[hider=Ashtoken] 
House Name: Ashtoken

Head of House: First Star Gori Lamillur, voice of Ashtoken ; Gori Lamillur, First Star, The voice.

House Specialty: Mostly a desert region, it is rich in both copper and iron deposits, as well as gems, making it a center for fine jewelry and metalworks of all kinds, such as the skilled work of Ashtoken weapon smiths. 

As a side note, they also have pretty advanced physicians and desert medicines due to their strong realism and creativity. 

Exports said products mostly, but includes fine desert rugs and clothing, paper. exotic desert foods, spices, and glasswork.

House Ancestral Weapon: Spear of the Ashtoken, a long magic tipped spear, the magic metal shaft has been encased in a thin layer of Ashtoken copper and its head crafted to the finest quality. Its revered as a masterpiece and now used as a scepter for the Voice of the Ashtoken as a symbol of authority. It is considered extremely lucky, and often blamed for the superb physical health and quick healing of its handlers. Further some even say Ashtoken, the long dead uniter of the tribes himself, speaks through the spear to its weilder, granting him otherworldly wisdom, and mastery over the desert of Ashishia. Some further even claim, that the spear is alive with the souls of all its vanquished as well as the guiding spirit of Ashtoken, granting the wielder strange strengths and thoughts. Some claim it is cursed, and all who die while touching the bare metal is trapped eternally within it. Whether this is a thief deterrent method created by the Magi or not has yet to be disputed.

Important members: 

Gori Lamillur, First star -
Elected by the council of the six stars, he is the ruler of all Ashtoken. He has held his position since the age of 22 and hold it to this very day at the age of 43. He has control of the military as well as first representation in all foreign affairs after convening with the Star council. 

Furnos Lamillur, Second star-
Goris’ cousin, son of his uncle, head of the second tribe of Ashishia, known as Lamillur. As a star, he is the spokesperson of his tribes owned land, the north west region, including the capital of Ashtoken, Loashti, and represents the interests of that areas people in the council of the six stars.

Dedrik Ophaven, Third star- Curator of Ashtoken history and old friend of the late First Star Hevi Deprash, he is now the oldest member of the Council, aged over seventy turns.

Henzil Deprash, Fifth star- Head of Ashishian border patrol, and old war buddy of Gori Lamillur, (the Great Gnoll War)

Jopol Shempul, fourth tribe member and appointed overseer of Tempar docks

Frenki Shempul, Fourth Star, Head of schooling and martial training for the Ashtoken Guard, and border patrols, as well as budgeting.

Scor Ophaven - Patriarch of the desert Magi and leader of Ashishian temples
 
Genri Aceroth, Sixth Star, Ex general in The Great Gnoll war, now head of the sixth tribe and agriculture/craft guilds

Nation/Realms Name: Ashishia

Sigil: (Your houses sigil or crest) wip (six stars)

House Motto: “ One under ash”

Region/color on map: light orange

Race name: Simply known as the People of Ashes, or Ash skin. (Ashkin, the Ashtoken)

Racial appearance: The average man stands at 6’2 and tends to weigh a little lighter than they should, however this is not always the case as burly Ash skins are almost as common. The received their nickname as the People of the Ash for since time immemorial they created a thick paste or “paint” from nutrient rich ash found in the north west mountains and pockets under the sands and painted their generally hairless bodies with it to protect them from the smothering sun. The grey “paint” gave them the illusion of actually being made of ash, save their pale blue eyes that peak out of the paste. Most Ash skins are born bald and never move forward from there, and those that do normally shave it off as the first sight. They are a hardy people, and tough, as the desert is relentless, and it truly shows as many walk around in their white working robes and tunics, usually muddied with the very ash that gave them their name. 

Racial traits: Known to be excellent smiths and craftsmen as well as top tier martial strategists. They are also renown stoics and nationalists, as their harsh lands have turned them into an emotionally disciplined people, ambitious to perfect any task they start, and accepting of harsh realities. However, they hold a strong belief in national identity and do not welcome visitors very often, and tend to be an introverted region. Not to say they are inhospitable however and will aid where it is necessary, not to mention all the crafts, jewelry, and metal works they openly sell to outside merchants, after usually first leaving the region itself. 

Capital:Loashti, A large city founded on the fork of the Alicai, and protected by a intricate Wall and canal moat maze capable of deterring armies with strong waves and drains. A strong example of Ashtoken wit, as it is simply a decorative architectural masterpiece filled with artistic mosaics and murals depicting the rich history, but doubles as a very strong fortification. 

Capital Population: almost fifty thousand, counting the various suburbs, making it the largest city in Ashishia.

Other Major Settlements:

Orakash (third star): Known as the Birthplace, or desert heart, a cultural and sacred city packed with young ash people, eager to learn. 
Shi’iti (fourth star): Known as the impenetrable City, as it is carved out of a great mountain, and where many Ashtoken schools of war are built. 
Dashash(fifth star: Specializes in southwest and southern border patrol, and protection, as well as immediate foreign affairs
Kenero (sixth star): Specializes in east and north border protection, as well as a center for Craftsmen of all sorts
Tempar (only coastal city, and royal naval base): Only city that can be said to truly have an outside influence as it is a major fortified trading port. 

Population: 
 2,971,080.
Culture: As you may have figured out by now, these people live a very practical, stoic life, rich with deep meaning and cultural understandings. They hold the religion of the Church in high regards, but many spiritual critics claim that they hold too many of their alien and not very well known beliefs and philosophies to high up next to the church, some claim heresy. However the People of the Ash are not by any means against the beloved faith, but they also prize rhetorics and well thought philosophies of scholars and thinkers almost as much, considering questions a virtue. As they devote their entire lives in the desert, save for the lucky ones who have tasted the sweet cool waters and felt the lush fertile land of the mountainous north west region, they hold the sands and its bounty of ash and metals in high regards and dutifully craft them into beautiful objects of wealth and creativity, and when called for, war. In total, they are a fiercely defensive people, and have great love for their homelands and its history, and utilize it in every way possible without insulting their heritage and the desert itself which they often refer to as if it was alive. 

The men are required to at a young age to practice basic rhetorics and to study philosophies of the regions scholars. Also, as soon as they enter teenagehood they are expected to learn the ways of the military and pledge their very soul and body to the desert and her peoples, as well as obey the voice of Ashtoken with a sense of privilege and duty.

The women are also taught in the liberal arts, however, they are not required to undertake military training, but are still expected to lay everything they have down for the cause of the desert at any time deemed necessary.
 
Type of Government: Tribal representation;

The Five tribes’ elders conviene in a council known as the council of the six stars. The First star being Ashtoken, who was claimed to be a son of the desert herself, and first to unite the tribes. Thus the desert and its heroes that graced its sands are often referred to as the First, and represented by an elected “voice of Ashtoken” , leader of the five tribes and voice of the desert and Ashtoken themselves, as Ashtoken once was. 

A voice or first star, after being elected can be challenged at anytime, and deemed Mute, or false. This is carried out by a Star (elder of a tribe) and is initiated in a council which can be called at any time. During the council the Star presents his case and often the displeasures of his tribespeople with the challenged Voice. This results in either a majority vote, or challenged duel. If the vote against the first passes, but without five total votes, they exile the First star to the desert in search of his own voice, a pilgrimage to the center of the desert and back without food, upon returning, the elders deem him worthy or unworthy, the worthy return to their tribe, and in a few very rare cases, return to be the voice after a revote of who will represent the first and prove to be competent, the unworthy are sent back to wander as a nameless exile. If all five vote against him, The voice can either be challenged to a duel against the original challenger or exiled as previously mentioned. In the case of a duel, if the Voice wins, he sent back to his tribe without penalty to endure a re vote for who shall be the new voice, and is able to be reelected. 

Other than the First star, all stars are hereditary, or rewarded to unique heros (very rarely) by the previous star of the tribe rewarding. 

The stars sons are expected to be officers in the military in war time, as the stars are expected to be strategists to the first, who commands as the executive power of the military, however, under the First are three appointed generals during war time, usually being related to a star and vastly experienced. 

Influence and relations: 
House Marrow: Old friends and neighbors, they are both ally's and active trading partners, with each other and House Whitemane. 

House Whitemane: The Lorem-Ashkin post, a large gatehouse at the northern pass and border between the two countries. This gate house harbors no gate, but a large trading post, and topped with a large stathe of a dog playing with a fuwma. This grand piece of achutecture that bears both houses style of building was a cooperative building project between the two houses, and signifies friendship, and trade.

House Whiteshorn: Trading and on friendly terms
Military - Levies around 14,855

As all men are required to train in martial arts, Ashishia stakes pride in formidable well trained abd obedient soldiers, and during war times, deploys strong strategies and devout soldiers ready to do whatever it takes for the desert and her peoples(and of course, the Pheonix throne). As practiced stoics they claim to fear no wound nor death itself, and few seem to waiver from this stand point. 

They fight in light leather armors, as it is nigh suicide to try and stand, let alone fight, under the smoldering sun and shifting sands in metal outfits. This does not hold true for their weapons however, as the common soldier would wield a tempered steel curved Ashishian blade known as a Yexara, as well as a strong and balanced sarissa, with finely formed metal spear heads, or a shorter spear, and sided with the curved sword incase of really close combat. For the lack of body armor they make up for it in agility, and large round metal shields, useful in bashing the enemy or forming tight knit phalanxes. 

From the lack of wood in most regions of Ashishia, composite bows are the only form of marksmanship, and usually coupled with fearsome chariots. The war chariots are usuallt fitted with rotating blades on the wheels to cut down lines of enemies and Ridden by spearmen as well as the archer. 

(They are not unknowm to use the desert reptiles in battle for some edge...)

In the north sea floats a fragment of the Royal Navy, ready to serve Ashishia and the Throne.

There is only one part of the military that remains standing even out of wartime, and that is the Ashtoken Guard, a elite group of 600 men, sworn to protect the stars at all costs. They are armed with curved blades of magnificant craftsmanship, and are the few people to wear black robes, garnished with etchings of crimson red thread, as well as a red cloak. A Ashtoken guard is sworn to silence unless spoken to and is a high honor awarded to those who show mastery in the martial arts.

While not considered technically military, The Desert Magi, the great seers of Ashtoken, keeps of the old ways, defend and aid cities and armies during military action. As the Ashskin are peoples of great strategy, they know to fight with the sun on their backs, as to blind the enemy, sand under their feet, as to trip the invaders, and with a powerful sandstorm on their backs conjured by the old magics of the magi, to stunt enemy arrows, and confuse their senses, turning them into sitting ducks for the adapted Ashtoken army to dispatch.

The Desert alone is a fortification that no city wall or mountain could provide, its a natural deterrent for invaders, and if the occasion calls for it, the Magi and the Stars are always willing to wield it as their most fearsome weapon.
 
Landscape: Severed from the rest of the world by the west and southern mountains, it is mostly a harsh and expansive desert of blinding sandstorms that can swallow whole armies and deadly draughts that could weaken the mightest. However the northwest is boasted as the most fertile, with lush gardens and the Alicai River, the largest water source in the region, and means of transportation and life bearing sustenance. Other characteristics of the northwest is the mountain range, a natural defense against invaders, and home to many mines and major towns, as well as the valley by the Alicai being home to the Capital Loashti, and the local temple dedicated to the church . 

The mid region is Harsh and only the native survive, this is where the Ash skin are supposed to have been born from, and this is their most holy land, it is populated mostly by nomadic tribesmen of the Third tribe, and the only standing settlement is Orakash, which is dominated by the Stone of the desert, a great monolith where Ashtoken united the tribes for the first time, and original home of the council, as well as the location of the original temple of desert magi.

The Far northwest holds Tempar, the only coastal city. Tempar is known as one of the few ways the Ash Skins interact with outsiders, in whic htye ship their merchandise to surrounding areas, causing Tempar to be the richest city and most influenced by the rest of the world.

The South holds very few cities as it is in the desert but is controlled by the Fifth house, who is tasked with protecting the borders, and carefully monitoring those who enter, and those who leave, often aided by local militia. In contrast, this region of Ashishia is known as the gateway to the merchant world for Ashtoken arts and jewelry are shipped south from here to be sold and to fill the Loashti coffers with riches.

The Northeast mimics the south, but with less trading, and less need for border patrol. 

 
(map is a wip)
 

Wildlife: large desert reptiles called Fuwma scamper across the desert and are raised domestically for their nutrient rich eggs, tough skin, and tender meat, as well as riding and labor capabilities. Goats and sheep are more popular in the northwest and south however.

History: (At least the past couple generations, include conflicts, major upheavals, wars, etc.) WIP (its coming, its just long)

So far, if you havent guessed it, Ashashia always had the five tribes of man, tortured by the dragons as the rest of the world, until their hero Ashtoken was seeminly born out of the desert herself to unite the tribes with the new first tribe. Under one banner they grew powerful, and developed a strong sense of nationality, dedicated to the preservation of their old ways, and the desert as well as new innovations, fine arts, and philosophy. 

Also: The Ashtoken were one of the last under the crown, considering their isolation. They joined because logically it would take all of Elyden to take on the black continent invasion.

Strengths: Duty orientated citizens, trained jacks of all trades.
Strong economy, and government. Quality metal works (weapons to bed frames) , Strongly protected borders, and harsh desert that prevents much interior travel without prior life experience on dealing with the deadly sandstorms. Well trained fighting units, and backed by well versed strategists, and participater in the Royal Navy. 

Weaknesses: Lack of major inland water access, introverted, and seperated

overaall still working on this, just showing im alive [/hider]