THE
YUSHA EMPIRE
Founded 528 years ago, the Yusha Empire (also known as the Elven Empire) remains one of the larger and most famous Empires that have existed in the known world and its influence is still seen today. It's ultimate fall heralded the end of the First Age but its influence still remains strong throughout Hanami- from the use of Hanzi characters, the solar calendar and even its political structure.
The Empire of Elves
Although the Hanami empire takes much influence from the Yusha Empire, very few citizens are actually aware of this and assume that it was Empress Kagiso who introduced most of these things to the Empire.
And it is because very few were ever privilege to know and see what the elves had built and developed within their Empire. Citizens of the Empire were limited to pure Elves, not even halfbreeds were given permission to enter the realm and certainly no other race ever was (except in the case of slavery).
Because it was such a huge concentration of Elves, it was perhaps the most powerful that any nation has become in terms of their magical abilities and indeed magic was seen as the most noble and sophisticated of paths to pursue. Hence, the empire became a hub for magic and arts- the likes of which have never again been seen.
The HAN FAMILY
The Yusha Empire was ruled by the Han Family. They came from a family of powerful businessmen and women and came to become the most successful family in existence through the brilliant minds of their two young heirs.
T H E D I V I N E S I S T E R S [1 FA - 128 FA]
Chen Li and Chen Yu were the two great minds who formed the Yusha Empire. The first was a master in diplomacy and business who governed and managed the internal structure and finances of the empire. She had a beautiful voice that was sought throughout and granted her the fame and popularity that her younger sister, more plain and who shied from the spotlight, could ever wish for.
Chen Yu's influence is not to be underestimated though and with her strong academic mind, she led the first imperial academy in the Empire's capital. With the academic elite, she was behind the introduction of the Hanzi, the first solar calendar and more.
Together, a haven was created for the Elves. It was rumoured to be the most beautiful place in the known world and to protect what they had created, they built a large wall around their empire to keep others out.
After 128 years of ruling, Chen Li met her untimely end. No culprit was ever found but many suspected that Chen Yu had finally grown so jealous of her sister that she had finally got rid of her to rule alone. Whether it was the truth or not, nobody knows but with the strong opposition to Chen Yu's rule drove the Elf mad from paramoia and she fled the capital 10 months after her sister's death.
-- > J I N Y I N C I T Y
After she became mad, Chen Yu fled with her general, Zuo Junhui to Yushan mountains, knowing there would be no shelter for her outside the Empire. She built a hidden fortress deep into the mountains where she spent the rest of her days. It was the first underground Elven city, using a complex system of mirrors and crystals to generate enough for the Elves to live happily.
She committed suicide in 223 FA and Jinyin city was left to Zuo Junhui, the Han family wanting no part in the supposedly haunted city. He worked hard to build the city into a centre for arts, knowledge and magic- that would do the spirit of his mistress proud and erected a great shrine in her honour.
T H E S U M M E R P R I N C E S
After the fall of the two sisters, the empire was left to their Aunt and her three sons- who became known as the princes of Summer. As the title suggests, this was a year of peace and comfort for the Elves of the Yusha Empire. Good weather, bountiful harvests and a new age of enlightenment created a new wave of artists, performers and inventors.
However as the years passed by, the Empire saw an ever bigger divide between the poorest and the richest, creating a very distinct divide between the two.
FALL OF THE EMPIRE
Over the long years of peace, the Elves grew into an arrogant and proud race. Through the creations of great cities, they were at the forefront of development and industry and for so many years they were so far ahead of any other Empire, Kingdom or Queendom. They had never recognised the accomplishments of the other races and neither were there any successful attempts to cope with the poverty that was spreading in the rural areas. And that was their ultimate undoing.
An alliance with the ruler of Northern region of Tuya and the governor of the south-western province promised the human settlements that they would not be raided and taken slaves ever again and promised the lower class elves that they would no longer have to live in such poor conditions.
With everything planned, although Haru was almost untouchable- Khan Kagiso, with the help of the Elven governor and Tuyari lords made quick work of what had once been the world's greatest Empire. The nobles, governors and select magistrates were all put to the sword and Yushan became the seat for the Hanami Empire.
Most of the Elven commoners chose to stay in Yusha, some were rewarded and offered positions as magistrates and councillors, However, of those nbles who managed to escape, many fled to Sumi (which they were certain was unreachable). Thus, there are still strong Yusha and Elven influences in the central Sumi region.
A select few fled to Jinyin city. However, Jinyin refused to take any sides in the war and would not accept any who sought to involve themselves in the war.