Kori Empire

The Kori Empire was a massive empire stretching across the Ikuni Plains of Ukes from the years 1008 BC to 107 AD, serving as a sort of "progenitor" civilization to the cultures that came in its place after its fall.

## History

*See History of the Kori Empire*

The Empire was founded alongside its capital city of Korsus in 1008 BC. For the first roughly 300 years of its existence, Korsus was merely a city-state, though it did occasionally settle colonies along Ukes' eastern coast, where its most populous settlements would remain throughout its history. By 600 BC, it had come to dominate the coasts and was a vast trading power in the region, and eventually started to expand by incorporating its inland neighbors before reaching the Maximedian Lakes in 557 BC. Once it had reached the lakes, it had to contend with the Markazi Empire, an older military power that stretched to the western coast. After a series of events known to contemporary sources as the Western Wars (548-382 BC), the Kori Empire had stretched to the west coast, incorporating the city of Iskandar as its western trading port.

The empire thrived in this form for another 250 years until a recession-- likely brought on by a lengthy, failed campaign to conquer Grand Zavira-- crippled the empires finances in such a way that it could not fully recover from. After the Great Recession of 54 BC, the empire started to gradually lose control over most of its territories until they became independent. The empire came to an end in 87 AD when Korsus itself was conquered by the Rekklin Kingdom, though a government-in-exile lasted nearby until 107 AD.

## Culture

Kori culture was largely similar to the practices of the modern-day Artegians, Ebruans, Bazians, Susevans, and Rekklins, their languages all descending from various Kors dialects, and influencing the language of Suseva. Kori culture valued power and wealth, thus tall, grandiose buildings covered in vibrant colors (especially gold) lining the cities of the empire.

## Government

The Kori Empire was led by the Emperor of Korsus, an absolute monarch who officially ruled over the province of Ebrua. All other provinces were led by Karsiis (*Karsii,* [Kors] governor), who were selected by and subservient to the Emperor (*Konama*). The office of Konama was a hereditary position, but after the Janul Dynasty ended in a civil war in 634 BC, inheritance of the crown was changed from the Emperor's firstborn son to whoever in the family the Congress deemed fit to rule, with the Konama having the final say. This system largely insured that there would always be a capable heir to the throne, although in practice this wasn't always the case.

The empire's provinces were administered by the Karsiis, local rulers handpicked by the Konama to lead their provinces. This meant that Kori provinces were largely free to practice their own cultures, though mass "Korsuization" (willful assimilation into Kori culture) eventually took place, especially in southeast Ikuna-- in the regions surrounding Korsus itself-- though this also took place to a great extent in Bazia. The Karsiis, once handpicked, would send representatives to Korsus to serve in the Congress, a body tasked with representing the interests of the provinces to the Konama. This is the likely origin of the world's current system of foreign embassies and ambassadors, though the Kori Empire rarely sent embassies to other nations until the 2nd century BC.

## Legacy

The Kori Empire encompassed a territory now claimed by Ahtalstan, Artegia, Bazia, Danellia, Ebrua, Interakia, Kamutia, Krapati, Magudaria, Ovulangea, the Greater Palantine Republic, the Pataga Republic, Rekklia, Seredet, Silang'guba, and Suseva, greatly influencing the cultures and traditions of these areas in varying ways, many in turn spreading the "Kori way of life" around the world.

## Trivia

The flag was made up of a yellow saltire on a blue background with a red triangle on the left. This flag is said to be one of the oldest in the world, and has influenced the designs of the flags of many later states. The red triangle symbolizes the wars and conquests that built the empire, the yellow represents the land they travelled across, and the three blue triangles represent the three bodies of water the Kori Empire expanded to (Ofaran Ocean, Markaz Sea, and the Maximedian Lakes).