Difference between revisions of "Alethkar"

'''Alethkar''' is the largest and most prominent of the five [[Vorinism|Vorin]] nations on [[Roshar]]. It is split into ten princedoms, each with its own [[highprince]]. People from Alethkar are known as '''Alethi'''. Alethkar is currently engaged in the [[War of Reckoning]] against the [[Parshendi]]. In the present day, Alethkar possesses many [[Shardblade]]s, like [[Jah Keved]].{{book ref|b|sa1|c|23}}

Under this system, the ten [[highprince]]s acted as kings of their own lands, with no unifying government. The [[Sunmaker]] united the highprinces{{book ref|b|twok|c|24}} and stopped the [[Hierocracy]], but eventually the government split again. Later, in approximately 1158, [[Gavilar Kholin]]--inspired by the Sunmaker--sought to conquer and unite the highprinces, which he achieved by about 1163. He was then crowned king and his brother [[Dalinar Kholin]] became highprince to the [[House Kholin|Kholin]] Princedom.

When Gavilar was assassinated{{book ref|b|sa1|prologue}} by the [[Parshendi]] in 1167, his son [[Elhokar Kholin]] became king and declared war on the Parshendi. Each of the highprinces joined the [[Vengeance Pact]], and they went to the [[Shattered Plains]] to besiege the Parshendi in the [[War of Reckoning]]. The siege took much longer than was expected, and was still active by 1173.

Soldiers are usually trained in one or two additional Skills, i.e. horse grooms.{{book ref|b|twok|c|28}}

The word ''Mathana'' is a formal term for an older sister,{{book ref|b|sa1|c|22}} and for "aunt" it is ''Mashala''.{{book ref|b|twok|c|60}}

The modern Alethi army is one of the strongest military forces on Roshar with well over 100,000 troops{{book ref|b|sa1|c|6}} and over thirty [[Shardbearer]]s.{{book ref|b|sa2|c|5}} The army employs most of its troops as spearmen and archers, as well as a very small amount of cavalry due to the rarity of horses on Roshar;{{book ref|b|sa1|c|6}} only the officers wield swords because, according to Vorin traditions, the sword is regarded as a lighteyed's weapon.{{book ref|b|sa1|prologue}} Under most circumstances, military service is voluntary, though the leaders of the army has the right of conscription for darkeyes that do not provide an essential function to a community (e.g. a town's only surgeon) when they feel there is need for additional troops.{{book ref|b|sa1|c|44}} It is extremely rare for a darkeyed soldier to rise higher than the rank of squadleader.{{book ref|b|sa1|c|47}} Lighteyed officers that have the command of a branch of the army are usually referred by their duties (e.g. cavalrylord, infantrylord).{{book ref|b|sa1|c|26}}

Despite Alethkar being a monarchy, the king has very little actual say in how the military is run and does not directly command any force other than the 250-strong King's Guard. The troops are sworn to and led by their individual highprinces.{{book ref|b|sa2|c|5}} In that sense, Alethkar army is not truly a unified army, but a loose coalition between ten smaller armies. Indeed, even in wartime, there is constant in-fighting between the highprinces' armies,{{book ref|b|sa1|c|47}} and cooperation between the highprinces themselves is seen as a weakness;{{book ref|b|sa1|c|54}} this is bolstered by the tenets of Vorinism that say the purpose of life is to prepare in order to join the Heralds in the fight to regain the [[Tranquiline Halls]] and Alethi belief that everything is a competition in life.{{book ref|b|sa1|c|15}}

Because of the immense size of the army and the difficulty of travel, [[Soulcasting]] plays a vital role in supplying the army with wood, metal, food, and many other necessities, as well as being used in building fortifications. The king controls most of the Soulcaster ardents; in fact, manipulating the highprinces with his Soulcasters is one of the ways that the king maintains a control over them.{{book ref|b|sa1|c|15}}

Recently, in an effort to truly unify the kingdom, [[Dalinar Kholin]] has been appointed as the [[Highprince of War]] by the king. This title was used in Alethkar before being fragmented into ten princedoms when each highprince was given the ultimate authority over one aspect of the governing of the kingdom. On paper, this gives Kholin authority over all war-related activities.{{book ref|b|sa1|c|69}}