Ashaka

Ashaka is an Orsimer residing in the Morkul Stronghold.
==Interactions==
===The Hand of Morkul===
Ashaka has delved into Morkul Descent to find the legendary Hand of Morkul.
==Dialogue==
;The Hand of Morkul
"Who are you? It doesn't matter, the Hand of Morkul is mine! Once I find it. Which ... is harder than I thought. That's why you're here, isn't it?"
:Actually, your mother sent me to find you. "She ... what? Why?"
::She's worried about your attempts to embarrass the king. "My what? Does she even listen to me? She never listens! 'Honor of the clan,' I say. 'You'll find someone soon,' she says. Pah! All right. She sent you here to help? Good―help me find Morkuldin."
:::What is Morkuldin? "The long lost home of Morkul clan. The old poems say it was 'buried in ice, and stone-marked thrice.' See the statues? Morkul stonework, and very old. Morkuldin has to be nearby, but I ... well, maybe you can find the way in."
::::Who do those statues represent? "The old poems of Morkuldin's founding mention a heroic trio who 'rebuffed winter's grasp' and 'found haven beneath.' Maybe they saved the clan from a tunnel collapse? Oh, there's some writing at the base of the statues. Couldn't make sense of it."
:::::Are you certain the statues are the key? "'Buried in ice, and stone-marked thrice.' The statues must reveal the way inside. I think there's an order to lighting the braziers, but I can't get it to work."
If spoken to again:
"These statues must lead the way to Morkuldin."
:You really aren't jealous of your sister?/It sounds like you're jealous of your sister. "Why? I can do far more for my clan than join a scabbard collection. And now, any chief who seeks the royal forge-wife's eldest sister might as well draw steel on the king in his own bar. Far as I'm concerned, Kurog did me a favor."
:Why is it so important to find Morkuldin? "Orc kings die young. Who knows how much longer this one will last? But if the king is going to rebuild Orsinium, I want every clan in Wrothgar to bow to Morkul's skill. I don't think that's too much to ask."
:What is the Hand of Morkul? "Our clan's ancestral forge-hammer, the 'beating heart beneath the ice.' I'll see the king rebuild Orsinium with a Morkul relic. Wouldn't mind showing my sister her place, either."
::Your sister? What do you mean? "My little sister married the king. She's his royal forge-wife, and it's gone to her head. I'm hoping I can pound it down to size with our clan's long-lost forge-hammer. Not ... I mean, not literally. Although ... no, never mind."
At Morkuldin:
"The Hand of Morkul is held in something called the ... I think it said 'heart-forge?' Also, um ... 'endless breath and untold rage lets purest heart release the hand.' Huh. Poets."
:What does that mean? "We need to rekindle the forge. 'Endless breath' has to mean bellows, and 'untold rage' is ... a furnace? Strange way to say it. Hmm, I'm missing something. Can you look around for a bellows and some kind of blast furnace?"
::All right. What should I do if I find them? "Morkul clan prefers simple solutions that last. Look for switches or some kind of mechanism. We'll see what happens when you set things in motion. Oh, and stay alert. My ancestors wouldn't leave this place completely unguarded. The bellows and furnace should rekindle the forge. They must."
After activating the forge:
"The Hand of Morkul isn't our forge-hammer. It's the cage around it! And if my clan's old word for 'heart' also means 'blood,' then this wasn't our heart-forge. It was our …."
:Blood-forge. "My mother says we're the best smiths in Wrothgar because we put 'heart in the steel.' Whose heart? Whose blood? Morkul clan hasn't had enemies since the days of Morkuldin. Did we feed our rivals to that ... thing?"
::Wait. Your clan locked the forge-hammer away. "You're right. The old poems aren't about honor we lost when we left Morkuldin―it's honor gained for burying our greatest shame beneath a mountain of ice! And a warning to stay away from the Hand of Morkul, which ... well, we couldn't have known."
:::Are you going to lock the hammer away? "Not without blood magic. But I can't just leave it here ... it's our heritage. I'll bring it back to the stronghold, but what then? What do I tell my clan?"
::::Morkul clan's strength came from here. Embrace your past. "You're right. You forge a better blade by studying your past mistakes. I can't keep this from my clan. Perhaps there's a better way to use this place … an honorable way."
:::::What do you mean? "Morkuldin doesn't require the "blood of our enemies"—that's just how it was misused. Maybe the blood of frostbite spiders is enough. Blood, ichor … whatever."
::::Your clan's greatest strength was leaving. You don't need this place. "Of course. Returning the forge-hammer will fill my clan with pride―enough to take the sting away when I explain what Morkuldin was."
:::::What do you mean? "We must make peace with our ancestors and remember the lessons they taught. They've forged with clean hands for generations. The clan needs to know why that's important."
In Morkul Stronghold, if the decision was made to seal the forge:
"Do you see how my clan looks at the forge-hammer? The fire in their eyes! They'll rebuild Orsinium by themselves, if they have to."
:What now? "Now, I name you bloodkin to Morkul clan. Last thing I'll do before heading to Orsinium. The king needs a clan who can work its great forge. You think we'd let Shatul embarrass us with their inferior iron? Pah! Soon we leave for Orsinium. The forge-hammer gives my clan hope. I'll see it raised high. If my sister can even lift the thing. Wouldn't do for the king's forge-wife to go rump-over-teakettle, would it? Hah!"
If the the decision was made to not seal the forge:
"The news of the blood-forge brings strife, but … I will not allow us to look away. It is not in our nature."
:What now? "Now, I name you bloodkin to Morkul clan. Last thing I'll do before heading to Orsinium. The king needs a clan who can work its great forge. And it will keep our clan away from Morkuldin until I find a better way to use the blood-forge."
==Conversations==
;The Hand of Morkul
In Morkul Stronghold, if Ashaka was convinced not to seal the forge
Chief Abzug: "Is that your ally, Ashaka? Quiet! Ashaka speaks on a matter concerning the clan."
Ashaka: "Morkul clan! Our search is over. Today we are whole once more! No longer shall we live in our ancestors' shadow. There is power in our blood, and at last we reclaim it. Behold, the Hand of Morkul! And beneath the mountains—the great forge of Morkuldin is rekindled! It is a new era for Morkul. A new era for Orcs!"
Chief Abzug: "Prepare yourselves, my clan! Soon we march to Orsinium. We shall build it anew!"
==Quotes==
*"That rumbling! Do you feel it? The wall shifted! Sealed away, but hidden in plain sight. Morkuldin … lost among the ice." ― Upon opening the way to Morkuldin
*"My ancestral home ... beyond that wall? We're in this together now, right? let's go." ―If spoken to after opening the way to Morkuldin
*"That's it! The Hand of Morkul. It's in some sort of … what is that, a display? It's nestled in it. Of course we can't just take it. Pah!" ―Uttered upon entering Morkuldin's entrance chamber
*"You did it! Now for "purest heart." Hmm …. The old clan word for "heart" also means "blood." Purest blood … Morkul blood? My father is Morkul's chief. My blood must work! Just a quick slash of the knife … Ow … look, it's opening! Like a hand … opening …. Oh. Oh, no. ― Upon activating the bellows and the forge
*"I heard a rumbling when you came to the forge. Maybe a way out? Anything to avoid those ogres!" ―Uttered after finishing the conversation in the rekindled forge
*"This is close to Orsinium! Useful if we ever need to return to the blood … the heart-forge. Meet me at Morkul Stronghold?" ― Upon leaving the forge
*"We need to make peace with our ancestors. I'm sure I'll convince them." ―If spoken to outside Morkuldin Forge
==Appearances==
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Category:Orsinium: Morkul Stronghold Characters