I set this empire one in the Grinder in Greyspace, off the "plane" of the sphere (most spheres have all their planets moving or stationed along one plane with the "top" and "bottom" portions of the sphere remaining relatively empty). This means the empire is little known (and interfered with) since it is away from most of the sphere's traffic. The elves know it exists as do a few local traders and pirates. The empire is at peace and so does not have to worry about battles with other nations. If the Second Unhuman War is going on in your game the empire is allied with the elves. The empire primarily consists of humans with several gnome (not tinker) settlements and numerous halflings. Elves, half-elves, and hadozee are also common in the empire due to their alliance with the elves though only half-elves make up any significant population of citizenry. Several Dohwar traders visit the area often or operate here on a more permanent basis. Note this empire is meant to be easily portable to any other asteroid belt/cluster or sphere (such as Astromundi). Lizard men (including two new colonies), dwarves, grommam, giff, and a few dohwar and rastipedes are also found as Imperial citizens, though only in small quantities (the dwarves live in their own settlements for the most part-these settlements are primarily mining colonies or even dwarven citadels).
Imperial Center: Imperial center is a region of the Grinder with several large, habitable asteroids all in close proximity. The asteroids are heavily inhabited and form the "capital". All have abundant plant life and water. Even the buildings have vines, creeps, mosses, lichens, and the like growing on them. Most of these plants produce food of some sort (grapes, berries, beans, etc.) in addition to oxygen. Small wild animals such as mice, small rats, bats, insects, birds, and the like are common in addition to domesticated animals like sheep, cats, dogs, goats, pigs, chickens, ducks, geese, and turkeys. Only the royal farms keep cattle and no horses are present (some oxen are kept for moving large loads and helping with plowing). The royal academies are located on the asteroid know simply as Academy while the palace asteroid actual contains the palace in it heart with gardens and defenses on the surface (this asteroid is simply called the Palace). Ten Grains is another nearby asteroid on which several noble families maintain villas (why it's called Ten Grains is lost to time) and Embassy holds the elven embassy. Furnace is the local military base in addition to housing the royal mint.
Academy: Academy is the asteroid that houses all the royal academies. Here the royal Naval Academy, Marine Academy, Magic Academy, and the War College exist. In addition to the military minded academies the largest library in the empire (the second is on Embassy and the third in Palace) exists here. Magical protections against rot, fire, and other hazards exist to ensure the empire's most important archive of knowledge is maintained for all time. The sages who study here are transported in dragonflies to schools located on "city" asteroids in center to conduct classes, form a sort of multi-asteroid "university". Scholars of all types and knowledgeable in many subjects reside here and are available to help train military students in subjects they are interested in (especially the mages). Several of the primary religions of the empire also have small cloisters here where they send those members of their clergy desiring more knowledge to study in their areas of interest.
Palace: The palace is a place meant for both luxury and defense. The royal stables, two barns and several guard towers exist on the surface amidst the pastures, streams, and wooded areas. A small lake also exist here, one of only a few in the empire. Two medium catapults+2 and numerous nonmagical catapults and ballistae provide the asteroid with its own defenses (in addition to the local patrols). The exact number and placement of these weapons is a secret though those atop towers can easily be noted from afar. The royal docks includes the emperor's personal ship (an unarmed tradesman-the emperor doesn't like the sight of weapons on his ship [other than personal weapons]) and its four silver and gold damselflies that form its escort (all armed). Vast stores along with a large armory and the treasury all exist within the asteroid. The emperor's personal temple is also located within.
Ten Grains: This moderate sized asteroid, located near Palace, is home to 17 villas, each belonging to a noble family. All the noble families maintain their own areas of the communal docks for their ships. The empire's noble families have arisen in various ways and are required to fund sections of the military (exactly what is determined through negotiation with the royal family and is based on political power, the emperor's favor, and economic ability). Most of the families have some sort of military tradition and all are involved in trade of some sort. They also maintain their own private guard forces at their villas (no more than 40 strong within Center by royal decree). Throughout the empire noble fleets (except their merchant ships) are limited to five vessels per family. Due to this limit most noble vessels are large (squidship or turtleship minimum with most going for hammerships). Non-helmed vessels are also not counted in this number so most noble houses keep ships with nonmagical engines for travel within Center.
Embassy: A small, forested asteroid, the elven embassy and docks are located within the asteroid. The elves keep a piece of infinity vine sealed in a jar in case of attack but rely on the camouflaged medium ballistae on the surface and the elven man-o'-war stationed here as their first line of defense. Ten unpowered flitters are kept here for shuttling between asteroids (mostly to the palace for visits) and a damselfly is here for use as a messenger if needed (like many elven bases and embassies this one maintains magical contact with both the local fleet and elven High Command. The number of elven sailors and marines stationed here is unknown but even the simple scribes and chambermaids are trained to fight if the need arises. Several Giant Swans live here (as do deer, squirrels, and other forest animals) and all are trained for use by the elves. A large number of hadozee make up part of the garrison (and the man-o'-war crew). Shrines (and two temples-one to Aerdrie Faenya and one to Corellon Larethian) to numerous elven gods exist here, even to some elven dieties not normally worshipped in Greyspace.
Furnace: This asteroid is a large, dense asteroid. Though plants grow on it most of the asteroid has only fungi, lichens, and moss. The other plants are all sickly due to the nature of the work done on this rock. The royal mint and foundries are here along with the largest of the royal shipyards and the largest Imperial Naval Base. Here Imperial naval vessels are constructed, equipped, and repaired. Though other bases have the facilities to repair vessels this is only one of two naval bases in the Empire with sufficient drydocks for actual ship construction (not to mention expertise). The local shipwrights are skilled in constructing and repairing hammerships, tradesman (though not normally used by the military they still know how to work on them), squidships, damselflies, dragonflies, galleons (and most other groundling vessels), wreckboats, waspships, eelships, swanships, shrikeships, and turtleships. The Imperial Navy possesses only two eelships and both are kept here so these are the only shipwrights in the navy (though not the empire) skilled at repairing them. The navy has also only recently begun experimenting with swanships and shrikeships, both purchased from the elves. So far only one of each is part of the Imperial Navy as they try to evaluate these vessels. Again, each is stationed here so these are the only shipwrights in the navy experienced at maintaining them. Turtleships were purchased a few years ago and have been adopted by the navy as one of their three ship-of-the-line vessels (along with squidships and hammerships). They are seeing more and more use in all parts of the Empire. Furnace is heavily fortified and covered with defenses. Imperial Marines and Sailors of untold number are stationed here permanently along with 5 ships-of-the-line (two hammerships, a metal-hulled squidship, and two turtleships). Also as part of the permanent local fleet are 1 swanship (used as a supply vessel), 2 eelships, 1 shrikeship, 4 waspships, 3 damselflies, and 4 dragonflies. Several wreckboats and flitters sporting only nonmagical engines are also present. At any time 3-5 other navy patrol ships will be in Center. The royal mint mints gold, silver, platinum, and copper mined from local asteroids (electrum is not minted by the Empire) and the royal foundries produce all sorts of weapons used by Imperial Marines and Sailors.
Imperial City: This asteroid, again part of Center, is the major business center of Center. Here most merchants maintain shops, a large market exists, and numerous warehouses receive and store supplies of all types. This is a metropolitan center but those who are able to live on other nearby asteroids. Center's civilian shipyards also exist on another asteroid (simply referred to as "The Shipyards") but all contracts for work are made at the offices located here and the finished product is towed here by workhorse wreckboat tugs to be picked up (and, incidentally, towed from here to the drydocks for the work). Areas of this asteroid are slums and a large contingent of marines acts as the local police force, based out of a small keep located near the docks. Except for the keep and 4 towers near the docks (to deal with ships trying leave without paying their fees) no permanent defenses are maintained in Imperial City. Instead the city relies on the local and powerful naval presence for defense. One of the most important notes about this city is it is one of only three places in the Empire where the Arcane have established offices.
The Shipyards: This asteroid was once known as Gullivan's Rock but that name only exists in old texts now. The asteroid has several large, natural hollows at the gravity plane and two large bodies of water, one on either side of the gravity, where ships can dock. Additionally most of the remainder of the asteroid is smooth enough for ships that can land on land. In truth the two lakes run all the way through the asteroid, forming one large body of water but this matters little to the people who work here. The most skilled shipwrights and carpenters in the Empire (except those employed to maintain the Emperor's personal vessel) work here and they do extremely good work. Only in two other places (except the lizard man colonies) in the Empire are ships built and nowhere else in such variety. The local shipwrights have come from far and wide (or traveled there before returning) to learn their trade and are familiar with most non-unique ship types. There are even a few elves who know how to repair damaged elven vessels (they keep these secrets close and refuse to share them with the other shipwrights). Neogi, beholder, Vodoni, and Astromundi vessels are among the few they don't have experience with. The illithid dreadnaught and some of the older vessel types (such as cuttle commands) are also out of their experience. The shipyards will perform any work one desires and standard costs and times and will cut customers a 10% discount if they're willing to wait up to a week before the work begins (this lets them manage their own schedule). For those desiring rush jobs the price curve can quickly become steep (half the time is more than double the price).
Outlying Areas: The Empire has numerous inhabited asteroids scattered about including two more that could be considered actual cities (outside of Center) with several that would count as towns (major urban settlements tend to be referred to generically as cities). In addition most nobles have claimed choice asteroids for their own homes and preserves. Mining areas abound as this area of the Grinder is rich in all sorts of minable resources. From rock quarries to gem and precious metal mines the Grinder produces innumerable resources that must be carved and dug away. Some of these mines are prison asteroids, where prisoners labor to dig out minerals for the government's wealth. The prisoners on these asteroids have no resources other than what is dropped off for them. The vessel that drops the materials off picks up the fruits of the prisoners' labor. This is always done at a prearranged spot when no prisoners are nearby (to avoid ambushes). Broken equipment is also left here so it may be replaced on a one-for-one basis. Above each prison asteroid is placed a barge with weapon emplacements and quarters for the marines stationed on it. Each barge will have 4 medium catapults and another mounted on a nonmagical engine equipped wreckboat that is stationed here. A mage and a cleric are also stationed here with the marines (usually there are 20 or more marines under an officer and 2 sergeants). Civilian run mining operations consist of a mining base from which miners are transported out to nearby asteroids they're going to mine. Only in the case of one such operation is it important enough for the Imperial Navy to station vessels there as guards (the Imperial diamond and ruby mines based out of Heltar's Spear, a spearhead shaped asteroid in an unusually rich section of the Grinder). Two others happen to exist in areas that are otherwise strategically important and all other [legal] mining operations have a contingent of marines (but no ships) stationed at the base camp (mostly to keep the miners from getting too rowdy and to keep the company honest than for defense). The entire empire is regularly patrolled by Imperial Naval vessels. Within the Empire exists an elven outpost. This large asteroid was here and elven controlled before the Empire expanded its territory to control the region it lies in. The base still exists under elven sovereignty and it is the peaceful meeting between the elves and Empire those centuries ago that formed the alliance that still exists today. The base includes a hollow interior with full drydocks for all elven vessels short of an armada and two men-o'-war and 5 flitters are stationed here. Greyspace fleet ships can come here for supplies and repairs and often do. Imperial ships stop by on a regular basis just to maintain contact but may also stop by if in need. Two swampy asteroids in the Empire were only recently inhabited and the Imperial government helped start these new colonies. Not only do they export limited quantities of certain swamp foods but they are the first lizard men colonies in the Empire. They were sponsored as the lizard men have become the first turtleship producers in the Empire. Since the navy became enamored of the design the lizard men were aided in establishing their two colonies including full shipyards. The lizard men only produce bloatflies, turtleships, and waspships but can repair most wooden ships if need be (and the price is right). The Empire never had a large population of lizard men and has allowed several into the Chaplaincy, Royal Wizards, Imperial Marines, and Colonial Marines. Naturally most of these forces now serve on these two colonies as the races that make up the Empire's forces do not like hot, moist climates.
The Military: The Imperial military consists of five branches: the Imperial Marines, the Colonial Marines, the Navy, the Royal Wizards, and the Chaplaincy. All of the branches work well together and a unified operating structure is supported by the High Command. All initial training is received at Academy (though members of the Chaplaincy also receive instruction from their respective churches). In practice the Colonial Marines tend to have the least interaction with the other branches after their initial training but they chose their jobs knowing what their lives would be like and transfers to the Imperial Marines and the Navy (and possibly one of the other branches based on aptitude) are regularly granted if desired. Morale is high throughout the Imperial military and transfers from any branch to Colonial Marine are quickly granted (as the most undermanned of the services).
The Imperial Marines: Imperial Marines are trained in boarding actions, weapons use, ground combat, and ship life. Imperial Marines are all of one of the warrior classes and some kits are taught (from whatever sources the DM deems appropriate). Spacemanship and boarding pike are mandatory proficiencies and fire control, large weapon, weapon loader, zero-G fighting, large weapon repair, blind-fighting, and similar proficiencies are common. Imperial Marines serve aboard ship in addition to at various bases. They are rotated through tours of duty regularly based on personal request, military needs, and the decisions of the High Command (such as tour length and the like). Any military weapon (not things like whips, blowguns, and such) are possible to be trained in. Armor will vary from leather to full plate (for the Emperor's Guard) but usually averages at chainmail with possible banded or even plate mails. Shield will depend on the weapon type used.
The Colonial Marines: The Colonial Marines are trained to defend the frontier. No proficiencies are required and rogue classes may serve in the Colonial Marines in addition to warrior classes. Spacemanship large weapon loader, large weapon, large weapon repair, zero-G fighting, and blind-fighting are stressed. Based on class (and kit as per the Imperial Marines) any weapon may be chosen. Issued armor will vary from leather to chain or banded mail depending on where stationed with shields common if weapon type used allows it.
The Imperial Sailors: The Imperial Sailors, as members of the Imperial Navy are known, are trained to operate naval vessels. All must be proficient in spacemanship and members of a warrior class or bards. Fire control, large weapon repair, large weapon, weapon loader, boarding pike, and similar proficiencies are stressed. Each sailor gets a minimum level of familiarity with all the ship types the navy uses (except the eelship, swanship, and shrikeship) before leaving their initial training at Academy. Weaponry must be one handed (except certain missile weapons, boarding pikes, spears, axes, and pole arms) so sailors can fight in rigging if need be. Bucklers and small shields are stored on ships but many sailors don't use them. Armor may be up to chain or banded mail but is usually leather, studded leather, or brigandine for ease of movement.
The Royal Wizards: Other than elemental specialties specialization is not recommended (but is possible) for military wizards. Elementalists are desired as they can serve so many specific and necessary functions (for instance an air elementalist is an asset to any vessel due to an ability to replenish the air and several asteroids in the Empire including Imperial City get their water from permanent minor gates to the elemental plane of water) but generalists are preferred for everything else due to the broad nature of their abilities. Royal Wizards are all trained in spacemanship and spelljamming and most have wildspace navigation. SJ spells are commonly provided to them when they reach sufficient level. Kits may be chosen from the militaristic kits (such as war wizard) and helmsman kits available in various resources if approved by the DM. Many high level Royal Wizards have access to geas and use this spell to help control any officer wizard, bard, or priest in the service.
The Chaplaincy: The Chaplaincy consists purely of members of the priest classes (clerics, wildspace druids, specialty priests, and even a few standard druids-who want to maintain or create ecosystems). Chaplains must be proficient in spelljamming and spacemanship and wildspace navigation is possessed by many. Acceptable powers to serve include Ptah, Celestian, most war gods, gods of defense, and gods of travel and space. The LG, LN, and NG planar churches are also allowed. Most NG planar clerics chose to serve alongside the Colonial Marines. Chaotic clergy members are discouraged in the Chaplaincy as are evils. Some do well however, even if of an "undesirable" alignment and the High Command is glad to have any loyal spellcasters they can get. Armor and weaponry will be appropriate to the religion and class.
Noncommissioned Officers: Corporals, Sergeants, and Master Sergeants make up the NCO corps (the Empire uses one unified rank structure among the marines and sailors). Corporals are present everywhere and even a wreckboat will have at least one. Corporals will generally have one class better armor than their troops made available to them but since they often perform the same duties as their sailors many navy corporals will opt to use the same armor (since armor considerations for a sailor are often based on ease of movement). Sergeants are required for any vessel with an officer and a sergeant may captain a wreckboat. Master Sergeants are actually the same rank as sergeant but have a specialty. Such specialties may include weapons specialist (in charge of all the weapons on a ship-of-the-line and proficient in them and at repairing them) or boarding specialists among the marines. The full title of such sergeants is actually Master Weapons Sergeant or Master Boarding Sergeant. Sergeants will use armor one or two steps better than their troops unless conditions specifically preclude this (for instance Colonial Marines may be stationed in a swamp so leather is all they all wear or may be poorly supplied). All Chaplains and Wizards of 3rd level and below are considered the equivalent of a corporal and those of 4th and 5th level are equal to sergeants.
Officers: Officer ranks are Lieutenant, Captain, Rear Admiral, Admiral, and Fleet Admiral. All officers must attend the war college to learn tactics though some may be promoted based on need and ability before they actually attend. Lieutenants are the basic officer rank and will be the highest ranking marine aboard a ship. Colonial Marines may be commanded by a lieutenant (the highest Colonial Marine rank before one is forced into the Imperial Marines) but more often have a sergeant in charge due to lack of numbers. The "First Mate" position is filled by lieutenants in the navy on ships-of-the-line and must be proficient in wildspace navigation and sail manipulation (careful chain of command prevents the usual problems). There are more captains in the navy than lieutenants as sergeants fill this position on lesser ships and every ship with a helm must have a captain in charge. Captains in the navy command ships with helms and those in the marines command bases (since the garrison mostly consists of marines). Captains must be proficient in signaling for speed of communication in battle (they can read orders instead of having them read to them). The Imperial Navy (and the other services) don't use semaphore though they do teach it in case it's required for contact with other vessels. Rear admirals are all in the navy (at this point Imperial Marines must transfer to the navy) and command bases with ships of the line stationed out of them (a marine captain is under them in charge of the garrison along with each navy captain in charge of their own ships). Admirals control important bases and any fleet actions the Empire may become involved in. Fleet Admirals are members of High Command (the exact number varies based on the Emperor's whim). The highest ranking chaplain and wizard in the military (not necessarily the most powerful) also serve on the high command as the heads of their services. Those chaplains and wizards able to cast create minor helm (this is not just based on level but also access to the spell) are equal to captains and those able to cast create major helm are equivalent to rear admirals. 16th level priests and 20th wizards (and above) are equivalent to admirals.
Vessels: The navy uses hammerships, squidships, damselflies, dragonflies, wreckboats, waspships, turtleships, and flitters primarily. Flitters are purchased from the elves (and maintained by them if necessary) and heavily used near asteroids as transports due to their ability to travel at 1 SR without an engine (home rule applicable to all elven vessels). Wreckboats with their weaponry make up the fleet's "fighters" but either may be kept with a vessel for use as an escape vessel. Wreckboats may also be the only vessel Colonial Marines have available. Damselflies and dragonflies are the most common patrol ships but wasp or larger ships are all that's used for tax collection due to the frequency of attacks on tax vessels (by both pirates and those who don't want to pay taxes). The Navy's hoping the shrikeship will prove as good as the elves report so they can make these tax vessels instead. Waspships are also used as patrolships on the most outlying parts of the Empire whenever possible. Ships-of-the-line are generally stationed one per base in addition to lesser vessels. They also form the main supply ships in the fleet due to their larger cargo capacities (they supply bases and patrol ships move the supplies out from there on their normal patrols). Hammerships are the most powerful vessels the Empire possesses though they've been negotiating with the elves to purchase up to three men-o'-war. Most naval vessels are run by minor helms but a few have major helms (mostly taken from defeated enemy vessels or confiscated ships). Back-up furnaces exist on several vessels (all ships-of-the-line) and on these ships several scrolls and potions are kept in case it is needed. Additionally the helmsman and the captain each have a minor magical ring (ring of protection+1, ring of warmth, etc.) that they are equipped with to keep as a secret emergency furnace power supply. Military vessels use magical light sources (continual faerie fire and continual light items) but will keep a few nonmagical lanterns in case they need them (every sailor has heard about the mythical sargassos).
Every naval vessel has [at least] a minimum standard crew of sailors. Weapons may be manned by marines or sailors and at a minimum every vessel will have a full minimum crew with enough personnel to man all the weapons at full efficiency while running the ship. In addition any helmed vessel (most any vessel except a wreckboat, flitter, or barge) will have a ship's mage, a chaplain, and at least one helmsman (either priest or wizard). Ships-of-the-line will generally have a backup helmsman in addition along with the rest of the ship's complement filled out with additional sailors or marines. Ships of the line all have a captain and a lieutenant from the navy and generally a unit of marines under a marine lieutenant. All navy vessels are well equipped and well supplied. Many have netting added and some have alternate materials for their hulls. Ceramic hulled waspships (produced by the lizard men) and metal hulled vessels of normally wooden hulled types are seen due to the local resources.
Organizations: The Pragmatic Order of Thought, Seekers, and Company of the Chalice are all active in the Empire. The Company maintains one base with full knowledge and approval of the local government (they pay taxes for it and have an alliance with both the Imperial government and the elves). Several noble families have rivalries or are on good terms with the Company and those that like them often given them aid (monetary or otherwise). The POTs aren't very active except that they take in escaped and rescued slaves sent to them by other POTs from elsewhere (since the Empire outlaws slavery). They then try to help the newly freed people establish lives for themselves. The Seekers are based out of the Academy and do what all Seekers do: try to collect knowledge. Additionally to these groups the Sindiath Line and some of the other trade consortiums (including several local ones) and exist in or have contact with the Empire.
Taxes and Costs: Bralian tax rates from SJR4 Rock of Bral and standard SJ prices can generally be used in the Empire though areas with scarce resources of one sort or another will charge more for those resources. The central government takes 9 cp of every sp in docking fees with the other 1 cp going to local dock maintenance. They also take of all air taxes and _ of all fines for bad air (the remainder goes to the local port authority). All taxes on trade goods go to the central government. As the central government will send spellcasters and supplies to deal with shortages and other problems (fouled air, marauding scavvers, etc.) this is considered only fair and many citizens have no problem with these taxes.
Imperial Laws and Justice: The Empire has a range of typical laws but there are also a few of note. First all inhabited asteroids (except prison asteroids) must have a set of docks constructed on the gravity plane to allow ships to dock. The docks must be able to handle at least three ships at a time with one being up to the size of a hammership. Since the government usually helps build these docks on Imperially granted colonies (rather than noble or corporate asteroids and colonies) this is not generally seen as too much of a burden. Second all inhabited asteroids must rotate so they get sun all over. This rotation may be natural or have to be started (or even slowed down so ships can dock) but the navy is willing to help establish this also. This is so every asteroid will be able to support life though some (such as mining colonies) will never be seeded with any. Third the High Command will assign a garrison to every colony and the government will assign at least one overseer to every inhabited asteroid. Outlying colonies will be given a squad (or more) of Colonial Marines while more important asteroids will have units of Imperial Marines assigned to them. If possible a Royal Wizard or a chaplain will also be assigned. Truly important areas will get a ship with a helm to help defend them (including full crew). Noble and corporate controlled asteroids must provide their own defense, though in strategic locations a government provided defense force will augment this. Every asteroid has a government assigned overseer. A minor colony may simply have a bailiff (who may even be the ranking member of the local Colonial Marines) while a corporate or noble colony will merely have one (or more) tax assessors. In the case of a mining operation one tax assessor may have to monitor several nearby asteroids (in which case he will operate from a naval patrol ship). In truly important areas (such as the diamond and ruby mines near Heltar's Spear) one or more local officials may even be geased to help control corruption.
Punishment for most offenses is some sort of fine. Those unable to pay are conscripted into the military (for now the government doesn't perform general conscription but they are ready to should the need arise). The length of their term is based on the amount they owe (plus five years to pay for the geas) and is enforced with a geas. Theft usually also includes a confiscation of all goods determined to be stolen or involved in the commission of the crime. Smuggling is considered stealing from the government (avoiding taxes) so one's ship may be confiscated, to be entered into military service or sold. Violent crimes generally mean death (including burning the body and scattering the ashes) and rebellion, treason, mutiny (including on nonmilitary ships), and repeat offenses (how many depends on the crime and is at the judge's discretion) will lead to hard labor. Hard labor is for at least twenty years and due to the harsh conditions of the prison colonies (described above) may lead to death beforehand.
Trade: Trade occurs between the Empire and other space faring nations and between the asteroids in the Empire. Dohwar and other minor traveling peddlers continually wander the outer colonies and less populated areas, trading needed goods for items they can resell at a profit in larger trade centers. Towns and cities are frequented by sphere and planet (as in to other planets in Greyspace) hopping traders though such trade is much more limited than it might otherwise be (the Empire likes to keep itself hush-hush and lying off the planetary plane of the sphere helps a great deal). Most colonies rely on trade, if not for their survival at least for their prosperity, and while the Imperial government tries to help make each colony self-sufficient in terms of water and air, food and manufactured goods will always be a problem (for any particular asteroid).
Religion: Numerous religions exist in the Empire and those that don't espouse overthrowing the government or weakening it and that don't violate any laws are allowed to stay. Thus the planar churches are found here (all of them, believe it or not) though they are by no means of equal power. Celestian and Ptah are both popular deities as well as many of the other Greyhawk deities. As with anywhere else, one's profession and concerns often help determine each individual's religion. Of the racial deities the gnomes particularly revere Garl Glittergold, Baervan Wildwanderer, and Flandal Steelskin and those in the military prefer Gaerdal Ironhand. The halfling population is strongly connected to their entire pantheon though Arvoreen and to a lesser extent Yondalla are preferred by those in the military. Many of the half-elven population look to elven gods and Corellon Larethian, Hanali Celanil, and Aerdie Faenya are all popular among the elves and half-elves of the Empire. More of the druids in the chaplaincy serve Rillifane Rallathil than any other deity.
Enemies: The Empire regularly has to deal with raiders, pirates, and local monsters. In addition slavers, neogi, beholders, and illithids have all proved to be problems in the past. If the Second Unhuman War is going on or has occurred in your campaign the Empire sent several vessels to aid the elven fleet (especially the Greyspace fleet) in the war. If the Vodoni were a threat the Empire sent a few ships at the request of their elven allies again. For now the Empire is content to remain as it is. The current Emperor is not interested in military actions but rather in further securing his existing Empire and having its prosperity increase. After that he would like to better assess the available resources of many of the uninhabited asteroids and convince colonists to settle them or begin mining them. As he sees it his borders are already too spread out and poorly secured and his interior is too sparsely populated to easily control (if every asteroid was inhabited the resulting trade would keep the center of the Empire so filled with traffic he wouldn't have to worry much about raiders while generating even more tax revenues-or so his idea goes).
