Inhabitants - Ash (TIP)

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Very few critters can survive the heat draining effects of the quasiplane of Ash. Those creatures that're able to exist and even thrive in this hostile realm're presented below.
==Quasielementals==
Of the handful of races known to exist in this plane, only ash mephits and quasielementals're found in any large numbers. While the mephits live in scattered communities, their quasielemental brothers have built a substantial empire. Based around a large fortification known as the Citadel of Former Flame, they direct their forces against intruders. The ultimate goal of the quasielementals seems to be the destruction of the Elemental Plane of Fire. After all, in the wake of Fire, you'll find only Ash. Seems a might ambitious, but more power to them, I say (never had much use for a whole plane of fire, myself).
==Animals and Monsters==
There's a few animentals found in this plane, generally ashen duplicates of polar creatures. There's also a curious little critter called a descriat with fur like a beaver and a bill like a duck-and what's more, it's hot as a furnace (they make for good eating, though). A traveler might also come upon a school of ulish swimming through the ash-they're not as tasty, but at least they're harmless. Sootsnakes're the only other sort of mostly harmless critter I can think of. Canny bloods'll watch where they walk. as the snakes often lair in elemental pockets of various types.
The most dangerous creatures found in the quasiplane of Ash're the aforementioned quasielementals. Most other creatures, even hardy monsters, simply can't survive here. 'Course, there're always exceptions to this, and they always tum out to be dangerous, like the rasts.
Rasts're a bunch of bloodthirsty monsters if there ever were any. Always on the hunt, these vicious creatures work together in deadly packs, tearing apart whatever they can catch with their paralyzing stare. Here's a tip, though: Rasts're real afraid of loud noises. A body can use that to his advantage to scare them off or distract them for a few valuable seconds while he gives them the laugh.
Also, an unusual race of xom wanders the quasiplane of Ash. These creatures're much the same as their cousins in the Elemental Plane of Earth, but for some reason, they're not subject to the heat draining effects of Ash. Ash xoms're somewhat brighter than their kin but usually less powerful (-1 on each HD). Rumors persist that some of these creatures've actually developed the ability to work magic, but no one knows if this's true chant or just screed.
Many undead creatures lurk around the quasiplane of Ash as well. These horrors seem to find the negative energy that saturates this place comforting, and they don't suffer in the least from the heat-draining flakes swirling around. Well, you probably don't need me to warn you off getting too near these rotting monstrosities.
==Other Races==
Though plenty of reports speak of scattered ruins indicating the one-time presence of lost races, there're no major civilizations now apart from that of the quasielementals. Records recovered from an abandoned citadel on the world of Oerth hint that a community of dwarves may've tried to establish a colony here long ago. Whether or not they succeeded remains a mystery, since no one's yet found any trace of these folks in the plane.
They ain't alive, but the closest thing to another society in the quasiplane of Ash's a large, nomadic army of ghouls and ghasts known as the Flesh Renders. These creatures number in the hundreds and may've once been commanded by the Lich King Vecna (see below). Because these undead often go for very long periods of time without eating, they're particularly savage when food presents itself
==Major Players==
No true powers live in the quasiplane of Ash (at least, not anymore). But a few bashers've become important enough to be mentioned here, including one demigod who left the plane behind for unknown reasons.
HADJENN. Hadjenn (PI/♂ genasi/F9/N) tells me he's the only known ash genasi in existence. He has no idea who or what his elemental sire was, but he's sworn to find out. 01' Hadjenn now travels the quasiplane in search of his unknown ancestor. Along the way, he's gathered a fair collection of magical weapons and items that make him a most fonnidable opponent.
Hadjenn's only real friend's a white dragon named Shackrilag. This monster survives in the quasiplane thanks to a magical necklace given to her by Hadjenn.
VECNA. The most powerful being ever to have lived in the Quasielemental Plane of Ash's almost certainly the oneeyed, one-handed Lich God Vecna. Originally a native of the prime world Oerth, this ancient creature spent the whole of his existence searching for greater and greater power. At the same time, however, he became more and more evil. Eventually, he acquired sufficient power and enough followers to become a demipower himself.
Vecna migrated to the quasiplane of Ash many years ago (exactly how many, no one knows). Once here, he drove a bunch of Doomguard bashers out of their fortress and set himself up in the great, skull-shaped citadel known as Cavitius. He populated his new realm with followers and imprisoned enemies, though who could tell the two apart?
Within Cavitius, Vecna continued to research dark magic with the ultimate goal of overthrowing the other powers of Oerth. In time, he planned to become the patron power of all evil undead. A tall order, true, but a body'd be wrong to underestimate Vecna's defemination.
Not long ago, Vecna and all of his followers vanished. They left behind the dismal territory of Cavitius, although chant's that this place's still full of evil spirits. Considering the dark experiments Vecna's known to have conducted here, this seems like a right safe bet.