Ryuvia

The Holy Ryuvian Empire was the dominant Superpower of the Galaxy since immemorial ages (it is known that it existed 10,000 years ago) until the establishment of the new Calendar (Year 0). After that it also survived as an independent country until it was finally absorbed by PACT circa 503. Not much is known about the ancient times of the Holy Ryuvian Empire, only that its power reached everywhere known by man and surpassed even today's imagination. After a great disaster that marked the beginning of the new Calendar, the Empire collapsed and retained only a tiny part of it's former territory, comprising the zone between Ryuvia Prime and Far Port. For the sake of clarity, the Ancient Empire will be called Holy Ryuvian Empire, and it's successor only Ryuvia. Take into account, however, that despite the great differences of power and territory both are the same formal entity, and ruled by the same dynasty.

The Holy Ryuvian Empire
It is not known when the Holy Ryuvian Empire was formally created, but the accepted theory is that the Holy Ryuvian Empire was the first power to use the Warp technology to jump instantaneously between 2 places, thus achieving FTL travel. The Ryuvian Empire then used that capability to expand across all the galaxy, using the resources gained from colonies to topple any kind of resistance. It was probably an Absolute Monarchy, in which the head of State and effective ruler was the Emperor, but that is still unconfirmed. At it's apex, the Holy Ryuvian Empire occupied all the galaxy (and maybe even more) and had a technology the level of which is completely incomprehensible today. It's power however was the cause of it's downfall. Even with Relics such as the Talbur, the Holy Ryuvian Empire had countless wars for the succession of the title of Emperor. While it is known of wars of apocalyptic level 2000 years before the new Calendar, it was a set of particularly catastrophic wars, called the Ryuvian Wars, which finally caused the collapse of the Empire.

Few it is known about its military power. While the Ryuvians purposefully neglected the destruction capabilities of their crafts, and build them around a more ritualistic vision of war that included duels on Ryders, the remains of its fleets and Ryders are still a lot more powerful that orthodox militaries circa 503. It was the discovery of a Ryuvian Ryder which revolutionized the way war was waged in the middle of The Alliance-Imperial War, and the Seraphim was equipped with a level of technology that lead to an improvement of the Sunrider's warp drive to a level of accuracy never seen. Even after 2000 years of neglect, the Ryuvian Cruisers that formed the backbone of the Ryuvian Space force are still superior to most cruisers in the galaxy, and that's despite all current information pointing that the were used merely as support vessels, not unlike destroyers.

The Ryuvians also extensively used automated ships and Ryders for patrolling and escorting duties. While they were also used in war, the huge ritual importance given to combat in the Holy Ryuvian Empire meant that they were used merely as support or "cannon fodder" units. They also have automated maintenance, and such a thing has actually allowed some of these units to remain in perfect state even after thousands of years. The fact that in 503 these automated units already outclass almost anything the galaxy has shows how superior their military capabilities truly were.

One of the few things known was that Ryuvians encouraged females to become Ryder pilots, something that still remains in former Ryuvian controlled worlds. The best pilot in the Empire was known as Sharr, and it was usual for them to marry with princes and enter into the Royal family. This way, their genes were used to enhance the royal lineage, combining both engineered enhanced traits with their natural ability. There was no prerequisite to become Sharr other than exceptional piloting skills, so it was a common dream for peasant girls on Ryuvia to achieve that position and charm a prince of the Empire.

Whenever pieces of the Ryuvian Legacy are found, they are called Lost Technology, and mark an incredible advance of the current level of technology whenever they can be properly analyzed. Even in cases that the technology cannot be properly replicated, they can serve as incredibly powerful weapons and tools.

Present Ryuvia
Despite bearing the same name, after year 0 the Holy Ryuvian Empire was barely a tiny piece of a shell of it's former self. Having lost the secrets of its famed technology, Ryuvia was basically a minor power without any possibility of expanding. While it is not known how much of their army or technology actually remained, it was still not enough to fight against the New Empire and even less to try to recover some of it's former territories (even when they remained independent and not affiliated with any kind of power). It participated in the The Alliance-Imperial War as an ally of the Solar Alliance. Despite initial heavy losses against the Empire, the Imperial defeat at the battle of Solaris marked a resurgence of Ryuvia, and in successive counterattacks it successfully recovered some of its territory. The Alliance however, stabbed the back of it's ally when it refused to return Far Port after having freed it from the Empire. Far Port was a very populous and economically powerful planet in the ancient Holy Ryuvian Empire. Now, while desolate and mostly underpopulated (less than 1000 habitants), it was a very important strategic location and symbol for Ryuvia. It's loss marked the final decay of Ryuvia. Without not even managing to recover all of it's pre-war but After 0 territory from the Empire, and losing some to the Alliance, the final nail in the coffin was the treaty of Vespa, which ended the war, but at the cost of making a buffer zone of neutral territories between the Alliance and the New Empire, the Neutral Rim. Having most of it's leftover possessions in this zone, Ryuvia was finally reduced to only Ryuvia Prime and it's surroundings, and with a level of military and economic power not superior to that of neutral worlds like Cera. With internal turmoil and court intrigues still not ceasing, the emperor focused on maintaining some sort of stability and Ryuvia became a nation isolated from the rest of the galaxy, an obscure blackwater planet with barely military power.

Spoiler Warning!

After PACT completed the conquest of the Neutral Rim, it successfully eliminated what was left of Ryuvia (after betraying a diplomatic treaty that would have absorbed Ryuvia in PACT but letting it survive as a formal and autonomous entity) by the year 503. It's last king was Jaylor XII, and the current heir is Asaga di Ryuvia.