Kari Empire

With the emperor at the very top, the structure below the emperor consisted of nobles, samurai, and below them were the peasants, and craftspeople. Merchants were at the lowest class unlike in other nations, land was also not owned outright by nobles like in Val'Karan kingdoms, instead they simply had rights to the income from their lands. This structure was usually very strict.

The culture of Kari is one built on a history of great honor and independence. The people of the Kari Empire enjoy a time of unprecedented peace. In years past the nobility and their samurai would war with each other often, or sometimes even with the emperor. But after the Shadow Wars and In Regeneratione, the Kari have flourished. Art, theater, and craftsmanship have blossomed again. But the Kari still carry with them a warrior's heart. A culture built upon ancient codes of honor, loyalty to family, and to emperor. In it's nationalistic fervor the Kari Empire has touted its exceptionalism.

The Kari Empire has vast reserves of gold, and thousands of ships and armies to support it's island empire

Ancient texts from early Kari history speak of the first kuran, or "clans" in common, forming a little before Humanity's Spring. These early kuran worshipped their own interpretation of Asterus called Hahanaru taiyō, or "Mother Sun". A feminine and humanoid depiction of the sun god. During this period the kuran of Kari organized and began to war with one another. By the time of Moraphan's rise the Kari kuran were unprepared to defend their home island. The few Kari able to escape fled in ships southward, but a storm caught them up, and pushed them off course till they found themselves wrecked upon the shores of the Asterus Isles. Meanwhile on the home island the remaining people were enslaved by Moraphan's dark armies. The Long Night passed with time, and the Kari were freed by Sylra Vereth's Golden Alliance. Meanwhile the Kari who escaped had stayed with the Knosis Minotaurs, the two people shared with each other their beliefs and pasts. When they learned of their mutual worship of the sun deity, a bond began to form. And when by magic it was made known of the Golden Alliance's liberations, the Kari convinced the Knosis Minotaurs to join them. The Battle of the Red Fields was vindication for the once enslaved Kari, and though they joined the Aeran Empire, they were promised little interference in their traditions and laws on a local level. Sylra Vereth vehemently agreed to these terms.   Kari enjoyed relative peace in the days of the old empire. But more and more the Kari Daimyo became disgruntled by the declining empire. Long after the end of the Vereth dynasty in 3366 BGC they called for liberation. Unwilling to give up their trading posts there, the Empire tried to suppress independence movements, leading to the Red Rebellion. Named for Kari’s rebel flag originating from a flag covered in blood that was flown during the rebellion’s first victory. The next 8 years were dominated by war. The Kari were a smaller force but they knew the land. And while the Empire had been ailing, it was nowhere near weak under the current Emperor’s rulership. Emperor Frixus IIV was known as “The butcher” for his brutal tactics. But the war would end in the Emperor’s death in battle. The Kari after this would try to rebuild, but the Age of Blight brought seemingly unending war. Kari was shattered, with many Daimyo warlords vying for dominance over the island. The Great Collapse would put an end to this never ending war, and these warring factions were consolidated by one family. The Yasuda family took power, establishing a military dictatorship known as the Shogunate. The Yasuda Shogunate promoted a noble as emperor, though the emperor held no power in this time. The Yosuda Shogunate had yet to prove it's mettle however. But in 52 AGC the Shang-Do Dynasty of Alea gave the Yasuda Shogunate it's chance by invading unprovoked. The Kari repelled the Aleans by Novvetoma of that same year. With this, the Kari strongly planted themselves as the first world power Post-Collapse.   The Kari were now seen as a formidable world power, and declare war on the Shang-Do for retribution after being invaded with no diplomatic notice. They even received aid from their old allies the Minotaurs in their counter invasion of Alea. In 53 AGC the combined Knosis-Kari forces devastated the Shang-Do Dynasty's coast, and then pushed deep into their lands. Even razing their capital city. After this retaliation, the Kari and Knosis Minotaurs sailed away victorious. And soon after their successful campaign, the two formed an official alliance in 55 AGC. The Knosis-Kari Alliance would stand strong until the Knosis Silence. The Shang-Do had been shamed, but they swore revenge. Revenge would seem to come when the Knosis-Kari Alliance, and the recently formed Kaldrland-Alea Pact began to rub against each other more and more. Disputes started in 252 AGC, but when two ships from each alliance were sunk in the year 257 AGC, war was quickly declared. Lasting from 257 AGC - 293 AGC, the Great Alliance War was waged. Both sides levied the entirety of their respective kingdoms. The Knosis-Kari Alliance knew they would need backing from another nation, as they were two island nations, and while they were formidable together, the combined forces of the Shang-Do and Norseans would’ve spelled disaster. In order to even the odds, a diplomatic envoy was sent to the Elves of Tol Ador. It took much convincing, but the Elves were willing to aid the Alliance. Meanwhile the ancient allies of the Norseans, the Novoto, agreed to aid the Pact. The Praetoran Empire was warmongering as ever, and so decided to aid the Knosis-Kari Alliance. Some say they just wanted to look good in front of the Elves. Afraid of the Praetoran’s bloodthirsty nature, and close to the Norseans and Novoto, the Kingdom of Anglica joined in on the side of the Pact. In Sarasarada the Dzugaar Khanate pledged to send supplies to the Alliance. The Tabaxi rebels took this opportunity to rise up against the Khan. The other Val’Karan kingdoms not already involved declared war on the Praetoran Empire to try and circumvent any gains And so the entire world became embroiled in the biggest war since the Age of Blight, and even more so the wars with Moraphan. When the war finally ended all had nearly forgotten it’d started with the simple disappearance of two ships. There wasn’t so much a clear winner or loser so much as all losing, some more than others.   The Knosis Silence was discovered in 306 AGC. The Minotaurs of the Asterus Isles had disappeared. Kari traders arrived to find their island nation abandoned and burned down. And like every Aeran nation, the Shadow Wars would engulf Kari. After the clouds finally broke the Kari rebuilt, another period of warring factions vying for power ended in 749. A new Shogunate was formed and in 902 the Kari would expand. The Kari Empire began to conquer the many islands surrounding Kari and the Great Maelstrom. In 998 AGC Yuudai Yasuda, a descendant of the Yasuda family which had been deposed a few years before the Great Alliance War came to power. He not only took control of the Shogunate but claim emperorship as well. He did this by claiming his family had been dishonorably deposed by the Tsuki Shogunate. Not only that but that the imperial bloodline had been poisoned and commondeered by Sagi-shi, the Kari interpretation of Thrrack. Now wielding the divine right of emperor, and power of the Shogunate, Emperor Yuudai Yasuda seeks to expand the Kari Empire far overseas.

The Kari home island is made up of mostly humans, with a mix of other species in small numbers there as well as in their island colonies.

The Kari Empire rules over Kari and the many islands surrounding the Maelstrom

The military of Kari is exceptional, mighty warriors and a mighty navy. Each clan or house has it's own banner and armies under them. With high ranking members being exceptionally capable warriors. These military forces while once at odds, now work together to form one of the most imposing armies in all of Aeris.

Modern weaponry and magical advancements have been integrated into the Empire's inner workings. Although a culture where tradition is very important, they do not discount the discoveries and improvements, instead weaving them through those same traditional practices or designs.

The Karii worship the Kari High Pantheon, with their interpretation of Asterus, Hahanaru taiyō, being held in highest regard

The Kari Empire has uneasy relations with the other imperial powers of Aeris, but generally good relations with the other nations around Aeris they trade with, even though many see the rising threat as a danger.

Kari is a largely agricultural empire, with growing industry

The Kari Empire trades with much of Aeris, using their massive fleet of merchant ships.

Only the upper classes were educated.

The Kari Empire's infrastructure has been built and rebuilt many times, but under the new empire, Karii infrastructure is stronger than ever.