Ashlanders

Ashlanders are the Dunmer tribes that inhabit the Ashlands in the province of Morrowind. They are distinguished from the urban Dunmer who live in cities and follow the Great Houses and Tribunal Temple, instead maintaining a more traditional, nomadic or semi-nomadic lifestyle and a clan-based social organization. The Ashlanders live across a network of camps and oases scattered throughout the harsh desert terrain, relying on knowledge of the land and seasonal migrations.

Society within the Ashlander culture is organized around independent clans led by an ashkhan, a chieftain whose authority is balanced by the counsel of elders and shamans. Leadership tends to emphasize merit and consensus rather than strict hereditary rule. Daily life centers on subsistence activities such as herding, farming where possible, and barter with neighboring tribes and outsiders. The social fabric also includes ritual roles for shamans and healers who guide ceremonies and provide spiritual counsel.

Religion plays a central role in Ashlander life. They uphold a strong tradition of ancestor worship, venerating the spirits of deceased forebears and maintaining sacred sites and ancestral tombs. Rituals and prophecies guide decision-making at the clan and tribal levels. In the broader Dunmer context, Ashlanders engage with the larger religious landscape, and their own prophecies intersect with the Nerevarine legend, a destined figure associated with uniting the tribes.

Relations with the Great Houses and the Tribunal Temple vary by tribe and circumstance. Ashlanders generally resist centralized power, favoring autonomy, though temporary alliances for trade or defense can occur. Notable Ashlander tribes include the Urshilaku and Ahemmusa, each with its own ashkan and distinctive camps, forming a mosaic of cultures within the Ashlands.