The Red Ushad

'The trail winds through canyons and past oases, and there, at the end, lies freedom.'

'Heat burns off the stacks and I catch a shimmer in the air, visible even from down in the coolness of the canyons. The caravan stops, though I care not, only that we move on soon, for this new substance has brought me here, bloodstones. These Ailkhan freedom fighters know not what they are, and they are in great danger. But that is their way, to risk. If they had not they would not have escaped their slave-masters, or outrun their pasts. Hopefully, they are strong enough for what is to come.'

The Canyons

The winding paths of The Crimson Canyons provide an excellent location for relief from the burning desert sun that covers Sabal, though atop the stacks of the canyon that heat can be felt in full force. But it isn't just the coolness that attracted the first inhabitants of this place, but the protection offered to those fleeing their lives. Through the ravines, forests, oases and clifftop paths that circumvent the area many found freedom from oppressors and their pasts. This became a place to hide, or change who you were, and many ancient spiritual paths are still walked to this day. It is truly a place of peace and those that first learnt that secret and way of life founded 'The Red Ushad', to create an organisation to revel in this ideology.

The relative coolness of the canyons has also attracted dozens of dangerous beasts and creatures to its shelter. They build nests high in the sides of stacks and in the low forested ravines, making certain areas extremely dangerous to pass, if you don't know how. These dangers were originally a deterrent to any, but as The Red Ushad learnt the ways of the canyons they found this a boon, one that could be used against any aggressors to keep them safe.

The Red Ushad

A semi-religious organisation that took up residence within The Crimson Canyons and built a small nation in defiance of their larger neighbours Sabal. The core values of the original organisation still stand, though as they began to prosper they have moved away from these values and become more inclusive and mainstream in their attitudes, though some still hold to the old ways.

Origin

The exact date of this organisations founding has been lost to history, but the inhabitance of 'Dawn's Rest' can be traced back over a thousand years. During the tumultuous times of warring desert tribes in The Sabal'Har, before the coming of The Emperor and his unification of the tribes to found Sabal, people fled the conflict for the canyons. Many were slaves, oppressed or merely refugees and most didn't make it far, and those that did struggled against the nomadic clans, environment and wildlife of The Crimson Canyons.

Despite the dangers this flow of people never relented and soon small settlements began to appear nestled in the outer canyons and along the coasts. These grew over time, and as more and more ventured deeper along the dangerous paths they discovered the nomadic clans weren't so nomadic, instead living deep in the valleys and stacks. Communication was tenuous at first but when they learned what they could attain from one another a unity formed, and that is the first mention of 'The Red Ushad'. The clans of the central canyons provided aid and what military protection they could offer, and the growing villages and towns provided food and more advance crafting techniques. Despite the raids of the desert tribes and the slave-masters of the desert, this unity grew and so did the strength of the Red Ushad.

Dawn's Rest

Nestled at the centre of the canyons is an ancient, hidden city of sorts. The first clans tell of a warren of tunnels, expertly crafted, delving deep into the canyons and at their centre were great chambers and libraries. Though none could divine the knowledge locked away in the books or the runes glittering across the mosaics of the central halls they found an indescribable spiritualness within those chambers, through the valleys and across the clifftop paths. The clans devoted their lives to preserving and protecting this place, and even to this day, only the most devoted and highest among their order are ever shown the location of Dawn's Rest. Even now, much of that knowledge is secret, it's location and existence almost entirely unknown to the world. Some of The Ancient's works have been interpreted though it is a drop in the ocean of what exists there. This secrecy may cost the world in the future, but for now this secret has kept it entirely preserved and maintained.

It is not only the centre of knowledge, but also of their spiritualness and that has persisted long after the union of the clans and the outsiders founded the Red Ushad. Many ceremonies are held there and it is here that the agents are taught to open themselves to the land, experience its strength and wield that power in its defence. Those devoted to the preservation of land and life learn the shamanistic ways of the Red Ushad and take an oath to protect both from incursions of darkness, evil and themselves.

Religion and Recruitment

The religious aspect of The Red Ushad is a traditionalist view that many of those that now reside in the cities don't follow or respect any more, though at one point it was the cornerstone of the nation that united those scared refugees and the clansman. A respect for nature, the earth and life is a core of what the Red Priests preach. They believe that you are born free to walk the paths of life and that when you die you return to the earth, potentially to be born again eons from now.

Even the Ailkhan (Ashblood Warriors), the military arm of the Red Ushad learnt that to respect nature brought power, one that allows the harnessing of elemental forces linked to the lands. These shamanistic practices give power to the devoted clansman and only help increase their faith, though many believe that this is less important as the Crimson Canyons becomes less at risk from other nations and actually seeks to prosper and develop as a member of the Unitum Pact. It may appear odd that the a relatively peaceful society has a military aspect, but the Red Ushad learnt long ago that being peaceful does not mean you cannot still die from another's sword.

Since the development of the cities there has been a decline in the devoted and a lower number of residents within Dawn's Rest, a problem for the Red Ushad's traditions, cultural heritage and earth granted powers. Now the Red Priests have begun to walk amongst the people of The Crimson Canyons, preaching the word of their way of life and the freedom and powers it grants seeking to gain more followers. It has even gone as far as Red Priests journeying into the bordering settlements of Sabal, or taking ships further afield to Paruga, Stormheld Bastion and Nemir to find converts. They have had some luck in these areas and have managed to create small sects in other nations, though to learn the skills some desire they must journey to Dawn's Rest.

Wealth & The Unitum Pact

The lands of the Crimson Canyon are fairly barren, though mines litter the small stacks and bring out semi-precious stones to trade with other nations. Recently, the discovery of 'Bloodstones' has increased a lot of demand and they have traded several away for huge profits. The Red Ushad has a large fishing and logging industry, as well as cattle and agriculture, grown within the shade of the stacks. Though these are difficult to manage for all manner of creatures and giant insects are attracted to the growing plants and have to be continuously watched.

Most of their exports and materials are distributed between the other nations of the Unitum Pact of which The Red Ushad is a vital member. They own the largest swathe of land out of the members and are somewhat central, being close to Stormheld Bastion in the north and reachable by The Dracis Collective and the The Dwarven Enclave over sea. For this reason many materials, resources and projects are undertaken within the Crimson Canyons, so that they remain hidden from the world.

Desire

The Red Ushad wishes to spread their spiritual message across the world. They find that those bonded to the earth and its woes are more at peace and aware of righting injustices. Currently the core members of the Red Ushad are finding it difficult to balance their spiritual minimalist nature with those in the growing cities of The Red Refuge and Saltfort as they start to become wealthier and more materialistic. The mixture of those staying true to the spiritual and cultural path and those instead following the more mainstream belief of materialistic wealth in the populated areas has caused many of these cities to consider the followings of the Red Ushad as dated. This means that many of the devoted members have taken up the task of proselytizing the denizens of the city and also those over the border in Sabal, attempting to turn more to the old ways and spread their message as well as recruit followers of their faith in other nations.

Type:

Small Nation

Population

250,000 (70% human, 6% dwarves 5% gnomes, 5% halflings, 4% dragonoid, 10% other)

A History of Survival

Beacon Guardian once watched the stacks and canyons of the land to alert those below of approaching dangers, most often raiders from their former slave-masters. If these heroes had not suffered atop the stacks in sweltering heat and from dangers above, it is likely The Red Ushad would never have formed.

Location

The Crimson Canyons

Bloodstones

A rare material found across The Crimson Canyons with huge arcane power embedded within. Recently a cache has been found in one of the stacks and all are rushing to help remove the items and begin experimenting on them for a range of uses. Previously they were revered as religious icons but as more are uncovered their special status has been disregarded, though they possess a dark truth that none truly know.

Areas

The Crimson Canyons

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Credited artists: Alanfrijns