Crane Empire

The Crane Empire was one of the first organized states to exist on Bahm, perhaps the first polity that could truly be called a 'state' in the modern sense. It was the first state to unite Augerna, comprising, at its height, an expanse from northern Nehzer to as far south as Mitnimh. It also spread the worship of Talunism, converting Augernans from their ancient pagan religions. It was an absolute monarchy with a dynastic cycle in which a dynasty of rulers gained power, prospered, and then slowly declined, becoming corrupt and ineffectual or overthrown. The empire, as its name implies, was ruled by an upper class of imperial crane nobility. The Crane Empire spread its culture across the entire continent, massively influencing the culture of every species of Augernan and even imprinting the idea of cranes naturally being superior and rulers into common birds. The one people it never tamed or influenced that much are the toglaat, who remained nomadic herders in the eastern steppe throughtout the empire's history. Regardless, when the Crane Empire fell and the Toglaati Khanate formed, the toglaat adopted many of the cultural traditions of the cranes, denouncing their practices while at once assimilating them.

Founding
The empire was originally founded in antiquity as a single village called Na. The village was run by a series of single families who proceeded to intelligently and effectively fortify it against the rainders and bandits who were once rampant in the area. As the secutiry of Na attracted immigrants from camps and villages nearby, the territory expanded into a hamlet of walled and trade-connected towns and villages. Na eventually accrued the resources and population to form a standing army under its own control, with the villages growing prosperous and larger in their adventageous safety from the nomads. Eventually, the villages of Na grew into each other, and shortly after, a great wall was built to connect the others and enclose the entire network, creating the city known as Narang, or "Greater Na." The distinct villages slowly faded into the districts of the city. Not long after that, the ruler of the time of Narang declared himself emperor, concretely forming the Crane Empire. This early period is known as the Low Crane Empire.