Iri

Iri
by User: Otto didact
Ethnicity	Iriali
Era	Heraldic Epochs
World	Roshar
Universe	Cosmere

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This article is about the nation on Roshar. For the people across the cosmere, see Iriali.

“We are Iriali, and part of the Long Trail, of which this is the Fourth Land. … Eventually, all will be gathered back in—when the Seventh Land is attained—and we will once again become One. ”

—Ym

Iri is a kingdom in northwestern Roshar. Prior to the Recreance, it was one of the Silver Kingdoms. People from Iri are called Iriali. Iri is ruled by three monarchs, currently two kings and a queen. The Iriali queen has authority over foreign policy.

Geography and Ecology

The largest city in Iri is Rall Elorim, City of Shadows, followed closely by Kasitor. Many people in Kasitor worship Cusicesh the Protector, a giant spren, as a deity. Iri also contains the city of Eila. Due to its northwestern position on Roshar, Iri is warmer than most other nations.

History

The Iriali are not native to Roshar. They believe that they are part of something they call the "Long Trail," a series of seven Lands which all must be "attained" before they will become One again. Of these, the Fourth Land is Roshar, which they migrated to from somewhere besides Ashyn, separately from the rest of humanity. They have had what most would consider to be inhuman ancestry in their past, depending on what is considered human.

During the Desolations the Silver Kingdom of Iri was founded. This Kingdom ruled the current territories of Iri and Rira. At some point the Kingdom collapsed and the eastern part split off, forming Rira. Iri continued to claim Rira as a vassal, but that claim was disputed.

During the True Desolation, Dalinar Kholin approached the monarchs of Iri in an attempt to persuade them to join the coalition of monarchs. Iri claimed both that Dalinar had stolen their Shardplate and that Alethkar was no longer relevant as a world power. They gave these as reasons not to side with the coalition, instead joining forces with the Fused, who offered them more power than they felt they could gain by siding with the humans. Furthermore, the Iriali people sought peace. Looking back at their histories, they realized that humans had never tried the tactic of capitulation as a way to avoid a Desolation and felt an obligation to try it, as it was an experience the One had not yet explored.

By the time just after the Battle of Thaylen Field, Iri had struck eastward and, with the help of Odium's forces, captured most of the western kingdoms in the region of the Purelake. The country became both a stationing ground for troops and the center to which Odium's navy retreated following a defeat by the coalition.

Politics

The Iriali are ruled by a triumvirate of rulers. The gender of the ruler is apparently unimportant, though currently they are ruled by two kings and a queen. The Queen currently has responsibilities over foreign policy.

Foreign Policy

Rira

The nation of Iri claims authority over their "sister nation" of Rira, but Rira disputes that claim. Despite this, Iri does ultimately hold sway over Rira. The Iriali desire to strike eastward and take over Iri.

Culture

The Iriali have metallic golden-blond skin and hair that breeds true. Many Alethi consider a lock of the golden hair of the Iriali to be good luck. The Iriali are particular about chastity laws, and dislike public nudity. The men often wear only waist wraps on warmer days. The Iriali also paint their skin with colors and patterns. The Iriali tend to be less quarrelsome and prudish than the Vorin nations. They mostly have yellow eyes.

Iri has no Soulcasters.

Religion

The Iriali worship a god they call "The One". According to this belief, the One knew everything but had experienced nothing. And so the One became Many in order to experience all things. As each experience is different, it brings completeness to the One. Eventually, all will be gathered back in when the sum of land is attained and they will once again become One. Every person is a different mind of a single being experiencing different lives. As Many, they need ignorance. Each fragment of the One’s mind has its own body with different passions and inclinations. They exist in variety to experience all kinds of thought. That means some people must know and others must not. Just like some people must be rich and others poor.

It is likely that this belief is the same one spread by Arclo.

The religion is at least somewhat related to the Shattering of Adonalsium with its philosophy of one becoming many.

The Iriali religion involves somehow reading portents of the future in the waves of the ocean. Tidereaders look at the waves and use what they see to make pronouncements about the future. The Iriali queen has a tidereader in her court.

The philosophy behind the One is that the Spiritual Realm and the Beyond are the same thing. When a person dies, their soul rejoins the Investiture of the Spiritual Realm. Most cosmere philosophers disagree with this belief.

Notable Citizens & Visitors

• Ym is an Iriali cobbler and incipient Truthwatcher who is killed by Nale.
• Zu is an Iriali Stoneward who is bonded to the peakspren Ua'pam
• Wyndle originally wants to form a bond with a distinguished Iriali matron (who might have been Ym), but the Ring chooses for him to bond Lift instead.
• Axies the Collector, an Aimian, visits Iri to look for spren.
• Rysn and her babsk, Vstim, visit Iri, and Rysn manages to offend the Iriali somehow.

Trivia

• The Iriali will have a role to play during the space age of the cosmere.

Notes

This article is still missing information. Please help The Coppermind by expanding it.