Lahmia (city)
Lahmia is a ruined city in Nehekhara.
It is located on the eastern side of the Worlds Edge Mountains and in the northern region of that area.[1a]
The women of ancient Lahmia were famed for their seductive beauty with daughters of the king bearing the likeness of the city's patron goddess Asaph. So great was this beauty that these daughters wore golden masks when dealing with others and were normally confined to the Queens Apartments in the palace. [3d]
History
Settra took as his queen, Hatsushepra, daughter of the royal court of Lahmia and in order to preserve the Covenant with the Gods, the king of Khemri continued the tradition of a bride from the city. [2a]
It is mentioned as being conquered by King Rakhash and then Rakaph II. It was again re-conquered by Khetep along with the rest of Nehekhara. [1x]
King Lamasheptra negotiated a deal with the Celestial Empire of Cathay shortly after Nagash siezed the throne of Khemri in -1959 IC. Lahmia was required to supply ten tons of gold each year, for the next three hundred years with the sovereignty of the city itself as security. In exchange they would receive arms and armour that equipped the legions of Cathay including dragon powder and dragon-staves. The delivery took place over the next century. [3c]
In -1950 IC following the sack of Zandri by Nagash, King Lamasheptra travelled to Khemri to visit his aunt Neferem and her son Sukhet. He brought a young boy priest of Ptra, Nebunefer as a gift to her to wait upon her and see to her spiritual needs. Lamasheptra was shocked by how she had aged beyond her years but sank to his knees in reverence, much to the anger of Nagash. [2b]
Lahmia was the first of the great cities to withdraw its ambassadors and stop its monthly tithe to Khemri as the Nagash emptied his cities coffers to build the Black Pyramid and they judged, correctly, that he no longer had the money to raise and maintain armies to enforce it. [2c]
In -1741 IC, Lamasheptra died and his son Lamashizzar became king of Lahmia. In -1740 IC he travelled to Mahrak which was being besieged by Nagash offering his aid in exchange for the secret of eternal life. However, when he was rebuffed, [2d] and shortly after Neferem was destroyed and the Covenant with the Gods was shattered, he met with Amn-nasir and Arkhan instead. [2e] Finally the Dragon-men countered the horde of the dead that Nagash had raised in Mahrak and even seemed to have destroyed the Usurper himself! [2f]
Lamashizzar hosted a Council of Kings in -1650 IC in the Hall of Rebirth, hoping to use the meeting to rebuild the cities treasury. [3b] In -1600 IC, Prince Xian Ha Feng arrived in Lahmia and informed Neferata that the Celestial Empire was creating huge new gold mines. This, the queen knew meant they would be unable to pay back the vast sum still owed to Cathay for the Dragon-men. [3c]
After perfecting the Elixir of Life with Arkhan, Neferata took control from her brother in -1599 IC but he remained as a puppet to rule through. [3e] Trade began to flourish once more with the other cities of Nehekhara. [3f] Lamashizzar's Grand Vizier poisoned Neferata with the Venom of the Sphinx [1d] and in revenge Arkhan slew the king. [3i]
However as night fell, Neferata awoke and fell upon her women in a frenzy, killing and draining them of their blood - Shortly after, she appeared before the gathered nobles and priests, pale and terrible in her beauty and beside her Ubaid called for all to Rejoice at the coming of the Queen. [3j] Neferata took the throne openly and invited her royal cousins from the other cities to meet with her and over the next six months they travelled to Lahmia. Prince Xian returned to claim the last payment of gold due to Cathay, but Neferata offered him eternal life instead. [3k]
The King of Lahmia, Lahmizzar, led the armies of the 7 cities against Nagash but was slain at Nagash's own hand. Eventually, Lahmizzash managed to defeat Nagash.[1b]
Lahmia became known as Cursed Lahmia after it was discovered that vampires resided there. Neferata was the first vampire and held her Lahmian Court where she created more vampires. [1x] Finally, Alcadizaar conquered Lahmia and it was razed to the ground as an infernal place. All of the population was enslaved and the city left for ruin.[1c]
Locations
- Asaph's Quay: Sandstone expanse on the edge of the Temple District, north of the city harbour. [3a]
- District of the Golden Lotus: Upper class district. [3a]
- House of Everlasting Life: Where bodies of the royal family are laid to rest. [3h]
- Palace Complex. [3a]
- Hall of Kings: Right huge basalt statues of the gods (Asaph, Basth, Djaf, Geheb, Phakth, Ptra, Usirian, Tahoth) form a processional to the throne which is made from the same dark wood as the throne in Khemri and looks grown rather than carved. [3k]
- Hall of Rebirth: Created in the Royal Gardens to house the Council of Kings in -1650 IC, it had walls of polished cedar and a yellow silk roof. [3b]
- Women's Palace/Queen's Apartments: Sanctuary and prison for royal Lahmian women, even the King could only enter on holy days of Asaph. There were three Audience Chambers in which the Queen and her daughters could interact with the world. [3a]
- Hall of the Sun in its Divine Glory Used to celebrate children being born and weddings, the largest of the three. [3a]
- Hall of Regretful Sorrows: A vault of dark green marble where a dead queen would lie in state. [3a]
- Hall of Reverent Contemplation: Constructed from golden sandstone, the king and nobles could pay homage to the queen here. [3a]
- Red Silk District [3a]
- Temple District: [3a]
Military
Only Lahmia of all the great cities of Nehekhara did not build defensive walls, siege warfare being unheard of before Nagash and when he arose, the Dragon-men were considered enough to keep it safe. [3g]
Notable
- Ubaid: Grand Vizier to Lamashizzar. [3a]
Religion
The patron of Lahmia was Asaph, goddess of magic, architect of the Covenant with the Gods. [3k]
| The necropolises of the Tomb Kings. |
| Khemri - Numas - Zandri - Bhagar- Beremas - Quatar - Rasetra - Mahrak - Lybaras - Lahmia |
Sources
- 1: Warhammer Armies: Tomb Kings (6th Edition)
- 2: Rise of Nagash (anthology) by Mike Lee : Nagash the Sorcerer
- 2a: Chapter Two: Second Sons, pg. 45
- 2b: Chapter Twenty Four: The Blood of Princes, pg. 275-280
- 2c: Chapter Twenty Seven: The Undying King, pg. 307
- 2d: Chapter Thirty: The End of all Things, pg. 352-353
- 2e: Chapter Thirty: The End of all Things, pg. 362
- 2f: Chapter Thirty: The End of all Things, pg. 366-368
- 3: Rise of Nagash (anthology) by Mike Lee: Nagash the Unbroken
- 3a: Prologue: New Beginnings, pg. 384-386
- 3b: Chapter One: Balance of Power, pg. 405-407
- 3c: Chapter Three: A Silken Betrayal, pg. 429-433
- 3d: Chapter Five: The Word of Kings, pg. 454
- 3e: Chapter Seven: The Right of Queens, pg. 473-475
- 3f: Chapter Nine: Among Thieves, pg. 486
- 3g: Chapter Nine: Among Thieves, pg. 491
- 3h: Chapter Eleven: Necessary Sacrifices, pg. 512-513
- 3i: Chapter Thirteen: Blood for Blood, pg. 538-539
- 3j: Chapter Thirteen: Blood for Blood, pg. 542-543
- 3k: Chapter Fifteen: The Shadow of the Hawk, pg. 555-562
