The Iks (Book)

booktype = Book (Fat Green) title = The Iks pagename = The Iks (Book) location = Isle of the Kings. blurb = The rise and fall of the tribe of Iks. author = Galthen. returnpage = Isle of the Kings Library nextbook = Addendum To The Iks relatedpages = Adventures of Galthen Quest. text = The Iks A Disquisition (abridged) by the venerable Sir Galthen The tale of Iksupan, the City of Gold, is of a vast kingdom of old. Once prospering and shining in the radiance of its own glory it did not sink to perish like many a lost world: it was taken. To grasp the full magnitude of this most peculiar end, one has to understand the lore and culture of a very ancient part of this world. Due to a lingering fear of the wrath of Kopakhn, god of the balance of life, the people of the Tribe of Iks have been building vast underground cities and palaces. Kopakhn was thought to be the bringer of a cleansing storm, sweeping over the face of the known world. Destroying man, animal and growth alike. So the Iks saw their only salvation in taking to the innards of this earth while forestalling the cleansing by conquering as much of their known world as possible. To appease him, the Iks amassed a wealth of treasure, conquered all the lands of their ancestors and built intricate structures of stone and gold deep underground. Their sincere worship of Kopakhn was also a gesture of gratitude towards his might and divine judgement. Feeling safe in their untiring contributions towards the great goal of the propitiation of their powerful god, their civilisation thrived. The more kingdoms they seized, the more wealth they hoarded, the further they would reach. When conquerors came from distant parts of the world, the Iks prevailed. Lured by the gold and wealth of their sanctuaries build in the name and spirit of their gods, many foreign knights and mercenaries would invade their sacred grounds. Driven by the lust for riches and glory, the invaders would come ever further and soon roam the lands of the Iks in great numbers. Fending off the foreign aggressor month after month, year after year, the Iks grew angrier and more relentless. They blamed their gods and even Kopakhn became a subject of their ire. The people lost faith in their deities and blamed their priests and sages. In fear of losing control, the highest caste of the Iks tried to uphold order by demanding sacrifices to Kopakhn as well as Tikatl, god of lightning, rage and war. And sacrifices where made. The steps of the great sanctuary of Kopakhn ran red with blood. The worshippers of Tikatl built large outside structures with high beams made of pure gold to attract his mighty thunder and sweeping lightning. Man and animal alike where presented and delivered to the wrath of the furious priests and their angry gods. Their victims in battle would suffer dark rituals and wild ceremonies to feed their souls directly to Tikatl, presenting the hearts to the ever watching Kopakhn. Then came the time of the iron haze. An otherworldly mist fell on many settlements and underground sanctuaries. The day the mist arrived would mark the end of any such habitat. Inhaling this haze seemed to have a strange benumbing effect on every living creature and even the walls and the very gold and stone the Iks built their mighty empire upon. After the mist cleared, the iron silenced the few Iks still able to stand. Like leaves brought by a swift wind, sharp blades and quick knives danced through the golden chambers. Room after room emptied of life, torches choked, the fires dead like the people of the Iks lying scattered amongst unfathomable riches. Priest, guard and worker alike, all betrayed, their bones shattered and their souls hurt in disbelief, doubting their gods. Word of these occurrences travelled through the Ikian world and its remaining people fled their homes, temples and sanctuaries. During a long and burdensome time of nomadism far away from their ancestral realm, the Iks all but disappeared. They never recovered and ultimately died in exile. implemented = 13.10.12852