Ashur

> *"I am Bilgames, king of the Ashuri, on whom gods have bestowed vast intelligence, who has acquired penetrating acumen for the most recondite details of scholarly erudition. I have placed these tablets for the future in the library at Ansar for my life and for the well-being of my soul, to sustain the future of my throne. May my successors live by its example." -* Bilgames, first king and founder of Ashur, speaking upon the completion of his biographic poem, 'The Epic of Bilgames.'
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Ashur is a major Carrion Kingdom centred around the arid province of Scavenger Land. It is a kingdom steeped in history and culture, famous for its intellectual, artistic, and military achievements in equal measure. Though it is not as large or as powerful as it used to be, Ashur was once one of the most powerful Carrion Kingdoms and ruled almost a third of the Dead Sands.

Ashur is unique out of all the Carrion Kingdom as it was not even founded by a Carrionite. Indeed, the revered Bilgames, considered a great hero by many citizens of Ashur, was a High Elf. Nevertheless, he was a loyal and talented general to Ozmesses the Great and was thus granted his own land to govern as a gift for his service. Upon the death of Ozmesses and the splintering of his empire, Bilgames continued to rule over his land, founding the Ashuri State and expanding it to greatness.

However, it cannot be denied that the Ashuri state is not what it used to be. Bilgames has been dead for centuries and subsequent kings have been unable to maintain the land their original founder obtained. Worse still, Ashur now has to contend with increased attacks from the Namiri Rebels, self-proclaimed 'freedom fighters' that have been growing in both numbers and power in recent years. Only time will tell how Ashur chooses to tackle this problem.

## **History**

The history of Ashur is a long story to tell, but luckily historians have been able to keep a detailed record of it due to the writings of the kingdom's founder, Bilgames, and most subsequent rulers.

If you choose to believe the stories from The Epic of Bilgames, it is said that Bilgames himself was once a general in the army of the great king Ozmesses. A High Elf by birth, Bilgames was a loyal and incredibly successful general - which resulted in him being rewarded with his own land to govern. Upon the death of Ozmesses, Bilgames moved quickly to establish his own kingdom over the land he previously governed. And so the Ashuri State was born.

As other kingdoms struggled to establish themselves and squabbled amongst each other, Bilgames moved decisively and brought the entire Red Land under his heel. At its height, his kingdom stretched from the Fertile Crescent to the Great Escarpment. As well as conquest, Bilgames also invested in ambitious public works programs, constructing the Royal Library and several ziggurats. When Bilgames finally passed away, he was entombed in a great tower built in the of a large lake. Since then, he has become a revered hero to the people of Ashur, akin to a demigod.

However, subsequent kings have not had the same talents as Bilgames. Under their rule the great kingdom has shrunk drastically until now it only controls the land it began with. Even then, it struggles still as insurgent groups like the Namiri Rebels launch raid after raid into the once magnificent kingdom.

## **Geography**

The lands of Ashur encompass a majority of the Scavenger Land province, an arid and dry province that acts as the antithesis of the calmer plains of the neighbouring Fertile Crescent. It is also the first province that most travellers will enter first when leaving the mountain passes of the Great Escarpment, making Ashur an important point for traders, adventurers and other such travellers. The capital city, Ansar, is of particular importance and the effective centre of the whole state.

Ashur is home to the typical populations that one might expect from a Carrion Kingdom. Carrionites, Gnolls, and various types of Humans all have sizable populations here. However, the increased military presence in Ashur also means that there are notable populations of various other races, including Orcs, Minotaurs, and Centaurs.

## **Politics**

Like a large majority of Carrion Kingdoms, Ashur is an absolute monarchy. The monarch is the absolute, unquestioned head of state. They are responsible for all the political, economic, judicial and military decisions of the state. If Ashur succeeds, they are celebrated. If Ashur fails, they are blamed. Below them, cities and collections of smaller settlements are watched over by governors. Though governors are able to make decisions outside of the will of the monarch, all governors are ultimately subservient to them.

Also like most Carrion Kingdoms, there is a ruling upper class of wealthy, elite aristocracy. These people, most Carrionites, are the wealthiest families and individuals in Ashur. They own businesses, land, and assets that ensure they stay influential and powerful. The most powerful of these elite are known as magnates - and it is typically from the ranks of these individuals that governors and advisors are chosen. Only slightly less than the elite are the military generals. Being a general himself, Bilgames established Ashur with the idea of military influence - though not military rule. Due to this high-ranking officers and generals hold political power in Ashur and are able to sway decisions in the same way an advisor might.

Internationally, Ashur has a prosperous trade relationship with the other kingdoms of the Red Land - though they are officially allied with none of them. This includes Babilim, Citium, and Hattusa. However, at the same time, Ashur is in open conflict with the Namiri Rebels, a militant group who conduct constant raids and attacks into Ashuri lands.

## **Economy**

Unlike many other kingdoms, Ashur unfortunately does not have any particularly abundant resources that it is able to centralise its economy on. As a result, it is reliant on multiple smaller industries rather than a single large one. Tin mining is one such industry, a resource that is commonly used in the creation of bronze. Though there are usable supplies in Ashur, it does not much those found in places like Hattusa, which limits its viability.

Most of Ashur's exports actually come from textiles. Though the terrain of its home province is arid and dry, citizens have still been able to cultivate several prosperous cotton plantations along the coast. This cotton is then weaved into clothes and fabrics before being exported overseas to places like the Elven Dragon Dominion and Roylandia.

Another prosperous industry is the export of amber - fossilised tree resin. This is a rare resource in much of the world, but Ashur is able to retrieve a good supply of it from its dried-up riverbeds and lakes. The amber is extracted before either being refined and turned into individual goods (such as jewellery) or is simply exported in its raw form. Either way, the scarcity of such a resource makes the amber trade a vital one for Ashur's economy.

## **Culture**

Throughout its history, Ashur has been a major contributor to the arts, architecture, and literature - with much of it centred around the capital city. Ashuri settlements are known for their statues and stone-working, with Ansar in particular possessing great obelisks and carvings made from pure ivory. Ansar is also renowned for its murals and decorative illustrations, made using complex patterns and bright colours to create a vibrant effect. This affinity for stone-working has also been applied to military operations. Various bunker-like fortifications dot the Ashur-controlled frontier. Though some of these are abandoned, many remain occupied by Ashuri garrisons, where they are used for defence and reconnaissance.

Like most Carrion Kingdoms, the monarchs of Ashur live in pyramid-like palaces. However, Ashur in particular fields a unique and beautiful spin on this trend. Their pyramids, which are also known as ziggurats, are more terraced and block-like than the straight and simple pyramids of the other kingdoms. These buildings are not just used as palaces, to, but also as temples, communal gardens, and government buildings. Indeed, the ziggurat has become a symbol of Ashuri pride.

Another symbol of national pride for the Ashuri is the Royal Library of Bilgames. This great library houses thousands of ancient tablets and rare texts, a collection that began with Bilgames' own collection before growing to encompass literature from across the known world. It is said that the library holds many texts that can only be found there and is considered by some scholars to be one of the great wonders of the academic world.

## **Trivia**

* Ashur is inspired by the Assyrian Empire, an ancient Mesopotamian civilisation. To a lesser degree, it also takes elements from Sumer (another ancient civilisation), particularly the poem 'The Epic of Gilgamesh.'