What do you recommend for Ashen Empire Scales and Domain ?

[Taqwus]

With castles, bear in mind that the Citadel is significantly more expensive gold-wise, if memory serves. Gold may well be in short supply unless the map's filled with high-valued fire and earth sites, or you outrace your own dominion and pillage like crazy -- which might be an argument against picking a very high dominion, as your neighboring pop might die well before you get a chance to exploit them.