The largest nation on the continent of Yiaroth, the Cyrdian Empire owes its incredible stability to its immortal ruler, Cyrdin, who has controlled the Empire since its inception. In the space of less than a thousand years, Cyrdia has rapidly expanded, conquering or absorbing its neighbors one after another. Emperor Cyrdin's ambition is to control the entire world, and in pursuit of that, he has pushed scientific and magical development. The nation specializes in creating artificial soldiers, whether through necromancy or construction, and has continued to develop more powerful and intelligent creations. One of the first true breakthroughs was the invention of automatons, constructed bodies which have a mortal's soul inserted into them. More recently, androids, synthetic humanoids capable of holding completely new souls, have given the empire a nearly limitless supply of adult soldiers. Nearly all of them are treated as slaves or second-class citizens.
Emperor Cyrdin is a lich, and he designates various undead servants to rule large divisions of the empire. These barons, in turn, appoint dukes within their territory, mostly mortal, who appoint reeves of towns and villages, and governors of cities.
Being a large empire, Cyrdia is composed of multiple regions that were once independent nations. Each of these peoples has its own culture. Some have been in the empire long enough that they identify with it, while others have not.
Ospians: Often seeing themselves as "true" Cyrdians, Ospians were the inhabitants of the nation of Ospia befor Cyrdin became king and began the nation's expansion. While originally distrustful of Cyrdin, most have come to accept his undead nature and appreciate the prosperity that he's brought. They tend to hold themselves above the other ethnicities in Cyrdia.
Abraxans: Once belonging to the same people as the Ospians, Abraxans share much of the same culture. They were the first other people to be assimilated into Cyrdia, though they were barely conquered. Most Abraxans, and some Ospians, consider Abraxans and Ospians to be the same, but a few Ospians detest them for that very reason.
Gucharians: Gucharia was a rival nation to Ospia for centuries, and their conquest was both difficult and extremely costly. Much of the Gucharian population was wiped out and replaced by enterprising Ospians. While the Gucharians have somewhat recovered since then, their population has still not reached what it once was, and they're discriminated against even in their own homeland. They understandably hold a deep cultural resentment for Ospians.
Craocans: The people of the sparsely-inhabited Craoca plains are not a unified ethnicity, but rather a scattering of small groups of various ancestries. Some are nomadic hunters, some are farming communities, and others have established larger settlements for industry or trade. They have varying opinions on the Cyrdian Empire, but, due to the fact that they have little chance of victory in a direct confrontation, almost all of them have resigned themselves to its rule.
Foshites: Being extremely developed in the use of magic, the former people of Foshia originally fought hard against the Cyrdians, but ultimately concluded that they had more to gain through partnership. The terms of Foshia's annexation were relatively light, so most Foshites don't hold anything against the empire.
Iaclyns: The region of Iaclyae has a distinct culture based partially on the veneration of roads and other transitional spaces, and involves traveling and learning from each other and the world at large, often followed by returning home to put said lessons to use. Many Iaclyns had already been on pilgrimages to the Cyrdian Empire to see its advanced construct building techniques, but they still fought fiercely to defend their homeland. Iaclyae's population was largely reduced by this conflict, though not as severely as Gucharia's. Many of the surviving Iaclyns left to establish themselves in the Empire or the wider world, however, with few remaining in their ancestral homeland.
Stribans: The small nation of Stribia had been at war with its neighbors for decades when Cyrdia annexed it in exchange for protecting them from said neighbors. Most Stribans dislike the empire, especially as many have been forcefully conscripted into the military.
Ogrites: The hardy, proud people of the region of Ogri fought hard against Cyrdia despite their inferior organization, and conflict in the region is still commonplace. Cyrdia's attempts to "civilize" the Ogrites have not helped to ease the tension.
Kafrians: The coastal trading kingdom of Kafria originally had a positive relationship with Cyrdia, but increasing political and economic pressure forced it to join the expanding empire. Currently, most Ospians and Abraxans see Kafrians as greedy swindlers, and Kafrians tend to see them as expansionist and egocentric. The Cyrdian government's control over Kafrian trade has increased smuggling and piracy in the area.
The Cyrdian Empire was originally the much smaller nation of Ospia, which only marginally resembled its current self. A proud kingdom, Ospia had its royal family deposed by Cyrdin, who was already a lich by that time. A period of brutal infighting followed, with numerous rebellions rising against the new ruler. Cyrdin slowly gained complete control of Ospia, crushing the rebellions with vicious cruelty.
Cyrdia then attacked the nearby nation of Abrax, which submitted rather quickly, not because Cyrdia's military was overwhelming them, but because they shared much of the same culture with the Ospians, and preferred it to a costly war. Ospia's rival of Gucharia was next. Most of its people were slaughtered as they fought to the last against Cyrdia. While Cyrdia also sustained considerable losses, the Gucharians were nearly wiped out.
The Craoca plains were quite easily conquered because it was inhabited by small groups that either submitted or were destroyed. Foshia, however, was an advanced nation with great magical prowess. Cyrdia fought a hard war against them, achieving a slow victory, until Foshia relented and agreed to surrender in exchange for partnership. Iaclyae, however, did not. Their population was more than halved by war, and the survivors mostly decided to leave their homeland and find places elsewhere in the empire.
Stribia agreed to be annexed by Cyrdia in exchange for protection from its neighbors, mostly Upriel. The northern wilds of Ogri were conquered, but not before their people fought a fierce guerrilla war with the Cyrdian military. The most recent conquest was a neighbor of Ogri, a trading kingdom called Kafria.
Cyrdia has continually been a pioneer of the melding of magic and technology, which has been a major part of its success in war. Nearly all towns of a sufficient size have running water, and firearms are an exotic but attainable form of weaponry. An advanced logistics system sends people and supplies through a network of teleportation circles. In some places, magical energy is supplied to buildings, allowing for certain conveniences.
Cyrdia's neighbors have copied many of its developments, though they remain behind technologically.
As the emperor and much of the government's top brass is undead, worship of any deity who opposes undeath, especially Parasma, is outlawed, with execution as the punishment. Given the empire's warlike nature, worship of Gorum is quite common.
Cyrdia's rapid expansion has left it with no allied nations. Its ambitions are obvious, and each of its neighbors has responded in its own way.
Tsumoenia: The northern nation of Tsunoemia has taken the first move in its impending war with Cyrdia. The government has paid bandits to raid Cydnian towns, as well as providing aid to Ogrite rebels. Tsumoenia and Ogri have many similarities, as they both came from the same original people.
Strothia: The mostly Dwarven federation of Strothia has responded to its neighbor's conquest by digging in. Its various local rulers have strengthened their ties to each other, and new fortresses are being constructed, especially near the border, at a high rate.
Upriel: Renowned for its wyvern-riding warriors, the strong nation of Upriel is currently engaged in a fierce war with Cyrdia. Its early victories led its generals to overconfidence, and the Cyrdian military's recent adaptations have given them the upper hand.
Phodr: Protected by a living god for which the country is named, Phodr has maintained neutrality, confident in its security against attacks of any kind.
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