Ashen Empire

“Only in the shattering can the rebuilding occur.”

A lawful neutral-evil pack, the Ashen Empire was once the home of the Klein royal family and Godlings of Abraxas. But times have changed and the Shinobi wolves of Iga have taken root and laid down the foundations of a new era. Regardless of heritage, beliefs or background, all are welcome to join Ashen's ranks. Here actions speak far louder than words, and there is plenty to be done.

Ashen is home to two Japanese warrior schools: the shinobi and samurai paths. Shinobi teachings and ranks focus on offensive manoeuvres that tend to take place outside of the Empire's borders. Whilst the Samurai are the core strength of the pack, defenders and councillors, whose word carries great weight.

Pack color: #f4e6fc
Claimed territories: Alabastrine Shrine and Dove Island Archipelago
Former leaders: Deathbelle Ravage Klein (founder)

Pack Roster

TIER 1
Venom Klein Abraxas	Empress
Hattori Hanzō	Shogun
TIER 2
Plague Klein Abraxas	Daimyo
TIER 3
Lament Pyre	Samurai
Kuroki Tantō Ōritsu Abraxas	Chunin
Raijin Genji	Chunin
Stjarna Aracari	Renja
Hattori Kiyo	Apothaker
TIER 4
Malachai Cain Klein	Ashigaru
Panic Phantom Klein	Ashigaru
Yaeume Sora Aoi Yakuza	Genin
Takēshi Ani Ōritsu Abraxas	Prince
Okiku Ikigai Ōritsu Abraxas	Princess
Kitsune Tachi Ōritsu Abraxas	Princess
Kiyohime Shuriken Ōritsu Abraxas	Princess
TIER 5
Haru	Peasant
Ravat Wildrose Blanc	Peasant
TIER 6
UNOFFICIAL
Archon Kai Abraxas	Deceased
MISSING
Patience Abraxas	Pup
Belladonna Morticia Klein	Apprentice
Lurch Louis Klein	Pup
Incubus Thorne Klein	Prince
Hannibal Iber Klein	Daimyo
Deadra	The Empress's Hand Maid
Rosemary Horatio Klein	Missing
Vexation Klein-	Noble Priestess
Shiba Klein	Noble Warlock
Sandor	Soldier
Azag	Slave- missing
Drakon	Slave - missing
Dea Andromeda Asmodeus	Soldier
Lilybet Abraxas	Pup
Orpheus Abraxas	Pup
Pandora Lotus Klein-	Noble Priestess
Gimli Klein	Apprentice Soldier
Gadreel Abraxas	Apprentice
Seven	Slave
Adrian Aurelius Imperatoria	Ashigaru

Pack Ranks

Tier 1

— Empress of Ashes (1) - Boss Bitch

— Shogun (1) - Appointed by the Empress, the Shogun is the military leader and secondary alpha of Ashen. In her absence his word is law.

—Crown Prince(ss) (1) - The Heir to the Ashen throne. Expected to train in fighting and another skill of their choice. Alongside the Empress and Shogun they play an active role in governing and politics, as well as maintaining relations with the other packs in the Empire. Basically they have to earn their keep.

Tier 2

— Daimyo (1) - Master of the Samurai. Basic duties include attending every high ranking meeting, frequent patrols, arranging apprenticeships in the Samurai and defense of the pack. This rank can be challenged for by a Samurai.

— Jonin (1) Leader of Ashen’s Shinobi ranks. Along with basic leadership duties such as attending meetings and teaching their underlings they also act as the Shogun’s second pair of eyes and ears. They lead the offensive and strive for the betterment of Ashen and it’s empire. This rank can be challenged for by a Chunin.

Tier 3

— Kage (1) - Specialized rank for the shadow of the pack. A wolf whose paws are eager to be dirtied. The interrogator and master of slaves. Not challengeable.

— Samurai (∞) - High ranking warriors of traditional fighting style specializing in defence of the pack. Expected to take an apprentice, train frequently, and patrol the border. Frequent sparring between Samurai is encouraged.

— Chunin (∞) - High ranking Shinobi who specialize in offensive measures that serve Ashen from beyond its borders. A somewhat secretive rank, they are tasked with gathering intelligence on other packs, bands etc .Because of their work they are often absent from the pack and it’s daily affairs for quite some time.

— Renja (1) - Lead hunter and or navigator of the pack, in charge of training of lower tier hunters and navigators as well as food stores and organizing large hunts. Should be knowledgeable about the pack’s territories and herd movements. Expected to patrol the pack borders and surrounding territories as well.

— Apothaker (1) - The Pack’s lead healer, expected to oversee the lower ranking healers in the pack, may work closely or be part of Ashen’s supernatural ranks.

Tier 4

— Ashigaru (∞) -  Rank and file soldiers who serve beneath the Samurai. Are expected to attend all training sessions, frequently spar with each other and patrol the borders.

— Genin (∞) - Low ranking shinobi who serve and work alongside the Chunin in their offensive measures. Just like their soldier counterparts they’re expected to keep themselves busy with training and sparring. Basically they’re in ninja school.

— Scout (∞) - Ranked hunter and or navigator, expected to scout the surrounding territories and report to the Renja.

— Herbalist (∞) - Ranked healer, expected to see to the health of the general population and report to the Herbalist. May have different specialties within the group(battlefield medic, midwife, gardener).

— Priest(ess) (∞) - Serves the spiritual needs of the community, are closely in tune with the earth and its processes along with the divine, spiritual or supernatural.  Expected to take on a secondary role as healer, warrior, or hunter.

— Prince(ss) (∞) - Children of the Empress, may keep this rank until an area of expertise is chosen. Of higher expectation than other pups.

Tier 5

— Apprentice (∞) - Wolves that have yet to be ranked into their prospective rolls. Expected to participate actively in all training as well as with their mentors. Usually young wolves. (apprenticed in traditional fighting(samurai), specialized fighting(shinobi), Scouting(hunting), or Herbalism.)

— Pup (∞) - Pups not born of the Empress. Should choose an area of study at 6 months and will stay in this rank until they’re 1 year old.

— Peasant (∞) - A wolf unable to be ranked upon joining. Has one ooc month to decide or they will be forced into “indentured servitude.”

Tier 6

— Indentured Servant (∞) - Slaves in all but name. Must earn their freedom or a more desirable rank.

— Prisoner (∞) - Always watched. Always under guard. Fed sparsely. Not to be touched unless they attempt escape or physical harm against any member of Ashen.

Pack Rules, Culture, & History

1.The Empress always has the last word.
2.Have honor and dignity. Respect the rule of law. Show restraint.
3.Obey your superiors and show them the respect they deserve. Appear at all pack meetings and all of your personal skill related meetings.
4.All Ashen wolves should know basic self defense.
5.No Trespassing. Attack on sight any who are not invited over the line. Show them what happens to those who cross the wolves of Ashen.
6.Contribute your share. Do your duties promptly and with pride. Answer all calls for learning.
7.Spars and dominance matches are encouraged, however real bodily harm or touching without consent is prohibited. Don’t steal. Don’t be a dick to your fellow pack mates.
8.Don’t antagonize other packs without permission. Smell pack on somebody? Don’t touch ‘em. Words don’t count. Freedom of Speech yo. But dont be spouting off pack information to those you don't know.
9. Birth control is available to all those who need it. Have consensual sexy times as much as you want but no puppies. Not even whoops litters. If this rule is ignored you will be thrown out. No exceptions.
10.Pups may choose their area of apprenticeship at 6 months of age. They may not leave pack lands without accompaniment until 1 year.


Customs:
— Ashen consists of two warrior schools. The traditional samurai ranks focus on the defense of the pack. Whilst the shinobi takes a more offensive approach, aka taking the fight to the enemy.
— Summer Festival: The Empress calls together the packs of the Empire and their allies for a tournament and feast.
— Weddings: Ashen will come together to celebrate the lifelong union between two wolves. Traditionally with a feast and ceremony.

Pack History:

• *Pack event goes here.*
  
• *Another event goes here.*
  

Pack Relations & News

Pack Relations:

Abaven — Neutral
Aerie — Neutral
Armada — Allied
Fenmyre — Allied: Part of the Empire
Fireside — Tense
Habari — Allied: Part of the Empire
The Hallows — Potential allies.
Incendium — Tense
Valhalla — Neutral

TLDR: Ashen is mostly neutral towards other packs, unless you're a dick.

Pack News: (needs updating/reworking)

2-28-2020 - Hattori leads a small raiding party to the Hallows.
2-21-2020 - Venom and Hattori are expecting their first litter.
7-4-2019 » Deathbelle calls Ashen together for the first time
9-4-2019 » Ashen is temporarily relocated to Redwater Rocks during the eruption.
1-1-2020 - Deathbelle moves the Empire to the West. Alabastrine Shrine (in Archon's name) and Dove Island Archipelago
3-9-2020 - The Empress announces her second pregnancy. .

Pack Lands Layout

Map of the archipelago

Alabastrine Shrine : Blah blah add stuff later. Abraxas stuff. Most of Ashen's residents, unless stated otherwise, reside here.


Dove Island Archipelago:

Nephilim Island: To the northwest, closest to the mainland, lies Nephilim, a small but tropical island with scenic beaches and palm trees that sway gently in the breeze. It doesn’t take long to traverse the island from one end to the other and the creatures that inhabit it are about what you’d expect. If you’re looking for privacy this isn’t the place for it; with a land bridge on one side connecting it to the Shrine, and another which leads to Inu island, Nephilim is more of a crossroad than anything else. With supply stores and communal spaces littered along the way.

Inu Island: Not far off the shore of Sea’s Plain lies Inu, the second-largest island under Ashen’s domain. The terrain here can best be described as rugged, perhaps even treacherous, with most of the land covered by dense jungle or craggy rock. Rising from the centre a mountain looms over the island and is the starting point of many of the subterranean tunnels and caverns that reach out across Inu, forming Ashen’s imperial palace. Currently, only the Empress, her Shogun and the rest of royal family reside here. Unlike the others Inu has four land bridges. One connects to Nephilim, another to Sea’s Plain, then Rekaru and finally Dove Island. As with all the land bridges they appear and disappear with the oceans tides, acting like sandbanks when the waters rise high.

Rekaru Island: Rekaru is the easternmost island in Ashen’s domain. Linked to Inu via a short land bridge, it’s relatively small when compared to the former. That being said, the island itself is a bit of an oddity, unlike its neighbours it has very few trees and instead is inhabited by many strange species of lizards that can’t be found anywhere else. A large and gaping crevice carves the land in half and those unfortunate enough to fall in will have a very hard time getting out. The bamboo planted seasons ago have taken over much of the island, with some of it being used to create structures such as huts and an azumaya (Japanese gazebo). Rekaru is a home away from home for the koi-wolves of Iga, a peaceful recreation of Nippon within Ashen's shores.

Dove Island:The largest of them all, Dove Island lies at the centre of the archipelago and as its name suggests it's forest homes a large colony of doves. They fill the canopy with feathers and birdsong all year round, making strolls down it's tropical beaches quite a relaxing experience. Doves aside, plenty of exotic wildlife resides on this island, such as wild boar and deer, making it a prime hunting location for the wolves of Ashen. Gaining access to it is easy, thanks to the short land bridge that connects it to Inu Island.

Black Island: Despite the fact it's just off the shore of Time’s Cavern, Black Island is notoriously difficult to access. With no land bridges the only way to reach the island is to swim, and with the rough currents, razor sharp coral and rocks it’s a risk many chose not to take.  As if that wasn’t bad enough, the island is known for its constantly bad weather, even on the mildest days  the sky is darkened by storm clouds and its shores battered by choppy waves. The plant life on land is very exotic, and the same can be said for the animals too as venomous insects and reptiles dominate the land.  Aside from the occasional and arguably naïve explorer, Black Island is uninhabited. For now.

Ibon Isle:  Just a short swim away from Gambit Briar, Ibon Isle is closer to Auster than to the Shrine. Much like Nephilim, it's  a quiet and unassuming island, with tropical forests and grassy clearings. However unlike the former it’s mostly populated with small mammals and birds as most creatures avoid the potentially dangerous swim over the reef from the mainland.  Currently this island is not in use.