Geography
The Shadow of the East, the kingdom of Ashendar is currently ruled from New Virilys – city of the Djinn. Ashendar is comprised of four provinces. They are Al-Rassad, Zahariid, Cythruul, and Ilabrys.
History
Up until only recently, the Djinn were considered minor players in a kingdom dominated by humans and the powers of the Sh’ddar Citadels. That changed when the Djinn discovered the Font on the borders of Maj.
The Font is nothing short of a ‘volcano’ of astral power – a jagged, cracked peak filled with a luminescence that thrusts ever skyward in a perpetual tower of shimmering light. The power collects in the atmosphere and “showers” down as a constant aurora that covers the mountain face in ever shifting shades of red, green, blue and gold. The discovery of the Font changed the face of Ashendar which had been fragmented into four autonomous provinces since the Final Retreat. Along with the enormous influx of sages and arcanists that descended on the Font, came an incredible increase in commerce and trade. Within the ziggurats of New Virilys, the Djinn grew wealthy and strong. In the decade that followed the discovery of the Font, they unified Ashendar under a single banner which has remained unbroken to this very day.
The target of a sweeping invasion by a mysterious figure known as the Overlord, Ashendar was brought nearly to ruin in the year 507. When he was at last expelled, the Overlord left behind a nation in tatters. Poverty and disease run rampant and while the population centers are more/less secure, one need only travel a short distance from these to find a land on the borders of chaos. With the looming threat of the provinces slipping into smaller autonomous nations, the Queen of Ashendar is rumored to be courting an alliance with the Vraeus of Imperia himself.
Population
Despite the Djinn monarchy, Ashendar is arguably the most racially diverse kingdom in the Sanctuary. Generally limited in naturally occurring resources, Ashendar long ago set precedence for the use of slave labor. Slaves come from all races. Their descendants – both indentured and free – comprise a surprising number of its citizens.
The mark of the Sh’ddar is indelibly stamped on Ashendar. Here one can find the Obelisk of War on Tharsis, the Shadowed Isle. Tharsis is the very center of the Sh’ddar faith in Artanna with citadels to Syrilith, Xyric – and most especially – Morander.
The Requis Mortum also exists in Ashendar, where the Nethermantic councils of Spirit and Bone convene. In recent years, Ashendar has suffered incredible hardship.