Editing Draken History (section)

=== Origins of Ashkarak ===

Originally constructed by the Dworn, Ashkarak was once a mighty desert outpost, built to defend vital trade routes and secure underground reservoirs hidden beneath the sands. For centuries, it stood as a monument to Dworn craftsmanship, with towering walls, labyrinthine tunnels, and deep wells that allowed its inhabitants to endure merciless heat, raging sandstorms, and countless invasions.

Yet, for reasons lost to time, the Dworn abandoned their mighty stronghold. Some believe it fell to war, a long-forgotten siege leaving it empty. Others claim the underground reservoirs dried up, forcing the Dworn to move on. A darker theory suggests that something stirred beneath the sands, forcing its builders to flee. Whatever the truth, Ashkarak was left to the desert, buried beneath time and silence.

It was the Draken of the Bone Clan who rediscovered it. Tracking a mighty desert dragon, a beast they had named Ashkarak, the clan pursued their quarry deep into the scorched wastes. The hunt drove them through treacherous ravines, across sun-blasted dunes, and over jagged cliffs, testing the endurance of even their most hardened warriors. Day and night, they followed the dragon's trail of fire and shadow, refusing to yield to exhaustion or the unforgiving sands.

Then, as dawn broke, the beast vanished over the horizon. Its path led them to something buried beneath the dunes, an ancient ruin of stone, lost to the world.

To the Bone Clan, this was no coincidence. The dragon had led them to their destiny, guiding them to a stronghold waiting to be reforged. They claimed the ruins as their own, hammering their mark into its ancient halls. Walls were rebuilt, tunnels expanded, and great halls hollowed out, transforming the Dworn fortress into a bastion of warriors, dragon slayers, and fire-born shamans. The fortress was given the name Ashkarak, honouring the beast that had led them there, binding the legend of the dragon to their home for eternity.

But Ashkarak is more than just a fortress, it is a proving ground, a battlefield, and a holy site. Here, only the strong survive, tested by the elements, by battle, and by the dragons they hunt. To the Bone Clan, Ashkarak is not simply a place. It is a symbol, a legend, and a relentless challenge that only the worthy may endure.