Empire of Kehjistan (The Servant)

The Empire of Kehjistan, otherwise called the Eastern Empire, or the Kehjistani Empire and known in asian ncient times as Kehjan, is the great empire of the eastern lands of Sanctuary, located along the eastern coast of the Twin Seas, with the emerald jungles surrounding Kurast in the south, and the desolation surrounding Caldeum in the north. Once a ruined state, the Empire of Kehjistan was restored and has began a massive revitalization.

Ancient History
Several thousand years ago, hunter-gatherers found themselves drawn to the lush, fertile rain forests and bountiful game inhabiting southern Kehjistan. But there was something else; Kehjistan's geography was rife with nodes of magical energies, and eventually those with innate, arcane abilities began to sense and recognize these forces, gathering in groups to settle these special areas around -3000.

Kehjan Empire
The proto-Kehjistani inhabitants lived in numerous powerful city-states, most based in the rich fertile river-vally of the Argentek River. These cities became to be ruled by powerful kings, who frequently warred with each other and the tribes of the northern dry regions of Kehjan. The most prominent and powerful of these cities was Kehjan. Around -2580 the first known empire was created under Khurjag I, the king Kehjan who united the disparate city-states under his rule. His reign is generally believed to have been the starting point of the Kehjan Empire and their respective golden age. Recovered artifacts indicate that by the year -2300, writing, art, and science had become an integral part of human culture as numerous new technologies and ideas were invented.

The city of Kehjan established itself as the ruling hegemonic power of the region, though suffering an invasion by the Ascenian people around -2290, whose tribes established many new settlements in the region but most of whom fell under the sway of Kehjan and its monarch.

In -2200 the cultures of Kehjan formalized the study of magic, which led to the creation of the Mage Clans, the original groups being founded in the jungles of the land, where the nodes of magic had originally been discovered. The growing power of the clans led to the formation of the Al'Raquish in -2100, which ruled Kehjan alongside the land's monarchy and trade guilds.

The Kehjani worshipped a plethora of gods in their polytheistic religion, many of whom had original roots in early tribal religions and animist beliefs.

By -2000, Kehjan's power began to wane, and while it remained a powerful force within the region, it began to grow weaker and more decentralized.

Shassar Civilization

The Sin War
Because of the actions of Jere Harash in -1992, the Burning Hells were made aware of the existence of Sanctuary. The Prime Evils made plans to enslave humanity by forming the Temple of the Triune in -1880, a seemingly benevolent religion that would act as their front in the mortal realm. In time, the religion's numbers swelled. In order to combat the Triune, the archangel Inarius formed the Cathedral of Light in -1820, seeking to stymie the Prime Evils' influence. Both religions grew in power, and achieved immense influence over the people of Kehjan.

Thus began the Sin War in 1809, a deep ideological battle between the two religions, which achieved remarkable success in converting the inhabitants of the region, as Inarius and the Prime Evils waged a secret war for the souls of mankind. It was a war that only ended with the coming of Uldyssian, a new reborn nephalem and the Edyrem. Due to his efforts, the Triune and the Cathedral are virtually wiped out. Following Uldyssian's sacrifice, Hell and Heaven let Sanctuary be, and hid the truth of what had really occurred.

The Age of Magic
Believing the Sin War to be nothing more than a clash of faiths, the people of Kehjan turned away from religion. They went so far as to rename their land as "Kehjistan," and began to look to the Mage Clans for guidance in -1799, starting the Age of Magic, a golden age of magic and enlightenment.

Birth of the Kehjistan Empire
With the new power of the Mage Clans, the Kehjistani Empire began a new era of expansion, notably under the power sorcerer Emperor Korseran II "the Great" who arose to power in -1777. Numerous new building projects were ensured, as well as the foundation of Kehjistani administration and legal codes, many of which still stand to this day. As a member of the Vizjerei Clan, he ensured that they had a prominent place within the empire, as well as the other members of the Mage Clans.

Those few in the empire who knew the truth of what had happened in the Sin War forbid the practice of demonology. In this time, the Vizjerei Clan served as the Empire's backbone, with the city of Viz-jun serving as the new imperial capital, located deep within the jungles of Kehjistan.

Korseran's dynasty lasted for several centuries, overseeing a lengthy period of peace and prosperity for the empire. Numerous territorial wars and conflicts saw the expansion of the empire into the western jungles of Torajan or the Marshlands, or the eastern regions of the Swamplands. Most successful, however, were a series of colonization efforts across Twin Seas into the region of Aranoch (named after the prominent emperor Aran III) These saw the establishment of the numerous prosperous trading hubs and port cities, such as Lut Gholein.

Centuries of Strife
Beginning around -750, a series of political instabilities saw the gradual waning of the empire and began a period known as the Centuries of Strife. Conflicts with the Samauren Empire, successive rebel jungle tribes, the Xiansai houses, and invasion by numerous desert tribes from the Dry Steppes saw a great weakening of imperial power and military might.

In addition, the strain of holding together its vast territories grew to taxing, especially holding onto the colonies in Aranoch. By -579 the last Kehjistani troops had pulled out and left the region to its own fate.

Further compounding this decline were a series of political civil wars, starting with a succession crisis following the death of Emperor Aran VII in -623, with several other civil wars in the following centuries. The most devastating of these was the War of Gray Wolves from -453 to -425 between two main rival houses and claimants to the throne.

All of these dramatically decreased the power of the imperial throne, who had to increasingly rely upon the Mage Clans for political authority. It soon became apparent that the Mage Clans were the true powers of the empire. eventually ruling and administering territories, acting as powerful military forces, and in most cases serving as the ultimate authority within Kehjistan.

Mage Clan Wars
Tensions between the Mage Clans, specifically the five or so greatest ones, began to simmer, as each divvied for further power and control while weak emperors ruled from the seat of Viz-jun. In the year -210, the Mage Clan Wars finally erupted in Kehjistan's major cities, lasting seven years. Kehjistan became a battlefield, with minor and major clans fighting each other and resorting to more drastic magic, notable forbidden demonology, to achieve victory.

The conflict near the end mainly was fought between the former Vizjerei mages and brothers Horazon and Bartuc, resulting in the creation of the khazra and horrific casualties. A dramatic final battle between the two in -203 left Bartuc dead, the capital of Viz-jun destroyed, and the end of the war.

Kehjistan never regained the glory it had possessed prior to the conflict, and much of the realm was bristling with untamed magical energies. While much of this dissipated over time, some had effects upon the landscape and creatures of the jungle. The power of the Mage Clans was forever broken.

The death and suffering of the Mage Clan Wars pushed mankind away from the arcane sciences. The fallout from the conflict saw the Kehjistani people turn against the mages, massacring whole clans, though some Mage Clans (including the Vizjerei) survived but in diminished form. Numerous tomes of lore were destroyed, and the Order of the Viz-Jaq'taar was formed to deal with rogue mages.

Following a near century long period of warlords, petty kings, and anarchy, a weakened and greatly diminished Kehjistani Empire was reborn under Emperor Valzuran "Mage-Killer" in -92. He violently hunted down Mage Clans and any sorcerers, and passed numerous laws forbidding the use of magic.

Age of Faith
Over the centuries, the people of Kehjistan began to once again see faith and religion as a source of meaning and purpose. The Age of Magic thus came to be replaced with the Age of Faith, and numerous new religions spring up. A number of religious figures arose within this period, most notably, Akarat. It was in this time that the ascetic received a vision in year 0 that formed the beginnings of the Zakarum faith. Akarat found several followers among the cities he visited in Kehjistan, but following his disappearance into the jungles of Toraja, his religion remained relatively small and obscure.

New Imperial Growth
Over the next several centuries, numerous other cults and faith would be established and grow in Kehjistan, often leading to religious wars and conflicts between converts and powerful nobles within the empire. Reforms under Emperor Lanthur II and Karnacklye helped restore the power of the empire, seeing new economic and military growth, as well as the conquest of former territories, though the empire never reached its pre-Mage Clan Wars sizes or status.

Notable among during this period was the gradual return of the Mage Clans, who slowly regained some place within Kehjistani society. Emperor Lanthur I allowed them to be reinstated and magic to be practiced in the empire once more in 57 AK, though the power of the Mage Clans would remain constantly in check. Central imperial authority greatly expanded, and the Kehjistani emperors began to focus more on fortifying and solidifying the core territories of the empire.

The Rise of Zakarum
In the 10th century, the Prime Evils were banished to Sanctuary by the Lesser Evils in an event that would be known as the Dark Exile. With the Three Brothers let loose upon the mortal world in 964, Kehjistan suffered, as the Primes fermented unrest within the empire. The Horadrim eventually bound all three demons, but nearly a centuary after the Primes first arrived in Sanctuary, Kehjistani society remained in a dire state, plagued by famine and disease. Commoners increasingly viewed the ruling elite as the source of their woes, and rebellion was poised to tear the empire apart.

In this critical juncture, Emperor Tassara converted to the increasingly popular Zakarum faith in 1042, which had steadily been growing and gaining popularity. In doing so, he gained the adoration of the people, and solidified his hold over the empire. Zakarum became the empire's dominant religion, and the capital was moved from Viz-jun to Kurast, following the creation of the new Zakarum seat of power known as the Travincal, completed in 1018. Tassara worked to codify the Zakarum faith, and so began the actual Zakarum church. He dispatched his general Rakkis, who had previously defeated rebellious rulers within the empire, to bring the light of Zakarum to the West, thus ridding him of a potential rival in the process.

Imperial Decline and Corruption
The Zakarum faith would grow in influence, but would also grow increasingly despotic, as the church fell under the sway of Mephisto. Despite a the Zakarum Reformation in 1150, corruption began to spread throughout the church, and the imperial house itself, located within Kurast. This would culminate in the creation of Zakarum Inquisition in 1225, while a slow and subtle weakening of imperial authority and power across Kehjistan. By 1245 the corruption of the church's High Council was complete, resulting in the Darkening of Tristram and eventually the fall of Kurast when Mephisto was finally defeated by a group of heroes in 1264.

After the defeat of Mephisto and the other Primes, the capital of Kehjistan shifted from Kurast to Caldeum, as nobles fled the city due to the effects of Mephisto's corruption. Emperor Hakan I joined them, making Caldeum the new capital, and during his years the empire was stabilized, if weakened.

After his death, through a series of elaborate rituals, Zakarum priests found an infant they declared to be Hakan's spiritual successor and made him the new emperor, declaring him Hakan II. Early in his reign, Kehjistan began to suffer from drought, as even into winter, the heat of summer remained within its north. His more superstitious subjects claimed that this was an omen for his reign. Great sandstorms ravaged the desert, as moving dunes created an ever shifting landscape. The desert swallowed villages whole, leaving bare stone foundations or a handful of mud bricks where homes had once stood. A year on, and the drought remained. The empire began to wither, and the Mage Clans could provide no answers.

Hakan II withdrew support for outlying regions around the capital, leaving them to fend for themselves. The final straw for the empire was the revelation that Hakan II was in fact the Lesser Evil Belial in disguise, and the subsequent mass genocide by the fallen Archangel Mathael and his Reapers. Without a strong leader and a massive loss of life, the remaining Kehjistani territories broke apart into squabbling factions and civil infighting in 1285

Empire's Salvation
The Empire of Kehjistan was restored five years later, under Emperor Hakan III. The illegitimate son of Hakan I, he had joined the military, and after the fall of the empire lead his own army to claim the throne. After several years of brutal fighting he finally crushed his opponents and marched into Caldeum to claim his throne. During this period the Second Zakarum Reformation began thanks to the Servant, who himself declared Hakan to be the true successor to his namesake. Hakan was crowned by the Que-Hegan as the Emperor of Kehjistan in 1290, and soon after married Asheara, a mercenary leader who had kept the city together.

With his new empress at his side, Hakan aided in the reformation of the church and saw numerous dramatic changes to the empire itself, helping to rebuild its military and restores it power and prestige. Under his administration former territories were reincorporated and new governance set up.

The Empire of Kehjistan was a pivotal member of the White Concord, and its armies and lands saw much of the fighting of the Great Demonic War. Following the end of the war, Kehjistan has emerged as the dominant power in Sanctuary and entering into another golden age.

Government
The empire is ruled by the emperor, who possesses incredible political power but must balance that out with the desires and whims of powerful companies, guilds, and nobility. These political entities and factions hold significant, if more or less informal, sway over court politics, such as the Yshari Conclave.

Administration
The empire is divided into twenty or so satrapies, imperial provinces ruled by anointed satraps. Each satrapy is given a remarkable degree of autonomy, with general cultural and political rule so long as allegiance is held to the imperial throne, pays taxes, and provides troops to the imperial military. Due to hundreds of years of cultural and political connections and gradual assimilation, most of the satrapies retain very high loyalties towards the core empire. Satrapies are able to be established in conquered kingdoms and territories, granting the empire the chance to further expand and control vast regions of land with flexibility.

Helping to maintain the empire is a vast and elaborate imperial highway road system. Crossing these are imperial messangers, who are able to rapidly relay instructions and missives.


 * Satrapy of Shassar
 * Satrapy of the Borderlands

Military
As a result of the assimilation of soldiers from conquered territories and the employment of mercenaries, the Kehjistanti army is comprised of men from many various regions, though many of whom retain close cultural links with Kehjistan. Each satrapy supplies soldiers based on a levy system known as the kara, forming a standing army of conscripts known as the spada.

The usual tactic employed by the Kehjistani is based around the sparabara, or shield-bearers, who formed a shield wall that archers could fire over. Once they wore down their opposing army, they then employed shock attacks with their heavy infantry, the cavalry, as well as the elite soldiers. However, the military doctrine of the core army is flexible based around hundreds of years of conflict, with commanders and generals trained to be able to shift plans based upon specific enemy types or local terrain.

Organization of the army is based on the decimal system, meaning each unit was comprised of ten lesser units:


 * 10 men = a company
 * 10 companies = a battalion
 * 10 battalions = a division
 * 10 divisions = a corps

Each company, battalion, division, and corps has a commanding officer and the whole army was led by a supreme commander, either the emperor or a noble who was in the king's trust, and different units are identified by different colored uniforms. The army is divided into infantry (foot-soldiers, archers, slingers) and cavalry and the cavalry further into those who used horses and those who used camels. Chariots are also employed in battle but their use depends on the circumstance and commander. The elite of the infantry are the 10,000 troops which made up The Eternals, the emperor's trusted guard, so-named because, if one fell in battle or could not – for whatever reason – fulfill his duties, another would take his place so their number remained the same, giving the impression they could not be killed.

The Imperial Navy is only recently been rebuilt, but has a large maritime presence in the North Twin Sea, long considered the home sea of the Kehjistani. It is divided in a similar way to the army and main fighting force of

Geography
Kehjistan encompassed almost one-third of Sanctuary's eastern hemisphere, and its terrain changed very little over the millennia. The northern portion of the empire is hot and dry, while the southern portion is a verdant rainforest. In the middle lies a rich and fertiel river valley, the origin of civilization and core of the empire.

Towns and cities in Kehjistan tended to be large. Even the largest of cities in Entsteig could be dwarfed by a town in Kehjistan. It appears that unlike Entsteig, towns in Kehjistan were planned carefully to make them easier to navigate. A trip by sea from Westmarch to Kehjistan takes weeks.

The South
To Kehjistan's south lie emerald rainforests, and with an average of over 400 inches per year, Kehjistan has the largest rainforests in the known world. This huge expanse of jungle feeds the Argentek River, which is the longest andwidest river in Sanctuary. Hundreds of smaller rivers and tributaries twist and turn their way through the lush tropical forests until they finally unite with the mighty Argentek. Herbalists and alchemists revere the rainforest environment for its ecological diversity.

Until around the Darkening of Tristram, these sages would come from far and wide to study and collect the rare plants and animals that make their homes here. The wet, humid atmosphere of these rainforests is an environment perfect for fly and mosquito larvae. Pools of stagnant water gather after the frequent rain storms, providing excellent spots for the adults of these species to lay their eggs. Because of the use of magic in the Mage Clan Wars, some flora and fauna of the jungles grew to massive sizes due to the adverse effects of magical energy. Trees and vines would grow to unusual size, rivers and swamps would appear overnight, and once innocuous creatures would gain dangerous abilities with an appetite to match.

The North
Kehjistan's north is dominated by desert. It is here that the Borderlands denote its northern border with the Dry Steppes. To the west, Kehjistan is bordered by the Twin Seas, while swamplands lie at its eastern edges. Few try to cross the desert without a fully supplied caravan.

Cities and Towns

 * Al Cut (destroyed)
 * Alcarnus
 * Caldeum (fourth capital)
 * Caldeum's Rest
 * Gea Kul
 * Greater Fahira (ruins)
 * Istani
 * Kehjan (first capital)
 * Khasim Outpost
 * Kurast (third capital)
 * Lut Bahadur
 * Necropolis
 * Tabri's Encampment
 * Travincal
 * Ureh
 * Viz-jun (destroyed, the second capital)
 * Partha (Ruins)
 * Seram (Ruins)

Landforms

 * Argentek River
 * Arachnid Lair
 * Black Canyon Mines
 * Cave of Burrowing Horror
 * Cave of the Betrayer
 * Dahlgur Oasis
 * Hadi's Claim Mine
 * Howling Plateau
 * Sirocco Caverns
 * Spider Cavern
 * Sundered Canyon
 * Swampy Pit
 * Tunnels of the Rockworm

Regions

 * Borderlands
 * Desolate Sands
 * Dry Steppes
 * Flayer Jungle
 * Great Marsh
 * Shassar Sea
 * Spider Forest
 * Tardein Wastes

Other

 * Archives of Zoltun Kulle
 * Black Canyon Bridge
 * Chamber of the Lost Idol
 * Chamber of Wisdom
 * Grand Temple of the Triune (destroyed)
 * Hidden Conclave
 * Kurast Causeway
 * Library of Zoltun Kulle
 * Tomb of Fahir
 * Tomb of Khan Dakab
 * Tomb of Sardar
 * Vault of the Assassin
 * Vile Cavern

Culture & Society
TBA