“The Nivenian Empire is certainly one of our best JClients and JFriends! We understand each other very well, and our JTrade Route will make us prosper!”
The Nivenian Empire is an empire in the Cyrannus Galaxy notable for its compactness. While the Nivenian Empire has no faster than light travel capabilities, and thus only holds five loosely-connected systems, it has advanced megastructural infrastructure allowing it to support an otherwise unreasonable number of inhabitants.
System[]
The system itself contains a close DB3.3/L2.4 binary pair less than two million kilometers apart, and has a M9.9V star orbiting 460 AU away. 13 planets orbit the inner pair, with the last two bound together gravitationally as a double planet. The red dwarf has 5 planets orbiting it, all of them frozen and inhospitable. The fifth planet from the first binary, Nivenia Prime, is habitable, being about 79% of the diameter and 51% of the mass of Earth. It has a gravity of 7.9938 m/sec^2. Unfortunately for non-Nivenians, the accretion disc of the primary makes most of the system too radiation-blasted to support life that had not evolved there for long-term occupation (short-term visits are fine, though, and most locations are decently-well shielded by buildings, megastructures, or generic structural elements). The location of the Nivenia System is shown below the infobox.
Numerous changes have taken place in the system in the last few centuries. First, a significant portion of the light from both stars has been blocked by ringworlds. Second, several of the formerly icy and inhospitable worlds have warmed substantially due to waste heat.
While three other systems, Paulo Fluctus Beta, Caeruleo, and Thadus 0002 have recently been colonized, their combined populations are below thirty quadrillion.
The Nivenian Empire also has partial control of a rouge planet, Thadus 0037, which is shared between the Nivenian Empire and one of their allies, the Null Empire.
Government[]
Main page: Nivenian Empire/Government
The government of the Nivenian empire is a technocratic dictatorship, with an election being held when the current ruler dies. Eligible voters include accomplished scholars, scientists, and engineers, and those with very high intelligence. High-ranking military officers are allowed to vote as well, but this is an honor given only to the most prestigious generals. Typically around 0.0025% of the population is eligible to vote, and voter turnout for those eligible is usually around 81%. A candidate is usually nominated by the previous ruler before their death, and anyone one administrative level below the ruler can run. The title of the ruler is Chief Executive Coordinator. Governors are called ringworld or planetary coordinators, depending upon their domain. Other official titles one level below Chief Executive Coordinator include Research and Development Director, Executive Defense Minister, Treasurer, Secretary of Industrial Improvement, and Secretary of Agricultural Productivity, in decreasing order of political clout.
The government, upon close inspection, is more similar to a confederacy than anything else. The Chief Executive Coordinator's government's main function is to facilitate trade between different sections of the Nivenian Empire, while maintaining a certain minimum of law and order. Individual provinces and colonial provinces have a lot of power locally, so the vast majority of legislation is preformed by provincial, local, municipal, and sub-municipal government. The main methods at the Imperial government's disposal of keeping provinces in line are provincial tariffs and the Imperial Navy, in the order of increasing escalation. The Nivenian Government enacts a flat 1.5 Credit/(Nivenian*day) tax rate, charged to provincial governments instead of to civilians.
Paulo Fluctus Beta[]
Main page: Republic of Paulo Fluctus Beta
The government of the Paulo Fluctus Beta System, the Republic of Paulo Fluctus Beta, is a vassal state to the Nivenian Empire. The Republic of Paulo Fluctus Beta is currently beaming 23% of its energy output to the Nivenia System as tribute in exchange for continued access to key fusion reactor components only made on Nivenia Prime.
Caeruleo[]
Main page: Caeruleo Governmental Holding Corporation
The government of the Caeruleo System, the Caeruleo Governmental Holding Corporation, is a vassal state to the Nivenian Empire. The Caeruleo Governmental Holding Corporation is currently beaming most of its energy output to the Nivenia System as tribute in exchange for continued access to key fusion reactor components only made on Nivenia Prime.
Habitable Objects[]
See also: Nivenian Empire/Demographics
See also: Nivenian Empire/Technology/Megastructures
The Nivenian Empire mainly uses unorthodox methods to house population. A comprehensive list of the habitats in the Nivenian Empire, and their populations can be found here, and a list of the megastructures used can be found here.
Biodiversity[]
Interestingly enough, as a product of nuclear wars, pro-efficiency legal doctrines, corporate lobbying, Nivenians complaining that species X was "smelly", and massive construction, there are currently exactly 147 species of multi-cellular life in the Nivenian Empire. Everything else was, at some point or another, determined not to be useful, and either eradicated (particularly in the case of insects), or just not given any regard as the planet was urbanized. Most of the 147 species in question have been given names like "Lawn," "Companion Type III," or "Agriculture VIII."
There are, however, about 300 "temporary species," plants originating from other empires being grown on Nivenian soil for food exports.
Technology[]
Main page: Nivenian Empire/Technology
Nivenian Technology is absurd to the outside viewer. Although they do have some quite powerful technologies, they are mostly confined to their own system and its immediate neighbors (for various reasons) and cannot use them offensively. Another major weakness is their dependence on actinides for initiation and compact power sources.
Economy[]
The Nivenian empire's economy is a quite large one (hundreds of quadrillions of workers are quite useful). The population can be split into 5 main strata: The capitalists, the management, the specialists, the workers, and the indentured servants. In the system, citizens generally separate out in the three middle strata by intelligence. Indentured servitude is usually the punishment for crimes (this is so the government can arrest people, force them to do work, and contract them out to fund itself while not charging taxes to law-abiding citizens), and is temporary. The capitalists are very few in number, but they own the means of production, and are very politically influential.
The currency unit in the Nivenian Empire is the credit. A credit looks like a slip of plastic that says "one credit," but if you have a nuclear material license you can go to the treasury and pick up a milligram of plutonium-239 in exchange for the credit. The credit currency system is directly tied to the value of plutonium, as plutonium-239 is incredibly energy-dense by volume and is crucial to most Nivenian technology. One credit is worth approximately 6.19 times as much as a 2020 United States dollar. Typical earnings are 1.8 to 3.5 Kilocredits per year for workers, 6.2 to 35 Kilocredits per year for specialists, 35 Kilocredits to 200 Megacredits per year for management, and anywhere between 40 Kilocredits and 10 Exacredits per year for capitalists. 65 percent of the population are workers, 30 percent are specialists, 4.5 percent are management, and 0.5 percent are capitalists. Moving from one stratum to another typically involves either starting your own business or climbing the corporate ladder for upward mobility, or making one or more important Nivenians mad for downward mobility.
The main products of the Nivenian Empire are food and energy. The food is produced by the surplus of farming areas on the ringworlds, and the energy by nuclear fusion and a partial Dyson swarm.
Unfortunately the Nivenian Empire is currently experiencing a large recession due to the recent bombing of B3.
An interesting factor of the Nivenian Economy is that unlike most economies, which are limited by energy production, the Nivenian Empire is limited by materials and waste heat. This has lead so some interesting economical dynamics, the most notable of which being that it is economically viable to synthesize andasium metal from andasium (VIII) oxide, something which is not economically viable in the wider gigaquadrant. Another effect of this is that while most empires consider random unrefined materials to be near-worthless, the Nivenian Empire frequently requests them in trade deals, allowing them to constantly absorb massive amounts of building materials and chemical reagents to support their massive economy.
The Megastructural Construction Corporation[]
Main page: The Megastructural Construction Corporation
One of the largest and most influential corporations on Nivenia Prime is the Megastructural Construction Corporation (MCC). The MCC specializes in energy, land, mining, and construction, and is quite proficient in all three of those things. They are also estimated to control 41.3% of the Nivenian Empire's economic strength. They are a privately held corporation, and have been held by the same family, the Edwards, for almost 500 years. The MCC built all of the ringworlds and habitats, owns all of the fusion reactors, and has mining sites all over the system to extract more raw materials from noncolonizable planets. The MCC typically builds more ringworlds whenever the cost of bulk land rises to more than 8 Kilocredits per hectare. The Edwards family is quite influential, and has continuously held positions as advisors for over 150 years, and more and more they act as a shadow government. The Edwards generally spend their vast profits on the advancement of science for the MCC and the Nivenian Empire.
MegaSuperUltraCorp[]
Main page: MegaSuperUltraCorp
MegaSuperUltraCorp is a gigantic corporation comprising 17.2% of the Nivenian Empire's economic strength. They are a publicly held corporation formed from the mergers of several large agricultural conglomerates, and as such specialize in agriculture. They are planning to standardize many name-brands of food, both within the Nivenian Empire and for export to the New Cyrannian Republic and JSector. They are not in direct competition with the Megastructural Construction Corporation, but tensions still exist as a land-acquisition monopsony would be disastrous for the Megastructural Construction Corporation's profit margins.
History[]
The history of the Nivenian empire is actually quite long, but even worse, there is no clear division between when they were a planetary civilization and now, when they are capable of defending themselves from interstellar attack. For a detailed account of the history of the Nivenian Empire before First Contact, see here. For a detailed account of the history of the Nivenian Empire between first contact and the start of the Nivenian-Thadian War of Annexation, see here. For Nivenian History during and after the Nivenian-Thadian War of Annexation, but before the Third Nivenian War of Re-unification, see here. For the Third Nivenian War of Re-unification itself, see here, and see here for history afterwards.
Culture[]
The Nivenian Empire's culture varies with the particular region of the object that a citizen inhabits, and some sections are radically different than others, but there are some general trends that stay the same, no matter of location. More information about the culture of the Nivenian Empire can be found here.
Astrography[]
Main page: Nivenian Empire/Astrography
The Nivenian Empire only has direct control over one star system, and directly claims everything within one light-year. However, only the region of space within about 3500 AU of the system is defendable. Outside of the system proper is the interstellar cometary cloud, starting approximately 800 AU away from the center of the binary. This cloud, stretching into the void, is home to millions, possibly billions of breakaway colonies that vie for independence and autonomy. While these colonies do not attack, only defend, rumors of a larger empire inhabiting a rouge planet are rampant within the empire. While speeds of 0.09 c are easily attainable using fusion, the need for weapons and life support on most ships limit their maximum speed to 0.055 c. Faster military vessels designed for speed can reach 0.085 c, but anything beyond about a year away cannot be easily patrolled, and anything outside the system proper cannot be patrolled well, allowing for "pocket colonies" of thousands to millions to spring up on long-period comets, powered by nuclear fusion and apt at recycling so as to render imports unnecessary.
Two other systems are indirectly controlled by the Nivenian Empire, though since these systems are too far from the Nivenia System to be directly controlled, vassal governments were created that pay tribute to the Nivenia System in the form of energy in exchange for diplomatic unity and the exchange of research data. These colonies have limited autonomy in the sense that they can run their immidiate area however they want, but have to obey some Nivenian documents (basically a mandatory constitution) preventing things such as communism and surveillance states. While Thadus 0037 is controlled by a military junta supposedly loyal to the Nivenian Empire, they have no valuble resources, do not have to pay tribute, and do not get research updates.
Neighbors include the New Cyrannian Republic, approximately 138.7 light-years away.
Military[]
The Nivenian military currently employs 1.13% of the population of the empire, with 0.07% of the population, or 188 trillion Nivenians serving on active duty. This makes it very powerful, but only within the Nivenia system. As the Nivenian Empire has no FTL, the scope of the military beyond the system is limited to R.K.M.s (Relativistic Kinetic Missiles) and, within very limited range, ships propelled by Nicoll-Dyson laser and using magnetic fusion ramjets for slowdown. An article on the Nivenian defensive capabilities can be found here. An article about Nivenian weapons systems can be found here.
Relativistic Kinetic Missiles[]
Propelled by mirrors reflecting the light of the white dwarf primary, focused by Fresnel lenses to a tight beam, them bounced back and forth between mirrors in orbit of the star and mirrors on the back of the ship for the maximum energy efficiency. While a crust-melting missile can be accurately launched at a planet approximately every 6 hours, these missiles travel at between 80 and 99.9 percent the speed of light, and so cannot reach anywhere important in any reasonable length of time.
Foreign Affairs[]
The Nivenian Empire has recently made first contact with the ently has a mutally beneficial trade deal with them, trad, and currently has a mutally beneficial trade deal with them, trading 8 quadrillion tonnes of food for 4 trillion tonnes of refined Thorium-232 for use in breeder reactors every year.
At the beginning of 21 NE, the Nivenian Empire started trading with JCompany, and is one of their best clients. JCompany is potentially the Nivenian Empire's largest trading like to the rest of the Gigaquadrant, as it trades large volumes of goods with both the Nivenian Empire's largest companies and smaller companies which primarily sell to the public. Although more than one attempt has been made by companies in the Nivenian Empire to monopolize JCompany goods by attempting to make exclusive deals, JCompany and the Nivenian government has prevented these deals from occurring as they would inhibit the free flow of goods between the two empires.
At the beginning of 24 NE, the Nivenian Trade Organization for Commercial Benefits (a business alliance between the Megastructural Construction Corporation and MegaSuperUltraCorp) became successful in a total lock-down of trade with countries participating in the New Spodia Wars, as these wars are problematic to the economic state of the gigaquadrant and the security of economic deals in those regions.
The United Democratic Republic of Nivenia B is a rebellious faction of the Nivenian Empire, and declared independence in 32 NE, leading to a civil war.
Food Surplus[]
The Nivenian Empire has a very large food surplus, shown below. As of 36 NE, the total mass of food produced per year is slightly over 1,150,000,000 Pg.
Relations[]
(In decreasing order of friendliness)
- Vassal State
“We will represent you in international politics, you will pay us tribute, and you will be able to access a cornucopia of scientific knowledge.”
Republic of Paulo Fluctus Beta - “The Republic of Paulo Fluctus Beta is a colony too far away to directly govern.”
Caeruleo Governmental Holding Corporation - “The Caeruleo Governmental Holding Corporation is a colony too far away to directly govern.”
- Formal Alliance
“Trading with you has proven to be unmistakably beneficial.”
- JCompany - “Our largest trading partner, JCompany products are highly recommended by 94% of their users in the Nivenian Empire. We understand each other very well, and our JTrade Route will make us prosper! We have made a defensive pact and alliance with JCompany, and have relaxed restrictions on technology sharing with them.”
- Null Empire - “If the Null Empire had not contributed to our kugelblitz research project, we would not have been able to create these revolutionary reactors.”
- No Tariffs
“Free trade is awesome.”
- New Cyrannian Republic - “Our second largest trading partner, the New Cyrannian Republic trades large quantities of actinides for a portion of our food surplus.”
- Legatus - “The Legatus have trade arrangements with the Megastructural Construction Corporation, one of our largest corporations.”
- Kalslong Merchants - “We look forward to the possibility of more wholesale purchases.”
- Universal Trading Union - “The Universal Trading Union is a gigaquadrantic organization with very similar goals to us. We are grateful to be one of its members.”
- Narkal Republic - “The Narkal Republic's proximity to the Nivenian Empire makes trade much easier.”
- Jinaris Empire - “The Jinaris Empire is an importer of Nivenian-produced goods, and has trade deals with MegaSuperUltraCorp, among other corporations.”
- Great Nican Collective - “The Great Nican Collective is currently thought by the Nivenian Empire to be a non-sentient custodian matrix designed to protect the wildlife of the Krothul Galaxy within pre-defined parameters, and without any kind of innovative solutions or adaptation at all. However, it buys a lot of stuff, and so has greatly contributed to the Nivenian economy.”
- Maker's Shadow - “The Maker's Shadow is a hivemind entity that has traded with corporations in the Nivenian Empire, and has sold large amounts of raw materials in exchange for technology.”
- Reformed Hegemony of Exterioris - “The Reformed Hegemony of Exterioris - being at the other end of a major MegaSuperUltraCorp trade route, is viewed positively by the Nivenian Empire; especially due to their similar large populations.”
- Platixi Empire - “The Platixi Empire is currently reciving Nivenian help with some war refugees, and there is some trading between the two taking place.”
- Possible Trading Partners
“We hope that we can form a permanent mutually beneficial trade agreement soon.”
- Sublime Grubmolian State - “Although the Sublime Grubmolian State has done some seriously odd things in the past, several large corporations in the Nivenian Empire are pushing for better relations.”
- The Purity - “The Purity helped us get rid of some slightly violent dissidents by moving them to a Pure colony in the Phradox Galaxy.”
- Masters of the Skies Empire - “The Masters of the Skies Empire Empire has good relations with our allies the Nullians, and appear interested in buying DIY Ecumenopolises from us. Unfortunately, the Purity is preventing trade with them due to the war.”
- Pure Divinity of Spodia - “The Pure Divinity of Spodia is currently participating in a cultural exchange with the Nivenian Empire.”
- Troodontid Empire - “The Troodontid Empire is a potential commercial rival. They recently illegally parked a fifty thousand kilogram probe in high orbit over Nivenia Prime.”
- Waptoria Alliance of Species - “The Waptoria's interests conflict with several of the large corporate entities that the Nivenian Government relies upon for support. Nevertheless, both factions are have no desire for conflict.”
- Economic Sanctions
“Your existence is problematic for our economy.”
- Pirate Consortium† - “Their attacks on the Null Empire during the Second Null-Consortium war have impacted trading, casing the loss of Teracredits.”
- Kalslong Raiders† - “Their alliance with the Pirate Consortium in the Second Null-Consortium war has disrupted Teracredits worth of trade.”
- Open Hostilities
“Face the wrath of our rocket exhaust!”
- Thadus 0037 Faction† - “We will have revenge for your unprovoked attacks on the Nivenian Empire. Your days are numbered.”
- United Democratic Republic of Nivenia B† - “You cannot just declare independence and stop paying your taxes, much less subject eight quadrillion to a militaristic, unstable regime!”
Quotes*[]
“We are at least 17.382% sure that at least 0.0029218% of us know what we are doing”
- - A mid-level scientist on Nivenia Prime
“The Nivenian Empire is certainly one of our best JClients and JFriends! We understand each other very well, and our JTrade Route will make us prosper!”
“The Nivenian Empire is authoritarian and tyrannical. Its leaders are a bunch of lazy slobs who would commit such atrocities as calling our beloved New Home Thadus 0037! They deserve extermination.”
- - The First Official of the Democratic State of New Home
“This is the best audience I ever have in my entire life! You Nivenian are JAmazing!!”
- - JGoofy, Galactic Star of JMTV, during live performance in the Departmental District of Nivenia Prime, launching his new song "JImagine"
“Capitalists, but more technologically centered than most we've seen on our little planet. We will refrain from referring to you as dirty Heuganovic Furswines”
“War with the Nivenian Empire?! Never in a million years!!! They are one of our greatest allies!”
- - Emperor Zarakrov of Platixi Empire to the press
“Authoritarianism, unrestrained capitalism, complete disregard for their native ecosystem, and utilitarianism to name only a few of their extensive sins against the balance of nature and the rights and dignity of their fellow beings. Good thing they have chosen to contain themselves to their homesystem for if they stepped outside they might find this universe is far more complex and unfathomable then their narrow little view allows. And like most prey creatures they would run screaming back into the safety and light of their ignorance.”
- - Ipsissimus Struki of the United Persan Descendants
*(Feel free to add more quotes.)
Trivia[]
- The Nivenian Empire was named after Larry Niven, author of the Ringworld series.
- The locations of the RSC 5649-2399-4-2271-56 and RS 5649-1826-8-9514108-2562 systems are switched in this universe.
- The Nivenian Empire's yearly population increase is 1 - (3 ^ (1 / 25)), based on an average family size of 6.0 children per couple and an average time until having children of 25 years. This comes out to 4.49244% yearly growth. +25% from cloning gives 5.61555% yearly growth.
- Some of the stuff that I wrote before November started conflicts with some of the stuff I wrote after, and I am too lazy to read back through everything, so stuff I wrote after 11/01/2020 AD takes precedence.
