Jah Keved

Jah Keved
by User: Otto didact
Ethnicity	Veden, Unkalaki, Bav, Siln
Capital	Vedenar
World	Roshar
Universe	Cosmere

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Jah Keved is one of the five Vorin Kingdoms on Roshar, situated in the eastern half of the continent. Its capital is Vedenar.

Geography

Jah Keved on the world map

Located in eastern Roshar, Jah Keved is the second largest state on the planet, claiming over five and a half million square kilometers of land. It shares its eastern border with Alethkar and Herdaz on three rivers, while in the west, it is bordered by Tu Bayla and Triax. North to south, the country stretches across the entire continent, between the Reshi and Tarat Seas.

Though verdant, Jah Keved doesn't possess many major rivers. The country's most notable geographical feature is the Horneater Peaks in the east, which form an important strategic barrier against the Alethi.

Notable Locations

Regions

• Horneater Peaks - Massive mountains on the eastern side of the country, the Peaks are the home of the Unkalaki people. Despite their high altitude, the mountaintops are inhabitable thanks to a series of hot lakes known as the Horneater Oceans.
• Bavland - A small mining region, known for being dusty.

Cities

• Vedenar - The capital city of Jah Keved. Much of it was destroyed during the civil war of 1173. It is the site of the country's Oathgate.
• Valath - The location of the Holy Enclave, the center of Vorin faith.
• Silnasen - The main city of the Siln people.
• Northgrip - The largest city located on the northern coast.

Other

• The Silent Mount - A mountain where the the Vanrial, an order of artists, live.
• Cultivation's Perpendicularity - Roshar's only stable perpendicularity, located somewhere in the Horneater Peaks.
• Jokasha Monastery - Home of the Vorin Devotary of the Mind.

History

Ancient Vedenar

During the Silver Kingdoms era, the territory now occupied by Jah Keved belonged to the kingdom of Valhav. Since that time, the countries of Tu Bayla and Triax have splintered off, though Jah Keved still holds vast majority of Valhav lands, including what was presumably its capital, Vedenar, along with its Oathgate.

Until the Alethi Unification, Jah Keved was the largest country on Roshar, and the main oasis of stability in the region. This changed, however, in the year 1173, when Szeth assassinated the Veden king, Hanavanar, along with a number of highprinces. This plunged the country into a chaotic civil war, with at least seven different factions hoping to claim Vedenar and crown their leader king. The situation was further worsened by the presence of the Unmade Nergaoul, known better as the Thrill, leading Veden soldiers to fight with unprecedented degree of drive and brutality.

The civil war lasted about a year, with the final confrontation being the battle at Vedenar. Highprince Valam emerged victorious, becoming the new king. However, he quickly passed the crown to king Taravangian before ordering his illegitimate son, Redin, to kill him. Given Valam's poor health and his insinuations shortly before his death, it's possible he was being poisoned by the Diagram to achieve this, as it was them who instigated the civil war by sending Szeth.

Under Taravangian's leadership, Jah Keved was, alongside Kharbranth, the first country to ally with Urithiru. Fearing that it would be overrun by Voidbringers, the king requested - and was granted - aid from other members of the coalition.. However, following the revelations of the Eila Stele, the country broke off from the alliance as part of Diagram's plan to undermine Dalinar.

Though king Taravangian pledged himself to Odium, Jah Keved was not part of his deal. As such, its current position in the Last Desolation remains unclear.

Politics

Much like Alethkar or Kharbranth, the population of Jah Keved is divided into darkeyes and lighteyes, with the latter holding power. A number of weaker, lower-dahn noble houses own fealty to a group of Highprinces, who in turn own fealty to a king. Prior to the civil war, known Veden Highprinces were Valam, Abrial, Boriar, Evinor and Jal Mala.

Over the year 1173, most of the country's political structures have either fallen into chaos or outright disintegrated. Opening with the death of the then-king Hanavanar at the hands of the Assassin in White, the ensuing civil war has claimed the lives of all the Veden Highprinces, either through assassination or open warfare. The nominal victor of the war, Valam, passed the Veden crown to king Taravangian of Kharbranth, who has a claim to the throne through his mother.

As the largest country prior to the unification of Alethkar, Jah Keved has strong influence on the culture of other Vorin states. The centre of Vorin faith, the Holy Enclave, is located in the Veden city of Valath. Valath is also the location of one of Roshar's major spanreed hubs, adding to the city's importance.

Though not as militaristic as their eastern neighbors, Jah Keved is thought to possess the most Shardblades of any country other than Alethkar.

Culture

Veden man wearing the latest fashion

Jah Keved is comprised of at least four distinct ethnic groups - Veden, Siln, Bav and Unkalaki.

The Veden people are typically associated with pale skin and violet eyes. They appear to be more religious than average Vorins, with higher importance being placed on the trappings of the faith, such as the safehand and the strict division between masculine and feminine arts. Their language belongs to the Vorin family, and is close enough to that of Alethkar to be mutually intelligible for both sides. The Alethi are also close to Vedens in fashion.

The Siln people live in and around the southern city of Silnasen. They are noted as being less technologically advanced than the rest of the country, with highly ritualized warfare.

The Bav people live in Bavland, a small region in the south-western corner of the country. They are mostly miners, and have their own language and culture largely separate from that of the Veden.

For more information on the Unkalaki people, see Unkalaki.

The Unkalaki - or Horneaters, as they are called by outsiders - live on top of the mountains known as Horneater Peaks. They are one of several peoples with Singer ancestry, and have some attributes that set them apart from other Rosharan humans, such as their ususually strong teeth (which is where the "Horneater" nickname comes from) and the ability to occassionally hear the Rhythms. Red hair are also a typically Unkalaki feature, and are a mark of Horneater ancestry on a person from outside the Peaks.

Though the Horneater Peaks are nominally part of Jah Keved, the Unkalaki have their own language, system of beliefs and government, and don't seem to see themselves as Veden citizens.

Notable citizens

• Shallan Davar, the first Lightweaver of the new generation of Knights Radiant
• The rest of the Davar household, including the father, Lin, as well as his four sons Wikim, Jushu, Balat and Helaran
• Malata, the Dustbringer Radiant in service of the Diagram
• Valam, the former Veden Highprince-turned-King and the liege lord of the Davars
• Hanavanar, the previous Veden king, whose death caused the Jah Keved civil war

Trivia

• At 5.5 million square kilometres of land, Jah Keved is a little over half the size of United States.
• Szeth hid one of Gavilar's black spheres somewhere in this country.

Notes

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