Overview
Ashenford is a low-magic, high-industry nation in Valrindor whose inhabitable territory clusters in one large city because much of the surrounding land is inhospitable. Victor runs industrial experiments there, Uriandel rules it during ancient Malverand expansion, and Eremion and Raphael later station fleets along its eastern coast to intercept Isandriel's expedition from the Plains of Eternity.
Geography & Layout
Ashenford is reached from the Calthorpe mountain route and stands among mountains, plains, wasteland, and coastal approaches. The main city sprawls through a mountain-ringed valley and onto nearby plains after travelers cross from Calthorpe. Its eastern coast faces rough seas near routes toward Rahmavir and the Plains of Eternity. Southern travel from Ashenford leads toward Strothgard, Vintergard, and Skarnheim.
City and Industry
Under Victor, Ashenford is a soot-darkened industrial city of narrow streets, workshops, forges, chimneys, machinery, and steel devices. Ashenford has low essence and low magic, and Victor uses useful magic to strengthen Ashenford's trade and invention. He houses Eira and Lythariel, has them taught the local language, gives them access to books and maps, and uses Eira's darkness magic in experiments with steel constructs. When Eira returns, Ashenford is prospering, building its own airships, and adapting broken parts from the machines that emerged from Varnhallow into airship designs.
History
During Malverand expansion, Uriandel, a Guardian of Malverand, takes dominion over Ashenford. At the empire's height, Ashenford is a grand city of gilded towers, orderly streets, local libraries, and high-essence soldiers in brown and blue. Isandriel later travels there as Uriandel's domain, and Svanhild's infiltrators place the Ashenford region within Uriandel's northern territory.
Under Victor, Ashenford is represented among Valrindor's regional leaders during discussions about the expanding darkness. Later, Raphael regains control of northern territories including Ashenford for the Malverand Empire, and Eremion and Raphael use the eastern Ashenford coast and Ashenford District as staging areas to intercept Isandriel's expedition returning from the Plains.