Compared with a few years ago, ancient Shurima seemed to have changed very little—and yet, in many ways, it had changed a great deal.
In Northern Shurima, Noxian influence had all but vanished. The port cities that had once flown Noxian flags to reduce friction in trade had now switched back to Shuriman ones.
Interestingly, at first, people had merely kept switching sides back and forth. But after the Noxian Empire became the Noxus Kingdom, and then took a beating from Demacia's Northern Expeditionary Army in the Black Forest, the Harbor Governors who had made peace with Noxus were forced out one after another.
A lot of it was nothing more than a game of musical chairs. When a Harbor Governor stepped down, the replacement was often a former in-law or sibling. Still, it said a great deal about how Shurima's political climate had changed.
Seizing the opportunity, the former Harbor Governor of Nazumah, who had been forced to flee to Karduja for refuge, reappeared and began loudly promoting his Grand Shurima Strategy.
Oddly enough, though Northern Shurima's mood was visibly turning more conservative and traditional, almost no one responded to his fervent calls. Everyone seemed to agree that there was nothing wrong with reminiscing about the glory of the Shuriman Empire, but this talk of a Shuriman circular trade network was quite unnecessary.
In recent years, maritime trade across Runeterra had boomed. In Northern Shurima, where commerce was deeply ingrained, everyone knew it. Starting up a Shuriman circular trade network now would only mean missing out on the biggest piece of the maritime trade pie.
In terms of productivity, Northern Shurima's independent port cities could not compete with Demacia, which controlled the upper reaches of trade. But as Demacia gradually opened its borders, Northern Shurima's port cities had gained