Ashar

Followers of the Old Ways

Ashar is the name given to the combined Dragonborn Pantheon; followers of theirs go by Ashari.   Ashar is a traditional Dragonborn religion, dating back centuries before even the Rune Wars. It is said all Dragonborn are descendants of Ashar, their ancient ancestors hatched from Ashar's eggs. It lacks a formal organisational structure; instead, being an Ashari is more about the personal connection one has with Ashar. The pantheon is split into four distinct personalities: Ashar-Tei, Lord of Wind; Ashar-Vere, Lord of Earth; Ashar-Wehn, Lord of Water and Ashar-Kar, Lord of Fire. When a Dragonborn chooses to follow the teachings of Ashar, they also choose a patron deity.  

Ashar-Tei, the Lord of Wind

To fly free, to live free, and to die free

  One of the more commonly followed. His is a simple mantra - to live life free, and to pursue personal goals with some degree of honour. Followers of Ashar-Tei do not believe, generally, in relationships or serious bonds. They prefer to remain open and unshackled. In return, his followers are said to always be blessed with luck; should they find themselves trapped or otherwise barred from the path they wish to take, Ashar-Tei will tip the scales ever so slightly in their favour. To live free and die spontaneously is the mantra of his followers. Given the natural nomadic instincts of most Dragonborn, this is why his is one of the most commonly followed.  

Ashar-Vere, the Lord of Earth

Where ties are firmer than steel, and roots stronger than stone

  Flies in direct opposition to Ashar-Tei. Her followers believe more in bonds, building communities, and as a result Ashar-Vere is one of the least followed of the pantheon. However, she is revered heavily by her followers. Those who worship her and do good by her mantra will often find themselves blessed with security, and peace. They are the most like a traditional church community, as whilst the other Lords generally favour an individual working for their own means in the name of their god, Ashar-Vere rewards co-operation and community. Places of worship are more commonly built, and a formal organisational structure, whilst still relatively fluid, does exist in more established communities of her followers. However, the tendency of their followers to defend their own territories and set down roots earns them a wary gaze from other factions who see them as a minor but nonetheless dangerous factor in Eidos politics. Spellbreakers in particular, and (unofficially for political reasons) agents of the Chantry often hunt down these communities where they are established and seek to dissolve them.  

Ashar-Wehn, the Lord of Water

Flowing like the river, fearsome as the waterfall

  The other most commonly followed deity by the dragonborn due to her peaceful nature. She grants her worshipers bountiful harvests be it from hunting, farming or selling trade-goods; as well as fertility in exchange for not taking more than one needs and for being kind towards others. Her followers will also periodically give a small part of their meals as an offering in her name to either the down-trodden or hungry animals. The Lord of Water is responsible for peace of mind and academical pursuits. Thus, her worshippers tend to range from hunters and farmers to lore-keepers and shop-owners  

Ashar-Kar, the Lord of Fire

Truest of heart, truest of blade

  Represents combat; a fighter revered, mainly, by fighters who wish to become as proficient and enduring as him. However, Ashar-Kar's mantra is not only about combat; it is about living life to its fullest, enjoying the choicest of meats and drinks, seeing marvellous sights of the world, and also, unlike the Lord of Wind, bringing honour and glory to your kin. His followers usually carry a small pendant of a weapon around their neck or sword-arm which they dip in the blood of a foe who they feel has taught them a lesson, in either humility or prowess.  

The Fifth Road

Destined to show others the way to their truth

  Ashar, then, is the combination of these four ideals. A significant change in living circumstance or of heart can permit a Dragonborn to switch their allegiance to other members of the Pantheon; but such a change must come from within. Those who falsely change their alignment against the core of their heart are punished by both the deity they have forsaken and the one whose blessing they now seek. A fifth, extremely rare group of followers take after the combined face of Ashar, practicing elements of each of these ideals. Whilst doing so grants no true blessing or benefit from any quarter of the Pantheon, they are often seers that help those confused as to which Deity is their destined patron. These seers are truly respected by all Dragonborn for their age and connection to their ancestry. Deciding to follow this path often ends in failure, regret, and death; for only those chosen by the combined faces of Ashar can truly rise to this calling.  

Religious Practices

  Whilst most parts of the pantheon lack a formal holy book, all four of them have their own core beliefs. Ashar-Vere does have something of a book of worship associated with her, though it is mostly a hodge-podge collection of various prayers. Each of the four faces of Ashar do have their own related prayer.  

The Prayer of Wind

  "Lord of the Wind, give me peace,
For I am not free to flow, like the wind, to the next place;
Do not do this task for me,
Do not consider me a child demanding a favor,
In time, I could become exactly what I seek to abolish.
But Lord of Wind - most of all, save me forth unto your realm,
And let me live amongst the air, like the spirits of old."  

The Prayer of Earth

  "Lord of the Earth, grant me strength,
As in the stone and rock that sustains us;
Allow my roots to flourish and set forth into the ground.
Permit me peace and security,
And permit those with whom I bond as well.
But Lord of Earth - most of all, strengthen my spirit in your realm of stone,
and lie me within the rock, like the spirits of old."  

The Prayer of Fire

  "Lord of the Fire, allow me glory,
As in myths that follow our heroes,
Permit my soul to fight with fury evermore.
Give me strength that will never tire,
and a body that will never break.
But Lord of Fire - most of all, embolden my soul with a heart of war,
and conquest always, like the spirits of old."  

The Prayer of Water

  "Lord of the Water, give me serenity,
Per the lifeblood that flows in nature.
Allow my purpose to seethe, like the river,
through life, unstopping,
like the great tide.
But Lord of Water - most of all, grant peace to my soul,
and to the world I inhabit, like the spirits of old."