Tower of Bilgames

The Tower of Bilgames stands amongst what was once a lake

The Tower of Bilgames is a large stone tower and the tomb of the revered general and founder of Ashur - Bilgames. The tower was built on an artificial island in what was once a large lake, the intention being to prevent grave robbery and maintain the sanctity of their leader's eternal resting place. However, the lake has long since dried up and now the tower stands as a monument to what the Ashuri State once was, with their great leader further out of reach than ever.

There were once small fishing villages built along the coast of the river, but they were abandoned long ago as the lake ran dry, and the fish disappeared. That being said, the shells of the villages remain and are still sometimes used as shelter for travellers to the tower - and the lands beyond. Some will also travel here in an attempt to mine amber, a valuable and rare commodity, from the lakebed.

## **The Tower**

The actual 'tower' of the Tower of Bilgames is a tall monument to Ashuri pride, representing the power they once had and one day could have again. The tower is constructed in a similar, terraced way to the ziggurat pyramids are, however the tower is noticeably more slender - being designed for height rather than width. Surrounding it, there was once a large lake however that dried up long ago and now, in its stead, there is simply now cracked rock and dried mud.

The dried-up lake does not exactly make for the most aesthetically pleasing surroundings; however it does have the unintended benefit of making the tower incredibly difficult to access. Very few people alive today have seen the inside of the tower and fewer still have climbed to the tomb further in. Despite being incredibly old, it is said that the inside of the tower is remarkably well-preserved. Great columns hold up the ceilings and murals of the walls show Bilgames' greatest feats. The burial chamber, the actual tomb of Bilgames, is also said to be in pristine condition. A statue of Bilgames himself stand guard over a great stone sarcophagus and surrounding that are trinkets and artefacts whose value cannot be measured. Of course, there is no way to prove these claims, but that is what those who claim to have seen the tower's interior claim.

## **The Lake and Village**

Surrounding the tower itself there lies a large dried-up lakebed. This was originally a natural protector of the Tower of Bilgames, and even now continues this task. Around the border of the lake, there were once small fishing communities, however these are all now long since abandoned. The shells of the villages, the buildings that remain standing, are now often used as improvised shelters for travellers. It is not uncommon to see small camps of adventurers, scholars and bandits dot the area around and within these villages.

To date, there are no known resources worth exploiting within the lakebed, though some still travel here in search of amber. Until a new source of income is found, it is unlikely that these communities will ever return to what they once were.

## **Trivia**

* Though the general concept of the tower is completely original, it was somewhat inspired by the poem 'The Epic of Gilgamesh.' In the story, Gilgamesh was buried under a riverbed, whereas the exact opposite happens here.