Ashrak
Ashrak
Ashrak is a broad pastureland on the coast next to the Flow Peninsula. It is far from any urban centre and largely undeveloped. Between the few small villages and tribal camps are untouched plains and the population is very small compared to the space available to them. The peasantry are active in herding and farming, but not much else. There is not yet an established culture. The language slightly changes from top to bottom and from east to west but only in certain pronunciations. And the people are unremarkable.
History and Culture
When Aquilegia took the region from Xinhai in the Summer of 9 YD, Viscount Bowie Ironsides began an enrichment initiative to liven up the culture of the region. From this, the Ashrak Pickle has become the region's most popular product and the Ashrak Hip and Elbow Shake its most famous dance. Ashrak was lost to roguery after the Plague rampantly reduced Aquilegia later in 9 YD. Civilization and Noble order returned to Ashrak in Spring 16 YD when the Morek Empire conquered the region and reinstated Lord Bowie as Count.
In the Par of the Summer of 17 YD, Count Bowie announced his study and application of the Ashrak Calendar. The calendar is basically a designation of the lunar-weekly cycle.
The College of Ashrak
Viscount Bowie, being a prominent member of the Dwilight University built a campus in this region in the Summer of 9 YD (on the 20th of December, 2009). He launched a small festival to celebrate the founding. He intended on having it rival the main campus in Springdale City and announced he would begin the largest collection of books ever gathered in Dwilight to be contained in the Ashrak Library. After Aquilegia suffered a terrible plague later in the Summer of 9 YD the region went rogue and the Library went to ruin.
In the Par of Summer in 17 YD, in an effort to reinvigorate the cultural and educational programs he planned for Ashrak, Count Bowie completed construction of the Ashrak Museum. The museum is housed on the University campus near the ruins of the library. It is a small building made of the same red-brown clay brick of Donghaiwei.
In the Autumn of 17 YD, on the same site as the Campus and Museum, Bowie completed construction of a distillery known as Ironsides First Love. The alcohol produced is made with anise and other herbs to make a potent spirit. It is colourless but gives off a strong aroma. Although the alcohol is called Ashrathe, it is popularly known as "Bowie's Demon," boasting that this was the original cause of the Count's demoniac dementia. In addition to the Pickle, Ashrathe is the region's most popular product.
In the Winter of 17 YD, also located on the Ashrak Campus, the Count built his very own printing press. Consequentially, he founded a new periodical title, "The Ashrak Imperialist!" where he will discuss and critique a variety of topics in his articles.
Economy
In the Spring of 18 YD, Count Bowie constructed a chamber of the Dwilight Trade Company linking his region to the wider network of commerce on Dwilight.
The Estates of Ashrak
Ashrak is divided into four estates of varying sizes. The largest governs forty-five percent of the region and belongs to the Lord. It is known as Castle Ironsides. Some say it is haunted, others that it is a place of mystery and occultism. Whatever the rumour, most peasants stay away. The second estate governs thirty percent of the region. This manor is situated in the major village of the region. The next estate governs fifteen percent and is a quaint villa on the coast. The last villa governs ten percent of the region and manages the western border.
