The Ashrain Manifesto
The Ashrain Manifesto was written and distributed by political scientist and survivor of the Great Cataclysm Sarah Voss just a few years after the arrival of the Ash Gods and the devastation of the planet Earth. A member of the traveling tribe known as the Yellowstone Nomads, Voss was present at the Battle of Blackstone, a true military conflict between the Nomads and a sect of the brutal, cannibalistic gang/cult known as the Carvers. After seeing the Nomads triumph over the Carvers thanks to their unity and cooperation, even without a defined leader, Voss composed the Manifesto to unite the remnants of humanity, distributing it as far and wide as possible to rally all survivors to come together in harmony and in peace to rebuild society and give humanity another chance beneath the ash clouds. Though the document was reviled by many groups, including the Carvers, it was accepted and met with enthusiastic support by many others who still believed in the potential of humanity despite the destruction of the world. It could have led to the reunification of human civilization and a potential fresh start for the human race on Ashrain. However, tragically, this was cut short by the proliferation of the disease known as the Searing Plague, which wiped out over two-thirds of the remants of humanity and scattered the rest to the winds. The Manifesto was not lost during this period, but it was rejected by virtually all survivors of the blight as impossible and pointless in the face of the doom that awaited humanity.
The Ashrain Manifesto's most notable contribution to humanity following its death due to the desolation of the Searing Plague was the widespread use of the term 'Ashrain' to refer to the former planet Earth. Readers of the Manifesto began to use the moniker en masse, and it stuck in many groups even after the losses sustained during the plague. Some attribute the coining of the name to Sarah Voss herself, though it is more likely that she heard it from another in an isolated group that had adopted it as their chosen term and decided to publicize it in her manuscript. As such, the name 'Ashrain' was popularized by the Manifesto and became perhaps its most enduring legacy.
Purpose
The Ashrain Manifesto aimed to convince human survivors of the Great Cataclysm that humanity still had something to offer in the new world of Ashrain. It proposed the reformation of society under the principles of unity and cooperation, calling on all human beings to come together to preserve their species and fight for a better tomorrow. It also outlined proposals for sustainable living in the harsh new environment, with methods of water harvesting not relying on the brutal tactics of groups such as the Carvers outlined in detail and propositions for locations to establish new cities and permanent settlements. The Manifesto also called for a return to basic human rights and privileges, denouncing and condemning the actions of groups such as the Carvers and the Birthers as inhumane and evil. It proposed the formation of leading councils to govern humanity and a heavy emphasis on the proliferation of and sharing of knowledge and education. It also introduced frameworks for peaceful resolution of conflicts based on the horrific outcome of the Battle of Blackstone, which author Sarah Voss witnessed and was a part of.
Historical Details
Public Reaction
Public reaction to the publication of the Manifesto and its widespread distribution was mixed. Groups such as the Carvers and the Birthers were staunchly against its tenets, having been expressly called out and denounced in its pages themselves. However, general public reaction was enthusiastic and gleeful, with many smaller groups of survivors eager to unite and end the suffering brought about by the devastation of Earth. The military organization of rebels known as the Uprising were immediate signatories and supporters of the Manifesto, and came to act as its militant arm in future conflicts with those who would be its undoing.
Legacy
When the Searing Plague began to spread throughout humanity, the worst affected groups were the most populous. The airborne plague spread within the settlements and confines founded by the newly formed government like wildfires through the brush, killing millions. In response, the unified societies broke apart, scattering to the winds once again. Unfortunately, it was already too late, as the Searing had spread to too many people to be quarantined or isolated to any one group or individual. Over two-thirds of the surviving remnants of humanity following the Great Cataclysm died from the Searing Plague, and the few who survived were so dispersed that any future unification seemed virtually impossible. As such, the Manifesto and its goals died too soon, leaving humanity hopeless and alone in the harsh world of Ashrain.
Term
The Ashrain Manifesto remained in force amongst the new society it strived to perfect for several years. In that time, multiple new alliances and factions formed with the aim of uniting under the Manifesto as a founding document of government, with author Sarah Voss at its head. There was even the formation of a unified governing body responsible for hundreds of thousands of people, and the beginnings of a cultural rennaissance in which some return to the knowledge and ways of the old world thrived. Unfortunately, however, this period of human resurgence and peace only lasted a few short years before the disease known as the Searing Plague afflicted humanity and put a stop to all acts of unification.
Type
Statement, Political (Manifesto)
Medium
Paper
Location
Authors
Signatories (Organizations)
Comments