Shurima

The empire of Shurima was once a thriving civilization that spanned a vast desert. After an era of growth and prosperity, the fall of its gleaming capital left the empire in ruins. Over millennia, tales of Shurima's glorious city became myth and religion among the descendants of the scattered survivors.
With the apparent resurrection of the last emperor, Azir, life in Shurima has shifted like the sands. He announced his return by raising the long dead Sun Disc and allowing water to flow into the ruins of the old capital. With their city reborn, many have returned with the hopes of being part of the great revival and making a name for themselves and their families.
That being said, there are still many who have grown accustomed to life without an emperor. While the new empire may claim the deserts as their own, much of it is still outside of Azir's control. Some defend small outposts built around a few oases trying to protect precious water and food. Others hunt as raiders, pillaging traders and outposts, or as mercenaries, taking coin for their deeds before disappearing back into the sands.

Interesting Things About Shurima

• The Sun Disc was once a monument of divine power that harnessed the power of the sun and celestials to create God-Warriors for the ancient Shurimans. After spending millennia in ruins, it has finally been repaired and now spills water into the once dead city that shares its name. 
• The current inhabitants of Shurima's desert are mainly descended from the survivors of the fall of Shurima's empire. The origin of their culture reaches back to Azir's time. During those times, slavery was a common practice in the Empire. It was so common that the entire Empire was dependent on slaves as the primary workforce. Ironically, the last emperor's ascension was sabotaged by his closest slave on the day he planned to emancipate all slaves.
• Across the desert are many groups that are out to look out for own with no thoughts for the rising empire.

Shuriman Characters

• Hidden Treasures. The sands of Shurima hold the remnants of a once powerful nation and relics of ancient power and wealth. There are many explorers, both archaeologists and raiders, that scour the desert in search of these artifacts. Charlatan, sage, and criminal backgrounds all align with a path that may take someone through those ruins.
• Home of the Ascended. In ancient times, the Sun Disc was used to produce heroes for the Empire called the Ascended. While very few are known to remain, their powers occasionally arises in their descendants. This power manifests in different ways, giving them abilities others might not.
• The Void's Reach. While the threat of the Void has diminished, there are still many spawn of the void that terrorize the deserts. Icathia to the south is still in ruins and few that have survived a trip there claim there is still a large active gateway connecting Runeterra to the great emptiness.

History

Shurima was once a powerful empire that spanned the farthest reaches of the vast southern continent. After an era of expansion and prosperity, its last emperor was betrayed by his closest friend, and the empire fell to ruin in the resulting chaos. Its gleaming capital was all but destroyed in an earth-shaking cataclysm and the empire was left in ruins, its people scattered and its mighty cities devoured by the sand. Since then Shurima has been a barren wasteland, an unforgiving desert where only the strongest survive and its people cling to the few remaining oases and strips of fertile land around the coast.
In the millennia since Shurima's fall, tales of its glorious capital and gleaming Sun Disc became little more than myths and debased religions among the descendants of the empire's few survivors. Most of Shurima's inhabitants now dwell in small tribal outposts clustered near water or built upon the bones of ancient cities, venerating the glories of the past. Some hunt buried riches among the ruins of the fallen empire or earn a living as sellswords, warriors for hire who fight for rich paymasters before disappearing into the sands. Others try to forget the past, looking to the future and nations across the ocean as partners in trade.
Yet the ancient myths of Shurima do not rest easy and are stirring once more. A man claiming to be a descendent of Azir, the Aspect of Order, revitalized the Sun Disk that marked the old capital and brought life back to the surrounding area.

Demography and Population

In the past few months, nomads and Shurimans from other cities have begun to move to the renewed Sun Disk where the waters have begun to flow again. That being said, there are still many tribes that have grown used to the life in the desert and continue to lead their travelled lives on the sands.

"Shurima! Your emperor has returned!"

— Azir

Full Name:
Reborn Empire of Shurima
Government System:
Divine Empire
Ruler(s):
Emperor Azir
Re-Founding Date:
907 AN
Location:
Deserts of Shurima
Capital:
Oasis of Dawn
Demographics:
Humans 60%, Vastaya 23%, Troll 7%, Ascended-Born 4%, Other 6%
Attitude Towards Magic:
Covet
Level of Technology:
Low
Prominent Religion(s):
Aspects, The Kindred - Death, The Great Weaver, God-Warriors
Common Languages:
Common, Noxian, Shuriman, Valerian
Notable Organizations:
Empire of Sand
Cult of the Void
Disciples of Armordillo
Shakkal Raiders
Demonym:
Shuriman