Ashdan

Ashdan is a meritocratic hereditary monarchy: the most suitable child of the royal Iraka Family inherits rule of the kingdom. The royal palace resides in the deep woods of Ceress, its location known only to the most trusted generals and druids.

The royal colors are deep purple and goldenrod.

=Culture= Ashdanic citizens have two main interests in life: magic, and using it to make a buck. They are welcoming of most people, as long as they do not come brandishing swords and have a pocket that could potentially be lightened. Note that this does not include theft, which is harshly punished as it discourages foreign trade.

Ashdan survives on variety in all things. This is reflected in their seven magic schools, as well as the number of countries with which they share economic ties. Homogeneity is the enemy, and as such divergences from the norm are generally well-tolerated unless they become dangerous to others or the country itself.

=Religion= Ashdan's major religion, Divided Naturalism, has no deep ties to the deities, focused instead of their devotion to the seven schools of magic: Divination, War, Mind, Alteration, Druidism, Necromancy, and Pyromancy. Their wizards are revered as clerics of the world and held in very high esteem.

Recently, Ashdan's wizards have begun collaborating with wizards from foreign countries and hope to discover many new forms of magic.

=Government= Ashdan is ruled by an absolute monarch, currently in its first dynasty after The Dangerous Unrest, ended when the first ruler, King Kerais I brought the warring magical schools to order.

Since then, no mage has taken a hand in the ruling class of the country other than through the Archmage, who is allowed to plead his or her case directly to the monarch.

Noble families litter each region of Ceress, since court is highly secluded.

=Economy= Ashdan relies heavily on trade. It is willing to trade anything: food, precious gems and metals, wood, textiles, technology, even services for another thing. Many of these items are in turn traded to another country.

Tourism of Ashdan does exist, though it is known more for its peculiarities than for lovely sightseeing. Locals are always willing to show strangers around...for a small fee, of course.

=Flora and Fauna= Undead bears roam the countryside, especially in Kellye, but ranging as far north as southern Ceress and into the whole of Rumoko. Warmages have taken to hunting the creatures for sport, and necromancers finish the job. The strange creatures are now of great amusement to the locals.

The druids of Ashdan have also left their mark on the landscape, creating a variety of semi-sentient plants, some carnivorous, some impervious to flame, and even strange creations that appear to change form as you look at them.

While the clean, cool ocean waters off the Western coast of Ashdan are rarely filled with fish due to shipping, Northern Ceress features a number of lovely animals such as dolphins and stingrays that come visit--even the occasional whale!

=Important Figures= After the King or Queen and their heir, along with the rest of the royal family, two main figures tower in the collective conscious of Ashdan's citizens: the Trademaster General, and the Archmage

Monarchy
While the royal family lives in seclusion much of the time, they make frequent visits to the capitals of other regions and the occasional public appearance as well.

Trademaster General
The Trademaster General, as the name suggests, ioversees all economic activity in the country. With such a large job, he has many assistants, and even a governmental department to help.

Archmage
Ashdanic Archmage are the spokesman for all schools of magic, chosen of the few individuals capable of mastering all seven forms. Since their abilities are so rare, Archmages keep their position until death, and replacements tend to be the youngest available.

=Magic= Ashdanic culture is very invested in its magic.

Schools
Ashdanic culture acknowledges seven forms of "true" magic: Alteration, Divination, Druidism, Mind, Necromancy, Pryomancy, and War.

While these factions do not always get agree, there is significant cooperation and collaboration between them, and no wizard is ever barred from any school unless they are banned from all.

The Order of the Iron Ring
The Order of the Iron Ring is an organization devoted to supporting wizards of all calibers. Founded in the early years of Ashdan's formation by Serale Noves, its number includes not a single wizard, but instead, their friends and family members frequently join the ranks.