Taraskovyan Empire

The term Taraskovyan Empire is used on a daily basis by the public and media to name the entirety of the Taraskovyan territorial possessions spread throughout the stars. It is done mainly to avoid confusion between the Grand Duchy and its dependencies, dominions, protectorates and colonies. While de facto the Taraskovyan Empire is well existent, functioning and prospering, de jure it does not exist. Indeed, there has never been any document creating the Empire, no proclamation to bypass the need for a legal document, and most importantly – the Taraskovyan leader does not bear the title of Emperor.

Structure and Composition

The Taraskovyan Empire does not have any defined structure and is in fact a clear example of an efficient ad hoc adaptation to new realities. However, a form of political and administrative structure does exist in the form of a metropoly and its subject dependencies. Each dependency is tied to the metropoly through a particular relationship, which defines its ties to the other dependencies.

Overall, the central and pivotal role of the metropoly in the Empire is played by the Grand Duchy of Tarasovka. This can be seen in the following facts:

• the Grand Duke of all Taraskovya is also the Head of State of each and every of the dependencies. And not a merely symbolic figure, but somebody who has the power and the authority to act. Whilst not expressing it explicitly, art. 147 par 3 of the Constitution of the Grand Duchy of Tarasovka extends the Grand Duke’s right to veto any decision made by any authority to the dependencies.

• the Grand Ducal law takes precedence over local laws, even if in some cases a certain disparity is tolerated, such as when local customs and mentality diverge greatly from the Taraskovyan ones (namely in ARIA and Tavaroth). But even then, the representatives of the Grand Ducal authorities work towards bringing the local legislation to conformity with the Grand Ducal one;

• although the Grand Ducal Parliament is deciding many issues directly concerning the fate of the dependencies, these latter are not represented in the Parliament and, as such, have no word in the legislative debates. Moreover, the population of some dependent territories does not take part in Grand Ducal referenda. Such is the case of ARIA which decided to have its own citizenship;

• the dependencies have no foreign policy per se and have to abide by that of the Grand Duchy;

• even if some of the dependencies (and even some of the Fiefdoms) maintain their own armed forces, all these are considered as auxiliary reserves for the National Defence Forces, subject to the command of the Grand Duchy and of the Grand Duke.

With all this, one has to remember that the metropoly in no way oppresses its dependencies. In fact, in some cases, such as ARIA, the local population chose itself to “not engage into any active integration with the Grand Duchy”. In some others, the people enjoy greater tax freedoms than in the Grand Duchy due to the absence of Fiefdom taxes.

Composition

Grand Duchy of Tarasovka

The Metropoly where all decisions are taken and where cultures from all over the Empire meet and interact.

Dependencies

Kingdom of Dreamreach

The Kingdom of Dreamreach is an entire star system transferred to Grand Duke Mikhail II by the United Star Empire of Valinon, in exchange for a non-aggression agreement between the United Star Empire and the Grand Duchy, which was approved by the Grand Ducal Parliament. Dreamreach proper and the Empire also became part of a free trade zone.

It is the first star system to be officially belonging fully to the Grand Duchy, even if rumours circulate about a certain “Safe Haven”, a system reportedly under control of the Taraskovyan Space Fleet.

Dreamreach was first referred to as a Dominion, until the Grand Duke decided to promote it to a Kingdom. The title of King of Dreamreach, however, is less important in honour than that of Grand Duke of all Taraskovya.

As of now Lagoon, the inhabitable planet of Dreamreach, only has a population of several thousand, mainly military and scientific personnel. The highest local authority is the Viceroy appointed by the King of Dreamreach.

Duchy of Zoria

Following the reunion of Mikhail II and his sister Vethara after years of separation, the Grand Duke decided to purchase a territory on Venus from the Eternal Noldorin Empire of Menelmacar and gift it to the Archduchess. The necessary funds came from the personal fortune of the Grand Duke and the territory was acquired rapidly in what is seen by many as one of the most eccentric acts of the Grand Duke ever.

Whatever the reasons fof its purchase, today the Duchy is a personal fief of Archduchess Vethara and enjoys a great deal of autonomy.

Autonomous Republic of the Island of Atlantic

The Autonomous Republic of the Island of Atlantic (ARIA) was formed following the purchase by the Grand Duchy of Tarasovka of the Allanean State of Atlantic Island. Today, it is a Taraskovyan dependency with extensive autonomy from the Grand Duchy, with the Grand Ducal Parliament having the right to intervene into the affairs of the Autonomous Republic through the Grand Ducal Overseer.

Omeldor-1 Territories

The Grand Duchy extends its sovereignty over a certain amount of domes on the Omeldor-1 Craftworld. These territories, due to their particular status and possible overlapping of Taraskovyan sovereignty with that of the local Sisgardian Fellowship of Nations authority, made their inclusion into the Grand Duchy problematic.

As of now, the Domes of Kshas-Loith, Novy Sad and Svetogor, fully under Taraskovyan administration, and the Dome of Gesagard, under joint administration with Taurenor and the Technocratic Republics, are placed under direct authority of the Grand Duchy.

Sovereign Base Areas

The Sovereign Base Areas of Sukhum, Pitzunda, Gagra, Gudauta and Ochamchira are five special zones in the region of Haven. Whilst they are territories initially intended for military use only, their impressive size turned them into outposts of the Grand Duchy in the region of Haven. The Sovereign Base Areas are each governed by a separate General-Governor, appointed by the Taraskovyan Ministry of Defence.

United Provinces of Tavaroth

The Taraskovyan Federation intervened into the Tavarothian Provinces following rather shady events involving a group of Taraskovyan nobles. Following the restoration of the Grand Ducal Government, the Tavarothian Provinces were declared a protectorate of the Grand Duchy. As of now, the political situation has been largely stabilised by the Taraskovyan National Defence Forces and the further fate of the territories is to be decided in the foreseeable future.

In the meantime, the collective territories are dubbed as United Provinces of Tavaroth, forming a loose federation, with each of the four constituent territories having an administration supervised by the Grand Duchy.

Joint Protectorates

The so called “joint protectorates” are nations over which the Grand Duchy has the role of Protector, yet shares it with one or more other nations. Such territories include Os Sanglants (fellow Protectors: Der Angst and ZMI) and North-Western Antarctica (fellow Protector: Der Angst).

Corporate Possessions

Some Taraskovyan corporate giants, namely the VerTech Conglomerate and the Independent Mining Conglomerate maintain a presence on various planetoids, asteroids and planets for their activity. It is generally considered that planets and stellar bodies claimed by Taraskovyan corporations are part of the Taraskovyan Empire.