Kakariko Village

An extinct domain and the former capital of the Sheikah people.
Kakariko Village was once a prosperous settlement in the western Taj-Nar Mountains, built in the shadow of Death Mountain, but was ultimately destroyed by The Kingdom of Unidiel in the year 309.

History

Sheikah Capital

Kakariko Village was an ancient settlement. While its exact foundation date is unknown, oral storytelling maintains that it was built by several Sheikah clans in the aftermath of Hylia's battle with the Demon King. The Sheikah intended to use Kakariko as neutral ground -- a place where all of their people could gather and trade. It was not hidden in the earliest days and neighboring Hylian villages would often visit and do business.
Sheikah elders would even hide monarchs and royal family members in the village during times of potential danger, back before the Hegemony drove them into exile.
After the rise of the Hegemony, the Sheikah were forced into exile, and Kakariko Village was just outside its influence. Other people faced similar dilemmas: those unwilling to follow Diel, those who disagreed with various policies, those who were unwelcomed in Hegemony territory. Sheikah elders then decided to open up Kakariko Village for general settlement. They intended it to be an autonomous refuge for all those who no longer had a home in the Interior.
This decision, reached early in Year 0, marks the rise of Kakariko Village as a domain.

As a Domain

Refugees flocked to Kakariko, and its population tripled in the span of a few short years. Hylians, humans, orcs and half-orcs, dwarves, Goron -- all found their way to the growing city. Kakariko especially lured in artists and creators who had been severely limited by the Hegemony's censorship laws, and so culture soared as many of the brightest minds from all across the continent arrived to start a new life under the watchful protection of the Sheikah.
Traditional Sheikah leadership was replaced with a mayoral system, where citizens elected a new mayor and administration every few years.
While most citizens of Kakariko preferred diplomacy or espionage to navigate conflicts, they soon found themselves fending off raids from the Labyrinth -- only to find that their main well and water system cut into the Labyrinth's various caverns, providing them with direct access to the vulnerable village. Eventually a peace agreement was reached between the village's leaders and Chikara Nadir.
The raids, however, prompted increased desire for military security. A powerful orc named Korhend titled himself the "Dark Knight of Kakariko" and built a loyal order of warriors to defend the city. He was a more aggressive leader, sometimes vexing the mayor and other town officials with his bluster.

Jericho's Attack

That bluster would eventually come in handy. Lord Jericho, commander of the Hall of Heroes' ninth legion, went rogue and attacked Kakariko after finding it to be suitable under-defended -- claiming the Sheikah were hiding secrets, giving aid to warmongers like Korhend, and too apathetic about the Labyrinth. Once he took Kakariko, he intended to march his troops underground to kill Chikara and Selena.
This resulted in a surprise last minute alliance between the Labyrinth and Kakariko. Korhend led his troops while Selena -- in her first time acting as general -- commanded the Labyrinth's army. Jericho's legionnaires made it inside Kakariko but were soon sent into a panicked rout. The defense was successful, and Jericho's retreat back to his home ultimately led to the Hall of Heroes civil war.

Invasion by Unidiel

A second invasion followed several years later, this time by a Hegemony endorsed army from The Kingdom of Unidiel. Seeking to expand their territory into the mountains, Unidiel laid siege to Kakariko for months before eventually storming the walls. Facing overwhelming odds, the people of Kakariko fled while volunteer warriors fought to their deaths to serve as a distraction while civilians escape. 
The Labyrinth, knowing the cause was lost against such a large force, instead shuttered its entrances and opened decoy tunnels to lure Unidiel's troops to their deaths in magma chambers. 
Sheikah relocated to other villages and began hiding their location of their settlements. Other survivors eventually migrated to new domains, such as the nearby Desert of Mystery.
The site of Kakariko Village remains a ruin to this day.

Architecture

Fond of windmills!

RUINED SETTLEMENT
309

Population

5600

Inhabitant Demonym

"Kakkies"