The Ashen Path – The Firewalkers Return

Discovery, Exploration

Akharin Sangar sent envoys westward, seeking signs of living descendants among regions where volcanoes still raged. Their search led them to a hardened society of firewalkers, nomadic survivors who had built settlements on the very edges of volcanic devastation. These people, still practicing the rites of their ancestors, spoke of a sacred pilgrimage—a trial of endurance and faith that led to a place few outsiders had ever reached.   These pilgrims of fire, guided by ancient traditions, walked the Ashen Path, a treacherous journey leading through volcanic heartlands to the buried ruins of Old Tletepec.

Following Akharin Sangar’s reawakening of the Radiant Citadel (1250 DR), their scholars scoured historical records for clues about the other lost founding civilizations. Among the oldest surviving texts were references to a civilization whose people had an intimate bond with fire and stone, whose knowledge of volcanoes and the land's fury made them master survivalists. These references pointed to Tletepec, but there was a problem—no one knew where Tletepec had gone.   Centuries ago, the people of Tletepec vanished from history, their homeland lost amid shifting tectonic activity and cataclysmic volcanic eruptions. But one thing was certain: if Tletepec still existed, its people would be found wherever the land burned brightest.   With this in mind, Akharin Sangar sent envoys westward, seeking signs of living descendants among regions where volcanoes still raged. Their search led them to a hardened society of firewalkers, nomadic survivors who had built settlements on the very edges of volcanic devastation. These people, still practicing the rites of their ancestors, spoke of a sacred pilgrimage—a trial of endurance and faith that led to a place few outsiders had ever reached.   These pilgrims of fire, guided by ancient traditions, walked the Ashen Path, a treacherous journey leading through volcanic heartlands to the buried ruins of Old Tletepec.   The Radiant Citadel's emissaries, following this path, arrived at these ruins and met the true descendants of Tletepec, who still practiced the ways of their ancestors—taming flames, crafting wonders from obsidian, and surviving the wrath of the land itself.   Upon stepping foot into the Radiant Citadel, the people of Tletepec awakened their Dawn Incarnate—the Obsidian Eagle, a magnificent, ember-winged being that soared over the city, casting burning light through its streets.   But unlike the awakening of Akharin Sangar’s Turquoise Lion, this was not a moment of seamless celebration.   Immediate Impact & Political Shifts
1. A Speaker Delayed, and the City Begins to Falter
Despite the Obsidian Eagle’s awakening, Tletepec’s people hesitated to choose a Speaker. They viewed governance as a shared communal responsibility, wary of centralizing power in a single leader. For weeks, they refused to appoint a Speaker, believing it went against their traditions.   But as time passed, the Citadel began shutting down once more—its light dimming, its systems flickering. The realization struck Akharin Sangar hard; their newly restored stability was at risk because another civilization refused to conform.   The first political conflict within the Speakers for the Ancestors erupted. Akharin Sangar’s representatives argued that a Speaker must be chosen immediately, while Tletepec’s firewalkers resisted, stating that the Citadel had no right to impose rules on their people .   In the end, a compromise was reached—Tletepec would select a Speaker not to rule, but to serve as a guide, ensuring their representation without abandoning their communal traditions. This outcome set a precedent: future civilizations could negotiate the terms of their Speaker’s role, further shaping the politics of the Citadel.  

• Volcanic Crafting & Masonry: Tletepecan builders used their mastery over heat-resistant materials to reinforce the Citadel’s foundations, improving its long-term stability.
• Expanded Heating Systems: By tapping into residual planar energy, Tletepecan architects designed heat-distribution systems that warmed key sections of the city, allowing future civilizations from colder climates to adapt comfortably.
• Fire-Forged Foundries: Their artisans established the first metalworking forges in the Citadel, a tradition that later led to specialized industries in magical armor and tools.

• Akharin Sangar (1250 DR): Their expeditions directly led to the rediscovery of Tletepec, but their political expectations nearly sparked early conflict.
• Shankhabhumi (1259 DR): Tletepec’s studies of volcanic anomalies in planar space led to the first indications of Shankhabhumi’s location.
• San Citlán (1284 DR): Later, San Citlán’s artisans collaborated with Tletepec’s flamecallers, leading to artistic and industrial revolutions in both cultures.

• Tletepec was rediscovered through ancient volcanic routes and the Ashen Path pilgrimage.
• Upon their arrival, they awakened the Obsidian Eagle, but refused to immediately elect a Speaker, causing a political crisis.
• This forced a change in the governance model, allowing civilizations to redefine what being a Speaker meant.
• Their contributions restored and expanded the Citadel’s physical infrastructure, reinforcing its foundations.
• Their work in mapping planar anomalies helped find Shankhabhumi years later.