The Khivan Empire

"Their potential was boundless. Their ambitions were grand. Their dedication to innovation was admirable. And yet when it all fell apart, they did nothing and carried on as if nothing happened. Why? It's a mystery to me." - Emperor Vrothus of Varnia

''"Make no mistake, this continent is still very much ours. We simply do not need to control the Firsans or the Na'tari by force to achieve our goals. After all, we are not savages like you. And we will send you crying back to Varnia and unite the continent once more in the process. Ah... Look at me go, getting excited and saying too much. I'm sorry, my friend. I'm afraid I'll have to go back on that promise to let you go." ''- Khiva's Mistress of Intelligence known as the Serpent to a captured Varnian Spy, twenty minutes before the Spy's gruesome execution.

Description
The Khivan Empire, sometimes referred to as the Ancient Kingdom, is the oldest nation in all Kranos. Its heartlands are situated in the west of the Khivan continent. The continent and the empire are both named after its capital, Khiva, where the matrillineal empire was founded. Its territory is quite diverse: much of Khivan land consists of deserts, mountains and steppes. But Khivans can settle just about anywhere. Where there are deserts, there are oases with impressive cities built nearby. Where there are steppes, horses and livestock are found in abundance by cities dedicated to the exploitation of both. Where there are mountains, mindblowing mountainside cities have been erected. And all of them are connected by aquaducts so sophisticated that they have never broken. The Empire is currently ruled by Empress Hadah Sumana, a cunning but fair ruler who is known for her concern for her people but also for being the only Tabaxi ruler in the world. However, if the rumours about her subsidising the Na´tari´s and the Firsan's military preparation can be trusted, it would seem that she considers all inhabitants of the continent "her people".

Races
Khivans are typically Elves, Gnomes, Humans or Tabaxi.

Culture
Khivans are primarily known for their devotion to scholarly activities and their higher than average amount of practitioners of magic. The nation boasts entire cities built around universities dedicated to the study of the arcane, history, religion and more. This is reflected by the average Khivan's generally high level of education.

Of course, it is also a somewhat stratified society. The primacy of the magical class is clear to all citizens, and there are rampant issues with poverty in at least one district of every Khivan city in spite of the Empire's best efforts. While the average higher-strata Khivan usually acts like a privileged intellectual, lower-strata Khivans can be driven to the worst of crimes by distrust, honed survival instincts, or general resent towards the lot they've been given in life.

As always, this does not define your character should they be from here - it is merely a description of how people around your character behave on average. Not all or even any people around your character need adhere to these norms, either - it is entirely up to you.

History
The Khivan nation was among the earliest nations to form, but it is unknown exactly when it was. Supposedly, the wizard collective that created the first floating city were sought out by all nearby land-bound folks for protection from the then almost totally untamed Greater Khivan continent. From there, history books claim that the Great Khivan Empire, always led by a Sorcerer-Emperor or Sorcerer-Empress, expanded across the entire continent by means of diplomatic integration over the centuries. However, for reasons unknown, the Khivan language and Khivan culture never truly spread beyond the lands of Khiva Proper, which would eventually lead to its empire's 'gentle collapse'.

For all its might and its eventual alliance with the Chromatic Dragonflight of the Western Khivan Mountains, the Great Khivan Empire was not to last. Vast cultural and linguistic differences with the two primary 'vassal' demographics, the Firsans and the Na'tari, led to increasingly serious demands for devolution of power and, eventually, independence from the lands that once upon a time supposedly asked the Khivans to govern them in the first place. Unbeknownst to anyone but the Khivans, they were anything but happy to let the Firsans and Na'tari go, for the lands were rich and direct control was incredibly beneficial. The problem was that they had always claimed they originally had been asked to govern and protect the people ''-until they were capable of doing so themselves-. ''Having reiterated this fact over and over in both historical and political education literature, the Khivans had no solid argument against devolution of power to the Firsans and Na'tari, nor against subsequently granting independence to the two nations. While the Khivans likely could've refused, this would've started lengthy, if not eternal, wars of oppression with their own subjects that would only overextend their forces, drain them of precious manpower and money, and lead to them being resented by the entire rest of the continent they considered their dominion. And so they let the Firsans and Na'tari go, the former further dividing itself into various provinces that would then be represented in a centralized moot and the latter immediately descending into tribal anarchy as no one could agree who should rule Na'tar. This shaped the Firsan Provinces's and The Na'tar's core identities, with the former becoming the beacon of democracy that the Borneans would later model their own state after and the latter becoming a savage land dominated by self-serving warlords and bloodthirsty peoples.

Khiva has since been rather quiet on the international stage and has instead seemingly looked inward. Several new floating cities have been built, each a centuries long project, and they have strengthened their ties with the Chromatic Dragonflight. They have, of course, also ensured that the Firsans and Na'tari have become somewhat economically dependent on them over the years. Recently, said dependence has only increased as Khiva has, somewhat secretly, subsidized their efforts to fortify and militarize in order to combat the Varnian advance in the East. However, the current Sorcerer-Empress, Hadah Sumana, is smart - much smarter than your average Na'tari. While she uses her agent to sow doubt amongst Varnians and encourage a false sense of confidence in the Firsans and the Na'tari, she knows that no amount of gold or mercenaries will push the Varnians back - a military might like theirs can only be stopped, unless the Firsans, the Na'tari and the Khivans unite.