Akagazad

Akagazad, also known as the Red Fortress of Akagazad, is a huge city-fortress in Zaldir. It was once ruled by Darklord Dakushna.

Geography

Akagazad is located in Zaldir, close to the Drakkarim nations of Nyras and Nyvoz.

History

In MS 5000, during the time of Archlord Zagarna, it was ruled by Darklord Gnaag. It was a poor province, not even located in the Darklands (with Gnaag thus unable to even breathe in it), making Gnaag seem weak. However, this was all a façade by Gnaag, to look weak, while avoiding scrutiny by the Archlord and his fellow Darklords, allowing him to pursue his route to power without interference.

After the fall of the Darklords in MS 5070, Akagazad and other major Darklord city-fortresses fell into civil war. Such was the intensity of their squabbling, the forces of Akagazad and Kagorst refused to help Warlord Magnaarn in his war against Lencia. However, in MS 5076, Magnaarn found the Nyras Sceptre, formerly wielded by Darklord Dakushna. The Nyras Scepter housed the Doomstone of Darke, and this influenced (or compelled) the Nadziranim of Kagorst to help him. During the events of The Darke Crusade, Lone Wolf infiltrated the fortress of Shugkona, killed Magnaarn, and destroyed the Nyras Sceptre, ending the threat to Lencia and sending the forces of Darkness back north, to resume their internal squabbling.

In the summer of MS 5102, these skirmishes in Akagazad halted, and its forces instead began preparing for war.

Design

In the first edition of The Darklands, Akagazad was part of Kagorst, the latter of which was a separate realm. In the second edition, this was retconned: Kagorst became a fortress of Nyvoz (still ruled by Dakushna), and Akagazad became a fortress of Zaldir (ruled by Gnaag).