Scorcia

Asilian (10%)

Retin (2%)

Other (3%)

**Scorcia,** or the **Republic of Scorcia,** is a theocratic representative democracy consisting of six provinces located south of the Crodilian Union, separated by the Roan Strait. The capital is Duria, which is located on the northwestern coast of the island. Scorcia was founded in +1710 and fought repeatedly against the Second Crodilian Union to evade annexation. It was briefly occupied by the CU during the Caster Wars (+1840 to +1864), but would stage a Modernist revolution in +1862 and regain independence. Since then, Scorcia has no diplomatic ties with the CU and is considers them an "enemy state." After the formation of the Holish Modernist Republic (HMR) in +2092, Scorcia was the first country to recognize it, leading to strong ties between the HMR and its successor states. During the Jelerican War (+2399 to +2420), Scorcia allowed Holish navy ships to port in Duria, leading the CU to invade and temporarily occupy the capital city, leading to the Fourth Scorcian War (+2409 to +2413). After the war, Scorcia underwent widespread economic depression, leading to the installation of the theocratic Sons of Yari Party (SYP). Today, the SYP still controls most of the Scorican Parliament and plays an active role in supporting anti-Crodilian terror groups like the Eastern Republican Gashant Coalition. The Global Development Scale ranks Scorcia second to last place and the ICN Global Poverty Report of +2515 ranks Scorcia as the 15th poorest country in the world. Scorcia is the only non-superpower state to be considered a nuclear power.

## Etymology

Scorcia translate in Durani to *"Resolute Country".* The name was selected by its founders in +1710 and possibly refers to the ancient name of the Durian Empire, Scorasia (translates to "the resolute empire"). Scorcia refers to the nation occupying Duria, the island disconnected from the Roan peninsula in Crodilia. Duria is derived from the name of Avalon Dur, the semi-mythical founder of the Durian Empire.

## History

### **Prehistory**

The first Leatixans to arrive in Duria sometime around -35,000 across the now submerged Roan Land Bridge. When the last ice age ended, the bridge closed, leaving the inhabitants disconnected from mainland Crodilia. The first civilizations formed in approximately -16,000 in the Ventilian Valley. These early civilizations quickly progressed, entering their copper age nearly 1,000 years before the Aelic Valley Civilizations. Not much is left of these ancient peoples, but the peoples of these first societies are generally referred to as Ventils.

In the Second Era, the Ventils traversed across the Roan Strait and into Crodilia, establishing coastal colonies. These colonies would quickly grow and interacting with the Balsics peoples, who occupied southwest Roan. These interactions grew increasingly hostile and the Ventils, who adopted Roan ship design, would raid the coastline for nearly fifty years. Back in Ventilia, trade with Crodilia expanded the wealth of the civilizations, causeing widespread prosperity. The Hesel volanic eruptions that ended the Second Era devastated Ventil colonies and the island itself, wiping out ancient cities like Famara and Tedsti. These natural events effectively ended what is known as the Ventilian Valley Civilization.

In the Third Era, the Massasti Kingdom formed near what is now called Asilia would expand throughout the Ventilian valley. The Massasti were isolated, but powerful and leveraged their cavalry experience to oust Hydrean raiders, who were a common threat to small farming villages. The Massasti would be recorded by an Olarian writer *Seperti,* who proclaimed "the Massasti were the fiercest group as a foe, and the most loving when a friend." During this period, groups of nomads and settlers would expand outwards into the island's interior, generally referred as the New Lands. During this period, the Massasti would be eclipsed by the Aynti Empire, which would go on control much of Duria, including the Ventilian Valley.

The Aytni Empire would last for several thousands years, although it would undergo multiple changes and sizes. As the Fourth Era began, the Aytni would slowly be absorbed into the Olarian Kingdom, which was established in -9,910. The Olarians were a seafaring kingdom and would rely on trade with the Seluese and the Roans for goods like bronze, textiles, and slaves. Distant from the chaos of Likia, the Olarians were quite stable and were able to persist for a long period of time. The Olarians were ruled by four major dynastic periods, mainly the Disi Dynasty, which ruled from -8851 to -5609. The last dynasty would be defeated during the Iani War against the emerging Asilian Kingdom.

### **The Durian Empire**

In -4981, a group of Hydrean tribes that occupied the western region of the Ventilian Valley were unified by a Chalondian-Hydrean Avalon Dur. Avalon successfully organized the Hydreans to attack both the city of Olar, the city of Cesti, and even sack the great Asilian Kingdom. Avalon would preside briefly over a unified Hydrean Empire, before dying on a doomed campaign to besiege the mountainous Retin kingdom. After his death, the defeated states would unify under the Asilian King Bansti III and oust the Hydreans into the New Lands. These Hydreans, then called Durians, would travel for years until settling in the northwestern region of Duria. This region was sparsely populated and allowed for the Durians to expand. For the next two centuries, the Durians would subdivide into smaller warring states, eventually to be reunified by Manuq Ras, the first Durian Uill. According to Durian tradition, Manuq Ras was a direct ancestor of Avalon Dur and any future Uill was required to be a direct ancestor of Dur.

The Durian Empire would eventually return to the Ventilian Valley where it would finally defeat Olar, Cesti, and Asilia. It would then also push into the New Lands where for the next fifty years it would spar with the regional tribes and city-states. By -4675, the Durians successfully conquered the entire island, which they would control of for the next 4800 years.

## Geography, Climate, Environment

Scoria is an island with a land mass of XXXX.