Ashoshani

At a Glance

The citizens are moody and sullen. The streets clear quickly at nightfall, and the people treat strangers politely but coolly. The authorities brook no argument, and the populace avoids them for the most part.

Temples

The Halls of the Valiant, the Courts of Justice, and the Temple of the Three Strengths all have major temples here. The Assembly of Light has a large following, but the faith is suffering from a series of scandals involving its senior clerics, large gambling debts and the Ashoshani thieves' guild.
The Council banned the religious rites of the evil faiths within the capital city, so they have located their temples just outside the city walls. Most are further on the decline, though, as local lords are raising opposition to the more evil sects. The Church of Endless Night, the Conventicle of Affliction, and the Temple of Strife are three that have somehow survived the ban and they have surprisingly many ardent followers. Amihn Ghanim, Purger and ranking clerk in Ashoshani of the Emperor of Scorn, has recently garnered enough funds to build a temple for his hundred or so followers. His personal and magical ability to influence the emotions of his followers will undoubtedly cause acts of hare and even riots in the streets.

Mages & Sages

Onahu Wisha, the Royal Sage, advises and protects the king. Onahu is rarely present personally, however. He casts a few spells on His Majesty and then engages in his own projects. His latest hobby is golem construction, and the most recent is an iron giant. Wisha also patrols the streets with common constables, reminding the good folk of Ashoshani that they are well cared-for.
Desveminh the Warlord poses a mystery for the locals. He has been openly hiring and equipping mercenaries and is known to worship the Flaymaster, yet the otherwise implacable Wisha has taken no action against him. Rumor says that Wisha is eager to move against the Warlord, but that a word from the king stayed his hand.

Underworld

Several pirates put to shore in Ashoshani, but the captains know they are nor welcome and keep their stays short and quiet. Their stories, told in the smoky back rooms of inns, attract young ruffians eager for excitement and quick wealth. The pirates, although present, have little or no impact on the city's crime.
Of far greater import is the presence of a cult of Yuan-ti led by Jinazsu Han. The three yuan-ti leaders are away from their Vohven Jungle home in search of a band of thieves who entered their temple two years ago and made off with several religious artifacts. The artifacts are not magical, but they are of foremost importance in an upcoming ritual, and the nagas are growing anxious. The trio also actively recruits human followers - and sacrifices - for their cult.

Demographics

87,900 Humans (mostly Svimohz). The city has few, if any, Elves or half-elves, and the number of other non-humans is less than 1,000. About one in ten of the humans show signs of non-Svimohzish heritage. They might be Brandobian, Dejy, Kalamaran or Reanaarese.

Government

The city is the western and national capital of Ozhvinmish. King Shahn III rules this city directly though, curiously, the King traditionally resides in Vinahn, a citadel on the coast fifty miles east of the capital. King Shahn, following a tradition set down generations ago, has appointed a council of five men to see to the city's domestic affairs. He cunningly chose clerics :4 different faiths, knowing that they would spend their time arguing theology and philosophy instead of trying to undermine his power base.
Hero Zinh Zhamish, the senior priest of both the Halls of the Valiant and the Council, recognized this tendency of the council after another lawful good Cleric nearly declared war on his temple during a discussion of tariffs. During council hours, none may discuss Religion. Instead, the five of them meet socially afterward to discuss their faiths in a friendlier atmosphere, such as one of their homes. Zhamish's efforts have been spectacular so far; the clerics work together for the good of the city and their temples benefit as well.

Defences

Most of the military travel mounted on the quick and agile horses that roam the northern portions of the island. Patrols of horsemen stay on the road leading south through the forest day and night, keeping it safe and neat for their own use (incidentally making it very useful for merchants and other travelers as well). The army garrison includes 500 heavy cavalry (lamellar armor, shield, sword, and flail), twice that many light cavalry (padded armor, shortbow, and scimitar), and several companies each of heavy infantry and hobilars (lamellar, shield, and sword).
The captain of the hobilars, Azhanimahr Shenshal is trying to make his own position obsolete by training all of his men to fight as cavalry. He has been successful so far in making their standard equipment nearly identical to the nation's cavalry, and over the last few years, several of his lieutenants have made the transition smoothly.

Industry & Trade

The city thrives on the sale of gems and fine jewelry, and many master jewelers live there. The city purchases raw gems and sells polished ones. Ashoshani also has a strong lumber trade and a powerful shipwright guild. Many ships on the Straits of Svimohzia were built From Miznoh Forest lumber and a good portion of those were built by Ashoshani shipbuilders. The large galleys (almost flat enough to be barges) they build handle calm seas and rivers with ease, they handle rough winds well but very rough water can tip them over. On the other hand, the ships carry huge amounts of cargo. Caravans of them, protected by other more mobile vessels, are the lifeblood of more than a few nations that rely on sea trade. They sell for up to 40,000 gold pieces each.

Points of interest

Wisha's mentor, the famous wizard Tonaku Izahn, built a series of statues of rose-colored quartz. These statues of nine strong men in ancient swords and armor line Ash Cloud Street near the Temple of the Three Strengths. Many people attribute them with magical or mysterious powers, but they radiate no magical aura. Wisha says his mentor was not finished with them, and he claims not to know their purpose. He cannot explain why one was found half a mile away one day in a different pose than it had held the previous night.
The Last One Inn is a known meeting place for the infamous pirate Onsar Yahul. Yahul puts to shore with no less than a dozen of his men. They are all fearsome warriors with their cutlasses and their reputation for using poisoned daggers keeps otherwise intrepid men from starting fights with them. Yahul is always polite when in town, and the innkeeper has seen no reason to ask him to leave.

Type

Capital

Population

88,900