The Tragedy of Enk' Ishr

In the days of yore, nestled within the rugged expanses of Sekh Anoob, there lay the city of Enk' Ishr. This radiant beacon of civilization, carved into the towering cliffs of the canyons, was a testament to the might and wisdom of the First Empire. Its grandeur shone amidst the wilderness, a spectacle of life flourishing against the desert's harsh caress.
Yet, unbeknownst to its denizens, a shadow loomed over their thriving city. A figure draped in mystery and dread, Khajuro, Master of The Exiled Tradition, had set his gaze upon Enk' Ishr. Enshrouded in the darkest corners of arcane knowledge, Khajuro was feared for his mastery over forbidden magic.

by midjourney

What followed was not a slow descent into oblivion, but a swift and merciless catastrophe. In an instance that would forever be seared into the annals of Sekh Anoob's history, Khajuro invoked a spell of unfathomable power. The skies darkened as if night had fallen prematurely, and a chilling wind swept across the city. Before the terrified eyes of its inhabitants, their life force was drained, their vitality consumed by the voracious spell. The city, once bustling with laughter and commerce, was reduced to a silent mausoleum, its people left as lifeless husks.
Khajuro's actions had not merely claimed lives, but extinguished the spirit of a city. The curse that descended on Enk' Ishr lingered, turning a once thriving metropolis into an inhospitable wasteland. The city's grand edifices crumbled, and the laughter and music that once echoed through the streets was replaced by a deathly silence.
And so, Enk' Ishr was no more. Its memory persists, not as a testament to the ingenuity and resilience of its people, but as a grim reminder of the terrifying might of Khajuro, and the horrifying day when life was leached from the heart of the city. To these days, most avoid it, from the uneducated, superstitious peasantry to those with more learning who know even better why the site should be left alone.

Though the tragic ruins of Enk' Ishr may now lie dormant, whispering chilling tales of bygone times, the infamous cult of Khajuro-worshippers, known as The Hex, long to retake the forsaken city as their own. Their insatiable desire to possess it has led to countless tumultuous events that have rippled across Gnosit's history.
The Hex first set their sights on the city in the year 776 UT, nearly a century after its rediscovery in 893. With a ruthless grip, they seized the ruins, plunging Enk' Ishr deeper into the shadows. Yet, the stranglehold of The Hex would not go unchallenged.
Rising from the desert sands, an ancient order known as The Sons of the Serpent emerged, their ancestry steeped in the mystic arts. Sworn protectors of Enk' Ishr, they mounted a relentless resistance against the Hex, finally ousting them from the city in the year 666 UT.
The Sons' victory marked a new dawn for Enk' Ishr. They assumed guardianship over the ruins and established a network of trade routes, their primary commodity being Thooj, a potent opiate sought after in far-off lands. Yet, as the sands of time shifted, so did the fortunes of the Sons.
The arrival of the Nazhbehtaq Dynasty from distant L'ai Alaq set in motion a series of changes that threatened the delicate balance in the region. The Sons found their influence waning as the newcomers began to curtail their trade routes, thereby choking off the flow of Thooj. Rumours began to spread, whispers in the desert winds hinting that The Hex was not only still active but was secretly backing the Nazhbehtaqs.
This insinuation has not fallen on deaf ears. The Council of Landezon, recently arrived on the continent, has been keeping a keen eye on the unfolding drama. In particular, a manuscript known as the The Hourglass has caught their attentions. Though known about for ages, new scholarship has revealed heretofore untapped dimensions of its meaning. Some call it the key to unlocking the mystery of Enk' Ishr, both what happened there, and why Khajuro took such interest in decimating its population.