Kijaro

Kijaro is the second oldest permanent settlement of the Najer people and one of the most well known cities in the Emirate of Najer. It is a hub of Najer and Northern culture as well as the city of residence of a former Emir.

The city, then a small outpost village on the eastern border of Najer, was founded by settlers from Najera'Jad in third year after the discovery of the Burried Bells and one year after the establisment of the Silver Coalition. In the year preceding the New Years Revolution and the proclamation of Sterling Crownlands, an unknown event lead to its abandonment. The town was temporarily under Müviel control during the 32nd year of the Bells, followed by return of Najer occupation after the expulsions of the invading army and settlers. The town of Kijaro has expanded and thrived ever since.

Also known as the "Mountain Crowning City", the city is built on the eastern facing slope of the Kijar Mountain, from which the city's name is derived from. The city is also famous for it's baked potatoes (a local delicacy called Kijaro Baked Potatoes) and for the healing properties of its mountain sourced water.

The city's inhabitents claim that Kijaro has been at odds with a malevolent goddess, Shestri, since its foundation. There are several oral accounts and written records, of various degrees of credibility, concerning odd events taking place surrouding the city and monster attacks on the city and it's citizens that have been attributed as manifestation of the Goddess.

Geographic Location
Built upon the eastern slopes of Kijar Mountain, the city of Kijaro is located in the the western part of the Najer province of Andamooka, in northern Nieden. The city close from the border with the Simulami Empire, with which the city's history is also intimiatly intertwined with.

Kijaro's ethimological origin is strictly associated with the local gepography of its surroundings. In the local Najer language the word has the literal meaning of "from" ("Ki"-) "sides" (-"jaro"), which can be translated as "corner". Indeed the name given to the mountain (and later on to the city) is a fitting one, for it sits at the corner of multiple biomes. To the north lays the Wandering Desert with its sandy dunes and arid grasslands, to the south and south west rise the Kijar Plateau and Mountain-range, to the east flows the Lucertola River (the River of Lizards in Najer - named after the endemic turtle spieces) seperating the mountians and city from the mystical Forbiden Forest where age old dark oak trees grow.

Thanks to the Kijar Mountains' mineral water sources and the wide Lucertola River, Kijaro has a far greater availability of water compared to the average Najer settlement. It should also be noted that, for reasons still unknwon, the mineral water source on the interior of Kijar Mountain seems to be able to able to improve the health of those that drink it or bathe on it, healing their ilments and according to some provide slightly extended lifespans. This statement is subject to change in the medium term as Najer scientists are still analysiing these alleged folkloric properties of the water from the Mountain Crowning City.

The Settling of Kijaro
The founding of Kijaro by Kavicus on November 5th of 2020, took place in the yearly phases of the Silver Age of Najer's history (the time of the Silver Coalition), just one week (one lore year) after the formation of the Coalition. According to the Najer calendar, the establishment of Kjiaro is recorded during the third year of the Bells.

With the increased trade with the outside world that the Silver Coalition ushered, the Enfycene Plague reched the city of Najera'Jad. The first city of the Najer suffered greatly: 60% of the population died and only 20% of its original population remained within its walls at the end of the tragic year that marks the start of the Lonely Era of Najera'Jad. The remaining 20% fled to the countryside, with many Poms (tribes) returning to their ancestral nomadic lifestyle. It was in this context that Kavicus the Seyoh (leader) of the Du Pom, fleeing the encroaching plague and seeking a less arid land for his people, decided to leave Najera'Jad behind in search of a new place to establish his community. "My people were tired of the seemingly endless ocean of sand. So we made way for new scenery taking along that which we had and gained from our brothers of the desert and founded Kijaro, Crown of the Mountain."

- Kavicus, Seyoh of the Du A few days after the plague arrived, Kavicus met with Asravush, the Seyoh of the nomadic Bacri Pom. During the conversation Asravush told him of a far away mountainous eastern land and its miraculous healing water. The Bacri would soon be departing for their easterly summer grazing lands and Asravush offered to guide the Du Pom to these mountains. After receiving the blessings from the High-Seyoh of Najera'Jad, Kavicus accepted the offer from his friend and in a matter days, the tribes of the Tree (Du) and the Crescent Moon (Bacri) treked side by side in towards the rising sun.

That summer, the specific day lost to history, the Du Pom arrived at the slopes Kijar Mountain and set up their camp. Soon after, the first sandstone buildings were erected and Kijaro was founded. The milder climate of the mountains pleased Kavicus and his tribe, while the mountain's waters healed the ill among his people; all the while Najera'Jad gained a new outpost in the east of the Wandering Desert, with which the floundering nation could better exert influence and control over the remenants of the collapsed Mahait High-Seyohdom and its border with the expanding Escharien Empire.

However, as Kavicus and the people of Kijaro would soon find out, while the newly nation and coaliton dealt with their own political and defensive issues, Kijaro faced... more supernatural threats.

Settlement Under Siege
Said to be two or so moons after its founding, Kijaro fell under a wave of odd occurrences, both confusing and terrifying. Belongings went missing, to people gone missing within the near by dark oak forest, to waves of undead stormed the settlement. Two weeks had passed since the first incidences, with no end in sight, but miners of Kijaro found something yet even more frightening. They reported breaking into a temple of sorts, one depicting a women baring long fangs, and illuminated purple eyes. Each miner claimed to be underneath the nearby Dark Oak forest at the time of this discovery, and due to the dangers they found and this temple, nothing more could be learned from the miners. They all went home in haste, to the people of Kijaro, the lands harboring the Dark Oak trees henceforth would be known as the Forbidden Forest.

Kavicus made it his goal after to find out what this temple truly was and stop these events before Kijaro was no more than a graveyard.

Discovery of Malice
Many losses later, archeologists and historians found and deciphered some of the text engraved within plates in the temple. The first and third proved hard to translate, perhaps due to damage, the fourth was left on few pieces. But, the second and fifth were intact, and able to be deciphered. They spoke few words, but those were just enough:

"Death is but a natural process, one in which I interfere. These feelings to do harm to unto others of which I birthed."

'' "~---Da--_e-sever---__estiny." ''

"I am the incarnation of wrongdoings, violence, and anger! I. AM. SHESTRI. MOTHER OF MALICE."

In an altar atop the temple, within the Dark Oak forest, a bell was found. This connected Shestri to the the Lost Gods, and the at the time recently rediscovered Buried Bells, and religion of the Najer.

While the people of Kijaro see Shestri as a threat, a menace, and terrifying. Those Najera'jad, and perhaps even the High Seyoh at the time, Basha saw her as more a natural process of life as she claimed. Thus, a slight cultural difference in perspective was formed, though if it ever spread outside of the view of Shestri is unknown.

Seyohs
Kavicus (November 5th 2020 - N/A, around December 2020)

Ole_Sheev (June 27th 2021 - August 10th, 2021)

Shivareh Wayfarer (Just_Shooter) (August 10th 2021 - March 26th 2022)

Asdrubal Hanno-faj niv Bacri (March 26th 2022 - September 2022)

Maeryna Bacri Mofasha (October 2022 - today)