[Hourglass of Zihaja] Chapter 2: The World of Siraaj

[Zeta Kai]

Ilud

Former Capital: Sa’ifah (AKA Gazafa Ashir)
Region: Ilud
Language: Alaqanasai (Ilud dialect)
Duration: 1,669 AK – 214 AF (2,509 years)
Notable Rulers: King Ilud Shumartim, King Mahubarim, Queen Sasu Zaduqim, King Qasim Nahutilud, Queen Ashmur, Queen Tari Hezaruqad, King Shapnutal

In the southwestern corner of the continent, west of Alhurus Lake, there was once the kingdom of Ilud (ee-LOOD), which was a place of fabled decadence & debauchery. A realm of great wealth & culture, the people here thought that they had created an earthly paradise, & that no other civilization could rise above them. They developed the first code of organized law, known as the Decree of Mahubarim, & they also perfected the art of architecture, building some of the most impressive structures of the ancient world.

Among these marvels were the Great Lighthouse, the Tomb of Shumartim, & the Temple of the Colossus. Due to their architectural prowess (conjectured to have been assisted by magic), the stonemasons of Ilud were able to make the marvelous commonplace, as well as the commonplace marvelous. Bridges, aqueducts, & ziggurats were everywhere, soaring above the ground or across wide chasms. And everything was intricately decorated with geometric patterns & depictions of religious symbols, especially representations of a pantheon of Iludai gods.

One of the primary reasons for this opulence was the fact that the kingdom of Ilud was founded upon one of the most verdant regions of the Central Continent. And unlike most regions, it remained fertile over the ages, even after the devastation of the Great Drought & the cataclysm of the Pactspell. The Ten Dark Years did cause a short famine here, but the ecosystem was able to mostly recover from even that crisis.

Ilud’s success in this region led to much envy among its neighbors, which in turn led to many conflicts & tensions. The realm once fought a war with the kingdom of Shadaz, which it barely lost, & was able to rebound from quickly. They invaded the Dominion of Alaqanas in the War of Songs, which they occupied for centuries. And they successfully repelled multiple incursions by the Admajai during the three Crown Wars, which strained the resources of both nations.

The kingdom of Ilud weathered both good times & bad, all with a zealous confidence in its superiority over other realms. But their arrogance could not help them overcome the entropy of time, so over the ages their power & greatness dwindled. They were forced to withdraw from Alaqanas, their vassal to the north, once the Ten Dark Years caused a crisis at home. They ceded territory to separatist movements in Fandaq, Naranj, & Zawraq. And while the nation never officially dissolved, it steadily declined as corruption & depravity pulled it apart, piece by piece. The country effectively ceased to exist as a unified entity after the death of King Shapnutal, the last great sovereign. Following Shapnutal’s demise, Ilud broke apart into non-aligned city-states & vassal towns, like the rest of the continent, with little shared culture & even less political unity.