What exactly is the relationship between the Tribunal and the Empire? Is the Tribunal part of the Empire in the way of being the governing body? Because if it is that the Tribunal is in fact a seperate organization on top of being a seperate cabal then aren't they closer to an actual empire than the Empire is? As it stands the Tribunal has more 'power' since they can place warrents on other players marking them as criminals, handcuff folks, and enforce (make too?) laws. Where as the Empire just...sets up roadblocks.

I was maybe thinking that the Emperor of Thera sets the laws of the land and the Tribunal enforces them in the protected cities. So basically Tribs could be considered a 'civilian' branch of the Empire and actual Imperials would be the military and soldiers. Which makes sense in-game wise, at least to me. It would mean that the Emperor actually has some power other than controlling just the Imperial Lands, which no one goes to anyways unless they're an Imperial or raiding.

I don't know though. Could someone, maybe staff, help me understand how it actually is? I have never played a caballed characted so feel free to enlighten.

(Geez I've made a lot of posts this month.)

Blood Tribunal is a mercenary organization that has been hired by the four cities(Galadon, Hamsah, Voralian and Seantryn) to enforce laws in their territory(to make sure that the visiting adventurers follow the laws of the land). The Empire has no say in Tribunal law. Tribunal guards only these four cities because that is what they are hired to do.

The Empire wants to conquer whole Thera, but this doesn't mean that it would own these cities. Empire and Tribunal are usually in good terms, as both are orderly and Imperial Law(this is a different law from Tribunal law. Tribunal law is the one you read on help laws) requires Imperials to behave themselves in the protected cities.

In short, no, these two factions are not related to each other.

Ah-hah! See, I didn't really know that. If it was in a helpfile somewhere I probably missed it. And I was never really interested in the cabals before so I never really went into the respective rooms in the Academy. But thanks for enlightening me on the situation. It was helpful.

Seems like the Empire ought to be able to out-pay the four cities and have the Tribunal govern/oppress them as an official client of the Empire.

The cities provide Tribunal with the resources(guards, funding etc.) that allow it to function. If Tribunal would accept this kind of arrangement with Empire to try coup d'etat in four fronts, the resulting civil war could be disastrous. Many special guards might be loyal to their hometown and could turn their backs to Tribunal if they should try to do the Empire's conquest for them.

With such problems and the risking all to serve an unreliable conqueror, the price of such arrangement would be high. Perhaps even too high for the Empire to even consider paying it.

So, the Empire is like the US Army, and Tribunal are just rent-a-cops?

From how it has been stated it seems that the Tribunal is more of a militia than 'just rent-a-cops'. Rent-a-cops don't have the authority to mark individuals as criminals. But what I want to know is if the Tribunal are a group hired by the four cities then wouldn't it technically be possible for an Imperial to work for the Tribunal as well? Or would such a suggestion just be handwaved as 'conflict of interest' so wouldn't happen anyways?

Imperials are fighting their war on constant basis. I don't think that the Empire would tolerate such working for someone else.