Imperial Interstellar Scout Service

Once the cradle of adventurers, the Scout Service is now an administrative and bureaucratic institution.

After the completion of the Second Interstellar Census, it focused on strengthening and modernizing Imperial Mail routes, delegating much of its fieldwork to the private sector.

The Third Census

Today, the Imperial Interstellar Scout Service (IISS) leads the ambitious project of the Third Interstellar Census: a long-term initiative aimed at updating and validating all cartographic, demographic, and economic data across Charted Space.

Unlike its predecessors —which were focused on raw discovery and the initial mapping of the Imperium— the Third Census is oriented toward administrative consolidation and interstate interoperability.

Its goal is not to find new worlds, but to understand, classify, and better coordinate those already integrated.

This colossal task has required a structural transformation of the IISS, which has shifted from being an exploration agency to becoming a regulatory authority on astrographic data, integrating common standards, validating private sources, and auditing strategic information.

This shift in paradigm has laid the groundwork for new forms of collaboration —and competition— among independent scouts, corporations, sector governments, and foreign powers.

Imperial Edict 1183.1

In the year 1183, the First Imperial Edict of the current Emperor authorized the issuance of private explorer licenses, granted by the Scout Service under the authority of the Throne.

This policy formally established the IISS as an Imperial authority, expanding the institution's scope and prestige.

As a result, it is now the private sector —freelancers and specialized corporations— who carry out reconnaissance and first contact missions in remote systems.

This has led the Scout Service to set a precedent in astrographic commerce beyond the borders of the Imperium. From deep space traders to Zhodani corporations, Aslan clans, and Vargr warbands, all have come to appreciate the value of up-to-date galactic data.

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The IISS in the Game

The Scout Service is a direct path to adventure: it grants licenses, buys data, commissions missions, and validates discoveries. It is not a military force, but its backing lends legitimacy. A group with an IISS license can cross lines, negotiate with independent worlds, and operate with a degree of authority —though always under scrutiny and within the legal margins of the Imperium.

Even beyond Imperial borders, reports certified by the Scout Service are often received with respect and attention.