Larakali

Larakali was a large walled settlement on the north coast of Dersialdara. It was founded by seafaring Kasranou settlers in 406 BNE as a walled settlement and port. Along with five other Kasranou settlements along the coast, Larakali was part of the Haraklina league. Larakali grew prosperous and large and was the largest city in the world from the 3rd century BNE until it was overtaken by Noulian in the 4th century NE. The city was laid to siege by Noulaenic forces in 481 NE, a siege that was maintained until the destruction and depopulation of the city in 512 NE. The city of Carasilaen was subsequently built on the site.

## Etymology

Larakali derives from Haraklika *lara* (gods) and *kali* (hope)

## History

### Background

Larakali was founded by ethnically Kasranou settlers from the Casalanoua region. Agriculture was developed in the Casalanoua region in the 9th century BNE and the region's population exploded over the following centuries. Kasranou settlers traveled around the continent looking for new lands to settle in the 5th century BNE. Agriculture and metalworking skills from Calalanoua had already been introduced to Malaena at this point and the settlers struggled to find a foothold in the region. Dersialdara, by contrast, remained sparsely populated by technologically primitive nomads, making it an easier target for settlement despite its greater distance from Casalanoua.

### Foundation

Ten ships carrying settlers landed at the site in 406 BNE and began construction on a walled settlement, giving their new city the name Larakali. (Lorakali in their Old Kasraka dialect). There were intermittent skirmishes with the indigenous peoples over the ownership of farmland around the city but never an organized resistance. Many of the indigenous Dersialdaric people, who refered to themselves as the Pheetula, were enslaved. Slave labor came to form the base of the Larakali economy as enslaved peoples worked the farms and constructed the city

Larakali was built up quickly in the style of older Kasranou cities using slave labor. This included large stone courtyards, underground temple complexes, open air markets, and dense multi-family housing complexes. The major difference between Larakali and traditional Kasranou cities was the heavy stone wall fortifications that surrounded the city, which were deemed necessary for safety due to fears of rebellions among the large and growing populations of enslaved Pheetula and other Rigini peoples who worked around the city.

### Prosperous Era

Larakali, along with the rest of the Haraklina league, enjoyed a long period of prosperity from the 2nd century BNE through the 3rd century NE. During this period, trade flourished and the cities of the league became flush with material goods. Skilled tradespeople drove a manufacturing economy that brought considerable wealth to the league. Larakali in particular became the world's leading shipbuilding center and maintained a powerful navy.

In 4 BNE Larakali founded a colony on the island of Anatha called Karichaka. This colony also thrived as a shipbuilding center and provided critical naval and food support during the subsequent conflict between Larakali and Noulian

### Conflict with Noulian

The Hariklina League initially partnered with the early Noulaenic Empire to facilitate trade with the populous Casalanoua region. This partnership included some military support to early Noulaenic conquests in Bindaela and Calbaena that were deemed vital to protecting the trade route. This relationship soured when the empire began to expand eastward into Falea in 412 NE, a region that traditionally had been under the Haraklina sphere of influence.

Larakali, along with other members of the league, attempted to stop the Noulaenic advance. This was done both through providing support to the Rigini peoples fighting the invading imperial forces and through direct military intervention. Larakali led an amphibious assault on Nilfalum Bay in 422 NE, hoping to cut off Noulian's forces from an overland supply route by seizing control of the bay and the river fords near its source. This expedition was initially successful as the Larakalna forces gained control of the fords and established camps to defend them, successfully driving back Noulaenic counter attacks on three occasions between 422 and 444 NE. Like most Haraklina efforts at engaging the empire, however, this effort became an unsustainable war of attrition and the Larakalna camps were overrun in 425 NE.

Larakali continued to build up its walls during this conflict as the Noulaenic forces increasing surrounded Haraklina lands. The empire began to besiege Haraklina league cities in 477 NE and surrounded Larakali in 481 NE.

Other Haraklina league cities fell into famine and collapsed against assaults. After the fall of Phachala in 485 NE, Larakali was the only Haraklina city to withstand the invasion. Due to substantial aid from its island colony of Karichaka, however, Larakali was able to avoid famine and withstand the siege much longer than the other league members.

in 510 NE the invaders abandoned hope of starving the city and turned instead to destroying its fortifications. A lengthy project to mine under several of the main support towers of the city wall was begun, which succeeded in breaking the walls in 512 NE. The city was sacked and depopulated under a Noulaenic practice called tripartition, under which a third of the city's surviving residents were slaughtered, a third were enslaved, and a third were resettled apart from their families in distant regions along the empires frontiers and wildernesses.

The following year, the empire began resettling the city and rebuilding its walls, renaming the settlement Carasilaen. Parts of the original walls are still present in the modern city.

## Geography

Larakali was built on the coast of Dersialdara, a large, fertile coastal plain on the Faslula Sea. The site of the city was a limestone peninsula extending into the sea, approximately 14 rides long and 7 rides wide. The top of the peninsula is around 10 m above sea level and the city was surrounded by cliffs on three sides. A small inlet on the north-east side of the peninsula was used as a harbor. Underground caves beneath the city provided it with fresh water and also served as the beginnings of extensive underground temple structures.

Short walls were built around the edge of the cliff and higher walls, forming a rectangular shape, extended the city to the south of the peninsula. The wall stretched the full 7 ride width of the base of the peninsula and extended 3.5 rides to the south.

## Government

Larakali was ruled as an independent city-state by a hereditary monarchy. The city also had a hereditary noble class that yielded significant power over the city's affairs. The balance of powers between the king and his nobles shifted over time depending primarily on the capability of the king. Political murders were a common occurrence in the city and kings were frequently assassinated by their nobles.