The World of Gaea (OOC/Sign-Ups)

[Damak Var]

hey had no idea how many Faeran there were. For all they knew, there could've been thousands. And Othralas did gather a great army of undead, but sadly seemed to have been defeated.

Speaking of which, we should probably fill that gap in history. Perhaps a war ensued between Elvrion and the undead Fire Elves, culminating in the destruction of Othralas and Vilvarion?

That sounds good to me. But Damak, you're kinda nitpicking right now, just let it go.

I cant. I know this is fantasy but for me to be interested in an RP it has to have a grounding in realism. Real world politics and military strategy. As well as players who can RP accordingly. Im just not seeing it here which is unfortunate because the RP had a great premise and ive worked hard on my idea.

[Das Germane imperie]

What are the Faeran?

[Rudaslavia]

That sounds good to me. But Damak, you're kinda nitpicking right now, just let it go.

I cant. I know this is fantasy but for me to be interested in an RP it has to have a grounding in realism. Real world politics and military strategy. As well as players who can RP accordingly. Im just not seeing it here which is unfortunate because the RP had a great premise and ive worked hard on my idea.

Damak, it is literally identical to the Aldmeri Dominion in the Elder Scrolls series. The Elder Scrolls is one of the most "realistic" fantasy storylines out there. In both this RP and the Elder Scrolls, the Wood Elves and High Elves forge a united empire for mutual gain. In the Aldmeri Dominion, the Summerset Isles (lands of the High Elves) and Valenwood (land of the Wood Elves) retain some sovereignty. They govern themselves locally beneath the overarching authority of the empire.

It made sense for Elvrion to be united. The return of the Sorcalins was a catalyst amongst many reasons that the Wood Elves and High Elves became one. They had significant cultural and genetic ties. Plus, in the face of danger, they would be stronger together than apart. It's like when the Republic of Texas applied for annexation by the US. The Republic had greater defenses against Santa Anna with Washington on its side, and its people boasted American lineage.

[Damak Var]

Oh my goodness. You are referencing Elder Scrolls for realism. I cant believe im hearing this. *facepalm*

[Rudaslavia]

What are the Faeran?

Fire Elves, an extinct race that briefly returned in the last RP...only to be crushed once more.

Oh my goodness. You are referencing Elder Scrolls for realism. I cant believe im hearing this. *facepalm*

It's a fantasy storyline with a near-identical premise.

[Damak Var]

Rud, a fantasy video game is not a substitute for a history book. Urgghh! I definitely dont think this is going to work out for me with the players here with that statement. No worries. Done moaning about it. Ill talk to Imp.

[The Starlight]

That sounds good to me. But Damak, you're kinda nitpicking right now, just let it go.

The Great Sorca-Elvrion War (503 AL - 506 AL)

Othralas Sorcalin and his army of undead Faeran invaded northern Menevrion from the Sari and Ice Fang mountain ranges. After several initial defeats, the united military forces of Elvrion eventually push the Faeran back and launch an offensive on Vilvarion. After a year of battle, Othralas is slain by the combined might of the Wood Elves and High Elves. With the last Sorcalin eradicated, the undead Fire Elves crumble to ash. Vilvarion falls into total ruin, officially marking the extinction of the Faeran as a whole.

That should work.

That sounds good to me. But Damak, you're kinda nitpicking right now, just let it go.

I cant. I know this is fantasy but for me to be interested in an RP it has to have a grounding in realism. Real world politics and military strategy. As well as players who can RP accordingly. Im just not seeing it here which is unfortunate because the RP had a great premise and ive worked hard on my idea.

And I've worked hard on Menevrion and the Valtmar too, I remember the Saturdays I spent writing up their history. And it was well worth it. I think it's alright to take a few liberties with this, but we obviously disagree. I do think this alliance and the formation of the empire is semi-realistic, of course, there were different circumstances here than there are IRL, I believe. With the Valtmar's history with the Faeran, it was known that if the Faeran were a serious threat. The alliance required the Wood Elves to break their Oath of Lisaris and join the Valtmar in battle.

However, I don't plan on attacking Paletine anytime soon(yes Abel, you're on your own, you left me! ) so our two empires are less likely to interact much. I'm not saying that the Elvrion empire is completely stable, and is about to go conquering the world. There will be instability as there is in all empires.
However, I don't want to make you feel like I'm passing the limits, or that you want to leave just because of me.

What are the Faeran?

Fire Elves. I believe you can read more about them in the Legendarium, and their interactions with my elves in the post in the Legendarium called "Tales of the Valtmar."

[Das Germane imperie]

What are the Faeran?

Fire Elves, an extinct race that briefly returned in the last RP...only to be crushed once more.

Did I misread when I think that they lived in the Ice fang and Sari mountains? Or was that something else?

[The Starlight]

Fire Elves, an extinct race that briefly returned in the last RP...only to be crushed once more.

Did I misread when I think that they lived in the Ice fang and Sari mountains? Or was that something else?

From the Legendarium...

The Sulemari is what the Fire Elves refer to themselves as, but to most everyone else they are the Faeran. The definitions of both names are almost identical but are for different perspectives. The Sulemari gave themselves the name for the dominant color of their hair and their affinity to master flame. Being great smiths, mages in the use of fire, and largely in good relations to Dragons residing in Helgraad before the Cataclysm. The term Faeran is in reference to their former capital city, Faera, and how it seemed a hellish place. Full of fire and rivers of lava. This was technically not the case as Faera was largely regarded as a beautiful city on very fertile land. Only after the Cataclysm was their lakes and rivers of lava about the ruined city.

The Sulemari vied with the Valtmari for hegemon over much of the Kelzmere region. Devastating wars being fought between the two Elven kindreds for generations. Ultimately the Cataclysm signaled the fate of Sulemari and gave the Valtmari the upper hand to drive them to near extinction. After this many of the remaining Sulemari left in red ships for across the Ancaliene Sea. Only a small faction held out in Vilvarion Castle, The Sorcalins, and as such the Sulemari are pretty much extinct on the Continent. However their artifacts are of great power and many adventurers have braved Helgraad to plunder the Faeran treasuries. Only few have returned unscathed or at all, and mostly with nothing more than their lives to show for it.

[Das Germane imperie]

Did I misread when I think that they lived in the Ice fang and Sari mountains? Or was that something else?

From the Legendarium...

The Sulemari is what the Fire Elves refer to themselves as, but to most everyone else they are the Faeran. The definitions of both names are almost identical but are for different perspectives. The Sulemari gave themselves the name for the dominant color of their hair and their affinity to master flame. Being great smiths, mages in the use of fire, and largely in good relations to Dragons residing in Helgraad before the Cataclysm. The term Faeran is in reference to their former capital city, Faera, and how it seemed a hellish place. Full of fire and rivers of lava. This was technically not the case as Faera was largely regarded as a beautiful city on very fertile land. Only after the Cataclysm was their lakes and rivers of lava about the ruined city.

The Sulemari vied with the Valtmari for hegemon over much of the Kelzmere region. Devastating wars being fought between the two Elven kindreds for generations. Ultimately the Cataclysm signaled the fate of Sulemari and gave the Valtmari the upper hand to drive them to near extinction. After this many of the remaining Sulemari left in red ships for across the Ancaliene Sea. Only a small faction held out in Vilvarion Castle, The Sorcalins, and as such the Sulemari are pretty much extinct on the Continent. However their artifacts are of great power and many adventurers have braved Helgraad to plunder the Faeran treasuries. Only few have returned unscathed or at all, and mostly with nothing more than their lives to show for it.

Thanks, I must have mixed something up.

[The Starlight]

From the Legendarium...

Thanks, I must have mixed something up.

No problem.

[Elerian]

I don't understand why Damak is making a fuss now rather than in the last RP. Star and Rud had been talking about it a lot in the OOC and I don't remember any questions then about the union's pheasability.

[Rudaslavia]

I don't understand why Damak is making a fuss now rather than in the last RP. Star and Rud had been talking about it a lot in the OOC and I don't remember any questions then about the union's pheasability.

It's not even my empire. I just don't see why the union is impossible. It's been done both in the real world and in other fantasy universes.

[Damak Var]

I don't understand why Damak is making a fuss now rather than in the last RP. Star and Rud had been talking about it a lot in the OOC and I don't remember any questions then about the union's pheasability.

It's not even my empire. I just don't see why the union is impossible. It's been done both in the real world and in other fantasy universes.

I was under the impression it was going to be RPed at least last time. Such a complete merging would be a struggle. There'd be dissenters. Civil war even. Then there's synchronizing laws, courts, administration, taxes, tax collection, political leadership, military organization, public works etc. Thats a complicated process that shouldnt just be had with just a marriage and everything works out. The fruits of an entire complex and ambitious endeavor like that shouldnt just be handed out.

[The Starlight]

It's not even my empire. I just don't see why the union is impossible. It's been done both in the real world and in other fantasy universes.

I was under the impression it was going to be RPed at least last time. Such a complete merging would be a struggle. There'd be dissenters. Civil war even. Then there's synchronizing laws, courts, administration, taxes, tax collection, political leadership, military organization, public works etc. Thats a complicated process that shouldnt just be had with just a marriage and everything works out. The fruits of an entire complex and ambitious endeavor like that shouldnt just be handed out.

I'm not saying everything was insta-fixed. Consider that there is a, what is it, 40 year gap b/w this one and the last one?

[Of the Quendi]

Nation Name: The Xi Dynasty
Ruler (if applicable): Dragon Emperor Xiangdi of Xi
Government Type: Absolute theocratic monarchy
Government Hierarchy: Officially all power in the Xi Dynasty rests with the Emperor who is the supreme ruler and the source of all authority in the Empire possessing as he does the Heavenly Mandate. In reality however the complexity and size of the Xi Empire and the minority of the incumbent emperor has made the large and complex bureaucracy of the empire the de facto ruling elite under the leadership of Empress Mother Xiangu Xiao Chi. Separate from this central bureaucracy the Xi Dynasty is also in large part still dependent on the warrior aristocracy and the feudal elites from the warring states that preceded its formation for military power.
Formation: While the Xi Dynasty itself goes back millennia the unification of the great state over which it rules is still a relative novelty less then two centuries old.
Succession Laws: No formal succession law exists in the Xi Empire. Prior to the formation of empire senior members of the Xi Clan usually elected a new leader from among the sons of the previous one.
Gender Laws: Only males can inherit
Geographic territory: The Chinese region in the east. The lands north of Asszhou marshlands, Tolhai-Ung badlands and Wulang forest and east of the world mountains.
Population: Vast. Population density comparable to that of the Song Dynasty
Military Strength: 1 %
Military Info: The Imperial Military is divided between the Imperial Army, in turn divided into the Golden Army and the Silver Army, and the Eight Banner Armies, feudal armies raised from the ranks of the warrior aristocracy's eight great clans. Both the Imperial Army and the Eight Banners are potent military forces. At sea the Xi Dynasty maintain a small unimpressive and under appreciated fleet
Currency: Recently the imperial mint of the Xi Dynasty has introduced for the first time in recorded history paper notes denoting various percentages of taels of silver as a currency for the new dynasty.
History: While the history of the Huaxia people and the lands they inhabit dates back many centuries or even millenias the unification of all the people and all their lands into one state is of very recent date. The history of the unified state of the Huaxia, Xia, is intimately linked with the origins and history of the Xi family which achieved the unification. It is said that the eponymous patriarch and first founder of the Xi, Xi Xuanxiao, a descendant of the gods, was the first person to settle along the banks of the great Songze river. Xi Xuanxiao was the son of an exiled king from the west (imperial scholars have speculated Old Farsha or Lake Wulfei) who had been sent by his father to search for a new kingdom for their people. Xi Xuanxiao crossed the great world mountains and ventured into the lands of the three rivers. One day while scouting the banks of the Songze Xi Xuanxiao came upon a women bathing. Enamored by her Xi Xuanxiao forgot all about his mission to find a new home for his father's people and married her. For several years he dwelled with the woman and she birthed him many children and taught him much of the land in which she dwelled.

Eventually however Xi Xuanxiao remembered the plight of his father's people and determined to leave his new home along the Songze and return to his own people and lead them east to their new home, and he did so with his wife's blessing. Xi Xuanxiao's father and brothers now lead their peoples into the lands of the three rivers where Xi Xuanxiao reunited with his wife and children and they lived happily for many years.

But upon the death of Xi Xuanxiao's father the land of the three rivers was divided between his many sons and grandsons. Soon war broke out between the brothers as many kingdoms rose in competition with one another. As the youngest brother Xi Xuanxiao was granted few lands of little import and as such he could muster few armies with which to fight his brother. Yet he fought bravely and boldly and won many battles until two of his brother allied against him. Then Xi Xuanxiao's army began to falter. Enraged he rushed forth to do battle in person against his brothers. With his rage he turned the tide of the battle and slew one of his brothers. But he was himself mortally wounded in victory. Then Xi Xuanxiao's wife came to his side. She told him that she was no ordinary human but a dragon in human form. Using sorcery she healed Xi Xuanxiao's wounds. Then she turned to her eldest son and taught him many important lessons of ruling before appointing one of her handmaidens, an elven maid of great power and wisdom, as her son's guardian. Xi Xuanxiao's wife then took him and turned to a dragon once more. Together they flew towards the heavens and became as gods.

So, according to the legends of the Xi family, began the history of the Huaxia people in the land of the three rivers. What is fact and what is fiction is not known. What is known is that though the Huaxia civilization has thrived for centuries between the three rivers it has never been united. Oft various states has been at war, sometimes they have been at peace. A few times a single kingdom had grown to such power and prominence that it has been able to dominate many of the others.

The modern history of the lands of the three rivers has been shaped by the slow and painful process towards unification first in the form of the Warring States period and then in the ascendancy of the Xi Dynasty. For more then two centuries before the rise of Xi Yuan the ancient rivalry between the different kingdoms of the land of the three rivers reached a feverish climax of total and unrestrained conflict. States rose and fell in bloody war, in everyone's fight against everyone. During this time the ancient Xi family slowly began to rise to power as members of an increasingly important warrior aristocracy. Dwelling in the Wuland forest the Xi's became influential in the small and inconsequential Daiyang kingdom as soldiers in the service of the King of Daiyang. Eventually the Daiyang king became so dependent on the Xi's for military support that they became de facto rulers of the small kingdom. Xi Yuan exploited this. At the age of sixteen Xi Yuan took advantage of a great victory won for the Daiyang kingdom by the Xi military over the Dayei kingdom and claimed the throne of Daiyang by marrying the daughter of the king of Daiyang.

Despite Daiyang having annexed most of Dayei becoming the territorially largest state of the Huaxia people, Xi Yuan was not consent to be the ruler of a mere kingdom. According to the myths Xi Xuanxiao's wife had promised him that his descendants would rule all of the three rivers. Dayei determined to make the prophecy come true. Enthusiastically, but with limited success, he threw himself into the struggle for dominance. Over the next twenty years Xi Yuan managed to conquer the small Szehei kingdom being defeated by both Yawui and Quinlang. Frustrated Xi Yuan then made the wisest decision in his career. He named his son Xi Shimin general of the Daiyang armies. Xi Shimin, though not yet twenty, after a few early learning experiences soon proved a tremendously capable leader. In the span of less then a decade he had conquered both Yawui and Quinlang and expanded his father's kingdom to unprecedented size and power. Thirty nine years ago Xi Yuan, upon entering Taozhu in triumph, proclaimed himself Heavenly Emperor Xuanzhong of the Xi Dynasty. During his eight year long reign almost all of the land of the three rivers where annexed to the new superpower of the east.

Upon Xuanzhong's death Xi Shimin became emperor Zhengshi. His rule was immediately challenged by the conquered states and those few that still remained outside the control of the empire. Acting swiftly and skillfully Zhengshi soon destroyed all opposition and finalized the unification of all of the land of the three rivers under the Xi Dynasty. He even expanded his empire far beyond the traditional borders of the Huaxia people, conquering the Asszhou marshlands and the Tolhai-Ung badlands and expanding his empire as far south as the Gora river and the city of Zhou. During the last years of his illustrious twenty three year long reign Emperor Zhengshi even made all peoples east of the Hasei river and many of the Khamul jungle nations, pay tribute to his empire.

At his death Zhengshi left his heirs an empire unmatched in size and power anywhere in the world. Within a few years they would have lost much of it. While Zhengshi had designated his son by his much beloved elven concubine Xiao, Xi Ying, as his heir Xi Ying was only five years old when the emperor died unexpectedly. This prompted Empress Dowager Wendeshuang and much of the aristocracy who resented Zhengshi's elven concubine to name the emperor's firstborn son Xi Min emperor. Fearing for her son's life Xiao fled to her people's homeland in the Wuland forest with him as Xi Min became emperor Gaozhang.

Gaozhang soon proved an inept and weak ruler. On the one hand he pursued with paranoid cruelty, believing as many others that Zhengshi might have been poisoned, any he regarded as a threat to his rule, on the other he proved uninterested in the affairs of state allowing his bureaucracy, the aristocratic cabal that brought him to power, his mother and even his favorite concubines, to seize power over the Xi state. Barely a year had passed before Zhengshi's tributary states seized to pay tribute. Though Gaozhang was talked into using force against them, his campaigns proved disastrous, prompting increasing opposition to his rule at home. Empress Dowager Wendeshuang's attempt to replace him with her more capable son Xi Mingo, was thwarted by the emperor's secret police and he had both the Empress Dowager and his brother killed.

This shocked the empire, and riots broke out in opposition to Gaozhang. It was then that concubine Xiao came out of the Wulang forest. She called for the deposition of the emperor, and despite her unpopularity both the aristocracy and the bureaucracy was now willing to accept just about anything to get rid of Gaozhang. Soon the emperor was murdered by his eunuchs and concubine Xiao and her son Xi Ying returned to the capital where Xi Ying was named Emperor Xiangdi of Xi. Eleven at the time, Xiangdi's mother, who took the name Empress Dowager Xiangu Xiao Chi, formed a regency council to rule on her son's behalf. The council soon pulled out of the southwestern half of Asszhou and parts of Tolhai-Ung determined to consolidate the empire at its center.

Indeed but you are welcome to make a Paletine character. Perhaps even one that's of high rank in the society like a General or a member of the Arcani. As long as it conforms to the culture.

Nah. Thanks for the offer but that would never work. My ability to conform to anything isn't impressive and especially not when it comes to culture.

[Imperialisium]

I was under the impression it was going to be RPed at least last time. Such a complete merging would be a struggle. There'd be dissenters. Civil war even. Then there's synchronizing laws, courts, administration, taxes, tax collection, political leadership, military organization, public works etc. Thats a complicated process that shouldnt just be had with just a marriage and everything works out. The fruits of an entire complex and ambitious endeavor like that shouldnt just be handed out.

I'm not saying everything was insta-fixed. Consider that there is a, what is it, 40 year gap b/w this one and the last one?

122 Years to be specific.

There seems to be confusion on Personal Union, versus assimilation. Personal Union's do not mean a merger has taken place, though it either moves to a merger or a dissolution for whatever reason. A merger/assimilation/integration is the complete joining of two or more realms into one.

Elvrion can be an Empire and externally have the same foreign policy. Internally it can be two separate realms with the two geographic area's still retaining their languages, courts, customs, military, taxation, and territorial divisions.

Real Life examples would be:
Austria-Hungary: Actually born of compromise due to discontent between the two majorities of the Empire; The Austrians and the Hungarians.

Austrian Empire: The Habsburg Monarchy not only possessed the Emperorship of Austria, but the Kingdom of Hungary along with other realms like the Crown of Bohemia. Each realm or constituent region was governed by their own laws and regulations. But when it came to wars or foreign policy all the constituent states fought together as one entity.

Empire of Charles V: Not only King of Spain, but also Holy Roman Emperor, Archduke of Austria, and other titles. He inherited these titles by the dynastic marriages of his grandfather Emperor Maximilian I von Habsburg, and was pretty much assured the election to Holy Roman Emperor as a result.

Elvrion might also have problems in the future with the Altairrion Empire due to succession. A similar situation to the Hundred Years War between England and France. The English King in 1337 was technically the closest blood relative to the French monarch that just died and should have succeeded to the French throne. But the French Laws of Succession, Salic Law, stated otherwise along with the French nobility not wanting a foreign monarch. This led to the crowning of a Frenchman as King and the resulting war over succession that followed.

[Rudaslavia]

Is the IC being released today, or next Monday?

[The Starlight]

I'm not saying everything was insta-fixed. Consider that there is a, what is it, 40 year gap b/w this one and the last one?

122 Years to be specific.

There seems to be confusion on Personal Union, versus assimilation. Personal Union's do not mean a merger has taken place, though it either moves to a merger or a dissolution for whatever reason. A merger/assimilation/integration is the complete joining of two or more realms into one.

Elvrion can be an Empire and externally have the same foreign policy. Internally it can be two separate realms with the two geographic area's still retaining their languages, courts, customs, military, taxation, and territorial divisions.

Real Life examples would be:
Austria-Hungary: Actually born of compromise due to discontent between the two majorities of the Empire; The Austrians and the Hungarians.

Austrian Empire: The Habsburg Monarchy not only possessed the Emperorship of Austria, but the Kingdom of Hungary along with other realms like the Crown of Bohemia. Each realm or constituent region was governed by their own laws and regulations. But when it came to wars or foreign policy all the constituent states fought together as one entity.

Empire of Charles V: Not only King of Spain, but also Holy Roman Emperor, Archduke of Austria, and other titles. He inherited these titles by the dynastic marriages of his grandfather Emperor Maximilian I von Habsburg, and was pretty much assured the election to Holy Roman Emperor as a result.

Elvrion might also have problems in the future with the Altairrion Empire due to succession. A similar situation to the Hundred Years War between England and France. The English King in 1337 was technically the closest blood relative to the French monarch that just died and should have succeeded to the French throne. But the French Laws of Succession, Salic Law, stated otherwise along with the French nobility not wanting a foreign monarch. This led to the crowning of a Frenchman as King and the resulting war over succession that followed.

Well then, I'm off by quite a lot. Thanks for the clarification, Imp.

[Mesrane]

This looks pretty damn interesting, I have to say. First I'll need to read up and see what is and isn't around, but I'm leaning towards a small kingdom somewhat analogous to Portugal.

[The Starlight]

This looks pretty damn interesting, I have to say. First I'll need to read up and see what is and isn't around, but I'm leaning towards a small kingdom somewhat analogous to Portugal.

Mesrane!

[Imperialisium]

Is the IC being released today, or next Monday?

Today

My List of things to do are:

Legendarium
Map (posting the Lands of Jade)
IC
Accepted List
Timeline

[Mesrane]

This looks pretty damn interesting, I have to say. First I'll need to read up and see what is and isn't around, but I'm leaning towards a small kingdom somewhat analogous to Portugal.

Mesrane!

Hello again Star.

You have to stop joining interesting RPs, or else it will start to look like I'm stalking you.

[The Starlight]

Mesrane!

Hello again Star.

You have to stop joining interesting RPs, or else it will start to look like I'm stalking you.

Well, are you?

[Of the Quendi]

Nation Name: The Xi Dynasty
Ruler (if applicable): Dragon Emperor Xiangdi of Xi
Government Type: Absolute theocratic monarchy
Government Hierarchy: Officially all power in the Xi Dynasty rests with the Emperor who is the supreme ruler and the source of all authority in the Empire possessing as he does the Heavenly Mandate. In reality however the complexity and size of the Xi Empire and the minority of the incumbent emperor has made the large and complex bureaucracy of the empire the de facto ruling elite under the leadership of Empress Mother Xiangu Xiao Chi. Separate from this central bureaucracy the Xi Dynasty is also in large part still dependent on the warrior aristocracy and the feudal elites from the warring states that preceded its formation for military power.
Formation: While the Xi Dynasty itself goes back millennia the unification of the great state over which it rules is still a relative novelty less then two centuries old.
Succession Laws: No formal succession law exists in the Xi Empire. Prior to the formation of empire senior members of the Xi Clan usually elected a new leader from among the sons of the previous one.
Gender Laws: Only males can inherit
Geographic territory: The Chinese region in the east. The lands north of Asszhou marshlands, Tolhai-Ung badlands and Wulang forest and east of the world mountains.
Population: Vast. Population density comparable to that of the Song Dynasty
Military Strength: 1 %
Military Info: The Imperial Military is divided between the Imperial Army, in turn divided into the Golden Army and the Silver Army, and the Eight Banner Armies, feudal armies raised from the ranks of the warrior aristocracy's eight great clans. Both the Imperial Army and the Eight Banners are potent military forces. At sea the Xi Dynasty maintain a small unimpressive and under appreciated fleet
Currency: Recently the imperial mint of the Xi Dynasty has introduced for the first time in recorded history paper notes denoting various percentages of taels of silver as a currency for the new dynasty.
History: While the history of the Huaxia people and the lands they inhabit dates back many centuries or even millenias the unification of all the people and all their lands into one state is of very recent date. The history of the unified state of the Huaxia, Xia, is intimately linked with the origins and history of the Xi family which achieved the unification. It is said that the eponymous patriarch and first founder of the Xi, Xi Xuanxiao, a descendant of the gods, was the first person to settle along the banks of the great Songze river. Xi Xuanxiao was the son of an exiled king from the west (imperial scholars have speculated Old Farsha or Lake Wulfei) who had been sent by his father to search for a new kingdom for their people. Xi Xuanxiao crossed the great world mountains and ventured into the lands of the three rivers. One day while scouting the banks of the Songze Xi Xuanxiao came upon a women bathing. Enamored by her Xi Xuanxiao forgot all about his mission to find a new home for his father's people and married her. For several years he dwelled with the woman and she birthed him many children and taught him much of the land in which she dwelled.

Eventually however Xi Xuanxiao remembered the plight of his father's people and determined to leave his new home along the Songze and return to his own people and lead them east to their new home, and he did so with his wife's blessing. Xi Xuanxiao's father and brothers now lead their peoples into the lands of the three rivers where Xi Xuanxiao reunited with his wife and children and they lived happily for many years.

But upon the death of Xi Xuanxiao's father the land of the three rivers was divided between his many sons and grandsons. Soon war broke out between the brothers as many kingdoms rose in competition with one another. As the youngest brother Xi Xuanxiao was granted few lands of little import and as such he could muster few armies with which to fight his brother. Yet he fought bravely and boldly and won many battles until two of his brother allied against him. Then Xi Xuanxiao's army began to falter. Enraged he rushed forth to do battle in person against his brothers. With his rage he turned the tide of the battle and slew one of his brothers. But he was himself mortally wounded in victory. Then Xi Xuanxiao's wife came to his side. She told him that she was no ordinary human but a dragon in human form. Using sorcery she healed Xi Xuanxiao's wounds. Then she turned to her eldest son and taught him many important lessons of ruling before appointing one of her handmaidens, an elven maid of great power and wisdom, as her son's guardian. Xi Xuanxiao's wife then took him and turned to a dragon once more. Together they flew towards the heavens and became as gods.

So, according to the legends of the Xi family, began the history of the Huaxia people in the land of the three rivers. What is fact and what is fiction is not known. What is known is that though the Huaxia civilization has thrived for centuries between the three rivers it has never been united. Oft various states has been at war, sometimes they have been at peace. A few times a single kingdom had grown to such power and prominence that it has been able to dominate many of the others.

The modern history of the lands of the three rivers has been shaped by the slow and painful process towards unification first in the form of the Warring States period and then in the ascendancy of the Xi Dynasty. For more then two centuries before the rise of Xi Yuan the ancient rivalry between the different kingdoms of the land of the three rivers reached a feverish climax of total and unrestrained conflict. States rose and fell in bloody war, in everyone's fight against everyone. During this time the ancient Xi family slowly began to rise to power as members of an increasingly important warrior aristocracy. Dwelling in the Wuland forest the Xi's became influential in the small and inconsequential Daiyang kingdom as soldiers in the service of the King of Daiyang. Eventually the Daiyang king became so dependent on the Xi's for military support that they became de facto rulers of the small kingdom. Xi Yuan exploited this. At the age of sixteen Xi Yuan took advantage of a great victory won for the Daiyang kingdom by the Xi military over the Dayei kingdom and claimed the throne of Daiyang by marrying the daughter of the king of Daiyang.

Despite Daiyang having annexed most of Dayei becoming the territorially largest state of the Huaxia people, Xi Yuan was not consent to be the ruler of a mere kingdom. According to the myths Xi Xuanxiao's wife had promised him that his descendants would rule all of the three rivers. Dayei determined to make the prophecy come true. Enthusiastically, but with limited success, he threw himself into the struggle for dominance. Over the next twenty years Xi Yuan managed to conquer the small Szehei kingdom being defeated by both Yawui and Quinlang. Frustrated Xi Yuan then made the wisest decision in his career. He named his son Xi Shimin general of the Daiyang armies. Xi Shimin, though not yet twenty, after a few early learning experiences soon proved a tremendously capable leader. In the span of less then a decade he had conquered both Yawui and Quinlang and expanded his father's kingdom to unprecedented size and power. Thirty nine years ago Xi Yuan, upon entering Taozhu in triumph, proclaimed himself Heavenly Emperor Xuanzhong of the Xi Dynasty. During his eight year long reign almost all of the land of the three rivers where annexed to the new superpower of the east.

Upon Xuanzhong's death Xi Shimin became emperor Zhengshi. His rule was immediately challenged by the conquered states and those few that still remained outside the control of the empire. Acting swiftly and skillfully Zhengshi soon destroyed all opposition and finalized the unification of all of the land of the three rivers under the Xi Dynasty. He even expanded his empire far beyond the traditional borders of the Huaxia people, conquering the Asszhou marshlands and the Tolhai-Ung badlands and expanding his empire as far south as the Gora river and the city of Zhou. During the last years of his illustrious twenty three year long reign Emperor Zhengshi even made all peoples east of the Hasei river and many of the Khamul jungle nations, pay tribute to his empire.

At his death Zhengshi left his heirs an empire unmatched in size and power anywhere in the world. Within a few years they would have lost much of it. While Zhengshi had designated his son by his much beloved elven concubine Xiao, Xi Ying, as his heir Xi Ying was only five years old when the emperor died unexpectedly. This prompted Empress Dowager Wendeshuang and much of the aristocracy who resented Zhengshi's elven concubine to name the emperor's firstborn son Xi Min emperor. Fearing for her son's life Xiao fled to her people's homeland in the Wuland forest with him as Xi Min became emperor Gaozhang.

Gaozhang soon proved an inept and weak ruler. On the one hand he pursued with paranoid cruelty, believing as many others that Zhengshi might have been poisoned, any he regarded as a threat to his rule, on the other he proved uninterested in the affairs of state allowing his bureaucracy, the aristocratic cabal that brought him to power, his mother and even his favorite concubines, to seize power over the Xi state. Barely a year had passed before Zhengshi's tributary states seized to pay tribute. Though Gaozhang was talked into using force against them, his campaigns proved disastrous, prompting increasing opposition to his rule at home. Empress Dowager Wendeshuang's attempt to replace him with her more capable son Xi Mingo, was thwarted by the emperor's secret police and he had both the Empress Dowager and his brother killed.

This shocked the empire, and riots broke out in opposition to Gaozhang. It was then that concubine Xiao came out of the Wulang forest. She called for the deposition of the emperor, and despite her unpopularity both the aristocracy and the bureaucracy was now willing to accept just about anything to get rid of Gaozhang. Soon the emperor was murdered by his eunuchs and concubine Xiao and her son Xi Ying returned to the capital where Xi Ying was named Emperor Xiangdi of Xi. Eleven at the time, Xiangdi's mother, who took the name Empress Dowager Xiangu Xiao Chi, formed a regency council to rule on her son's behalf. The council soon pulled out of the southwestern half of Asszhou and parts of Tolhai-Ung determined to consolidate the empire at its center.


Nah. Thanks for the offer but that would never work. My ability to conform to anything isn't impressive and especially not when it comes to culture.

Application finished.