Xamichia

Xamichia (more commonly known as the Old Sammichian Empire) was an empire concentrated in the northwestern Shire, and is one of the first known civilizations in the Shire. While Sammichians lived on the continent of Thrennex for many years prior to Xamichia, it remains as one of the first examples of an entity that achieved all of the characteristics of a civilization.

While Sammichian presence on Thrennex can be dated as far back as 7,800 PRY, the oldest evidence of Xamichia suggests that the empire first rose around 2,350 PRY, established by ancient Sammichians speaking a less-refined and early variant of Thrennexian. Originally starting out as a small city-state centered around Sarrimus (which evolved into Ceriumuse), it is known for its revolutionary irrigation system which channeled sewage and waste into the Sea of Aten surrounding the continent, along with developing a complex crop cycle that took advantage of the changing seasons and allowed the Sammichians to cultivate at the height of summer and plant new crops appropriately as the soil returned to permafrost as winter returned. This also enhances the resilience of Xamichia, which was able to survive and develop in such a cold and unfriendly climate.

Between 2,350 and 2,000 PRY, Xamichia began expanding its territory across Thrennex, settling new towns and villages, such as Perna, Nedes, and Teket, and built up Sarrimus into a great and well-defended capital. It was also at this time that the centralized government transitioned from a crude and undeveloped chain of chieftains into the imperial rule that characterized Xamichia for centuries. Not soon after came the spread of the Xamichine Pantheon, the first Sammichian religion and one of the oldest pagan religions known, which was slowly replaced by the Orthodox Sammichian Trinity. As society and order became more prominent elements in Xamichia, mercantilism and trading did as well. Social classes were also formed; as some families grew incredibly wealthy, they chose to only mingle with those of similar status, creating an elitist and feudal society.

By 1,000 PRY, Xamichia had a well-established government, a monarchy ruled by an Emperor and the Imperial Family, along with the Sammichian Imperial Chancellory in later years. In 852 PRY, Xamichia made its first encounter with the Human race; a ship of Human explorers from the city of Melaedes stumbled upon Sarrimus while mapping the Sea of Aten. The ship was surrounded and its crew imprisoned. Eventually, the Humans were sold by the government as exotic slaves for noble families. As it turns out, one of the crew members was Prince Callem of Melaedes; King Menestes sent a fleet of ships to recover his son, and they too found Sarrimus. Again, most Humans were captured and sold into slavery. One ship managed to escape, however, and Xamichia entered a war with Melaedes that resulted in the entire city being plundered and razed to the ground by Sammichian forces.

After realizing the potential and strength of its military, Xamichia began annexing lands outside of Thrennex, hording land and becoming rivals with the burgeoning Lilladonian Empire in the east. At this point, Xamichia had become well-informed of a good portion of the Shire's geography and other major powers within it. Utilizing the skills of some of the most talented cartographers and strategists of the ancient world, Xamichia conquered and annexed nearby domains successfully for many years, climaxing in the Mandatux Imperatia, a highly-aggressive takeover across the northern Shire, even branching far into the Central Shire at one point, and into the Demmatrodine Region to conquer Fulfwotz. However, during this period, the interior of the empire was slowly deteriorating, as costly campaigns drained the economy and severe elitism crippled the social stability of Xamichia. It was also this era that the Sammichian slave trade reached its height, becoming the largest slave trade ever seen in Shire history. It was common for locals of claimed lands to be sold into slavery after being deemed either inferior or being subject to hostile occupation. There is a reason why many called Xamichia the Domain of Slavers. Xamichia was in very poor shape after Empress Flux moved the Sammichian capital to Fulfwotz around 70 PRY, ending the Mandatux Imperatia, and leading to the collapse of Ceriumuse. Xamichia was dissolved and broken up into dozens of kingdoms in 58 PRY after the Great Epiphany.

Etymology

While the exact origins of the name Xamichia are unknown, it is very clear how Sammichian evolved from Xamichine, used to denote things of relation to Xamichia. Many legends provide a convenient explanation, claiming that Xamichia was first created by King Xamtet of Chia, although it's been recorded that King Xenophon of Pernaeus was the first ruler of Xamichia.