Itza
Itza, The First City is the oldest Temple-City of the Lizardmen. [3b]
It is said that Itza was created where the Old Ones first came to the world [4a] and the city was planned according to alignments of the twin moons. [1b]
A sprawling city whose skies are filled with Terradon Riders carrying messages or even dignitary's from other cities and whose streets and districts are full of bustling skinks. [3b]
History
The Old Ones dwell in the location that later Itza will occupy and bring forth the Slann of the First Spawning who measure the lines of the city. The Second Spawning are formed to adjust the alignment of the world and Saurus are created to build the city, with work beginning around -12,500 IC. [3b] Skinks and Kroxigor join them in the work and the city is completed around -10,000 IC. [1d]
During the Great Catastrophe the city was ravaged by the forces of Chaos and was only saved through the sacrifice made by the Venerable Lord Kroak, the renowned Slann Mage-Priest. Summoning the Deliverance of Itza, he banished every daemon in the city, but in doing so seared all other spells from his mind. The Kroxigor Nakai, known as the the Wanderer had also journed to Itza to assist in its defence. [2a]
There is a dispute between Lord Itz-Xloc and Quex which confuses the skinks of the city until the great pyramid of the Old Ones falls and the hidden plaque of Otzli-Potec is found. [1d]
After the Skaven of Clan Pestilens are driven from Lustria in around 100 IC, a great Pyramid to Sotek is constructed in the city and 10,000 skaven sacrificed upon its alter. [1d]
After Dark Elves steal the Star Stela of Quetli in 315 IC[3b], Mage Priest Tepec-Inzi wakes from a trance, raises an army and transports it to the Ashen Coast in time to intercept the raiders emerging from the Black Way. His war leader, Gor-Rok retrieves the stella after tearing out the enemy commanders throat. [3a]
The first of the twin tailed Skink Oracles are spawned in Itza in 535 IC. [3b]
Since the arrival of the mad Vampire Luthor Harkon in 876 IC[1c], his conquest of the Vampire Coast and raids on nearby Temple-cities, Lord Xltloc has dispatched many armies to try and destroy him and reclaim the sacred artefacts stolen from them. [1a]
In 930 IC Lord Xltep defeats an army of Harkon attempting to move inland. [1a]
End Times
In 2523 IC, the city was surrounded by Skaven under Plaguelord Gritch, who created emplacements for their siege weapons and dug spike lined ditches as its walls and army were far to formidable to immediately assault. [5a] At the same time, all of the Slann were still insensible after their efforts to stop the Skaven drawing Morrslieb towards the world. In the absence of new orders, the Skinks continued to maintain the city as normal and the Saurus awaited any direct attack on the city with half the standing army being previously dispatched to aid Kroq-Gar. [5b]
When the Contagion Conclave arrived with their Cauldrons of a Thousand Poxes, the contents of the cauldrons were loaded onto catapults and the bombardment began - the intensely virulent and acidic loads were death to the living and corroded the hardest of substances, even Obsinite was not proof against it. Despite attacks by air, the batteries kept up a constant bombardment on the city and as the destruction mounted, the Lizardmen were forced to pull back. All seemed to be going perfectly for the Skaven until a storm suddenly broke above Itza and with it came the Red Host of Tehenhauin. They emerged from the jungle to slaughter the ratmen in the hammering rain - no skaven survived their onslaught or the Chameleon Skinks hidden in the treeline. [5c]
Locations
The city is located deep in the Lustrian jungle with the Spine of Sotek mountain range to its west. The nearest pass through the peaks is the Chasm of the Condor and this is well guarded by sentinels of Itza. [4a] Flocks of Terradons carrying Skink dignitaries can be seen gathering above the high temple pyramids whilst the broad avenues below teem with artisans and scribes. [4b] Although many structures within and around the city are ruined, many are being allowed to crumble before they are rebuilt to fulfill a prophecy or at the command of Mage-Priest. [4c]
- Avenue of Lizard-Sphinxes: The main avenue to the city is lined for miles with stone statues of mighty lizards. Some travellers have reported that heads of these monolithic sentinels slowly move to follow their passage. [4c]
- Avenue of Sacred Stars:. [5c]
- Barrios of the Skinks: Skinks live here, constructing the artefacts of their civilisation with a population of tens, perhaps hundreds of thousands. [4c]
- Bridge of Stars: Miles to the east of the city, it spans a vast chasm and is heavily defended - the site of many battles, it's most famous defender is Nakai who helt it against the Daemons of Chaos. [4c]
- Mage-Priests' Pyramids: Some especially revered Mage-Priests have temples built for them including a palanquin chamber allowing telepathic communciation with other Slann or to gather inspiration from the celestial bodies. [4c]
- Pyramid of Lord Kroak: Guarded by the mightiest of the Temple Guard, the body of the Relic-Priest is normally held deep within the temple. The pyramid itself has great, colourful paintings of the life and battles of Lord Kroak. [4b]
- Pyramid of Itza: When the Polar Gates fell, Lord Kroak sat atop this structure and it still contains the most powerful artefacts of magical machines of destruction. Those with the ability to see magic can perceive it from many miles away. [4c]
- Pyramid of Sotek: The largest of the pyramid temples it is located at the heart of the city. Priests of the Red Cult perform daily ceremonies whilst on high days, Lord Kroak himself is brought forward to receive the adulation of the crowd. Beneath the temple is a great pit containing enormous snakes to whom sacrificial victims are thrown.[4b]
- Spawning Ponds: The swamps that surround the city provide the traditional spawning places for the Lizardmen. They are crossed by paved causeways and some are enclosed by embankments as well as being infested by piranha. [4c]
- Temples of the Old Ones: Each Pyramid is dedicated to a single Old One. [4b] Daily ceremonies are performed atop them with the air crackling with the power of the ancients. [4c]
- Zenith of Tranquility Temple:. [5c]
Military
The army of the First City is considered second to none by the Lizardmen with the ability to support the elite warriors with the powerful magics of the Mage Priests as well as the ancient artefacts and weapons of the Old Ones. [4b]
Notable
- Lord Kroak: Last of the First Spawning. [1d]
- Lord Tepec-Inzi. [3a]
- Lord Xltep. [1a]
- Tezka, Warleader during the End Times.[5b]
Gallery
Map of Itza and its surrounds
| The temple-cities of the Lizardmen | |
| Lustria | Axlotl - Chaqua - Chupayotl - Hexoatl - Huatl - Itza - Oyxl - Pahuax - Quetza - Quezotec - Tlanxla - Tlax - Tlaxtlan - Xahutec - Xhotl - Xlanhuapec - Zultec |
| Southlands | Zlatlan - Tlaqua - Nahuontl - Cuexotl - Golden Tower of the Gods - Temple of Skulls - Teotiqua - Temple-Avenue of Gold |
| Albion and others | Dragon Isles - Konquata |
Sources
- 1: Warhammer Armies: Lizardmen (5th Edition)
- 2: Warhammer Armies: Lizardmen (6th Edition)
- 2a: Children of the Gods, pg. 7
- 3: Warhammer Armies: Lizardmen (8th Edition)
- 4: White Dwarf 306 (UK)
- 5: Warhammer: Thanquol:
- Warhammer Armies: Lizardmen (7th Edition), Needs Citation
