Ashington
The city-state of Ashington was the last to join the UMF. The city was originally founded as a nation-in-exile by an outcast European prince. The princes of Ashington were reluctant to join the UMF for fear that they would lose their privileges. The UMF agreed — as in several other cases — not to interfere with internal politics, however, and the Prince was eventually lured by economic benefits. Over the centuries, some democratic ideals have been introduced into Ashington society. This has lead to a series of reforms granting the prince’s subjects relatively high personal freedom and the power to elect an advisory council to aid the prince in decision-making.
Ashington is basically a self-sufficient city-state with one primary export: electricity. Prince Hans William Ash VI is the president of the Ashington Power Corporation, the largest power utility in the Federation. While not as large as the gigantic Norlight power plant at Kossuth, Ashington uses hybrid wind and solar farm technology for power generation and is thus somewhat more versatile. Unlike Kossuth, Ashington also has fertile land, allowing the local residents to grow their own food in the fields, between the windmills and solar collectors, rather than buy costly imports.
Ashington’s history has not been peaceful. It’s power plants make for tempting military targets and they have been hit in most of the UMF’s military conflicts. During the War of the Alliance, Ashington was literally overrun by the CEF and turned into a battleground. Five major engagements were fought in and around the city-state, causing massive damage. The city also has an unfortunate reputation for disloyalty. Royal pride often leads Ash family members to feel that their city-state should be wholly independent. Bloody uprisings have twice rocked the city and the spy who leaked plans of the Hunter to the South (codenamed Charity) was a minor member of the royal line. The regiments of the UMFA stationed in Ashington are said to be more loyal to Prince Hans William than to Lyonnesse.
The Prince, his predecessors and several of his cousins, have made great efforts to make royal culture somewhat fashionable in the UMF. This public relations exercise largely counteracts the reputation for disloyalty. The Prince hosts a grand ball at least once a season, inviting much of the league’s corporate elite, along with foreign dignitaries. He organizes hunting safaris into the Badlands and other events with a desirable list of guests. Several members of the corporate elite have even begun to emulate royal fashion and mannerisms, making the Ash family one of the centers of national fashion.