The Vast Empire - a fan club



Founded in 1998, the Vast Empire is an unofficial, fan-based online gaming organization focused on the Galactic Empire (and its successor states) in George Lucas’s Star Wars® franchise. We are Star Wars fans with “a certain point of view:” namely, a shared appreciation of the oft-maligned, much-misunderstood Empire.

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Together, we explore the Imperial perspective by participating in an ongoing and persistent play-by-post role-playing game (The Vast Empire Literary RPG), by playing a wide range of solo and multiplayer video games, by writing fan fiction featuring Imperial characters, and by chatting with other members of the VE from around the world.

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In the VE, the so-called freedom fighters of the Rebel Alliance are the villains of the Star Wars saga: they are criminals, traitors, terrorists, and nefarious masters of propaganda. In contrast, the true heroes are the noble Imperials, bravely fighting against mounting odds to preserve “order,” a catch-all term for a complex idea: a society in which stability, prosperity, and justice are shared by all sentient beings in the galaxy.

 

If you want to read about these unsung heroes... JOIN US!

If you want to write the untold stories of Star Wars yourself... JOIN US!

If you want to dominate the competition in games like The Old Republic, the Battlefront series, Empire at War, or even old favorites like X-Wing vs. TIE fighter... JOIN US!

If you want to explore the “dark side” of the Star Wars galaxy... JOIN US!

If you’ve been looking for a vibrant, supportive Star Wars fan community, or even if all you’re looking for is a play-by-post rpg that won’t implode a month after you find it... JOIN US!

 

We welcome writers, role-players, and gamers of all levels of ability and experience, and we operate as a strict meritocracy: the more you put into the club, the faster you will rise through the ranks, gaining authority over other members and unlocking access to ever-more services and perks. With that said, there are no real requirements for membership, other than a pledge to abide by the Code of Conduct, which outlines certain standards of behavior to ensure a fun environment for everyone. The Vast Empire is and always will be free.



 

 

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The Vast Empire - a literary role-playing game

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The most important, most active part of the club is our literary role-playing game. For those who are unfamiliar with the term, a literary rpg is a forum-based shared storytelling environment, where participants role-play by posting short pieces of prose from the perspective of their main player-character. By interacting with other player-characters (and with literally billions of non-player characters), players advance the plot of this shared story, and the grand saga continues.

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Members of the VE club play the VE literary rpg as stormtroopers, TIE pilots, mercenaries, high-ranking officers, and even mysterious Dark Jedi, all serving an in-Universe faction called the Vast Empire. These characters do battle with the Vast Empire’s enemies, and though many of them fall in the line of duty, those who survive grow stronger and more capable. It is through their collective effort that the VE persists and prospers.

 

The rpg takes place immediately after the Thrawn Era, and all of the member-written fiction which forms the official story arc of the game is set during this period of Star Wars history. The VE rpg has a universal RPG rating (RPGR) of 1-1-2, which is roughly analogous to a Motion Picture Association of America film rating (MPAA rating) of PG-13.