Xiao dynasty

The **Xiao dynasty** or the **House of Thornia** is the ruling dynasty of the larger Thornian world (this includes the Thornian Empire and Palusia) and are the hegemonic royal dynasty in the Xandunese world (ruling over Zhongshan, formerly known as Xandu). Histographically, the current era of the dynasty is known as the **Triple Empire**.

## Etymology

The *Xiao* name has always been the name of the clan. The name is of Xandunese origin but did not undergo Umification during the rise of Ume. However, the name fell out of use when the clan founded the Thornica colony when it attempted to distance itself from its historic roots to Ume and Umic pre-history. The name *House of Thornia* came into use with the rise of the Despotate of Thornia and after the clan intermarried with a Goruidian noble family.

The name, the *Xiao dynasty*, was formally adopted in May 2023 when the House of Thornia triumphed over the Chen dynasty in the Chen-Thornia War. It was initially only used in the newly formed Zhongshan state for a week before being formally adopted across the wider Thornian world.

Prior to the adoption of the *Xiao dynasty* moniker, the *Thornian Monarchy* was used in academic spaces to describe the entire history of the House of Thornia as a ruling house of any territory irregardless of what the system of government was.

Since 2 May 2023, the term "*the Triple Empire*" has come into increasing use as the Thornian world now encompasses two former independent empires, Xandu (now Zhongshan) and the Umic Empire (now Palusia), and one current hegemonic empire in the form of the Thornian Empire.

## Background

The Xiao clan was heavily involved in the founding of Ume, the formation of the Umic colonial empire, the founding of the short-lived First Umic Empire, the founding of Thornica (now Palus) thereafter, and then the expansion of the colony into the imperial power that is modern Thornia. The clan also influenced the creation of the Tyavylian nation, the union of Snuldavich with Tyavyli, the elevation of the Huang clan into a dynasty ruling over Xandu, the replacement of the Huang dynasty with the Chen dynasty, and creating pan-Aphthonic nationalism with strong allegiances to the House of Thornia.

## Territorial rule

Put together, the territory ruled by the dynasty is the most populous, the most economically developed, and the wealthiest in the known world. The dynasty is also arguably the most totalitarian in world history, even outpacing the Tyranny of Tyavyli. Ironically, the dynasty also oversaw the rule of several democratic states, especially the city of Ume during its founding period and the later League of Palus.

## Culture

The dynasty is considered the first ruling multicultural dynasty. The early Umic people are of mixed proto-Xandunese and proto-Tyavylian ancestry, and as such, so is the dynasty. The dynasty also intermarried with the tribal dynasties of modern Palusia, Goruid, and Aphthonis, which helped the clan to personify the modern *artificial* Thornian identity.

### Adoption of Goruidian culture

Goruidian culture was the first foreign culture to be adopted by the clan. The Thornica colony brought the clan into contact with the various tribes of Goruid. The leader of the Xiao clan was known to have married a noblewoman from a prominent family near what is now Elysia. Goruidian mythology and religion was almost completely subsumed into the Thornian national identity thereafter. Today, the Thornian Umic language is heavily influenced by Goruidian languages.

### Adoption of Aphthonic culture

Aphthonic culture was kept at arms length by the clan during Thornia's transition from a colony into an empire-building state (as well as Thornia's attempt to woo and impress its former mother nation, Ume). The Aphthonic people were not initially welcoming of Thornian settlers, leading to almost consistent local disputes. Ume's refusal to accept Thornia's colonial holdings in Aphthonis as protected territory through their alliance led to the House of Thornia's campaign to embrace the Aphthonic people and bring about real improvements to their living standards. This too was met by resistance from the locals who saw this as patronising and infantilising.

The eventual rise of pillager militias throughout the world forced Thornia into the Pillager Wars, where the Thornian Army was forced to fight alone against the hundreds of militia groups throughout the empire. The fraternisation of the predominantly Goruidian-descended troops with the Aphthonic locals gradually led to a change of heart. The House of Thornia intermarried with the nobles of the villages around what is now Petrodis. The clan's second forray into monarchic rule also began in Aphthonis with the founding of the Thornian Kingdom of Aphthonis during this period. This was happening simultaneously with the formation of the Despotate of Thornia and the beginning of the Pillager Wars.

Even with the anti-monarchy backlash in the aftermath of the Thornian Civil War, the clan remained immensely popular with the Aphthonic public and their blatant seizure of power in the ensuing republic period was not necessarily met with serious opposition in Aphthonis. Aphthonis thereafter became home to solid support for the clan during the ensuing cycles between various regimes, with the exception of the Tsapansal period.

### Adoption of Xandunese culture

During the various conflicts with the Huang and Chen dynasties in Xandu prior to the founding of Great Thornia, the Xiao clan did not entertain the thought of becoming a new ruling dynasty over the Xandunese world. "Xandumania" during the Great Thornia period led to the clan formally adopting the Xiao name, and also openly considering ruling over Xandu. During this time, the clan used Xandunese-influenced motifs in their architecture, with examples like the original clan home on their estate in Ume and the Elysia City Hall.

In the aftermath of the Chen-Thornia War, the clan formally re-adopted the Xiao name. The Xandunese state was dissolved and replaced with the Zhongshan state with the new Xiao dynasty as its lord.