Akku (capital of Elgazaad)

Akku, dubbed Akku of the Golden Spires, was a Darklord city, ruled by Darklord Xog. It was the main city of Elgazaad.

As a capital city, its sole appearance was in the first edition of The Darklands. In the second edition, Xog's efforts in creating Akku were instead unsuccessful, and Xog returned to Helgedad.

Appearance[]

Unlike most other places in the Darklands, Akku was an affluent city full of wealth and gold. Gold was of limited use to the Darklands, but was of use to their allies, and Akku's location, close to its Drakkarim allies, allowed wealth to concentrate there. However, despite its lavishness, gold could not buy freedom: Akku was run by slaves. Those in charge within Akku, however, led lives of relative luxury.^[1]

History[]

After Darklord Xog managed to claw his way out of the Nengud-kor-Adez after being cast there by Archlord Vashna, he attempted to build his own city-fortress, Akku. However, it was destroyed by the hordes of Tadatigaza. After Vashna's fall in the Battle of Maakengorge, Xog returned and rebuilt Akku in full.^[2]

Geography[]

Akku is located in the south-western part of Elgazaad, close to the border with the Drakkarim nation of Nyvoz, and close to the trade routes of the west and south of the Darklands.^[1]

Politics[]

Most of Elgazaad's forces are concentrated in Akku, although only a light force is required, due to being surrounded by Darklands allies.^[1]

Design[]

See also: Akku

As a capital city, Akku only appears in the first edition of The Darklands.^[1] In the second edition, Xog's efforts in creating the fortress-city were unsuccessful, and Akku was instead destroyed. The broader Elgazaad domain was also retconned away.

References[]

↑ ^1.0 ^1.1 ^1.2 ^1.3 Hahn, August [2004]. The Darklands, Dever, Joe, First Edition, Mongoose Publishing, pp. 9–10.
↑
On Zutzinozaga in #the-lore-hall of The World of LONE WOLF – Vincent Lazzari on Discord, 2024-08-19.
"As explained in the LWMPG sourcebook The Darklands, Zutzinozaga indeed means "bad smell land" in Giak, which is related to the putrid rotten eggs odor which impregnates all the province. This smell descends from the Zandzordak Mountains, which are famous for their sulphur mines (see Maps of Magnamund n°9 and 11), and house the active volcanoes of the Kokozritzaga, which both emit a lot of hydrogen sulfide, a volcanic gas responsible for the rotten eggs odour. The smell can be so putrid that even Giaks are bothered, and this province (SPOILER: formerly called Northern Nyvoz before being conquered during the War of Desecration) found no ruler among the Darklords once included in the Darklands. Gnaag, viewed (wrongly) as one of the weakest Darklords, "accepted" to take it and make it his province (considering he became also the ruler of Zaldir). The other Darklords laughed at him, but it allowed Gnaag to operate completely free from the prying eyes of Helgedad in this remote and forgotten province. The three 'officially' weakest Darklords (at least in the eyes of the successive Archlords that were Vashna, Zagarna and Haakon), were indeed, in this order, Nhorg (Lord of Gourizaga, i.e. nothing), Gnaag (Lord of Zutzinozaga, i.e. the bad smell land) and Xog (one of the Lords of Helgedad, but whose compound was destroyed by Vashna. Forced to exile, Xog tried to built his own city-fortress, namely Akku, see Map of Magnamund 11, but it was destroyed by the hordes from Tadatizaga, and he returned after Vashna's demise to Helgedad...)"

The Darklords
Archlords	Vashna • Zagarna • Haakon • Gnaag
Darklords	Chlanzor • Dakushna • Ghanesh • Ghurch • Gnaag • Haakon • Khatellu • Kraagenskûl • Menashga • Mrugor • Nhorg • Shebnar • Slûtar • Taktaal • Tomogh • Unc • Vashna • Xog • Zagarna • Zhanshal
Domains (and capitals) within the Darklands	Helgedad • Aargataag (V'taag • Argazad) • Dajaraa • Dajdorza • Ghargon (Gournen) • Gourizaga (Gourzaa) • Hourdast • Iznogdazokim (Aarnak) • Jegdazok (Dugazogak) • Kagzizad (Nadgazad) • Luurvad • Maarkaag (Kaag) • Northern Skaror (Gazad Helkona) • Tar Ogashaar (Ogvast) • Yr-Naoga (Naargarod) • Zutzinozaga (Mozgôar)
Media	The Darklands • Terror of the Darklords

[the_darklands-1] 1.0 ^1.1 ^1.2 ^1.3 Hahn, August [2004]. The Darklands, Dever, Joe, First Edition, Mongoose Publishing, pp. 9–10.

[2] 
On Zutzinozaga in #the-lore-hall of The World of LONE WOLF – Vincent Lazzari on Discord, 2024-08-19.
"As explained in the LWMPG sourcebook The Darklands, Zutzinozaga indeed means "bad smell land" in Giak, which is related to the putrid rotten eggs odor which impregnates all the province. This smell descends from the Zandzordak Mountains, which are famous for their sulphur mines (see Maps of Magnamund n°9 and 11), and house the active volcanoes of the Kokozritzaga, which both emit a lot of hydrogen sulfide, a volcanic gas responsible for the rotten eggs odour. The smell can be so putrid that even Giaks are bothered, and this province (SPOILER: formerly called Northern Nyvoz before being conquered during the War of Desecration) found no ruler among the Darklords once included in the Darklands. Gnaag, viewed (wrongly) as one of the weakest Darklords, "accepted" to take it and make it his province (considering he became also the ruler of Zaldir). The other Darklords laughed at him, but it allowed Gnaag to operate completely free from the prying eyes of Helgedad in this remote and forgotten province. The three 'officially' weakest Darklords (at least in the eyes of the successive Archlords that were Vashna, Zagarna and Haakon), were indeed, in this order, Nhorg (Lord of Gourizaga, i.e. nothing), Gnaag (Lord of Zutzinozaga, i.e. the bad smell land) and Xog (one of the Lords of Helgedad, but whose compound was destroyed by Vashna. Forced to exile, Xog tried to built his own city-fortress, namely Akku, see Map of Magnamund 11, but it was destroyed by the hordes from Tadatizaga, and he returned after Vashna's demise to Helgedad...)"

[1]

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