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{{Info races
{{Info Lineage
|image = Varransplasha.png
|name = Asha
|pronunciation = Ash-Sha
|test = Ankh-Sa (in Ibeth)
|classification = [[Gorr]]
|test2 = [[File:Ashaflafg.png|80px]]  
|nicknames =  
|test3 = '''Motto:''' "In Misery and Life, none left behind."
*Cat-people (derogatory)
|image = C1f01d9206ad2d5439fd5270c54b9356.png
*Sand-rats (derogatory)
|state = The Ashal States
*Metal Masters (praising)
|ruler = N/A
*Cattlecat (Elven)
|suzerain = N/A
|languages = [[Common]], [[Ibeth]]
|languages = Ibeth, Common
|naming = Egyptian
|religion = [[Khama]]
 
|first_recorded = 20,000 BC
|distinction = Animalform beings who try to regain their lost glory
|demonym = Ashal
|maxage = 140
|eye = Hues of brown and yellow, sometimes blue and green also
|hair = Fur patterns vary, with fur colors of ochre, brown, beige, white, black, etc.
|}}
|}}
[[File:FDOCD7ZXMAQgEP7.jpg|260px|thumb|right|Asha make excellent agile warriors due to their superior balance and physical activeness.]]
The Asha are the oldest continuously existing [[Heritage]] on [[Aloria]], even pre-dating the Elven [[Allorn Empire]], though has undergone massive changes throughout history. Under the early [[Dewamenet Empire]], the Asha were poised to conquer vast parts of the world, however, they came into conflict with the just-founded Allorn Empire. A cataclysmic war of Dewamenet Technology versus Allorn [[Magic]] erupted, which the Dewamenet lost. In their loss, Elven victory was so violent that it ground their Empire to dust. The Allorn Elves tried to move heaven and earth to erase Dewamenet Culture from existence, through the periods now referred to as the Pearl Wars though try as they did, they could never suppress the resistance and spite of the Asha to survive and thrive. When the Allorn Empire collapsed under its weight during the last Void Invasion, the Asha reclaimed some of their lost homeland, and are now poised to reconnect with much of their hidden past, rejoining long-lost brethren and refounding a common identity.  
[[File:FJDajncWUAIjDPf.jpg|260px|thumb|right|Feline Asha are the most commonly seen Asha, being over 50% of the Race's population.]]
[[File:FBjMXgzUYAY3MVh.jpg|260px|thumb|right|Living Metal is as symbolic to the Asha as their fur, if not even more so, and they take good care of it.]]
[[File:FBUHPrVWUAI13wb.jpg|260px|thumb|right|Asha who adapt to other societies can quickly capture a niche of stylishness and class to climb the social ladder.]]
[[File:FBO5Tz6XMAIvMmu.jpg|260px|thumb|right|Living Metal does not actually need to be gray, it can be recolored to any preferred color (green pictured).]]
[[File:FAVX0VgWQAERuwn.jpg|260px|thumb|right|Asha clothing and modesty standards in other societies are often at odds. The Asha try to adapt, but have to avoid overheating beneath all that fur.]]
[[File:28b92e4a58189b5bd2dc107958d9674a.png|260px|thumb|right|Rat Asha are some of the most energetic, loose-cannon type Asha that can be found, compensating as short kings.]]
[[File:FQHEv iX0AUImOP.jpg|260px|thumb|right|Asha with mutations are exceedingly rare. This Asha has horn mutations, but an otherwise elegant fur pattern and color.]]
==Origins==
The Asha are one of the oldest [[Races]] in [[Aloria]] today, whose peak of civilization was millennia in the past as leaders of the [[Dewamenet Empire]]. However, their rise had the great misfortune to be within sight of the [[Allorn Empire]] and its first Empress, [[Talea]], daughter of [[Estel]] and prophetess of the [[Estellon]] Faith. Relations between the Asha and the Allorn soon deteriorated, and the war that followed had an unfathomable death toll. The Asha were ultimately broken over the knee of Allorn domination, and millions of their kind were enslaved by the [[Teledden]] and their fellow [[Nelfin]]. It was on the backs of the Asha that great works and the golden age of the Allorn Empire came to pass, but their blood was spilled more directly as the Teledden and others fell into worship of the [[Void]], sacrificing uncountable thousands of Asha slaves in sinister rituals in the name of dark arcane power. This abysmal existence came to an end in the [[Cataclysm]] and [[Wildering]], when [[Magic]] across the world changed forever, and the slave masters found themselves relatively powerless compared to before. For the first time in centuries, Asha slew Teledden, [[Fin’ullen]] and many more in a mass revolt alongside other oppressed Races while wielding their Living Metal. The Asha led the anti-slavery charge out of the ruins of the Allorn Empire, fleeing enmasse to the eastern coastline of their ancient prison, and building massive bridges of Living Metal to reach an oasis where they could be safe; the [[Ashal Islands]]. They were guided in this by the Siwath-Khenu, Asha who had hidden at the fringes of the world and now helped to guide their people home. The ancient, hidden machinery came alive in the presence of the former slaves and survivors both. Ever since that time, the Asha have continued to rise and delve into their lost past for answers, and even greater technology, much to the disdain, horror, but also fear, of many Teledden and their closest allies.


==Core Identity==
==Design==
To be an Asha is to be a person whose past heritage and glory was stolen very violently and magically, leaving an eternal mark upon one’s mentality. Many Asha live free, and thrive with that great freedom, but are forever concerned, suspicious and paranoid about events which might draw them into a status of servitude once more. Some are lost on their own, unable to find purpose when leaving their homes into a wider world full of possible threats, and so cling to others of their kind when found as oases of sanctuary and stability. Others view the clean slate of a lost past as freeing, with a certain history so recent leaving them to define themselves, and live a unique life apart, or central, to a community, able to experiment or explore. It is this last part in particular that the Asha have clung to, the idea that they were denied freedoms, dreams and goals for centuries, and as such should taste as much of it as they can possibly get their hands on. An Asha never seeks to sit still, always seeking the next opportunity, whether that is to acquire material, sentimental, or emotional value.
The Asha are a collective of anthropomorphic animal-people, the closest approximation of a "Furries" on MassiveCraft. A wide range of animal types are available, from canine to equine to feline, to marsupials and more, with some species classified under separate Lineages (see below). The Asha can have plantigrade legs and feet or digitigrade legs and clawed feet and hands. They can have a wide variety of natural eye colors, as well as natural fur or feather colors and patterns, but there is a great deal of freedom to change, for example using leopard fur patterning for a canine-otter hybrid design. Some unnatural colors are also available to some of the Legacies. It is important to also mention the Half-Asha, who the Asha consider full members of their societies. Half-Asha are Asha born from dominant Asha parentage that show Asha traits. Common appearances are for example animal-like eyes, ears, claws, tails, and legs, but mostly without fur covering their skin.
===Ashal Diaspora===
While the Asha have reclaimed a new homeland, they are still a people without easy access to their original place of origin. Some do, such as the tribes of the Siwath-Khenu, but they are few in number, and empty deserts with scattered ruins often targeted for destruction by [[Ithanian]]-hired gangs are a poor substitute for the marvels of the past. Even the Ashal Islands are not completely safe, for they sit extremely close to Teledden territories, and latent fears of an attack against this land dwell among the populace. For that reason, while many Asha thrive on the Islands, there is an itinerant undertone to the Race through their Corsair Fleets which sail the waters of the world, and the enclaves of free Asha surviving in lands east of their ancient homeland. This is more true now than ever, as the population of Asha in [[Corontium]] continues to grow.
===Recaptured Past===
Asha are always piqued by hints of the past, or small clumps of history they can latch onto that reveal more of what the Dewamenet Empire once was. Every Asha grows up with tales of the great Empire they once created thousands of years ago, and how it was violently stolen from them by the Allorn who then proceeded to enslave them for an almost inconceivable long amount of time. Each artifact or discovery made of the Dewamenet Empire unleashes fervent discussions and debates among the Asha for the implications, and any new strip of information, or a chance to speak to some divine entity to discover more of the Dewamenet past is sure to invigorate any Asha. The Siwath-Khenu are often at the heart of these efforts, while those of the fleets and the cities seek to exert their wealth or power in guaranteeing their safe transport back home.
===Identity Crisis===
The Asha are a Race uniquely beset by a Mundane vs. Occult identity crisis, and a wider set struggle of clan-favoritism. Thousands of years of slavery at the hands of [[Elves]] have left many of the Asha changed, some permanently, in ways that others would consider lost or disfigured. While there is a general sentiment that any Asha, even Half-Asha, have the right to reclaim their heritage, some Asha find other Asha who use Magic hard to stomach, especially because Magic was used to steal so much from them. Asha aren’t hateful of Magic outside of their Race, but have a very hard time processing why any Asha would willingly give into dabbling with these infernal forces. With the strict anti-Occult stance taken by the Corsair Fleets and the Ashal States, what few Asha [[Mages]] exist have to often live in other countries that tolerate their crafts. They often find great solace with the [[Silontaar]], the offshoot of the Asha people who are magically gifted and live in distant isolation.


==Design==
==Cultures==
===Mental Characteristics===
Asha are divided over four so-called Lands which loosely determine their cultural associations and beliefs. This is an important choice for most Asha (though many are born in them) because it defines their outlook on life, and most notably how they interact with Elves and Mages. Historically Elves and Mages have inflicted a lot of pain and suffering on the Asha, and so the Cultures define how they act around Elves, and how they treat Mages. It is possible to change Cultures throughout Roleplay, but choosing one is recommended when beginning a new Character so that others understand how they feel about certain topics, without the Character having to explain complex and potentially nuanced points of view for every Asha they meet.
The Asha do not really have any unifying personality traits. As a Race that was beaten into submission for so long, many old customs and traditions were lost or fragmented with time, meaning most modern Asha are a clean slate in terms of mentality towards the world, each other and themselves. Perhaps the only real unifying trait that the Asha have is pride in their fur and especially their tail. Asha can be gregarious or shy, energetic or sluggish, but between all of them, regardless how extroverted they are, one does not touch their fur without their permission, and above all one never touches their tail. It was common practice in the Allorn Empire to cut off Asha tails, and so their first recaptured sentiment is that their fur and tails are their own, and no-one may violate them without their strict consent, a freedom denied them in the past.
{|
===Physical Characteristics===
The Asha can best be described as furred humanoids with heads and body parts shaped more like that of animals than one would see in a traditional [[Ailor]] or Nelfin. The Asha are similar to [[Urlan]] in that they have the head of an animal, but the body of a bipedal humanoid, but different to the Urlan in that they are entirely covered in fur at all times, and have a much broader spectrum of appearance. Because of intentional breeding programmes endured while enslaved, many of the Asha have diversified to such a point that there is no common trend of physical appearance. Asha can be slender, bulky, stout, lanky, petite, voluptuous, ranging from [[Dwarven]] shortness to the tallest of Teledden height and more. There are some additional physical traits to note below.
====Animal Types====
The specific Animal Types available to make Asha Characters is quite expansive, but there are some limitations and expectations placed on the Players. Below is a full list of all available Asha Types:
* '''Canine Species:''' Think of Wolves, Foxes, Domestic Dogs, Wild Dogs, Jackals, Dingoes, Coyotes, etc. It is important however when choosing Canine Species that the Character is never mistaken for a Werewolf-like [[Marken]].
* '''Rodent Species:''' Think of Rats, Bats, Mice, Possums, Meerkats, Minks, Badgers, Chinchillas, etc. It is important when choosing Rodent Species that the Character doesn’t become a Skaven mockery.
* '''Feline Species:''' Think of Tigers, Lions, Leopards, Cougars, Jaguars, Ocelots, Sabretooths, etc. This also includes Domestic Cat species like Tabby Cats, Maine Coons, Siamese Cats, etc.
* '''Bear Species:''' Think of Pandas, Polar Bears, Brown Bears, Grizzly Bears, Black Bears, etc. It is important to note that Humanoid proportions remain in effect and being a Bear does not grant Combat RP advantages.
* '''Other Species:''' A list of other less categorical species are also available like Kangaroos, Koalas, Horses, Deer, Sheep, Hyenas, Otters, Primates like Gorillas or Lemurs, Beavers, Donkeys, Okapi.
* '''Hybrid Species:''' Asha can produce Hybrids of any of the animal types above. This can include combinations like Wolf/Fox, Cat/Fox, Fox/Rabbit, Tiger/Raccoon combinations, etc. Hybrids can only ever be a combination of 2 species.
If you are unsure if a Species is acceptable while not mentioned on this list, as this list is fairly strict, please send in a ticket to the Ticket Bot in the [https://discord.gg/massivecraft-roleplay RP Community Discord]. When Asha reproduce with different Species, children are born with 80% chance of the species of either parent, and 20% chance of a completely random species from the list above. Same species parents reproducing always results in the same species children.
====Fur Patterns & Colors====
Asha Fur Patterns and Colors can be varied and wild. They can have the traditional fur patterns and colors of the species they share an appearance with, such as for example orange and white fur on black stripes of Tigers. However, different colors are also possible, for example a black-furred Tiger with white stripes and brown spots. Patterns that do not occur on specific species can also be used, for example the white and black stripes of a Zebra can be seen on an Otter Asha. The only limitation is that the colors cannot be excessively vibrant, like those of the Silontaar Race. For example, a Fennec Asha with a gentle soft pink or mint-green fur and white belly patches is acceptable, but not a hot-pink and cyan-blue Horse Asha. It is always also important that skin colors do not allow for a Minecraft Skin to be misidentified as a different Race. When for example dabbling in greens, make sure the Minecraft Skin does not get mistaken for a reptilian [[Allar]]. Asha eyes are fairly varied. They can have either white, gray, or black eye whites, while their pupils can be any shade of blue, green, gray, brown, or yellow.
===Half-Asha===
The Asha have a unique attitude towards the Half-Asha, in that they consider the Half-Asha full-blooded members of their Race, even if they look very little like them. Half-Asha can reproduce with any Race that can also reproduce with other Races, which will always result in Half-Asha called Feka-Asha. Feka-Asha take traits from their non-Asha parent, so if the mother is a Fox Asha and the father is an Ailor, the Feka-Asha child would for example have fox ears, fur on the arms and legs, and a fox tail, with Asha eyes. While players have a lot of liberties when it comes to designing what traits Feka-Asha inherit from their Asha parent, the Lore Staff asks the players to please respect the design of the Race and not dilute physical traits to the point of non-recognition. What this means is that a person who looks presentably just like a normal person, but with Bunny ears on top of their human hair, is not a Feka-Asha. A person who has only whiskers, cat ears, and cat claws, is not a Feka-Asha. These aesthetics are easier to reproduce with [[Mutations]]. Minecraft Skins should always be able to read that a person is a Feka-Asha, and if the animal-like traits on the person have been reduced to the point of single-traits, then a Character is not a good Feka-Asha design.
===Asha in Regalia===
The Asha formerly had a very rough time in the [[Regalian Empire]], the significant Ithanian influence on the former [[Imperial Family]] seeing them remain low in social standing, and existing as social pariahs, with vast amounts of misinformation spread as to their nature and millions of their kind remaining in bondage. However, beginning in 250 AC, the Corsair Fleets of the Asha showed their immense strength in several engagements, and Ithanian influence waned in court politics. By the time Emperor [[Alexander I]] ascended to rule the Empire with the passing of the torch to [[House Kade]] from [[House Ivrae]], the Asha were actively courted to be allies against the Teledden and other [[Altaleï]] Nelfin. This saw Asha move to Corontium, the heartland of the Regalian Empire, in unheard of numbers compared to the prior two centuries, and thriving settlements popped up on previously lightly inhabited southern islands. The Ashal Islands are now also part of the Crown Alliance, a military pact formed by the Regalian Empire with other major nations. Despite these improved ties, there is still a tension regarding the Asha’s active involvement in antagonizing [[Sovereign Ithania]], and other minor actions taking place in the name of the Dewamenent legacy. Ultimately, the Asha are a people on the rise in Regalia, isolated from some parties, embraced by others, but not to be underestimated with their uniquely ancient culture, and marvelous technological capabilities.
===Racial Abilities & Specials===
Racial Abilities are generally a set of unique powers and effects that all peoples of that Race all innately have, while Specials are more passive, aesthetic focused capabilities. Specials are defined per-page, while [[Abilities]] can be searched on the [[Ability List]] page to determine their generic function. Asha have a mix of Abilities and Specials themed around Living Metal, their Physical Form and Ancient Knowledge. Half Race characters select a Dominant parent, and take all the Racials & Specials from that dominant parent. (In this case, a dominant parent Asha would be Half-Asha) Half Races must have a majority of their physical features come from their dominant parent, including but not limited to skin tone, hair or fur color, ear shape, or eye color.
====Abilities====
{| class="wikitable"
|- style="font-weight:bold; text-align:center; background-color:#c0c0c0;"
! Ability Name
! Ability Type
! Ability Range
! Ability Description
! Modifiers
|-
|-
| style="background-color:#D8D6A2;" | Body Claws
| [[File:Untitlesadasd Artwork.png|left|170px|caption]]
| Morph Power
|
| {{#simple-tooltip: Self | Self Range means that it applies to the user themselves, or something they can directly touch after casting it.}}
'''Deshret''' which loosely translates to the red land, are Asha unified in their hatred and search for justice for the pain and historical trauma their people have suffered by the Elves. Deshret Asha can be found all over the world, but most numerously among the Corsair Fleets and Naval Nations, populations of Asha without a true homeland to call their own. Deshret Asha can be expected to always express hostility towards the Elves, and anything related to the Allorn Empire or Oblation Magic, often being at the forefront of the breakdown of this dark institution in the Empire, or agitating for the Regalian Empire to go to war with the Allorn to crush them. Deshret Asha always remember their historical suffering.  
| Grants the user {{#simple-tooltip: Body Claws | The user can fight using unarmed combat, and gains +2 Strength proficiency that cannot exceed the proficiency cap when doing so. This cannot be used whilst wielding a different weapon. These claws are sharp enough to be considered a bladed weapon for any abilities that require one. The moment they wield a weapon or stop fighting, this effect is removed.}}
| [[File:Untiwqeqtled Artwork.png|left|170px|caption]]
| {{#simple-tooltip: Asha Modifier |This effect is caused by the Asha Claws. Asha Claws are counted as durable and sharp, enough to be considered bladed weapons. They can brace other weapons, and tear through armor.}}
|
'''Hedjet''' which loosely translates to the white land, are Asha who acknowledge the historical suffering of their people at the hands of the Allorn, but who are mostly content that the age of the Pearl Wars is over, and that they can live in relative security without being repeatedly invaded by Elves. It is not unthinkable they might befriend Elves, especially if those Elves have no real connection to the Allorn Empire, or clear descent from those who benefitted from the murder of their ancestors. Hedjet Asha mostly hail from the Ashal States, where they focus on the rebuilding of their legacy and history and customs, while some of the newly born generations even barely know what the Pearl Wars were about. Some might deride the Hedjet for being tone-deaf, but they might be quick to retort that endless cycles of violence are self-perpetuating, and self-immolating.  
|-
|-
| style="background-color:#D8D6A2;" | Asha Speed
| [[File:Untitled safafArtwork.png|left|170px|caption]]
| Passive Power
|  
| {{#simple-tooltip: Self | Self Range means that it applies to the user themselves, or something they can directly touch after casting it.}}
'''Neferu''' which loosely translates to the beauties or the beautiful land, are largely tolerated by the Deshred and Hedjet Asha, but regarded with suspicion. While the art of Magic is never in itself evil according to modern Asha attitudes, having Magic means a Mage can always hunger for more Magic and more power. In such a case, a Neferu Asha Mage is only a few steps away from calling upon the dark arts and using Oblation Magic as a means of self-empowerment. The Neferu mostly hail from the Silontaar country, but have populations in many nations, even those who have found acceptance in the Allorn Empire given that the Pearl Wars have ended. Their inaction and distance from the Pearl Wars, is still an ongoing sore spot for them, however.
| Grants the user {{#simple-tooltip: Asha Speed | The Character is permanently as fast as an Asha. This means they can outrun any other Race, unless they also have “As fast as an Asha” as part of their Abilities or Mechanics. Asha speed confers no benefits in combat, it is only for escaping/running fast to a point.
| [[File:Dqwdqq.png|left|170px|caption]]
}}
|  
| N/A
'''Kemet''' which loosely translates to the black land, are nearly universally reviled or feared by the Deshret, Hedjet, and Neferu. They include three distinct populations. First Asha who have abandoned their cultural heritage and started worshiping Evolism. Second the Asha who have gone mad with grief and become death cultists who worship the death gods and thus also embraced Death Magic. Finally, there are the Mystech who were once Asha, having been ripped from the land of the living or their Dewamenet afterlife when the old [[Khama]] God stole the afterlife, and used it to invade the Evolist pantheon. In doing so, he became a Void God, but all Asha who joined him or were taken there became Void Spirits. Kemet Asha have a complex and often hostile relation to all others because they are disconnected from the modern world.  
|}
==Heritage Traits==
When designing a Character, Proficiency Points allow for a limited Ability selection with Point Buy Packs. Heritage Traits adds free Packs and Mechanics on top of that to help with cultural themes. Free Packs grant Abilities usually, while Mechanics change the way a character functions in Roleplay through subtle, and usually out of Combat ways. In essence, Mechanics just add aesthetic flair that invest in the niche of each culture. Free Packs never raise Proficiency Points, but the character must be able to purchase them normally. (ex. if a character is a certain Affinity that locks them out of a category, they cannot take that specific free pack and must choose the alternative option.) If a Free Pack grants Magic of some type, that Magic can be of any Alignment the character can normally choose, or limited to a select alignment, which will always be written in the Free Pack description. Mixed Heritage characters (i.e. characters born from two parents of different Cultures) may take one parent's 'Free Packs' and mix and match up to 5 Mechanics from both parents, although some Peoples cannot produce Mixed Heritage children (due to Magical/Fantasy reasons). Half-Asha must still choose a Lineage to be matched with, and can only pick and choose Mechanics from that Lineage.
===Free Packs===
* Asha can choose 1 Pack from any Category for free. If any magic is chosen, the player may choose an Alignment between God Magic, Exist, Ordial, Void, and Dragon Magic.
* Asha can choose 1 non-Ability Pack that is not Magical or Religious in nature. Non-Ability Pack means that it must be a Pack that does not give a Combat Ability.
===Lineages===
There is a great deal of physical divergence among the Asha, though four major Lineages are considered categorically similar. While all Asha receive the same Free Packs, what Mechanics they receive is dependent on the Lineage they belong to. This choice cannot be changed, and is also relevant to determine the physical characteristics of the Character. It is possible to be a mix of Lineages, but only one Lineage must be chosen for Mechanics. Lineages have no bearing on Cultures, a Remet Asha can belong to Kemet or Deshret culture, and so on. Some caution should be exercised with Silontaar Lineage however, as while they could in theory claim to be Deshret Asha, because they are biologically Magical, other Deshret Asha may reject them.  
{|
|-
| rowspan="2" | [[File:Remetasha.jpg|left|160px|caption]]
|  
'''Remet Asha'''<BR>
Remet Asha refers to the Asha most genealogically closest to the common Dewamenet ancestor, they are the mammalian-styled "furry" Asha, that specifically excludes any bird-like species. Remet Asha appear like anthropomorphic versions of for example canine, feline, equine, marsupial and more. This can also include hybrids. Remet Asha are by far the most numerous on in the Asha countries, and the Regalian Empire.
|-
|-
| style="background-color:#D8D6A2;" | Higher Speed
|  
| Toggle Power
'''Mechanics'''
| {{#simple-tooltip: Self | Self Range means that it applies to the user themselves, or something they can directly touch after casting it.}}
* Remet Asha can control a special substance called Living Metal, which is a solid Metal that becomes liquid by their thought and imagination, and can be reshaped to whatever they can imagine, and telekinetically moved around.  
| Grants the user {{#simple-tooltip: Higher Speed | The Character can drop on all fours and run “Even faster than an Asha”. This Ability is singular, there is nothing faster than this Ability. While using this Ability, the user is unable to wield any weapons, use Abilities, or fight, though they can fight when they reach a person reverting back to normal speed
* Remet Asha have perfect night vision, capable of seeing in dark and low-light environments without needing external lights. Additionally, their claws when struck together create flint and steel like sparks that light up.
}}
* Remet Asha have a natural bodily reaction to non-combat Magic in their proximity. This can for example cause the fur in their neck to stand upright. It can also be used to warn of a magical presence before it is spotted.
| N/A
* Remet Asha have a heightened sense of smell, sight, and hearing out of Combat. This is fairly flexible and should be discussed with people in a scene in terms of what advantages this may give an Asha in varying scenarios.
* Remet Asha either through a combination of excellent acrobatics, or shock-dampening limbs, or using their claws to slide down buildings, never take damage when falling from heights, so long as this fall is below 50 Blocks.
|}
{|
|-
|-
| style="background-color:#D8D6A2;" | Warring Metal
| rowspan="2" | [[File:Birdsasha.png|left|160px|caption]]
| Summon Power
|  
| {{#simple-tooltip: Self | Self Range means that it applies to the user themselves, or something they can directly touch after casting it.}}
'''Savent Asha'''<BR>
| Grants the user {{#simple-tooltip: Warring Metal | Liquid Living Metal on the user acts as both a Summon Armor that can cover parts or the whole body of the Asha, and a Summon Weapon that can take only the form of Melee Weapons. Finally, Living Metal cannot be destroyed or aged, however Abilities that ignore armor or weaken it still apply. Only armor or one weapon can be active at any time, never both.  
Savent Asha refers to a population of exclusively bird-like anthropomorphic people that split off from the Remet-dominated Dewamenet population and resettled in Fendarfelle during the ending decades of the Dewamenet-Allorn war. The Savent developed entirely differently from the Remet, and as such also have different customs and societal expectations, not to speak of their most notable physical difference, their having wings.  
}}
| N/A
|-
|-
| style="background-color:#D8D6A2;" | Aiding Metal
|  
| Healing Power
'''Mechanics'''
| {{#simple-tooltip: Self | Self Range means that it applies to the user themselves, or something they can directly touch after casting it.}}
* Savent Asha can control a special substance called Living Metal, which is a solid metal that becomes liquid by their thought and imagination, and can be reshaped to whatever they can imagine, and telekinetically moved around.  
| Grants the user {{#simple-tooltip:  Aiding Metal | If any of the user’s limbs are Paralyzed, Dismembered, or Disabled, Liquid Living Metal can replace or repair their function by encasing it and taking over its function, making them immune to the Paralysis for example. This can only apply to one limb, or one eye, only ever one body part, and cannot be switched, only the first ever applies until that body part is healed. }}
* Savent Asha have perfect night vision, capable of seeing in dark and low-light environments without needing external lights. Additionally, their claws when struck together create flint and steel-like sparks that light up.
| {{#simple-tooltip: Asha Modifier | This Ability can be used regardless of other Living Metal Abilities active.}}
* Savent Asha can manifest (or have) Wings (of any design: Furred, Feathered), which while not in Combat, allow (Elytra) flight (including the use of Rockets). Combat or Ability usage immediately disables flight.
* Savent Asha have a heightened sense of smell, sight, and hearing out of Combat. This is fairly flexible and should be discussed with people in a scene in terms of what advantages this may give an Asha in varying scenarios.
* Savent Asha have a heightened alertness and analytical mind, able to perceive threats and react much faster. They may notice dangers when interacting with Event objects or Characters (Private Message DM's for more info)
|}
{|
|-
|-
| style="background-color:#D8D6A2;" | Intrusive Metal
| rowspan="2" | [[File:Silontaari.png|left|160px|caption]]
| Instant Power
|  
| {{#simple-tooltip: Emote Range | Emote Range means that it can target anyone who is within Emote Range (thus who can see your emotes when you use them).}}
'''Silontaar Asha'''<BR>
| Grants the user {{#simple-tooltip: Intrusive Metal  | Liquid Living Metal on the user can be shot out as a projectile towards any Artificer or Technician Automaton or Mechwalker in range. This is guaranteed to hit unless the Target can use an ability that lets them create a reactive counter barrier before it hits. If it hits, the Living Metal starts seeping into the Automaton or Mechwalker and destroying the machine parts from the inside, thus instantly dealing 2 HP damage to it. If this Ability is used in a raid, it only does 1 HP damage. Intrusive Metal can be used once per server restart.}}
Silontaar Asha refers to a population of exclusively magic-infused anthropomorphic people who don't quite look like real-life animals but have animalistic appearance traits. Within the furry context, Silontaar can best be described as a custom species that takes small aspects of multiple species but looks like nothing in particular. Parts of their body can have magically glowing aspects or colorations, and in general, they look a lot more fantasy-like.
| {{#simple-tooltip: Asha Modifier | If this Ability is used while Warring Metal is active, Warring Metal is disabled for 1 Minute while the Living Metal recovers.}}
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'''Mechanics'''
* Silontaar Asha do not need to sleep or even eat, as they gain sustenance from Magical energies around them. They can eat if they want to, or enter into a trancelike state that approximates sleep but leaves them watchful.
* Silontaar Asha have perfect night vision, capable of seeing in dark and low-light environments without needing external lights. Additionally, their claws when struck together create flint and steel-like sparks that light up.
* Silontaar Asha can, once per day, make use of the Magical Variant of the Sealing Pack from [[Adapt Point Buy]]. Point-Buying the Pack, or gaining it for free, disables this Mechanic.
* Silontaar Asha have a heightened sense of smell, sight, and hearing out of Combat. This is fairly flexible and should be discussed with people in a scene in terms of what advantages this may give an Asha in varying scenarios.
* Silontaar Asha can grant any person the Magical version of [[Adapt_Point_Buy#Shapeshift_Pack|Shapeshift Pack]] for free, but only for an Hour (or the duration of an Event), and with a 7-day Cooldown for that person. This can even apply to [[Afflictions|Afflicted]]/[[Mystech]].
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====Specials====
==Language and Naming==
*'''Dewamenet Legacy:''' Asha gain the [[Spell Point Buy]] Special Lightning Immune without needing a Spell Point Buy investment, and without being Occult.
[[File:FulyE- WIAQD-Ri.jpg|260px|thumb|right|This Otter Asha has some unique fur patterning.]]
*'''Ferromancy:''' Living Metal grants the Asha greater control over [[Iron]] (not [[Steel]]). Through controlling Living Metal, the Asha gain telekinesis over Iron within Emote Range, thus being able to open doors from a distance by controlling the hinges, levitating iron nails and pushing them into place, and other such aesthetic actions.  
[[File:F2Ol9VZXsAA-hWT.jpg|260px|thumb|right|This ringfighter Asha wears a cartouche tablet, which many Asha wear on their belt with their name on it.]]
*'''Dewamancy:''' The Asha have great control over Living Metal, being able to steer it around in the air like a liquid, and shape it into any shape they like. Living Metal has a great degree of flexibility, being able to create more intricate and finely detailed designs than normal metals would. The Asha can also use their Living Metal to restart Living Metal Constructs found in [https://forums.massivecraft.com/forums/world-progression-events.270/ Progressions].
[[File:GNZs7FQX0AIhdKT.jpg|260px|thumb|right|An Asha wearing a traditional Satoor with Living Metal decorations.]]
*'''Feshawatmancy:''' The Asha can also control a substance called Feshawat, or Living Glass, which is similar to living Metal, except see-through and made of glass. Additionally, they are only able to steer it and shape it while making physical contact with it, but otherwise it behaves like Living Metal. Feshawat is fragile and despite its liquid form, can be shattered with weapon impact. The controller can also give it any color they like, or any texture or inner material like glitter or color ribbons within the glass-like material like glass marbles.
[[File:F11jBE4XsAEC9ab.jpg|260px|thumb|right|Jewelry of any kind offers a stylish way of carrying Living Metal around.]]
* '''Steam Control:''' The Asha have a great deal of control over the temperature of water, both ambiently, and within close proximity to them. The Asha are able to flash-boil any liquid on them, causing it to instantly evaporate. Additionally, they can flash-boil any larger amount of liquid near them, causing it to instantly develop steam. Steam never hurts an Asha, nor does dry heat. This liquid boiling cannot be used to harm others or in Combat.
[[File:F lxMExW4AAN 4N.jpg|260px|thumb|right|Arkenborn Asha have an exceptionally difficult time among anti-Magic Asha.]]
*'''Body Vent:''' The Asha are capable of some degree of control over their body’s size through steam eruptions. By venting a great deal of heat from their body, Asha can either lower their Body Shape (becoming more slender, shorter) or increase it (becoming taller, more muscular). This is purely aesthetic and confers no Combat Advantages.  
[[File:F17VXhAWEAEchdb.jpg|260px|thumb|right|This Gazelle Asha is one of Akhet's Golden Sons, extremely rare Demigods among the Asha.]]
*'''Sulfur Control:''' Asha claws have curious sulfuric attributes. When struck against hard porous surfaces like stone or metal, they produce a flint-and-steel like spark, thus being able to ignite cigarettes or small tinder. If an Asha claps their hands together quickly, making the nails touch, they can produce harmless gunpowder explosions that produce a loud clap, flash of light, and puff of smoke. Flicking their nails can also produce a firecracker-like effect. This cannot be used to obscure vision in Combat.  
[[File:Ee0wtYEWsAAWduZ.png|260px|thumb|right|Asha acrobats and courtesans are some of the most highest sought after.]]
*'''Predator Vision:''' Asha have night vision in dark environments and at night, giving them perfect vision in darkness. This allows them to see even in low light environments inside, but does not protect them against Ability based Darkness. Asha also have excellent depth vision, allowing them to snatch for example buzzing flies from the air with ease.  
[[File:FBjMXgzUYAY3MVh.jpg|260px|thumb|right|Living Metal is often used by Corsair Asha to replace lost limbs.]]
*'''Deathspeech:''' Asha are capable of speaking and understanding Deathspeech or Shadetongue either when it is spoken by [[Ordial]] Entities, or by others. Deathspeech is a unique [[Language]] because it cannot be learned the traditional way, only specific Races and Afflictions have access to it. Additionally, it is also a language that has no defined alphabet and cannot be properly read, the runes and markings varying between the [[Cultures]] and Ordial cults that use it, though it is always identifiable as Deathspeech. It also defies being recorded, as the sound just becomes gibberish when any type of recording medium is used to try and replay it, even memory-based Abilities or Specials.
[[File:FojDOauXgAUCAu8.jpg|260px|thumb|right|Living Metal is also used as a makeshift armor, with custom colors.]]
*'''Asha Aesthetics:''' Asha tend to not use Magic, but if they do, it is mostly Ordial in nature, and usually has aesthetics based on funerary rituals. They are more inclined to machinery powered and made with Living Metal.
[[File:FDOCD7ZXMAQgEP7.jpg|260px|thumb|right|Asha fur patterns do not need to be realistic, with a great deal of freedom.]]
The Asha speak a language called Ibeth which is based on real-life ancient Egyptian. However, it should be noted that because Ibeth is considered a reconstructed language from archeological evidence, it is an incomplete language, and takes a lot of loan words from Common (English). Also, because it is a reconstructed language, not all Asha naturally speak Ibeth, as it is only really taught in the Ashal States and the Corsair Fleets. Most Asha who are born in Regalia never learn Ibeth, and more commonly speak the other languages of the Empire. In terms of naming, Asha similarly either have modern Ailor names or Elven given names depending on where they were born, but many Asha have also started embracing Ibeth naming practices. Based on ancient Egyptian, these names can be complicated, because most online resources just re-iterate the names of priests and pharaohs without discussing the names of the common people. Here are some examples of how to construct Ibeth names with the information we have within the lore.
===Khama-Based Naming===
Khama-based naming refers to a common habit for a person to be called "Son of X" or "Made of Y". These are honorifics given at birth and end up being used as first names, but can also be adopted at a later point in life to honor a specific God of the [[Khama]] Pantheon. Even Asha who are not Khama faithful can have these names because the Khama Gods doubled as divine individuals as well as secular rulers of the Dewamenet Empire. It is also common for Asha in the Regalian Empire to have both a Khama-based name and a more common name used among non-Asha like a nickname. This naming process is complex and requires a lot of trial and error. If you need help, you can make use of a [[https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/17fjSHb1M9iUAYPgWDRXsujBw2bqVoUR25prmFCn_H8k/edit?usp=sharing spreadsheet]] we have provided to simplify the process or inquire in a ticket. Common name prefixes are Sahu (spiritual body of), Sa or Si (son of), Sat (daughter of), Mose or Mes (born of), or Menkau (established in the soul of). Then, either the first or last syllable of the Gods is used to compose names, for example for Tjafar, these would be "Tja" or "Far", while Ra-Mut's syllables would be "Ra" or "Mut". Names can either be single words or have a hyphen (-) to separate the syllables. Thus, finally composing a few name examples:
* Sahutja would be "the Spiritual body of Tjafar"
* Sat-Kha would be "the daughter of Khannar"
* Menkau-Ra would be "established in the soul of Ra-mut"
* Narmose would be "born of Khannar", except the syllables are switched around.
* Rasa would be "son of Ra-mut", except the syllables are switched around.
If you need help composing a good name, please make a Ticket. It is perfectly acceptable to source names from the internet, please just try to avoid naming your Character Imhotep or Rameses or Tutankhamun, or such familiar names from historical people. Generally speaking, you should prioritize names that are easy to pronounce and not too overcomplicated long, while feeling unique to your character. Surnames are not common in Ibeth, though a frequent way to identify someone is by using the "of placename" suffix. This can either be existing cities in the Regalian Empire (or even Regalia), but is more commonly cities in the Ashal States, of which here follows a short list: Akhiza, Siwakhet, Nasar, Lunet, Lahun, Per-Wadjet, Tjebu, Zwajet, Akhet-aten, Bukhama and so forth.
 
==Brief History==
===The Lost Era===
The Lost Era defines a period during which the Asha referred to themselves as Dewa, based on the state name Dewamenet. As Dewa, the Asha were the preeminent Empire of the time, with high technological progress, though recent archeology and events in Regalia implicate the Empire as being tyrannical towards its neighboring people, and even to its subjects. What little is known of this Empire, was that Magic was strictly banned and any born Mages were killed. This Empire's technology was seemingly steam-based, and had some advanced knowledge of electricity and conductivity as well as battery-powered factories, with machines building vast cities and operating complex irrigation systems. The Empire frequently invaded neighboring countries to enforce their anti-Magic policy, which eventually led to conflict with the rising Allorn Empire. This Dewamenet-Allorn war became all-defining for the next 15,000 years, as it destroyed the Dewamenet Empire, the near total destruction of the Asha, and the rise of the Allorn Empire as the undisputed magical hegemon of the world.  
===The Dark Era===
The Dark Era defines a period during which the Asha were reeling from the destruction of their Empire, and the loss of the vast majority of their population. The magical event that the Elves used was described as a terrible climate shift in the region that was so strong, that it has lasted to this day. It was as if the Gods of the Elves decreed that all moisture or liquid would be deprived of every living and unliving thing in the Empire, drawing it closer to the frontline of the war. In essence, all moisture was drained from the heartland of the Dewamenet Empire and forced into a small strip of land that would later become known as No Man's Land, an impassable jungle with impossible high humidity. The entire Dewamenet Empire's core heartland became an unlivable desert in a near instant, all machines ground to a complete halt because of a lack of water to fuel steam power, and the batteries ran dry. All living beings died as their body was deprived of moisture, and those lucky enough to survive eventually died from thirst in this endless wasteland. The cities were eventually buried under the sand, and much of the heartland forgotten. It is said by the Kemet, that in the split second before this event occurred, Gahan stole the Khama Afterlife, and the capital of the Dewamenet Empire with it, killing all its inhabitants and turning them into Spirits while seceding into the Void to render the remaining Khama Gods incapable of doing anything about it.  
===The Pearl Wars===
The worst period in Asha history, which spanned up until the Cataclysm, was the Pearl Wars, so named because of its relation to the Oblation Magic used by the Elves. How the Elves learned Oblation Magic is unclear though some rumor it was the Death-Goddess the Charnel who taught them. Oblation Magic involves capturing the soul of a dead person who cannot pass into the afterlife, eviscerating their soul, their memories, their emotions, and their feelings, and congealing into a single pearl of magical potency. This pearl could then be used to amplify the Magic of those who held them, and they suddenly came in massive demand in the Allorn Empire. Vast armies of Elves ventured into the blasted wasteland that was once the Dewamenet Empire, to capture the defenseless roaming souls of the dead Dewamenet citizens, using Oblation Magic to kill them one final time and use the remnant of their souls as nothing but vulgar fuel for their own internal Mage-Wars. When the Elves ran out of Dewamenet Souls to consume, they ventured out to the hinterlands where the Asha had survived. The Dewamenet Empire was vast and had many lands outside of the modern-day Ithanian heartland, and so Elven ships ventured beyond the high seas in search of these ex-Dewamenet colonies that still had Asha in them. They would find them far afield from the Ashal Islands (which were subsequently abandoned) to Nordskag, the Regalian Archipelago, and even Hadar where some Dewa had fled to hide. Their cyclical raids became a near five-yearly occurrence, where they would inflict death on the local populations, and then harvest their souls to produce more Oblation Magic Pearls, to bring back to the Allorn Empire to help amplify their power. These raids were filled with such mockery and cruelty, with the Elves making theatric displays of their arrival and heralding the supremacy of the victors over the vanquished. When the Asha speak of their historical trauma, it is this period, even if there are no Asha left alive today who experienced the Pearl Wars first hand.  
 
The Pearl Wars ended when the Cataclysm struck. Due to the complexity of Oblation Magic in being a combination of potent Ordial Magic and Exist Magic, the world was no longer capable of sustaining the kind of Magic required to produce these pearls. Secondly, the Cataclysm provided enough of a momentum that weakened the Elven gods to the point that the Khama Gods as few as there were left, felt emboldened to reveal themselves from hiding. They quickly conspired to produce a pseudo-afterlife called the Duat, which in reality was nothing more than a waiting room for an actual afterlife that is believed to be dull and in a state of non-consciousness for those inside it. It did, however, remove the precondition for Asha souls to have Oblation Magic inflicted upon them, as it gave them an afterlife to have their souls pass into, thus denying the Elves the ability to snatch them. The Allorn Elves and Allorn Revivalists take no responsibility for the suffering of the Pearl Wars, indicating that they believe this was simply the plight of the conquered, insisting that the Asha would have done it no other way if they had won the war and discovered that Elven ears could be used as fuel for their machines. The Wars were so historically significant because they continued for thousands of years on a cyclical 5 or 10 year basis. The sheer population growth stunting that occurred because of it means that the Asha are still not numerically comparable to the Ailor or Elves to this day, despite being older people than both. Oblation Magic Pearls have largely disappeared from the world, though rarely, one might still encounter these ancient magical objects, always betrayed by their sickly green and blue glow, and a distinct hunger they encourage in anyone who lays eyes upon them, even those who deeply revile these objects.
===The Light Era===
The Light Era defines the post-Cataclysm period during which some of the Asha have started re-settling the lands that were previously depopulated by the Pearl Wars. The most notable of which are the Ashal States off the coast of the former Allorn Empire (now Ailor colonies). Asha have populated nearly every known continent with some even daring to live among Elves, while far flung populations like the Savent and Silontaar have been re-connected with the wider Asha population after millennia of isolation away from the Pearl Wars. Some Asha even, have resorted to an exhaustive mission of revenge referred to as the Claw Wars, a mockery of the concept of the Pearl Wars, by which the Asha Corsair fleets raid coastal Elven settlements. Unlike the orchestrated and theatric Pearl Wars however, the Claw Wars are just disorganized revenge killing because it feels good to them, a fact that makes more than half the Asha population quite uneasy with the brutality of the Corsairs. Regalia has since become a hub for Asha-Revival, with knowledge both being freely shared and discussed, and potentially being suppressed and silenced to ensure the Asha do not grow too confident in their desire to re-build their Empire.  
 
==Religions==
* [[Khama]] The most obvious and majority religion for the Asha is Khama, which was once an ethnoreligion for them but is slowly being rediscovered to be so much more and inclusive of other peoples.
* [[Unionism]] is the second most common Religion for Asha, especially those born in the Regalian Empire. The Asha are represented by Asha Gods in the Unionist Pantheon, which makes it very appealing.  
* [[Estelley]] Any Asha who worships Estelley is deeply, deeply strange. Estelley as a religion was used to empower the genocide of the Asha, and is an Elven ethno-religion, so there is no compatibility.
* [[Fornoss]] There are some Fornoss Asha communities, particularly in Nordskag where some Asha communities survived throughout the Pearl Wars, and integrated with the Fornoss Ailor, but abandoned Khama.
* [[Evolism]] Evolism is a surprisingly common religion among Asha, especially those who court the Dark Gods for powers to take vengeance on the Elves, or just support Gahan and his Dream-Dewamenet.
* [[Draconism]] Draconism does not have a strong Asha representation in it, but Asha can be Draconists if they resonate with the dogmatic virtues or mechanical themes of world-creation in Draconism. 
 
==Asha and Magic==
The Asha do not universally hate Magic. There is perhaps a common understanding among them now, that it was largely their extremist purist policies that led to the destructive Dewamenet-Allorn War, and subsequent Pearl Wars. The majority of the revulsion of Asha concerning Magic is aimed at the seductive power of Magic can lead one to justify and commit great evil with a few simple hand gestures. A fire mage himself is not distinctly a problem (though there would be many Asha with knee-jerk hostile reactions even at the sight of any Magic), but said fire mage's desire for ever bigger and hotter fire. Eventually, he would simply run out of his own body or soul's capacity to draw enough magic from the respective realms to cast. In such a case, the fire mage would seek other ways to empower their Magic, which to the Asha is a downward spiral that ends in Oblation Magic. While Oblation Magic became impossible after the Cataclysm, there have recently been signs that it has once again become possible with select rogue Allorn Mages experimenting with Oblation Magic, and worse, it has become cast-able without the need for that person's soul to be denied by any afterlife. Oblation Magic has evolved, and so too has the vigilance of the Asha evolved from a continual purist hate of Magic to a suspicion and paranoia, that any Mage could at any point in time be seduced by the cheapest and easiest but most violent route to power without bounds. There are, however, still many purist Asha who are completely in agreement with the Lothar, though they are generally considered quite radical. 
 
==Asha and Elves==
The attitude of the Asha, especially those who care a lot about the Pearl Wars history or their revulsion against Oblation Magic, tends to project itself onto the Elves as a whole. The Asha are taught for decades, in every school, in every nursery rhyme, and in every story re-telling of the Gods or the priests or even just their distant family's history, that the Elves are without moral and without value for life. They are taught from the day they are born that Allorn society carries within it a cultural darkness fostered by Talea the greatest killer in history, that justifies such indifference to the suffering of others. There are many Asha who learn that some element of this is exaggeration or a hypocritical form of bigotry born out of fear of otherlings. Many Asha who come to Regalia are predisposed with an inability to see Elves as real people, but rather see them as Demons, and many struggle to overcome years of cultural indoctrination, to treat Elves as equals. We encourage Players to play with the concepts of taught hatred, and learned growth, and see the potential for character development as Regalia's melting pot cosmopolitan culture allows their Characters to see the historical nuance and complexity of the individual, but Players are also more than welcome to imply in their backstory that their Character already overcame this historical conditioning.  


==Culture==
==Culture==
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This section covers Remet Asha Culture as it was known from rediscovered or surviving customs from the Dewamenet. There is overlap with the other Asha Lineages, but niche cultural habits like fashion are discussed in their Lineage Expanded lore further below.
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===Fashion===
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Asha clothing is often very simple in its application of garments yet rich in texture and patterning. Beyond a simple chest cloth worn by women and leather straps worn by men to attach objects to, most Asha rarely wear any clothing on their upper body when they don’t seek a reason to blend into other societies. On their lower bodies meanwhile, all wear a so-called Satoor, a dress-like clothing piece often in earthen or burgundy color tones with a variety of intricate patterns in vibrant colors that spans from the waist to the ground. These Satoors are often specially tailored to allow a tail to protrude from the back, and also have individual cuts on the front and sides to allow a free range of motion for Asha in combat. The Satoor is, in fact, a crucial piece for many cultural traditions of the Asha. As part of decoration for the Satoor, high officials may also wear shoulder capes or shoulder pelts from regional bovines. Jewelry is also a very much prized accessory for all genders of Asha, with numerous necklaces and ear piercings being the norm in adults. The Asha recognize the difference between a civilian Satoor and a combat Satoor in that combat Satoor cut off at the knees, while those for civilians end at the ankle or a bit higher. The Asha also have a fabric that was once unique to them alone, produced by the coastal Asha which has since expanded world-wide. Elastan, a form of lycra, is made from natural blue threads excreted by a unique coral species. The fabric is inherently liquid deterrent, and Elastan clothing made by the Asha usually covers their arms and shoulders, as well as their legs and waist, but does not cover their torso. Elastan was eventually also mixed with other fabrics, creating Peltastan, a form of wooly spandex. It has properties similar to those of Elastan, being form-fitting and soft, but Peltastan is not water-repelling. Peltastan clothing is usually worn on the torso and upper leg area, while a half-Satoor is worn over it like a battle skirt, often with shoulder pads to boot. Such pads are often light and decorative, as Asha effectively do not wear armor, in order to benefit from their superior agility over other Races. When protection is required, Living Metal is capable of forming a quick, sleek coating for their defense.
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Asha Cultures
==Mannerisms==
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Mannerisms are small niche behaviors Asha might display in Roleplay that enhances their themes.  
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* Asha tails are immensely important, both physically and culturally. They are considered a deeply personal extension of the mind, with touch being extreme taboo without permission.
'''Niwtah’'''
* Tails can also be used to indicate intent. Tails aiming up can be a sign of intimidation or taunting, tails swaying can be a sign of approval or liking something, while tails wrapping around legs can indicate fear.
[[File:noimg.png|100px]]
* Tails can also be used to touch others, which is considered an intimate gesture. A tail coiling or stroking someone else's leg is considered a very forward non-verbal flirtation.
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* Most (but not all) Asha use a form of guttural sound for communication also. Growling, and purring, though not barking, are part of the vocal routine of most Asha when indicating pleasure or displeasure.
The Niwtah, City, or otherwise called Kingdom Asha, are the largest population of the Asha people. They are based in the Ashal Kingdoms of the Ashal Islands, though some have recently migrated to lands in Corontium under the Regalian Empire. They benefit from marvelous works of Living Metal, and often devote their time to more artistic or cultural pursuits. They are not bereft of warriors, however, and are known for their powerful land armies, though a general muster has never occurred. The Niwtah culture is based on Ancient Egypt.
* Pulling or cutting an Asha's tail is considered an extreme insult. Tail cutting is a common practice among those with bigotry towards the Asha, with Asha seeking to replace lost tails with living metal.
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* Asha treat half-Asha as part of their culture, so long as they have made an effort to be part of Asha culture. Half-Asha who belong to other cultures receive apathetic responses from full Asha.  
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* Asha transition between bipedal and quadruped movement for a variety of reasons, for example while vaulting over things, or while crawling under obstacles, or to move around faster.  
*The Niwtah idolize the ancient past of the Dewamenent, and are in constant search of more knowledge from this ancient time.
* Asha dress style is very much non-gendered. All genders wear the Satoor (a half-dress with a parted opening on the side), while female Asha may opt for a chest binding if it is culturally appropriate in Regalia.  
*The Niwtah often have high standards, both for themselves and others, while also focusing greatly on their appearance due to lives of near-total luxury.
* Asha are highly sensitive to the killing and eating of members of their people, as Khama holds that people who are refused by the afterlife, are reborn as wild animals in Aloria, such as lions or dogs.  
*Niwtah goods, from furniture to daily use objects to Living Metal machinery, are highly prized by many outsiders, being hard to acquire due to their lack of trade with external powers.
 
*The Niwtah speak Ibeth, based on Ancient Egyptian.
==Expanded Lore==
*The cultural pursuits of the Niwtah often make them elegant dancers and performers, capable of marvelous feats in conjunction with Living Metal or Living Glass.
Expanded Lore exists to apply more content to the Savent and Silontaar Asha, whose culture differs from the Remet Asha mostly discussed on this page, as well as other concepts that may be relevant to Asha roleplay or deep-lore exploration. This section is optional reading, though if you play a Silontaar or Savent, reading at least their sections is encouraged.  
*The Niwtah are devoted to the [[Faces of Baskarr]], but mortuary cults exalting Ordial powers hold great sway in certain population centers.
===Gahan and Kemet===
*Niwtah systems of organization are entirely matriarchal, family lines traced through women first, and all Ashal Kingdoms are ruled by queens.
Gahan and Kemet are some of the recently most complicated aspects about the Asha experience. Gahan was once a god of the Khama pantheon, but under mysterious circumstances left said Pantheon, taking the Dewamenet afterlife with him, and breaking into the Void. While doing so, he used the Dewamenet afterlife and all the souls within as an army to effectively conquer a part of the Void, and crown himself Spirit Emperor, with all Void Spirits obeying his will one way or another. While the Spirits still wage war on one another, Gahan rules over the divided chaos absolute, and his Kemet Demons have a special role to play in his keeping the Dewamenet Dream alive in Kemet. Kemet refers to the Black Land, the name the Asha have given to this material afterlife that now exists somewhere between the real world and the Void. They consider it a black land, because anytime anyone has had visions or dreams of the place, it is always represented by a glowing black obsidian pyramid, in which Gahan sits on his throne keeping a fragmented memory of the Dewamenet Empire alive in the afterlife. In essence, while the Dewamenet Empire was destroyed, the capital and the afterlife merged and become one place, which was then tainted by the Void, though it did keep many Dewamenet alive for eternity while the rest of their Empire crumbled.
*The Niwtah are believed to have created Feshawat, or Living Glass, the great and oft-forgotten companion to Living Metal.
 
*The Niwtah view most Occult practices as unacceptable, and Magic is not taught within their domain, on punishment of death. They do make an exception regarding Ordial-based Affinities or Afflictions.
Gahan's Spirits in turn, are also playable. When designing a [[Mystech]] Character, it is recommended to paid Gahan loyalism/an Asha inspired Spirit as an Unbound Spirit. Gahan has several lieutenants, most important of which are the cruel and wroth commander Senetaph who leads the military legions of Kemet, Satjaraf-en the administrator who keeps the historical records of the Dewamenet and Kemet, and Barubast the shipwright who controls the access point to Kemet and ferries souls in and out on the black river, a proverbial magical gateway. While these Spirits should always be played with immense trepedation to reveal any information about Kemet (because we cannot logistically reveal deep lore to only part of the player base), these Asha Spirits should endeavor to be pro-Asha and reasonably align themselves with the Asha community in Regalia, despite its potential opposition to their presence or public cooperation. For better or worse, Gahan's Spirits are a window into the past, and their master despite being corrupted by his lust for power in the Void, still holds a dear place in his heart for his people and their plight, and so many of Gahan's Spirits are exceptional Elf-killers and tricksters.
*The Niwtah love the colors orange, brown and gold, alongside symbolism of liquid metal/Living Metal, Living Glass, the sun and moon intertwined, great statues, and lounging chairs.
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'''Hetawpesh'''
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The Hetawpesh or Corsair Asha are far more commonly seen in wider Aloria compared to the Niwtah Asha. While briefly finding peace in the Ashal Islands, the original Corsairs soon departed to carry out a mission of vengeance against their ancient oppressors, as well as seeking out foreign knowledge and skills. Many are pirates, hunting and destroying vessels of slave-keeping civilizations, though others tend to large floating cities on the waves, or sell their services for coin. The Hetawpesh culture is based on a blend of Ancient Egypt and the Barbary pirates of North Africa with a healthy dose of fantastical elements.  
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*The Hetawpesh make up the armed naval forces of the Asha world, building, repairing and sailing vessels of an ancient design, updated with modern knowledge and controlled with Living Metal.
*Many Hetawpesh learn skills associated with the sea as their first calling in life, for water is often all around them, and these skills can benefit them later in life if they leave a Fleet behind.
*Hetawpesh warriors train from a young age and are often highly skilled in working independently from one another due to how disorganized their melees can get when boarding at sea or raiding coastal targets.
*The Hetawpesh speak Ibeth, but are also more likely to speak foreign tongues due to their extensive travels across Aloria.
*Hetawpesh society is gender equal, each Corsair Lord, Lady or Lirh overseeing a domain under their command, and often engaging in ritual marriage to the Queens of the Ashal Islands.
*Hetawpesh society is the most fragmented when it comes to faith. While some groups follow the Faces, others are wholly devoted to beings like [[Khannar]] from the Ordial plane. Some groups are even more open, and worship other faiths introduced by the non-Asha in their ranks.
*Hetawpesh warriors forced to leave their homes commonly find work in fighting pits, or are guards for people willing to pay the high prices they often fetch.
*The Hetawpesh are often the executioners of the Occult and Mages, with any found at sea being killed. Even the exception for Ordial powers is not as strongly enforced, and some Ordial Corsair Fleets kill other Ordial-powered groups due to the nature of the beings they worship.
*The Hetawpesh love the colors red, black, blue and gold, with symbolism of the sea, ships of Asha design, claws, blood, storms, and broken chains.
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'''Siwath-Khenu'''
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The Siwath-Khenu are the oldest Asha culture to exist in Aloria today, and formed from the original survivors of the mass-enslavement of the Dewamenet by the Allorn Empire. The Siwath-Khenu thrived by hiding in the depths of the desert in [[Ithania]], among the ruins of their people, but some also kept close to the soon-barren Ashal Islands, in hidden coastal enclaves. They remained at the fringe for millennia, keeping ancient traditions alive, before helping their people achieve The Great Journey to their new homeland. Today, they remain, but are the least populous of the Asha subcultures, with most who remain surviving in the Ithanian desert, but some have come to the Ashal Islands, and keep to the isolated, barren lands of the interiors to each island. The Siwath-Khenu culture is based on ancient/classical Numidian culture.
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*The Siwath-Khenu are heavily devoted to faith in the Faces, worship of the gods, and the understanding of Living Metal and Glass.
*The Siwath-Khenu kept alive many ancient traditions of animal taming, alongside the use of Living Metal for their people’s Mounts. They are notable for their cavalry skills as a result.
*Siwath-Khenu clothing is often more layered than that of other Asha, as millennia of hot suns, and concealment taught them to guard their bodies from both the elements and enemy eyes.
*The Siwath-Khenu speak Ibeth, but are most skilled in the translation of the ancient Dewamenet writing and language system. They crafted the base of modern Ibeth, and continue to expand its lexicon.
*Siwath-Khenu are commonly said to appear as fast as they disappear, and are masters of movement and motion, both atop their animals of combat, and on their feet
*The Siwath-Khenu follow the Faces of Baskarr deeply, as most believe it was their memory of these gods which kept them alive when the Asha were broken and enslaved. They have a particular devotion to [[Baskarr#Gods_and_Goddesses|Wadj, Gaze upon Infinity]], and are said to guard against his seduction of the weak minded by their constant vigilance.
*Siwath-Khenu found beyond the deserts are commonly tracking down slavers or auctions of ancient objects of their people. Some also travel to distant Asha groups to engage in religious matters.
*Siwath-Khenu tribes were once internally divided in a loose mirror to that of the modern Asha. The interior tribes plied the deserts, while the coastal tribes plied the seas, such as they could with Allorn superiority. The coastal tribes were absorbed into both the Niwtah and Hetawpesh subcultures, leaving the deep desert tribes to last until the modern day.
*The Siwath-Khenu are commonly held as the source for the Asha’s modern ties to Ordial power, and are often more lenient, and aware, of the broader range of Occult that exist. They are thus often more accepting of Affinities and Afflictions, but still abhor Mages.
*The Siwath-Khenu favor color schemes of grays, beige, and white, with symbolism of baking deserts, mirages, burning incense, mounted warriors, walking staffs, scorpions and shadows.
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[[File:Elastaanpopular.png|260px|thumb|right|Elastan is a fabric developed by the Asha and frequently favored by them for its aquatic properties.]]
[[File:Decorum.png|260px|thumb|right|Traditional Asha attire can compete with the best of other Races' dress-codes in stylishness.]]
[[File:Rabbo2.png|260px|thumb|right|Rabbit-like Asha are rarely seen in Regalia, yet an exotic friend to have for many.]]
[[File:Rkhaeti.png|260px|thumb|right|Saber teeth as a trait can actually occur in any Asha animal type species, not just Felines.]]
[[File:Decorumanub.png|260px|thumb|right|Asha love golden decorations and even apply fur paint like make-up, worn by any gender.]]
[[File:Downotter.png|260px|thumb|right|Some Asha have fur patterns inverted, with a darker soft body color.]]
[[File:Varranclaws.png|260px|thumb|right|Asha claws are very dangerous in a fight, even a playful one.]]
[[File:LMetal.png|260px|thumb|right|Living Metal can be made to replace missing body parts with great efficiency.]]
==Language==
The Asha speak a [[Language]] called Ibeth, a modern Language developed from the interpretations of Dewamenet writing left on the Ashal Islands and in the Ithanian deserts. As such, the Asha Language has a written alphabet of hieroglyphics that dates back to the Dewamenet era, but a spoken language and phonology that is entirely modern. The Ibeth language has no common ancestry with any other Language across Aloria, and is purely made out of what little words the Asha understand from the past with the context of writing applied on top, and the gaps filled in by more intellectually inclined Asha. Ibeth sounds fairly guttural, with soft g’s and ch’s and hard kh’s and dh’s, interspersed with many vowels. Ibeth is spoken across all subcultures far and wide, as even the Siwath-Khenu tribes have adopted Ibeth as a means to stay close to the other Asha, though they once spoke a diminutive form of the Dewamenet Language which has now died out. Due to the guttural intonation of Ibeth, Asha may have trouble not over-pronouncing ‘r’, ‘z’, ‘k’, and ‘d’ sounds when speaking other languages. The Ibeth language is based on real-world Ancient Egyptian


Naming principles also follow Ancient Egyptian. It is more common for Asha children to be named after items, events or things that played an auspicious role in their birth. For example, the word Nefer means beauty, so a child born with striking beauty may be called “Nefer” also, while a child born with a cold sniff might be called “Tepi”, which is the Ibeth word for sniff. One that walks early may be called “Ahat”, meaning standing, and one that is strong in battle may be called “Keded”, meaning slaughter. Asha parents or sometimes even Asha themselves may change the name of their child or in adult years to something else if they feel more strongly associated with that particular name. Asha surnames are always based on their gendered parent - for example - if a girl born from her mother Herep arrives on a sorrowful occasion, she may be called Ianew, daughter of Herep. Daughters are named after mothers, while sons are named after fathers. Rulers and priests tend to extend their names, with “-hotep” being a common suffix for a male of high respect, while “-amun” fulfills the role for females of high respect.
Both Khama as a faith, and Asha society culturally speaking, have a complicated relation with Sprits. Spirits were not overtly used to torment the Asha during the Dewamenet war or subsequent Pearl Wars, but are inherently made of dark Magic, the stuff that was used to murder their kin. Spirits are unaccountable and unpredictable, and their pro-Asha attitude (at least for the Gahan Spirits) is at best fickle, with a Spirit perhaps deciding to murder some Asha it does not like out of boredom or a desire to consume its soul. Still, these Spirits can provide invaluable assistance or information to the cause, and even those who do not consider themselves part of the Kemet Asha cultural Land, might indulge in a bit of Spirit summoning or bartering just to get an edge on the Elves, who still have the upper hand because of their Magic usage.  


==Religion==
===Savent Asha Expanded Lore===
It is believed by most that the ancient Asha in the age of the Dewamenent worshiped a greater array of gods, or had a greater religious pluralism than may be understood now. As it stands, the current faith, the Faces of Baskarr, is a narrower version of their ancient mythology, the five remaining deities kept alive by the prayers of Asha to gods they barely knew, and the formalized worship of the Siwath-Khenu. The Asha have thoroughly embraced this religion since their freedom, but there is another force ever-present in their society. Why or how is not clear, but Ordial powers also hold a significant role in the Asha conception of the world. While Ordial Cultism has beings like Khannar, there is also [[The_Beyond#Imeshret_the_Night-Gazer,_Ikon_of_Transformative_Ambition|Imeshret the Night-Gazer]], an Ikon of the Ordial plane. All of this Ordial alignment is ultimately an undercurrent to the society the Asha have built, as the Faces are their far more public face, with the operations of Ordial-worshiping Asha private, and out of public sight. It is also essential to note that the Asha do not use the term Ordial to describe the afterlife, and they, in fact, believe that life after death is as natural as the living world.
Savent Asha would almost be considered an entirely different people by outsiders, but they are most certainly Asha, and hybrids of species-appearances between Savent and other Asha are part of their heritage too. The Savent Asha descend from a group of peoples that objected so violently to the war between the Dewamenet Empire and the Allorn Empire on the principle of non-aggression and not hating Magic, that they left the Dewamenet Empire in search for lands far away from either Empire, or Empires as a whole. The Savent at the time believed that violence was an inherent quality of Empires, and as such, people should avoid creating large geo-political powers. They settled in a largely (by Regalia) unmapped continent north of Guldar called Qelis, a temperate lake-rich land where the Savent have established 231 smaller Kingdoms and Republics that all live in perfect harmony, but are equally rather poor when compared to other countries around the world.


:''For more information on the Faces of Baskarr, click [[Baskarr|HERE]]
Savent Asha are without exception, either fully Avian Asha (think Eagle, Raven, Hawk, Owl), or a hybrid between Avian Asha and mammalian Asha (for example, an eagle face with long dog ears and cat lower legs but an Avian upper body and tail). All Savent Asha have beaks, and all of them have avian forearms and claws, while some of them have wings including regal plumage. Savent Asha are otherwise physically similar to other Asha and Asha Lineages, except that they will a visual niche that is not existent in any other heritage or culture, bar from perhaps the avian ([[Maquixtl#Heritage Traits|Maquixtl Genos Form]]), who fall squarely in the terror-bird category only.
:''For more information on Ordial Cultism, click [[Ordial Cultism|HERE]]


==Families==
The major difference besides appearance niches between Savent Asha and all other Asha, is that their psyche is in essence completely devoid of all trauma that many other Asha suffer from when looking at their history and the state of their people across the world. While there certainly is empathy and pity for the Pearl Wars, there is an equal yet soft-spoken sentiment among the Savent, that the Dewamenet got what they deserved because of what they tried to do to the Elves. The Savent rejected the Dewamenet-Allorn War in all its senseless brutality (from their perspective), and deem the outcome to have "occurred in equal measure onto the Elves, to be fed to the Dewamenet Machine as fuel". Many of them in essence claim, that whatever hardships would have befallen the Asha, would have been inflicted onto the Elves if the Dewamenet had won, and that this is not a unique victimization of the Asha, but rather a sign of the more widespread depravity and hubris of Empire-politics. A particularly sore topic for those who have to hear the same sentiment as an excuse, from an Elven Allorn Apologist.
===Childhood===
The Asha have a strong cultural inclination toward raising resourceful and independent children. They are given everything possible in their younger years, taught skills that will suit them as adults, and instructed in the use of their Living Metal and Living Glass. Each subculture has specific areas of focus for children at this early time, and their instruction lasts until their seventeenth birthday. The day after this celebration, they are ejected from the home of their family, being well-prepared ahead of time for this event. Most settle into quarters with fellow Asha of a similar age, and seek to prove themselves, and show their skills, gradually being allowed back into their family clan in time. Half-Asha (being Feka-Asha), however, have a difficult position in Asha society when growing up. The Asha are generally suspicious of the other Races, and reproduction with non-Asha can be reason enough to have an Asha woman rejected from Asha society and forced to live on the fringes of it. Feka-Asha are always stuck in an endless cycle of trying to prove themselves to Asha society, but never quite making it into their fold. Whereas Asha children generally have a happy and very social upbringing, Feka-Asha are isolated and lonely if they are raised in Asha society. Asha living elsewhere though, mainly in Corontium, are more tolerant of Feka-Asha, allowing them to exist in their part of their local societies without much issue.
===Adulthood===
As mentioned above, Asha adulthood is achieved at seventeen years of age, and forces the child to make something of their skillset or knowledge. If they do not, they simply cannot return to their home clan, but other clans may be interested should their focused skills or end products of their efforts lean into their interests rather than that of their blood relatives. Asha families are referred to as clans, and an average clan includes a patriarch or matriarch, including their grandparents, their siblings, their mate’s grandparents, their cousins and their children. Asha society does not have an overt male or female bias, but each subculture has their own methods of determining leadership or primacy. Generally speaking, the wisest or strongest (or both) Asha in a clan is made patriarch or matriarch by popular support of all the other members except for children who do not get a say. New family members, be that blood members of the clan expelled and returning, or entirely new faces who seek entrance, are judged by these leaders alone first, and then a wider group of the adults in the family.
===Romance & Gender Norms===
Asha views on romance are immensely traditional, despite their fairly open and laissez-faire society. The Asha are extremely strict on adultery, with this act being one of the worst crimes that one can commit in the Ashal Kingdoms. Asha traditionally do not engage in romance until they are at least 20 years old, after which they have the policy of waiting until the right partner appears. Asha rarely go looking for partners, believing that one can only ever truly be loyal to one’s soul-mate, and that soul-mates are met by happenstance, not while they are being sought out. It is permitted for Asha to be intimate with one another socially speaking, but mating outside of what they call “bondship”, is strictly taboo. Polygamy, polyamory and bigamy are strictly taboo and reviled by Asha society, who prize singular loyalty and dedication above all. Partners are chosen for life, except for two ways to end a partnership: betrayal or death. In the case of death, the Asha remain celibate for the remainder of their life in homage to their partner. In the case of betrayal, an Asha may re-bond, though is usually considered “spoiled” by other Asha, and may end up remaining celibate out of circumstance, not want.


On the matter of gender norms, the relative equality of the sexes has been mentioned elsewhere. As for matters of sexuality, same-sex relationships are not considered taboo in Asha society, but there is a communal expectation that homosexual bondships adopt or take care of orphans from recently deceased heterosexual couples, so as to take their burden for the Race’s continuation in society. Asha generally have large families, with any average Asha couple having around 12 children. This is largely also the reason why some consider Asha women to be fierce lovers with an appetite, resulting (in the eyes of the Asha) in an unfortunate population of Feka-Asha in other societies, as well as in the Moon-Ports and Fair-Port.
That is not to say that all Savent think that the Asha "got what they deserved", there is always a very fine line to walk between being genuinely empathetic towards the historical suffering of the Asha, and finding the right time to discuss the causes and implications of the actions of the Asha forefathers. The Savent insist that the Dewamenet were far from innocent, and engaged in equal measure of genocide as the Elves did, it just so happened to be the case that the Elves did it better (and faster). Savent can be genuinely included in interest groups who seek to discover more of their lost historical heritage and have very real passion and emotion towards the rediscovery of lost information. There remains however, the concern from other Asha, or the thought in the back of one's mind, that a Savent is only there out of recreational reasons, and can never fully understand what it means to re-discover a culture that was so violently destroyed by the conqueror. At the end of the day, Savent can return to their own unique culture that has flourished independently from a desire to return to the old Dewamenet.  


==Fashion==
Savent Culture is based on real-world Achaemenid period Persia Minor cultures (such as Lydean and Phrygean or other Anatolian Cultures of that period). However, because there is no real linguistic survival from this period, we use Achaemenid names for the people, but still use Ancient Egyptian as their language. Despite their cultural deviation, the Savent have held onto Ibeth, as well as Khama as a religion, even adopting the more modern interpretations as die-hard belief in their faith waned over time, and they had to ironically resort to the diluted oral survival of the captive Asha to fill the gaps. The Savent are a culture with a very strong emphasis on metallurgy, particularly working with noble metals like gold and silver, which form threads throughout their other customs and traditions. Music is for example also important to them, with several instruments being credited to their invention, and always finely decorated with in-laid gold and silver threading.  
Asha clothing is often very simple in its application of garments yet rich in texture and patterning. Beyond a simple chest cloth worn by women and leather straps worn by men to attach objects to, most Asha rarely wear any clothing on their upper body when they don’t seek a reason to blend into other societies. On their lower bodies meanwhile, all wear a so-called Satoor, a dress-like clothing piece often in earthen or burgundy color tones with a variety of intricate patterns in vibrant colors that spans from the waist to the ground. These Satoors are often specially tailored to allow a tail to protrude from the back, and also have individual cuts on the front and sides to allow a free range of motion for Asha in combat. The Satoor is, in fact, a crucial piece for many cultural traditions of the Asha. As part of decoration for the Satoor, high officials may also wear shoulder capes or shoulder pelts from [[Muff-oxen]]. Jewelry is also a very much prized accessory for all genders of Asha, with numerous necklaces and ear piercings being the norm in adults. The Asha recognize the difference between a civilian Satoor and a combat Satoor in that combat Satoor cut off at the knees, while those for civilians end at the ankle or a bit higher.


The Asha also have a fabric that was once unique to them alone, produced by the coastal Asha which has since expanded world-wide. [[Elastan]], a form of lycra, is made from natural blue threads excreted by the unique coral species called [[Mewnes]]. The fabric is inherently liquid deterrent, and Elastan clothing made by the Asha usually covers their arms and shoulders, as well as their legs and waist, but does not cover their torso. Elastan was eventually also mixed with other fabrics, creating [[Peltastan]], a form of wooly spandex. It has properties similar to those of Elastan, being form-fitting and soft, but Peltastan is not water repelling. Peltastan clothing is usually worn on the torso and upper leg area, while a half-Satoor is worn over it like a battle skirt, often with shoulder pads to boot. Such pads are often light and decorative, as Asha effectively do not wear armor, in order to benefit from their superior agility over other Races. When protection is required, Living Metal is capable of forming a quick, sleek coating for their defense.
Savent clothing is far simpler when compared to the Asha Satoor with its complex patterns, relying more heavily on the opulence of all that sparkles yet having very vibrant but simple patterns. The Savent tend to lean more in the direction of pacifism or at the least non-violence, vowing only to act in self-defense. That being said, Savent can be ferocious fighters, especially with their sharp beaks and talons, and several Savent arena fighters have gained fame in the Regalian Empire for their ruthless tactics in the ring. The Savent have a more cultural streak than the other Asha, enjoying the finer things in life, and attaching less value to status symbols and vanity. It should be noted, that the metals that the Savent work with (and can create with their hands) are not actual Gold and Silver, but imitation metals like Electrum, which is why having a Savent friend is not a get-rich-quick scheme.


==World View==
===Silontaar Asha Expanded Lore===
World View is optional content that helps give Asha flavor and depth.
Being reworked during the Khama Update
*Asha society is one of the only societies that strictly bans Magic, even the passive usage of it, not only because the Asha lose control over Living Metal when using Magic, but because Magic has played such an important role in their suffering throughout their existence. Why Asha Living Metal ceases to function when an Asha learns or uses Magic is not known, but some speculate that whatever entity granted the Asha Living Metal, was against them using Magic.
*The Asha’s views of Magic may be scoffed at as limited to many, because their society only seems to recognize the [[Exist]] and Void as powers, while ignoring Ordial entirely. This is for good reason, however, for both the Exist and Void were used to hurt the Asha, while Ordial power has been part of their people’s culture for a very long time. In fact, to the Asha, the term Ordial means nothing, as the idea of the afterlife and life beyond the physical world is crafted into their faith and customs, and is viewed as completely natural.
*Magic usage in the Ashal Kingdoms is strictly illegal, and on the high seas, the Asha Corsairs are known to execute Mages immediately after a battle and if any were captured. Many know this, which is why the waters around the Asha States are called the “Mageless Waters", on account of all Mages veering far around the general raiding zones of the Corsair Fleets.
*Tails are immensely important to the Asha, and serve as major indicators of non-verbal emotion, and expressions of pride. An Asha without a tail is like an Asha without pride, and faces humiliation in Asha society. This is largely the reason why it was so common for the Allorn to cut off Asha tails at birth, a practice that still exists today. Some Asha have gone through lengths to re-acquire their tail, most using Living Metal to replace it.
*Common uses of the tail include, but are not limited to: expressing adoration for a person depending on the tightness of a tail included in a hug, using the tail to point at desired objects or slowly caress them to show interest, swishing the tail around to express candidness or pride, binding the tail around one’s leg or waist to express fear or loathing, striking the tail on the floor for a challenge or mockery, slapping others with a tail in teasing or flirtatious manner, and holding objects of great importance with the tail by wrapping it around them. Nearly every statement or request made by Asha includes some sort of positioning or motion of their tail, indicating their intent or emotional feeling behind it. This is why it may sometimes be hard for Asha to lie to other Asha, as many of these tail movements are involuntary.
*The worst insult is to pull on an Asha’s tail, stand on it, or generally just dismiss or ridicule the appendage. Asha tails are collected by some [[Kathar]] priests and priestesses for [[Void Worship]] rituals, or as trophies for the amount of Asha sacrificed to the Void Gods, largely being the reason why the Asha have a particular hatred for Kathar religious leaders, more so than all the other kinds of Kathar.
*The majority of the Asha’s active military power can be found on the high seas, where they are considered some of the most skilled sailors and marines known to Aloria. Asha are unrivaled in their ability to sprint, dance, pounce, roll, and move around on deck, flinging themselves from ropes and balancing on thin beams to gain the upper hand and the higher ground.
*The Asha commonly use the Shefdew, or Moon-Blade polearm in their combat with others, alongside the Sensy, a smaller blade seen used on Asha tails. These weapons both form part of the Tutelage of Mirah, the form of instruction used to teach most Corsairs and land forces of the Asha. Still, Asha are capable of picking other weapons too, and Asha mercenaries have been seen using a wide range of blades and more.
*The Asha frequently use beasts of burden or large animals for the purpose of siege, or general brute force damage during a battle. These are most often the [[Maarhanet]], or [[Giant Scorpion|Seqherat]]. However, the use of Living Metal constructs has only continued to grow in recent years.
*Asha cuisine is heavily varied as they are spread across Aloria. In general, they have a simple but rich diet based on meats served with spices, eggs and dairy products such as cheeses and yogurt, the dish [[Car-Ki’fo]] best exemplifying this blend of ingredients. Their meat exclusively comes from geese, quail, pigs, cows and any fish that can be caught, as they are highly sensitive to the killing of animals which look like members of their Race.
*The Asha are a physical Race, meaning nearly all forms of their recreation and relaxation involve some physical activity in their society. To that end, they have developed Sun-Courts, large open-air squares for physical activity and sports to be performed in. Enormous trees or Living Metal structures serve to create some shade in these spaces, and the game of [[Hisad]] appears in such spaces on a weekly basis.
*An important cultural expression of the Asha involves the Satoor is the Satoor-Bis Kahnar Hakkar, a wild dance performed by one seeking to court another. The dance itself is carried out with leaps involving fierce snarling expressions, grunting, chest beating and wild waving of claws, where the purpose is also to make the Satoor flow with poise and grace, in contrast to the intense expressions. The primary use of the dance is to impress a potential partner with an Asha's strength, though Asha can also perform it to intimidate enemies before battle.
*The boundary between enemy and passion are very thin for the Asha, and the “enemy turned lover” is a frequently seen romantic trope among the Asha, impressed with enemy soldiers or warriors in battle that they fall for them. This event is a rare occurrence in Corsair warfare, as most targets of Asha attacks are slave facilities, slaving ships, and other repulsive places, with few acceptable love interests among the guardians of such places. Instead, it often takes root in fighting pits, or tournament bouts.
*The ritual marriages between the Queens of the Ashal Kingdoms and the various Corsair leaders are part of the agreements of assistance between these Kingdoms and their ever-sharpening sword in world affairs. The rituals sometimes become actual marriages, but such connections strain the relationship as the Queens insist on keeping all daughters, and reject sons, while the Corsairs consider the intense focus on women from the city-dwellers to be a detriment.
*The Ashal Islands have two notable forms of coastal port. One is the Fair-Port, called Hesepah by the Asha, and is the sole area of the Islands where foreign Races can be found in great abundance. Merchants and artisans live and thrive in this place, and the limited trade the Kingdoms have with the wider world comes through this center. The other form of port are the Moon-Ports, massive facilities capable of handling the hundreds of ships that Corsair Fleets possess. Each Ashal Kingdom has one of these for the use by the Fleets, who cycle in and out of docking their ships for resupply, repair, and celebrations.
*The Great Journey is revered by the Asha as their period of migration from the lands of the former Allorn Empire to their new home in the Ashal Isles. The entire process took three years, and was led by the Siwath-Khenu who emerged to guide their people home. The event is also notable for the baggage train of Ailor and other Races, fellow former slaves, who followed or shadowed the Journey, despite being told they could not settle with the Asha. These other groups ultimately settled along the coastline, and became nations like [[List_of_Major_Nations_and_States#Daen_Governate|Daen]] and [[Lusits]].
*The Siwath-Khenu are currently believed to be focusing on those Asha still mass-enslaved in Ithania, and while overseers, masters and more are keeping their eyes peeled, whispers speak of their mission preparing their fellow Asha for freedom is well underway.
*Unlike the Silontaar, who have a manic fear of the [[Maraya]], the Asha find the Maraya kindred spirits in most cases. Both Races suffered extreme loss in the past, and only recently recovered, or in the Maraya’s case, reawoke, to seek out their long damaged heritage. They also both have unique technologies crafted and specific to their Race. The Asha chalk the Silontaar’s manic paranoia to a corruption of Magic in their very blood, affecting how they see the world, and other dismissive, negative statements.
*The loss of the Repyt Corsair Fleet, which merged with Fin’ullen elements to form the Asha-Fin’ullen [[Fin’ullen#Culture|Sàllir]] subculture, was deeply shocking to the Asha Race as a whole. The Arc-Monoliths are frequently harassed by Corsair Fleets and Fin’ullen ships alike, both core elements of each Race disturbed by this union of Asha and Nelfin elements together. The Asha have not attacked their brethren outright, however, for unclear reasons, and any Corsair Fleet element that has done so has been disowned by Fleet leadership.
*The recent rebirth of the Allorn Empire was an extreme blow to Asha hopes for the future, as the fractured politics of the Teledden and Fin’ullen until that point made Corsair raiding operations far easier. Most Corsair Fleets have been forced to pull back from attacks on the Allorn as a result, and have turned their focus on Westwynd and other more central or southern locations.


==Gallery of Art==
==Gallery of Art==
Asha are really cool and awesome, and lots of art has been made of them.
Asha are really cool and awesome, and lots of art has been made of them.
<gallery mode="traditional" widths="260px" heights="300px">
<gallery mode="traditional" widths="260px" heights="300px">
File:Senef.png|Asha clothing choices are considered provocative among other Races, even if they just don't want to overheat because of their fur.
File:Senef.png|The Satoor is technically a dress, but appears more like stylish fabric with a lean fit.
File:Flurras.png|Asha can have fur on their chin that mimics the appearance of facial hair, sometimes even braided.
File:FBO5Tz6XMAIvMmu.jpg| Asha prefer to go shirtless, though can also wear Ailor clothes in case they want to fit in.  
File:Badotot8.png|Badger and Racoon-like headed Asha are often mistrusted in Regalia because of the cultural associations of these animals, falling into criminal circles.
File:FcpYmX0X0AARwyy.jpg| Asha can get really really big, if they put in the work.
File:D-sF2wtXYAAHUDM.jpg| Not all Asha have to be muscular tanks, unlike what this Wiki page may imply.
File:EQTj6IuWkAE7oz4.jpg| Fur painting to appear like tattoos are fairly common among the lower social class Asha.
File:EnKxRY7XIAElnhq.png| Dewet Fashion means using ancient egyptian aesthetics to appeal to the old Dewamenet legacy.
File:493px-Downotter.png| Otter Asha are known to be energetic and fun loving Asha, even as Bound Asha.  
File:Rabbo2.png| Rodent Asha are less common, but nonetheless still good friends to have.
File:Elastaanpopular.png| Elastaan is very popular as a fabric not only among the Asha, but also Regalians.
File:499px-28b92e4a58189b5bd2dc107958d9674a.png| Rat Asha are fierce fighters, with many of them working as gladiators in Regalia.
File:59fad4ed89eb7540eb0ba32c0d16ab17.png| Equally, other types of Asha are commonly found due to their ferocious fighting skills.
File:Eu9xO7BXcAIqqWG.jpg| Even if the Asha look like predators, some still have a very calm and kind expression.  
</gallery>
</gallery>


==Trivia==
==Trivia==
*There has been recent evidence that suggests the Asha may be far older than previously thought. Records of the fall of the [[Meraic Empire]], released in 310 AC, show mammalian humanoids in service to the Race that would become the Maraya, and there is also the extreme paranoia the Silontaar, ancient offshoots of the Asha, have for that pastel Race.
* There is credible evidence to suggest that the Asha along with the Meraic were the second people to make it into the upper terrasphere of Aloria and install the equivalency of satellites in orbit, but all knowledge of how they did this has been lost to time.  
*There are a total of sixteen Corsair Fleets in operation across Aloria, but five are most notable among their number. These include the Medes Fleet led by the unique dual leadership of Ladies Saalamun and Vasnaf, the Sefetjew Fleet led by Lord Kahnef or “Lord Demon-claw” and the Kheni-Hetef Fleet led by Lord [[Ammunakhonet]], a [[Undead|Hollow Warden]] who has led his fleet since it was created nearly three centuries ago.
*There are a total of sixteen Corsair Fleets in operation across Aloria, but five are most notable among their number. These include the Medes Fleet led by the unique dual leadership of Ladies Saalamun and Vasnaf, the Sefetjew Fleet led by Lord Kahnef or “Lord Demon-claw” and the Kheni-Hetef Fleet led by Lord [[Ammunakhonet]], an [[Undead]] warrior who has led his fleet since it was created nearly three centuries ago.
*Some believe there are members of the Faces of Baskarr who were long ago killed by the gods of the Estellon pantheon in the war between the Allorn and Dewamenent Empires. It is commonly said only the sages of the Siwath-Khenu could answer such questions, and they are very difficult to locate.
*Asha are routinely subject to accidental racism in Regalia, either due to over-familiar expectation of animalistic behaviors or similarities, or because Ailor try to be comedic with them, and end up comparing them to domestic animals. Don't do that.  
*Some wonder if [[Ghilland, Herder of Treasured Beings]] may have a connection to the Asha beyond as the being most closely associated with their enslavement.
 
{{Races}}
{{Peoples}}
{{Accreditation
{{Accreditation
|Artists = MonMarty
|Artists = MonMarty
|Writers = MonMarty, HydraLana
|Writers = MonMarty
|Processors = WaterDruppel
|Processors = WaterDruppel, FireFan96
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[[category:races]] [[category:Gorr Races]]
[[category:Heritages]]

Latest revision as of 20:56, 28 September 2024

Asha
Ankh-Sa (in Ibeth)
Motto: "In Misery and Life, none left behind."
Nation StateThe Ashal States
RulerN/A
Other PresentN/A
LanguagesIbeth, Common
ReligionKhama
First Recorded20,000 BC
Demonym(s)Ashal

The Asha are the oldest continuously existing Heritage on Aloria, even pre-dating the Elven Allorn Empire, though has undergone massive changes throughout history. Under the early Dewamenet Empire, the Asha were poised to conquer vast parts of the world, however, they came into conflict with the just-founded Allorn Empire. A cataclysmic war of Dewamenet Technology versus Allorn Magic erupted, which the Dewamenet lost. In their loss, Elven victory was so violent that it ground their Empire to dust. The Allorn Elves tried to move heaven and earth to erase Dewamenet Culture from existence, through the periods now referred to as the Pearl Wars though try as they did, they could never suppress the resistance and spite of the Asha to survive and thrive. When the Allorn Empire collapsed under its weight during the last Void Invasion, the Asha reclaimed some of their lost homeland, and are now poised to reconnect with much of their hidden past, rejoining long-lost brethren and refounding a common identity.

Design

The Asha are a collective of anthropomorphic animal-people, the closest approximation of a "Furries" on MassiveCraft. A wide range of animal types are available, from canine to equine to feline, to marsupials and more, with some species classified under separate Lineages (see below). The Asha can have plantigrade legs and feet or digitigrade legs and clawed feet and hands. They can have a wide variety of natural eye colors, as well as natural fur or feather colors and patterns, but there is a great deal of freedom to change, for example using leopard fur patterning for a canine-otter hybrid design. Some unnatural colors are also available to some of the Legacies. It is important to also mention the Half-Asha, who the Asha consider full members of their societies. Half-Asha are Asha born from dominant Asha parentage that show Asha traits. Common appearances are for example animal-like eyes, ears, claws, tails, and legs, but mostly without fur covering their skin.

Cultures

Asha are divided over four so-called Lands which loosely determine their cultural associations and beliefs. This is an important choice for most Asha (though many are born in them) because it defines their outlook on life, and most notably how they interact with Elves and Mages. Historically Elves and Mages have inflicted a lot of pain and suffering on the Asha, and so the Cultures define how they act around Elves, and how they treat Mages. It is possible to change Cultures throughout Roleplay, but choosing one is recommended when beginning a new Character so that others understand how they feel about certain topics, without the Character having to explain complex and potentially nuanced points of view for every Asha they meet.

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Deshret which loosely translates to the red land, are Asha unified in their hatred and search for justice for the pain and historical trauma their people have suffered by the Elves. Deshret Asha can be found all over the world, but most numerously among the Corsair Fleets and Naval Nations, populations of Asha without a true homeland to call their own. Deshret Asha can be expected to always express hostility towards the Elves, and anything related to the Allorn Empire or Oblation Magic, often being at the forefront of the breakdown of this dark institution in the Empire, or agitating for the Regalian Empire to go to war with the Allorn to crush them. Deshret Asha always remember their historical suffering.

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Hedjet which loosely translates to the white land, are Asha who acknowledge the historical suffering of their people at the hands of the Allorn, but who are mostly content that the age of the Pearl Wars is over, and that they can live in relative security without being repeatedly invaded by Elves. It is not unthinkable they might befriend Elves, especially if those Elves have no real connection to the Allorn Empire, or clear descent from those who benefitted from the murder of their ancestors. Hedjet Asha mostly hail from the Ashal States, where they focus on the rebuilding of their legacy and history and customs, while some of the newly born generations even barely know what the Pearl Wars were about. Some might deride the Hedjet for being tone-deaf, but they might be quick to retort that endless cycles of violence are self-perpetuating, and self-immolating.

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Neferu which loosely translates to the beauties or the beautiful land, are largely tolerated by the Deshred and Hedjet Asha, but regarded with suspicion. While the art of Magic is never in itself evil according to modern Asha attitudes, having Magic means a Mage can always hunger for more Magic and more power. In such a case, a Neferu Asha Mage is only a few steps away from calling upon the dark arts and using Oblation Magic as a means of self-empowerment. The Neferu mostly hail from the Silontaar country, but have populations in many nations, even those who have found acceptance in the Allorn Empire given that the Pearl Wars have ended. Their inaction and distance from the Pearl Wars, is still an ongoing sore spot for them, however.

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Kemet which loosely translates to the black land, are nearly universally reviled or feared by the Deshret, Hedjet, and Neferu. They include three distinct populations. First Asha who have abandoned their cultural heritage and started worshiping Evolism. Second the Asha who have gone mad with grief and become death cultists who worship the death gods and thus also embraced Death Magic. Finally, there are the Mystech who were once Asha, having been ripped from the land of the living or their Dewamenet afterlife when the old Khama God stole the afterlife, and used it to invade the Evolist pantheon. In doing so, he became a Void God, but all Asha who joined him or were taken there became Void Spirits. Kemet Asha have a complex and often hostile relation to all others because they are disconnected from the modern world.

Heritage Traits

When designing a Character, Proficiency Points allow for a limited Ability selection with Point Buy Packs. Heritage Traits adds free Packs and Mechanics on top of that to help with cultural themes. Free Packs grant Abilities usually, while Mechanics change the way a character functions in Roleplay through subtle, and usually out of Combat ways. In essence, Mechanics just add aesthetic flair that invest in the niche of each culture. Free Packs never raise Proficiency Points, but the character must be able to purchase them normally. (ex. if a character is a certain Affinity that locks them out of a category, they cannot take that specific free pack and must choose the alternative option.) If a Free Pack grants Magic of some type, that Magic can be of any Alignment the character can normally choose, or limited to a select alignment, which will always be written in the Free Pack description. Mixed Heritage characters (i.e. characters born from two parents of different Cultures) may take one parent's 'Free Packs' and mix and match up to 5 Mechanics from both parents, although some Peoples cannot produce Mixed Heritage children (due to Magical/Fantasy reasons). Half-Asha must still choose a Lineage to be matched with, and can only pick and choose Mechanics from that Lineage.

Free Packs

  • Asha can choose 1 Pack from any Category for free. If any magic is chosen, the player may choose an Alignment between God Magic, Exist, Ordial, Void, and Dragon Magic.
  • Asha can choose 1 non-Ability Pack that is not Magical or Religious in nature. Non-Ability Pack means that it must be a Pack that does not give a Combat Ability.

Lineages

There is a great deal of physical divergence among the Asha, though four major Lineages are considered categorically similar. While all Asha receive the same Free Packs, what Mechanics they receive is dependent on the Lineage they belong to. This choice cannot be changed, and is also relevant to determine the physical characteristics of the Character. It is possible to be a mix of Lineages, but only one Lineage must be chosen for Mechanics. Lineages have no bearing on Cultures, a Remet Asha can belong to Kemet or Deshret culture, and so on. Some caution should be exercised with Silontaar Lineage however, as while they could in theory claim to be Deshret Asha, because they are biologically Magical, other Deshret Asha may reject them.

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Remet Asha
Remet Asha refers to the Asha most genealogically closest to the common Dewamenet ancestor, they are the mammalian-styled "furry" Asha, that specifically excludes any bird-like species. Remet Asha appear like anthropomorphic versions of for example canine, feline, equine, marsupial and more. This can also include hybrids. Remet Asha are by far the most numerous on in the Asha countries, and the Regalian Empire.

Mechanics

  • Remet Asha can control a special substance called Living Metal, which is a solid Metal that becomes liquid by their thought and imagination, and can be reshaped to whatever they can imagine, and telekinetically moved around.
  • Remet Asha have perfect night vision, capable of seeing in dark and low-light environments without needing external lights. Additionally, their claws when struck together create flint and steel like sparks that light up.
  • Remet Asha have a natural bodily reaction to non-combat Magic in their proximity. This can for example cause the fur in their neck to stand upright. It can also be used to warn of a magical presence before it is spotted.
  • Remet Asha have a heightened sense of smell, sight, and hearing out of Combat. This is fairly flexible and should be discussed with people in a scene in terms of what advantages this may give an Asha in varying scenarios.
  • Remet Asha either through a combination of excellent acrobatics, or shock-dampening limbs, or using their claws to slide down buildings, never take damage when falling from heights, so long as this fall is below 50 Blocks.
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Savent Asha
Savent Asha refers to a population of exclusively bird-like anthropomorphic people that split off from the Remet-dominated Dewamenet population and resettled in Fendarfelle during the ending decades of the Dewamenet-Allorn war. The Savent developed entirely differently from the Remet, and as such also have different customs and societal expectations, not to speak of their most notable physical difference, their having wings.

Mechanics

  • Savent Asha can control a special substance called Living Metal, which is a solid metal that becomes liquid by their thought and imagination, and can be reshaped to whatever they can imagine, and telekinetically moved around.
  • Savent Asha have perfect night vision, capable of seeing in dark and low-light environments without needing external lights. Additionally, their claws when struck together create flint and steel-like sparks that light up.
  • Savent Asha can manifest (or have) Wings (of any design: Furred, Feathered), which while not in Combat, allow (Elytra) flight (including the use of Rockets). Combat or Ability usage immediately disables flight.
  • Savent Asha have a heightened sense of smell, sight, and hearing out of Combat. This is fairly flexible and should be discussed with people in a scene in terms of what advantages this may give an Asha in varying scenarios.
  • Savent Asha have a heightened alertness and analytical mind, able to perceive threats and react much faster. They may notice dangers when interacting with Event objects or Characters (Private Message DM's for more info)
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Silontaar Asha
Silontaar Asha refers to a population of exclusively magic-infused anthropomorphic people who don't quite look like real-life animals but have animalistic appearance traits. Within the furry context, Silontaar can best be described as a custom species that takes small aspects of multiple species but looks like nothing in particular. Parts of their body can have magically glowing aspects or colorations, and in general, they look a lot more fantasy-like.

Mechanics

  • Silontaar Asha do not need to sleep or even eat, as they gain sustenance from Magical energies around them. They can eat if they want to, or enter into a trancelike state that approximates sleep but leaves them watchful.
  • Silontaar Asha have perfect night vision, capable of seeing in dark and low-light environments without needing external lights. Additionally, their claws when struck together create flint and steel-like sparks that light up.
  • Silontaar Asha can, once per day, make use of the Magical Variant of the Sealing Pack from Adapt Point Buy. Point-Buying the Pack, or gaining it for free, disables this Mechanic.
  • Silontaar Asha have a heightened sense of smell, sight, and hearing out of Combat. This is fairly flexible and should be discussed with people in a scene in terms of what advantages this may give an Asha in varying scenarios.
  • Silontaar Asha can grant any person the Magical version of Shapeshift Pack for free, but only for an Hour (or the duration of an Event), and with a 7-day Cooldown for that person. This can even apply to Afflicted/Mystech.

Language and Naming

This Otter Asha has some unique fur patterning.
This ringfighter Asha wears a cartouche tablet, which many Asha wear on their belt with their name on it.
An Asha wearing a traditional Satoor with Living Metal decorations.
Jewelry of any kind offers a stylish way of carrying Living Metal around.
Arkenborn Asha have an exceptionally difficult time among anti-Magic Asha.
This Gazelle Asha is one of Akhet's Golden Sons, extremely rare Demigods among the Asha.
Asha acrobats and courtesans are some of the most highest sought after.
Living Metal is often used by Corsair Asha to replace lost limbs.
Living Metal is also used as a makeshift armor, with custom colors.
Asha fur patterns do not need to be realistic, with a great deal of freedom.

The Asha speak a language called Ibeth which is based on real-life ancient Egyptian. However, it should be noted that because Ibeth is considered a reconstructed language from archeological evidence, it is an incomplete language, and takes a lot of loan words from Common (English). Also, because it is a reconstructed language, not all Asha naturally speak Ibeth, as it is only really taught in the Ashal States and the Corsair Fleets. Most Asha who are born in Regalia never learn Ibeth, and more commonly speak the other languages of the Empire. In terms of naming, Asha similarly either have modern Ailor names or Elven given names depending on where they were born, but many Asha have also started embracing Ibeth naming practices. Based on ancient Egyptian, these names can be complicated, because most online resources just re-iterate the names of priests and pharaohs without discussing the names of the common people. Here are some examples of how to construct Ibeth names with the information we have within the lore.

Khama-Based Naming

Khama-based naming refers to a common habit for a person to be called "Son of X" or "Made of Y". These are honorifics given at birth and end up being used as first names, but can also be adopted at a later point in life to honor a specific God of the Khama Pantheon. Even Asha who are not Khama faithful can have these names because the Khama Gods doubled as divine individuals as well as secular rulers of the Dewamenet Empire. It is also common for Asha in the Regalian Empire to have both a Khama-based name and a more common name used among non-Asha like a nickname. This naming process is complex and requires a lot of trial and error. If you need help, you can make use of a [spreadsheet] we have provided to simplify the process or inquire in a ticket. Common name prefixes are Sahu (spiritual body of), Sa or Si (son of), Sat (daughter of), Mose or Mes (born of), or Menkau (established in the soul of). Then, either the first or last syllable of the Gods is used to compose names, for example for Tjafar, these would be "Tja" or "Far", while Ra-Mut's syllables would be "Ra" or "Mut". Names can either be single words or have a hyphen (-) to separate the syllables. Thus, finally composing a few name examples:

  • Sahutja would be "the Spiritual body of Tjafar"
  • Sat-Kha would be "the daughter of Khannar"
  • Menkau-Ra would be "established in the soul of Ra-mut"
  • Narmose would be "born of Khannar", except the syllables are switched around.
  • Rasa would be "son of Ra-mut", except the syllables are switched around.

If you need help composing a good name, please make a Ticket. It is perfectly acceptable to source names from the internet, please just try to avoid naming your Character Imhotep or Rameses or Tutankhamun, or such familiar names from historical people. Generally speaking, you should prioritize names that are easy to pronounce and not too overcomplicated long, while feeling unique to your character. Surnames are not common in Ibeth, though a frequent way to identify someone is by using the "of placename" suffix. This can either be existing cities in the Regalian Empire (or even Regalia), but is more commonly cities in the Ashal States, of which here follows a short list: Akhiza, Siwakhet, Nasar, Lunet, Lahun, Per-Wadjet, Tjebu, Zwajet, Akhet-aten, Bukhama and so forth.

Brief History

The Lost Era

The Lost Era defines a period during which the Asha referred to themselves as Dewa, based on the state name Dewamenet. As Dewa, the Asha were the preeminent Empire of the time, with high technological progress, though recent archeology and events in Regalia implicate the Empire as being tyrannical towards its neighboring people, and even to its subjects. What little is known of this Empire, was that Magic was strictly banned and any born Mages were killed. This Empire's technology was seemingly steam-based, and had some advanced knowledge of electricity and conductivity as well as battery-powered factories, with machines building vast cities and operating complex irrigation systems. The Empire frequently invaded neighboring countries to enforce their anti-Magic policy, which eventually led to conflict with the rising Allorn Empire. This Dewamenet-Allorn war became all-defining for the next 15,000 years, as it destroyed the Dewamenet Empire, the near total destruction of the Asha, and the rise of the Allorn Empire as the undisputed magical hegemon of the world.

The Dark Era

The Dark Era defines a period during which the Asha were reeling from the destruction of their Empire, and the loss of the vast majority of their population. The magical event that the Elves used was described as a terrible climate shift in the region that was so strong, that it has lasted to this day. It was as if the Gods of the Elves decreed that all moisture or liquid would be deprived of every living and unliving thing in the Empire, drawing it closer to the frontline of the war. In essence, all moisture was drained from the heartland of the Dewamenet Empire and forced into a small strip of land that would later become known as No Man's Land, an impassable jungle with impossible high humidity. The entire Dewamenet Empire's core heartland became an unlivable desert in a near instant, all machines ground to a complete halt because of a lack of water to fuel steam power, and the batteries ran dry. All living beings died as their body was deprived of moisture, and those lucky enough to survive eventually died from thirst in this endless wasteland. The cities were eventually buried under the sand, and much of the heartland forgotten. It is said by the Kemet, that in the split second before this event occurred, Gahan stole the Khama Afterlife, and the capital of the Dewamenet Empire with it, killing all its inhabitants and turning them into Spirits while seceding into the Void to render the remaining Khama Gods incapable of doing anything about it.

The Pearl Wars

The worst period in Asha history, which spanned up until the Cataclysm, was the Pearl Wars, so named because of its relation to the Oblation Magic used by the Elves. How the Elves learned Oblation Magic is unclear though some rumor it was the Death-Goddess the Charnel who taught them. Oblation Magic involves capturing the soul of a dead person who cannot pass into the afterlife, eviscerating their soul, their memories, their emotions, and their feelings, and congealing into a single pearl of magical potency. This pearl could then be used to amplify the Magic of those who held them, and they suddenly came in massive demand in the Allorn Empire. Vast armies of Elves ventured into the blasted wasteland that was once the Dewamenet Empire, to capture the defenseless roaming souls of the dead Dewamenet citizens, using Oblation Magic to kill them one final time and use the remnant of their souls as nothing but vulgar fuel for their own internal Mage-Wars. When the Elves ran out of Dewamenet Souls to consume, they ventured out to the hinterlands where the Asha had survived. The Dewamenet Empire was vast and had many lands outside of the modern-day Ithanian heartland, and so Elven ships ventured beyond the high seas in search of these ex-Dewamenet colonies that still had Asha in them. They would find them far afield from the Ashal Islands (which were subsequently abandoned) to Nordskag, the Regalian Archipelago, and even Hadar where some Dewa had fled to hide. Their cyclical raids became a near five-yearly occurrence, where they would inflict death on the local populations, and then harvest their souls to produce more Oblation Magic Pearls, to bring back to the Allorn Empire to help amplify their power. These raids were filled with such mockery and cruelty, with the Elves making theatric displays of their arrival and heralding the supremacy of the victors over the vanquished. When the Asha speak of their historical trauma, it is this period, even if there are no Asha left alive today who experienced the Pearl Wars first hand.

The Pearl Wars ended when the Cataclysm struck. Due to the complexity of Oblation Magic in being a combination of potent Ordial Magic and Exist Magic, the world was no longer capable of sustaining the kind of Magic required to produce these pearls. Secondly, the Cataclysm provided enough of a momentum that weakened the Elven gods to the point that the Khama Gods as few as there were left, felt emboldened to reveal themselves from hiding. They quickly conspired to produce a pseudo-afterlife called the Duat, which in reality was nothing more than a waiting room for an actual afterlife that is believed to be dull and in a state of non-consciousness for those inside it. It did, however, remove the precondition for Asha souls to have Oblation Magic inflicted upon them, as it gave them an afterlife to have their souls pass into, thus denying the Elves the ability to snatch them. The Allorn Elves and Allorn Revivalists take no responsibility for the suffering of the Pearl Wars, indicating that they believe this was simply the plight of the conquered, insisting that the Asha would have done it no other way if they had won the war and discovered that Elven ears could be used as fuel for their machines. The Wars were so historically significant because they continued for thousands of years on a cyclical 5 or 10 year basis. The sheer population growth stunting that occurred because of it means that the Asha are still not numerically comparable to the Ailor or Elves to this day, despite being older people than both. Oblation Magic Pearls have largely disappeared from the world, though rarely, one might still encounter these ancient magical objects, always betrayed by their sickly green and blue glow, and a distinct hunger they encourage in anyone who lays eyes upon them, even those who deeply revile these objects.

The Light Era

The Light Era defines the post-Cataclysm period during which some of the Asha have started re-settling the lands that were previously depopulated by the Pearl Wars. The most notable of which are the Ashal States off the coast of the former Allorn Empire (now Ailor colonies). Asha have populated nearly every known continent with some even daring to live among Elves, while far flung populations like the Savent and Silontaar have been re-connected with the wider Asha population after millennia of isolation away from the Pearl Wars. Some Asha even, have resorted to an exhaustive mission of revenge referred to as the Claw Wars, a mockery of the concept of the Pearl Wars, by which the Asha Corsair fleets raid coastal Elven settlements. Unlike the orchestrated and theatric Pearl Wars however, the Claw Wars are just disorganized revenge killing because it feels good to them, a fact that makes more than half the Asha population quite uneasy with the brutality of the Corsairs. Regalia has since become a hub for Asha-Revival, with knowledge both being freely shared and discussed, and potentially being suppressed and silenced to ensure the Asha do not grow too confident in their desire to re-build their Empire.

Religions

  • Khama The most obvious and majority religion for the Asha is Khama, which was once an ethnoreligion for them but is slowly being rediscovered to be so much more and inclusive of other peoples.
  • Unionism is the second most common Religion for Asha, especially those born in the Regalian Empire. The Asha are represented by Asha Gods in the Unionist Pantheon, which makes it very appealing.
  • Estelley Any Asha who worships Estelley is deeply, deeply strange. Estelley as a religion was used to empower the genocide of the Asha, and is an Elven ethno-religion, so there is no compatibility.
  • Fornoss There are some Fornoss Asha communities, particularly in Nordskag where some Asha communities survived throughout the Pearl Wars, and integrated with the Fornoss Ailor, but abandoned Khama.
  • Evolism Evolism is a surprisingly common religion among Asha, especially those who court the Dark Gods for powers to take vengeance on the Elves, or just support Gahan and his Dream-Dewamenet.
  • Draconism Draconism does not have a strong Asha representation in it, but Asha can be Draconists if they resonate with the dogmatic virtues or mechanical themes of world-creation in Draconism.

Asha and Magic

The Asha do not universally hate Magic. There is perhaps a common understanding among them now, that it was largely their extremist purist policies that led to the destructive Dewamenet-Allorn War, and subsequent Pearl Wars. The majority of the revulsion of Asha concerning Magic is aimed at the seductive power of Magic can lead one to justify and commit great evil with a few simple hand gestures. A fire mage himself is not distinctly a problem (though there would be many Asha with knee-jerk hostile reactions even at the sight of any Magic), but said fire mage's desire for ever bigger and hotter fire. Eventually, he would simply run out of his own body or soul's capacity to draw enough magic from the respective realms to cast. In such a case, the fire mage would seek other ways to empower their Magic, which to the Asha is a downward spiral that ends in Oblation Magic. While Oblation Magic became impossible after the Cataclysm, there have recently been signs that it has once again become possible with select rogue Allorn Mages experimenting with Oblation Magic, and worse, it has become cast-able without the need for that person's soul to be denied by any afterlife. Oblation Magic has evolved, and so too has the vigilance of the Asha evolved from a continual purist hate of Magic to a suspicion and paranoia, that any Mage could at any point in time be seduced by the cheapest and easiest but most violent route to power without bounds. There are, however, still many purist Asha who are completely in agreement with the Lothar, though they are generally considered quite radical.

Asha and Elves

The attitude of the Asha, especially those who care a lot about the Pearl Wars history or their revulsion against Oblation Magic, tends to project itself onto the Elves as a whole. The Asha are taught for decades, in every school, in every nursery rhyme, and in every story re-telling of the Gods or the priests or even just their distant family's history, that the Elves are without moral and without value for life. They are taught from the day they are born that Allorn society carries within it a cultural darkness fostered by Talea the greatest killer in history, that justifies such indifference to the suffering of others. There are many Asha who learn that some element of this is exaggeration or a hypocritical form of bigotry born out of fear of otherlings. Many Asha who come to Regalia are predisposed with an inability to see Elves as real people, but rather see them as Demons, and many struggle to overcome years of cultural indoctrination, to treat Elves as equals. We encourage Players to play with the concepts of taught hatred, and learned growth, and see the potential for character development as Regalia's melting pot cosmopolitan culture allows their Characters to see the historical nuance and complexity of the individual, but Players are also more than welcome to imply in their backstory that their Character already overcame this historical conditioning.

Culture

This section covers Remet Asha Culture as it was known from rediscovered or surviving customs from the Dewamenet. There is overlap with the other Asha Lineages, but niche cultural habits like fashion are discussed in their Lineage Expanded lore further below.

Fashion

Asha clothing is often very simple in its application of garments yet rich in texture and patterning. Beyond a simple chest cloth worn by women and leather straps worn by men to attach objects to, most Asha rarely wear any clothing on their upper body when they don’t seek a reason to blend into other societies. On their lower bodies meanwhile, all wear a so-called Satoor, a dress-like clothing piece often in earthen or burgundy color tones with a variety of intricate patterns in vibrant colors that spans from the waist to the ground. These Satoors are often specially tailored to allow a tail to protrude from the back, and also have individual cuts on the front and sides to allow a free range of motion for Asha in combat. The Satoor is, in fact, a crucial piece for many cultural traditions of the Asha. As part of decoration for the Satoor, high officials may also wear shoulder capes or shoulder pelts from regional bovines. Jewelry is also a very much prized accessory for all genders of Asha, with numerous necklaces and ear piercings being the norm in adults. The Asha recognize the difference between a civilian Satoor and a combat Satoor in that combat Satoor cut off at the knees, while those for civilians end at the ankle or a bit higher. The Asha also have a fabric that was once unique to them alone, produced by the coastal Asha which has since expanded world-wide. Elastan, a form of lycra, is made from natural blue threads excreted by a unique coral species. The fabric is inherently liquid deterrent, and Elastan clothing made by the Asha usually covers their arms and shoulders, as well as their legs and waist, but does not cover their torso. Elastan was eventually also mixed with other fabrics, creating Peltastan, a form of wooly spandex. It has properties similar to those of Elastan, being form-fitting and soft, but Peltastan is not water-repelling. Peltastan clothing is usually worn on the torso and upper leg area, while a half-Satoor is worn over it like a battle skirt, often with shoulder pads to boot. Such pads are often light and decorative, as Asha effectively do not wear armor, in order to benefit from their superior agility over other Races. When protection is required, Living Metal is capable of forming a quick, sleek coating for their defense.

Mannerisms

Mannerisms are small niche behaviors Asha might display in Roleplay that enhances their themes.

  • Asha tails are immensely important, both physically and culturally. They are considered a deeply personal extension of the mind, with touch being extreme taboo without permission.
  • Tails can also be used to indicate intent. Tails aiming up can be a sign of intimidation or taunting, tails swaying can be a sign of approval or liking something, while tails wrapping around legs can indicate fear.
  • Tails can also be used to touch others, which is considered an intimate gesture. A tail coiling or stroking someone else's leg is considered a very forward non-verbal flirtation.
  • Most (but not all) Asha use a form of guttural sound for communication also. Growling, and purring, though not barking, are part of the vocal routine of most Asha when indicating pleasure or displeasure.
  • Pulling or cutting an Asha's tail is considered an extreme insult. Tail cutting is a common practice among those with bigotry towards the Asha, with Asha seeking to replace lost tails with living metal.
  • Asha treat half-Asha as part of their culture, so long as they have made an effort to be part of Asha culture. Half-Asha who belong to other cultures receive apathetic responses from full Asha.
  • Asha transition between bipedal and quadruped movement for a variety of reasons, for example while vaulting over things, or while crawling under obstacles, or to move around faster.
  • Asha dress style is very much non-gendered. All genders wear the Satoor (a half-dress with a parted opening on the side), while female Asha may opt for a chest binding if it is culturally appropriate in Regalia.
  • Asha are highly sensitive to the killing and eating of members of their people, as Khama holds that people who are refused by the afterlife, are reborn as wild animals in Aloria, such as lions or dogs.

Expanded Lore

Expanded Lore exists to apply more content to the Savent and Silontaar Asha, whose culture differs from the Remet Asha mostly discussed on this page, as well as other concepts that may be relevant to Asha roleplay or deep-lore exploration. This section is optional reading, though if you play a Silontaar or Savent, reading at least their sections is encouraged.

Gahan and Kemet

Gahan and Kemet are some of the recently most complicated aspects about the Asha experience. Gahan was once a god of the Khama pantheon, but under mysterious circumstances left said Pantheon, taking the Dewamenet afterlife with him, and breaking into the Void. While doing so, he used the Dewamenet afterlife and all the souls within as an army to effectively conquer a part of the Void, and crown himself Spirit Emperor, with all Void Spirits obeying his will one way or another. While the Spirits still wage war on one another, Gahan rules over the divided chaos absolute, and his Kemet Demons have a special role to play in his keeping the Dewamenet Dream alive in Kemet. Kemet refers to the Black Land, the name the Asha have given to this material afterlife that now exists somewhere between the real world and the Void. They consider it a black land, because anytime anyone has had visions or dreams of the place, it is always represented by a glowing black obsidian pyramid, in which Gahan sits on his throne keeping a fragmented memory of the Dewamenet Empire alive in the afterlife. In essence, while the Dewamenet Empire was destroyed, the capital and the afterlife merged and become one place, which was then tainted by the Void, though it did keep many Dewamenet alive for eternity while the rest of their Empire crumbled.

Gahan's Spirits in turn, are also playable. When designing a Mystech Character, it is recommended to paid Gahan loyalism/an Asha inspired Spirit as an Unbound Spirit. Gahan has several lieutenants, most important of which are the cruel and wroth commander Senetaph who leads the military legions of Kemet, Satjaraf-en the administrator who keeps the historical records of the Dewamenet and Kemet, and Barubast the shipwright who controls the access point to Kemet and ferries souls in and out on the black river, a proverbial magical gateway. While these Spirits should always be played with immense trepedation to reveal any information about Kemet (because we cannot logistically reveal deep lore to only part of the player base), these Asha Spirits should endeavor to be pro-Asha and reasonably align themselves with the Asha community in Regalia, despite its potential opposition to their presence or public cooperation. For better or worse, Gahan's Spirits are a window into the past, and their master despite being corrupted by his lust for power in the Void, still holds a dear place in his heart for his people and their plight, and so many of Gahan's Spirits are exceptional Elf-killers and tricksters.

Both Khama as a faith, and Asha society culturally speaking, have a complicated relation with Sprits. Spirits were not overtly used to torment the Asha during the Dewamenet war or subsequent Pearl Wars, but are inherently made of dark Magic, the stuff that was used to murder their kin. Spirits are unaccountable and unpredictable, and their pro-Asha attitude (at least for the Gahan Spirits) is at best fickle, with a Spirit perhaps deciding to murder some Asha it does not like out of boredom or a desire to consume its soul. Still, these Spirits can provide invaluable assistance or information to the cause, and even those who do not consider themselves part of the Kemet Asha cultural Land, might indulge in a bit of Spirit summoning or bartering just to get an edge on the Elves, who still have the upper hand because of their Magic usage.

Savent Asha Expanded Lore

Savent Asha would almost be considered an entirely different people by outsiders, but they are most certainly Asha, and hybrids of species-appearances between Savent and other Asha are part of their heritage too. The Savent Asha descend from a group of peoples that objected so violently to the war between the Dewamenet Empire and the Allorn Empire on the principle of non-aggression and not hating Magic, that they left the Dewamenet Empire in search for lands far away from either Empire, or Empires as a whole. The Savent at the time believed that violence was an inherent quality of Empires, and as such, people should avoid creating large geo-political powers. They settled in a largely (by Regalia) unmapped continent north of Guldar called Qelis, a temperate lake-rich land where the Savent have established 231 smaller Kingdoms and Republics that all live in perfect harmony, but are equally rather poor when compared to other countries around the world.

Savent Asha are without exception, either fully Avian Asha (think Eagle, Raven, Hawk, Owl), or a hybrid between Avian Asha and mammalian Asha (for example, an eagle face with long dog ears and cat lower legs but an Avian upper body and tail). All Savent Asha have beaks, and all of them have avian forearms and claws, while some of them have wings including regal plumage. Savent Asha are otherwise physically similar to other Asha and Asha Lineages, except that they will a visual niche that is not existent in any other heritage or culture, bar from perhaps the avian (Maquixtl Genos Form), who fall squarely in the terror-bird category only.

The major difference besides appearance niches between Savent Asha and all other Asha, is that their psyche is in essence completely devoid of all trauma that many other Asha suffer from when looking at their history and the state of their people across the world. While there certainly is empathy and pity for the Pearl Wars, there is an equal yet soft-spoken sentiment among the Savent, that the Dewamenet got what they deserved because of what they tried to do to the Elves. The Savent rejected the Dewamenet-Allorn War in all its senseless brutality (from their perspective), and deem the outcome to have "occurred in equal measure onto the Elves, to be fed to the Dewamenet Machine as fuel". Many of them in essence claim, that whatever hardships would have befallen the Asha, would have been inflicted onto the Elves if the Dewamenet had won, and that this is not a unique victimization of the Asha, but rather a sign of the more widespread depravity and hubris of Empire-politics. A particularly sore topic for those who have to hear the same sentiment as an excuse, from an Elven Allorn Apologist.

That is not to say that all Savent think that the Asha "got what they deserved", there is always a very fine line to walk between being genuinely empathetic towards the historical suffering of the Asha, and finding the right time to discuss the causes and implications of the actions of the Asha forefathers. The Savent insist that the Dewamenet were far from innocent, and engaged in equal measure of genocide as the Elves did, it just so happened to be the case that the Elves did it better (and faster). Savent can be genuinely included in interest groups who seek to discover more of their lost historical heritage and have very real passion and emotion towards the rediscovery of lost information. There remains however, the concern from other Asha, or the thought in the back of one's mind, that a Savent is only there out of recreational reasons, and can never fully understand what it means to re-discover a culture that was so violently destroyed by the conqueror. At the end of the day, Savent can return to their own unique culture that has flourished independently from a desire to return to the old Dewamenet.

Savent Culture is based on real-world Achaemenid period Persia Minor cultures (such as Lydean and Phrygean or other Anatolian Cultures of that period). However, because there is no real linguistic survival from this period, we use Achaemenid names for the people, but still use Ancient Egyptian as their language. Despite their cultural deviation, the Savent have held onto Ibeth, as well as Khama as a religion, even adopting the more modern interpretations as die-hard belief in their faith waned over time, and they had to ironically resort to the diluted oral survival of the captive Asha to fill the gaps. The Savent are a culture with a very strong emphasis on metallurgy, particularly working with noble metals like gold and silver, which form threads throughout their other customs and traditions. Music is for example also important to them, with several instruments being credited to their invention, and always finely decorated with in-laid gold and silver threading.

Savent clothing is far simpler when compared to the Asha Satoor with its complex patterns, relying more heavily on the opulence of all that sparkles yet having very vibrant but simple patterns. The Savent tend to lean more in the direction of pacifism or at the least non-violence, vowing only to act in self-defense. That being said, Savent can be ferocious fighters, especially with their sharp beaks and talons, and several Savent arena fighters have gained fame in the Regalian Empire for their ruthless tactics in the ring. The Savent have a more cultural streak than the other Asha, enjoying the finer things in life, and attaching less value to status symbols and vanity. It should be noted, that the metals that the Savent work with (and can create with their hands) are not actual Gold and Silver, but imitation metals like Electrum, which is why having a Savent friend is not a get-rich-quick scheme.

Silontaar Asha Expanded Lore

Being reworked during the Khama Update

Gallery of Art

Asha are really cool and awesome, and lots of art has been made of them.

Trivia

  • There is credible evidence to suggest that the Asha along with the Meraic were the second people to make it into the upper terrasphere of Aloria and install the equivalency of satellites in orbit, but all knowledge of how they did this has been lost to time.
  • There are a total of sixteen Corsair Fleets in operation across Aloria, but five are most notable among their number. These include the Medes Fleet led by the unique dual leadership of Ladies Saalamun and Vasnaf, the Sefetjew Fleet led by Lord Kahnef or “Lord Demon-claw” and the Kheni-Hetef Fleet led by Lord Ammunakhonet, an Undead warrior who has led his fleet since it was created nearly three centuries ago.
  • Asha are routinely subject to accidental racism in Regalia, either due to over-familiar expectation of animalistic behaviors or similarities, or because Ailor try to be comedic with them, and end up comparing them to domestic animals. Don't do that.

Accreditation
WritersMonMarty
ArtistsMonMarty
ProcessorsWaterDruppel, FireFan96
Last EditorOkaDoka on 09/28/2024.

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