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 since developed a unique culture of their own. Since they are quite reclusive, little is known about their customs or history.
One part of Ashanti culture is their reverence of Lehr; the God of Stone. Over the millenia, Ashanti shamans carved hundreds of great stone obelisks, which can be found scattered throughout the Borderlands, and northern Gwynne.
Because they live in marshlands, Ashanti tribal homes are small, round huts made of reeds, which float upon the swampy waters.
The Ashanti have two major enemies; Orcs and Lizard-folk, who often raid their settlements in search of slaves or plunder. As a result, Ashanti are skilled warriors who show their hated enemies no quarter
For centuries, there has been intermittent conflict between the Ashanti tribes of the Cinderlands, and the Thannish people of Gwynne. Gwynnish raids on Ashanti villages occur regularly, and there is little love lost between the two ethnic groups.
Ashanti culture has been formed by near-constant conflicts with both their challenging environment and their various neighbors.
This has made them a largely tenacious, stalwart, and mistrustful people who are oath-sworn to retain their lost homelands, and honor-bound to defeat all who would dismiss them as primitive barbarians.
Language
Although the Ashanti speak their own unique language, many also speak Adari. The tribal groups found in the Cinderlands speak the Thannish dialect of Gwynne.
History
The Ashanti people can trace their history back to the early Third Age. Back then, their tribes enjoyed a devout religious culture, centered around the worship of Lehr; the Elemental-God of Stone.
Early Ashanti tribes built several temples to honor Lehr, in the lands of present-day Gwynne, and the Ravenwood Forest.
By the end of Third Age, most of these temples were abandoned by the Ashanti when the Thannish drove them across the Saugreth-Muir and 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 one of the seven shards of Calegorax.
One of the most important Ashanti temples was called "Na'Drak." This temple was located in the center of an ancient, Ashanti city called "A'Shorah."
Years later, 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 city of Gwynne.
After he scattered their people into exile, Lord Gareth ordered the Ashanti temple destroyed and built Castle Manticore upon its ruins.
