Ziguriter

Ziguriter, from Iḥaṱazzen, Ziḥuriṱer, meaning away from desert, derived from Proto-Hiereti zirṱeṱ, was one of the oldest cities of Deinazephanais, founded in 4672 ED. The city became the capital of the Uriṱeriqṱer Kingdom, which, at its height, covered much of the region of Hieret, and, for a time, was the most prominent city in the world. The city was sacked by the Ateter Kingdom and lost prominence. Unlike the other ancient cities nearby, Ziguriter was not rebuilt by ??? and was lost to the ages. Many myths and legends propagated regarding the lost city, until it was uncovered by an archaeological team working for the ??? Empire, thousands of years after its destruction.

Growth and Isolation
Ziguriter was one of the earliest cities founded by the garra. Occupying the far north of Hieret, on the coast of Lake Hidesh, the city was removed from much of the early politics that dominated the city-states of Hieret. The city was one of the few not to come under the dominion of the Yilireti Empire. By 3900 ED, its isolation had made it one of the most populous cities in Hieret, rivalling Irbid and Gizenatter in size. This isolation continued for several centuries, and the city passed into relative obscurity, existing only as a northern barrier to the expansion of the various kingdoms that arose around it.

Conflict and Dominion
In 3772 ED, however, the city was involved in a conflict with the Erhemmii of Erbi, known as the Sembi War, its name regarding the city over which the war was waged. The war began following an alliance between Sembi and Ziguriter. Sembi had been threatened by Erbi and reached out to Ziguriter for assistance. The leader of the city agreed to an alliance with Sembi, which sparked a war when Erbi attacked Sembi. Sembi fell to the Erhemmii, and the Ziguriter king raised an army and marched south to liberate the city. The king was slain in battle and his son was forced away from the battle. Rather than accept the shame of defeat, the new king rallied what remained of his army and marched south, raiding Erbi, destroying its fortifications and stealing the precious artefacts from its palace. The raid was a terrible blow for the Erhemmii, who had lost many of their religious icons in the attack. In return for the artefacts, Erbi renounced its claims on Sembi and the war was won. The king of Ziguriter later died from wounds sustained in the raid and, without a clear heir to the throne, the city was plunged into rebellion.

By 3500 ED, Ziguriter had once again become a powerful force. As the hub of the Uriṱeriqṱer Kingdom, the city held sway over six other cities, which it had subjugated over a series of wars. The Uriṱeriqṱer kings wielded great authority and had established a secure lineage, with potentially-rogue princes kept in line through the tactical use of the position of governor. The Uriṱeriqṱer Kingdom thus operated as a proto-feudal system, with claimants to the throne kept content by practical autonomy over their cities. The most powerful king during this time was King Iḥiṱer IV, who ruled from 3527 ED to 3500 ED, and was responsible for capturing five of the seven cities that the kingdom would hold at its height.

Subjugation and Destruction
During the reign of his son, King Iḥiṱer V, Ziguriter was attacked by the Ateter Kingdom in the Uriṱeriqṱer War. The war began over Sembi, which was now nominally under the control of King Kiqetirṱer II of the Ateter Kingdom, which threatened to break away from the kingdom and join Ziguriter. The war lasted between 3496 ED and 3471 ED, making it the longest war in the history of Deinazephanais at the time. Despite a stunning victories and a good early performance by the Uriṱeriqṱer, at the war's conclusion, Ziguriter's dominance had been broken and now only held one other city.

The city quickly recovered from this loss and in 3412 ED, the Uriṱeriqṱer Kingdom launched a war against the Ateter, and again in 3379 ED and finally in 3357 ED. The city was finally captured by the Ateter Kingdom in 3354 ED. The city suffered under the Ateter Kingdom, typically receiving inadequate and incompetent governors. With most trade concentrated in the south of Hieret and the city no longer acting as a counterbalance to the Ateter Kingdom, the riches of the city were eroded.

In the Wrath of the Gods, the city suffered heavily. The Siege of Ziguriter was a failure for the Ateter Kingdom, and the townspeople were massacred after the battle. The city was pounded into ruin on Satar's order and much of the city was buried in rubble. Ziguriter was lost to the ages, becoming a footnote in history and the lure of intrepid explorers.