The culture of Astror is a metropolitan one, with a heavy emphasis on scholarship, magic, and trade. The capital city of Lucenastu has been home to some variety of school of magic since shortly after its founding in the eighth century, and the (relatively) recent addition of the Turrias Arcanum has cemented the region as the Empire’s leading center of magical research and education. Lucenastu’s harbor sees almost as many ships passing through it each year as that of Goldport, and the Imperial Shipyard there is one of the leading producers of sailing vessels in the Empire. The bookstores of Astror are constantly on the lookout for new books from abroad or other parts of the Empire, as many of the folk of the region are willing to spend significant amounts of coin for a new tome to add to their personal libraries.
Astror benefits significantly from laying astride the Serpentia River, which brings timber and many other goods from the heart of the Empire down through the Province and into the Amethran Sea. The region’s economy revolves around Lucenastu, which sits at the river’s mouth and is a massive hub of trade and the various industries that make use of timber and other forest products. The islands of the Emperor’s Paw offshore provide significant amounts of fish, and the plains of the region are fertile (if a bit arid) and excellent for growing grapes and hardy fruit trees. The towns that sit along the coastline are picturesque and have a thriving tourism economy, catering to nobles and Commercios who are seeking a relaxing and beautiful place to stay the night.