The Irda are the precursor to what is known today as an “Ogre” on Krynn. At the creation of the Ogre race the Ogres were a beautiful race, as well as the only race besides the Elves that had a semblance of modern civilization. At this time, in the midst of the Age of Dreams (aprox 6000 PC), the other race on Krynn were the Marans, know to day as Human. The Ogres made slaves of this lesser race, a race that did not possess Civilization. But the Maran did have compassion, that which the Ogres lacked. In the year of 6380PC a Maran male, Eadamm, saved the daughter of his Ogre master from death by defying an order from his master to abandon a collapsing mine. There was only one sentence for disobedience, death. But the Ogre Lord, known as Igrane, was grateful that a Maran would risk his life to save Igrane’s daughter. Thus he began to respect the people under his rule. The other Ogre saw the danger that allowing Maran slaves some semblance of freedom would cause, and labeled Igrane an insane heretic and ordered his death. Before fleeing for his life Igrane struck the chains from his people and declared them free. The Maran slew the Ogre force that had come to kill Igrane and fled into the wilderness.
The free Maran hid in the wilderness for 6 years, harassing Ogre civilization. When they were finally caught Eadamm was brought into the great coliseum to be slain. Many Ogres brought many slaves to view the death of Eadamm as a warning against rebellion. Before a packed crown Eadamm was drawn and quartered. The crowd that consisted mostly of slaves clearly understood the message. Not one Ogre in that coliseum lived out that day.
Meanwhile Igrane and his followers fled north, to an island off the coast of Ansalon. The Ogres left behind became corrupt and debased. Their beauty vanished, their civilization was left in ruins by the Maran rebellion. The Ogres became ugly and cruel, their vestigial cunning the only testimony to their former glory.
The Irda, as the followers of Igrane called themselves, remained hidden from the world. The Evil Ogres constantly sought to slay their traitorous brethren, the Maran forgot the aid of Igrane and threw the Irda off as oppressors. Takhisis sent her followers to kill the Irda in rage for betraying their worship.
Thus did Mishakal, the healing hand, did come to the Irda. She granted them the power to assume the form of any humanoid creature, allowing them to hide amongst their enemies. Thus the Irda could walk the world again.
But they chose not too.
On an island between Ansalon and The Dragon Isles the Irda hid. Some would occasionally sojourn across Krynn but for the most part they lived quietly out of the way. The Irda became a solitary race, even to the point of becoming isolationist amongst their own kind. The Irda faced devastation at their own hands as they sought solitude from their own brethren. Irda began to mate in fewer numbers.
The elders saw the problem, and created a magical need to mate in the Irda, called the Valin. Thus because of a magical curse were the Irda “forced” to mate. Still the Irda lived the rest of their lives in seclusion.
Many years did pass as the Irda watched the world. They were left alone until the Knights of Takhisis discovered their Island, sensing great danger from it as they prepared to conquer Ansalon. They did not reveal the Irda, for the Irda hid as a race of degenerate primitive humans. So the Knight left unknowing of the Irda presence.
But the Irda knew that their solitude was at an end, and thus did they use the magical power of an artifact they had captured to keep it from the people of the world who were endangered by it: The Graygem of Gargath.
Cracking open the Gem to use its magic to save the Irda, they released a malevolent being, Chaos. He destroyed entirely the Isle of the Irda.
No known surviving Irda are known, but it was common for them to leave the isle for a time so perhaps not all were killed.
As well, it is not known if the Isle of the Irda was the only Irda colony. As it is written, they were a solitary race and communication between groups would have been unlikely.