Alterrans (Orii Worshippers)

[Akren Garkos]

The Human descendants of the original Alterrans (the race that would later split to become the Ancients & the Orii), the Alterrans were created by the Orii after they ascended - much in the same way the Ancients re-created life in the Milkyway Galaxy after it was ravaged by the Plague (possibily by the Orii, considering the remarkable similarities between the Plague which effected the Ancients & the Prior plagues unleashed upon various worlds during their Holy Crusade to conquer & convert the Milkyway Galaxy) - to provide worshippers to fuel their energies so they could one day attack the ascended Anicents directly & end their war with them forever.

Their native language is Ancient (although every Alterran has learnt how to speak English as a matter of course during their two-year invasion of the Milkyway), & all Alterrans are taught how to speak, read & write Ancient from a young age; as well as being schooled in the fundimentals of Origin - the only faith practiced by the countless trillions of Alterrans scattered on worlds all over the Alterran Galaxy - & the central role their faith & spiritual beliefs play in the every day life of all Alterrans.

Since the demise of the Orii & the end of their Holy Crusade to convert the Milkyway Galaxy to Origin, following the use of the Sangraal & the Ark of Truth, the Alterrans have learnt to adjust to life without the malevolent influence of their creators; experiencing growing pains & tumulteous times as they seek to establish a galaxy-wide system of goverence & find their way in the larger universe. . .

[Akren Garkos]

Alterrans are Human in appearence (not surprising, since they are descended from the original Alterrans &/or were created by the Orii after their Ascenion), with only slight differences in genetic variation from those Humans found on Earth or other Human-populated worlds of the Milkyway; although genetically-speaking they are technically more related to, & are closer genetically speaking, to the original Alterrans (without the evolutionary advances) than Humans from Earth could claim to be.

In terms of diversity, Alterrans come in many different heights, body shapes & sizes, colours & skin tones; much in the same way as the people of Earth. All ethnic groups & minorities are fully intergrated, respected & treated equally; irregaurdless of their social status, class or standing.

Although some social groups are more favoured than others by way of their occuption - such as the Priors, high-ranking military / political officers & the like - prejudice & discrimination is rare for the most part; & all are treated equally & are expected to participate equally in all that they do. Some undesirable elements & old prejudices do exist from the the time of Holy Crusade here & there, but these elements are being gradually phased out & re-educated as the Alterrans re-intergrate & amalgamate into a legitmate galactic empire dedicated to peaceful co-existence & exploration of the wider universe they now find themselves apart of.

[Akren Garkos]

- The Orii defeat the Alterrans - whom would later become to be known as the Ancients - forcing them to flee from the Alterran Galaxy at the Mountain of Ord Mallum, sealing the fate of the Alterran Galaxy & paving the way for Orii to rise as the ultimate power in their galaxy. Once all the Alterrans have fled in their city-ships, the Orii proceed to methodically & ruthlessly perscute their remaining followers, destroying any & all references to the past, wiping the Ancients & their existence from the historical records as they secure their domainence over the Alterran Galaxy & establish themselves as the supreme masters of the galaxy.

- The Orii, as it is believed by some, may have unleashed The Plague upon the Milkyway Galaxy around this time, decimating the Ancients & forcing them to re-create life in the entire galaxy; starting over from scratch as some, like Anya, stay behind whilst others travel to Pegasus Galaxy on Atlantis & still others learn to Ascend as they Milkyway Galaxy is left to it's own devices. The Ancients leave their technology behind, however, & this is eventually used by the Goa'uuld & others, shaping the events that have lead up to the present day.

- The Orii learn to Ascend, creating a race of Humans - the descendants of the Alterrans - to worship them, establishing the Origin faith & writing the Book of Origin (which places them as the supreme beings at the centre of, & repsonsible for, all of creation); enhancing normal Humans & turning them into Priors (Hauk'Taur's) in order to enforce their will upon an unsuspecting populace & cementing their belief in the Orii as gods.

Those whom do not adhere to the tennants of Origin or accept it's teachings are denounced as heretics & burnt alive; paying the ultimate price for their convictions. All references to the Ancients are well & truely forgotten & buried by this time, & all relics found by the Orii's followers are taken to Celetsis, the City of the Gods, to be destoryed in the city's holy fires as heretical & a danger to the faith - a policy strictly enforced by the Priors & the faithful - ensuring the Orii continue their reign as supreme masters of those on the lower planes beneath them.

2005 - 2006 A.D. (STARGATE SG-1: Seasons 9 & 10) - Dr. Daniel Jackson & Vala Mal Doran discover an Alterran history book & long-range communications device buried at Avalon under Glastonbery Tor, England, on Earth. Using the device, their minds are transported to the Alterran Galaxy where they inhabit the bodies of Harrid & Salis, two simple villagers & heretics apart of the secret & illusive Anti-Orii movement; setting in motion a chain of events that would see the Orii learn of the existence of Earth, the Milkyway & the existence of Human life on the countless worlds in our galaxy. In response to this revelation, the Orii send a Prior through the Stargate to the Milkyway, paving the way for more Priors to come & culminating in an invasion to conquer & convert the Milkyway Galaxy & destroy their old enemies, the Ancients, once & for all. . .

2007 (STARGATE SG-1: The Ark of Truth) - The Orii continue their bloody invasion, with casualities & lossess on all sides as their Holy Crusade culimnates in a climatic series of battles which sees the final destruction of the Orii by use of Merlin's Sangraal (a device capable of destroying Ascended beings). In spite of this success, the Orii worshipers continue their invasion, & SG-1 travel to the Alterran Galaxy to find the Ark of Truth - a device created by the Ancients prior to their exodus form their home galaxy - & use it to put an end to the invasion & close a dark chapter in inter-galactic history.

2008 A.D. - Following the defeat of the Orii & their de-programming via the Ark of Truth, the Orii worshipers have established their own galactic empire & re-established contact with Earth & the various cultures, species & worlds of the Milkyway Galaxy & beyound; pacing the way for true inter-galactic relations as they continue to administer & grow their fledgling galactic empire & work towards co-existing in peace & harmony with their neighbours as they try & find their way in the larger universe of which they now find themselves very much apart.

2012 A.D. (STARGATE SG-1: Revelations) - The Alterrans help defend Earth against the predations of the Lucian Alliance when they launch an all-out assault on the Tau'ri, forcing General O'Niell & the U.S. military to reveal the STARGATE program to the public. Declaring war on the Lucian Alliance, the Alterran Empire brands itself a target of the Alliance, the powerful group of traders, mercenaries & thieves infiltrating the worlds of the Orii home galaxy through the Supergate, forcing the Alterran Empire to take precautionary measures against incursions from the Lucian Alliance.

2014 A.D. (Current) - The Alterran Empire continues to flourish under the leadership of Supreme Commander Tomin of the Holy Alterran Armed Forces - Vala Mal Doran's ex-husband - & that of the Alterran High Council; unified in their devotion to the Origin religion & prospering under trade with worlds in the Milkyway & beyond via the Supergate. Forging new alliances & mending past wrongs, the Empire seeks to atone for past sins & spread it's influence, even as rogue elements from more undesirable corners of both galaxies, both external & internal, threaten to undermine all they have worked so hard for. . .

[Akren Garkos]

Alterran culture & society is remiscient of mideveal Europe, with a strong focus on meditation & self-inflection, combined with study of the Book of Origin & adherence to the tennants of Origin as a means of furthering one's self-worth along the path of enlightenment; & ultimately, Ascenion.

Alterrans live in villages organized around the Ara - traditionally used to burn heretics alive in the presence of the rest of the village, but now used for purely ceremonial purposes - the centre of the village also being home to major land marks, like the village library, town hall, & local temple.

Each village is led by the Town Administrator (or Mayor) & is assigned at least one Prior. The safety, security & policing of the village is looked after by the Town Milita - soliders of the Orii Army, many of whom fought in the Holy Crusade to invade & convert the Milkyway Galaxy - with multiple garrisons houses in larger town, villages & captial cities. Regional Administrators act in a similar fuction as heads of governence for each contient, region or major population centre larger than a captial city.

Proctors look after & represent the interests of each world, whom in turn answer to the Alterran High Council; the supreme legislative body of the Alterran Empire, which meets once a month (or at more frequent intervals if other matters of import which may effect those far & wide need to be debated) to discuss & decide on matters of policy & other important major actions which can effect or even shape the course of entire worlds. The High Council is made up of equal members of military, civilians, scientists, Priors (including the Doci, the spiritual leader of the Origin religion) & others; ensuring that all Alterrans from all walks of life from the furthest reaches of he Empire are represented, heard & allowed to give voice during any proceedings which take place during meetings of the High Council. The Council's decisions are then issued amongs the myarid worlds of the Empire, passed into law (where necessary) & disseminated to every man, woman & child throughout the Empire & any colony worlds where Origin is preached & practiced (including those worlds in the Milkyway still loyal to the Orii & the Origin religion).

The laws of the Empire, particularly punishments for not adhering to the tennants of the Origin faith, have been rleaxed some what since the Holy Crusade into the Milkyway Galaxy was stopped by SG-1; with various laws & even certain parts of the Book of Origin having been re-written, added to or ammended to reflect the new order. Imperial citizens living on colony worlds within the Milkyway must still respect & obey all local laws of the worlds &/or cultures they live in, regardless of whether or not the rest of inhabitants of that world beleive in the teachings of Origin or not (e.g.:[/b] A Jaffa follower of Origin would still need to respect & adhere to the laws set down by the High Council of the Free Jaffa Nation on the world on which he lived; & would be answerable to both th Alterran High Council, the Free Jaffa Nation High Council, as well as his local Prior as well).

The Alterran Imperial Armed Forces is based upon the previous military heirarchy that was established during the Holy Crusade & subsiquent invasion of the Milkyway Galaxy, & the has been kept by & large, most entact (with a few notable exceptions, alterations & additions). Whilst maintaining a massive standing army that is ready to be mobilized at a moment's notice, the Alterran's are mostly at peace within themselves, with their neighbours & with one another : a testiment to their stead-fast commitment to change their previously more agressive & destructive ways for the better.

Most Alterrans, however, are simple folk whom prefer to go about their daily lives & live in out their days in peace. They are aware of the Holy Crusade into the Milkyway in the name of the Orii & are well aware of both the oppertunities & damage it has caused, they are aware of the Stargate, interstellar travel & the Supergate, & that other cultures & species exist beyound the Empire - some even welcome it - but are for the most part content with, & too wrapped up in, their own daily lives to worry whether interstellar events effect them unless they are confronted with such intergue directly.

[Akren Garkos]

The Alterrans use a curious mix of medeival & high-level technology, thanks to their exposure to the Ascended knowledge bequeathed them by the Orii during their Holy Crusade to invade & convert the Milkyway Galaxy; as well as technology left behind by the Ancients before they fled Alterra to escape the growing pursecution of Orii & their followers.

The most common forms of Alterran technology are simplistic & medeival in fashion, used by the every day Alterran in their daily lives; such as pitchforks, knives, water wheels & the like. The considerably more advanced & technologically superior forms of Alterran technology, such as the formible Orii fighters, ring platfroms, Alterran Stargate, & the formidable Orii motherships - as well as the Supergate, communication stones & Alterran Long range communication device - is technology either left behind by the Ancients when they departed Alterra from Ord Mallum & fled the Alterran Galaxy for the Milkway, or technology bequethed their followers by the Orii, using their Ascended knowledge.

Alterran scientists - most former members of the anti-Orii underground - study the use & application of technology left behind by the Ancients, as well as the technology bequethed them by the Orii; studying their design & function, as well as developing such technologies for partical & safe use by the common villager, all with a zeal & passion for learning that is often surprising for those not familar with their former pursection from the Orii.

Priors monitor their progress & are no hand during examination of such artefacts, as well as any & all experiments, to ensure the safety of all & provide religious advice, guidence & a morale compass for the development of new & emerging technologies which may have an impact on the wider community. Those artefacts & technologies which could have a military application &/or are deemed dangrous for the general public are strictly controlled & overseen by the military; & are carefully tested before dissemination to the civilian sector.

[Akren Garkos]

The primary religion of the Alterrans is Origin, the faith conceived originally by the Orii, which places them at the centre of creation.

The central icon of Origin is fire - traditonally associated with light, warm & positive imagery, later negative acconitations with fire in religion (such as the Christian Hell) may have ben influenced by the Ancients, although this has yet to be proven by inter-galactic scholars famailar with their works - which is used in many religious ceremonies, including Prostration & the infamous public burnings at the Aria.

Prostration

A session akin to Catholic mass where an followers of Origin (normally a village or township) comes together in worship of chants & prayer. It is led by the village administrator, & is sometimes overseen by a Prior of the Orii. During Prostration, it is customary to carry a copy of the Book of Origin. The administrator lights candles & recites chants hailing the Ori. Prostration is known to last up to six hours.

The Book of Origin

The Book of Origin is the religious text of the Origin faith, printed in Ancient. The book is an assemblage of parables & passages that the common man can relate to & live by. All topics tend to lean toward meditation on one's own significance and the path of righteousness towards a state of higher being (Ascenion). Worlds throughout the Alterran Empire are filled with copies of these books. It is traditional to bring a copy to Prostration. The cover of the book says "Blessed are the Orii."

PASSAGES

"Those who seek the path to enlightenment must not be led astray."

"Those who abandon the path are evil."

"Enemies of the Orii show no mercy in their attempts to draw believers away from the path."

"Then to Tyolus: say to the people of the low plains, seek not the wickedness amongst your neighbours lest it find purchase in your own house."

PARABLES

The story of Amica: This is an example of a man who swayed from the will of the Ori, but he was forgiven his transgressions and found his way back to the path.

The story of Hannor Mir: Similar to the Earth legend of Icarus, but with a happier ending. He fell from above & learned to fly on the way down. Orii Priors call this a good example of a miracle.

The story of Petrus: In a time of need he spoke to a rock, not with his lips, but his mind, and the rock wept tears of fresh water until his thirst was quenched.

[Akren Garkos]

A great majority of Alterrans living in the Alterran Galaxy are simple villagers, traders & merchants; content to go about their daily business & the production of industry.

They are the farmers, bakers, builders, merchants, bar-tenders, trades men & women; the every day faces of people whose lives & duties are simple, yet essential, to the survival of the countless worlds the Alterrans inhabit all across the Alterran Galaxy.

Alterran (Primitive Society Near Human) Special Talents

+1 Species bonus with skill checks made using any two of the follow skills : Craft (any one) & Knowledge (any one). This bonus increases by an additional +1 at 4th level & for every 4 character levels gained thereafter.

Pay Grad: While working with the SGC, the character may choose to be paid as an officer or a specialist (see page 283 of the SG SG-1 core rulebook). Near-Human characters are often transplanted to Earth while they work with the SGC.

Bonus Feat: Any basic skill feat. The character must still meet prerequisites for this feat before choosing it.

Languages: Ancient & Human English are native languages for the character.

[Akren Garkos]

The caste of the warrior - called the the Solider - in the Alterran Galactic Army is perhaps, the most common calling that an Alterran can answer. The position holds great prestige in the eyes of most Alterrans, & most young Alterrans aspire to become warriors; with training commencing soon after the age of puberity (from age 12 onwards).

For the chance to represent their fellow Alterrans in a defensive or leadership role, or in matters of council is highly prized. The ability to help shape their fledgling galactice empire - especially in it's infancy - & make their mark on history is often considered more of an honor than what it would of been to have been elivated under their former service to the Orii. Given the democratic nature of the Alterran Empire, many Atlerrans - both men & women - are, it seems, finally able to truely get their chance.

In battle an Alterran Solider is expected to be willing to sacrifice his life in the name of the Orii, the defense of their people &/or an ideal. Most do in the utter belief that their sacrifice will be rewarded in the afterlife; Ascending to the Plains of Enlightenment to dwell with the Orii &. All Alterran Soliders constantly undergo training to better their skills as warriors. Their primary weapon is the Orii staff weapon - a formidable energy blaster that can also be used for close combat. All soliders also learn to use the stun guntlet as well as any other advanced technology deemed necessary to their duties. This often includes the Stargate as well as ring platforms & the forimable Orii star fighter; to name bu a few.

Following the destruction of the Orii, many Alterrans have taken to learning about science & technology - topics once banned by the Orii, as they were prone to contridict the Book of Origin - to better improve their knowledge, re-discover their lost roots & the true history of their galaxy before the schism which led to the seperation of the Orii & the Ancients, as well as aide their fellows as the Alterran Empire continues to grow.

A vast majority of Alterran soliders are male, although a few females do rise through the ranks. Female soliders do not give, nor expect, any quarter in battle; & are subject the same grueling regime as others enlisted in the armed forces. Indeed, those women whom do rise through the ranks of the Alterran army are often quite proud of their achievements, & are seen as role models & leaders in their communities.

[Akren Garkos]

Commanding just as much respect as that of the Solider, if not more so, Priors of the Orii are the religious & spiritual leaders of the Alterran commnuity, serving in the same capacity & conducting similar functions as priests in monotheastic religions of Earth, such as Christianity, Isam & Judism.

In spite of the destruction of the Orii & their de-programming/un-indoctorination by the Ark of Truth, the Priors have since managed to retain much of their importance & stature as they continue to intergrate themselves into the new social structure of the Alterran Empire.

The Priors see to the religious & spiritual needs of the Alterrans, as well as serving as leaders, arbitraitors & guides in more complex social matters. The Priors serve as intermediators & ensure reverence amongst the people. They conduct all public gatherings & rituals in the name of the gods - including marriage - & advise the Alterran populace on how best to serve the gods & one another.

Most Alterrans recognize their calling into the ranks of the Priors at an early age, studying & praying for a sign of acceptance. The priesthood is open to both males & feamles - there is no discrimination between the sexes; a female can rise as high in the ranks as a male; even if a great majority of the Priors of the Orii are male.

The largest task of the priests during the height of Orii rule involved the activation of Orii motherships, leading their warriors into battle against unbeleivers flying Orii motherships (which are keyed to respond to their unique brain physiology, much in the same way as Ancient Puddle Jumpers reponse to thought control by those possessing the Anicent gene, although it is possible to override this process given the proper scientific knowledge & training), as well as overseeing Prostration.

Priors consider serving the community - particularly leading followers of Origin in Prostration & helping them along the path to Enlightenment - as their most holiest of tasks & see to it with great reverence. Some Priors make regular visits to the Portal of the Gods (Stargate) for prayer, seeking guidence from the gods. Some Alterrans still pay homage to it, in reverence to the Ancients & Orii whom built the Stargate network. All Priors make pilgramages at least twice a year to Celestis, the City of the Gods, to update the Doci of all important dealings in the communities of which they serve; as well as to rest, recouperate & reflect on the msyteries of Origin.

Finally, the Priors administer all holy rites of the Alterrans; including leading soliders under their command into battle (since to fight in the name of the Alterran Empire is to fight in the name of the Orii), as well as marriages, blessings & other such rites of religious import. The murder of a Prior - except as an act of legitimate self defense - is punishable by death (normally public execution on the Ara), although a fair public trail is held first; & sometimes banishment is a preferrable method of punishment as oppossed to death.

Such evil acts are seen as especially haneous in the eyes of the Alterrans, as Priors are seen as guides & beacons on the road to Enlightenment & the path to Ascension. To kill a Prior is to diminish one's own chance of Ascension, to hamper one's own journey to Enlightenment & deprive others of the knowledge & wisdom of the ages passed down to the common people by the Orii through their Priors & the Book of Origin.

[Akren Garkos]

Hailing mostly from the ranks of the former anti-Orii underground, Scholars are the scientists, thinkers & intellectual heavy-weights of Alterran society.

Many Scholars spend their time on archaeological digs, unearthing technological artefacts left behind by the Alterrans (the Ancients) before they left the Alterran Galaxy, fleeing the Orii & their fanaticism before eventually travelling through the Ida Galaxy to the Milkyway. They study this left over technology & invent new ones, utilizing the knowledge & technology bequethed them by the Orii to help them in their quest to discover more about their lost past & look to the future.

[Akren Garkos]

The Omnus Infanatus Infernus, or Order of the Infinate Flame (somtimes abbreviated to OOI [pronounced 'Eye-O'] for short), is a secret order dedicated to serving, protecting & preserving the Alterran Empire.

More than just a spy network, the members of the Order are highly trained soliders, scholars, thinkers & diplomats - rounding out their skills & complimenting their already formible prowess (both individual & as members of the Order) - their jobs requiring them to have some degree of proficency in the wide range of roles they often are called upon in.

Likened to the Jedi from the famous STARWARS movie saga by some members of the Tau'ri, members of the Order of the Infinate Flame are nonetheless a collection of highly qaulified & diversely skilled individuals whom have banded together to help[ protect the interests of the Empire & it's citizens.

Outfitted with cloaking, personal shielding & mimetic technology created using Ascended knowledge given them by the Orii, agents of the Order move undetected amongst the ranks of the unBelievers; sometimes unseen under the viel of their cloaks, other times mimicing the voice & appearences of members the local populace, gathering intelligence, further the causes of the Empire & spreading the word of Origin & the Orii as they go about their missions.

High-ranking members of the Order are often given Prior-like powers & abilities - indeed some Priors of the Orii can be found as select members of the Order - & are enhanced like Hauk'Taurs in order to better facilitate their duties, particulalry when undertaking missions where the chance of success is low or the chance of comming out alive is virtually non-existant. The bestowing of such powers, abilities & gifts is seen a great honour & privledge, & is amongst the highest accolades an agent of the Order of the Infinate Flame can receive.

The granting of such powers is extremely rare - barely a hundred or so agents of the Order enhanced in this way as Hauk'Taurs are proported to exist, according to the most recent Earth & Tok'Ra intelligence - & is assessed & granted exclusively upon the recommendation of one's peers & superiors from within the Order, & the potential receipant is subject to strict & rigoreous examination & testing by both Priors & the High Council before a candidate can successfully be bestowed such powers.

The actual act of bestowing these enhanced abilities, like being turned into Prior, is facilitated by one or more Priors. For a member to be enhanced in this manner by the Doci himself in the prescence of one's peers &/or the High Council is considered to be an extra-special honour worthy of the greatest agents of the Order. To bestow enhanced abilities, powers or the knowledge of how to use such ehanced prowess without the strict prior permission of the Alterran High Council is expressly forbidden, & anyone caught enguaging in such behavior is subject to the highest & harshest penalties under Alterran law; including banishment & death.

[Akren Garkos]

Not all members of the Anti-Orii underground & others dissidents against the Orii & their rule are peaceful or content to fade quitely into the background.

Forming the Anti-Orii Movement, or AOM (pronounced A-Om ['om' as in 'home']) as it sometimes known, these former members of the Anti-Orii underground have now gone maintsteam & taken their message - once gaurded in secret - to the masses; espousing a total revolt against the Orii, Origin, the Book of Origin & everything the Orii & their followers stand for.

This revolution, whislt not surprising nor uncommon in other cultures across the universe throughout history, has nonetheless taken an ugly turn for the worst as members of the Anti-Orii movement have become ever-increasingly violent & more embolden in their message of hate now that the Orii have been defeated.

Complicating the issue is the rise of other renegade groups that, whilst not all as extreme in their views/actions/beliefs as the Anti-Orii Movement - have still posed a challenging dillemia for the fledging Alterran Empire & it's still-young High Council : challenges they are still yet to meet & deal with if they are to successfully become a true democratic nation in their own right.

Whilst not condoning their actions & seriously questioning their methods; the High Council & the people at large respect the rights of the these rogue groups & the Anti-Orii Movements' right to free speech & freedom of expression, whilst trying to reign in the more radical elements of these groups their leaders in order to bring out a lasting change & a peacable resolution to what has become an ever-increasing problem amongst the Movement & it's members.

It is their hope that, whilst no longer necessarily interested or believing in the tennants of Origin, that they will one day come to respect the soverignty of the Empire & intergrate - or at least tolerate - the will of the high Council & the majority of peacable citizens in the Alterran galaxy & that all peoples of the Empire, their friends & allies - followers of Origin or not - can learn to live & co-exist in peace & harmony.

Until then, the Anti-Orii Movement continues to be a thorn in the High Council's side & a bane against the Empire, a constant reminder of the sins of the past & stumbling block in the present, as the Alterrans look towards, & hope for, a brighter future where they may one day truely be accepted by their inter-galactic peers & step out of the shadows from the blood-stained legacy of the Orii's Holy Crusade & take their rightful place as a true inter-galactic superpower in their own right. . .

[Akren Garkos]

The Administrator (usually male, but females can be found in equal numbers amongst the ranks of Administrators as well as males) is the administrative & legislative head of local government; fore filling a role similar to that of mayor.

Administrators are responsible from everything from town planning & local governance to administration duties & all the other trappings, rights & responsibilities of office that come with the task. Administrators will also often lead Prostration, leading the masses in chant & prayer to the Orii; sometimes accompanied by a Prior (most often without).

[Akren Garkos]

Similar in function to, although higher in rank than that of Administrator; Proctors are responsible for the governance of the larger towns, city-states & worlds of the Empire.

On smaller worlds there may only be one Proctor whom provides oversight for the entire population; although on larger worlds it is not uncommon to find many Proctors, each over-seeing their individual city-state, continent or territory.

In such cases each Proctor oversees the administration & duties of their individual provenience or territory; providing guidance & management for the Administrators whom report to them & others under their command, whom in turn report to a Head Proctor, whom speaks on behalf of the larger & more heavily populated worlds throughout the Empire & beyond.

In this way they are similar to regional governors or heads of state; providing valuable leadership & ensuring that the will of the Alterran High Council is enforced & that order in maintained (this is especially important on more industrialized worlds or worlds with large populations, such as Celestis).

[Akren Garkos]

The members of the Alterran High Council are those esteemed elite in galactic society whom have obtained the highest of offices; being the ultimate voice of the Empire & it's citizens.

Membership is seen as a great privilege & bestows great honor on the individual & those they represent; & is allocated on a rotational basis via vote in secret ballot or by special appointment. Permanent membership is granted to a select few based on station, social status & on how vital their inclusion on the Council is & how beneficial it is to the Council & the running of the Empire; whilst others are granted on the aforementioned rotational basis outlined above.

The offices of the Doci (the spiritual head of the Origin faith), Supreme Commander (Alterran Military), & the head of the Order of the Eternal Flame (Imperial Intelligence Agency) are 3 examples of permanent seats available on the Alterran High Council.

The Council generally meets four times a year, sometimes more often - if needed or the situation requires it (such as the decision to venture back through the Supergate to the Milkyway Galaxy & the historic peace accord signed with the Tau'ri, the Free Jaffa Nation, the Tollan, Tok'Ra, Nox & other allies) - to discuss major issues & hammer out details for the coming months & year ahead; including major policy decisions, intelligence briefings, & other monumental decisions which could effect the running of the Empire.

General duties of the High Council also include collation of data & intelligence across the Empire & beyond, as well as interupting & information obtained through polls & the implementation or alteration of all major laws which effect the Empire as a whole. Dissemination & enforcement of laws & other such information is then handed to the appropriate area of government; such as Proctors & Administrators (civilian oversight & governance), the Priors (spiritual/religious matters) or the Holy Imperial Armed Forces/Order of the Infinite Flame (the military & secret service).

As representatives of the people & voice of the Empire, members of the Alterran High Council pride themselves on dedicating their lives & terms in office to further the interests of the Empire & serve it's people, to foster relations with their allies & promote the tennants of Origin in a spirit of co-operation, respect & mutual faith on the path to Ascension.