Xápék Alliance

The First Xápék Empire is an empire native of the Xápék people.

History
In the 7th century AIA, Xápék freedmen settle in the Expedition Lands. While it is mostly uninhabited, they also sometimes come across various Menswe, Mangic, Tororean and other native groups. With relationships mixed, either very positive or aggressive.

The Xápék have established a large city as their capital, Kûédóng, but those who did not settle here went away and across the various rivers, claiming multiple lands for themselves.

The tribes on the west bank of the Orange Bird River are known as the "Crossers", due to their geographical position. Those to the east of the Concord River are known as the "Covenant Tribes", because for the most part they had mutual alliances with the Emperor. Those who settled east of the Orange Bird River are known as the "Conquered Tribes of Xapar", because these tribes had all been conquered by a warlord named Xapar, who defiantly refused the Emperor's authority.

The Xápék's displacement policies had particular exceptions:
 * Natives owning lands sanctioned by the Emperor;
 * Natives who had been acculturated;
 * Natives married with ethnic Xápék.

The Menswe tribes who had not been displaced, although very scarce in numbers, were closed enclaves within the Emperor's direct jurisdiction.

Native populations of the Expedition Lands before the Xápék Exodus include:
 * Eastern Menswe (macrolanguage)
 * Mangic people (most notably mAng, Bunk and Ynong people)
 * Tororean people (Torore Proper, Dalalê and Zururi)
 * Lekan people (isolate)
 * Ÿ people (isolate)

Administrative divisions
The territory of the Early Xápék Empire was divided between the Common Lands, the Reservations and the Tribe Lands.

Common Lands
Common Lands (Old Xápék: Térung) are under the direct nominal control and protection of the Xápék Samung ("the Xápék landmaster"), an elected monarch that also has nominal authority on the rest of Xápék territory. The land there is commonly owned by the people, each family getting an equal share fitting their needs. Common Lands are administered by elected Térsûiqa ("craftmen alliances"), local assemblies who can send petitions to the Court in Xûédung. These local assemblies are also in charge of potential land disputes and inheritance problems.

Reservations
Reservations (Old Xápék: Balmoca, meaning "hunter sowers") are zones inhabited by the indigenous people of Zapekdum before the Xápék colonization. They are under direct control of local lieutenants (Old Xápék: Samdung "master of the settlements") and permanent legions are stationed there to tame any potential revolution. Traditional laws and land titles are held and determined by the indigenous peoples themselves.

A lot of Xápék incursions happened during the second and third centuries of the Old Imperial Calendar (circa 8th and 9th centuries AIA), causing conflicts and displacements for the natives, but also intermarriage.