Hazarâph Sailing Hoard, Ikhens Barge

In the middle of the Lith-Crillion Era, settlers out of Loothu'n went west into the Lands of Purity. They were band #22, one of dozens sent out to hack it out in the wild, establish a new camp, make a name for themselves, and hopefully become another wealthy trade center like Loothu'n and Baziranâth. Those that founded Hazarâph were the fortunate ones, their settlement survived where most failed. At the time, the population density of the swamp and the lands around were only a fraction of what they are today, maybe 10,000 humanoids across all of the Lands of Purity. Over the next several centuries, Hazarâph became a major trade center for Ikhen's scaly peoples, often remaining neutral in the region's conflicts, yet profiting from them.

During the reign of the black dragon Ikhenholmbrac, this floating city, buoyed by shambog, was often jokingly referred to as the Sailing Hoard or Ikhens Barge. This was not openly done, for such was against the laws of the time regarding insulting the city's owner. This owner was an ancient black dragon with an acid breath so terrible that it melted stone. From 879 HE to 1180 HE, Ikhenholmbrac ruled Hazarâph and the area around for many leagues. Hazarâph was then a much more diverse city, home to yuan-ti, Graagvrii, trolls, and a small Lorhazi population. This latter group was Ikhenholmbrac's favorites, getting the choice houses and positions. The yuan-ti were distant relatives of those that founded the city two thousand years earlier. The city also had slaves, mostly Tungesti from the Urkthal Warrens. Like today, this slave population was pretty low, limited by the cost of space. This space limit was for having reached the maximum size for a shambog mass. It has been like this since the reign of Ikhenholmbrac, and the reason why the city's real estate is so expensive.

Hazarâph is prosperous, always has been. It serves as a gateway for goods going in all directions about the swamp. During times of good management, its serves as a trade bridge for goods going east and west; which otherwise don't make it through Ikhen's hazards.

Generally, the people of Ikhen consider Hazarâphins to be snobs, privileged, financiers, bankers and high society. Most could only dream of living in a place that is so secure and where gold flows so freely.

In the Second Epoch, the city's wealthier yuan-ti, backed by the Merchant League, secretly pooled their resources. They bought out the properties of other racial groups, and when someone didn't sell, they used force. This whole affair, codenamed the Hazarâph Shuffle, was a Merchant League plan to slow Hazarâph's growth. It was one of several put into play across the lands, with the Merchant League gunning for influence and prosperity at the expense of their neighbors. When Hazarâph's population plummeted from evictions and buyouts, their was a run on the banks. This bolstered Paradomea City, making it the safest places to store your money, a title long held by Hazarâph.