Ashinthael

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Kingdom of Ashinthael
Flag of Ashinthael
Flag
Coat of Arms of Ashinthael
Coat of Arms
Motto:
"From the ashes we rise again"
Anthem:
Location of Ashinthael
Map versions
Capital Marble Palace
Largest city Slograde
Official language(s) Common tongue
Official religion(s) Soloralism
Demonym Ashinthaler
 - Adjective Ashinthaler
Government Absolute monarchy
 - King Irian I
 - Chamberlain Council of Elders
 - Legislature Teirwald
Establishment
Area
Population 4,521,000
Active population 1
Currency Thalmark
Calendar
Time zone(s) CMT
Mains electricity
Driving side right
Track gauge
National website
National forum
National animal Dragon
National food Roast Pig
National drink Fire Cider
National tree Wasteland Oak
Abbreviation ASH

Ashinthael, officially the Kingdom of Ashinthael, is a country located in north-central Apollonia. It occupies much of the Teir'Dal Wasteland, which lies to the north of the Transprinitican District.

Etymology

Ashinthael derives its name from Ashintully, the Menelmacari name for the kingdom which arose out of the Teir'Dal Wasteland. The name Ashintully itself is a loan-word from ancient Dagoran and means "lands of ash", referring to the desolation (hence wasteland) laid by the early dragons that once ran rampant throughout the area.

Geography

The kingdom occupies much of the Teir'Dal Wasteland in an east-west tract in north-central Apollonia. It is bordered in the south by Hurmu, in the east by Lac Glacei, and in the west by Meckelnburgh. The topography is mountainous and the series of peaks are known as the Dagoran Spine.

History

Part I: Rise of the Riders

Eons ago, past centuries lost to time, there thrived the great Elven Empire, Menelmacar, which spread across the face of Micras, defeating all opposition that came before it. In these ancient times the world held more magic than science; strange creatures and stranger civilizations thrived in places where men dared not tread. Denizens of the dark abyss led armies of demons across the southern latitudes, while tiger-riders scouted the hills of the central continents, and ancient octopi people studied arcane texts in their frozen strongholds. It was a time of wonder, where anything was to be expected. Man was hunted, and his future dominance of the planet was far but assured. Humanity lived in fear; fear of the dark and the things that flitted and gibbered in the night. Thus it was that the humans turned to the elves for protection.

The first human kingdom to join the elves was Elpidos, on the continent of Tapfer. Although isolated and able to defend itself, King William had become smitten with an elvish princess. The marriage combined two powerful empires and made the elves the most powerful nation on the planet. A few nations resisted further overtures to accept “protection” from Menelmacar, among them the fledgling Empire of Shireroth, but the elves were easily persuaded to direct their attention to the petty kingdoms in lands unclaimed by any civilized power. It was then that the elves landed armies on the shores of Apollonia and began the liberation of Freenesia.

To this freed land the masses of humanity spread. Proliferating like never before, they clashed with the various non-human tribes that occupied the continent, wiping out race after race in a bid to be the dominant power. What happened instead was a wholesale massacre; for while some evil races were eliminated, many other neutral races were likewise destroyed, without discrimination. As the humans and their elven allies pushed the frontiers of the empire further inland, providing a constant supply route and defending such a vast expanse became more and more difficult. By the time the northern boundaries reached the hamlet of York Na, the humans had begun to lose their footing.

It was here, among the high peaks of Central Apollonia, that the small tribe of dragon riders was first encountered. A mountain folk, who had long ago learned to tame and ride the dragons that dwelt in the caves, had formed a symbiotic relationship with their reptilian allies. The elves saw the power that could be wielded by such as they, and sought to bring the dragon riders into their fold. Having long fought against the varying dark powers, the dragon riders were easily convinced. In exchange for the power of their flying armies, Menelmacar supplied the dragon riders not only with necessities heretofore inaccessible to the mountain people, but showered them in treasures and finery. The dragon riders became resplendent in their newfound riches, and soon formed the Kingdom of Ashintully, extending elvish control to the opposite shores of Apollonia.

The dragon riders built the marvelous Marble Palace, with massive blocks of glimmering white stone lifted into place by the magnificent strength of the dragons. The palace towered over the valleys below, and dominated the land for leagues around. From their stronghold castle, the Ash Fort, they spread like never before, becoming richer and more decadent. Riders adorned in outfits of utter intricacy, and dragons decked in plaited gold armor soon became the rule. Ashintully became an empire of narcissists, so proud of its own glory that it refused to recognize any faults within itself. And this blinding pride would ultimately be their downfall.

Part II: Ashes to Ashes

The classical age of Ashintully saw it rise to command a vast swath of territory from the eastern coasts of Apollonia to its western shores. Decadent and pompous, they became arrogant and prone to vanity. The first seeds of malcontent came with the arrival of the mysterious Priest in Yellow.

Menelmacar had long been a Soloralist nation in whose religion it was firmly rooted – or so many thought. But on Yellow Island, east of Tapfer, the priest appeared at the Temple of Radiance and began attracting cultists to his following. Worshipping the dark god Musa, they quickly spread to all corners of the Imperium, including Ashinthael. It wasn’t long before the priest and his acolytes had cozied up to Ashinthaler nobility. Soon after they managed to convince the King that Soloralism was a false religion and that their god, Muza, would reward those who repented with great gifts of psychic power.

While the men of Ashinthael were blind to this perverse faith, the dragons were not. Sensing the vanity of their human cohorts, they began abandoning the area, becoming dark marauders, or fleeing to the strongholds of other dragon lairs. Meanwhile, the Yellowists established a firm foothold in the Dagoran Spine and Tapfer. All the while the rift between Soloralist and Yellowist continued to grow. The High Priest whispered words of deceit in the ears of the King and sowed distrust of Menelmacar. Alarmed by this, the Soloralists rallied and began to take countermeasures against the Cult of Yellow. All it did was aggravate the situation further.

Government and Politics

Ashinthael is an absolute monarchy with all executive powers vested directly in the King. To help with the day-to-day administration, the king keeps an advisory court known as the Council of Elders. The Elders are appointed to the council by the King, typically based on merit or service to the kingdom. A lower legislative body known as the Teirwald (Dark Council), also appointed directly by the King, is vested with drafting and codifying the laws of the kingdom. The Teirwald is a clandestine group composed of ethnic Menelmacari who keep their identity hidden so as to be considered truly neutral and unbiased in their decision-making.

Culture

Ashinthaler society is built around a strong relationship between people and dragons, the latter of which have become naturalized to the region after several millennia of existence. Dragons survive exclusively in the Teir'Dal Wasteland and the only other known population on Micras is in Ralgon and the Hexarchy. The relationship between a dragon and its human rider is one that evolved over two-thousand years of co-existence. Thus this symbiotic relationship is heavily ingrained in the society of Ashinthael.

Dragonology

The relationship between people and dragons in Ashinthael stretches back several centuries to when the first men began arriving in the heretofore-unpopulated Teir'Dal Wasteland. Up until that time, the area was overrun with wild dragons who had laid waste to the forests and left the land a smoldering ruin of ash. This had the effect of reducing natural prey so that the dragons had begun to starve to death due to the ecological collapse they precipitated. As a non-native species they had effectively become invasive. This was the scene that the first settlers came upon when entering the region. But the stalwart Ashinthalers, undeterred, saw potential where others had turned back in dismay. Sir Warvius was the first to capture a wild dragon and tame it. Soon he was leading other knights in capturing and taming dragons. Within a few years they had also mastered the art of using them as steeds, becoming the first Dragon Knights. Warvius eventually became King of Ashintully and led the Dragon Knights in capturing most of the wild dragons and developing a balance with the local ecosystem so that nature could repair itself from years of degradation.

Magic

Dating back to the days of Menelmacar, and even before that the Infernals, magic has had a strong presence in Ashinthael. The tradition of magic-wielders continued into more modern times under Gralus but was briefly lost until the restoration of the kingdom. Magic and those who wield it is considered neither good nor evil; it can be either good or bad depending entirely on the person wielding it. In the wrong hands it can be deadly and as such is heavily regulated within the kingdom. The Department of the Arcane and Magical (DAM) is the governing body responsible for regulating magic within Ashinthael. Only licensed magic-wielders can practice, and then only within certain guidelines set out by the DAM. The DAM was formed as a continuation of policies and guidelines laid out by Gralus, whose careful management of magic helped to incorporate it lawfully into modern society.

Types of Magic

Magic-wielders, often referred to as Mages or Wizards, need to channel magic through careful mental and physical training, along with learning the alchemical sciences. It is a slow and often tedious process wherein the results do not often manifest until a person has studied for many years. Many mages can practice a variety of spells, but most deign to focus on a particular specialty. As such magic-casting is divided into four primary categories:

Physical Magic - The process of saying certain words, where certain physical actions/shapes with the caster's body produce a magical result.

Runic Magic - The carving of runes into things to enchant them - slow but lasts.

Potion Magic - The mixing of certain ingredients to make magical spells.

Musical Magic - The playing of certain melodies or styles and using music to control magic.

Demographics

The country has a total population of 4,521,000 citizens.

The following was the ethnic breakdown of the country, according to the 1691 census:

  • Ashinthalers: 2,905,331
  • Menelmacari: 980,472
  • Gralans: 333,091
  • Crandish: 198,802
  • Slobovians: 74,528
  • Unidentified: 28,776

Economy

Ashinthael's economy is still in a relative stage of infancy. Because of the the rural dispersal of the population across the country, industrialization has been slow to occur. Only in the major cities are there any signs of major manufacturing. As such most of the kingdom's exports are in the form of raw materials. Timber is one major export, while ores mined from the Dagoran Spine are another. Tourism is the third-largest source of income, with many coming to witness the unique dragons to the area. Most communities are self-sustained and therefore do not require a more globalized infrastructure of most modernized nations. As such Ashinthael does not engage in much external trade, instead focusing on internal development.

Infrastructure

Ashinthael's infrastructure can best be described as pre-industrial, mostly due to the region only recently coming out of years of barbarism and warfare. The country also has a largely rural population spread out over great distances, leaving cities isolated and limiting trade. Most of the population resides within the major cities of the country, with the rest spread out in various hamlets or on large farms. The country is actively trying to connect to the Apollonian Express in order to increase trade and establish a stronger commerce network. Economic revenue is driven primarily by the country's unique alchemical/magical services; one of the few countries still actively practicing these arts. Although many offers have been made to purchase them, strict laws prohibit the sale of dragon eggs to foreign persons or entities.