The Quan Empire

Beyond the Volcanic Hills and the Jade Mountains lies the vast Quan Empire. Once a land of rival warrior clans, it was unified under the Quan at the start of the New Age through coercion, bribery, and cunning.

The Five Primary Peoples

The Empire is comprised of five distinct groups, listed here in ascending order of social importance:

The Vajra (Miners and Builders)

• Appearance: Short and squat with orange-brown armored plates like a pangolin.
• History: Formerly lived in underground fortress-cities in the northern mountains until overwhelmed by Quan numbers.
• Role: Serve as miners, engineers, stoneworkers, and low-class infantry. Their mines provide the gold and gems that fuel the Empire's wealth.

The Sunra (Semi-Aquatic Seafarers)

• Appearance: Graceful humanoids with silvery-scaled skin and deep blue eyes.
• History: Accepted Quan rule after their home, the Inland Sea, was threatened by the damming of the River Shan.
• Role: Fishermen, sea farmers, and the naval branch of the military. They navigate the seas in ornate Dragon Barques.

The Mandalans (Scholars and Artisans)

• Appearance: Golden-skinned, slender, and hairless with almond eyes.
• History: An enlightened culture that abhorred violence. They surrendered their coastal city, Jacinth, to avoid its destruction.
• Role: Artisans, architects, historians, and servants. Their passive nature is often exploited for menial labor.

The Kang (Warriors)

• Appearance: Tall and fierce with fiery red skin and pupil-less white eyes.
• History: Formerly nomadic masters of the Grey Lands. They chose to become mercenary subjects of the Quan for gold rather than fight them.
• Role: The backbone of the military and enforcers of the caste system. They are notorious plotters, often seeking the rank of Honorary Elite.

The Quan (Ruling Class)

• Appearance: Pale-skinned folk of average build who adopt extravagant and ostentatious fashions. [^1]
• Role: The masters of the Empire. They do not work, instead overseeing the conquered peoples who provide for all their needs.
• Culture: Governed by a rigid caste system ranging from the Grand Elite (Emperor) to the Elite.

Notable Settlements

The Empire features seven major settlements:

• Tian (The Golden City): The capital, built on a man-made island lake. It features the Palace of a Thousand Fountains.
• Jacinth: The stately coastal city of the Mandalans.
• Isalis: The Coral City of the Sunra, located in the Inland Sea.
• Military Outposts: Karang, Vishana, Shonan, and Hadran.

[^1]: For the Quan, obesity is considered a sign of wealth and success. They are attended hand and foot by slaves from birth.