Ashanath was an unsettled region of Thesk with rich soil that once was one of the petty and short-lived kingdoms that rose in the aftermath of the Orcgate Wars.[2][1]
Geography[]
The Ashanath Kingdom claimed lands along the western shores of Lake Ashane.[2] After the kingdom's fall, the ruins of its capital – Shandaular, became known as the City of Weeping Ghosts for its population of powerful restless undead. The ruins stood to the north from a trade town of Kront, along the Lake Ashane shores.[3] The unclaimed Ashanath was considered both, being part of Thesk and the Great Dale, without neither region officially claiming the wilderness as their territory. Ashanath held the highest geographical elevation of the entire Great Dale – reaching 2,000 feet (610 meters) above sea level.[11]
Flora & Fauna[]
It was primarily covered with windswept grassland inhabited by ankhegs, bulettes, wild oxen and ponies. The area was subject to tornadoes during the summertime, which might be related to the Red Wizards' weather-controlling magic.[1][12] Despite being untamed, it was believed that Ashanath had the most fertile lands of all Unapproachable East.[13]
Government[]
The last king of Ashanath was Arkaius the Archmage[2], whose symbol of office was the Sunphelm of Shandaular an ancient crown. The first Queen of Ashanath was the first monarch to wear the Sunphelm, and after her death, the artifact was passed along to her son, grandson, and lastly, her great-grandson Arkaius the Archmage.[14]
Trade[]
As of the 14th century DR, Ashanath had only two settlements of note. A small trade town of Kront, built on the northern edge of the wildlands on the crossing of the Great Road and the Cold Road. Kront catered to traveling trade caravans and adventurers who chose Ashanat as their target. Despite monstrous storms, the town survived, in part thanks to all buildings having cellar tornado shelters. The town of Two Stars stood on the southern side of the region, on the crossing of the Golden Way and the Cold Road. The city served as a rich trade caravan stop, becoming jam-packed with travelers every spring, waiting to cross the icy River Mulsantir into Rashemen.[13]
History[]
A 14th century DR map of Ashanath.
The Nar Kingdom of Ashanath rose to prominence after the destruction of the Orcgate and the conclusion of the Orcgate Wars in the −1069 DR. By the −1064 DR, the capital of the Kingdom of Ashanath – Shandaular was built. The same year, a magical gate connected Shandaular and Council Hills of the Eastern Shaar, allowing the kingdom to grow and claiming lands surrounding the Eastern Shaaran side of the portal.[2]
The kingdom did not survive for long. Its destruction arrived in the −946 DR at the hands of the Nentyarch of Tharos, when Ashanath refused to join the Empire of Narfell, joining of the petty Nar kingdoms.[15] The armies swooped on the legendary city of Shandaular, leaving it in ruins. Survivors fled through the gate and settled in the Empire. The leader of the Kingdom of Ashanath, Arkaius. was left behind, ensuring his subjects escaped and sealed the portal, sacrificing his life in the process.[2][16]
Ashanath was taken over by the Grand Army of the Tuigan in the fall of the Year of the Serpent, 1359 DR after the horde ravaged through the Golden Way in attempts to expand the Tuigan Empire.[17] The Tuigan leader, self-proclaimed Emperor of All the World Yamun Khahan, forged an alliance with the Red Wizards of Thay. In the following year, the Year of the Turret, 1360 DR, Yamun Khahan was killed and his armies defeated by allied forces under the command of King Azoun Obarskyr IV of Cormyr. Surviving Tuigans retreated back to the Endless Wastes through Ashanath with the aid of the Red Wizards' spells.[18]
At some point in the late-14th century DR, a member of the Society of Stalwart Adventurers, visited Ashanath. There, he visited kobold warrens and studied their culture and their evil-spirit warding totems.[10]
By the Year of the Ageless One, 1479 DR, Ashanath remained largely unsettled. In the aftermath of the Spellplague, these lands were often affected by powerful and unnatural tornadoes. This wild weather stopped Lady Chinilvur of Impiltur from settling Ashanath from her trade village of Kront.[19]
Inhabitants[]
As of the late 14th century DR, wychlaran of Rashemen could often be seen roaming the lands of Ashanath and other neighboring regions, performing intelligence-gathering missions against Thay and building informant and resources networks.[20] Hagspawn and spirit folk were a common sight in Ashanath.[5]
Among more dangerous intelligent creatures found in wild Ashanath were blightspawned treants or volodnis, juju zombies, fell trolls, mur-zhagul, dread warriors, and orc or ogre blooded ones – leftovers of many small wars and conflicts between Thesk and Thay.[4]
Appendix[]
Gallery[]
Appearances[]
- Novels
- Crusade • The Shield of Weeping Ghosts
- Referenced only
- The Ring of Winter • Canticle
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Ed Greenwood, Sean K. Reynolds, Skip Williams, Rob Heinsoo (June 2001). Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting 3rd edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 209. ISBN 0-7869-1836-5.
- ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 Brian R. James, Ed Greenwood (September 2007). The Grand History of the Realms. Edited by Kim Mohan, Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 39. ISBN 978-0-7869-4731-7.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Richard Baker, Matt Forbeck, Sean K. Reynolds (May 2003). Unapproachable East. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 86. ISBN 0-7869-2881-6.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Richard Baker, Matt Forbeck, Sean K. Reynolds (May 2003). Unapproachable East. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 127. ISBN 0-7869-2881-6.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Richard Baker, Matt Forbeck, Sean K. Reynolds (May 2003). Unapproachable East. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 186. ISBN 0-7869-2881-6.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Brian R. James, Ed Greenwood (September 2007). The Grand History of the Realms. Edited by Kim Mohan, Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 58. ISBN 978-0-7869-4731-7.
- ↑ Reynolds, Forbeck, Jacobs, Boyd (March 2003). Races of Faerûn. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 95. ISBN 0-7869-2875-1.
- ↑ Richard Baker, James Wyatt (March 2004). Player's Guide to Faerûn. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 16. ISBN 0-7869-3134-5.
- ↑ Richard Baker, Matt Forbeck, Sean K. Reynolds (May 2003). Unapproachable East. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 90. ISBN 0-7869-2881-6.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 James Lowder (November 1992). The Ring of Winter. (TSR, Inc), chap. 7. ISBN 978-1560763307.
- ↑ Richard Baker, Matt Forbeck, Sean K. Reynolds (May 2003). Unapproachable East. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 114. ISBN 0-7869-2881-6.
- ↑ Richard Baker, Matt Forbeck, Sean K. Reynolds (May 2003). Unapproachable East. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 131. ISBN 0-7869-2881-6.
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 Richard Baker, Matt Forbeck, Sean K. Reynolds (May 2003). Unapproachable East. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 174. ISBN 0-7869-2881-6.
- ↑ Thomas Reid (October 2004). Shining South. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 59. ISBN 0-7869-3492-1.
- ↑ Richard Baker, Ed Bonny, Travis Stout (February 2005). Lost Empires of Faerûn. Edited by Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 67. ISBN 0-7869-3654-1.
- ↑ Richard Baker, Matt Forbeck, Sean K. Reynolds (May 2003). Unapproachable East. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 140. ISBN 0-7869-2881-6.
- ↑ James Lowder (January 1991). Crusade. (TSR, Inc), chap. 1. ISBN 0-8803-8908-7.
- ↑ Anthony Pryor (June 1995). “Campaign Guide”. In Michele Carter, Doug Stewart eds. Spellbound (TSR, Inc.), p. 6. ISBN 978-0786901395.
- ↑ Bruce R. Cordell, Ed Greenwood, Chris Sims (August 2008). Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide. Edited by Jennifer Clarke Wilkes, et al. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 134. ISBN 978-0-7869-4924-3.
- ↑ Richard Baker, Matt Forbeck, Sean K. Reynolds (May 2003). Unapproachable East. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 85. ISBN 0-7869-2881-6.