Mairan Star Empire

""

The Mairan Star Empire (Lusophonic: Império Estelar Mairano ; Neo-Tupian: Tetama Tainapará Maíra) is a baseline human imperial stratocratic polity located in the Sagittarius Arm of the Gamma Quadrant of the Milky Way galaxy. Its government is a constitutional imperial stratocracy, though Abaétismo effectively serves as a state ideology. Comprised primarily of the Lusophonic and Neo-Tupian peoples, the Mairan Star Empire's ideological basis is hinged upon the tenets of Abaétismo, dictating and codifying into law humanocentric policy.

The Mairan Star Empire was formed in 1 EI by admiral and statesman Floriano Marques, following his meteoric rise to power. A gifted military leader, his swift victories against secessionist forces affiliated with the Federated States of Grão-Iracema and the cangaceiro pirates of the Lampião Fleet earned him the status of war hero, a status which he wisely exploited. He would be elected to the office of President of the Republic on 1 January 4 AEI, leading the nation to victory against Grão-Iracema, along with defeating and subjugating the Kvvw xenoi race. Opposition to the authoritarian measures implemented during his presidency led to the publication of Plano Siegfried, an apparent anti-government conspiracy aiming to overthrow the Marques Administration. With this terror plot as pretext, Floriano Marques assumed dictatorial emergency powers and centralized all organs of state governance, establishing the Mairan Star Empire, fashioned after the Lusophone monarchies of old Terra. He solidified his position as the Imperador of the nascent Empire, ending the CC (Calendar Comum) era and beginning the EI (Era Imperial). Marrying himself to corporate noblewoman Maria Abreu, he forged the Marques-Abreu Dynasty, which persists to this day. Floriano's reign was defined by political reform, as he enforced discipline among public officials, drove out the corrupt, reformed and streamlined the Empire's bureaucracy and proscribed vices and perversion. Towards the end of his 40-year reign, Floriano's reign held an increased focus in dictating and guiding Mairan culture in a more traditionalist direction, with guidelines and censor offices implemented in architecture, music and culture to better emulate the Lusospheric legacy. This relationship between state and culture would live on, and serve as the backbone for Abáetismo in the future.

Much of Imperial history preceding the 500s is generally referred to as the 'Old Empire' (Império Velho), as it was defined by the violent suppression of sector uprisings, general instability and unrest in the aftermath of Floriano's forty-five year reign. The Great Jangal saw the Empire driven to near-collapse in a period of uprisings, imperial assassinations, xeno incursions and general military anarchy in the late 4th century, salvaged by the young Getúlio III, who became known as O Grande Restaurador, 'The Great Restorer', for his efforts in triumphing over the secessionists and reunifying the Empire in 535 EI. His postwar reforms to the Empire would culminate in the Imperial Constitution of 537, which is colloquially known as 'A Romana' for its metaphorical crossing of the Rubicon. The modern definitions of sectoral autonomy and the full power of the Imperador were defined in this new constitution, which also granted the state extrajudicial authorities in the prosecution and arrest of dissidents. The state ideology, Abaétismo, was also founded as a revolutionary means of political unification and enshrining the ideals of human supremacy. The cult of personality Getúlio III forged would long outlive his passing in 563 EI.

Etymology
Maíra comes from an eponymous figure in Tupi-Guarani mythology. Father of Korahi and Sahi (the sun and the moon), he stole fire from vulture and gave it to Mankind, making him a Promethean figure.

Culture
The Mairan Star Empire hosts a broad and diverse variety of different cultures and religions. Largely derived from the Lusospheric legacy, Maira effectively exists as the sum of Lusophone cultures and linguistic dialects. This legacy also presents itself in the form of the Empire's central religious authority, the Mairan Catholic Church. There is also a significant Neo-Tupian influence on Mairan culture, as the old Earth indigenous culture has witnessed unforeseen preservation, cultivation and growth in Mairan history, thanks to a long-standing policy of indigenismo to foster a Mairan culture. This diverse and broad variety of cultural heritage presents itself in Maira's language, cuisine, music, dance and religion.

Religion
Christianity is prevalent in the Mairan Star Empire, with the Mairan Catholic Church holding a significant amount of clerical influence over government policy and ethics, along with being responsible for large-scale humanitarian endeavors. There are also sizable populations non-adherent to Mairan Catholic doctrine, with Evangelicals comprising a notable fraction of the Empire's Christian population.

Furthermore, the Han minority of the Empire adhere to Qianzhenist Christianity, an interpretation of Catholicism bearing aspects of Confucian tradition. It is generally considered a successor to old Terran jesuit missionary Matteo Ricci's teachings spread to China. Due to the overall theological similarities to the Mairan Catholic Church, these two institutions are considered to be in partial (or incomplete) communion. Beyond Christianity, various Abrahamic religions are common in the Empire's myriad peoples, such as Islam and Judaism.

Certain faiths are also heavily influenced by Abrahamic religion and morals, albeit with notable Amerindian and African influences. Such examples, such as Espiritismo and Candomblé, posit the roles of African deities and spirits, commonly known as orixás and exus, in religious belief. Other religions, such as Tupanismo, are entirely Amerindian in nature, arranging the Tupi-Guarani pantheon into a cohesive religious structure.

Religions like Presidentismo are common among the Mairan Star Empire's Confederado minority, revolving around the worship of the presidents Huey Long and Getúlio Vargas.

Architecture
Mairan architecture is regarded as a fusion of archaic and modern philosophies. It is heavily influenced by colonial Portuguese, neoclassical, baroque, Gothic revival and 'modernist' styles. Per the directive of Imperador Floriano I, architectural style is recognized as a form of culture and is thus subject to regulation and oversight. Two accepted schools of philosophy largely preside over Mairan architecture: the traditionalist Duque de Caxias School and the modernist Niemeyer School. These differing philosophies are not always mutually exclusive, and often many public works draw inspiration from both schools of thought in both aesthetics and design.

Megastructures and skyscrapers are almost always typically conducted in the modernist style, with various subcultures of thought existing under the Niemeyer School, such as Mega-Brutalism, Brasilianism, and Neo-Corbusianism.

Music
Music in Maira is heavily influenced by European and African legacies. Modern genres in Maira is largely defined by samba, forró and MPM, as well as rock. Music is regarded as an integral aspect of the culture, and is thus regulated by the Ministry of Culture. Various schools of expression exist within these broader genres, such as bossa nova in samba, while rock is defined by its divide between Urbanismo and Titanismo, differing interpretations of musical expression.

Sports
Futebol is the most popular sport in the Empire, derived from the Old Earth sport of football. Its yearly tournament, the Copa Mairana, is the among the largest entertainment spectacles in Maira. The players of sector futebol clubs often attain celebrity status, and player trades typically put tens of millions of cruzeiros on the line due to the scale of these events. This sport is rivaled in the Mairan Star Empire only by Gridiron and MMA.

Politics and Society
The Mairan Star Empire is a constitutional imperial monarchy with stratocratic characteristics, with the Imperador Estelar acting as monarch, head of state and commander-in-chief of the nation's armed forces. His authority is kept in check by the Corte Imperial, representatives of star sectors appointed by their respective sector governors, referred to as Imperial Interveners ("Interventores Imperiais"). As the Emperor is responsible for the appointment of interveners, he is theoretically partly responsible for the Imperial Court that keeps his own authority in check.

The Câmara dos Deputados, on the other hand, is elected indirectly: through both a popular vote and local electoral colleges. A deputy is expected to represent his star sector's interests. Each sector elects five deputies in total. The dominant political party in the Mairan Star Empire is the Aliança de Assistência ao Regime Imperial (Imperial Rule Assistance Alliance), a centre-right big tent political coalition purposed towards advancing the interests of the Emperor and Abaétismo.

Social Strata
Formally speaking, there still exists a divide in class between nobility and commoners. Beyond old nobility — the heirs of corporate or colonial wealth — a commoner may attain ennoblement through marriage, heroic deeds in warfare, charitable service to the public, or, in rare cases, a direct decree by the Emperor. One may also pay for such a title by financial means. Petitions are typically filed to designated planetary offices. To qualify, one must:


 * Be a Mairan citizen of legitimate birth and a genetically pure (sangue pura) baseline human.
 * Not be previously charged of felony, lese-majeste or dissent against the State, and generally be a man of good repute and ethic.
 * Have served the nation through the Armed Forces for at least two years.
 * Believe in a God or Supreme Being.
 * Be of lawful age (at least 18).
 * Own at least 2 acres of land.

The titles of Baron, Viscount, Count, Marquis and Duke are all typically available for purchase. Nobility is, in legal cases, little more than a formality due to the present Constitution, as there is no difference in privileges and provisions between commoners and nobles beyond the natural differences in wealth.

Abáetismo
Abáetismo is the state ideology of the Mairan Star Empire, per the provisions of Imperial Constitution of 537. It is central to the Empire's human-centric beliefs and ideology. Described by outside sources as human supremacist civic nationalist in its nature, Abáetismo serves as the social, ethical and political guidelines of the nation under the current Estado Novo. It posits:


 * That the Mairan Catholic Church is the state church of the Mairan Star Empire, which operates with the assent of God. The laws of the State must not violate those of its central faith. To guarantee harmony between the diverse faiths of Mankind, however, the Mairan citizen is guaranteed the freedom of religion.
 * That Christian virtues are the guiding values of the State.
 * As inferred in Imago Dei, Mankind was created in the image and likeness of God, and possesses a unique honor that was not conveyed to the rest of Creation.
 * That extraterrestrial beings are not the work of God, not gifted with the privilege of a soul, and their beliefs must be disregarded.
 * That extraterrestrial subjects of the State; being inherently demonic in their nature, must use their mortal existences to atone through righteous living and dutiful service. It is solely God's authority to accept their petition in death.
 * That the perversion of the sacred human genome shall bring damnation and ruin.
 * That materialism and excess will only bring pain to the human spirit.
 * One must undergo a 'revolution of the self' to become one with the Homeland (Pátria).
 * One must uphold the family above the self.
 * One must uphold the nation above all men.
 * Piety, spirituality and selflessness shall unshackle the human spirit and achieve the full potential of the immortal human soul in mortal life.

Non-Humans
The Mairan government employs an official policy of subjugation towards all species divergent from the baseline human genome, regarding non-humans and humans in violation of the sanctity of the human genome to be under demonic influence, or to be outright demons. As such, a policy of aparthood (separação) exists, further enshrined by Abáetismo, ensuring a permanent superior position of mankind relative to its inferiors. Various autonomous polities, referred to as xenostans (xenostões), are designated for alien relocation, where limited self-governance and rights are enjoyed. Xenostans are obligated to fill a troop quota, to which they serve the role of Askari within the Empire's military. Despite this status of autonomy, however, xenostans do not exercise freedom of religion. Over the centuries, non-humans have steadily been Christianized and taught the inherent flaws and evils of their own inhuman genomes.

Slavery exists within the Mairan Empire proper, limited exclusively in practice to non-humans. All xenoi living in Mairan space outside of designated xenostans are slaves. The institution of slavery is overseen by the Ministry of Slavery. As domestic slavery (and personal ownership of slaves) is proscribed by law, xenoi slaves are typically used for hard (or otherwise expendable) labor, and as subjects in medical and scientific experiments.

Dominions
Dominions are autonomous human polities within the Empire given a fair degree of freedom in legislation and culture (so long as it is compatible with Abáetismo). The Star Emperor is considered the head of state of these polities, acting as their monarch with royal prerogative to intervene in dominion politics. Four dominions exist within the boundaries of the Empire: the Dominion of Grão-Iracema, the Dominion of Columbia, Dominion of Leiyang and the Dominion of Nueviberia.

Foreign relations
While fairly isolated from broader galactic politics, the Mairan Star Empire holds stable diplomatic relations with member states of the Interstellar Compact of Collective Human Harmony, aligning ideologically on stances towards xenoi. Through the Good Neighbor Policy, the Mairan Star Empire has rendered limited military and political support to the Compact. While this has been met with widespread public approval, factions within government have formed in favor of maintaining isolation, most notably the Liga Verde.

Economy
The Mairan Star Empire is a mixed economy, with aspects of state command imbued in its systems. Major industries, such as strategic resource extraction, agronomics, telecommunications, and defense industries, are almost entirely owned by the state, and thusly operate in the interests of the Empire.

The Empire's currency, the Cruzeiro, operates on mixed digital and physical principles (the latter being more necessary in remote systems), its value backed by antimatter.

Astrography
The Empire is 670 ly in diameter, host to hundreds of inhabited star systems and a population of 1.2 trillion sophonts (predominantly human). Notable astrographic features include the Facil Nebula, the Prayag Nebula and the Nagpur Nebula, collectively forming the Tiamat Corridor and the Juazeiro Corridor. Adjacent to the Dominion of Columbia is the Berimbau Nebula, which is adjacent to the smaller Tamandaré Nebula to its south. Due to the resource-rich nature of the Empire, the Mairan Star Empire has thrived on extraction, synthetization and harnessing of exotic materials.