Ancient Mewnian Empire

The Ancient Mewnian Empire was a historic region and nation that is known for being the basis of modern Mewni. It was also the most magically adept region in the history of Mewni, gaining a mastery of it unlike any seen to this day.

### History

The founding of the Ancient Mewnian Empire is largely unknown. Most scholars agree that it was founded over a series of many years where powerful landowners consolidated their power and started an empire. The religious say it was the direct result of the Divine Celestial Empire, a part of the Celestialism creation myth.

As the empire grew, it started to expand eastward, conquering most islands peacefully expect for the Coconut Kingdom, the Selkie Kingdom, and the Pie Folk Kingdom. They would even get to the New Mewni continent but would never erect a settlement. The empire would almost certainly map past what is known as the known world. As the empire expanded magical users known as the Mewnians would become leaders among the Mewmans. These Mewnians were known of "different blood" than the other Mewmans, having colorful tattoos that would glow when they used magic. These leaders would be known as titans, or emperors/empresses. There would be exactly 20 imperial families to rule. This difference in ability of magic and government would lead to social classes and segregation. Short after those with weak or no magic, and those conquered, would lose their status as citizens and would become slaves and servants. The leaders would erect their palaces on Magical Wells, adding to their power. These classes would lead to the languages of High Mewnian for the high classes and Low Mewnian for the lower classes. The imperial nobles would begin to inbreed with each other. Many theories for this practice are expressed. Some say it was to keep the magic ability within a selective group others say it was to preserve the exclusivity of the nobility. Others theorize a great dynastic war took place between familes, causing a selective breeding process. Some say the Empire was able to expand to different Planets, as evidence suggests stone portals with Imperial Mewnian carvings were found across different planets.

#### Cataclysm

##### Background

Weeks before the end of the Empire, twenty manned Mewman ships left the Empire to erect a settlement on the continent of New Mewni. These ships would have passed through the Waterfolk Sea and its isles in 2nd Century B.M. Each ship carried at least two or more members of the imperial families who had no virtually no possibility of succession, and a group of servants and slaves. However past this point the accuracy of the history is questioned. Most sources come from oral history and artistic sources. Songs and poetry from the Khmer Kingdom and Coconut Kingdom talk about a large storm that many believed to be the end of the world. A parchment from the Jade Kingdom says "A storm so strong that it made the earth, sky, and sea tremble." The Selkie Kingdom reports that the 'sea and eastern winds were so nervous that not even the sea creatures were safe.' The twenty ships set for New Mewni also had just suffered a riot where the slaves and servants would kill the Mewnian Imperials and would set course south rather than directly east. These ships would also suffer losses from the storm, sinking many. These ship's passengers would go on to found the Butterfly Queendom.

Less than 6 letters surviving letters from that time, suspected to be written a few days after the storm, were sent to the different monarchs of the Empire's Colonies, summoning them to the solemnization of New Emperors. The only record comes from a prince of the Jade Kingdom, Xen Hu who described the new emperors . He writes "16 the eldest, 10 the youngest. There were a couple of twins, brother and sister, no more than 12 with golden hair, whose proximity was uncomfortable for anyone who looked at them." This suggests that the parents of the New Emperors, the former emperors died during the storm, this is not a certainty.

#### Event

Less than a year later, without any prior warning and without explanation came the cataclysm. Scholars agree that this was a natural cataclysm, catastrophic explosions caused by the simultaneous eruptions of super-vultures across the continent. However some believe this was a divine punishment for the imperials evil acts, such as segregation, adultery, murder, slavery, promiscuity, among others. Some suggest that the magical emperors and empresses used their magic to contain the super-volcanoes and with their deaths the young, new emperors could not sustain such magic, resulting in their eruption.

What is agreed upon is that at dusk, gigantic clouds of dust and ash could be seen across the Waterfolk Sea. Gaps opened in the ground, swallowing many structures, fields, people, animals, and other things, in a matter of hours. The continent would be shattered and engulfed by water flooding in from the sea. This would leave no more than a few thousand islets and ruins. The heat from the cataclysm was so great that it left charred remains of people, mummified in their last position before their death. The few surviving Imperial Mewnians on the surrounding islands were killed off within days by local populations. These islets would today become known as the Phantom Isles of the Ancient Mewnian Empire, which are reported to be cursed and haunted, with the seas beyond them being unsafe to travel. The Empire would have officially ended 148 B.M.

### Culture

The Mewnians and the Mewmans of the Empire had very different styles of living. The Mewnians being magically adept, were formidable architects, erecting massive cities, hanging gardens, temples, and palaces that were on Magical Wells, using their magic. They would also use the High Mewninan language. The Mewnians would wear only the finest silk from butterflies, with pure white colors and would not wear footwear, seeing it as a disconnect from the Goddess. The Mewmans were the bulk of the population of the Empire. They would possess no magic. They would live in regular dwellings, however slaves would normally live in huts and servants would live in their masters palace. The Mewmans would wear main Moth silk clothing, with its beige color, they would also have to wear shoes due to their work. This clothing would result in the term 'moth' as well as the facts were nocturnal creatures, would would come to mean in a denigrate way, a person who engages in deviant sexual behavior. The profession would even become regulated, with professionals even having to pay taxes. It was described by slaves and servants as a "a simple and quick but not honorable way of becoming free citizens." Many worked on a street known as the Street of Lamps.

However both Mewnians and Mewmans were very religious, including Celestialism in every aspect of their life. They refused to spread their religion to their conquered lands, possibly seeing those conquered of not being worthy or as a protection against a common ground for uprisings to brew. It was said that every building in the empire contained one statue of Celestia, either grand or humble.

### Agriculture and Weather

The old continent was very rich and fertile, with a tropic climate and with meadows and grasslands. In the North of the Continent it was very warm in the summer, and very cold in the winter but snow was very recorded. The continent produced a wide variety of crops such as coco, corn, cotton, tomatoes, potatoes, and many fruits. The continent would also have animals such as pig-goats, deer-rabbits, and many others.