Tianxia Empire

The Tianxia Empire is a crusading faction in Zhakria, who invaded following Heaven's Decree. They are the third largest empire by landmass and the most populated, while also descended from one of the oldest Empires in the world. They are made up of 16 different Guo (Chinese: 國, translated as either State or Kingdom), but are divided into 6 primary regions - the militarized region of Shande, the economic region of Jiangnan, the farming region of Zhongbu, and the political capital of Kong, with two Tributary States in Namyueh and Gokoyeo. 
As Heaven's Decree came at the end of internal strife for the Empire, it was revamped following the Guan family's taking over into a heavily militarized force unseen since the Four Kingdoms Period. However, the military is still stuck in its old ways relying heavily on unmotivated peasant militias to supplement a small number of highly skilled and elite professional soldiers. With the professional soldiery stretched thin, the Tianxia have begun relying on auxiliaries and funding bandits to assist in the fighting.
They are ruled by Emperor Guan Yishie and his many vassals and generals.
== History ==
=== First Era ===
The first known ruler of the Tianxia was Shen Jia, who became the first Emperor under the Feng Dynasty in 289 1E. He claimed to be descended from the Azure Emperor (Mu Di), a possibly mythical deity who supposedly introduced agriculture to humanity and created the first permanent settlement called Qinghe along the Man River. Shen Jia took the title of Ren Di, and began a string of conquests that unified the entirety of Zhongbu. His successors would add to these conquests to include parts of what is now Shande, Jiangnan, and and Kong. These conquests created many refugees that would begin settling in modern Gokoyeo and Namyueh, which would begin the concept of Tianxia - as people migrate, the reach of the Emperor's will extends, and all falls under the rules of heaven.
As the Feng collapsed only a few hundred years later in 496 1E, dozens of regional chieftains and warlords began vying for power in the brutal Warring States period that lasted from 496-932. This was the beginning of a military revolution in Tianxia, and led to the creation of the modern twelve states. This would also see the rise of prominent families, like the Sun, Song, and Xiang who are still influential clans nearly 2000 years later. Millions fled beyond the reaches of the Tianxia territories as refugees, and contact with the Xia'nou barbarians on route to Gokoyeo was first recorded.
The Kingdom of Zhong under the leadership of Yuan Fan would be the one to unite the country in 931, though barely. Fringe states like Shui under the Suns and Jing under the Songs were mostly left alone as long as they didn't cause problems for the rest of the country. His rule was short lived, however, as he died of illness only two decades into his reign. The central government rapidly fell into turmoil putting down rebellion after rebellion, with the Song clan bankrolling the kingdoms of Ren and Shu to fight the wars for them. Shu would eventually come out on top in 964 1E, and lead Tianxia to an extended era of peace and the first real cultural renaissance of the Empire.
=== Second Era ===
==== Northern Invasions and the Rucheng-Shu Conflict ====
The Shu would reign well into the beginning of the Second Era, with most fighting against the various Yueh barbarians to the South, and the Xia'nou, Liang, and Rucheng horse lords in the North. The Rucheng-Shu Conflict from 215-244 2E plunged the entire North into chaos for several decades until Xia'nou leader Ehesugan submitted to the Shu and beat the Rucheng back. Ehesugan was awarded titles and land by the Emperor Wuji.
==== The Decline of Shu and the Four Kingdoms ====
A rebellion would follow in 249 2E in Shande called the White Faces, who were upset with the mostly peaceful ways of the Empire and wanted to begin new conquests. They were quietly supported by the states of Shande, who were tired of suffering attack after attack from Liang and Rucheng nomads. Though the rebellion failed in 254, the Emperor Luzhan had proven himself easy to persuade. Three court factions vied for his control, the Imperial Loyalists led by his brother Huang Xie, the Bureaucrats led by the Imperial Chancellor Chu Peng of Bai, and the Military led by his brother-in-law Ren Ping of Er.
General of the Cavalry Sun Ji, the highest ranked official of the military sensed a war, and returned home claiming sickness. After three months of training his forces, Shui was the first Kingdom to declare independence in 257, no longer paying taxes to the Empire. This action accelerated Shu's collapse, as Ren Ping urged Luzhan to go to war. Chu Peng, a friend of Sun Ji, followed suit, declaring his home of Bai independent in 258. Huang Xie went to fight Sun Ji while Ren Ping commanded the forces against Chu Peng. After a stalemate on both fronts, Ren Ping returned to Lucheng while Huang Xie stayed guarding his ancestral home province of Dong against the formidable Shui forces.
Ren Ping died of illness twenty years into the conflict in 278, and his son Ren Liu took command of his forces. He had Luzhan assassinated and claimed the throne for himself as Emperor Zhanlie of the Er Dynasty with the full backing of the military. Huang Xie died of sudden illness from the horrible deed. Huang Cai, his oldest son who had been on the campaign with his father for a decade declared himself the continuation of the Shu Empire, known as Dong-Shu. Sun Ji stayed away from claiming emperorship, instead using the opportunity to conquer lands freely. He would suddenly die from a heart attack in 282, putting his son Bu in charge of the clan, who would declare himself Emperor at the behest of the court and against the advice of the military wing.
Bai lasted only seven years, being crushed under Er with Chu Peng's immediate family executed in 285. Dong-Shu lasted a decade longer, with Huang Cai abdicating his claim in 296. Shui lasted another year, unable to hold out against the entirety of Tianxia. Eventually they too, surrendered, and Ren Liu had Sun Bu and those who supported his claim executed.
==== Rise of the Li Dynasty ====
Only sixty years after Ren Liu united the Empire, it was plagued once more by internal conflict, and the Er fell into decline. The State of Li in the region of Kong had grown a powerful influence over the court under the leadership of Prince Jie Caiwei, who had many children that he married into the leadership of the other states, three of his daughters even being Imperial Concubines. Their positions in the courts made them the likely successors, and they peacefully usurped the throne in 362. The Li would rule peacefully with little strife aside from the occasional nomad raids. Shui brought the Namyueh kingdoms into the fold of the Tianxia through conquest and intermarriage, while Jing incorporated Gokoyeo through trade.
==== Rajna Invasion ====
In 509, the Rajna Empire from the region of Lajat began pressing against the Shande and Namyueh. In response to the King of Er Ren Zipei slaughtering an emissary that was the husband of Maharaja Keshin's youngest daughter, the Rajna launched a punitive invasion of Shande and Namyueh. Before the Tianxia could muster any kind of defense, the swarms of Rajna infantry had captured Er and the Westernmost Yueh Kingdom of Korchea. The Ren clan that was in Er at the time of the invasion was exterminated, and the fighting aged males all put to death. The Sun Clan were the first readied force, who launched a counter assault along the Mejin river that divided the Shande state of Pei and Korchea, successfully beating back the Rajna. The State of Jing rallied the second army, which repelled the Rajna in Er.
With the goals of the campaign concluded, Keshin agreed to a peace deal that would demilitarize Korchea, and would open the region to trade between the Jiangnan and Mannam.
==== Sun Yuan's Rebellion ====
As the Sun clan had regained its composure and status within the Empire, many had grown concerned that they might once again take up arms against the state. Sun Yuan, brother of Governor Sun Tang felt as though the Empire was ripe for the taking, as the ruling San Dynasty was falling apart at the seems. His private mercenaries overthrew the Governor of Fan in the far North, killing him and and his family. Sun Tang held a court meeting and held the clan's response to a vote - those who voted to side with Yuan were put to death. Tang pledged his support to the Emperor and began a campaign in Fan. The siege of the city was enduring, taking almost two years and decimating the Sun Clan once more to less than a hundred strong across all of its branches. The fighting finally ended with the arrival of the Zhang clan of Guan, who bolstered the Loyalist forces. Before what would be a final assault, hundreds of thousands watches as the sky lit up with what the Tianxia call the Flame of Heaven, a brilliant comet streaking across the sky. Yuan committed suicide, accepting it as a sign of his defeat, and the city of Fan was surrendered by what little was left of the insurrection. The Zhang family took control of the Emperorship with full support of the nobility, and Sun Tang married the Princess Gao, who arrived with the forces that turned the tide.
=== Third Era ===
The Flame did not prove to be gifted freely to the Tianxia as they had hoped when they turned their sights West. Almost immediately they came to challenge the Akaashputra, a religious sect of the former Rajna Empire and future unifier to the cause, and the Annur Caliphate. As the wars slowly turned in their favor, the Amateru Bakufu and the Tengeriin Ord seized massive chunks of the Northern stretches, which is still under foreign control today. The war has taken its toll on the people and the soldiers, and it remains to be seen how much longer the Guan can hold onto their rule, or if the Tianxia has a chance to continue at all.
== Notable Families ==
=== The Song Clan ===
The Song have dominated the Northern region Jing of Shande since time immemorial, and have only sharpened the edges of their blades for as long. No Song General has ever suffered a defeat in the open field, though retreat has saved this statement from becoming false. Their soldiers are heavily armored, accustomed to fighting the nomads on their borders and making them excellent infantry. They have an affinity for the repeating crossbow in their strategy, which allows their warriors to skirmish behind the cover of shields and armor before switching to polearms and jian swords. While they were at war against the Annur and Akaashputra, the Song State of Jing was conquered by the Amateru Bakufu, forcing them to flee. The current leader of the clan is Song Daqin, who has positioned himself as the General of the Tiger Guard with the Song's private army stationed in the capital.
=== The Sun Clan ===
The Sun have been the driving force of the Tianxia's presence in the South from their home province in Shui. They have the most accomplished history of all the clans, while also suffering from some of the most devastating setbacks at every apex of their power in what many see as evidence that they will never have a right to rule. Their home of Shui is a network of fortresses and logistics hubs that keep its army the most capable in the world. It is home to the Academy of Advanced Warfare, which is the most prestigious war college of all time. While weakened fighting Sun Yuan's Rebellion, they have begun a prosperous rebuilding process, with three members of the main branch holding esteemed General titles, including Sun Mo, Sun Jiang, and Sun Qi.
=== The Zhang Clan ===
The most recent family to claim the Emperorship, the Zhang Clan of Guan is mighty and large. There are over a dozen Princes and Governors who are related to the Emperor, and their branches spread all over the reaches of the Empire itself. They claim lineage as a branch of the Shen Clan, the founders of the first Dynasty. Guan, which lies in the country's central plain of Zhongbu, is a breadbasket region, and the reliance of the country on their millet production and animal farming has given them the necessary hold to propel the clan to the top.
=== The Lu Clan ===
With the largest representation in the Empires politics, the Lu family of Ren has the honor of having at least one prime minister in every Dynasty's reign before the Guan. Every generation of the main branch has held government post and have been free of corruption, giving the clan great favor among the Imperial officials. The Guan Dynasty has yet to grant a prime minister title, and the Lu have been anxious. Inter-clan conflict is not unknown to them, as everyone within is competing to have their names recorded in the history books as another brilliant and influential part of the Empire.
=== The Huang Clan ===
The wealthiest family in the Empire, and possibly the world, is the Huang clan of Yi. Prior to the nationalization of the iron and copper mines, the Huang family operated eight of the eleven large mines in all of Tianxia. 90% of all coinage was minted in Yi, and 70% of all iron used in armor and weapons was mined and forged in Gong. They have greatly capitalized off of the war, positioning the daughter of the Yi governor into position as the Minister of Revenue. Though they benefit from Imperial kickbacks, their wealth is not taken for granted, as they know the moment either province falls, the entire Empire will collapse on top of them.