Marabethia
| Marabethia | |
|---|---|
| |
| World | Roshar |
| Universe | Cosmere |
“ The Marabethians have a saying for someone who refuses to see the truth of a situation. 'You have eyes of red and blue', they say. Red for blood dripping. Blue for the water. It is said that these two things are all the [criminals] see. Usually they are attacked within one day. And yet, most still wish to take that chance. They prefer the false hope ”
Marabethia is a nation on Roshar occupying the isthmus separating the Purelake from the Reshi Sea. It is bordered by Tu Bayla to the east, and Babatharnam to the west.[2]
![[2]](#cite_note-OB_Roshar.jpg-2){kind=link}
Geography and Ecology[edit]
During the time of the Silver Kingdoms, Marabethia was controlled by Sela Tales[3] and is still considered to be in Selay lands.[1] The far eastern border was part of Valhav.[4]
![[4]](#cite_note-Silver_Kingdoms.jpg-4){kind=link}
Off the coast of Marabethia, a greatshell known as yu-nerig can be found. They are known for their succulent flavor and gemhearts.[1]
South Marabethia[edit]
The Skybreakers have a stronghold on the southern edge of Marabethia along the Purelake that is used to train acolytes. They will often use their surroundings for this training, including by placing items in the Purelake, to be used by the squires.[5][6]
Reshi-idealists can be found living on the southern border of the country. The Purelaker religion is also present in the area, likely due to the proximity between the Purelakers and those on the Marabethian southern border.[7]
Flora and Fauna[edit]
Sarpenthyn are common in Marabethia.[8]
The waters off their coast are inhabited by yu-nerig.[1]
Culture[edit]
The Marabethian people are known to have a great fondness for debate; the city has many pedestals at intersections where men can stand and proclaim their arguments. It is said that the residents are known to carry around overripe fruit for discouraging those they disagree with.[1]
Cuisine[edit]
They are known to eat yu-nerig.[1]
Religion[edit]
The Purelaker religion is followed by a portion of their population, particularly in southern Marabethia.[7]
Superstitions[edit]
They have a superstition that Sarpenthyn are vengeful spirits of murdered children.[8]
Law and Order[edit]
“The local monarchs have accepted us as a unifying martial force, and have given us legal authority. The city's high minister wrote to us via spanreed, pleading for help. ”
—[7]
Lawkeeps in Marabethia dress in a patterned shoulder cloak and colorful skirtlike wrap.[5]
To punish serious crimes, perpetrators are dangled over a seaside cliff, during high tide with a cut in each cheek, as bait for the yu-nerig.[9] If the criminal survives for a week, they are set free.[1] The criminals that hang there are usually attacked within a day. A criminal can demand execution instead but almost every prisoner chooses to be hung over the sea, because they prefer false hope to certain death.[1]
The Marabethian government is aware that the Skybreakers have a keep in the region and will call on them if they require assistance with enforcement.[7]
Politics[edit]
Marabethia is ruled by a number of local Monarchs, this makes it likely that Marabethia isn’t one nation, but rather a group of ‘kingdoms’ with similar culture.[7]
History[edit]
Pre-Human Arrival[edit]
Before humanity arrived on Roshar from Ashyn, the land that would come to be known as Marabethia was inhabited by Singers.[10] After an uncertain period of time after human arrival and settlement in present-day Shinovar, they headed an invasion, slaughtering them and expelling them from their land; claiming it as their own.[10] This history was lost to time until the discovery of the Eila Stele.[10]
Heraldic Epochs[edit]
During the Heraldic Epochs, Marabethia was part of the Silver Kingdom of Sela Tales and Valhav.[3][4] It was conquered by Ashynite migrants who were granted the land that would become Shinovar by the Singers, but grew dissatisfied with their hegemony and chose to violently expand it, heralding the First Desolation.[11]
The Desolations[edit]
Due to the Desolations, they were constantly returned back to primitive technological levels, 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.[12][13][14]
One of the many Desolations that struck the nation, along with the rest of Roshar, arrived in the year 337 of the Eighth Epoch. This Desolation was heralded by the release of Midnight Essence in a small settlement in Natanatan.[15] The length of this Desolation is unknown.
Aharietiam and the Last Desolation[edit]
The Last Desolation was a large scale Desolation which occured around 4500 years before the arrival of the True Desolation. This Desolation was particularly devasting due to the fact that it happened only a year after the previous Desolation, and thus society was weakened and still recovering. Tired of the Desolations and their torture on Braize, the nine Heralds still on Roshar refused to return to Braize, leaving Taln as the sole Herald on the planet for millennia.[16][17]
After the Last Desolation, Desolations ceased to ravage the nations. Due to this, society was able to advance much further than ever before, giving them the strength to potentially resist any potential Desolation without complete societal collapse.[18] The era heralded by the Last Desolation came to be known as the Era of Solitude.[19]
At some point following Aharietiam, Sela Tales broke into a large amount of smaller states, some of which eventually became what is present-day Marabethia.[citation needed] Though they were not a true nation, but a collection of states that shared a similar culture.[7]
Age of Solitude[edit]
Nale pursued Lift while she was in Marabethia before following her to Azir.[20]
During the True Desolation, the coalition of monarchs reached out to Marabethia for aid and alliance, however, Marabethia did not respond to the request.[21]
A town on the southern border of the country is known to hold prisoners from across the region and is populated by Reshi-idealists. In 1174, Szeth and other Skybreaker acolytes were taken there to hunt down prisoners who had escaped from the local jail. The jail keep was ultimately captured and found guilty of diverting funds meant for the prison's upkeep into his own pockets instead.[7]
Notes[edit]
- ↑ a b c d e f g h The Way of Kings chapter 40#
- ↑ Map of Roshar
- ↑ a b Oathbringer interlude I-1#
- ↑ a b Map of Silver Kingdoms
- ↑ a b Oathbringer chapter 90#
- ↑ Oathbringer chapter 98#
- ↑ a b c d e f g Oathbringer chapter 92#
- ↑ a b Words of Radiance chapter 55#
- ↑ Words of Radiance chapter 49#
- ↑ a b c Oathbringer chapter 113#
- ↑ Oathbringer chapter 111#
- ↑ Words of Radiance interlude I-7#
- ↑ Prelude to the Stormlight Archive#
- ↑ The Ten Orders of Knights Radiant
— Arcanum - 2020-06-09# - ↑ The Way of Kings chapter 19#
- ↑ The Way of Kings chapter prelude#
- ↑ The Way of Kings prologue#
- ↑ Oathbringer chapter 119#
- ↑ The Way of Kings chapter 45#
- ↑ Words of Radiance interlude I-9#
- ↑ Oathbringer chapter 24#
