The Tale of Ik-A Summary of the Sebilisian Empire (EQ2 Lore)
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A Summary of the Sebilisian Empire.
Venril Sathir became chief to the mightiest of all Iksar tribes, the Kunzar, upon committing patricide — an act that his son would later repeat, but not before he would leave his indelible mark upon Kunark.
His reign began when he forced the other four Iksar tribes to unite under him, thus creating a single empire out of five tribes — The Sebilisian Empire. No longer warring amongst them selves, the great empire concentrated the efforts of the Iksar and unleashed a wave of terror and domination over all of Kunark.
Later, after Venril Sathir wed the eldest daughter of the Obulus wizards, Drusella, the empire would grow even further. Drusella ruled alongside her mate, having control over the Eastern half of Kunark, and Venril the Western. Great monuments were built during these prosperous times, embedding a great pride in all the Iksar and inspiring fear in all those who would oppose the huge empire.
Cities of grand scale were built by the Iksars' goblin and giant slaves, including Sebilis and Charasis.
At some point, Venril discovered the Unholy Writ of War, a dark tome of heretical arts in the library of Kotiz. It was one of the original texts left from the Shissar! But these texts did not satiate his curiosity for the necrotic arts —It fueled it!
Venril began seeking rituals and items to grant him and his mate immortality. Unfortunately, his beloved Drusella would not live to see the day, as she died suddenly before Venril could unlock all of the secrets of the tome. After her funeral rituals and burial within the depths of the city of Charasis, Emperor Sathir cast all citizens from the city.
Only the royal Iksar guard and servants were allowed to remain. They were to serve their empress, eternally. Never again would they know the warmth of the sun or bask in the moonlight. The haunting howls of the damned were to be heard echoing off the stones of the canyon for years.
Venril would visit the cliff city frequently, but he had crafted a spell to hide the entrance of Charasis from raiders and those who dared to steal his knowledge or defile his beloved Drusella's grand crypt. What he would do inside is not known.
What we do know is he became increasingly possessed by the necromantic arts during this time, seeking within it a way to restore his mate's life. Learning of this dark corruption, Venril's eldest son, Rile Sathir, went to confront him over the heresy, and interrupted one such dark ritual being performed by the Emperor, killing him.
Rile destroyed his body, burying all evidence in the tomb of Charasis. And thus Rile succeeded his father though the same violent act which his father had performed to attain his first seat of power. Dominus Rile continued to expand the empire established by his father.
He was responsible for the creation of the Sebilisian Navy, the largest navy ever upon the seas of Norrath, and the Crusaders of Greenmist, a massive army of Sebilisian Knights. But Venril would not be defeated so easily, and these forces would not save Rile's life!
Just as death would not release Rile or his brothers from the tyranny of their father or his necrotic spells. Returned to life by the very arts they opposed, the sons of Venril are kept in line by an unknown power he wields over them.
How long will they remain this way? Will Venril ever find a way to fill his beloved Drusella with true life again? Perhaps an oracle can see the answers, but the rest of us will just have to wait and see.
As told by Elna Tsernin