The Xinsi Empire

The Xinsi Empire was once the largest nation in Eavaros, a realm of humans, half-elves and monstrous peoples devoted to an unseen emperor. The empire began in 716 PC. Its capital, Xinstock, is older: the city was founded in 421 PC, the year in which Maxim, remembered as the first emperor of Xinsi, was crowned on 18 Suns Dawn. Maxim declared himself emperor before he had an empire to rule; it took nearly three centuries for the realm to match the title. That Anniversary of the Ascension is still celebrated (see The Calendar). The 2019 map names its capital Huang, but in play the capital is Xinstock (see codex/_conflicts.md). Its southern plains host the Plainstock festival, and it holds invitation-only Games every other year.

Government. In theory the empire answers to The Unseen Emperor. In practice it is run by the Council of 13 of mages, nobles, generals and clergy, led by The Arch Mage. Its secret police are The Psycore.

Campaign 1. The Fatemakers toured the embassies in Xinstock (of the empire, the Theria Confederacy, The Dottenland and The Burg) in May 2019 (real date) and were drawn into its court intrigue: the Duke's masquerade, the advisor Sim (secretly a dragon), the Psycore and a war with The Dottenland that was averted. The emperor was dead before The Skyfire ended, and the empire was ravaged. Xinstock was teleported into the northern sea near Summers End, leaving a crater lake and New Xinstock. A later census found many towns gone, especially in the south, but West Keep, East Keep and Grimhollow survived; many coastal villages were swept into the sea.

Since then the empire has had no emperor; by 1034 PC it had been sixteen years without one. Commerce governs and controls the rumour mill. Habir became archmage, and the council squabbled over the empty throne. The empire's capital now lies near Summers End, and the Baron courted it with his ships and horse trade. The empire depends on its alliance with the Bragglands, and its border with the Dottenland has been under ceasefire since the Skyfire. In campaign 4 the SCP work in West Keep, between the empire and The Therian Confederacy.

Campaign 3. The Ransom family compound lies in the empire's heartland, and the party returned to Xinstock and New Xinstock.

Notes

The Xinsi Empire is a civilization of humans and half-elf and monster races that is centred around a dedication to an unseen emperor. In reality, the Emperor was a shut in and was killed during the events of The Skyfire so a council of mages and politicians run the empire. They are expansionist but are in a lull after suffering a decade of brutal gorilla defeats while trying to colonise Bosia. Expansion is never far from their mind and there are often border skirmishes with The Dottenland, and The Burg, though the Dwarves that inhabit the Ridgeway and all the cities therein maintain that Border vigorously in both directions.

The Council Of The Xinsi Empire consists of 13 members:

The Arch Mage, two subordinate mages, 3 nominated business people or nobles, The leaders of the 3 branches of the military, 3 nominated clergy-persons, and The Unseen Emperor with a deciding vote when necessary. Nominations are for 5 years.

The capital of the empire is Xinstock, which since the Skyfire has resided in the northern sea (its old site is now New Xinstock), magically floating in the former location of Scinteria, despite not being tethered to the sea floor. This has led to a significant reliance on their alliance with The Bragglands, as it is several thousand miles from where it should be, with no arable farmlands or trade ability.

The Border with the Dottenland is disputed, though since the events of the Skyfire there has been a ceasefire. The Xinsi Empire claims ownership of most of the Cape Of Serenity.

Warforged. The empire's warforged were discovered machines, not its own invention. The mages of The Sapphire Sepulchre forced life into them and "birthed" them as servants of war. That is the origin of the Xinsi warforged corps, SAM among them, and of the empire's naming convention (S.A.M. #19).