History of Samarkand: The Golden Age

Pervious: The Khanate Civil War

The Golden Age
Faradun’s successor, his only son, was an unholy man, filled with a lust for the things of this world. He invited rich and powerful men from across the globe to his court to experience the finest things, fully confident that the favor of the Okeana would protect the city from outside armies.

But there was one, Ilsion Stakros, a pirate who made his way in the world as a merchant after having taken a series of salt traders and finding the life easier.
This Ilsion was a cunning man, and in secret paid for the blessing to be lifted. With the oceans calmer, an invasion force by sea was more likely and so he plotted his coup carefully. The sea blossomed with overseas trade, bringing spices, silks, wool, grain, gold, and salt into Samarkand's markets to be traded.
Ilsion was about to strike but he was killed by his mistress, who was a concubine to the Khan. She proclaimed herself Queen Azadah I, after finishing off the Khan as well.

Khan Azadah was a tyrant that wore velvet gloves.

She turned the Najam back into an elected position and sponsored a new age of religious tolerance, while dealing swiftly and cruely with those that crossed her. Because of this, Samarkand experienced a surge in Temple building, most notably the Dragon Temple on the remains of Lazar's Tower and the Sacred Stones of the Roc Worshippers on some of the surrounding hills.

Religious fervor was at its highest pitch and the Court of Heaven became covetous of the Khan's power, but Azadah was not to be overthrown and she declared complete religious freedom with the Purge of Altars, chasing the Court of Heaven into the streets and publicly whipping them and having several assassinated for treason.
The Court of Heaven was no more.

Azadah Breathe-of-Fire inherited an empty treasury and while the ports brought in much gold, her authority was still somewhat weak. The Court of Heaven had tithed the people and given a portion to the crown but now with them gone, the tithe was transferred to the crown.
She also turned to investment, partnering with half-hobgoblin traders and bankers to pour money into traders and local guilds. Both profited and soon a network of guilds and banks began to dot the city and with it another vein was added to the religious revival: the hobgoblin sun god, Akhenatan

These banks and guilds clashed with the already established dwarven caravaners, long since the way in which gold flowed into the city. This tension increased till the Day of Shadows, when the sun was blotted out from the heavens. More zealous Bodu declared it a sign: the sun began to think itself above the cosmos and must be brought low. Thus the Istanuians were born.

Two years later, Khan Azadah Breathe-of-Fire died, thus ending the Golden Age

Next: The Guilded Age