Gizenatter

Gizenatter, derived from Alatazem Ġizenaterirter, meaning city of the Aterirter, was an ancient Ateter city, that rose to prominence during the time of the Ateter Kingdom. The city was built on the fertile banks of the Hidesh River in 4651 ED. From its earliest history, it was under the command of the Irhmeti Empire and later the Yilireti Empire, but managed to establish itself as an independent city-state. Under the Ateter Kingdom, it would become the most important city in the world, before it was sacked in ??? ED by the ???.

Founding
The city of Gizenatter was founded in 4651 ED by the semi-mythological figure, Adikiqat, who was described in Ateter texts as a god who descended from heaven and became the city. Historians disputed this and instead believed that he was a priest from Irbid. The city came under the control of the Irhmeti Empire and operated as a vassal state, paying grain and gold in return for protection.

Growth and Subjugation
As part of the Irhmeti Empire, the fortunes of the city were directly-linked to those of the empire. When the empire completed its westward expansion with the conquest of Tabid in 4314 ED and the later capture of E'Dabbi, the city of Gizenatter was already established as an important trading city. The introduction of these cities into the empire expanded Gizenatter's importance even further and it served as a link between the Irhmeti capital and Yilireti cities to the south.

In the years following 4120 ED, Gizenatter grew in importance, following a series of diplomatic incidents that left the Irhmeti and Yilireti empires estranged, and prevented most Irhmeti merchants from trading with the important Yilireti cities. However, this brief increase in productivity and trade was brought to an end in 4112 ED, with heavy flooding of the Hidesh River near Gizenatter. The irrigated land around the city was destroyed and the city itself was flooded. This led to a great famine, which, in turn, provoked a population and societal collapse. Many people fled south, into Yilireti lands, becoming nomads. They raided numerous Yilireti towns and villages, cumulating with the sack of  Dhivethāḥitheb in 4099 ED. The destruction of this city provoked a great response from the Yilireti Empire and a massive army was mustered.

In the Gizenatter War, the city was attacked and sacked by the Yilireti Empire. Thousands were killed or injured in the fighting and the survivors were forced north, towards Irbid, Irem and Adirem. The priests of the city were exiled and replaced by Yilireti priests. At the conclusion of the war, Gizenatter came under the control of the victorious Yilireti. The city was isolated from the rest of the empire and was sacked many times by bandits from the north. On one occassion, the city was looted by pirates from the east.

Waba Dynasty
The Yilireti Empire's dominance of Gizenatter came to an end with the arrival of the Waba Dynasty, from the far-north of Hieret. The Waba were one of the groups of people which had sacked Gizenatter, but, on their return, they decided to take the city and set themselves as the rulers. In 4018 ED, the year of the Waba's arrival, the Yilireti Empire was in a dire state and could not offer a response to the encroaching Waba and their rise to power was unopposed by the populace. The Waba spoke a language called Ḥebazen, but this was quickly replaced by the native Alatazem. The Waba took up the mantle of Ateter civilisation, with the fall of their tongue in favour of the native language demonstrating this. The Waba kings and priests also wore Ateter dress and followed Ateter customs, even adopting Ateter law as their own.

The Waba Dynasty consolidated their power and, through a rapid expansion, the city of Gizenatter grew to have a population of around twenty thousand, a level that it had not reached since 4150 ED. With the decline of the Yilireti and Irhmeti empires, the city gradually expanded in significance, with the establishment of trade networks reaching as far away as the city of Rohm. This economic and demographic rise worked to extend the influence of Gizenatter and it warred with the neighbouring Irbid over the cities of Irem and Adirem. The series of conflicts with these cities ended with the sack of Irbid at the hands of Gizenatter soldiers in 3881 ED.

Rṱikiqāt Dynasty
In 3727 ED, an internal struggle swept through the Ateter Kingdom and the Waba kings were disposed. The Rṱikiqāt Dynasty rose to power, being so called as they were a dynasty founded from native priests who overthrew the foreign Waba rulers. Despite some early turbulence during this change of power, Gizenatter became even more powerful, reaching a population of forty thousand and becoming the largest city on Hieret by 3600 ED.

Several decades later, following Gizenatter's final conquest of Irbid, the Ateter Kingdom was formed. Under this kingdom, Gizenatter would grow in importance and in population. By 3000 ED, it was the capital of an empire spanning tens of thousands of square kilometres, with over one million inhabitants spread over dozens of cities and areas of farmland.