Dire Days
The Dire Days were the years of hardship in the Ikorbân Valley before the founding of the Shârate of Hamât. During this period, the valley's people suffered famine, foreign domination, and unrelenting banditry. Gondor maintained control over the Cape of Umbar and much of the land west of Telperiën's Wall, and the local Ikorbâni endured neglect, raids, and political weakness that left them fragmented and vulnerable.[1]
It was during the Dire Days that Aragín the Queller emerged as a leader farther up the Ikorbân River. Rallying the disparate tribes and clans, he challenged the regional powers and defeated three great champions—one from Khand, one from Gondor, and one from an unnamed southern realm. After his victories, Aragín honored his foes by constructing the Tombs of Esh-kimâkhi in their memory, a gesture that demonstrated both magnanimity and his vision of a reconciled valley.[2]
The Dire Days came to an end with Aragín's unification of the valley and the foundation of the Shârate. To mark this transformation, he broke his sword and declared his dedication to peace, an act that earned him his epithet “the Queller.” His rule established Kûr Anzar as the first seat of the Shâr, setting the stage for the prosperity of the Years of Joy.[1]