Commonly known as "Marsh Barbarians," the Ashanti are nomads who currently live in the Khûrloth Marshes, the Borderlands, and in the Cinderlands region of Gwynne.
The Ashanti people are originally descended from the Rynnish, but have long since developed a unique culture of their own. Since they are quite reclusive, little is known today about Ashanti customs or history. Ashanti tribal homes located in marshlands are usually small, round huts made of reeds, which float upon the swampy waters. Their tents and yurts in the Cinderlands are usually made from canvas or animal hides.
One well-known aspect of Ashanti culture is their reverence of the God of Stone. Over the millennia, Ashanti shamans erected many great stone obelisks, which can be still be found scattered throughout the Kingdom of Gwynne and several surrounding regions. The Ashanti believe these sacred obelisks hold magical powers and call them "Totems."
The Ashanti of the Khûrloth Marshes have long been enemies with Lizard-folk, who often raid their settlements in search of slaves or plunder. Their tribes have also had to deal with Orc raids which come down from the Frostcrown Mountains and attack their northernmost settlements. As a result of this long history of hostility, Ashanti warriors show their hated enemies no quarter.
For centuries, there has also been intermittent conflict between the southern Ashanti tribes of the Cinderlands and the Thannish people of Gwynne. Gwynnish raids on Ashanti villages occur regularly, and there is great hostility between these two ethnic groups. Over the centuries, nearly a dozen wars have broken out between the Gwynnish and Ashanti. However, over the last 40 years, a fragile peace has existed between the two peoples.
Ashanti culture has been formed by near-constant conflicts with both their harsh living environment and their various hostile neighbors. These challenges have made their people hardy and tenacious, but also mistrustful. Most Ashanti dream of one day, regaining their lost homelands and believe they are honor-bound to defeat all who would dismiss them as nothing more than primitive barbarians.
Language
The Ashanti people speak their own unique language, but many who dwell in the marshlands also speak Adari. The tribes living in the Cinderlands also speak the Thannish dialect of Gwynne. Regardless of their race, Ashanti call all outsiders "T'shamek."
Tribes
The five largest known Ashanti tribes are: the Shar-Quan, the Ake'Tomar, the Ko-Han, the Sko-Var, and the Tanjah.
History
The Ashanti people can trace their history back to the early Third Age. At their peak, the Ashanti tribes developed an advanced civilization which maintained a devout religious culture, centered around the worship of Lehr; the Elemental-God of Stone.
Early Ashanti tribes built several temples throughout the lands of what is today, the Kingdom of Gwynne. By the end of Third Age, most of these temples were abandoned by the Ashanti when the Thannish drove them into the Cinderlands and across the Frostcrown Mountains. The Thanns later destroyed most of these structures.
Legend has it; the ancient Ashanti were closely allied with the Elder-Elves of Ectharë, and may have actually fought against the Dark-Elves in the War of Wrath. Some sages have theorized that the Ashanti people were so respected by the ancient elves that as a reward for their loyalty, their priests were entrusted with several important elven artifacts for safe-keeping. Sages have even found ancient Ashanti obelisks inscribed with the word "Shali-mar," which means "Elf-friend' in the elven tongue.
One of the most important Ashanti temples was called "Na'Drak," which was located in the center of their ancient city of "A'Shorah." In the Third Age, a Thannish warlord named Gareth Gwynnett conquered A'Shorah, and it became the capital of the Barony of Ghastonne. Over time, the city was re-named Ashara, and is today, the capital of Gwynne. After he scattered the Ashanti people into exile, Lord Gareth ordered their temple of Na'Drak destroyed and built Castle Manticore upon its ruins.
Religion
Ashanti view the world as a place of joy and life, not of sin and suffering. They believe that the divine is all around them in the surrounding natural world, not in some faraway place in the sky. The Ashanti hold a deep reverence for nature and the earth, with a particular fondness for stones and rocks as the foundations of all life, from which everything grows.
