Okina

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Okina was a city on the border of the Lowland Hills and the Lowland Plains. It flourished during the First Chaotic Period and remained populated into the Dynastic era. It was abandoned when the course of the Biswon River shifted, and remains as a large ruin or tel. The city is famous for well-preserved temples and necropolis, and for what survives of the culture. The city is located some distance from Border Watch.

Culture

The inhabitants of Okina worshiped dragons, specifically the High Mountain Flight whose territory they bordered. While the denizens had some interaction with the flight, it was minimal, and they were not slaves of the dragons. They did, however, build a vibrant and flourishing religion around their gods, and construct a series of megalithic temples to them.

History

The city was first settled in the Age of Darkness and visited by dragons, who warned the human settlers that the region of the Lowland Hills was sacred, and they could not trespass upon it. This was the start of dragon worship in the region. Throughout history, Okina not only refused to settle the region, but actively opposed attempts by other groups.

Okina rose to prominence in the early Dynastic Period. Situated atop a rich opal mine, the residents traded with neighboring communities and rapidly became wealthy. Okina was ruled by a priest caste who worked tirelessly to appease the dragons.

The earliest temples in Okina were large earthen mounds, which the residents believed the dragons would land on. Wooden, and later stone steps were built into the sides, and an altar placed at the top for offerings. Later temples took the form of stepped pyramids, and by the mid Chaotic Period, large stone structures became the standard. Around the time the first fully-stone pyramids were complete, a dramatic shift in the religion came about.

While legitimate historical records are scarce, Ikelani Nosval stated that dragon visits to the region were infrequent. He stated that High Mountain had 'a good relationship with the priests', but lacking gold in significant quantities, the residents of Okina did not have much to offer. Sometime around B.G.A. 3400, the religion shifted from building temples to offer tributes to the dragons and constructing the temples themselves as tributes.

This began the tradition of megalithic structures, built of enormous stones and enclosing large areas. The interiors were richly decorated and painted. Here, the residents would sing and dance for the enormous frescoes and statues that adorned the walls. Feasts were common, and mostly celebrated by the populace, who lived a largely communal life. While there was a caste system, the bulk of the city's wealth went to enriching the temples and holding the rituals to honor their dragon gods.

Decline

After the Intermediate Period, Okina went into decline. The river had shifted, and the demand for opal had all but dried up. No longer able to hold their festivals, the temples fell into disrepair, and the priests were left without an income. Much of the population left, but the city held on as an agrarian region for another few centuries.

As the war between High Mountain and Ozork Flight worsened, Okina was abandoned. The nearest human settlements in Rowen were hundreds of miles away.

Alliance Era

Okina was re-discovered in the Golden Age and became the focus of treasure-hunting. Fables of the rich city covered in gold spurred numerous expeditions. If the citizens of Okina had ever had any gold, it would have been offered as tribute to their dragon gods. There were, however, pieces of rich sculpture and beautiful artworks to be found, many of which were damaged irreparably by the haphazard methods of treasure-hunters.

By the Second Age, there was legitimate archaeology, and efforts to excavate and restore the temples. Some discussion was given to re-settling the area, but as the land belonged to High Mountain Flight, permission was not given. A small town was constructed, to house the researchers and provide lodging for tourists.