Reach the Stars, Explore the Void : A Stellaris inspired quest of research and exploration

You begin with 2 Divergence Points.

They will be spent and earned depending on the options taken. Finishing this part of the Empire creation with negative Divergence Points will mean a worse starting situation due to sudden reversal of fortune.
Unspent Divergence Points can be used during the quest itself to unlock unique opportunities. Great deeds during the quest will earn Divergence Points.

During Empire Creation and the quest, itself, option will affect the Ethics of the Empire, how is society function, according to the following axis (in parenthesis, the extremes of each axis):

• Authoritarian (Totalitarian State) vs Libertarian (Anarchism)
• Militarism (Army with a State) vs Pacifism (Strict Pacifism, at most defensive militia)
• Egalitarianism (Classless society/Absolute Meritocracy) vs Elitism (Caste System/Genetical Class)
• Cooperative (Communal Economy/Command Economy) vs Competitive (Unrestricted Capitalism/" Dog eat Dog" System)
• Materialism (State Atheism/Scientocracy) vs Spiritualism (Theocracy/State Mysticism)
• Xenophile (Cosmopolitan with universal xenophilia) vs Xenophobe (Genocidal Empire)
• Ecocentrism (Ecological symbiosis/Garden World) vs Industrialism (Ruthless exploitation/Hive Worlds from 40k)

As the Imperial Academy of Sciences, your Empire begins with Authoritarian and Militarism Ethics.


Our history is a fragmentary, incomplete thing.
We only have legends of the time Before, where our ancestors built a great civilization upon Old Earth and took the first steps to conquer the stars. Of how they stepped upon the red sands of our forced home and named it Olympia…but more than anything, of how they created the…

Time of Chaos

Even today, every Olympians is raised upon dark stories of the Time of Chaos. A time where the great civilizations back on Earth slowly destroyed themselves through constant, senseless conflicts, and were too obsessed by irrelevant differences in ideas, creeds, or even tongues to unite against their coming doom. Even as the endless winter consumed all their work, our ancestors upon Earth died still cursing their foes, and hoping they would die before them, as if it would make any difference !
And even as the survivors upon the red sands of Olympia watched, powerless, the end of their homeland, they still warred and feuded in the name of dead nations, destroying bit by bit every chances of human survival on Olympia for their "Principles", "Freedom", "Rights" or "Faiths".
As hope seemed lost, a few isolated settlements united under a new, strict, order. They would banish the Time of Chaos and never let it return. Olympia would know despotism but also Order. It would be unified by violence, but no one would be able to bring back Chaos.

Due to the Origin chosen, the Empire begun with the following trait:

To Banish Chaos: The universal cultural traumatism of the Time of Chaos is the main basis of the Olympian Empire, the idea that humanity is an inherently disunited species, ready to destroy everything in the name of their differences. As such, Olympians consider that a strict, authoritarian rule is necessary to prevent constant conflicts, and global conquest and unification a necessity to prevent the rise of feedings, inevitably self-destructing nations. +++ Authoritarian, ++ Militarism

As the Empire grew, a leader rose who defined the chains that bind man and banish Chaos. They were the first Imperator, and their reign marked the point between legend and history, between a union and the birth of a true Imperial society, and between vain hopes and the first steps upon the path to unified Olympia and save humankind.





Who was the First Imperator, Progenitor of the Empire? (Choose one First Imperator and as many of its potentials Legends as desired)

[] A Warlord

Warrior without equals and undefeated general, the Imperator rose from the sands to turn barbaric raiders into an army able to save Olympia. Warriors became legionary, chiefs became officers and members of the High Command. When the Imperator drew their last breath, their legions marched on, until Olympia was one, working in unison to save this world. + Militarism, the Empire has a tradition of military excellence and promotes its leaders from the military.

• [] The Maker of Legions
• The Imperator was raised amongst the roaming legions of the wastes, learning of the unity of discipline and hierarchy, and the ways men from every walk of life can all become legionary. When they took the throne, they spread those lessons, until Imperial society was the legions. + Militarism, The Imperial society is completely militarized, with no difference between being a citizen and a soldier.
• [] (-1 Divergence Point) A Soldier, not a Slave
• The Imperator was one of the many battle-thralls of an inhuman Tyrant, a paw to be sacrificed for the selfish whims of a monster with a human face. When the Imperator finally rose up against their cruel master and united their fellows into what would become the first Imperial Legio, they declared the eternal truths of our army. We are Soldiers, not Slaves. We are Humans, Not Pawns. We are Fighters, Not Butchers. + Egalitarianism, - Authoritarianism, The Empire is a strict hierarchy, but as conserved the principles of universal rights (and duties).

[] A Patrician

The scion of an ancient and powerful house, the Imperator came to the nascent Empire, and shared with the people a dream of a world where an enlightened elite would peacefully resolve the dissentions and conflicts of the masses, raised from birth to guide and protect the people. And so, the patricians were born anew, as the keeper of Olympia. + Elitism, + Competitive, The Empire has a tradition of education for rulership from birth and its leaders are born amongst an aristocratic class.

• [] (-1 Divergence) Eisphorà
• To be amongst the elites, is to be gifted with enormous privileges, and crushing duties. A patrician incapable of keeping the mass under their rulership feed, happy and prospering deserve nothing but scorn and destitution. Such were the worlds of the Imperator, and so it is. Patricians earn prestige through charities, just rulership and the happiness of their subjects.
• [] Equites
• To be a noble is to be a warrior. Such was the way of the Imperator. To be a true patrician is to take the helm of a combat walker and protect the proles with blood and sweat. A patrician who cannot prove their mantle on the field of battle will not be patrician for long. + Militarism, Nobility is associated with martial prowess.

[] A Philosopher

A learned person, gifted with a keen understanding of system and organization, the Imperator showed the Olympians how rulership motivated by greed and fanaticism doomed the world to Chaos, and only through reason and efficient, dispassionate rule of resources, could humanity be saved. When the Imperator left the throne, they had turned the Empire into an efficient, optimized system, ready to integrate and rationalize all of Olympia… and beyond. + Materialism, + Communalism, The Empire has a tradition of rigorous, rational planning and selects its leader from the learned.

• [] Artificial Elysium (-1 Divergence)
• When they claimed the throne, the Imperator made a promise. The rule of reason will one day turn Olympia into a Green Elysium where humanity can live unbound by privations. Absolute contentment, with Chaos an impossibility, is the only acceptable justification of absolute authority, and if gradual steps toward this objective cannot be realized, then the leadership logically does not deserve its power. + Communalism, the Empire considered successful rulership as the betterment of people's long-term conditions and progress toward Utopia.
• [] Realm of Intellect (-1 Divergence)
• One of the more underutilized resources under the old system were the intellectual capacities of its workforce. Ignorant, superstitious Individuals bring chaos. To prevent this, the Imperator instituted education and the optimization of intellect as Imperial policies, modeling the mind of its heirs to produce worthies' successors as an example of the logical path. + Egalitarianism, + Materialism, The Empire values the standardized acquisition of knowledge and the optimization of intellectual capacities and at every stratum of its society.

After the rule of the First Imperator, the Empire was a shining example of organization and might upon the red sands of Olympia. With such a state, and with the constant decay in the rest of the planet having destroyed most infrastructures and organizations during the past centuries, who can be surprised that the Empire gradually conquered all of Mars in the following centuries? Who could have opposed this conquest, when we promised freedom from constant infighting, food to the starving mass, better days to a world plunged in endless despair.
Centuries of conquest, restoration, and constant labor later, Olympia was almost restored to what it was before the Time of Chaos, the scars upon the red sands almost healed. Just as the Great Labor neared its end, a question became central amongst Olympian leadership. What should be done of Earth, and the Earthlings?

The Olympians ad always watched their less advanced cousins back on the home planet, and for long a debate had raged amongst the philosophers : Should Olympia act as an hidden watcher for our cousins, guiding them from the shadows and sparring them the traumatism and Chaos of a more advanced civilization ordering them from above, or should we take the Earthlings under Olympians rule, elevating them and preventing them with certainty from failing into a Time of Chaos ?

For a long time, the Olympians had simply no real way to interfere in the affairs of Earth, so the question was theoretical. But with the first ships in orbits of Olympia, the Reclamation faction was winning ground, arguing that, despite their advance, the Earthlings were still divided and still waging constant warfare upon one another, and that direct Olympian action was a necessity. Our history during the time of Chaos has shown that trying diplomacy with feuding nations is only way to waste time, lives and resources, as such, an overwhelming first strike with the advantage of surprise was the approved plan.

The Earth Reclamation


What was the final action that pushed the Olympians to invade Earth? This will also determine the timeline of the invasion and how much of a fight the Earthlings will give.

[] End of the 19th century: The Age of Industry (-1 Divergence)

The Earth Reclamation was started in response to dire warnings from the natural philosophers of the Empire, predicting that the Earthlings were going to destroy the ecological equilibrium of the Earth with their unchecked and uncontrolled industrial development. As such, space investments were greatly accelerated, to allow a fast action before too many damages could be caused.

Casus Belli: Preservation of Earth, the earthlings' nations will destroy Earth's natural bounties and bring the Time of Chaos upon Earth. + Ecocentrism. Limited resistance (no air force).

[] 1910's-1940's: A Time of Blood and Hatred

Our cousins shed an ocean of blood for no reason, their citizens dying in their millions for absurd aims. Sacrifice is necessary, yes, but it must have a worthy purpose! So, before our cousins could repeat the mistakes of our divided ancestors, and just as our space investment bore fruits, we struck.

Casus Belli: Preventing the rule of mad ideologies that will bring the Time of Chaos upon Earth to satisfy their hatred. + Xenophilia, - Authoritarian. Conventional Resistance.

[] 1950's-1980's: An End to MAD (+1 Divergence)

The Empire tolerated much from the Earthlings, both out of repugnance for sowing additional Chaos upon the Earth and of unforeseen delays in the Imperial space program. However, the growing threat of our cousins unleashing the might of the Atom upon Earth pushed us to invade, and end once and for all the conflict of ideology on Earth. Neither Capitalism, nor Communism can prevent Chaos, only the Imperial way.

Casus Belli: Preventing a global nuclear war on Earth. Expect stiff resistance, and possible nuclear strikes on our forces.

After the final decision to strike Earth, The Olympian High Command faced the decisions of how to plan the war. Indeed, even with our most advanced technologies, the limited resources of Olympia and the logistical strain of transporting legions through the void of space mean that any possible invasion force would be limited in both size and supply, as such major victories needed to be won fast and with minimal casualties.

What was the strategy adopted by the High Command?

[] Chirurgical Action (-1 Divergence):

Using the Olympian advantage in mobility and firepower, and an extensive preliminary work of observation, the plan chosen was to decapitate the leadership and means of actions of the various Earthlings nations, to cause enough disturbances to render inefficient Earthlings resistance and secure the planet before any organization could emerge.
Despite the fact that this plan implied the sowing of limited Chaos upon Earth, it was selected as a way to limit damage to both Olympian and Earthling assets.
Limited Damage on Earth, risk of insurgency and general Chaos. The Empire will develop a preference for chirurgical strike and precise actions, and a preference for minimizing damage. – Militarism.

[] Shock and Awe:

A series of battles were carefully planned to destroy most Earthlings resistance in a few strikes using combined arms warfare and the sheer might of our technologies, then using the shock of those defeats and rapid movement to claim the most important logistical hubs on Earth and push the Earthlings nations to surrender or collapse. This plan use the traditional focus of the Olympian Military.
Conventional Damage on Earth, mass military casualties expected for the Earthlings, risk of attrition for Olympia. The Empire will reinforce its focus on combined arm warfare and decisive conventional strike.

[] Mass Destruction (+1 Divergence)

A decision was taken to limit Olympian casualties and the campaign risks, at the cost of Earth integrities. Beyond occupation forces, the invasion consisted mostly of enough weapons of mass destruction and more conventional long-distance weaponry to simply bomb the Earth into submission. The Olympian High Command vowed to limit damages despite this strategy…but war is war.

Massive Damage on Earth, millions of casualties as a minimum. The Empire will develop a focus on superior firepower and tactical WMD. + Militarism.



Additional Strategies can be adopted by the High Command during the campaign. Choose as many as desired.

[] Burning the Past (+1 Divergence)

During the Time of Chaos, strategic destruction of major religious and cultural sites was used by the Legions to destroy the morale of enemy's forces at relatively light costs.

After consideration of the primitive beliefs system of Earth, the High Command was authorized to use this tactic during the Earth Reclamation.

Destruction of cultural and religious sites and artifacts. + Xenophobia

[] Auxiliaries Recruitment (- 1 Divergence)

During the Imperial conquest of Olympia, auxiliaries and collaborators were of significant use to both give a manpower boost to the Legions and facilitate the occupation of recently conquered territories.
Despite the Backwardness of the Earthlings, the Imperator authorized recruitment amongst the Earthlings during the campaign, due to the sheer logistical challenge of occupying an entire planet.

Collaborator and fighting forces recruited. The Empire developed a tradition of using local recruitment and intermediaries during its campaign. + Xenophilia


[] Vae Victis (+1 Divergence)

With the limited number of resources disponible for the invasion, the High Command has authorized the temporary activations of total war protocol and suspension of the laws of war. Vae victis, and we shall not lose.
Actions such as false surrenders, false flag actions, conscription of civilians and POW by the Olympian forces. + Militarism



As the High Command prepared the invasions, the Imperial Bureaucracy prepared the Occupation and integration of Earth into the Olympian Empire. Laws must be drafted, the implementation of policies prepared, and above all, Chaos prevented.

Choose as many Policies as you want. Incompatibles policies can be implemented, representing either change in policies, partial implementation or good old plain favoritism and hypocrisy during the Occupation and Integration.



[] Incompatibility (+1 Divergence)

Despite ample preparations, the Earth and Olympia are just too different environments to allow an easy integration. Mostly due to the difference in gravity and the difference in atmosphere and biosphere, Olympians are uncomfortable enough on Earth to disturb their work.

Olympians cannot work well for now on Earth. If not taken, citizens from Olympia still have issues on Earth, but there are enough solutions to prevent an impact at the scale of the Empire.

Cultural Policies

[] The Olympian Exchange (+ 1 Divergence)

Due to separated evolution (and the remnants of bioweapons on Olympia), the microorganism of Olympian and Earthling to cause grave pandemics, or in the worst-case ecosystem collapse. As such, contact between the two populations need to be reduced and the use of power armor maintained for the legionnaires, until a solution can be found.
Risk of dramatic pandemics. If not taken, Pre-Invasion vaccinations and controlled environment on Olympia have drastically reduced the risks of pandemics.

[] Pax Olympia (-1 Divergence) :

Earthlings have developed a dazzling array of cultural and religious identities during their history, and just as many ways to harm one another in the name of those identities. Such conflicts are a source of chaos, and steps shall be taken to kill them in the cribs.

Enforced religious and cultural tolerance and policies to limit identities-based conflict will be implemented on Earth. + Xenophilia

[] Divide et Imperia. (+1 Divergence):

Earthlings have developed a dazzling array of cultural and religious identities during their history, and just as many ways to harm one another in the name of those identities. Such conflicts are a source of chaos, but also opportunities. By encouraging further fragmentations of the Earthlings in an ever-growing number of identities, and causing low level conflicts between those identities, we can ensure Olympian control as arbitrators upon Earth.
Constant divisions and conflicts are encouraged by the Empire amongst the Earthlings.

[] Service guarantee Citizenship! (-1 Divergence):

Despite their disconnection from the Olympian Way, the Earthlings are our cousins, and have the capacity to learn and be integrated into the path of Order and away from Chaos. By encouraging Earthlings' investment into Olympian society through service into our institutions and various privileges, the Empire plans to facilitate the integration of Earth into the Empire.
Policies of service-based integration into Olympian society adopted by the Empire. + Egalitarianism

[] Olympian Supremacy (+1 Divergence)

Our cousins are, simply put, lesser. Less advanced, less disciplined, more divided, more prone to Chaos. As such, society shall be dominated by Olympia-born, reliable citizens until the Earthlings can prove themselves. So, speak the Imperator.

Olympian domination enshrined into law. + Xenophobia, + Elitism, + Authoritarian

[] Olympian Elites

Our cousins are, simply put, lesser. Less advanced, less disciplined, more divided, more prone to Chaos. However, with enough education, and the adoption of the Olympian Way, Earthlings can be turned into reliable, capable, and Order-loving citizens of the Empire. Of course, the conversion of the mass of Earthlings is a long-time project…

Privilege position for Olympian and Olympian-educated enshrined into law. + Elitism

[] Olympian Universalism (-1 Divergence) :

Our cousins are a divided group, truly. But Olympian were just as divided once, and the Time of Chaos teach us that division and Chaos is the end point of any humans group without the control of a strict hierarchy, and the homogenization of Olympia was born out of the necessities of survival and is not an obligatory part of the Olympian Way. As such, the diversity of our cousins should be preserved, but adapted to the structure of the Empire to allow seamless integration of those many disparate parts into the great Imperial whole.

Protocols to permit partial assimilation of various groups into a wider Olympian identity implemented. + Xenophilia.

Economic Policies:

[] Olympia before All (+1 Divergence):

Even if the Reclamation as for objective to prevent another Time of Chaos, another focus is the vast resources of Earth. Their exploitation could bring great advances to the work on Olympia itself, perhaps even allowing to launch some of the most ambitious infrastructural development. Of course, Earthlings would suffer from such priorities, but such is the price for their enlightenment.

Extractive policies implemented on Earth to the benefice of the Olympian mainland. + Industrialism, + Authoritarianism

[] Restructuration (+ 1 Divergence)

Earth is a quite inefficient world, with a quite frankly staggering number of resources being wasted because of inane urban planning and territorial management. Most of the Earthlings shall be relocated into strategic, easier to control urban centers, and the countryside restructured for optimal resources production, following the Olympian model.
Planned mass forced displacement of population and reorganization of the countryside. + Authoritarian

[] Rationalization (+ 1 Divergence)

Earthlings follow several inefficient trends in their societies that prevent maximum efficiency. Simple measures imported from Olympia such as rebalancing the diet around bug and algae based alimentation or standardization of clothing, furniture and lodgings shall allow a massive reduction of resources expended.
Earthlings lifestyle standardized and optimized, + Authoritarian, + Materialism

[] Imperial Labor Division (+ 1 Divergence)

To perform the necessary tasks for the banishing of Chaos and the Integration of Earth into the Olympian Way, a massive amount of labor shall be needed. As such, the Imperial Bureaucracy shall prepare the mass conscription of laborers amongst the Earthlings civilians.

Mass corvee labor implemented. + Authoritarianism

[] Bread … (-1 Divergence)

Contrary to many Earthlings nations, the Empire does not consider the fulfillment of basic human needs as a privilege. The Imperial Bureaucracy shall prepare to distribute sufficient food, housing, freshwater and other necessities to ensure sufficient living conditions for the Earthlings, by order of the Imperator.
Basic necessities ensured for every Earthling. + Cooperative




[] Accelerated Reconstruction (-1 Divergence)

Through mass investment, the timetable for Earth reconstruction and development has been greatly accelerated. By orders of the Imperator, maglev lines, Construction Walkers and fusion reactors shall rise before the Earthlings very eyes!

Earth predicted to reach Olympia standards of industry and infrastructure for the first turn.




[] Department of Ecological Restoration (-1 Divergence)

To ensure stable development, responsible use of resources and to prevent any disturbance of the ecosystem able to cause Chaos, a new department of practical natural philosophy has been added to the Imperial administration, tasked with the ecological management of Earth.

Imperial Ecological department, environmentally friendly development on Earth, + Ecocentrism



The consequences of the invasion and occupation plan will be revealed next post.
However, any questions on the actual plan for combined options, and the structure and culture of the Olympian Empire, are welcome.
Some options have negatives and positives synergies, beware.

Vote by plan and with approval voting in mind, please.