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'''Alethkar''' was the largest and most prominent of the five [[Vorinism|Vorin]] Nations. It was split into ten princedoms, each with its own [[Highprince]]. The [[House Kholin|Kholin]] family ruled over the ten Highprinces. People from Alethkar arewere known as '''Alethi'''.
== Geography ==
Located in eastern [[Roshar]], Alethkar was more exposed to the Highstorms than many lands further eastwest. Important geographical features included the [[Sunmaker Mountains]], the [[Sea of Spears]], and the [[Windrunner River|Windrunner]] and [[Deathbend River]]s.
== History ==
== Culture ==
The Alethi culture was divided into two major castes, the [[lighteyes]] and [[darkeyes]]. The distinction between the two was the coloring of the person's eyes, the lighteyes standing as the upperclass, and Darkeyesdarkeyes as the working/lower class, each of these classes were further divided in rank according to their [[dahn]] (In the case of lighteyes) or their [[nahn]] (In the case of Darkeyes) there were many ways in which you could improve your ranking and it was hereditary,. manyMany Darkeyesdarkeyes volunteered to become soldiers due tofor thisthe chance ofto increasingincrease their rank and that of their children.
Children of pure light/dark-eyed parents always bred true, where as the children of mixed descent had the chance to be either.
The Alethi system of government revolved around class,. theThe Lighteyeslighteyes werecomposed the ruling upper classcaste, which also had a ranking system (dahn). The highest ranked lighteyes was the [[Elhokar|King]], who rules over all of the [[Highprince]]s. Next in line in terms of prestige and power arewere any lighteyes who arewere also [[Shardbearer]]s, with significant overlap into the princedom (i.e. many highprinces are generally shardbearersShardbearers as well).
The darkeyes weremade up the working class, the. largeThe amountmajority of darkeyes were either farmers or soldiers, both of which were considered to be high [[Calling]]s in Vorinism and so to be admirable professions. Many darkeyed soldiers who went to war hoped to defeat a Shardbearer in combat to gain ownership over their [[Shardblade]] as it was believed that this would change the color of their eyes and they would become a lighteyes themselves.
War and honor waswere considered a way of life to the Alethi.
The word ''Mathana'' was a formal term for an older sister.{{ref|b|sa1|c|22}}
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