History of Samarkand: the Founding Era

The Founding Era

The Gnome Titans moved into the area, lead by their Liwa to combat the growing halfing invasions. It was part of two sister forts, one where the river empties to the ocean and one up north at a ford before the mountains become too treacherous to cross.

The Cinder Cingibi force built the red pentagonal fort in the top center of the map and the bridge to allow easier crossings.

After the burning of the sister fort, the current Liwa contacted his cousin, Alsyd Aintisariun (Later known as Lord Victorious), a famed gnomish Roc Rider to help shore up the faltering gnomish line.
Victorious built a nest for himself and his most trusted men on the highest cliff face in the local area (you can see the remains to the far left, sort of top area in purple). The Cinder General commissioned 4 imposing Roc statues, one for each corner of the next, for his eyrie

With Victorious's help, the gnome Titans were able to all but destroyed the local halfing threat, as well as the majority of its population on the peninsula.

Peace came and with it the wives and children of the Roc Riders. A small settlement grew as the base of Eyrie. Soon other gnomes came.

In awe of the magnificent birds, the small town commissioned a 5th statue to be put on Victorious's favorite perch, to stand beside his beast when he came to visit.

Years past and the Roc Riders grew bored and so, one day, he departed with his men to find more exciting pastures.

Two generations past and while the Eyrie fell into disarray, the gnomish town grew, expanding its fields beyond the river, helping the Cinder Cingibi build watchtowers, bridges, and a wall spanning the mouth of the canyon.

Dwarfs on the horse golems also began to track the area though they were few and far between, mining establishing their colonies up on the mountains where the copper veins were rich. That is, until humans from across the sea began to show up.

The Cingibi began to forget the Nakhninery, the household gods they originally worshipped in favor of Yerknk’i Tery, the Lord of Sky, and the city became known to travelers as Sama'rkand, the Sky Born City.

Because the Liwa of the gnomish fort took little care of the city administration, the little gnomish settlement grew in wealth but not the infrastructure necessary to defend it and so, to no one's surprise, the Al’bahar struck, burning the town and overrunning the native population.

They settled the town, destroying the gnomish burrows, and forcing the natives to the rocky outcroppings under the fort.

The Al’bahar brought with them a strange goddess, full of fury and power and on a hill overlooking the docks they built her a temple, sacrificing their loot for her divine protection.

Time past, as it does and the invaders became settlers and the settlers became natives.

Tensions between the Cingibi and the Al’bahari began to relax with the humans securely on top. Still the gnomes began storing their grain in the Titan fort in case the humans got any ideas.

During this time the Bodur built a workshop at the bottom of the hill and the Eyrie continued to fall into disrepair, though the religious life of the Samarkand began to grew. Both the Sky Cult and the Cult of Nakhn found favor with the gnomes, while worship of the Sun Cult held the hearts of the native human settlers, who became known at this time as the Korsan.
But the religious face of the city was changing: the Nakhninery Cult began to find converts in the ruling Al’bahar, who renamed them “Djinn” after their own tongue. The worship of these household gods soon outstripped the Ocean Cult among the majority of the sailors. Every street and block became sacred to the Djinn, watched over by their careful eyes.

The Shamen of the Djinn, the ooluu dil, or the Dead Tongues, became extremely influential, even going so far as to start small riots against the Najam, the leader of Samarkand.
Worried that he'd be overthrown and shrewd like the spider, the Najam brought the Dead Tongues together in a ruling body to given him council and pass laws. He called it Mahkamat Aljana, the Court of Heaven.

Thus ended the Found Era.

Next: The Khanate Era

Samarkand at the end of the Founding Era