dwelling on it, outside of historical purposes, as I am certain he perished in the War.

The Division of the Maelstrom: Prior to the creation of the Reapers, the Maelstrom was composed of the most powerful destructive psions in the Collective. Their power, while not being enough to render entire planets uninhabitable, was more than sufficient to devastate entire battlefields and armies, especially with their ability to create lethal psionic storms, concentrated beams and the less powerful manifestations of energy that targeted individual units.

The Maelstrom also incorporated the less obvious, but equally powerful psions in the Empire. They used telekinetic masters who were skilled enough to suspend fleets in the air, as well as crush and destroy enemies on the ground, it also could serve a defensive purpose in the event that they were without the support of an Aegis.

Maelstrom solders used a mix of the armor used in the Division of the Battlemasters, and the robes of the Overminds, and created a distinct utilitarian hybrid with their bodies covered in light armor, but with a unobstructing robe over it that also covered their head. The armor was largely uncolored, and the robe was a shade of purple for the ordinary soldiers.

The Commander of the Maelstrom was the closest a pre-War Ethereal came to rivaling the power of even a Reaper. He was one of the most intelligent tacticians in the Military, and personally ensured that his division was the most powerful it could be, a fairly easy matter since very few had the raw power required to become a part of the Maelstrom.

As far as I am aware, he did not have any equivalent of a Disciple, but took multiple Ethereals for individual training before placing them in the Division of the Maelstrom proper. With all that, I do not think it should come as a surprise to learn that he was the basis for the Reapers, and later, the Imperators.

The Division of Reapers: Despite being a late addition to the military, I feel obliged to mention their contributions briefly. Reapers were the most destructive psions created with the exception of the Imperators. I did not exaggerate when I said they could destroy planets, because they did so regularly. Their destructive power was equally as devastating against opposing fleets and Director Flagships.

The Reapers were purely grown, and not a division that took regular Ethereals, though that would have likely been changed had we won the War. The only way to become a Reaper was, quite simply, to be born as one.

The Special Council: During the modern Empire, the Special Council was comprised of several beings: The Grandmaster of the Battlemasters, the Commander of the Maelstrom, the Greater Overmind, the Aegis of the Ethereal Empire and the unnamed leader of the Division of Shadows. They made the ultimate decisions regarding the Imperial Military and were the ones to decide what information was to be released to various parties.

The Special Council was supplemented by the creation of the Imperators who took over all military and civilian operations when they emerged.

I believe that this should be sufficient information for your records. If you have additional questions or want clarification about specific aspects of our former Empire, I will do my best to explain them.