Ashen Fields

History
Once a wholly nomadic tribe that subsisted on hunting game animals and gathering wild roots, the tieflings living on the more tempestuous side of Nulkab soon learned to use their talent with fire to cultivate life of their own. By burning large swathes of dry vegetation just before Habagat brings its pouring rains, the people of this tribe found they could efficiently remove pests and weeds whilst fertilizing their future crop fields with a thick layer of ash. Each season, a new tract of land was cleaned, burned, and regrown stronger than before, and thus the ever-shifting community of Ashen Fields was born.

Without the protection of the mountain range, the people of Ashen Fields learned quickly to adapt to the battering weather conditions on their side of the island. Nipa huts sit raised above the ground to protect their inhabitants against flooding, their light and flexible frameworks swaying gently amidst the frequent storms. Staple grains like millet and root crops like taro form the core of their diet, whilst banana and sago trees populate smaller sections of the fields.

While the farmers of Ashen Fields are still primarily tieflings, handfuls of other mortal races have found their home amongst this migratory community as well. All, however, pay great respect to the spirits that live alongside them. Discovery of termite nests or dirt mounds halts all work in a field, as they are known to be homes of vengeful spirits who punish the irreverent with sickness. A set amount of crops are reaped during the first few days of the season. This ritual shows respect for the spirits by not taking too greedily from the land.

Important Figures
Datu Taklub. An older tiefling with great carabao horns adorned with jewelry, Datu Taklub, speaks slowly but thoughtfully, chewing on his words like a betel nut. Having once worked the fields in his youth, Datu Taklub prides himself on his ability to feed his people whilst never overworking them.

Widely respected for his sense of justice, Datu Taklub personally intervenes in matters of crime and disrupted peace in Ashen Fields. If what spurned the grievance cannot be easily returned, then the debt must be repaid to the victim with something of equal value, whether that be in goods or services. Perpetrators may also need to pay an additional fine and receive sanctions at the discretion of the Datu, who may confer with other valued community figures for advice.

After countless seasons of his guidance, Datu Taklub has not yet sought out any wife. Some speculate he is married to the land itself.

Babaylan Malaya. Once a traveler, the babaylan Malaya chose to join the Ashen Fields community after befriending the former babaylan, a grizzled human known as Dawa-Dawa. After they passed away at an unusually old age, the cheerful volcano dwarf volunteered to take her friend’s place and serve the community that welcomed her as one of their own so many seasons ago.

Not only does she act as a medium for spirits and healer of ailments, but Malaya also leads daily prayers for the entire community and communes with the spirits of the land to divine the future. It is only with the spirits’ favor that the important farmwork at Ashen Fields is able to continue. Malaya’s kind warmth of heart and balanced practical solutions bring comfort to all who live among the community.

Sugbo. A resourceful and cunning tiefling with deer horns, Sugbo serves as the leader of Ashen Fields’ warriors. Often seen wearing his braided abaca barote and carrying an ornately decorated kalasag, he is responsible for training and mobilizing local warriors to patrol fields, safeguard food stores, and escort traveling diplomats and traders.

Important Figures
The Ancestral Shrine. Enshrined just outside the Datu’s home sits an heirloom of great cultural significance that has been passed down through countless generations: a block of petrified wood as old as the tieflings who first walked the island. A common gathering spot for public prayers and offerings to ancestral spirits, the shrine features the rough carving of an elderly tiefling’s face into its surface, beneath which is engraved the phrase, “A cooled rock may reignite.” Many in Ashen Fields take this as a warning to remain faithful to their way of life, lest they anger those who came before.

Granaries. Some of the most important buildings for the infrastructure of Ashen Fields, the granaries, hold the majority of harvested crops. For this reason, they are heavily guarded by warriors and placed under numerous warding enchantments to defend against pests and raiders.

Watchtowers. Ranged warriors occupy these tall structures on the outskirts of the city, keeping a careful eye for any threats upon the horizon. Originally created by Sugbo, these towers also maintain a strict signal system, which is used to call upon the other fighters of Ashen Fields to defend their community.