The Ashlian People and Their Culture

The kingdom as a whole has an average technological level akin to that of 11th century Northern Europe. Castles are mostly just very sturdy and large strongholds rather than elaborate palaces (though the Palace of Ringwarden is kind of an exception). Gunpowder hasn't been discovered yet by Ashtree (though a few of their neighbors are beginning to make advances in explosive technology), and discovering how to make crossbows was a major achievement for them. The best alloy they can create is steel, which they only discovered 200 years ago. Metal armor, while typically made of iron (sometimes even steel), hasn't been perfected to the point that it can shrug off most direct hits, and the kingdom's own martial discipline favors manoeuvrability and agility, so it might be a while before suits of full plate armor become standardized.

The ecosystems and geology of Ashtree vary wildly, and as a result, so does Ashlian cuisine. Due to the abundance of water, both inland and on the coastline of the Inselor Ocean, fish of all sorts have become a major staple of meals. Inland by freshwater lakes and rivers, catfish and trout are plentiful and are included as a main course in a tavern nine times out of ten. On the shores of the ocean, salmon and shark meat is favored among even the poorest of farmers and anglers. Crawfish and lobsters respectively are sometimes prepared alongside freshwater and saltwater fish, though their dwindling numbers make them somewhat of a rarity for peasants. Non-seafood meat is typically roast chicken and duck for poultry, and beef steaks for pretty much everything else. There isn't much variation in the non-seafood meals, but a meal consisting of steak in sweet and spicy marinade known as Paragon's Cattle is almost a national dish at this point.   For fruits and vegetables, potatoes, cabbage, and carrots are usually sauteed or roasted with meals. In fact, vegetables of all sorts are easy to find. Fruit-growing trees are uncommon in Ashtree due to the chilly climate, but the ones that do grow well are apple trees and cherry trees. Berry bushes are usually more plentiful in the kingdom. This means most fruits (besides local berries) are out of reach for most peasants. In fact, most fruits are just used for brewing special types of alcohol. Otherwise, fruits that are usually considered vegetables by the general public, such as tomatoes and cucumbers, aren't the easiest to acquire but are still typically eaten raw with seafood.

Most commoners are simply cremated and have their ashes placed in an urn to be kept in a crypt or a hall of the dead. Keeping the dead in one's house is considered a bad omen. Those who can afford having their full body placed in a crypt will either be placed in an alcove on solid stone. If they are especially wealthy or influential, they might be placed in a sarcophagus. Wooden coffins rot easily, and that is considered bad luck for those trying to pass onto the afterlife. If someone is killed out in the wilderness and absolutely must be buried beneath the soil, blessings and rites must be performed (whether one is qualified to do so or not) to make sure their soul is still accepted by Annarr and not cast back down to Darkguard to wander the realm forever.

See Creation Myth of the Multiverse and The Nine Realms for more information.