The origins of the Empire can be traced to a small village nestled among lush, fertile riverlands. The village was the birthplace of the first in a long, uninterrupted line of sci-magics—wise sorcerers that bent nature to their will with a unique fusion of both magic and science. Seven thousand years later, their direct descendants would bend an entire continent to their will, unifying it into the Empire of Sar'Yi Ameos, which was ruled by the most powerful among them. Here, mystical clones known as ""shifters"" were created by the Emperor himself, forged from his own blood in the fires of sci-magic.
With loyalty to the Emperor embedded in their very souls and the ability to change their physical appearance at will, the shifters were created for a singular purpose: to ensure the stability of the Empire. They would venture into sprawling cities, towns, and villages, often posing as beggars, to survey the land for traces of dissent and corruption. For these secret missions, the shifters were equipped with a powerful artifact, the Royal Seal of Sar'Yi, which enabled them to requisite horses and soldiers from any imperial outpost and communicate with the Emperor using thoughts alone. Once the secret surveillance was completed, the shifters would reveal themselves by presenting the Royal Seal and changing their face to the one of the Emperor. They would proceed to inspect the local administrator’s office and records. Corruption was dealt with mercilessly and instantly; any official found guilty would be summarily executed. After the completion of their mission, inspectors would use the Royal Seal to send a report to the Emperor in the form of pure personal memories, often sent across colossal distances. The memories would detail wrongs committed by former and active local officials, report on the mood of the populace, and recommend hidden talents that could be trained in the ways of sci-magic.