The Ashike people originating from the islands chain above the main continent of Dodicerous. Ruled by the Ryuu Shogunate with a puppet emperor Violet Elf. Ethnic Ashike have almond shaped eyes, naturally they have brown, green, or black eyes, black or brown hair, and have after a major cultural revolution lead by the Imperial Cult of the Dragon have taken to forcing the great blessing of the Vigint Draconia. Forcefully subjugating peoples and forcing them to take in the Dragon’s Blood. Now Vigint are much taller, stronger, and armored in scales. Some capable of breathing elemental fury or even flying. The advance of the Ashike war machine has caused the deaths of many cultures and has forced itself ontop of many others as they hold almost the entirety of the sprawling continent of Dodicerous.  

The Ashike rely mostly on grains like rice for most of their food, heavily supplemented by seafood, larger game from the mainland, imports from Dophia, and delicacies from the warping power of the Fae or directly from the Faelands. The Ashike rule by martial strength, a powerful cultural dominion over Dodicerous, a powerful navy, and projection of commercial power from the Lands of Maria to Axandria, and as far as south as the Lands of Kain. The Ashike have a diverse mixture of cuisines and while the Shogunate attempts to keep traditions and style stable and unchanging this is like trying to stop a wave by holding out your hand. Ashike cuisine is supplemented by fare from the Wae, Tai, Vihal, Mue, Kune, Evari, Freian, Vasser, and Markorathi. The Ashike promote strength through arcane might, the Shogunate family having selectively bred to keep them as the most powerful arcanists across Dodicerous. Upper classes value personal and familiar honor encouraging death before shame. A highly advanced human society famed for their great Dragonships resembling hulking turtle dragons with rows of cannons, heavily decorated iron armor, a ship ram, and a great dragon’s head which is used to spew forth a thick sticky fluid that ignites as it spills onto enemy decks. They also rely on mortar ships which rain down explosive and quicklime shells to kill off crews and avoid the ironclad steamships of the Marok. 

The Ashike are a highly ordered and strict culture enforced by the upper echelons to keep the lower classes in line. Laws focus on protecting the rights of the upper classes’ rights and whims. They enforce a fairly strict worship of the Fae and Dragons over the Gods. They do allow limited religious freedoms within their empire. They build smaller residences meant to be replaced by future generations. Though their wonders are as great as any western nation and their great walled fortresses are both beautiful and terrifying monuments of war. The Ashike enjoy theater, Ashike Opera, Kabuki, an assortment of board games, poetry, and arcane entertainments. The Ashike Shogunate bans peasants from carrying weapons. 

The Ashike believe in a putting society and family above the self and press upon the upper classes a strong since of honor and fear of shame. The Ashike are hardworking, dedicated, and often willing to die before bare shame making their fierce warriors terrifying. They have the largest amount of silver mines in control by human societies, they produce various oils, fae materials, and magical substances. The Ashike strive towards greatness and refuse to let anyone get in their way. They maintain the largest navy on Dophia, have heavy professional soldiers in the Samurai class who can either fight on foot with sword, polearm, or mounted archers. Most Samurai are expert in foot and mounted archery, well versed in swordsmanship, and extremely well equipped. The Ashike can deploy levies to supplement their professional units. 

The Ashike are the most dominate Merchant state with the massive market of raw resources from the mainland their language is spoken in most ports, and their language is the most used trade language followed closely by Evari. 

The Ashike have no formal alliances with sovereign nations. Their vast empire can supply them with nearly limitless levies of troops, professional soldiers, and navy vessels allowing them to win most wars of attrition. The Ashike Shogunate if not requiring much of its power to keep its nation stable might have been able to claim the title of successor of the Black Veil.