Qija

Qija- officially the Second Qijan Republic- is a sovereign and landlocked state situated in the southeastern part of the continent Yushik. It is bordered by Chene to the northeast, Fenrira to the west, Jawlan to the northwest, and the unclaimed Southern Tangle to the south. Originally founded as a constitutional monarchy, it established itself as a dominant industrial power, specializing in machinery and weaponry. Under the imperial Qijan Supremacy, it later succeeded in conquering nearly all of the Yushiki continent before being overthrown and reformed into its current government- the Second Qijan Republic.

The name Qija is used both to refer to the country and its capital city, as it was originally a city-state. To help distinguish, the city is often referred to as the City of Qija (CIQ).

It is notable for being the location of Peter Horvát’s first mission as a Dimension Master (see Uprising and Genesis), who played a vital role in ending the Qijan Supremacy, which had been in place for nearly one thousand years.

Kingdom of Qija
The first settlers were probably descendants of clans in the neighbouring jungle (now the unclaimed Southern Tangle) who moved to Qija’s location for its openness, close proximity to the lush forestry, and mineral wealth. Qija was originally a moderately sized power, ruled by a monarch called a Lord and head of government called a Consol. Its legislature was commanded by a unicameral Senate. The favourable location of the kingdom made manufacturing faster than competing powers, as the Kingdom of Qija’s booming industry and military was stronger than that of any other country in the south.

It rarely entered armed conflict and lacked an international presence, preferring to keep to itself and improve the domestic front. However, it fiercely defended itself against the Yong-Zul conquests and successfully maintained sovereignty, outlasting several generations of countries and proving that it was no pushover in warfare.

A blood-stained office
Ovusiamo, a highly vocal member of the royal Qijan bloodline, advocated for Qijan expansion and imperialism, having been inspired by the Yong-Zul conquests witnessed in his youth. When he was pronounced Lord of Qija in 813 MA, he appealed to his citizens by proclaiming Qija was destined for glory. Under his administration, the Senate and post of Consol were abolished and his title was changed to Emperor, transforming the Kingdom of Qija into the imperial Qijan Supremacy. Shortly after he assumed the throne, conquest of the continent began, and neighbouring cities and dominions were claimed for the Supremacy.

The fragile states of Naphtali, Dongolev, and Sareg were the first to fall to the Supremacy, extending its territory to the east coast where it acquired valuable trading ports with the northwestern state of Borgia, the largest economic hub at the time. In 822, the Abode of Yong-Zultia and Republic of Corona declared war on the Qijan Supremacy, denying its expansion further west. Though they successfully hindered Qija's progress on the western front, there was little effort to contain a northward assault, as it was assumed the surrounding desert would be too hostile for Qija to penetrate. Given Qija's relatively small population, its opponents hoped that the stalemate would wear down Qija, leading to cracks in their defence. They were shocked to discover that Qija had captured key cities along the eastern coast, effectively bringing the entire desert region under its control and changing the tide of battle to Qija's favour. Emperor Ovusiamo lived long enough to witness the surrender of Yong-Zultia and Corona, the latter of which became a valuable puppet state to Qija, rather than being subject to complete assimilation like its ally.

Qijanization of Yushik
Subsequent emperors continued Ovusiamo's rapid expansion and