Ilujanka

The Ilujanka (pronounced /ɪlu:jæŋkə/, il-loo-YAN-kah), also known as the Dragon Riders or the Lizardmen, are a race of reptilian humanoids originally from another plane that were brought by Zaros to fight for him during the Second Age. They were first mentioned briefly by the warrior Viggora, during The Curse of Zaros. They were mentioned again in Postbag from the Hedge 43, where the Mahjarrat Enakhra denied their existence, before featuring in the Last riders book, and are also featured in the quest One of a Kind.

Origins
The book Last Riders, dropped by the King Black Dragon, gives the greatest insight into their history. Written by Hannibus, last of the Dragon Riders, it details how they originated from another world, where they knew only peace, and lived alongside creatures similar to dragons known as gurhs, which they helped find food for in return for being allowed to ride them, so as to plough their fields. However, they had somehow become infertile and were at risk of dying out.

Just as things seemed desperate, however, they were approached in their settlement by Zaros himself, in the form of a shadowy man. Zaros offered them a cure for their infertility; all they had to do was accompany him from their world to his. Faced with such a prospect, such new hope, they accepted, and followed the Empty Lord through a portal to Gielinor, a world much different to their own.

Serving Zaros
It was in this world that the race developed an affinity with dragons, the closest animals to the gurhs that they had left behind, and thus they became known as dragonriders. They were able to tame the creatures, and ride them. They also had to quickly learn concepts that were redundant in their old world: combat, war, betrayal, loyalty and lies, with loyalty coming easiest to them, doing as Zaros commanded in the hope he would reward them with offspring. Despite it being a novelty to them, war also proved to be one of their strengths, and they began to be feared by Zaros' enemies, by whom they were dubbed the name by which they are most known: the Dragon Riders.

However, as time wore on, the Empty Lord did not gift them as he had promised, telling them to wait until after the war, despite their petitions. Ultimately the Dragon Riders, who once numbered in the dozens, were reduced and diminished to but a handful of five: Hannibus, Morvannon, Apropos, Balustan and Ablenkian. At this time Zamorak, Zaros' finest general, offered to fulfill Zaros's promise on one condition; that two of their remaining five join him as personal bodyguards. They agreed, with Morvannon and Apropos agreed to join Zamorak.

The Betrayal
After a week since this event, Zamorak - through the events narrated in the Curse of Zaros miniquest - acquired the Staff of Armadyl; a weapon which was believed to have enough power to kill Zaros himself. And so Morvannon and Apropos returned with this news, suggesting that the five of them should ride with Zamorak; however, Balustan and Ablenkian disagreed, believing it unwise to betray the Empty Lord, who promised to end their infertility after the war - if they warned him of the plot, surely he would reward them. Only Hannibus maintained a neutral stance, thinking that either action could lead to their extinction.

In the end, both Zaros and Zamorak disappeared - though the latter eventually returned - and the remaining Dragon Riders were branded traitors by both factions, Zamorakian and Zarosian. One by one, they were hunted, until only Hannibus remained, and was able to return to the cave wherein his race had been brought to the world, his dragon still at his side. Hannibus's exact whereabouts after this are currently unknown, although he is still alive, albeit imprisoned.

Known Members

 * Hannibus - chose to be neutral in the conflict between Zamorak and Zaros and survived, last known Dragon Rider, companion of the King Black Dragon.
 * Morvannon - defected to Zamorak; devoured by Zamorak's helldogs
 * Apropos - defected to Zamorak; killed by Zamorak's vampyre allies
 * Balustan - remained loyal to Zaros; torn apart by Zarosian ripper demons
 * Ablenkian - remained loyal to Zaros; torn apart by Zarosian ripper demons
 * Sharrigan, the great granddaughter of Hannibus, brought to Gielinor by Therragorn

Trivia

 * They were originally mentioned in the original members announcement and the Behind the Scenes article on 31 March 2004 as the Lizardmen. Although they were not initially released, a model was nevertheless created for them, but it went unused and was never released into the game. They were much later reworked into the modern-day Dragonriders.