Ashen

Few who venture into the Bahadur Desert east of Zaribar survive. It is not only the desolate sands and scorching-hot sun that conquers them, but also dangerous predators always on the hunt and a lack of navigable landmarks that make losing one's way far too easy. The Ashen, however, are a people born of the desert. Molded by it. They are as comfortable in the sands of Bahadur as a child in their mother's arms.

Nomadic Survivors

Born in a desolate land and always on the move, the life of the Ashen is not one for the soft-hearted. The people live in small, nomadic, tribal units of between ten and thirty individuals. Carrying greater numbers would invite too great a risk of resource scarcity. Their diet consists of lichen and algae that grows on the underside of rocks; supplemented by whatever reptiles, insects, spiders, scorpions, or other creatures they can hunt down. But the Ashen are not the only hunters of the desert. They are just as often prey as they are predator.
Most Ashen are thin, wiry, and athletic; a result of both constant movement and restricted food supply. They are accustomed to running for hours without rest and are both strong jumpers and climbers. There are, of course, exceptions to the rule ... but most of these do not survive very long in the harsh environment.

Traversing the Scar

Deep in the Bahadur Desert -- at a location unknown to any but the Ashen -- is a long, rocky canyon cut into the earth. At it's bottom are boiling hot springs mixed among red-rock hoodoos and various scrubs of hearty plant life. In the fifth month of each year, all the tribes of Ashen converge upon this canyon for a full thirty days of celebration, trade, socialization, and ritual. The relative fertility of the Scar sustains the Ashen during this time, but they are careful to recognize that such sustenance can only be temporary, lest the Scar be picked dry and never provide sustenance again.
More importantly, all children between the ages of eight and fourteen are elegible to volunteer themselves for the ritual trial of traversing the Scar. To do so early in ones life is a source of pride, but the trial is deadly and there is no honor in dying during the traversal. Few children volunteer to traverse the Scar at the age of eight, but to wait beyond the age of twelve is considered cowardly and weak.
Each child that volunteers for the trial enters the canyon from its western edge with nothing but their clothes, a dagger, and a waterskin. They are to trek the length of the Scar to its eastern edge, a journey of nearly fifty miles. There are no other rules -- only survival. Those who reach the other side (roughly seven out of every ten participants) are considered full members of their tribe and no longer sit with the children.

Remain Unburdened

"If you drink more than you collect, you will run out of water."
- Ashen proverb
The Ashen are keenly aware of those things that demand their time, effort, and resources. They are always shedding unnecessary things in order to keep their burdens light and their waterskin full. Their dress is simple, lightweight, and functional. They sleep under the open sky without tents. Individuals who are seen to take more than they give are quickly left behind.
An Ashen that has the resources to carry burdens without trouble may be considered wealthy, but to do so is also thought to make one soft and weak. The only exception is in the caretaking of respected elders who can no longer hunt or gather effectively for themselves. These are brought to the Scar during the fifth month of the year and left there year-round as a sort of care-taking priesthood of the Scar until their death, usually not longer than two or three years after their arrival.

Physical Appearance

The Ashen are generally slightly shorter and more slender than humans, with wiry muscles and ash-gray skin. Their hair ranges in shades of red from orange to crimson, with minorities of the population sporting either pure white or pure black hair.
An Ashen's clothing is usually the color of sand or desert rock, allowing them to blend easily with their surroundings. They commonly wear masks that help protect their faces from blowing sand and sometimes decorate any exposed skin (on face, arms, or legs) with flowing, painted patterns of white dots.

Relations

Ashen are an insular, self-sufficient people who look at most others as burdensome neophytes unable to survive on their own. As such, relations with other races and cultures are minimal. Such minimal relations sometimes lead to persons looking at Ashen as an 'other', especially as one gets further and further away from the Bahadur Desert.

Religion

The Ashen are a people who's philosophy and rituals are focused more on survival than on worship and, as such, religion tends to take a less central, more peripheral, role within the culture. Ashen who follow The Twelve tend to give primary reverence to Kalani, Hyledd, or both. Those who follow the Great Wyrms tend toward Haavil.

Adventurers

Ashen adventurers are neither rare nor common. For each, it is a choice of whether or not to leave their desert homeland, and for what purpose. Some seek to further test their own capabilities. Others pursue the secrets of the universe. Some simply desire the soft and easy life outside of Bahadur.

by Antonio Frascaro

Ashen Traits

Ability Score Increase

+2 CON +1 DEX

Age

Reach adulthood in their late teens and live less than a century.

Alignment

Tend toward Chaotic alignments.

Size

Somewhat slender build. Height between 5 and 6 feet. Size: Medium.

Speed

30 feet

Darkvision

Dim light as bright light, darkness as dim light: 60 ft.

Danger Sense

Alert Feat

Born of Fire

Fire Resistance

Languages

Common, Ashen, Ignan