Q1. What is the Severing?   A1. The Severing is an event that occured some few odd centuries ago, 5 maybe 6 centuries ago. This event separated the upper and lower planes leaving only those neutral ones connected to the prime material.   Q2. You said the gods were separated from the world yet you have churches, cults and temples and clerics and paladins can still be played. How?   A2. That is because the things these places worship while they can grant power they aren't gods they don't control their own realms and have the power to intervene outside of their territory. They are merely powerful things of the world granting power to clerics and warlocks who offer devotion and sacrifice.   Q3. How is the Imperium structured(socially)?   A3. The Imperium is extremely socially stratified with little room for lateral movement from the average citizen. Merchants hold tightly to their contracts, craftsmen to their secrets and nobles to their land.   Q4. How is the Imperium structured (politically)?   A4p1. Politically you have 3 large factions the military, the churches and cults and the sects. The military is often if not always on the side of the Border Provinces they are where the armies reside. The churches and cults work hand in hand with craftsmen and merchants to control where money goes. The sects find most funding from the lord's of their land.   A4p2. The Imperium is then split into the 7 border Provinces and 5 inner provinces of which the border Provinces recieve 2 representatives and the inner recieve 3.   A4p3. To further complicate things the nobility are split amongst 3 larger factions and innumerable smaller ones the larger 3 would be. The "Court" a organization who believes in weaking of imperial power and further expansion to new lands. The Sapphire Chalice hold a strange reputation they believe the only true nobility are those of Sorcerous blood. And lastly the Mercury Mirror an organization who's backing has led some of the weakest to places of great power no ruler would dare reign without their support.   Q5.   A5.