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| Thread: Could Ashan Be Redeemed? |  This thread is pages long: 1 2 · NEXT» |
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Rimgrabber
Promising
Famous Hero
Voice in Gelu's Head
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posted April 23, 2023 03:02 AM |
bonus applied by Galaad on 14 May 2023. |
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Could Ashan Be Redeemed?
"IMPOSSIBLE!" you cry, shaken and disturbed to your core that I could even suggest such a preposterous thing. The flashbacks to the Great Sandro Rebellion of 2015 are flooding back to you. Visions of toxic green and neon purple flood your mind, and through it all the mocking laughter of a madman rings in your ears, gloating: "The franchise is dead. It's over. I'm Erwinning. In fact, I've already... Erwon..."
Ashan's lore is a mess. Everything in it revolves around cults to glorified elementals to such an extreme degree that it limits the possible stories that could be told, and even the gameplay itself. Even the more interesting parts of the lore are so poorly presented in-game that it takes Dark Souls level snooping to piece it all together. Characters with potentially interesting backstories or motivations are so poorly written as we see them in the campaigns that they're reduced to cringey at best or Mary-Sue plot devices at worst. What could possibly be worth salvaging about Ashan when the old NWC universe exists and is already rich and beautiful? Truly it is folly to even try.
Well, you're probably right. However, you have failed to consider the powerful nostalgia element of a young man who grew up playing Heroes 5 and inventing storylines about the characters in it to act out on the playground with his friends. That unfortunate soul is me, Rimgrabber. And I am determined to either fix Ashan or die trying. Or until I get bored, whichever comes first.
So, how do I plan to do this? I doubt anyone remembers, but several years back I made a thread where I intended to make a HoMM5 novelization. I posted a few WIP chapters and then abandoned it when I had other things I needed to do and just kind of forgot about it. Recently I've looked back and the project and decided I'd like to go back to it. I've always wanted to write my own High Fantasy novel and I figure this is a fun exersise to practice my writing with. But I realized pretty quickly that with Ashan's lore being as much of a chaotic (and at times, self-contradicting) dumpsterfire as it is, I would need to start making changes much further back on the timeline if I wanted to have a satisfying and coherent overarching story.
And that brings me to my current project, which I am going to share the early stages of with you all today! Essentially, my plan is to make a series of novels based on the events of Heroes 5, Clash of Heroes, Heroes 6, and Heroes 7, but treat it all as one continuous narrative spanning over hundreds of years. In addition to shifting the timeline around by a few years here and there to improve the pacing, there will be other changes to the lore and the story that will probably become more significant as time goes on through the butterfly effect.
Since this is a book format rather than a strategy game format, I'm freed up to be able to flesh out the cultures and politics of the world of Ashan more, and I plan to do that extensively to make it more interesting and feel more alive. Of course, the lore as it is currently structured pretty much prevents me from doing this; everything revolves around the Dragon Gods, who are basically just glorified elementals, and every faction is a one-dimensional cult dedicated to them. So, in order to make this project possible, one key aspect of the lore I am altering heavily is the nature of the Dragon Gods and their relationship with mortals. I have most of my notes for that all written down already so after I finish up I'll share them here. After that I guess I'll probably start explaining my plans for the books themselves. Anyway, I hope this project can help revive the forums here a bit and brings people some joy, even though most of you are not fans of Ashan.
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Rimgrabber
Promising
Famous Hero
Voice in Gelu's Head
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posted April 23, 2023 03:03 AM |
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Reserved. In this post I will share my notes on all the changes I'm making to the general lore, such as the Dragons, the mortal races, the magic system, and so on.
The Pantheon
Let's get this one out of the way first. The way the Dragon Gods and their followers are presented is so bad. In fact they're probably at the very root of what makes Ashan suck so much. But what if the Dragon Gods were more layered? What if they had complex personalties and spheres of influence beyond just their corrosponding element? What if they had multiple aspects from culture to culture? What if every culture acknowledged and worshipped multiple dieties in different ways instead of just being flavorless cults to one particular Dragon? That's what I'm going for here. This is my new and improved Ashan Pantheon:
Asha: The chief diety, worshipped and revered by nearly every culture on Ashan. From the Void she emerged, shaping all of the known universe so that she might know herself. As the mother of the elemental dragons, their domains are her's and her will is law. Depictions of Asha vary greatly from culture to culutre, however they all agree that she has 8 distinct faces. The faces go by different names to different people, but the things they represent are constants, for they are the building blocks of her creation: Destiny, Time, Space, Order, Chaos, Birth, Life and Death. It is generally accepted that Asha is no longer fully conscious after her battle with her brother Urgash, and rests in a cocoon she constructed for herself in a state of almost lucid dreaming. The cocoon can be seen at night, and it is called the Moon.
Urgash: He is the Dragon God of destruction and hate. He battled Asha and her children at the dawn of time and was defeated, banished, and imprisoned in the ever-shifting hell of Sheogh at the planet's core. He is raw chaos manifest, completely unpredictable. Make no mistake, however: Urgash is as vital to the continued exist of Ashan as Asha herself, for he is her 8th head of Chaos. His existence gives context to the rest of creation, and without him it is rendered meaningless. He is commonly depicted as the Ouroboros, the Wyrm that eats its own tail. He is the father of demons, and they are his faithful servants in his quest to destroy Asha and her creation. In a mockery of Asha’s 6 children, the Elemental Dragons, Urgash created 6 Demon Overlords to act as his vassals in Sheogh. Since he is imprisoned, he has the least direct influence in the world of all the gods. However, his demons and cultists are always trying to find a way to free him and unleash him upon creation. If his full power were to be uncontained, it is likely the world would come to an end.
Elrath: The Dragon of Light is one of the oldest and most powerful of Asha's children along with his twin sister Malassa. He is the father of Angelkind and as such they are his favored followers. The Angels uphold him as a bringer of truth and justice, a stern but loving father who smites evil and brings prosperity. For most of recorded history, he has also been the chief diety to humans. Humans and Angels acknowledge Elrath as the god of law, commerce, and justice. Indeed, they consider him the god of civilization itself. Naturally, he is favored by judges, guards, and merchants of all races.
The Sylvan Elves believe that he is the sun much like Asha is the moon, dutifully watching over creation in his mother's stead. The Naga hold a similar view, although he is of less importance to them in their underwater cities. To the Orcs, he is but one piece of Sylath(Father Sky.) To the Dwarves, his role as the god of commerce is the most emphasized, with them believeing gold and silver were gifts to Arkath that only his fires could bring out the true beauty of. The Dark Elves have the most distinct view of Elrath: where others see law, the Dark Elves see oppression. Where others see light, Dark Elves see that it is blinding. Where others see truth, Dark Elves see doctrine and propaganda.
Malassa: Sister to Elrath, Malassa is goddess of Darkness. Her children are the enigmatic Faceless who are widely feared and misunderstood by the other races. Malassa herself is widely viewed as a trickster god, the god of plots, betrayal, and espionage, especially by the Church of Light. The Mages of the Silver League do not actively worship the Dragons, but it isn't uncommon for them to make dealings with the Shadow Dragons in pursuit of greater secrets.
She is the guardian diety of the Dark Elves, and in return they offer her their service. Sylvan Elves see her the calm and tranquility of the night, but also an untrustworthy and dangerous being who aids their enemies. The Holy Empire views Malassa as an evil second only to Urgash, and her worship is aggressively stamped out. They believe that she is the source of all sorts of mental affliction from deppression to madness, and that she betrayed creation when she stopped Asha from killing Urgash. The Naga are generally distrustful of the Dragon of Darkness, although they do not view her as a hostile force. Rather, the Naga consider Malassa to be the keeper of eldritch knowledge that mortals are not meant to known, and that she can be a useful but untrustworthy ally as well as a dangerous foe. For much of history, Malassa was barely ever recognized by the Dwarves. However after the traumatic events in the century-long War Under the Mountain, Dwarves fear her as a sadistic Goddess of torture who takes delight in maiming and maddening the innocent.
Ylath: He is the elemental Dragon God of Air. He is also recognized in various cultures as the god of freedom, love, song, ambition, mischief, and fortune. The race of mortals he created are the humans, although most of them now regard Elrath as their chief deity. Ylath doesn’t mind, however, as he is by far the least rigid and most easygoing of the Gods. Ylath’s chief commandment for his worshippers is for them to follow their hearts, and he is generally fond of mortals whether they worship him or not. While he is no longer the primary deity of any culture, he remains popular among adventurers, sellswords, bards, actors, pirates, and sorcerers who resent the suffocating academia of the Silver Cities. He is the youngest of Asha’s children, but also the wisest.
Orcs view him as a piece of Sylath. Elves view him as a well-meaning but devious trickster who can grant wishes that often have unintended consequences. Nonetheless they revere him, as the wind plays a vital role in the Harmony they so treasure. In the Holy Empire, worship of Ylath remains popular, especially in the Griffin Duchy. Throughout the Empire Ylath is considered to be the lord of song and poetry. Ylath's Day is a holiday when it is customary for people to write songs and poems for potential romantic partners, for love is as sweet and fleeting as a summer breeze. Ylath has become more popular among Dwarves due to their fondness for epic tales, and among the Naga for their fondness of poetry. Some older and more conservative members of Naga society tend to view him as a dangerous and chaotic force of nature to be appeased rather than revered.
Sylanna: She is the elemental Dragon Goddess of Earth. She is also the goddess of agriculture, fertility, the seasons, health, sickness, and the hunt. The race of mortals she created are the Elves, who view themselves as her children and stewards of nature. Most animals in the world are linked to Sylvanna, as she watches over the ecosystems of Ashan. She instructs her followers to take what they need from nature but never to exploit it, and in return she grants them bountiful harvests, successful hunts, and good health. While Sylanna is generally benevolent, her wrath is as deadly as nature itself, for she is capable of unleashing disease and famine upon those who would insult Asha’s creation.
While the Elves are her most devoted followers, she is recognized and loved by farmers, hunters, rangers, and most cultures of Ashan in general. The Dark Elves despise her, however, as they view her as having forsaken them in their time of need. As a result Dark Elves very rarely eat plants grown in soil; their diet consists almost entirely of meat and mushrooms. Orcs worship her as part of their Goddess Maia and consider her to be the Goddess of the hunt. The Empire does not actively worship Sylanna in the same way that they do Elrath and Ylath, however it is quiet common for rural farming villages to have shrines dedicated to her. To the Dwarves, she is second only to Arkath in importance, for Dwarven cities are embedded in their earth itself and their economy is mostly based on gems and precious metals. The Naga view her similarly to how the Elves do, although they do not worship her as fervently.
Arkath: He is the elemental Dragon God of Fire. He is also the god of smithing, craftsmanship, writing, battle, and pride. The race of mortals he created are the Dwarves, as proud and hot-headed as he is. Many scholars note that Arkath is in some ways similar to Urgash, in that both are vengeful and guided by their passion rather than reason, and that Arkath’s lordship over the concept of war could be viewed as similar to Urgash’s domain of chaos and destruction. However, while Urgash seeks to destroy, Arkath has a strong sense of honor, and is very protective of his followers. While Urgash embodies the death and horror of war, Arkath embodies the valor, fellowship, and patriotism. Indeed, followers of Arkath argue that battle with purpose is not the same as wanton destruction, and that Arkath’s gifts of metalworking and the written word have been a boon to not just the Dwarves but to all the races of Ashan. Smiths, warriors, sculptors, and revolutionaries all tend to be followers of Arkath.
The Naga generally dislike Arkath, viewing him as a source of unnecessary chaos and destruction. Suprisingly, Elves consider him to be an important part of the Harmony, as sometimes the old must be burned away to make way for the new. However, they still fear and appease him more than they worship him. The Orcs do not acknowledge Arkath at all, rejecting all dieties other than their Sylath and Maia. Dark Elves hate Arkath due to their near-extinction at the hands of the Dwarves, but many Dark Elf sorcerers begrudingly respect the power of fire and harness it for their own use. Humans respect Arkath in much the same way they respect Sylanna, with active worship being rare but acknowledgement of his gifts commonplace.
Shallassa: Shallassa is the elemental Dragon Goddess of Water. She is also the goddess of art, sanctuary, balance, storms, the ocean, and honor. The race of mortals she created are the Naga, and she is popular with Elves and Humans as well. Sailors, monks, poets, diplomats, painters, and refugees all find themselves among the ranks of Shallassa’s followers. Shallassa's temperament is as calm as a still lake, but she can be as destructive as a hurricane when her followers are under threat. She is the most welcoming of new converts of all the Dragons, and prides herself on being the protector of all who need protection. Shalassa is believed by the Naga to be the only of the Dragons who actively communicates with their Mother Asha, although nobody knows why Asha chose Shalassa for this.
To the Elves, Shallassa is almost as beloved as Sylanna herself. In fact the Elves of the Twilight Archipelago are often called "Sea Elves" by foreigners despite not actually being a different race. As with Sylanna and Arkath, the Empire has a quiet respect for Shallassa. The Dwarves do not generally pay her much heed, as large bodies of water are rare in their realm. For the Dark Elves, however, she has become increasingly popular in her destructive aspect: The Wrecker, worshipped by their Medusa allies. Orcs see Shallassa as the second half of Maia.
Sylath: Sylath is the Orcish personification of the sky itself. Often considered by other cultures to be a fusion of Elrath and Ylath, Orcs believe that Sylath helped them gain their freedom from the Wizards and is generally worshipped as a god of freedom, honor, and rebellion. It should be noted that Orcish society is resentful of strict heirarchies given their origin, and worship among the Orcs is very different than it is among other races.
Maia: Maia is the Orcish personification of Ashan, and is sometimes considered by outside scholars to be a fusion of Sylanna, Shallassa, and Asha. Orcs consider her to be a motherly figure who provides for them in exchange for their respect and protection. As such Orcs are usually extremely protective of the ecosystems and terrain that they make their homes in.
Sar-Elam: I didn't change too much about Sar-Elam since they're vague enough in the lore that there's really nothing to correct.
Sheogh and the Demon Overlords
The Demon Overlords are kind of a neat (if not terribly original) bit of lore that add context to how big of a threat Kha-Beleth really is, and also provide a chance to make Sheogh more interesting. Sheogh as it is presented in the games is fairly boring, just a typical fire and brimstone Hell. It looks more like an elemental plane of fire than a realm of chaotic anti-creation. So in my version of Ashan, Sheogh will be an ever-shifting maze of torment where the terrain is constantly reforming. There will also be 6 "realms," one for each overlord, which expand and contract as they fight and gain power over each other. The more dominant an overlord is, the more of Sheogh shifts to be part of his "realm." Each of the realms are meant to corrospond to the overlord's title and are all loosely based on various types of hells i mythology, religion, and classical literature.
Ur-Jubaal is the Demon Overlord of Madness. His kingdom is known as Sheol, and it is a land of darkness and perpetual nightmares. Like all realms of Sheogh, the geography is constantly shifting. But while the other realms do so randomly, Sheol seems to almost act with purpose. It's as if the constant fog and terrain itself infiltrate its victim's minds, learning about them, their fears, their hopes and dreams, and uses everything it finds to tailor its illusions and traps to psycologically torture all who enter.
Ur-Traggal is the Demon Overlord of Pain. His kingdom is known as Malebolge, and it is the quintessential embodiment of Hell; a wasteland of fire and brimstone filled with the screams of the damned. Woe be to the unfortunate souls who find themselves here, eternally fleeing from the Tormentors and Hell Hounds that prowl the landscape searching for victims to torture. Ur-Traggal's palace is one giant dungeon, filled with elaborate mechanism designed to push the limits of the amount of pain a mortal body can feel. The brutality of them would make even the infamous inquisitor Salvatore sick.
Ur-Hekalis the weapon of Urgash's endless enmity against the universe and even his own creations, he reigns over impulsive fiery rage and cold, calculated hatred. The most “subtle” of the Demon Overlords, he rules over Gehenna and its capital city, which is named after him. His agents are the mighty Pit Fiends, large hunchbacked demons with batlike wings who are commonly seen wielding vorpal swords. Gehenna is a land of burning sand and ash, unpleasant even on its best day, but nigh uninhabitable during the sudden and chaotic storms that ravage it at random. These can be anything from sandstorms to downpours of acid rain.
Ur-Khrag is the Demon Overlord of Destruction. He represents the most obvious form of Chaos, and he is the embodiment of one of its greatest powers: Entropy. The Lord of Destruction generally leads the Infernal legions to battle. His demonic creation was the juggernaut, a towering hulk of muscle and horns that are often used as vanguards and battering rams by the demons. Ur-Khrag’s realm is Tartarus, a hellscape of burning buildings, ruins, and corpses. It is here where the armies of Sheogh perpetually battle one another, training for the next Eclipse to make war on Ashan.
Ur-Vomoch is the Demon Overlord of Voracity. His realm, Judecca, is a freezing swamp of toxic sludge populated by all sorts of ravenous demons. In particular, Hell Hounds and the mighty Cerburi are a common sight here, as they are the favored demons of Ur-Vomoch.
Ur-Aazheel is the Demon Overlord of Proliferation. His realm is simply known as “The Pits,” and it is where the Breeders reside. Large gelatinous demons covered with orifices that serve as both mouths and birthing canals, they are constantly dividing through asexual reproduction, and birthing Imps, which all other demons are reincarnated as. Breeders feed on mana and their own offspring, as well as any mortals either captured and brought back to the Pits or sacrificed to Urgash.
Nations of Ashan
Since everyone knows what Humans, Elves, and Dwarves are, I decided it would be a waste of time to make a "Races" section. Most of the Ubisoft races frankly do not have much to make them interesting and distinct with a few exceptions. Most of the nations on the other hand are vague enough that there's a lot of gaps to fill in order to make them interesting. I think that (aside from the general weirdness of the Erwin's "artistic vision") one of the things that Ashan's worldbuilding suffered from is the fact that almost every game that takes place in it is a TBS of some kind, which is not a very good genre for storytelling. So hopefully this format will do better.
The Holy Falcon/Griffin/Unicorn Empire
Main inhabitants: Humans, Angels, Orcs, Glories, Seraphim
A note on the Angels: It should come as no surprise that the Angels are taller, fairer, longer-lived and prouder than men. It is not uncommon for people to beieve that the Angels are gods themselves and they are often erroneously refered to as immortals. While it is true that Angels do not age past their prime and rarely get sick, an Angel can be killed or injured just as easily as any other mortal, provided they are defeated in combat. There are only a few hundred Angels left in the world, and their flying cities have been abandoned for centuries. They alone know their reasons for being so highly invested in the success of the human's Empire rather than rebuilding their own, but some heretics point to the existence of the seemingly half-Angelic Seraphim and theorize that Angels are merely using humans as a means to an end so that they may do just that.
Government: The Holy Empire is ruled by an Emperor or Empress (Sometimes interchangably called the King or the Queen) who has absolute authority in matters of government. The monarch rules for life unless they abdicate, and the title is passed on to their eldest child regardless of the child's sex. The monarch's spouse rules by their side as consort and their authority is second only to the monarch themself. The Emperor/Emperess rules from the Imperial province at the center of the Empire. During the days of the Falcon Empire, their seat of power was Falcon's Reach, although it was moved to Talonguard upon Ivan Griffin's ascention to the throne. In addition to the Imperial Province, there are six other provincs held by Dukes on behalf of the Empire. They are the Griffin, Wolf, Greyhound, Bull, Stag, and Unicorn Duchies. When the Falcon Empire became the Griffin Empire, the Griffin family moved their seat of power to Talonguard so they could rule the Empire from the Imperial Province. Their old lands were given to their distant cousin, the barbarian Andras "The Raven." The old Griffin Duchy became the Raven Duchy. The duchies themselves are divided into baronies, the exact number of which varies.
Religion: Humans are the children of Ylath and for much of their history was their chief diety. When the Angels were driven to near-extinction as a result of the Days of the Tears of Fire, they arrived in the newly-formed Falcon Empire and converted them to Elrath. Prior to the end of the 2nd Eclipse and the discovery of the treachy committed by Archangels Uriel and Michael, the Empire was a theocracy under the Church of Light. The Archangels and the Clergy had the power to dismiss the Emperor if they felt he was not following Elrath's edicts, and in practice the monarch was often a mere puppet. Worship of most other dieties was tolerated but frowned upon, however the worship of Malassa was considered heretical and punishable by torture and execution. After Michael defeat, Empress Gwendolyn implimented what became known as the Charter of the Griffin, the seperation of Church and State. In modern times, Elrath remains the cheif diety of the Empire, but Ylath, Shallassa, and Sylanna are also considered important figures. While technically legal, worship of Malassa remains hated by most of the Empire's citizens.
Military: The Empire's military is highly organized and prefers to fight defensively. Using heavily armored infantry and the healing magics of Light, Water, and Earth, they stall out their enemies' stamina while suffering minimal casuaties themselves, all the while raining crossbow bolts, arrows, catapulted boulders, and dive-bombing griffins on their unfortunate foes. Once their opponents are exhausted and demoralized, they mow them down with a calvery consisting of dire wolves and mounted knights on horseback. Some duchies even use twilight stag or unicorns as their mounts alongside horses. During sieges it is not uncommon for knights to be mounted on griffins rather than horses so they can fly over the enemy's defenses. Each Duchy's military is somewhat unique. For example, the Wolf Duchy is well known for their towering Landschneckt soldiers and their Silverback dire wolves, while the Stag Duchy's proximity to Irollan has led to elven influences in their equipment and tactics. The majority of soldiers in the armies of the Empire are conscripted, though in the Imperial Province the capitol's garrisson is comprised of Light Elementals, Seraphim, and elite soldiers who have been trained from childhood for the purpose of guarding the Emperor and the Archbishop.
The Griffin Duchy is notable for its culturally independent streak. Mikhail Griffin was the last of the wandering Clanlords to swear fealty to Brian Falcon and join his Empire, and his son Istvan was the last to accept the Empire’s alliance with the Angels and the authority of Elrath’s Church. Worship of Ylath continues to be even more prominent than that of Elrath to this day, and as such many of the Duchy’s holidays and traditions are different from the rest of the Empire. The mountains of the Griffin Duchy are the only place in Ashan where wild Imperial Griffins (the larger and arguably more majestic of the two known species of Griffin) are known to reside. This powerful apex predator is almost as intelligent as a man and just as prideful, and it has only been through generations of trial and error that humans have been able to earn their allegiance. In addition to being more secular than the other duchies, the Griffin Duchy has historically been more tolerant of other races. Notably, starting with the rule of Duke Slava in 533 YSD, Orcs and Beastfolk have been treated as friends and allies of the Griffin Dukes, unlike many of the other duchies where they are held in bondage as slaves. The valleys of the Griffin Duchy contain extremely fertile soil, and much of the Empire’s production of grain and vegetables is grown from it. Its capital city is Eastalon. The Griffin Duchy ceased to exist upon the Griffin Dynasty’s ascension to the throne in 843 YSD. The newly-crowned Emperor Ivan granted the land to his distant cousin, a barbarian warlord named Andras “The Raven” as a reward for assisting him in his rise to power. The land subsequently became known as the Raven Duchy, and the influence of Orcish and barbarian culture grew.
The Wolf Duchy is renowned throughout all of Ashan for its military prowess. The Wolf Dynasty has been breeding dire wolves for centuries, leading to the creation of the monstrous silverbacks, as big as a grizzly bear and far more bloodthirsty. Even more dangerous are the elite Windsword mercenaries which have their headquarters located in the Wolf Duchy, and the Landschneckt swordsmen who are said to be able to cleave off all of a hydra’s heads in a single blow with their giant zweihanders. In addition to providing some of the deadliest warriors in the world to the Empire, the taiga of the duchy provides high-quality timber for much of Ashan. The Dukes of Wolf are reputed to be cruel, at least in part due to its prolific slave trade of Orcs and Goblins before slavery was finally outlawed by Duke Alexander. The Wolf Duchy’s capital is the port city of Nilshaven, resulting in many of the Empire’s finest sailors also calling this duchy their home. The Holy City of Flammschrein is also located in the Wolf Duchy.
The Unicorn Duchy is home to the famous city of Brightwood, the largest center of magical learning outside of the Silver Cities and Heresh. The influence of these lands is seen daily in the Unicorn Duchy, where magic is relatively common compared to the rest of the Empire. The Duchy's terrain is primarily made up of temperate forests and meadows. It is also home to many beautiful lakes. It borders the mountains Ygg-Chaal to its west and is therefore the first line of defense against Malassa’s influence. The Angels keep their reliquary here. The Unicorn Dynasty was entrusted by Emperor Brian Falcon with the secret to finding where the Tear of Asha was hidden in the event that the Empire would need it to be saved from a great crisis. After the extinction of the Griffin Dynasty during the events of Queen Isabel’s War in 969 YSD, the Unicorn Dynasty became the rulers of the Empire. It is said that the Unicorn Dynasty was named when Arthur, the first Unicorn Duke, tamed one of these magnificent beasts to be his mount. To date, he is the only known non-Elf to do this. The capital of the Unicorn Duchy is Yorwick.
The Stag Duchy makes up the northern lands of the Empire and borders both Irollon and Grimheim. The twilight forests that make up the border between the Stag Duchy and Irollon are home to the famous twilight stag that the duchy is named for. The Stag Duchy is a popular hunting ground for nobles and poachers alike due to the prevalence of large game animals, and their proximity to Irollon has led to the Stag Duchy producing some of the finest archers and archery equipment the Empire has ever seen. The Stag Duchy's capital is Horncrest, and the Stag Dynasty can trace its lineage all the way back to Oisin, brother of Ronan the Great who founded the Empire in the year 3 YSD. After the fall of the Falcon Dynasty, Duke Seamus of Stag was one of the main contenders for the throne before he was defeated by Ivan Griffin. In addition to the twilight forests, the Stag Duchy is home to plains, badlands, temperate forests, and even wetlands.
The Bull Duchy is the world’s leading exporter of wines and brandies, as well as cattle and dairy products. The Bull Dynasty is famous for its extravagant parties, many of which are open to the public. The Bull Duchy is the most hedonistic area of the Empire, and it has historically been the birthplace of many cults, counter-culture movements, and other disruptive activities. The capital of the Bull Duchy is Chiaroscuro. The Bull Duchy gets its name from the mighty aurochs which roam the countryside which have been domesticated for food and as beasts of burden.
The Greyhound Duchy is renowned for its silver mines which provide much of the Empire's mineral wealth. The Greyhound Duchy is the richest of all the duchies, second only to the Imperial Province. It is also more cosmopolitan than most of the other duchies (with the exception of the Griffin) and it is common to see other races (especially dwarves) coming here to sell their goods in hopes of getting their hands on their share of the silver. Whitecliff is the Greyhound Duchy’s capital. Many Orcs and Beastfolk also live here after fleeing the Silver Cities. The Greyhound were briefly the ruling dynasty of the Empire between the death of Emperor Nicolai and the end of Queen Isabel’s reign. Following her defeat and subsequent death at the hands of rebels, the Greyhound Duchy is now extinct.
The Imperial Province is the central region of the Empire where the captial and royal dynasty are located. For most of the Empire's history this was the Falcon Dynasty with their seat of power in Falcon's reach, although after Emperor Ivan's ascention to the throne the Griffin Dynasty took over and moved the captial to Talonguard. Many wealthy merchants build their mansions in the Imperial Province so as to benefit from the protection of increased military presence and the highly fortified cities. While the majority of the population of the Imperial Province are humans, the majority of the near-extinct angels call the this region their home. Many Serephim and Glories (sapient light elementals) live here as well, and are expected to serve as elite soldiers in the Empire's armies. Patriotism is high, and parades and holidays are frequent occurances to keep the population happy.
The Free Cities
Main Inhabitants: Variable
Government: The Free Cities are less of a singular nation and more of a loose federation of independent city-states. Consequentially, their styles of government are as highly varied as their inhabitants. However, each of the cities sends delegates to an annual convention to renew the terms of their association and discuss matters of mutual concern.
Religion: Initially, the Free Cities were created by Ylath's faithful fleeing persecution during the height of the Church of Light's power in the Empire. However, as the Empire has become more secular and more cities have joined the federation, religion plays a very minor role in the cultural identities of most cities.
Military: The Free Cities do not have a single standing army. While most of them do have police forces and militias that could be mobilized in the event of an attack, the Free Cities prefer to settle diplomatic issues with a pen and coinpurse rather than a sword.
Karthal: As long as Ashan's history has been recorded, the great port of Karthal has been considered one of the jewels of the crown of the Falcon Emperors. This is ironic, as Karthal has never truly considered itself a part of the Empire and has largely been an autonomous city-state throughout its history. Karthal's independence was formalized in 776 YSD and since then its influence over global trade networks has only grown. It is ruled by a council of merchant princes, and the Crimson Wizards of House Chimera hold a great deal of influence as well. Among Karthal's many claims to fame is the fact that the legendary pirate Crag Hack fought his last battle here, slain by the Faceless assassin Erebos.
Eridan's Crossing: Sometimes called "the Karthal of the North," Eridan's Crossing is a similar trading ruled by a council of merchants. That is where the similarites end, however. Eridan's cross rests on the border between the Stag Duchy and Irollon, and it is the main exporter of Elven culture to the rest of the world. Rare spices, expertly crafted wooden instruments, fine elven blades, and even armor of starsilver can all be purchased here if you find yourself wealthy enough. It is also the one of the only safe entry points for outsiders looking to travel to Irollon, as the forests are extremely dangerous without the protection of a skilled ranger.
Foster's Reach: Those who believe that theives and pirates could never organize effectively amongst themselves have never heard of Foster's Reach. It started out as a small fishing village meant to increase cultural exchange between the Naga and the Empire, but pirates quickly discovered that the many reefs and coves are perfect for boarding and pillaging unsuspecting trade vessels. Nowadays, Foster's Reach is a hub for the buying and selling of stolen loot, and most ships know better than to pass by it. Then again, many of them do not have a choice if they wish to reach their destination. Many times Hashima and the Empire have tried to regain control of the waters, and many times the pirates have beaten them back and added their ships' contents to their piles o' plunder.
Bloodforge (In Ashan's canon this city is called Hammer Fall, but I decided to rename it so as to not brazenly plagiarize the Elder Scrolls): Bloodforge was one of the first of the Free Cities, founded by the legendary blacksmith Douglas the Hammer as he led a group of exiled rebels attempting to overthrown the newly theocrotized Holy Falcon Empire. The city was founded when these pilgrims settled in the ruins of an ancient Shantiri city which contained the titular Bloodforge, a miraculous piece of technology that has the ability to turn lesser metals like iron and copper into magical Dragonblood Crystals. These Dragonblood Crystals are invaluable to alchemists, artificers, and enchanters, and more than once the neighboring countries of Heresh and the Empire have tried to annex Bloodforge. Unfortunately for the invaders, the Shantiri Golems and Titans protecting the city and it's strategic location high in the mountains surrounded by rivers and ravines has rendered the city all but untouchable.
Listmoor: Listmoor is home to the largest single population of dwarves outside of Grimheim (although there are many humans and orcs as well), and indeed it started out as a mining outpost under Grimheim jurisdiction. This changed during the War Under the Mountain when the miners went on strike over the unreasonable quotas and poor working conditions imposed by the king to keep up the war effort. Unable to divert troops away from the frontlines, the king had no choice but to give into the miners' demands and grant the city its independence. While much of Listmoor remains a poor slum, the city is slowly but steadily improving its quality of life with its vast amount of gold, iron, tin, and other precious metals.
Seahaven: Seahaven is a city of cosmopolitan adventuring, famous for its mercenary guilds and its roughly equal number of human, elf, dwarf, naga, and orc inhabitants. In particular Seahaven is notably large population of so-called Sea Elves, the tan-skinned elves of southern Irollon. In addition to its many swords-for-hire, Seahaven is also famous for its culinary tradition, with nobles from all over Ashan coming to taste the exotic seafood, and chefs from all over coming to study their arts here.
Stonehelm: Stonehelm is the oldest of the Free Cities. Like Bloodforge, it was founded by rebels and pilgrims who disapproved of the Empire's submission to the Church of Light. Rumor has it that the city was founded on an ancient Shantiri necropolis, and that it is here Archon Belketh rediscovered the secrets of Necromancy. The large population of wizards and even the occasional lich lend credence to this theory, although it remains an open secret.
Stormcliff: Stormcliff is the largest settlement in the eerily beautiful but largely inhospitable Dragon's Causeway. The chaotic nexuses of elemental magic in the region render the weather highly unstable and unnatural, consequently making settling the area or even passing through extremely dangerous, not to mention how commonplace Elementals are here. Nonetheless, many would-be archmages come here in hopes of harnessing some of that raw power for themselves, and Stormcliff serves as their home base in this effort.
Inshanost: Located beneath Fairwind Island, Inshanost was one of the first places the Dark Elves tried settling after the death of Tuidhana and their exodus from Tarlad. This city-state was founded by Tuidhana's only daughter Eruina, and unlike most of the pre-Ygg-Chall settlements, Inshanost continued to survive thanks to Eruina's leadership. Nowadays Inshanost serves as a buffer between Ygg-Chaal's entrance and its above ground adversaries: the Empire and Irollon. Through Eruina's love of occult lore and magic, Inshanost has become a safe haven for like-minded mages who share her distaste for the prudishness of the Church of Light or the stuffy academia of the Silver Cities.
Irollon:
Main inhabitants: Elves, Pixies, Dryads, Lizardfolk, Harpies, Treants, Emerald Dragons
A note on the Elves: It is perhaps quite unsurprising that, given their role as the protectors of nature, Elves are much more "in-tune" with the environment and with magical energies than the other races. This can result in Elves who spend a lot of time in a particular type of climate see their physiology change slightly to be better suited to their lifestyle. This is why other races often refer to Elves of various areas as if they are different subraces, such as Sylvan Elf, Snow Elf, Sea Elf, etc. In actuallity, all of these Elves are the same race and make no distinction amongst themselves. The only exception to this is the Dark Elves, who the other Elves refer to as the "Forsaken Ones."
Summary: Irollon is first and foremost the home of the Elves, and very few outsiders are permitted to enter its midst. Consequently, the other nations of Ashan are rife with misconceptions about this land of magic and beauty. You could be forgiven for thinking that Irollon is simply one big forest, but anyone who has had the privilege of exploring the nation can tell you that this is an oversimplification that does an immense disservice. While it is true that most of Irollon is covered in trees, the landscape varies from temperate forests to jungles, from mangrove swamps to bioluminescent twilight forests, and everything else in between. Its borders also technically extend to the Twilight Archipelago off the west coast of the continent of Thallan, shrouded in an ancient fog that is said to be almost alive. The biodiversity of Irollon is unparalleled anywhere else in Ashan, and the symbiosis between all of the plants, animals, and fungi makes the whole nation behave almost as one organism. The Elves build their cities in the massive Kersyl trees, sapient trees the size of mountains that the Elves hold sacred. One of the main roles of the Druids in Elven society is interpreting the will of the Kersyls by communicating with the Treants, the mobile saplings of the Kersyls who have long served as allies and protectors of the Elves. Many of these Druids choose to be buried in the trunk of a Treant, being reincarnated as Dryads, friendly guardian spirits of the forest. Pixies and Sprites are a type of similar spirit that inhabit the various flowers of Irollon, although it is not known what their origin is. Finally, the mighty Emerald Dragons are the avatars of Sylanna which watch over and protect Irollon. They start their lives as Green Dragons, essentially larch hulking lizardlike earth elementals, but after hundreds of years their scales begin to harden into a gem-like cocoon from which emerge the majestic flying Emerald Dragons.
Government: Hierarchy is of little importance to the Elves, who see all mortals as equals under the Harmony. As such for most of history Irollon’s government has mostly been ceremonial and held very little actual power over the populace. The druids have always acted as spiritual leaders and guides for the people, while the regional kings and queens were treated more as respected elders rather than rulers deserving of wealth and obedience. This changed in the leadup to the War of Bitter Ashes, however, when High King Arniel centralized his authority and declared himself Sylanna’s absolute representative on Ashan. Following this, the High King of Irollon became more analogous to the monarch of the Falcon Empire or the Eternal Empress than the ceremonial figurehead he had been previously. While his successors Vaniel, Alaron, and Findan have been less iron-fisted in their leadership, it is unlikely that the Elves will ever truly revert back to their old hands off style of government.
Religion: As the children of Sylanna, it is no surprise that the Elves treat her as their chief deity and dedicate much of their spiritual life to her. However unlike most other races the Elves revere all of the Elemental Dragons in a positive light, or at least recognize the vital role they play in the Harmony. Indeed it is the Harmony more than any one Dragon which the Elves hold above all else; the principles of solidarity and equilibrium between all living things which allows the world to remain in balance. Sylanna is viewed by almost all Elves as a maternal guardian figure, watching over them and granting them her blessings throughout their lives. Shalassa is viewed similarly, especially in the southern coastal regions. Ylath is acknowledged as a well-meaning but mischievous trickster god who can grant wishes to his faithful that never end up exactly as you want them to. Elrath is the sun itself and he watches over the world, protecting it from evil. Arkath is an angry and destructive spirit who must be appeased, but who is sometimes needed to burn down the old so that the new can be born. Malassa has largely fallen out of favor with the Elves of Irollon since the events of the War of the Bitter Ashes, but she continues to be viewed as the world’s librarian, hiding away secrets too dangerous for mortals to know.
Military: It is very rare for the Elves of Irollon to go to war, in large part because their home is extremely dangerous for outsiders to navigate, meaning that it is almost impossible for successful invasions to occur. “Almost” impossible isn’t “totally” impossible, however, and the Elves have been forced to take up arms more than once in Ashan’s history, especially against the Demons and their own fallen cousins, the Dark Elves.
Combat, or at least the skills that the Elves use in combat, are seen as just as much a form of art as they are self-defense. Since the Elves are so long-lived and life is so precious to them, it is expected in all but the most dire situations that no Elf under the age of 150 enter combat. If an Elf wishes to be a soldier, they must spend at least a century studying their chosen art before they are permitted to set foot on the battlefield. In addition to the support they get from the magical creatures they share their home with, there are three main divisions in the Elven armies: the Hunters, the Blade Dancers, and the Druids.
The Hunters are the largest division, as their talents are needed during times of peace as well to feed their people. The Hunters of Irollon are the finest archers in all the world, able to shoot twice as fast and three times as far as even the most talented human archers thanks to both their centuries of study and the superior materials for crafting bows and arrows found in Irollon. When possible, Hunters prefer to fight from the cover of trees and bushes, picking off their opponents before they are ever even noticed. Blade Dancers would appear to the untrained eye to be suicidal madmen; they wear no armor and carry no shield, opting instead to carry 2 specially crafted swords. However, the Elven Blade Dancer is one of the deadliest warriors on the face of Ashan, capable of cutting down any but the most skilled foe in mere seconds. Despite appearances, they are far from unprotected. The war paint and tattoos they bear are actually runes enchanted with the power of air and earth, bringing them superhuman speed and skin as hard as stone that protects them without causing any encumbrance. Finally, the Druids are powerful mages capable of healing, protecting, harming, and destroying with the powers of stone, flora, wind, lightning, water and ice.
Regions:
Brythigga: Destroyed in the years following the War of Bitter Ashes, nobody outside Irollon now knows where Brythigga once stood. It was the Elves first capital, the largest and most majestic of the Kersyls. Millions of Elves, Pixies, and Treants called Brythigga their home before it was burned down, killing High King Arniel and most of his court. The entire population of Irollon refuses to speak of where Brythigga was once located, and it has been entirely removed from all maps. To avoid an incident like this ever occurring again, the Elves now have 4 capitals which rotate seasonally.
Syris Thalla: Syris Thalla is the Spring capital of the Elves, located in the river basins of Irollon’s midwest. Supposedly, Syris Thalla was modeled after Brythigga in an attempt to restore it before the Elves realized it was hopeless to do so. Nonetheless, Syris Thalla is one of the most beautiful cities in all of Ashan. Perhaps due to its melancholic origins, many artists and minstrels come here to hone their crafts and it is known as the musical capital of the world. The climate is subtropical and many kinds of delicious fruits are grown here to be sold to other kingdoms. Many creatures from capybaras to river dolphins to crocodiles call this region home, as well as more fantastical ones such as lesser griffins and unicorns. During the first week of Spring when the royal court is being moved to Syris Thalla, the city celebrates the Elves’ famous Festival of the Phoenix. Marked by carnivals and games, the festival celebrates the rebirth of the world after Winter.
Syris Vaniel: Named after High King Arniel’s successor High King Vaniel, Syris Vaniel is the Summer capital of the Elves. Located in the cooler, more temperate Southwestern Peninsula of Irollon, Syris Vaniel is the most welcoming Elven city to travelers. As such it is not uncommon to find humans, naga, or even dwarves paying a visit to the city and perusing the wares of Syris Vaniel’s famous open air markets. There are many tan-skinned seafaring Elves here (aptly known as Sea Elves to foreigners, although the Elves themselves make no distinction) and the fishing industry is very lucrative. To welcome the Summer, the Elves celebrate the Festival of the Caterpillar with a traditional feast and dance. It is customary for swarms of butterflies to be released in the city at the end of the festival.
Syris Lothran: Located near the Eastern border of Irollon, Syris Lothran towers above the twilight forests below. It is the seasonal capital of Autumn, and the surrounding region is home to many magical creatures such as twilight stag, unicorns, Emerald Dragons, shadow panthers, griffins and phoenixes. The towering trees and mushrooms of the region prevent any sunlight from reaching the lower levels of the forests, which are instead kept alight by bioluminescence in mushrooms and animals. Despite its height, Syris Lothran is considered to be the most hidden of all the Elven cities due to the difficulty of navigating the surrounding lands. As the leaves begin to turn red and orange, the Elves celebrate the coming of Autumn with the Festival of the Dragon, traditionally marked by a week of fasting and prayer that culminates in the viewing of the Green Dragons shedding their cocoons and taking to the skies as Emerald Dragons. Following this, the Elves indulge themselves in all manner of fruits and baked goods.
Syris Wynna: Irollon’s northernmost city is Syris Wynna, the Winter capital. Due to its location relatively close to Ashan’s North Pole, Syris Wynna has mild Summers and freezing Winters. Nonetheless, the High King’s royal court migrates here for the Winter despite its harshness because life in this region is uniquely adapted to the cold. The Kersyl that houses the city emits a soft, magical warmth that keeps its inhabitants comfortable without disrupting the majesty of the landscape around it. Cave bears, mammoths, dire wolves, wooly rhinos, and Ylath’s Prismatic Dragons can be found in the famous redwood taiga of this region, as can its famous hotsprings. Like the other capitals, the Elves of Syris Wynna have a traditional festival to celebrate the arrival of the High King’s court and its respective season. During the first week of Winter, Elves celebrate the Festival of the Bear, where it is customary to write poetry and exchange handmade gifts such as scarfs and mittens to loved ones.
Myr-Gathal: This region of Irollon is just to the West of the mountains that Ygg-Chall lies beneath, and it is often used by smugglers as an entrance point into the realm due to its relatively small number of Elven inhabitants. This is because Myr-Gathal is dominated by swamps and wetlands, making it very difficult for civilization to settle and even more difficult to travel. In addition to the quicksand and other treacherous terrain, basilisks, wyverns, crocodiles, carnivorous plants, and even hydras can be found here waiting to prey on foolish travelers. Nonetheless, some sapient life forms have managed to carve out a niche living here. The primitive Lizardfolk have managed to form a rudimentary society, and while they are not as intelligent or sophisticated as the elder races or even Orcs, they still show signs of an emerging culture. As they are hostile and aggressive towards outsiders, however, it is unlikely true lines of communication will be developed any time soon. Strangely, the Lizardfolk seem to show some fondness towards Harpies, some of which fled to this region after the Beastfolk Revolt. Despite appearances, Lizardfolk are not part of this family of races created by the Wizards, but instead seem to be their own naturally-occurring species. Their origins are unknown, but the presence of ancient Shantiri ruins in Myr-Gathal could possibly provide some clues.
Tarlad: Also known as the Black Vale, Tarlad was the birthplace of the Dark Elves. Following High King Arniel’s centralization of power, there was resistance from many of the regional monarchs of Irollon. As none of them truly had the ability to raise an army or the will to fight, however, all of them eventually peacefully accepted the new regime except for Queen Tuidhanna of Tarlad. Following her declaration of independence, Tarlad was invaded by the Empire to the East and Irollon to the West in what became known as the War of Bitter Ashes. Facing total destruction, Tuidhanna’s people made a mysterious pact with the Faceless. The deal cursed them and bound them to Malassa’s service, but it gave them the power they needed to fight back and secure their independence. For a few decades an uneasy peace formed, until the sacred Kersyl Brythigga was burnt down, killing Arniel and most of his court. The vengeance of Irollon drove the Dark Elves out of Tarlad forever, leaving Tarlad nothing but bare wilderness. It was eventually settled by the Empire and became known as Blackbough, a barony of the Stag Duchy.
The Twilight Archipelago: While technically part of Irollon, the Twilight Archipelago is mostly wilderness. None but the most devout Druids live here, although it is rumored to be the nesting place of the Emerald Dragons. The mists that surround the Twilight Archipelago are rumored to have a mind of their own and a purpose; some sailors who have found themselves caught in them report terrifying illusions telling them to turn back. Dragonmist Island is especially notable for two reasons: it is home to the ancient Shantiri Elemental Forge of Summer, and it was the home of the Dragonknight Tieru before he was killed by Demons during the events of Queen Isabel’s War. It is said that Dragonmist Island is guarded not only by the magical fog that shrouds it, but also by sea monsters such as mermaids, kirins, and even krakens.
The Seven Cities/Silver Cities
Main Inhabitants - Wizards of all races, Djinn, Rakshasa, Gremlins, Elementals
Summary:Since the fall of the Shantiri Empire, the predominant view of magic on Ashan has been religious in its nature. The Silver League (then known as the Seven Cities) was founded by mages who rejected the idea that all magic must come through worship of the Dragons with the intent of creating a safe haven for academic study away from the politics of competing religions. It should come as no surprise that mages of all races from all around Ashan come here to learn how they may bend the elements to their will, and the culture and architecture of the cities reflect that. It is not uncommon for cities in the Silver League to be floating through the sky, invisible from the outside, or otherwise inaccessible to those who lack magical talent.
At the time of its founding, the Seven Cities were initially conceived as seven different academies each dedicated to one of the schools of magic as recognized by the Wizards. While most of the people of Ashan organize magic into elements corresponding to the Dragon Gods, the Wizards have taken a more innovative and logical approach. They instead choose to categorize magic into schools based on the nature of the spells, such as their function or method of casting. The elements are viewed as building blocks rather than categories, with each one being involved in any truly comprehensive magic school. Over time, cities sprung up around each of the academies as students and teachers alike settled in permanently.
During the War of the Broken Staff, all but three of these original cities were destroyed. In the aftermath, the Seven Cities were renamed to the Silver League, and many smaller less specialized cities sprung up as the nation recovered. While still predominantly populated by Wizards, these other cities are more “normal” relative to the rest of Ashan.
Government:Being a nation almost entirely composed of mages and scholars, it was realized very early on in the history of the Seven Cities that any sort of highly centralized government would be unenforceable at best and highly destructive at worst. As such, each of the Seven Cities more or less governed itself independently, with each of them swearing to uphold a shared set of principles including freedom of speech, debate, and study. The only unifying government the Seven Cities had was the Circle of the Nine, a senate composed of one representative of each city, an at-large representative, and the First of Circle serving as the head of state. Initially, this government was fairly weak and in practice only served as an advisory board to the local administrations. However, following the War of the Broken Staff and the dissolution of the Seven Cities, it became clear that a more powerful central government was needed to prevent a similar situation. The Parliament of Magic is a legislative body made up of 30 representatives from across the Silver League which serves as the lower chamber of the legislature, and the new Circle of the Nine serves as both the upper chamber of the legislature and the executive branch. Since the destruction of most of the original seven cities, the Circle of Nine is now made up of 1 representative from each of the 8 Houses of Magic in addition to the First of Circle. The First of Circle is chosen from a list of applicants rigorously vetted and tested by the other 8 members and approved by a vote of at least 5-3. To enforce the will of the Circle, an elite group of battlemages known as Sheriffs are sworn to carry out their orders, provided the orders are within the Circle’s legal authority.
Religion: The Wizards have no state religion and worship is rare among their ranks. While followers of every Dragon can be found in the Silver Cities, the vast majority of people who live here view the Dragons as little more than glorified elementals who are unworthy of worship. If anything, their power is something to aspire to rather than serve.
Military:The Wizards are typically not interested in petty politics so it is quite uncommon for them to go to war. Even when they do, it is even more uncommon for the Wizards themselves to fight on the frontlines. Instead, their armies are largely composed of magical and mechanical servants like golems, gremlins, rakshasas, and elementals. That is not to say that the Wizards are incompetent fighters, however, and the Silver Cities’ Blademages and Battlemages are prized all over Ashan as mercenaries and bodyguards.
Houses of Magic: Each of the original Seven Cities started out as magical universities dedicated to one of Sar-Shazzar’s seven schools of magic. Over time as the cities sprung up around the academies the administrations of the schools came to effectively function as governments. The Houses of Magic were born.
House Anima: Currently the most politically powerful house of magic, House Anima’s seat of power is located in Al-Safir, the flying capital of the Silver League. Born out of the study of the School of Conjuration, the Wizards of House Anima are masters at summoning and binding spirits to their whim. It was they who first made contact with the enigmatic Djinn, learned how to tame and subdue the mighty Simurghs, and control Elementals. Their magic is far from limited to summoning spirits, however, as inanimate objects such as weapons and treasure can also be summoned. Even people can be summoned, which the Wizards use as a means of teleporting from place to place. Zehir, the current First of Circle, has even developed a spell that allows him to summon his manor wherever he may be, provided there is sufficient space and magical energy.
House Chimera: Also known as the Crimson Wizards, House Chimera’s influence has waned greatly over the centuries. While they were exiled as a result of the disastrous Revolt of the Beastmen, they were granted amnesty to return to their old seat of power in the Red City of Al-Rubit to help rebuild after the War of the Broken Staff. House Chimera’s magic is the School of Alteration, the molding of the flesh. The Crimson Wizards were responsible for the creation of the Orcs and many species of Beastmen, which proved to both be their boon and their downfall. After the destructive revolutions that led to the Orcs and Beastmen gaining their freedom, Alteration magic fell out of favor until much later on when House Chimera was readmitted into the new Silver League. Nowadays, it is primarily a school of healing, used to cure disease and perform surgery. Especially skilled Wizards can even cause lost limbs and organs to regenerate.
House Matera: With their seat of power located in the last of the three remaining original academies, House Matera is based in the city of Al-Imral. Their magic is known as the School of Alchemy, the art of transmuting mundane materials into magical ones. House Matera is responsible for the creation of Golems, Gargoyles, and Titans, making them the main force behind the Silver League’s armies. It was also they who rediscovered the ancient Shantiri art of turning mundane metals like iron and copper into the magically potent materials of dragonblood crystals, shadowsteel, and starsilver. In addition to the armies of constructs, many of the best wand and staff makers are of House Matera, and their enchanted weapons are highly sought after by warriors of all sorts worldwide. They are second in influence only to House Anima.
House Cognitia: The Wizards of House Cognitia are masters of the School of Mysticism, allowing them to infiltrate the mind, effortlessly create illusions, and puppeteer those foolish enough to cross them. Their seat of power was Al-Jamast, the home of the greatest library in all the world which was tragically destroyed during the War of the Broken Staff. Since then, they have lost a tremendous amount of influence as the strength of Mysticism is directly tied to the knowledge of the wielder. Even so, they are continuously learning all they can to achieve their former glory once again.
House Incanta: Although their seat of power in Al-Yaqut was destroyed in the War of the Broken Staff, it is often believed that the Wizards of House Incanta were the ones who saved the Silver League from total annihilation. Their magic is the School of Evocation, the art of manipulating raw elemental energy into being a weapon itself. The cataclysmic power of Evocation magic can call forth bolts of lightning and balls of fire to vaporize enemies, cause them to implode into themselves, or even cause tidal waves and earthquakes. The battlemages of House Incanta are some of the deadliest enemies one could have the misfortune of facing, and their magic has spread all throughout Ashan to mercenaries and soldiers of every country.
House Occula: The enigmatic seers of House Occula are masters of the School of Divination, focused on the scrying of the threads of fate, manipulation of destiny, and the weaponization of luck. Subtler than most schools, the School of Divination is often used in conjunction with the others to maximize a Wiard’s potential. Those who dedicate their lives to specializing in Divination magic can often become aloof or even insane as they meddle with forces beyond mortal understanding. Their seat of power in Al-Amal was destroyed like many others in the War of the Broken Staff.
House Eterna: The exiled House Eterna is the infamous faction of Wizards who study the School of Necromancy, the manipulation of life, death, and the soul. Belketh, the Angel of Death, was the first Wizard to rediscover this art. For centuries House Eterna was one of the most influential forces in the Seven Cities, but over time they became less of a magic school and more of a cult to the Spider Goddess. This, along with jealousy of their power, led to the other houses persecuting and eventually attempting to eradicate House Eterna. Their seat of power Al-Betyl was destroyed in the resulting War of the Broken Staff, and the Necromancers fled to the peninsula of Heresh where they formed their own independent kingdom
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Drakon-Deus
Undefeatable Hero
Qapla'
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posted April 23, 2023 06:21 AM |
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I appreciate your efforts, but even so ashan is not worth saving for me.
I dislike Heroes of might and magic V so much. A huge disappointment for me at the age of 13.
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Horses don't die on a dog's wish.
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baronus
Legendary Hero
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posted April 23, 2023 10:13 AM |
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But we have a lot of H5 and higher fans do its question for them!
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Galaad
Hero of Order
Li mort as morz, li vif as vis
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posted April 23, 2023 03:41 PM |
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Well, at least H5 delivered the gameplay, unlike 6 and 7...
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Rimgrabber
Promising
Famous Hero
Voice in Gelu's Head
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posted April 23, 2023 04:54 PM |
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I also have an intense dislike for Heroes 6 and to a lesser extent Heroes 7 (which has been somewhat salvaged by community modding efforts but still isn't as good as the older games.) This project is meant to purely be focused on the story elements and fixing that.
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Galaad
Hero of Order
Li mort as morz, li vif as vis
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posted April 23, 2023 09:45 PM |
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Rimgrabber said:
This project is meant to purely be focused on the story elements and fixing that.
Good luck 
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Rimgrabber
Promising
Famous Hero
Voice in Gelu's Head
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posted April 24, 2023 12:53 AM |
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Thanks Galaad I certainly have my work cut out for me
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zydar
Adventuring Hero
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posted April 25, 2023 09:38 AM |
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I love old NWC MM & HoMM Lore, story with sci fi element
Its more mysterious, fascinating, unexplored, exotic, humble, etc
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Drakon-Deus
Undefeatable Hero
Qapla'
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posted April 25, 2023 11:55 AM |
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zydar said:
I love old NWC MM & HoMM Lore, story with sci fi element
Its more mysterious, fascinating, unexplored, exotic, humble, etc
+1 
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Horses don't die on a dog's wish.
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Galaad
Hero of Order
Li mort as morz, li vif as vis
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posted April 25, 2023 12:53 PM |
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What if Dragons "gods" were actually cyborgs?
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Rimgrabber
Promising
Famous Hero
Voice in Gelu's Head
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posted April 25, 2023 07:47 PM |
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Honestly one of the potential endings I have in my head is that Ashan is just some random planet in the NWC universe that has been brainwashed by egotistical elementals masquarading as Dragon Gods.
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Elvin
Admirable
Omnipresent Hero
Endless Revival
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posted April 26, 2023 06:38 AM |
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Well, Ashan is protected by a.. veil of sorts. And during H6 we find that Ashan's Sandro was planning to tear it down and murder the dragon Gods break free. ...I'm with him.
There are hints about the old worlds past the veil but this was more of an Easter egg than the new team openly acknowledging that there is a way of bridging the two settings.
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H5 is still alive and kicking, join us in the Duel Map discord server!
Map also hosted on Moddb
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Rimgrabber
Promising
Famous Hero
Voice in Gelu's Head
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posted April 27, 2023 01:38 AM |
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Yeah I've heard about that easter egg (never played MMX Uplay ate my code) and I'm thinking that Sandro winning is the only sort of overarching ending makes sense. The Blood Eclipses being cyclical sort of makes the Demons less of an existential threat and more of an occasional nusiance. That's how I'm planning on portraying it anyway. The 2nd Eclipse (H6) is devestating because they thought the first Eclipse was a one-time thing and were caught off guard. The Eclipse in H5 is dangerous because Kha-Beleth is an extremely competent villain that the other races weren't prepared for since demons are usually mindless in their chaos. But all the Eclipses in between are kind of just mildly destructive nuisances that are treated more like a natural disaster than a threat to organized existence.
Sandro being so likeable as a character with interesting motives and hundreds of years of careful planning behind his actions make him a much better villain than Demons getting their asses kicked every few hundred years. I plan for him to be much more involved in the story, at least in the "pulling the strings from the shadows" sense. Another idea I've been thinking about is maybe the Shantiri Empire was so powerful and advanced because it happend before the Silence, and when the Silence happend that's when the Dragon Gods took advantage of the crisis to brainwash all the mortals into forgetting their history beforehand.
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JollyJoker
Honorable
Undefeatable Hero
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posted April 27, 2023 08:08 AM |
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Lore-wise, the main mistake Ubisoft made was, that M&M VI was a PREquel; that might have been fine, probably, if there hadn't been the Dark Messiah game in 2006, continuing the story of V, and I can remember that virtually EVERYone wanted VI to take a place in the post-Messiah world with a potentially massively changed Ashan and a "civilized" Ashan-based demon faction.
Instead we got this story of a family of brats ending up to lead all of Ashan and Sheogh as well, for good measure, anime-style. And since they poured a ton of money into that misguided effort, when it didn't end well, it had "doomed" written all over it.
So the place to go is PAST the Dark Messiah and into the uncertain future of Ashan - not into the written, canonical past.
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Rimgrabber
Promising
Famous Hero
Voice in Gelu's Head
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posted April 28, 2023 05:28 AM |
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That was my original intent with the Heroes 5 novel I had started a few years back. Finish the story, clean it up a bit, and continue on into the future to wrap up the unfinished plotlines. The trouble is that since Heroes 6 and 7 AND Clash of Heroes are all prequels and most of the worldbuilding was done then, I found myself incorporating more and more characters and artifacts and unfinished plotlines from those games to try to tie up the loose ends. Finally I got overwhelmed and decided not to do it, since nobody except me was really into the idea. However I have a IRL friend who was interested in the project so now I have motivation again. 
Anyway, to avoid falling into the same trap again I decided to start with Slava, the War of Bitter Ashes, and the discovery of the Mother Namtaru (who will be quite different so as to undo the Erwinification of Necropolis) and tell the story of Ashan itself as opposed to just H5. I'll be able to clean it up better that way. There will be overarching character stories to keep a sense of continutity of course, like Kiril and Kha-Beleth playing 4d chess against each other, Sandro and the Nethermancers, the rise and fall and rise again of Raelag (who will not be a pedophile this time) and so on, all culminating in a climax during the time of Dark Messiah. I haven't decided what I want that to look like yet, although the idea of a "civilized" Inferno is very cool and a definite possibility. The thing I'm leaning towards right now is just have Sandro win the whole thing and pull back the veil.
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Cortes
Adventuring Hero
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posted May 01, 2023 07:29 PM |
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Can Ashan be redeemed? Absolutely!
Should it be redeemed? Now, that is an entirely different matter.
I for one consider one of Ashans greatest problems going back in time with not only H6 but also H7. Once was okay, though already not preferrable but twice? That was one time too much.
That said, I like what I have been reading so far, keep up the good work
Also, I remembered username and password correctly! Yeah!
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Zaio-Baio
Promising
Famous Hero
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posted May 02, 2023 08:19 AM |
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JollyJoker said:
....the main mistake Ubisoft made was...
They tried to milk the franchise as much as possible 
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Elvin
Admirable
Omnipresent Hero
Endless Revival
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posted May 04, 2023 06:45 PM |
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Heck, I see spinoffs that I never even heard of. They been reusing the H6/7 assets any chance they get.
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H5 is still alive and kicking, join us in the Duel Map discord server!
Map also hosted on Moddb
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Rimgrabber
Promising
Famous Hero
Voice in Gelu's Head
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posted May 06, 2023 01:31 AM |
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Updated with the "Nations" section and some info about the Empire. Gonna do the rest throughout the week.
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