How to run an empire across many worlds connected by rifts?

[Gurkhal]

So the basic premise of this discussion is how an empire, think a Late Antiquity West Roman or East Roman Empire, could be run in a setting where that empire stretches across several worlds/planets connected by rifts that allow instant transportation between these rifts and thus by extension between these worlds?

I naturally realize that I can run anything that my story needs but this topic is about doing so in way that makes sense for my readers rather than just handwave things.

Anyway...

Beyond Imperial institutions and an Imperial sense of identity for a large part of the population, and perhaps most importantly for the elite in society, I was wondering what else could work as a structural glue to keep this thing together in both good and bad times?

I'm thinking about trade and a potential intimidating presence from the "augustus" or his "caesars" who could one day show up with a massive army and start asking pointed questions that don't take "no" for an answer if rumors of sedition or trouble would start to spread.

*****

You can see below envision the state's three main institutions. To perhaps get a flavor for how I envision this empire.

The bureaucracy - No matter where the empire has planted its banners the bureaucrats have followed on the heels of the soldiers and started to implement Imperial laws and rules, welcome or not. Though it's bloated, corrupted and ineffecient it's not too bloated, corrupt or ineffecient to do its job and do twice as much good as bad. The most important part being to gather taxes, without skinning the tax base as a whole, and sending on sufficient funds to keep infrastructure, army, institutions etc. going. Hence on the civilian side of things the bureaucracy keeps things together and allows other parts to keep running well enough.

The organized religion - While there are many beliefs and endless versions of them, the organized religion supported by the state also follows where the empire goes and implements the norms and morality that the empire requires of its citizens and subjects but also provide what we would call wellfare, social security and handouts for the poor, in the empire's name, as well as tend to spiritual needs while its corruption hasn't been allowed to grow so big or public as to crush its claim to morale authority. Not to mention that it faces down non-physical threats like separatism, secterian or cultural hatred etc. that would threat the unity of the empire. Hence the spiritual and ideological side of things are kept going with a pro-empire message given to the people from the pulpet.

The army - Where ever the empire is, so are its soldiers there to defend said empire. While corruption is rife and the soldiers are generally not to scared to rattle their spathas to get a wage bonus now and then, and pretenders and mutinies are not unknown, the army is mostly loyal to its mission of protecting the empire and remains more respected than hated by most of the citizenry, as well as being generally successful in its application of violence against the empire's enemies. Hence physical threats against the empire can be dealt with successfully, for the most part.

 

[Finchbearer]

This sounds similar to Dune. The Bene Gesserit kind of operate separately and bind these worlds together by a sort of law. The other nations operate as separate nations but have invested interests in one particular resource.

 

[pmmg]

The more I think on this, the more I am not sure why it matters that there are different worlds. If I can instantly travel, it would seem the greatest factor in governing them is removed. That puts me back into just plain old...how do we govern a people?

 

[Queshire]

How do the rifts work? Depending on the exact capabilities they'd affect the capabilities of the empire.

 

[Gurkhal]

This sounds similar to Dune. The Bene Gesserit kind of operate separately and bind these worlds together by a sort of law. The other nations operate as separate nations but have invested interests in one particular resource.

I haven't read Dune to be honest even if its on my "to-read" list. Maybe I should make it a more prioritized project to read?

The more I think on this, the more I am not sure why it matters that there are different worlds. If I can instantly travel, it would seem the greatest factor in governing them is removed. That puts me back into just plain old...how do we govern a people?

Most of it is to allow me various different scenarios for different stories without having to invent the wheel all over every time and to allow me to tie these stories together with a meta thread. All of the stories features a Late Antiquity/Early Middle Ages setting but can otherwise be very different. So I decided that maybe tying them together would be a better option than unrelated settings with a near on identical Late Roman Empire entity in its centre.

Also on aspect is scale. The real Late Roman Empire existed on one world and it was still just to large for a single person to run it successfully for most of its history. If the emperor can't handle a, primarily military, problem someone else must be empowered to do so and almost like clockwork if a general who isn't the emperor starts having serious success he's elevated by himself or his troops to be the new emperor. Most famously illustrated by the time of the Barracks Emperors. And then comes various other reasons as to why empowering subordinates can be dangerous for the person on the top.

So given how we are not talking of a Roman Empire during the Five Good Emperors but an empire which is far more corrupt, less loyal and less functional, how could that work for an extensive ammount of time across a vast territory stretching across many worlds?

As a last resort I can just handwave it but if I can I'd rather find a good explination for the situation without such handwaving.

How do the rifts work? Depending on the exact capabilities they'd affect the capabilities of the empire.

I'm thinking a bit like portals. Say you have world X with five rifts. These five rifts leads to five other worlds with their own rifts and so the network spreads on. Getting through a rift is easy with instant transporation to the new world when you step through a rift. But once there you are regulated to muscle power, human or animal, or wind power to get yourself and your stuff to the next rift if you want to reach yet another world.

Since these rifts are spread across the world's surface, sometimes on land and sometimes on water, you can need to make a long travel to get between two rifts on the same world.

 

[Rexenm]

Can anyone travel through these rifts? I see that the power is controlled by the three factions, which one dominates the market? Do these factions work together, or is it a case of corruption?

These rifts seem to be some sort of game technology, to deal with the corruption. The three factions work together, in a way that these rifts cannot see, perhaps generated by the corruption. There is a hero, entwined in all three subsections, working for a Caesar, whose power he cannot define.

He travels through these rifts, settling monsters that these rifts throw out. Anywho, he seeks out a bride, the Caesar’s daughter - whom secretly travels through these worlds, between these rifts.

just an idea

The world is set up between these three factions, but the Caesar must coexist with the rifts. There is the threat of the unknown, and they seek out an answer to the corruption. Perhaps it has always been this way, and it always will be.

Perhaps, there is no answer.

 

[Jackarandajam]

So the basic premise of this discussion is how an empire, think a Late Antiquity West Roman or East Roman Empire, could be run in a setting where that empire stretches across several worlds/planets connected by rifts that allow instant transportation between these rifts and thus by extension between these worlds?

I naturally realize that I can run anything that my story needs but this topic is about doing so in way that makes sense for my readers rather than just handwave things.

Anyway...

Beyond Imperial institutions and an Imperial sense of identity for a large part of the population, and perhaps most importantly for the elite in society, I was wondering what else could work as a structural glue to keep this thing together in both good and bad times?

I'm thinking about trade and a potential intimidating presence from the "augustus" or his "caesars" who could one day show up with a massive army and start asking pointed questions that don't take "no" for an answer if rumors of sedition or trouble would start to spread.

*****

You can see below envision the state's three main institutions. To perhaps get a flavor for how I envision this empire.

The bureaucracy - No matter where the empire has planted its banners the bureaucrats have followed on the heels of the soldiers and started to implement Imperial laws and rules, welcome or not. Though it's bloated, corrupted and ineffecient it's not too bloated, corrupt or ineffecient to do its job and do twice as much good as bad. The most important part being to gather taxes, without skinning the tax base as a whole, and sending on sufficient funds to keep infrastructure, army, institutions etc. going. Hence on the civilian side of things the bureaucracy keeps things together and allows other parts to keep running well enough.

The organized religion - While there are many beliefs and endless versions of them, the organized religion supported by the state also follows where the empire goes and implements the norms and morality that the empire requires of its citizens and subjects but also provide what we would call wellfare, social security and handouts for the poor, in the empire's name, as well as tend to spiritual needs while its corruption hasn't been allowed to grow so big or public as to crush its claim to morale authority. Not to mention that it faces down non-physical threats like separatism, secterian or cultural hatred etc. that would threat the unity of the empire. Hence the spiritual and ideological side of things are kept going with a pro-empire message given to the people from the pulpet.

The army - Where ever the empire is, so are its soldiers there to defend said empire. While corruption is rife and the soldiers are generally not to scared to rattle their spathas to get a wage bonus now and then, and pretenders and mutinies are not unknown, the army is mostly loyal to its mission of protecting the empire and remains more respected than hated by most of the citizenry, as well as being generally successful in its application of violence against the empire's enemies. Hence physical threats against the empire can be dealt with successfully, for the most part.

Off the cuff, I'd say "He who controls the rifts rules."
Whether it's one super magical dude chained in the basement of the (purely fantastical) Fatican, some kind of hereditary magic passed down from Emperor to Emperor, or just a sort of capitalist monopoly "I'm rich, so I gathered up all the warlocks and got control of a rift, which gave me the riches to gather more warlocks and gain control of another rift, and now a thousand years later I have a brazillion dollars and an iron grip on all the rifts," that's my quick answer.

 

[Gurkhal]

Off the cuff, I'd say "He who controls the rifts rules."
Whether it's one super magical dude chained in the basement of the (purely fantastical) Fatican, some kind of hereditary magic passed down from Emperor to Emperor, or just a sort of capitalist monopoly "I'm rich, so I gathered up all the warlocks and got control of a rift, which gave me the riches to gather more warlocks and gain control of another rift, and now a thousand years later I have a brazillion dollars and an iron grip on all the rifts," that's my quick answer.

That's a very valid point. The rifts themselves are stable so can't be closed and no new ones can be opened.

The obvious solution, at this stage, is that the emperor has control over them by his institutions and anyone who even thinks of taking control of a rift dies, right now with no mercy or appeal. Its probably considered to be as much of a threat as raising troops in rebellion or plotting to kill the emperor.

 

[Rexenm]

I didn’t think of that solution. It appears that the Imperial Emperor has Caesars in his control, but the rifts prevent it. It could even be with the case, that there is subterfuge, with double, or even triple agents. There could be the truth of the rifts, and the opposition that it concieves. With the corruption, it could be true that the rifts change destination, once in a while, with the factions holding most of the power due to the obvious red tape, and the rule of law being more lenient with the cultural shift, if the corruption is dealt with.

A love interest in this story, could pose a distraction from the true goal of the rifts, peace across the worlds. They could leer in certain plot points, and come to the conclusion that child birth is more important than anything else, thus the reason they travel the rifts alone, seeking the power to close them. For their own personal ambitions.

Or, the rifts could be closed, and that would reveal the greater threat - trade. There could be a hidden and secret society, whom control the rifts from the shadows, in order to generate corruption. In this case, it is obvious why the Imperial Emperor has lost control over the corruption, it is because of the absence of the rifts, and the fact that he grows fat and lazy through casual games he plays, with the true power being held by the hero, a man of order.

Even stranger still, the origin of these rifts. Born of corruption, one seeks to solve all problems with them, whilst fighting, rather than withholding these rift sanctions, generated by corruption. They are discussed amongst the factions, these rifts, and are charge of the Caesars before the Imperial Emperor, kin before teacher. They are satisfied that peace will triumph, and the rule of law will overflow with jargon.

 

[Prince of Spires]

I think there are 3 big factors to consider for the empire: infrastructure, bureaucracy, and technology level.

Infrastructure determines how big an empire can get pretty much. It's why empires got too big at some point to rule. If it takes a month for a messenger to cross your empire, then people on the outskirts can do whatever they want and no one will know or care. They'd be part of the empire in name only. The rifts solve some of this, though there are only 5 from what I gather. So, you'll need to resort to that other strong point of the roman empire, which is roads. Lots of them, running straight and true. Broad enough to transport armies quickly, with relay stations for horse messengers. There's a reason why all roads are said to run to Rome.

Bureaucracy was the hidden secret of the eastern Roman Empire (read The Grand Strategy of the Byzantine Empire by Luttwak, it offers some great insights). They managed to punch way above their weight for 1.000 years partially because they were a lot better at collecting taxes and organizing armies and so on.

And technology level simply means that as long as your equipment is better that that of the countries on your borders, you have a good chance of holding back invasions. For much of the western empire's life, they were more advanced than the tribes on their borders. Which made it relatively easy to hold them off. I guess you could add training to this as well. A well equiped, well trained Roman legion was an amazing force and didn't have to fear much when it came to open battles for much of its existence (during the empire that is).

Technology also means that you have something to offer to those you conquer. If you bring trade, wealth, baths, entertainment and so on to the regions you conquer, then the people you conquer would mind a lot less that they have been conquered. In many places life inside the Roman empire was probably better than outside it.

It also helps if you're expansionist and militaristic in your mindset as a people. A bit like the Spartans, many Romans were a soldier at heart and believed they should rule those around them.

Edited to add: you could also have the emperor do what some of the medieval emperors did (I think it was one of the emperor's of the Holy Roman Empire). And that is to have a travelling court. As in, the emperor was pretty much constantly travelling throughout his empire, visiting the different lords and locations, making sure everyone (everyone important that is) got to see him. It's one extra way to tie your empire together.

 

[ThinkerX]

I would point out that these rifts could just as easily connect different parts of the Empire in the same world.

There are also the issues of how stable the rifts are, how much can be transported through them, and the rituals/materials required to keep them functional. If they are continually open, then that is an invite for 'those between' (demons or some such) to come calling...

 

[Gurkhal]

I think there are 3 big factors to consider for the empire: infrastructure, bureaucracy, and technology level.

Infrastructure determines how big an empire can get pretty much. It's why empires got too big at some point to rule. If it takes a month for a messenger to cross your empire, then people on the outskirts can do whatever they want and no one will know or care. They'd be part of the empire in name only. The rifts solve some of this, though there are only 5 from what I gather. So, you'll need to resort to that other strong point of the roman empire, which is roads. Lots of them, running straight and true. Broad enough to transport armies quickly, with relay stations for horse messengers. There's a reason why all roads are said to run to Rome.

To start with the aspect of size which one of the main concerns that I have. We're talking about an empire spreading across many different worlds under vairous degrees of Imperial presence and control. Now infrastructure for travel, trade and communication are naturally important and something the empire has invested greatly. And its also an unavoidable classic feature in empries based on the Roman empire.

As for rifts I'm afraid that you are mistaken. The number five was used as an example, not as a definitive answer. More likely there are many thousands of rifts on worlds both with and without an Imperial presence. The universe is huge and untold worlds interconnected by even more rifts.

Bureaucracy was the hidden secret of the eastern Roman Empire (read The Grand Strategy of the Byzantine Empire by Luttwak, it offers some great insights). They managed to punch way above their weight for 1.000 years partially because they were a lot better at collecting taxes and organizing armies and so on.

I'm fairly well aquinted with the Eastern Roman Empire/Byzantium so I agree mostly.

And technology level simply means that as long as your equipment is better that that of the countries on your borders, you have a good chance of holding back invasions. For much of the western empire's life, they were more advanced than the tribes on their borders. Which made it relatively easy to hold them off. I guess you could add training to this as well. A well equiped, well trained Roman legion was an amazing force and didn't have to fear much when it came to open battles for much of its existence (during the empire that is).

Technology is a bit different. Remember that we're talking about the Late Roman Empire so the 4th and 5th centuries are the main inspiration here. The glory days of the Five Good Emperors are well behind and not coming back.

Thus in terms of military I would think that the Imperial armies and their opponents are pretty well matched. Many of these opponents have also traded for a long time with the empire, many of their soldiers have experience from fighting for the empire and so on, so we're once more far away from the legions of the Late Republic or the Principate marching against half-naked savages, as often seen in popular imagination. The main advantage is that they have a ton of cash from their huge and well developed economy to equip and maintain huge armies with top-level gear for extended campaigns with a diverse inclusion of troops to allow for tactical choices. While one enemy's traditional fighting style may be something that they can match or even exceed the Imperial soldiers in, the Imperial soldiers brings professional expertise in another ten fighting styles to bear, meaning they can adapt faster and better and use a more diverse set of tactics.

On a 1v1 basis the soldiers of the empire would probably be roughly equal with their foes in general.

I hope it clears some stuff up regarding the military matter.

Technology also means that you have something to offer to those you conquer. If you bring trade, wealth, baths, entertainment and so on to the regions you conquer, then the people you conquer would mind a lot less that they have been conquered. In many places life inside the Roman empire was probably better than outside it.

With this I agree. The Imperial comforts of life would be imitated and adapted both within and outside of its borders.

It also helps if you're expansionist and militaristic in your mindset as a people. A bit like the Spartans, many Romans were a soldier at heart and believed they should rule those around them.

In this part I'm afraid that I disagree. The mindset has transformed very much into something else more defensive.

On a note, as an ancient Greece fanboy, I should make a note that for my own part I see Sparta as the villain of the ancient Greek world, so while Sparta-esque stuff is likely to crop up is most likely to be as a villain.

Edited to add: you could also have the emperor do what some of the medieval emperors did (I think it was one of the emperor's of the Holy Roman Empire). And that is to have a travelling court. As in, the emperor was pretty much constantly travelling throughout his empire, visiting the different lords and locations, making sure everyone (everyone important that is) got to see him. It's one extra way to tie your empire together.

I've thought about it and agree. Given the huge size of the empire it makes sense that the emperor and his caesars would be travelling, along with their armies to ensure that dangerous problems are not allowed to fester and spread as well as remind people there is an emperor around to rule the empire.

I would point out that these rifts could just as easily connect different parts of the Empire in the same world.

There are also the issues of how stable the rifts are, how much can be transported through them, and the rituals/materials required to keep them functional. If they are continually open, then that is an invite for 'those between' (demons or some such) to come calling...

True about the rifts, but for the demons I have a soft "no". At least at present I'm mostly content to stick with humans.

 

[hunfrith]

One thought that comes to mind for me given the bureaucracy and the discussion on roads, etc., is the idea of a well-developed messenger system. It seems that because the rifts form a complicated network, if there is a faction (controlled by the empire) that is expert in navigating it - i.e., knowing where all the rifts are, where they lead to, etc., how to get from here to there via these three other places or something - then that poses a huge advantage over someone who does not have the system all mapped out. A super efficient interdimensional postal service within the empire will at least allow the empire to communicate more quickly and efficiently than its neighbors and competitors. Even if it normally takes months to send a message but the empire is able to do so in half the time, that's a huge win. Plus, if you have nexuses of power, lower lords with their own forces who one can be reasonably certain will follow instructions in a letter from the emperor (and, as I believe was mentioned by someone above, double- and triple-agents to keep these lower lords in check), then in some ways you are effectively moving an army as fast as a letter. It may not be as efficient quelling a local rebellion, but better communication allows it to contend much better with other forces of comparable sizes to itself.

 

[Prince of Spires]

We're talking about an empire spreading across many different worlds under vairous degrees of Imperial presence and control.

I don't think the fact that this empire spans multiple worlds matters all that much. Give the portals you mentioned, and how common they are, there is no difference between being on two different worlds and having an empire span all the way from northern Brittain to Egypt. If anything, it would feel smaller than that, simply because travel time would be a lot less.

Technology is a bit different. Remember that we're talking about the Late Roman Empire so the 4th and 5th centuries are the main inspiration here. The glory days of the Five Good Emperors are well behind and not coming back.

One trick I recall reading about the Byzantine empire was that they used their history and culture to impress enemy emissaries and visitors. Imagine living in the year 800 in the middle of nowhere somewhere to the far east of Byzantium. You visit the city, and walk past the huge walls, get shown the Hagia Sophia (which even today is awe-inspiring), and arrive at an imperial palace to negotiate that looks bigger, richer, and more impressive than anything you have ever seen. You can't help but be inspired, impressed and intimidated.

It's a trick your empire can use as well, even if they are way past their glory.

 

[Gurkhal]

I don't think the fact that this empire spans multiple worlds matters all that much. Give the portals you mentioned, and how common they are, there is no difference between being on two different worlds and having an empire span all the way from northern Brittain to Egypt. If anything, it would feel smaller than that, simply because travel time would be a lot less.

It would be less between worlds. But once on a world you'd be as reliant on muscle and wind power as people were in the historical Roman Empire.

One trick I recall reading about the Byzantine empire was that they used their history and culture to impress enemy emissaries and visitors. Imagine living in the year 800 in the middle of nowhere somewhere to the far east of Byzantium. You visit the city, and walk past the huge walls, get shown the Hagia Sophia (which even today is awe-inspiring), and arrive at an imperial palace to negotiate that looks bigger, richer, and more impressive than anything you have ever seen. You can't help but be inspired, impressed and intimidated.

It's a trick your empire can use as well, even if they are way past their glory.

Very much so. Byzantium is a good source for inspiration.