The Ash-Kingdom is a harsh place, much of it taken up by mountains, and the weather is frequently clouded, or, especially in winter, snowy; still, enough of the land is arable (mostly formerly forested regions that have been cleared), or sustains a population of edible animals (primarily the odd creatures known as Sceadra; see below), to sustain a fairly large population, aided by their apparently-inborn desire for efficiency - and, more importantly, a network of sheltered, usually much warmer (though everything freezes in winter), valleys in the realm's interior, known as [b]The Hearth[/b].

However, while this is the site of a number of farming and herding communities, land in The Hearth is too valuable to cover with a city, given how little of it there is - most of the populace is scatted throughout small towns, mainly mining communities or devoted to harvesting lumber, and the capital city of Maurshael (Great Dragon's Wings) is on the [b]expanse of tundra called the Ashway[/b], after the strange fogs, black and filled with gritty flakes, that, though occuring throughout the entire country, are most prevalent there, bordering the [b]Forest of Bones[/b], so named for the incredibly resilient trees, with bark, wood, and foliage in shades of white and pale grey, that compose it.

The mountains, meanwhile, contain a veritable labyrinth of caves, underground rivers (a number of which lead to the sea, allowing certain cleverly made ships to pass beyond their borders), and perhaps entrances to a true underrealm, though if such portals exist, they have not yet been explored... And given the dangers inherent in such things, likely will not be without orders from the queen.