The First Empire
The first great Yrūn empire arose along the misty shores of southern Lyrast. Though little remains of this early civilization, the Urzar People (from which the word Yrūn is derived) thrived in the early part of the Third Age of Emer. It should be noted that the people of Urzar believed themselves to be descendants of another empire that fell years before on the black isle of Emer, but almost nothing is known of those ancients. It is possible however that many of the discoveries and inventions of the Urzar People may indeed have been developed by an earlier people.
Lands
History
It is unknown whether the Urzar People were recognized in their time (by themselves or others) as a single nation, but it is believed that the people now categorized as a part of this ancient group shared a culture which spanned much of Lyrast for hundreds of years. Some scholars refer to this group as the Onno Culture, though others include the divergent Lyran and Vulmur which are believed to have left southern Lyrast at an early date. Though not much remains of the Urzar People, travelers returning from the mysterious north have reported that natives of those remote areas claim direct descendancy from these antecedents, specifically the people of frozen Tukumun, Flaan and one tribe of Wurm.
The Urzar People are given credit for two important accomplishments. First, theirs was the earliest known Yrūn writing. Again, it is unknown whether they developed writing on their own, with the help of an elder race, or inherited the knowledge from Emereni predecessors. Second, the Urzar People established the Lyrasti Calendar which continues to be used by scholars throughout the world. The calendar’s earliest known appearance is upon the Obelisk of Volorin which was erected after the accepted fall of the Urzar People to the Ikítikírittìk in the 4th century LR. It is interesting to note that elder records show an almost identical counting between Lyrasti and Emereni reckoning, but those records have never been available to Yrūn sages. Though few ever see the calendar of Volorin (and many that do, do not appreciate the stone’s significance), the landscape of southern Lyrast is littered with date-stones erected by the ancients to commemorate something that happened at those spots. These menhirs have been instrumental in locating nearby Onno Culture graves.
Who were the Urzar People? Not much information remains about the common folk but stone memorials and tombs left by their rulers remain scattered across all of southern Lyrast. In 4/3382 LR the unplundered tomb of King Bodor was uncovered beneath an old hillside mill near (–?–) whose walls had been built using the stones of an indeterminate ruin beneath. The king had been buried in a stone mound-tomb and laid to rest in a plain wooden sarcophagus; his body was bound in strips of beaten gold and silver encrusted precious stones by the thousands. Buried with him were the bones of servants and pets all bedecked in fine necklaces and bracelets. Within his golden bands were found three scrolls which explained who he was and gave some insight into his brief reign. Portions of the scrolls were stolen and damaged following their excavation. Almost nothing of the third scroll was ever deciphered before its disappearance (some rumors have placed the location of this stolen scroll as far away as Lur Virid). Despite this loss, the Mound-Tomb of Bodor gave many insights into the Urzar People.
It is believed that the Urzar People lived in tribal-clusters, separately ruled by warlords but collectively ruled by a regional king. The First Scroll of Bodor described the king as having great sway over many tribes which he commanded via a Star of Ten warlords. We also know from the scroll that one of those warlords rose against the king and killed him, becoming the next king. It is not believed that the kings of the Urzar People were determined by hereditable succession. It can be surmised from the First Scroll that the culture was warlike, though whether through necessity or tendency is unknown. Individual tribes probably stood very little chance against the predatory Ikítikírittìk, so the system of an over-king likely served the Urzar People well.
Based on other findings, it is believed that the only permanent structures built were the tombs and memorials of Urzar People warlords and kings. There is no evidence of permanent temples or other community centers. Even the early City of Urzar (located in present-day Jadaktha) was likely constructed from post and hides or thatch. The evidence for this is curious, because based on the stonework exhibited in their mound-tombs the people were capable carvers and masons. In the Middle and Late Urzar Empire, stone was used in the construction of public buildings and temples.
There is no evidence that the Urzar People domesticated horses. Sheep and cattle however, are represented in the reliefs of some tombs. The related Vulmur People are known to have had horses at an early time, some having been buried with them.