Ganzir: A History

by Knoster

The Dragon Tyrant

We shall begin with the basics: Ganzir is an island that lies between the continents of Equus and Griffonia, although slightly closer to the griffon continent. It is decently sized with an area of around 40,000 square miles, and contains diverse biomes ranging from open plains and dense forests to inhospitable mountains.

Ganzir has always been home to ponies, although how they came to reside there is a matter of speculation; some propose that ponies originally migrated from one of the continents over the sea, while others maintain they developed independently. This early period is shrouded in legend, as we are plagued by an almost complete lack of primary sources (more on that later). And so we are forced to rely on oral histories, which are notoriously unreliable. Rather than parrot some of the more implausible claims from these accounts, I will stick with what we know for certain.

The early ponies of Ganzir lived in misery, tormented by the dragon Raz’Aquel: undisputed master of the island. When not slumbering in the mountains, he would fly from village to village, feasting on ponies and other creatures while laying waste to any crops and buildings. Although some stories of his terror are no doubt exaggerated, there is no reason to question the destructive capability of the Great Dragon, or the degree to which the threat of his wrath shaped the social structures of this period.

The various settlements which dotted the land became exclusively focused on their own survival. Village leaders cared only for defending their own ponies, and any sense of solidarity with the ponies over the horizon was nonexistent. Especially powerful leaders would erect fortifications to protect their territory and enhance their prestige. Two of the greatest of these ancient fortresses lie at the locations of the modern-day cities of Neighneveh and Irkalla. In fact, the fortress of Dur-Irkalla still stands to this day in the center of the capital!

It is easy to imagine a world where this pattern continued indefinitely; where every year after burying their meager harvest, ponies would hide underground, content to wait out Raz'Aquel and barely scrape by until the next year. Fortunately, there was one pony who refused to cower before the Great Dragon: Dawn. She would go on to slay the tyrant and unify Ganzir.

Dawn's early life is not well documented, and you will hear a different account of it depending on who is telling the story and where they reside. The historian Tall Tales reports that she was born to an anonymous family in the southern mountains, but I find this highly implausible, as it raises numerous questions including how she could possibly amass enough support to challenge Raz’Aquel.

In my view, Dawn was most likely born in Irkalla as the heiress to the ruling family. Being in control of the fortress along with its soldiers would have made her one of the few ponies on the whole island capable of standing a chance in an encounter with the dragon. From this base, she could travel Ganzir gathering support, presenting herself as commanding an army which could pose a credible threat to the Great Dragon.

In any case, Dawn eventually rallied a force comprised of the finest warriors and mages from all across the land. It is at this point that we have our first reports of Dawn’s famous banner: a sword beneath a black sun. After her triumph, this symbol would go on to be her personal symbol, being engraved on many buildings she commissioned during her time in power. Dawn’s army marched south to the mountains Raz’Aquel called home. Before facing the dragon, she compelled her army to swear an oath of loyalty to her, laying the foundation for the island’s unification under her rule.

Dawn was clever. Rather than recklessly charging towards the dragon’s lair, she took time to scout the region and identified an area naturally flowing with arcane energy. She lured the Great Dragon to this sacred mountain, and with the help of its power, destroyed him. Raz’Aquel’s reign of terror was over. Ganzir had a new master, and her name was Dawn.

In the next chapter we shall explore the reign of Princess Dawn. Although now united in theory, it is thanks to her long and prosperous reign that the First Principality did not disintegrate in the face of the coming adversities. However, it must be said that in the process she made a mistake which ensured the realm would fracture after her death.