[hider= The Shao Linn Empire under the Cho dynasty(WIP)]
Nation Name: Shao Lynn
Ruler Name: Emperor Ma Ji Cho
The Statistics Box: (Using Burthstone's system if you don't mind. I can use the conventional stat ranking system that you made if you are unhappy with this though.)
Research and Development: 1
Army: 2
Economy: 3
Industry: 1
Crops: 2
Population: 0
City Development: 1
Culture/Religion: 2
Law Enforcement: 2
Political Freedoms: 0
Civil Rights: 1
Exports/Imports: 3

INFLUENCE: The Shao Linn Emperor's influence over his people is absolute. The people of the Shao Linn Empire believes that the Emperor is the blessed child of the heavens and the earth and is believed to be a living God. The mandates of the emperor are the mandates of the skies and the earth and to go against the emperor's will is to against the will of a God. The common people rarely gets to see the emperor because he is always at his forbidden city, away from the prying eyes of the commoners. A majority of the Shao Linn population revere their emperor with great devotion. Those who do not would keep their opinions hidden least they want to be captured and imprisoned. 
WEALTH: The Shao Linn Empire is a power house of economic wealth in the Middle Seas Kingdom. Since their culture differs greatly from their neighbors, there is a huge demand for their crafts and oddities. Artisans and craftsmen would create exotic trinkets, scultures, pottery, clothing and more and sell them off to local merchants. Local merchants would then sell them off to exporters and foriegn merchants for a higher price. Such great novelties as the [i]Chi-yuan dolls, Buyen long dresses[/i] and [i]Pai Do landscape pictures[/i] are to name but a few of the exotic crafts of the Shao Linn people. The Shao Linn Empire is also known for their export of the narcotic known as the "[i]Quia Lou[/i]". The Quia Lou is derived from the flower of a Pon pon plant. The flower of the said blank has a circular, bulbous shape that has the color of either purple, red or yellow. The sap is then extracted from the flower and is baked until it turns into a fine powder that is smoke through a pipe. The Quia Lou and the different crafts of Shao Linn have made it into a very wealthy power in the Middle Seas Kingdoms. 
POWER: The Shao Linn Empire has a military force only capable of defending its own borders. The Empire has a professional army led by nobility. The 5 regions of the empire are led by the five families. Although they are led by nobility, the army is hired, paid and maintianed by the state. Each family is loyal to the emperor and makes sure of that through a sort of of fief and by force if needed. The 5 families are:
*Dou Jin - The governers of the northern region known as "Sho Mann Jin". They are in command of an army numbering 8, 000 strong. 
*Mie Pan - The governers of the eastern region known as "Sho Mann Pan". They are in command of an army numbering 10,000 strong. 
*Batt - The governers of the southern region known as "Sho Mann Batt". They are in command of an army numbering 5,000 strong.
*Chinn - The governers of the western region known as "Sho Mann Chinn". They are in command of an army numbering 2,000 strong.
*Zhou - The governers of the heartland region known as "Sho Mann Zhou". They are in command of the Shao Linn Imperial navy. 

History: The history of the Shao Linn people is abundant in sorrow, bloodshed and dispair although it also shows the will of the Shao Linn people to live. To the far east of the Middle Seas Kingdoms holds a land know as Shu-Fa. A millennium ago, Shu-Fa was in a state of war. Five warring kingdoms relentless fought one another for control over the entirety of Shu-fa. Those five states were the Qo, the Yung, the Fat, the Chi and the Linn states. Thousands upon thousands of lives were lost as each state tried to grapple control over the other. During this time, several military geniuses such as Do-Yung and Boe Zha wrote extensively about the nature of war and the different tactics that might be used in the battlefield. One of those manuscripts about the strategies of war, "The Principles of War" by Shang Lee, is still used by the Shao Linn Empire today. At this time, mercenaries also became more abundant in Shu-Fa and were hired often to bolster the ranks of each state. There seemed to have been no end in sight for the people of Shu-Fa. All this changed however when the ruler of the Yung state, was assasinated and his son was forced to take his place. The new ruler of Yung, a man named Ma Shu, began to use unorthodox tactics on the field as well as the use of magi in his army. Slowly, the Yung state began to have control over more and more of the land. The mix of legendary battlefield tactics as well as his elite magi soldiers overwhelmed the other states. Within 5 years of his rulership of the Yung state, Shu was able to defeat the Chi state. Within 9, he destroyed the Qo state. Facing annihilation, the rulers of then Fat and Linn states decided to form an alliance against the growing Yung threat. They plotted to stop a Yung a invasion by having their diplomats meet Shu to negotiate a surrender of both states while they would send assasins to kill him once he was distrated with the negotiations. When offered a truce by the two states, Shu happily accepted. When both states declared they were willing to surrender peacefully and negotiate, Shu was immensely happy. However the plan for assasination was foiled by none other than Shu himself when the assasins tried to kill him and he successfully defended himself. Shu had the assasins and the diplomats killed and had their heads sent back to Fat and Linn. Shu was very much enraged by this act and decided no quarters would be given to the treacherous foes. His conquest of the Fat state was brutal and unmerciful as soldiers, nobility and peasants alike were slaughtered by the dozens. Fearing for their lives, the Linn people as well as Fat survivors began to evacuate out of their homes. The leaders of the state also abandoned their homes. It was a masive exodus numbering in the thousands as the elves of Linn and Fat scrambbled to safety in the west. Shu did not chase them although and became content on finally unifying the once factured states. 

After about a month, the refugees finally found a new home to settle on. This new settlement was on the banks of a might river on a hill which was a perfect defensible postion. The new settlement was named "Shao Linn" by the people meaning "New Linn". Within the span of 5 years, the Linn people was able to put a high stone wall around their new home as well as a humble palace and courtyard for their leader. The sorrounding lands were also excellent for agriculure and husbandry. Farmers and sheperds lived outside the stone walls in their farms which yeilded great bounties. Not too far north, the Linn people discovered a gold mine that insured prosperity for its people. Within those five years, the Linn culture began to flourish once more. New songs of traditional music were made. Tradtional forms of writing, painting and sculting were maintained. Different stories of old were preserved with new ones based on old themes became abundant. The influx of gold also gave rise to the number of skilled jewelers who would make excellent jewelry that were so exquisite, some people had it buried with them when they died. Soon merchants began to flock to this new mystical city swimming in riches. All this attention were also recieved by ill company. An ancient Doanish army had heard of Shao Linn through passing merchants telling them of the riches the city held. The Doanish army then made its way to this city. The Doanish were impressed by this people that seemed to have come out of nowhere and build a great fortune for themselves. However these Doanish men were not interested in trading. Without warning, the Doanish began to raid and pillage the sorrounding farm lands of the Linn people. The Linn people were quick to put a defense. The siege of Shao Linn itself toom the Doanish invaders by surpise. The Linn people resisted the attackers with great ferocity. After a week into the siege, all of the Doanish efforts were fruitless. The Doanish army leader then asked for the aid of a Doanish sorcerer. The sorcerer came up with a cunning plan of undermining the walls to breach Shao Linn's defense. Using lots of timber and an alchemic formula that noone but the sorcerer knows, he began to set a massive fire under Shao Linn's left wall. It only took hours before the wall fell and the Doanish came rushing in. The Linn people were valiant in their defense but were soon overwhelmed. The Linn people began to flee in panic of the maruading army. Most were force to flee with only the clothes on their backs. Shao Linn was looted and burned to the ground. The Linn people had to find a new home once more. 

Again after a month, the tired Linn people found a place to settle upon. They found their home on a beautiful blue coastline that spanned as long as the eyes could see. The nearby woodlands also provided the Linn people an abundance in timber. Once again they named their new settlement Shao Linn. They took all precaution when building the new walls of the city. They placed a moat around the new city to stop invaders from yet again undermining their walls and to bring any siege equipment to breach them from above the walls. Strategic tunnels were placed from the city going outside its walls for a fast mobilization of troops to counteract their opponents. This tunnels were kept secret only to military commanders and the rulers of the city. The tunnels went through the moat and was covered with silt and mud to stop the water leaking in. Abive the walls were ballista launchers that were able to launch huge spear-like projectiles at enemy siege towers. 
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