Ashlands

The Ashlands is a region characterised by its proximity to an active volcano. It is widely recognised as one of the nine civilised nations, though some within the Ashlands maintain that it should be recognised as three distinct nations.

Geography
The most prominent feature of the Ashlands is the stratovolcano to the northwest. It regularly undergoes small explosive eruptions, sending ash over the region. To the north and west, extending out from the volcano, are steep mountain faces which make up a natural barrier in those directions. To the southeast is a large hill, covered forest that extends past its base. In the middle is mostly grassland with gentle slopes, which incline to the north. These plains extend outside the Ashlands' borders to the southwest and northeast, and these are the easiest ways to get in or out of the region. The plains are valuable for agriculture, due to their flat topology and high-quality soil caused by millennia of ash falls. A river begins in the slopes of the volcano and meanders through the plains and some forested areas before leaving to the south.

Politics
The people of the Ashlands are divided amongst several clans. Of these, three are known as the Three Great Clans, characterised by their much larger size and power: Entei, Raikou, and Suicune. Many of the smaller clans experience significant economic or cultural influence from the nearest Great Clan, causing them to be considered satellite states.

The Great Clans have conflicted with one another along cultural, theological and philosophical lines for hundreds (possibly thousands) of years. Although military conflict has been avoided for two centuries the Clans do not co-operate besides to maintain the peace, and there is an undercurrent of hostility between their peoples.

Culture
All three of the Great Clans tend to be devoutly religious and try to enact their beliefs in their daily lives. As a consequence of some of these beliefs, each Clan has a distinct two-class system that discriminates on its citizens based on their type and ancestry. In each case a 'political class' and 'working class' can be observed. The political class consists of those who share a type with the Clan's deity; Fire in Entei, Water in Suicune, and Electric in Raikou. Members of the political class have special legal privileges to make decisions with Clan-wide decisions, and are usually educated in philosophy, theology and the soft sciences. The working class, conversely consists of people with any other type, performing the vast majority of manual labour in the Clan, and they tend to be educated (if at all) in trade skills or the soft sciences. The two-class systems have a profound impact on the development of the Clans and their society.

Clan Entei
This Clan is situated in Western craggy hills, grasslands and swamps. Its people are deeply religious, and the state's religious institution is intertwined with the political process, as well as offering spiritual guidance to the people. The religion holds Fire-types with ancestry in the Ashlands as being inherently attuned to the wisdom and guidance of the divine being Entei, and therefore uniquely qualified to guide the Clan according to Entei's will. This has a profound effect on not only the Fire-types' education and career opportunities, but also those of others in the Clan, ultimately leading to a distinct two-class society.

Clan Suicune
A clan situated in the Southern lowlands, including grassy hills and part of the outskirts of the forest. It worships the divine being Suicune, the life deity whose power they believe to be shared among all living things. The Clan believes water to be inherently tied to life force itself, and holds Water-types as semi-divine beings whose given purpose is to guide the world down the proper path.

Clan Raikou
A clan situated in the Northeastern highlands and forests. TBD

Noble Class

 * Numel/Camerupt
 * Slugma/Magcargo
 * Magby/Magmar/Magmortar
 * Torkoal

Noble Class

 * Magikarp/Gyarados
 * Poliwag/Poliwhirl/Poliwrath
 * Buizel/Floatzel
 * Barboach/Whiscash

Noble Class

 * TBD
 * TBD
 * TBD
 * TBD

See Pokemon routes for inspiration:
 * Hoenn Route 113 (General?)
 * Spinda
 * Sandshrew
 * Skarmory
 * Scraggy
 * Bouffalant
 * Klefki?
 * Johto Route 45 (Lowlands forest and river?)
 * Geodude/Graveler/Golem
 * Phanpy/Donphan
 * Skarmory
 * Gligar/Gliscor
 * Teddiursa
 * Magikarp/Gyarados
 * Poliwag/Poliwhirl/Poliwrath
 * Buizel/Floatzel
 * Dratini/Dragonair/Dragonite
 * Spearow/Fearow
 * Aipom/Ambipom
 * Heracross
 * Sinnoh Route 227 (General?)
 * Spearow/Fearow
 * Zubat/Golbat/Crobat
 * Koffing/Weezing
 * Rhyhorn/Rhydon/Rhyperior
 * Skarmory
 * Numel/Camerupt
 * Banette
 * Barboach/Whiscash
 * Magikarp/Gyarados
 * Poliwag/Poliwhirl/Poliwrath
 * Spinda
 * Magby/Magmar/Magmortar
 * Torkoal
 * Sinnoh Stark Mountain (Near mountain top?)
 * Spearow/Fearow
 * Zubat/Golbat/Crobat
 * Koffing/Weezing
 * Rhyhorn/Rhydon/Rhyperior
 * Skarmory
 * Numel/Camerupt
 * Banette
 * Geodude/Graveler/Golem
 * Gligar/Gliscor
 * Slugma/Magcargo
 * Onix/Steelix

TBD: none of these routes have any electric types!!

Known Residents

 * Valory
 * (formerly) Grandparents of Reagan