The Order of Ash

The Order of Ash was established by the Kingdom of Varoselum in 822YD in order to begin reclaiming the Breathing Wastes as the temperature began to rise again. The order consists of several thousand Clerics, Paladins and Cavaliers, who seek to establish order and rebuild society in the name of the Varoselumite monarchy. The Order has nominal control over the entirety of the Breathing Wastes, but due to their relatively low number they are spread thin and often unable to protect their subjects.

Structure

The Order’s capital is Havenfort, a relatively new city established in an effort to concentrate the region’s population in order to better defend and organise them. The order as a whole has few levels within its hierarchy, with the structure as follows:

1. The Grandmaster
2. The Council Knights
3. The Keeps

The lowest organisational level of the Order is that of the Keeps, which are split into Noble Keeps, and Monastic Keeps. Each Noble Keep consists of a lesser noble and their family, a priest, and at least two men-at-arms. These nobles tend to be unlanded lesser nobility who found themselves disfavoured by their superiors in Varoselum, causing them to be granted new lands in the Breathing Wastes, effectively exiling them from the Kingdom. Monastic Keeps are run by members of the Order of Ash, usually one Paladin, and at least two Knights and a priest. They reside in a fortified structure that serves as housing, a watchtower, a church and a refuge for the local population in times of crisis. Each keep is intended to rule over and protect a single village or small town, but oftentimes their attention is split between several sparsely-populated settlements.
While there is an unofficial hierarchy amongst the Keeps based on power and influence, the next proper rank is that of Council Knights. The 7 Council Knights are elected from among the most powerful knights and priests in the Order, and hold their positions for life. They are tasked with administering large regions within the Wastes, with the Keeps serving as their effective vassals. They generally reside in proper castles near the centre of their demesnes, which also serve as communications hubs for the Keeps’ sending stone and mail networks.
The Grandmaster is elected for life from among the Council Knights by the citizenry of the Wastes. The Grandmaster acts as the Order’s ruler, though officially that position is held by Rudrel, who is in turn subservient to the Almighty, while the Grandmaster is also subservient to the Varoselumite monarch. The Grandmaster generally holds absolute authority, although their decrees can be overturned by a simple majority vote of the Council, and they can be deposed by a two-thirds majority vote in the Council, or a three-quarters vote of the citizenry.

Culture

The Breathing Wastes contain a vast array of different cultures, but the majority of the population is originally from Varofia. As such, the culture in Havenfort and the larger Keeps is mostly a more militarised form of Varoselumite culture. Much of the population has also lived in the Wastes for many generations. These people have generally adopted a way of life that values survival and everyday skills above martial prowess and fine artwork.

History

The region now known as the Breathing Wastes was once home to a number of prosperous human city states, concentrated in the fertile river valley. North of these were nomadic peoples residing in the northern steppe regions, and the two often came into conflict. The region was home to the majority of humanity for all of recorded history until the Great Northern Winter.
During the late 7th to early 6th centuries BW, the region was subsumed into the Finorr Republic, and afterwards became the nation’s breadbasket. The region, which became known as Sennorr, remained relatively stagnant for the centuries prior to the Winter, but was still much more stable and prosperous than it had been while independent.
After Finorr’s collapse, Sennorr’s government attempted to establish a successor state. The Sennorr Republic was unstable and racked with corruption, and was unable to survive the Great Northern Winter, collapsing completely in 96YD.
Sennorr eventually became known as the Breathing Wastes, because of the way that the river valley collected ash from the region’s many volcanoes and deposited it out to the sea, only to have it be swept back to the shore by strong currents. The name has attained greater meaning, however, as it is the region of the wastes with the highest population density, and is being steadily reclaimed by the Order of Ash.

Demography and Population

The majority of the Order, as well as their subjects are human, though they are less homogenous than most factions in Dukhala. No official census has been taken, but it is estimated that the Breathing Wastes contain around two million individuals, with all manner of races making up that number. Virtually the entire population is Teghneist, although the Order does tolerate most other religions.

Type

Religious, Holy Order

Capital

Havenfort

Demonym

Ashlander

Government System

Theocracy

Power Structure

Autonomous area

Economic System

Traditional

Official State Religion

Teghneism

Controlled Territories

• Havenfort
• Paluden
• The Breathing Wastes

Neighboring Nations

• Clan Daymender
• The Awinwald Republic
• The Kingdom of Varoselum

Alliance

Clan Daymender

80

The Order of Ash

90

Clan Daymender is charged with defending the Breathing Wastes from Dusklander incursions, and are supported in this by the Order of Ash.

Vassalage

The Order of Ash

20

The Kingdom of Varoselum

35

The Order of Ash is subject to the Varoselumite monarch.

Mixed History

The Awinwald Republic

-10

The Order of Ash

-10

The Order of Ash previously subjugated the Awinwald, but the two have since worked together for common defence.

Tense Truce

The Sennorrian Resistance

-20

The Order of Ash

-20

The Order and Resistance were recently in conflict