Cyrdian Empire
Once the largest nation on the continent of Yiaroth, the Cyrdian Empire owed its incredible stability to its immortal ruler, Cyrdin, who controlled the Empire since its inception. In the space of less than a thousand years, Cyrdia rapidly expanded, conquering or absorbing its neighbors one after another. Emperor Cyrdin's ambition was to control the entire world, and in pursuit of that, he pushed scientific and magical development. The nation specialized in creating artificial soldiers, whether through necromancy or construction, and continually developed more powerful and intelligent creations. One of the first true breakthroughs was the invention of automatons, constructed bodies which have a mortal's soul inserted into them. Later on, androids, synthetic humanoids capable of holding completely new souls, gave the empire a nearly limitless supply of adult soldiers. Nearly all of them were treated as slaves or second-class citizens.
The empire's final creation was the artificial titans which caused the Great Cataclysm.
Structure
Culture
Being a large empire, Cyrdia was composed of multiple regions that were once independent nations. Each of these peoples had its own culture. Some had been in the empire long enough that they identified with it, while others had not.
Ospians: Often seeing themselves as "true" Cyrdians, Ospians were the inhabitants of the nation of Ospia before Cyrdin became king and began the nation's expansion. While originally distrustful of Cyrdin, most came to accept his undead nature and appreciate the prosperity that he brought. They tended to hold themselves above the other ethnicities in Cyrdia.
Abraxans: Once belonging to the same people as the Ospians, Abraxans shared much of the same culture. They were the first other people to be assimilated into Cyrdia, though they were barely conquered. Most Abraxans, and some Ospians, considered Abraxans and Ospians to be the same, but a few Ospians detested them for that very reason.
Gucharians: Gucharia was a rival nation to Ospia for centuries, and their conquest was both difficult and extremely costly. Much of the Gucharian population was wiped out and replaced by enterprising Ospians. While the Gucharians somewhat recovered, their population never reached what it once was, and they were discriminated against even in their own homeland. They understandably held a deep cultural resentment for Ospians.
Craocans: The people of the sparsely-inhabited Craoca plains were not a unified ethnicity, but rather a scattering of small groups of various ancestries. Some were nomadic hunters, some were farming communities, and others had established larger settlements for industry or trade. They had varying opinions on the Cyrdian Empire, but, due to the fact that they had little chance of victory in a direct confrontation, almost all of them resigned themselves to its rule.
Foshites: Being extremely developed in the use of magic, the former people of Foshia originally fought hard against the Cyrdians, but ultimately concluded that they had more to gain through partnership. The terms of Foshia's annexation were relatively light, so most Foshites didn't hold anything against the empire.
Iaclyns: The region of Iaclyae had a distinct culture based partially on the veneration of roads and other transitional spaces, and involved traveling and learning from each other and the world at large, often followed by returning home to put said lessons to use. Many Iaclyns had already been on pilgrimages to the Cyrdian Empire to see its advanced construct building techniques, but they still fought fiercely to defend their homeland. Iaclyae's population was largely reduced by this conflict, though not as severely as Gucharia's. Many of the surviving Iaclyns left to establish themselves in the Empire or the wider world, however, with few remaining in their ancestral homeland.
Stribans: The small nation of Stribia had been at war with its neighbors for decades when Cyrdia annexed it in exchange for protecting them from said neighbors. Most Stribans disliked the empire, especially as many had been forcefully conscripted into the military.
Ogrites: The hardy, proud people of the region of Ogri fought hard against Cyrdia despite their inferior organization, and conflict in the region was still commonplace until the empire fell. Cyrdia's attempts to "civilize" the Ogrites did not help to ease the tension.
Kafrians: The coastal trading kingdom of Kafria originally had a positive relationship with Cyrdia, but increasing political and economic pressure forced it to join the expanding empire. Most Ospians and Abraxans saw Kafrians as greedy swindlers, and Kafrians tended to see Ospians and Abraxans as expansionist and egocentric. The Cyrdian government's control over Kafrian trade increased smuggling and piracy in the area.
History
The Cyrdian Empire was originally the much smaller nation of Ospia, which only marginally resembled its later self. A proud kingdom, Ospia had its royal family deposed by Cyrdin, who was already a lich by that time. A period of brutal infighting followed, with numerous rebellions rising against the new ruler. Cyrdin slowly gained complete control of Ospia, crushing the rebellions with vicious cruelty.
Cyrdia then attacked the nearby nation of Abrax, which submitted rather quickly, not because Cyrdia's military was overwhelming them, but because they shared much of the same culture with the Ospians, and preferred it to a costly war. Ospia's rival of Gucharia was next. Most of its people were slaughtered as they fought to the last against Cyrdia. While Cyrdia also sustained considerable losses, the Gucharians were nearly wiped out.
The Craoca plains were quite easily conquered because they were inhabited by small groups that either submitted or were destroyed. Foshia, however, was an advanced nation with great magical prowess. Cyrdia fought a hard war against them, achieving a slow victory, until Foshia relented and agreed to surrender in exchange for partnership. Iaclyae, however, did not. Their population was more than halved by war, and the survivors mostly decided to leave their homeland and find places elsewhere in the empire.
Stribia agreed to be annexed by Cyrdia in exchange for protection from its neighbors, mostly Upriel. The northern wilds of Ogri were conquered, but not before their people fought a fierce guerrilla war with the Cyrdian military. The trading kingdom of Kafria was next, followed by the warlike nation of Upriel.
After Upriel was conquered, Cyrdin finished the creation of Ulem, the greatest android ever made, who succeeded in his task to assassinate Phodr, the god who protected a country of the same name. Cyrdia quickly conquered in inexperienced Phodrans.
Disbandment
Roughly a year after Phodr's death, Cyrdin finished the synthetic titans and the Great Cataclysm brought the empire to an end. However, given how many of the Cyrdian people were undead, some of them still linger on, especially in the ruined capital of Salernum.
Technological Level
Cyrdia was continually a pioneer of the melding of magic and technology, which was a major part of its success in war. Nearly all towns of a sufficient size had running water, and firearms were an exotic but attainable form of weaponry. An advanced logistics system sent people and supplies through a network of teleportation circles, some of which may still function. In some places, magical energy was supplied to buildings, allowing for certain conveniences.
Religion
humans, elves, halflings, orcs, dwarves, goblins, androids, automatons
Languages:
Common, Elven
Religions
Abadar, Asmodeus, Calistria, Erastil, Gorum, Torag
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