Siuian Empire

Siuian Empire

Formal Name	Empire of Siui
Capital	Zedmeshāh
Head of State	Emperor Yervand Tandi
Government Type	Administrative Empire
Cultures	~90% Siuian, ~5% Kirig, ~4% Hombaxian
Religions	~90% Kozartism (State), 10% Safaism
Population Density	Moderate
Population	12 millions

LORE FOR THE SIUIAN EMPIRE ARE BEING REWORKED / EXPANDED ON.

The Siuian Empire is a monarchy located in the Siuian Highlands between the mountain range of Kuh-e Zanr and the Agaya Axu mountains. It is a crossroad between the Silnari and now Mentian dominated north, the Kirig-dominated steppe and the tropical south - and was home to land based trade before sea-based trade took over after the construction of the Besian Gate. Even without benefits from cross border trade, Siui remained rich and prosperous and its people enjoyed a high standard of living for the world of Drase.

The Siuian Empire adopted the religion of Kozartism eons ago and has embarked on multiple conquests to the southwest to spread its religion and expand its empire, coming into constant conflicts with the Midians to the southwest whom its doctrine deems infidels of the worst kind. The Siuian Empire routinely extended up to the Kur-Anzu mountain range.

Weakened by simultaneous war against the Mentians and the Ninurmah Empire to the southwest, the Siuian lost most of its imperial territories to the rising Tilai Khanate over half a century ago.

Two years ago, the rising Tandid Dynasty directed ill-fated conquests to the north, losing even more territories and causing its capital to become sacked.

Change will come to the Siuian Empire, or it may finally fall after a millennium.

History

Older Dynasties

The recorded history of the Siuian People started over two thousand years ago - at least 1,000 B.S, as they claimed. Siui was one of the people who lived in a region in the highlands between Kuh-e-Zanr and Agaya Axu. The Siuian was continuously ruled by a series of dynasties starting around 754 B.S:

• Ashvarid Dynasty: 754 - 334 B.S. Founding Dynasty
• Bahramid: 334 - 11 P.S.
• Kharavastid: 11 - 440 P.S. - Noted for their conversion to New Kozartism and their holy wars against the southwest that brought the Siuian Empire to its fullest extent
• Zurvanid: 440 - 565 P.S. - This dynasty is most noted for its expansion into Silnarian territories, holding territory up to modern day River Radea and converting some of the inhabitants, before its rapid decline due to internal conflict and destruction in a series of civil wars.
• First Siuian Interregnum: 565 - 724 P.S. - This period refers to a period where no unified dynasty held rule over most of traditional Siuian territory.
• Rostavid Dynasty: 724 - 971 P.S. - The lineage founded by Rostam reunified the Siuian territories and expanded to the southwest, where like the legendary Kharavastid dynasty of old they engaged in holy wars against infidels to the southwest. The series of war greatly weakened the dynasty, allowing for the Kirigs of the steppes to the southeast to invade and end the Rostavid’s rule
• Second Siuian Interregnum: 971 - 984 P.S: Much shorter than the first interregnum, this period saw great sufferings as the Kirig under the Tiai Khanate took over much of the southwestern territories while governors and generals fought over core territories in the Siuian core land.
• Tandid Dynasty: 984 P.S - Current: The Tandid dynasty was founded by Zalustar Tanid, a general under the Rostavid who garrisoned the territories to the north, and successfully defeated several challengers after capturing the capital of Zedmehshah.

Of the above dynasties, part of the history of the dynasty of Kharavastid - responsible for embracing a new religious movement that define the Siuian people and the nearby region to nowadays, and the Tandid Dynasty - the most recent dynasty, will be detailed on.

Kharavastid

Historically, the Siuian Empire was composed of the core territories of the people known as the Siuian (Though this distinction of course, masks the various subcultures underneath them), consisting of the highlands between the Agaya Axu mountains and the Kuh-e-Zanr mountain range, and most of the left bank of the river Talinith, where their civilizations have spread along the river. The Parvakhtian, speaking a related language, were often incorporated into their Empire, whereas the Rastorii were often independent from the Siuian's dominance but were targets of their conquest.

Under the rule of the Kharavastid Emperor Zarvand II (61 P.S. - 112 P.S.), the Siuian adopted the prophecy that declared the Midians to be devil worshipper and that the Siuian had a duty to make holy wars upon them and conquer their land, shattering the idolatry of their evil gods to restore balance to the world. Using religious fervor as a motivator, Zarvand II would successfully conquer and convert most of Rastoriia and came into conflicts with the Midians to the south, with many of the northernmost Midian settlements destroyed or razed, to be reinhabited by the Rastorii who has converted to Kozartism, some peacefully, others by coercion.

The reign of Zarvand II would mark the furthest reach of the Siuian Empire into the south, and would be seen and heralded as a golden age unmatched in the history of Siuian. The adoption of new religious doctrine allowed for greater degree of centralization and enabled the spread of Kozartism peacefully to the northeast and increased Siui’s influence - but to the southwest, the Midians, labeled as demon worshippers, were not so keen to accept their northern neighbours religions, and they found plenty of supporters amongst the Rastorii.

Zarvand II’s adoption of the new faith would lead to centuries of sectarian warfare and end of the lucrative trade with the Midians that would create multiple openings for nomadic invasions from the southeast.

Tandid

The Tandid Dynasty was founded by Zalustar Tanid. After seizing power and uniting most of the territory of the Siuian Empire between the mountains, Zalustar embraced gunpowder eagerly and constructed what was probably the first effective gunpowder-using army of Ramul Ta.

This army would then be inherited by his son, Zarostav I, the Emperor as of 1050 P.S. To the north, the Siuian sent missionaries and supported the rival pretender of Dim Draungo to strengthen its hands.

The Siuian invaded the Kingdom of Ie - seeking to re-assert its eastern claims as the Tiai Khanate to the south was still too strong to challenge. The Siuian successfully occupied Jellandi and was on track to continue its conflicts against the rich Hombaxian city-states of the east.

When South Mentia showed weaknesses in middle of the Great Peasant Wars - which saw nearly all southern lords overthrown and Dim Draungo lost most of his authority. Instead of supporting Dim, the Siuian opted to use the massacre of Kozartists as a pretext for a full on invasion, citing the historical claim of the Zurvanid dynasty. The Siuian split into three mighty army that occupied half of Southern Mentia, but bloody irregular warfare with the peasants of South Mentia started to drain its manpower.

However, Siui’s action alarmed all of the Mentian civil war’s participants and its traditional army, leading to the formation of an coalition by Upper & Middle Mentia alongside the Republic of Kadho, the Hombaxian States, Ieian exiles, Dezabia and even symbolic troops from the Kingdom of Matta. The final nail of the coffin would be the unexpected death of the Upper Mentian pretender - Galschen Draungo, and Kadrush’s decision to make peace and withdraw from an invasion of Mentia, leaving Siui alone to face the might of the coalition.

Gravely outnumbered and facing down an experienced and vengeful coalition army the Siuian army would be battered and destroyed in a series of battle, and within a year the Siuian Empire went from being on the verge of a second renaissance, to seeing its capital of Zedmehshah sacked and its army destroyed and scattered to the wind.

After this disaster, Emperor Zarostav abdicated from his throne and left the throne to his young heir Yervand Tandi. But if history is to judge, the rule of the Tandid dynasty is at its end, and it is only a matter of time before a new dynasty takes its throne…

Government & Policies

The Siuian Empire consists of a centralized, effective bureaucracy with governors appointed from locals that respect its traditions and enforce royal law and pay taxes to the Emperor. The Kozartist priesthood is generally subsumed to the authority of the Emperor.

Generals are usually appointed separately from civilian governors in an attempt to separate power from both - though border provinces tend to have military-governor who combine both sets of responsibilities into one and have the ability and authority to raise troops separate from regular, centrally funded army that is also stationed at the border.

The Siuian Empire is not particularly tolerant of other religions in its territory, and varies between periods of relative tolerance and repression depending on how powerful the Kozartist majority are at the moment.

Regions & Locations

Though the Siuian Empire is much diminished in its territory from its peak, it still holds to the core territory inhabited by the Siuian people in the Siuian Highlands, nestled between the mountains of Kuh-e-Zanr and Agaya Axu

Upper Tasnim

The upper reach of the Tasnim river was the historical core of Siuian civilization when its Empire is in decline (like now), and is where the Siuian people originated. It is traditionally defined as the provinces of Zaragund, Xhorrasan, Reshavan and Mayadar - all of which are located around navigable parts or tributaries of the Tasnim river.

• Xhorrasan (~2 million people): The capital province of Siui - densely populated thanks to the political gravity of the capital city of Zedmeshah, which is located at the confluence of several rivers and is in a relatively defensible position - except from the north that is.
  • Zedmeshah (~100,000): The capital of Siuian Empire for the past century, chosen for a combination of relative defensibility from the steppes and its strategic position. The city were brutally sacked by vengeful South Mentian troops in the Siuian-Mentian war of 1051, which saw half of the city burnt down and most of the valuables sacked before order were restored amongst the victorious coalition troops. The city now only house half of the population it used to.
  • Sefirdaryan (~10,000): A strategic fortress-city that is located on an unnavigable stretch of the Kaj river. It is here that the Siuian checked one attempt by the Kirigs to finish their conquest of the Siuian Empire.
• Zaragund (~2 million people): The province of Zaragund ias heavily populated as the province of Xhorrasan itself. T
  • Zatark (~80,000): The provincial capital of Zatark is part of the tightly integrated Siuian iron & metallurgical industry and is a renown alchemical center - located at the confluence of two rivers. Its economy has suffered a hit with the Syiravarz province being lost to the Ombuian.
  • Zaramin (~40,000): Minor city of notes
• Reshavan (~2.5 million people): The least densely populated of the Upper Tasnim core provinces - but only on a relative level. The city of Arshapur and Masqaran are minor cities of no significant notes
• Mayadar (~1 million people): Consisting of most of the upper reach of the Khazrud river the Mayadar province used to include some borderland to the north that were annexed by the victorious Mentian as a buffer zone. Part of Mayadar is home to gold and silver mines.

Northern Provinces

The northern provinces of Elimais and Karmunesh are relatively sparsely populated provinces, located away from the nourishing river of Southern Mentia or the Siuian Highlands. Traditionally the more nomadic Siuian lived in these two provinces and they are famous for producing the best horses in Siui which supplies the rest of the Empire.

• Elimais (~1 million people) : A large flatland province home to no significant cities of note.
• Karmunesh (~800,000 people): The province of Karnunesh is home to the city of Gaz-e-Mubariz, the traditional eastern boundary of Siui in the north and home to luxurious resorts built near Agaya Axu taking advantage of its highly pleasant microclimate.

Shafran Region

The Shafran Sea is an inland saltwater lake around which much civilizations in Upper Siui are based on. It was historically contested by Siuian people to the north, Awaryan to the east and Kirigs to the south - as all group coveted the farmland nearby and the mild, pleasant climate it brought, even if the water is not suitable for direct use.

With the past centuries of constant disasters the Shafran sea region has become densely populated with refugees to the north, and it is at the limit of how many people can be supported around the narrow strip of fertile and wet land surrounding the lake.

• Bala-e-Shafran (2.5 million people): The Bala-e-Shafran province consists of the densely inhabited northern half of the Shafran Sea and also includes the Agaya Desert, an uninhabitable desert that can theoretically be used to cross the Agaya Axu into the dryland and desert to the northeast. The province is home to a significant Siuian military presence, including a small "navy" dedicated solely to transporting troops from the inhabitable and food-abundant north of the lake, to the often threatened southern side of the lake
• Janubran (0.7 million people): The province of Janubran is the most ethnically diverse province of the Siuian Empire, with a core group of Siuian settlers around the lake - Kirigs living to the south, and a small group of Awaryan to the southeast. Awaryan used to live on most of the southern shore of the lake, but they've been driven away from the province of Janubran over the preceding centuries. The small city of Fatha is the only Awaryan-majority city in the Siuian Empire.

Historical Claims

The Siuian Empire has wide-ranging historical claims over other provinces. Of its numerous historical claims, its most justified one would be to the eastern bank of the Talinith river - including the Masuparan and Siyavarz province ceded to the Ombuain in 1051 P.S. after a disastrous defeat against the coalition of practically every state to its north. Both provinces are inhabited almost solely by Siuian people and Siyavarz in particular is an industrial powerhouse for Siui thanks to abundant, regenerating forests planted by the Ombuian eons ago in a peace settlement dividing the two banks of the river between the two people.

The Tilaian provinces of Nahangrud, Golzamin, Azarkuh and Parnestan are also inhabited by Siuian sharing the same language. The two cities of Mehravan and Nahravan were both historical capitals of the Siuian Empire at its peak when it used to rule over most of the southwestern territories.

Naturally, the Siuian Empire also claim dominion over most territories up to the Kur-Anzu mountain range, which it has held one way or the other throughout the preceding centuries.

Other Facts

The Siuian Empires throughout history has been a center of learning, and in particular is a center of study for fire magic and alchemy.

Military

The Siuian military is renown for its incorporation of well-disciplined gunpowder troops that uses matchlock arquebuses en masse supported by pikemen and a cavalry arm - and is a well-rounded army that supplement itself with a well-trained crops of mage.

The Siuian Cataphracts historically adopted the usage of both bows and lances, but in recent centuries, has adopted to a mostly shock role, renown for their usage of “Fire Lance” - using their lance to extend the reach of fire spells, and fought in mixed formation using heavily-armored and trained spellblades who retaliated against horse archers with long ranged and deadly spells and harassed infantry with the same before charging home.