Difference between revisions of "Akinah"

The origin of the city is unknown, but it is quite ancient. At some point in the past, air was Soulcast into massive spikes surrounding the city.{{book ref|sa3|i|4}} In the Heraldic Epochs, Akinah was known as the ancient home of the Soulcasters,{{book ref |dawnshard |2}} and it was where people would come to get Soulcasting devices.{{book ref|sa3|i|4}} Its Oathgate gave it a direct connection to [[Urithiru]], allowing rapid travel to the city. After Urithiru was abandoned, one of the [[Willshapers]] ventured to Aimia to explore its undersea caverns, leaving their maps in Akinah.{{epigraph ref|sa3|63}} At some unknown time, the city was destroyed, perhaps in the [[scouring of Aimia]]{{book ref|sa1|36}} or due to the influence of the [[Unmade]] [[Dai-gonarthis]].{{epigraph ref|sa3|113}} [[Jasnah Kholin]] was previously confident that the Oathgate was destroyed and the link with the Urithiru severed.{{book ref|sa3|107}} [[Dysian Aimian]]s took up the task of guarding the city and its secrets because so few [[Lancer|Guardians of Ancient Sins]] remained.{{book ref|sa3.5|i|418}}

Over the following time, the city itself entered into the realm of myth and legend, earning it the names The Rock of Secrets and The Void's Playground and a sinister reputation.{{book ref|sa3|i|4name=sa3i4}} Due to the city's historical connection to Soulcasters, rumors spread among Soulcasting [[Savant|savants]] that the secret for reversing the prolonged decay caused by using a Soulcaster was located in Akinah. However, some factual knowledge of the city remained. The general layout of the city was still known, and it was discovered that its pattern could be produced by cymatics.{{book ref|sa1|33}} The ardents of the Vorin Church used this as a piece of evidence for the existence of the Almighty. Brother [[Kabsal]] showed this to [[Shallan Davar]] during her time in [[Kharbranth]].

In 1174, a [[Thaylen]] man named [[Vazrmeb]], captain of the ship ''[[First Dreams]]'' followed a map to Akinah with the goal of recovering the [[gemheart]]s of the Aimian greatshells that had died around the city.{{book ref|sa3|i|4name=sa3i4}} He was accompanied by a [[Liafor|Liaforan]] Soulcaster named [[Kaza]], who hoped to discover some way to reverse her gradual transformation into smoke. A Dysian Aimian in the guise of a [[Reshi]] woman serving as the ship's cook also joined the crew. She attempted to warn them several times not to come to the island. After the ship made it through Akinah’s storm, the Dysian Aimian cook fed the crew a poisoned meal to prevent them from making it to the city.

Afterwards the crew took several dinghies towards the shore, where [[Kaza]] Soulcast several of the spikes surrounding the island into smoke.{{book ref|sa3|i|4name=sa3i4}} At that point Vazrmeb and his crew, beginning to feel the effects of the poison, collapsed and died. Due to her growing inhumanity, the poison impacted Kaza less severely, so she managed to row her boat in alone, collapsing on the shore. When she regained consciousness, she crawled towards the city itself before collapsing again. The Aimian confronted her there, revealing herself as the poisoner. In her last moments before the poison killed her, Kaza Soulcast the ground beneath them both into smoke.