Hi everyone,
We’ve been hard at work on Ashfall for several years now, and we’re excited to announce that we’ll be kickstarting THIS YEAR so stay tuned! Starting from today, we’ll be publishing biweekly newsletters that delve into the lore, gameplay and progress of Ashfall. We look forward to seeing you with us on this journey, remember to keep an eye on your email and social media.
Ashfall is character driven, and today we’ll be introducing the playable heroes from the Core Lands Protectorate (CLP)!
Read all about them below!
The Core Lands Protectorate (CLP) is the most powerful nation in the world, having united the 2 main continents in the world over the past several decades through the application of economic incentives and conquest. It now looks to the Yarangan Union to its north, with its plentiful supplies of the recently discovered Pelagium, a substance that powers amazing new technology.
Tautur Wanlys
Tautur was drafted into the CLP army as soon as he left school at 18. Tautur was from a poor family, so military service meant both having his needs taken care of and being able to support his mother and younger siblings.
Tautur was always somewhat of a patriot, but having seen the incredible success of the CLP’s expansionist policies he became a true believer. A couple of years ago Tautur finally retired, bearing honors and service awards from the state, and returned back to his hometown.
Recently, a shortage in personnel and a drive to increase the military’s preparedness for a potential conflict with the YU meant that he was brought out of retirement. Tautur didn’t contemplate for long when he was approached by the state to serve the greater cause once again. He wasn’t married, he didn’t feel at home, and he was missing the good old days – so he agreed. He was assigned once more to serve with Mak, this time as part of a special forces team.
Gragha Lammise
Gragha grew up in the mountains of Artusa, a region in the Echofai continent of the Core Lands Protectorate. Civil unrest started breaking out here and there in the capital of Artusa, and the people went in the streets to protest against the unfair distribution of the budgetary funds. Soon the demands of the protesters evolved from just the redistribution of investments to outright independence from the CLP; this was quickly crushed by the CLP.
Gragha was involved in student politics, which naturally leaned towards independence. After graduating, he was conscripted into the local militia (many of whom were independence minded), but his views evolved into a more pragmatic, reluctant support of the CLP when he realized that the region’s development and economic future was very much dependent on the CLP’s support and funds.
His fierce martial skills were quickly seen as extremely valuable in light of the Tijksyn shield’s growing adoption. In the militia, he was mainly tasked with dealing with bandits and cutthroats who plagued the poorer areas/villages. He gained some fame/notoriety when he sniffed out and arrested a corrupt official who was pocketing CLP funds. When the CLP military asked for an Arsutan to join a special forces team as part of an integration program, he was the natural choice.
Mak Yerrym
Mak’s father served in the CLP army for his entire life and he wanted his firstborn son to continue the lineage. Mak’s mother died in childbirth, and his father brought him up in Spartan conditions, essentially shaping Mak in his own image. Naturally Mak was sent to a military school as soon as he turned 5.
Mak showed certain talents in electronics, so he was assigned to the department of drone warfare, where he studied both construction and operation of UAVs. By the time he graduated from school he had designed several innovative drone systems and automation software complexes.
He soon received an order to deploy his drone systems in a massive strike to contain an open rebellion in the region of Rasheant. Fresh from military academy, words like “loyalty” and “duty” were still ringing in his head. So when his superior officer refused the order, Mak ensured it was carried out.
In the aftermath of the event Mak still doubted if his decision was right. But duty is duty, and he is sure that the rebellion had to be crushed for the good of the CLP.
Sarfi Aam
In the south of Aesepheia the tropical forests became home to Mahene, a primitive (by CLP standards) tribe of hunter-gatherers worshiping two gods, or, rather, mystical principles: the rain and the ocean. Mahene are matriarchic, with an assembly of female shamans ruling the tribe. Typically for one reason or another fewer girls are born in this tribe than boys. Men are prohibited from spiritual practices and are instead occupied with the earthly side of life, doing various kinds of work for the tribe. They are also not allowed to enter the ocean which is used in rituals of Mahene. During rains the shamans go out of the forests to the seaside and go into water up to their waist which signifies the dual nature of the human body uniting the two core religious principles.
Sarfi’s birth was foretold, they say. Her parents could not conceive for a long time, but the shamans convinced them that when it finally happens, their child will be destined to reach the stars and become the first human in a new era after the world’s end when there is no more rain or ocean. Truth or not, Sarfi was different from the rest of the tribe and even was admitted to the shaman assembly much earlier than she was supposed to. As an infant she developed a weird unnatural glitter in her eyes shortly before the rain started.
The CLP decided the best place to utilize her powers was in service to the CLP, specifically in the military. She was put through military training school, and during that time the scientists assigned to study her found that she was capable of a limited form of premonition. She could often predict her opponents moves before they made them. They wove this into military training, and upon graduation assigned her directly to a special forces team.
To join us on playtests, AMAs and livestreams of Ashfall on Table Top Simulator (TTS) as we continue to add and balance missions, please join us on our discord server:
We’re really looking forward to engaging with everyone!
AP Board Games Team