Akirashalam

The Gem of the Desert

**Akirashalam** is a city in northwestern Eldham.

## Etymology

The word Akirashalam means "Dune of the Kings" in the Tasqarince language, derived from *Akir* ('king') *Shalam* ('dune').

## History

### Pre-Aristios

#### The ancient civilization

In the forgotten days of Eldham, long before the days of great empires, in the middle of the barren plains of sand, there was a thriving civilization. Remembered through stories passed down orally, whom told of their feats of greatness, The Free Territories of Iringa was with its capital of Ngibamma, a local center of trade and culture. The irilani who inhabited these lands were cultivators and craftsmen and followed the Church of the Wheel.

The irilani had established settlements all over the country. But not all settlements were of iringa, as some where of colonizers from Rathnir. As the Church of the Wheel was pacifistic, they let anyone roam freely. Unfortunatly these policies would cause the downfall of this ancient civilization as this lead to the towns having a very individualistic nature. The power the Free Territories diminished as the settlements became disjointed and trade halted. The iringan cultured dwined and the irilani people separated. What land that once was all federalized, was now ruled by small tribes.

#### The Proto-Tasqar settlement

The irîana were one of these iringan tribes. Compared to other tribes who had divulged into conflict, the irîan people were more reclusive and tended to their crops. To not attract to much attention to themselves aswell as shield themselves from the sun, they had dug themselves down beneath the sand. Eventually, when some of the townsfolk returned to the village from scavenging the desert, they had brought with them a deeply wounded young man. They tended to his wounds and eventually he joined their society. For years he lived with them and participated in their culture but finally he then ventured out on his own with a mission to create his own town. This person would turn out to Boru'Akirebureakaz, known then as only Boru'Bureakaz, and with him he would bring their culture.

#### Founding

During Boru's hardships during his venture he had crossed paths with the Saeph'qar Vincent. They joined together and soon became good friends. Eventually they would settle together in the east desert region of Iringa beside a river. They would use this river to fish for food and use the water to drink. Soon a few houses were constructed and merchants would pass by. Not so far away the îrian settlement was pillaged by an opposing tribe causing the surviving members to flee. As Boru had lived with the irîan people for so long he was considered an irîan too. So when they were forced to flee, Boru offered a refuge with open arms to his old people. When he heard of the tradegy, he promised his people protection and construction on walls sourrounding the homes. Unbenounced to them however, the raiders had already been defeated by Aristii legionares.

### Aristios and the city's golden years

#### The beginning of Akirashalam

As time passed more and more people joined and the settlement grew into a fruitioning town. As the founders of the city, Vincent and Boru were appointed leadership and became referred to as "Akira" which ment kings in the local tongue of irîanînçe, thus the diarchy and the royal lineage begun.

#### Joining Aristios

On 2021-07-19, Akirashalam was asked to become part of The Empire of Aristios.

### The Republic of Aristios

#### The Coup

During the Aristii Civil War, Aristios got split into the Democratic Commonwealth and the Grand Empire, the latter led by the couped Emperor Otto . While the province of Sanctus (which Akirashalam was apart of ) chose to side with the Emperor, Akirashalam chose to support the new Democracy of the commonwealth. In the time of war the commonwealth needed to chose a capital since the old one was apart of the Empire. Akirashalam was chosen to become the capital. By the time the bill was finished the commonwealth had already won and this idea never came into fruition because of that the Commonwealth once again had control of the capital Oleapolis.

#### The New Akir

After his tragic passing, Boru'Akirebureakaz's son, Globblet'Akirebureakaz, were to be crowned Akir. Globblet however, could still hear his fathers voice.

### The Kingdom of Sanctus

#### The Rebellion of the Tasqar People

From what once had been a foothold of Aristii culture, Sanctus had become a rat-ruled reign of terror. What once was civilized had turned into a lawless territory. The inhabitants of this once great region had been pushed into darkness by the new counts.

Akirashalam and other towns had been raided by rats sent directly from the Capital of Krugmar. The original Sanctus people has had enough. The residents of Akirashalam and Perdin got together and secretly started to plan a coup. In the governance building in the old Capital of Vallis, Kayeda, the spirit of Boru, and Globblet went together to discuss.

### The Kingdom of Aristios

As the Kingdom of Sanctus and Bel-Ismer began to get closer, they united into the Kingdom of Aristios. Although they were missing the western provinces, the Shattered Isles would join them soon.

#### Promising Utopia

In the Kingdom, the Tasqara were happy. Although still clinging on to their dreams of independence, they were able to govern themselves, doing what they wanted. It was a time of prosperity for both the Tasqara and the Aristiis. This would soon come to change, but for the moment it seemed things would be like this forever. In this time, they accomplished many buildings like the citadel and the catacombs while also revamping older, outdated parts like the roads, and the outskirts.

As time went on, it was noticed that the population of the kingdom began to dwindle.

### The Fall

After a prolonged period of famine Akirashalam stood weak. Disease swept the streets and the Aristii Tagamata were not in a state to defend the Capital. Enemy Ürethuta in the north however flourished in plauge and saw possibilities of vengeance. In great numbers they rallied and soon they were to surround the city. The Great Walls stood to no use without any men to guard them and that the military knew. In a last ditch effort the people of Akirashalam barricaded themselves in the Citadel as the city was plundered. Unfortunatly this safety was not to be permanent as after the pillage the rats had set their eyes on forcing the citizens to flight. A gruesome battle ensued but the defendants stood no match and soon most of them were slaughtered. The few survivors were forced to exodus. Some fled to the still standing parts of Aristios while most of the Tasqar ventured into foreign lands. At last Akirashalam was no more. The old banners were torn down for ones with the mark of the Ürethâkir, the once shining domes were painted with the blood of the Aristii and the city was renamed a nonsenseical name to ridicule the Tasqar people.

## Geography

Akirashalam was located in the Tasqar county in Sanctus. The city was located by the sea in the desert but it also had some parts in an acacia forest.