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Sumerian king list:
1 Meaning of the Sumerian word Udul-kalama
Udul-kalama (died c. 2605 BC) was the seventh
Sumerian ruler in the First Dynasty of Uruk, according to the
Sumerian King List. He may have been a son of
Ur-Nungal and grandson of
Gilgamesh. However, unlike his predecessors, he left no other known documents or relics mentioning his name, and he may have been one of several minor kings of Uruk added to the list, who reigned when hegemony was actually held by the first dynasty of
Ur.
2 Ur-Nungal was once a child and man that acted very much the same way his father did before his journey for immortality. Upon loving and losing the love of his life. Ur-Nungal changed into a man that was very much like his father as a child. Tolerant, Wise, Fair and Moral. He became a king who put his kingdom and his people ahead of himself. He loved the people and showered them with many riches.
3 Generous and Kind to those he viewed as good. He assisted his people however he could, bestowing happiness upon all. As a lawmaker who built from his father's first law of Judgement being left to Man. Ur-Nungal made a code of laws that all others follow after which he strictly adheres to unless they prove to be unfair and cruel to the people. He had improved his kingdom even further from the work his father had made. Achieving absolute order and peace with the happiness of the people. Upon criminals and evil he becomes a different man. Harsh, Relentless and Taunting. He had personally sought out murderers, rapists, thieves and other cold hearted people that made the lives of others hell. He served the role of both Judge and Executioner.
4 Unlike his father he had no quarrel with dirtying his hands to dish out justice and retribution. Though harsh he is fair. Never issuing a punishment that is far more or far less than required. It is evil and corrupt people that face the overwhelming, staggering arrogance and pompousness akin to his father. The only ones that Ur-Nungal will relentlessly taunt, insult, preferably using the word mongrel. Though he does not underestimate his opponents and will snuff out any chance of a mongrel getting the upper hand over him. To those that seek salvation for their sins and crimes. He is the kind and great king that achieved a utopia. Willing to guide the attoned on a path of righteousness and light for a better life. He views the gods as guides and guardians of the world to assist humanity but like his father no longer the rulers of humanity as that is now left for humans to take.
5 As it was when his father or even so far back as the first King of Sumer, this decree was made. He does show pride outside of hunting down the guilty. He is proud of his family heritage and will not hesitate to shout his identity and bloodline if he so chooses. Punishing anyone who shows disrespect. He holds his father in high regards, though their philosophies on kingship differ, he praises him as being the greatest king and hero. He wonders if he had made his father proud.
Backstory
6 Born to Gilgamesh and Arammu, a daughter of Dumuzid, The Shepard. Ur-Nungal was born at the time of his father's rule after his journey for immortality. Born in an era of peace and prosperity. No treasure or joy was kept from the child, experiencing all the world had to offer at a relatively young age. The child's personality was identical to that of the tyrant king that ruled before his journey. Only tamed by his father's wisdom and his mother's compassion. When the time came of his father's passing with his mother passing a few years before.
7 Ur-Nungal ruled very much like the immature Hero King of old did to the dismay of the people. Indulging himself in every joy available from wine, festivities, food, women and all. It all changed when he met a young woman named Aya who acted as a servant of the palace. She was different from all the rest, the King had laid with.
8 Defiant, passionate and strong that complimented the compassion and beauty that laid within her. At their meeting the servant girl had stood up before the King, scolding him for mistreating his subjects, even with threats of execution did the woman not silence herself. It was unlike anything he had ever seen and he was captivated by her. The King apologized to the surprise of all, calling for everyone but her to leave the throne room to which he allowed the servant to explain how he had mistreated his subjects. She did more, she showed. Disguising the King as a commoner they went across the kingdom with Aya asking any citizen possible their opinions of the King. Many scared to say, the few brave ones let loose their thoughts. Though the King still keeps a glorious city, his harsh treatment burdens and pains his subjects. Granted a new perspective on the life of his people.
9 The next day, Ur-Nungal made Aya a personal handmaiden of the King and a secret advisor. Both teaching each other on their sides of life and drawing a close relationship with one another. Aya at their first day of meeting saw the kindness and strength within the King that was barred by a sense of entitlement and selfishness. Over time the King grew into the tolerant, fair, wise and kind ruler the people adored and worshiped. Ur-Nungal and Aya held a deep love for each other. They were inseparable. At the Euphrates river before the stars, Ur-Nungal proposed to Aya and the next day announced to the kingdom of Uruk his new queen. The King granted his wife an elixir of longevity. The King and Queen bore a son, ruling for 10 years together before tragedy struck.
10 The Queen had been found dead in their bedchambers, a decorated knife stabbed through her heart. The King was furious. He declared martial law allowing no one to leave or enter the city until the murderer was found. He personally searched the whole city until he found the man. Vengeance consuming him he mercilessly beat the man to a bloody mess until he stopped to catch his breath. Now hearing the pleas of the murderer. Guilt, Confusion and Sorrow all came from his voice to the confusion of the King. The King questioned the man to which he only replied that he did not know what happened, he came across a beautiful maiden who gave him a mesmerizing stare, everything went black and when he awakened he found himself in a position of having stabbed the Queen.
11 The King was in a conflict. He had searched for vengeance for months and wanted to claim it. In his mind raced words from both his late mother and wife of compassion and forgiveness. Having found no lie in the man's words, relented, realizing that cold blooded murder is not what his wife would desire. He took the man to his palace, having his servants nurse him to health before releasing him into the village. Lifting martial law and announcing to the public that the murderer had been slain to give closure.
12 The next 10 years he spent raising his son, Udul-kalama, with the help of the court. He created a code of laws that molded his city into one of absolute order to crush a high crime wave that swept the city. He had enforced his laws personally. Hunting down any criminals that harmed the lives of others. Having even broken into a home to stop a murder in progress and dragged him all across Uruk for all to see before being executed by the King's hands. All to honor the memory of his late queen so no one else may suffer his pain. The last 10 years of the King's rule was spent battling against a surge of barbarians and neighboring cities trying to conquer Uruk.
13 At the start of the defense, the 10 years of law enforcement the King had done earned the favor of his ancestor. Utu, The Sun God. Who granted Ur-Nungal his armory to defend his city and continue his lifelong quest of bringing justice. For 10 years he decimated any that dare take the city with his armies. Proving himself a capable leader and warrior. Upon his final year his armies marched far beyond Uruk into the cedar forest to eliminate one final stronghold of the barbarians. They stood before a monument statue of Gilgamesh, built to commemorate his victory over the beast, Humbaba.
14 It was there they encountered a royal maiden who leaned against the statue to the confusion of all. The maiden then struck the statue and made it fall to the ground. The maiden revealed herself to be Ishtar and then showed her trap. There was no stronghold to be found. There is only war and death. Death of the Queen, death of those who died defending the city, death to the King and his army. What the framed man had said all those years ago was true. The maiden was Ishtar. When asked why cause all this suffering and pain. The reply was to exterminate the line that denied her and the gods. If she could not have her chosen love neither will anyone of his line. Humanity shall not go on living free from the gods.
15 With that fact she manipulated the enemies of Uruk that the kingdom is weak, dying and ripe for the taking. The mad goddess unleashed a whole horde of divine beasts that slaughtered the army of the King despite his best efforts. The King with his armory slew the beasts that killed his men then utilized all of his power to battle the goddess and defeat her. The battle left the King in critical condition and the goddess exhausted much of her power. When the goddess attempted to flee, the King let loose his chains to bind the goddess and with all his life force. Bound the goddess to the fallen statue of his father for eternity. An ironic punishment. The King drew his last breaths before bearing witness to the spirits of his family and wife smiling at him. Taking their hands they guided him off to the afterlife where in the forest the body of the King stood on his knees dead.
16 Uruk was saved and Its people avenged. The army of the city had found his body, 3 days later and took him back to the city where all the kingdom mourned his death. Soon after the Kingdom of Uruk will have Its new king. Udul-Kulama. The son of the man who ruled his kingdom with kindness and love. Who enforced justice and truth. Granted salvation to those seeking better lives. A man who served as an inspiration and a figure of greatness. He had avenged his kingdom and his family. He died at peace as the King of all Judges, A Great King of Uruk and the first Hero of Justice.
Epilogue
17 The Fate of Ishtar. Ishtar pleaded across the skies, her loud cries being heard from even the heavens for freedom. To silence her, Utu emerged a day before the King was taken to Uruk for burial. Explaining that the strife she has caused has pushed the line many times but her propaganda and war mongering has caused much destruction throughout Sumer. Angering the gods. As punishment, Ishtar would be bound to this statue for as long as Anu saw fit. Utu had bound his armory to the spirit of Ur-Nungal. Assuring no one else will reap his power. So his tools faded along with the spirit of the fallen King as it passed on to the afterlife all but the chain. Leaving Ishtar in despair. The goddess would be imprisoned for 500 years had she not been released to help resolve a calamity threatening the land of the living. Where she would redeem not only her crimes against humanity but to the very family that she had scorned. The bloodline of her beloved brother. Thus with her release, the chain disappears and returns to its master.
