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Shin Kak Nish

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Shin Kak Nish
Era Heraldic Epochs
World Roshar
Universe Cosmere

Shin Kak Nish was one of the Silver Kingdoms of Roshar.[1]

Geography[edit]

Shin Kak Nish was situated on the west coast of the Rosharan continent, bordering the Silver Kingdoms of Iri, Sela Tales and Makabakam. The kingdom's territory was essentially the same as the modern country of Shinovar.[1][2] It was separated from the bordering kingdoms by the Misted Mountains, and it had a long, mountainous coastline on the Aimian Sea.[1]

The kingdom contained an Oathgate, but its exact location is not known. It appears to be the only Oathgate that Nazh did not narrow down to a particular city in his research.[3]

Culture[edit]

Shin Kak Nish was the original land given to humans when they arrived on Roshar as refugees from a (possibly self-inflicted) cataclysm on Ashyn.[4][5][6] The humans brought non-native flora and fauna with them, giving Shin Kak Nish a unique ecosystem that has persisted into the modern day.[5] The ground is generally covered in soil and grass, rather than bare stone as in most of Roshar.[7] Additionally, highstorms are quite weak by the time they reach Shin lands,[8] and spren are relatively rare.[9] The Shin people also have a distinct physical appearance compared to other Rosharans, with pale skin and large, round eyes with no epicanthic folds.[10][11]

Due to their isolation, the Shin people also developed unique food and drink. They are the only culture that makes wine from actual grapes,[12] as grapes are not otherwise native to Roshar and "wine" is typically made from other fruits.[13] In one of Dalinar's visions, Nohadon mentioned that he planned to bake Shin loaf bread, and that it was notably fluffier than bread made from other grains on Roshar.[10]

The Shin people typically append one of their parent's names to their given name (e.g. Szeth-son-Neturo) and this tradition dates to the Silver Kingdoms era, if not earlier.[14]

Like the other Silver Kingdoms, the name Shin Kak Nish is a palindrome, considered holy in Vorinism. The Shin have their own names for each Herald of the Almighty, such as Nin-son-God[15] and Ishu-son-God.[16] "Kak" may derive from Kalak, one of the Heralds, or the number 8.[17] Modern Shin people have their own religious traditions such as Stone Shamanism, but it is not clear when these traditions began.

History[edit]

For more information, see Shinovar.

According to the Eila Stele, the humans who had been accepted into Roshar by the singers later turned on them using the power of Surgebinding; the singers began calling the humans "Voidbringers".[18]

During the Heraldic Epochs, Shin Kak Nish seemed to have a working relationship with the other kingdoms. Because of its geographic isolation, use of their Oathgate was likely key to their interaction with other peoples.[19] Although records are spotty, some Shin people were either Knights Radiant or fought alongside them in the Desolations, such as Naze-daughter-Kuzodo[20] and Malad-son-Zent.[14]

Despite its location surrounded by nearly impenetrable mountains,[21] the kingdom did have some conflicts with its neighbors. Nohadon spoke to Dalinar about an ancient conflict near the Shin Kak Nish border after a Desolation.[10] At some point, a Shin leader named Shubreth-son-Mashalan led a campaign known as the Shin invasion and presumably took over a large portion of the continent behind the might of his cavalry,[22][23][24] since horses were among the animals that humans had brought to Shin Kak Nish.[5] However, Shubreth's empire is thought to have collapsed because it expanded too quickly.[22]

A Shin man appeared to be the first person to find the abandoned Honorblades after the Recreance[14] and most of them remained with the Shin for millenia.[25][26] In the modern day, the Shin people are generally thought of as pacifistic isolationists.[27][7] Because of their secretive nature,[25] it is not clear how or why Shin society may have changed after significant events in their history such as the Shin invasion or the end of the Heraldic Epochs.[28]

Notes[edit]

  1. ↑ a b c Map of Silver Kingdoms
  2. ↑ Map of Roshar
  3. ↑ Map of Oathgates
  4. ↑ Oathbringer chapter 113#
  5. ↑ a b c Idaho Falls signing
    — Arcanum - 2018-12-29#
  6. ↑ Oathbringer chapter 115 epigraph#
  7. ↑ a b The Way of Kings interlude I-4#
  8. ↑ Shadows of Self San Diego signing
    — Arcanum - 2015-10-08#
  9. ↑ Oathbringer London signing
    — Arcanum - 2017-11-28#
  10. ↑ a b c Oathbringer chapter 103#
  11. ↑ /r/fantasy AMA 2013
    — Arcanum - 2013-04-15#
  12. ↑ General Reddit 2016
    — Arcanum - 2016-11-29#
  13. ↑ DragonCon 2019
    — Arcanum - 2019-08-29#
  14. ↑ a b c Oathbringer chapter 38#
  15. ↑ Edgedancer chapter 9#
  16. ↑ Oathbringer chapter 106#
  17. ↑ Ten Essences#
  18. ↑ Oathbringer chapter 111#
  19. ↑ Words of Radiance chapter 47#
  20. ↑ Oathbringer chapter 81 epigraph#
  21. ↑ Oathbringer chapter 96#
  22. ↑ a b Oathbringer chapter 19#
  23. ↑ Oathbringer chapter 2#
  24. ↑ Oathbringer chapter 75#
  25. ↑ a b Words of Radiance interlude I-14#
  26. ↑ Words of Radiance chapter 88#
  27. ↑ The Way of Kings chapter 55#
  28. ↑ Starsight Release Party
    — Arcanum - 2019-11-26#
This page is complete!
This page contains all the knowledge we have on the subject at this time.
Big Smooth (talk) 23:50, 18 March 2020 (UTC)
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