Editing Reshi Isles

{{geography

|map=Locator_ReshiIsles.png

|type={{cat tag|Islands}}

|universe=[[Cosmere]]

|books=[[The Stormlight Archive]]

{{update|sa4}}

The '''Reshi Isles''' are a collection of islands on the northern edge of [[Roshar]] in the [[Reshi Sea]]. People from the Reshi Isles are called '''Reshi'''.

They include the islands of [[Kadrix]], [[Quili]], [[Abri]], [[Arak]], [[Akak]], [[Relu-na]] and [[Sumi]].{{map ref|Roshar}} According to [[Dalinar Kholin|Dalinar]]'s memories the people of the '''Akak Reshi''' were destroyed.{{book ref|sa1|56}}

One of the smaller islands is home to the [[ardent]]s [[Geranid]] and her husband [[Ashir]].{{book ref|twok|i|8}}

== Geography ==

{{image|Map ReshiSea.png|side=right|width=300px|A map of the [[Reshi Sea]]}}

=== Climate ===

As an equatorial collection of landmasses,{{map ref|Roshar}}{{wob ref|13629}}{{wob ref|13208}} weather of the Reshi Isles is warm and overwhelmingly humid. The rainfall on the Reshi Sea often forms a misting haze.{{book ref|wor|i|3}} As Roshar lacks obliquity, the heat is constant and the sun passes directly overhead.{{wob ref|11448}}{{book ref|sa2|87}}{{cite}}

The summers tend to be sweltering, especially at the beaches, where the sand is heated enough that it can be painful to walk across.{{book ref|yumi|4}}

{{sidequote

|Shalebark mounds made vast fields of vibrant colors. Moss coated nearly everything. Vines and rockbuds wound around trunks of small trees that had gained a foothold in cracks between plates of the animal’s shell.

|Rysn describing a Tai-na.{{book ref|sa2|i|3}}

|side=right|size=250px

}}

=== Flora and Fauna ===

*[[I-nah]] - A type of tree with bark of stone which grows along the bottom of the Reshi Sea.{{book ref|wor|i|3}}

*[[Tai-na]] - A type of island-sized habitable [[greatshell]] worshiped by the Reshi.{{book ref|wor|i|3}}

*[[Coracot]] - A fearsome creature that is hunted in the Reshi Isles.

* [[Zatalef]] - The zatalef is a cephalopod that lives at least in Akak, and perhaps in other Reshi Isles.

* An unknown species of minnow.

* An unknown species of [[greatshell]] living on [[Kadrix]].{{book ref|sa1|36}}

== People ==

The Reshi are described as having straight black hair, tan skin and rounded features.{{book ref|wor|i|9}} They are said to look similar to Herdazians.{{book ref|sa2.5|7}} They speak Reshi, which is a language sounding like barking, according to some people. They are a relaxed people, living a simple life, though not every Reshi is carefree and prefers lounging to fighting.{{book ref|wor|i|3}}

They know much of foreigners, but are not aware of the current economic situation on the mainland, so they only trade with people they trust and respect during the trading season. With outsiders seeking out the place and trying to exploit them, they grow tired of those who bring goods of low quality.{{book ref|wor|i|3}} Despite this, they are capable of sending messages to distant locations, as [[Talik]] was able to tell [[Vstim]] in advance that he should bring goods to trade for a larkin corpse.{{book ref|wor|i|3}}

The relatively relaxed culture of the Reshi Isles attracts foreigners to the isles as permanent residents.{{book ref|wor|i|3}} According to [[Vstim]], relocating to the Tai-na called Relu-Na requires giving all you own to their king.{{book ref|wor|i|3}} It is unclear if this is standard practice for all of the Reshi Isles, or just for this one.

As indigenous populations, most Reshi have no real concept of assassination and war.{{book ref|wor|54}} To them, battle is more about yelling and posturing than actual killing. However the eastern Reshi often raid Alethkar. When trading, a Reshi judges the other trader as they would judge a rival in battle.{{book ref|wor|54}}{{book ref|wor|i|3}}

When a foreigner is nearby, the Reshi tend to jump into the water from greater heights than they would normally, doing so to impress and shock these foreigners.{{book ref|sa2|i|3}}

== Culture ==

=== Religion ===

The Reshi worship Tai-na as their gods. They believe that the Tai-na approve of boldness and respect and interpret the movements of the Tai-na as divine will. They also believe that everything in life serves the same purpose of pleasing the [[Tai-na]].

They use bundles of fruit as offerings.{{book ref|wor|i|3}}

They appear to observe taboos regarding discussion of the spren that inhabit Tai-na.{{book ref|wor|i|3}}

=== Clothing ===

Reshi standard clothing includes colorful wraps leaving the shoulders bare as well as tassels. Some Reshi also wear their hair in two long braids.{{book ref|sa3.5|1}} Reshi are also known to wear hair ornaments such as ribbons. Swimmers like to walk about unclothed.{{book ref|wor|i|3}} In parts of the Reshi Isles, some women don't even wear tops due to the hot weather.{{book ref|wor|31}} The king of an island is dressed in full bright voluminous robes.

===Live Stock===

The Reshi paint their chulls' shells. One can identify what island a Reshi chull handler is from by the colors and patterns on their chulls' shells.{{book ref|sa1|28}}

The Reshi on [[Kadrix]] ride Greatshells.{{book ref|sa1|36}}

=== Furniture ===

Reshi furniture is flat and long. They do not use chairs, instead sitting on cushions laid across the ground.{{book ref|twok|i|8}}

=== Military ===

{{sidequote

| Soldiers lined the path, armed with spears bearing colorful tassels. Their breastplates and armguards were of carapace carved wickedly with points, and though they wore only wraps for clothing, they stood as stiff backed as any [[Alethi]] soldier, with stern expressions to match.

| [[Rysn]] observing Reshi guards.{{book ref|sa2|i|3}}

|side=right|size=250px

}}

Though many Reshi are relaxed and carefree, there are those who prefer fighting to lounging. These soldiers wear armour made from carapace, their armguards are carved into wicked points. {{book ref|wor|i|3}} They also carry spears with tassels on them. They do not have any Shards and are not known to have any soulcasters.

In large parts of the Reshi isles the fighting is ritualistic, with more posturing and yelling then actual killing, The eastern Reshi are known for their raids against the Alethi however, so its safe to assume these Reshi fight more like warriors from the mainland. Reshi wars are often short, only a single battle long.{{book ref|wor|i|3}}

When two Tai-na go to war the people of the islands get into boats and exchange insults and boasts, each starting with their weakest insults first. This would progress into a kind of verbal duel ending with the strongest insults. Afterwards arrows and spears would be exchanged, although this wouldn’t be to violently, with more yelling then actual cutting.{{book ref|wor|i|3}}

=== Transportation ===

The Reshi travel the [[Reshi Sea]] using catamarans.{{book ref|sa2|i|3}} They also travel on their islands using [[Chull]]s.{{book ref|sa1|28}}

==Politics==

The Reshi isles are not united by a single government, instead each island has its own king.{{book ref|wor|i|3}}

== History ==

=== The Silver Kingdoms ===

{{image|Silver Kingdoms.jpg|side=right|width=450px|Map of the Silver Kingdoms}}

The Reshi Isles were founded as [[Rishir]], one of the [[Silver Kingdoms]] on Roshar. It was created during the [[Heraldic Epochs]]. The largest area claimed by Rishir consisted of the Reshi isles. The [[Oathgate]] was established at the city of [[Kurth]], on the border of the [[Reshi Sea]].

Like all of the Silver Kingdoms, they were constantly returned back to primitive technological levels by the Desolations, often to the point to making use of stone tools. Though they advanced each time with the help of the Heralds whenever they returned, often helping them to enter into the bronze age, often receiving this assistance from [[Kalak]] and his [[Willshapers]].{{book ref|sa2|i|7}}{{book ref|sa1|part=prelude}}{{wob ref|13779}}

Eventually at an unknown date the kingdom collapsed and fractured into multiple other nations.{{map ref|Roshar}}

=== Era of Solitude ===

==== Saving the Larkin ====

At some point after the [[scouring of Aimia]] a group of [[Tai-na]] known as the [[Na-Alind]] took in the [[Larkin]], as of 1174, they are still protecting the Larkin.{{book ref|sa3.5|1}}

==== Conquest of the Akak Reshi ====

The [[Akak]] Reshi fought a war with the [[Alethi]] around the year 1155. They eventually lost this war and were destroyed. [[Dalinar]] fought as general on the Alethi side and claimed the land for Alethkar.{{cite}}

==== The Wastescum Skirmishes ====

The [[Wastescum skirmishes]] are a collection of skirmishes in the northern region of Alethkar which occurred some time before 1166, and some time after the crowning of Gavilar in 1145. The skirmishes were started by Reshi raiders raiding northern Alethkar, seeking to take advantage of the instability of [[Alethkar]] soon after the crowning of Gavilar Kholin. It can be reasonably assumed that the raiders were repelled from Alethkar.

This conflict did not fully dissuade the Reshi from engaging in border skirmishes but combined with the destruction of the Akak Reshi it dealt a heavy blow to the nearby Reshi. Nevertheless they are still known to attack Alethkar as late as Kak 1173.{{cite}} However, some Reshi allied with the Alethi military during the [[War of Reckoning]], providing them with Chulls, painted to indicate their origin.{{book ref|sa1|28}}

=== The True Desolation ===

==== The Coalition ====

The Coalition invited the Reshi king Ral-na and his son to [[Urithiru]] to talk and show them around.{{book ref|sa3.5|3}}

== Notable Characters ==

*[[Lift]] (racially Reshi){{book ref|wor|i|9}}

;Residents

*[[Ral-na]] - Leader of an island{{book ref|wor|i|3}}

*[[Talik]] - Trader and son of the king and king's consort, who sent him to train in Thaylenah. He had a babsk, and made trademaster before returning home.{{book ref|wor|i|3}}

;Visitors

*[[Geranid]] and [[Ashir]] - Two ardents who live together on an unnamed small island{{book ref|sa1|i|8}}

*[[Rysn]] and her [[babsk]] [[Vstim]] (along with their guards [[Kylrm]] and [[Nlent]]) - They came to an island to trade for the corpse of a [[larkin]].{{book ref|wor|i|3}}

*[[Axies]] - He was found hanging upside down from his feet for having offended the god of an island.{{book ref|wor|i|3}}

{{partial}}