Difference between revisions of "Shinovar"

| The world is changing outside, but the Shin seem determined to remain the same.

| [[Vstim]] to o[[Rysn]] about the Shin{{book ref|sa1|i|4}}

[[File:Jeksonofnone.png|thumb|left|200px|[[Jeksonofnone]], a [[chicken]] from Shinovar <center><small>by [http://swamp-spirit.tumblr.com/ swamp-spirit]</small></center> [[Jeksonofnone]], a [[chicken]] from Shinovar ]]

| The entire landscape had an eerie feel to it, as if it were dead. Nothing moved.

| [[Rysn]]'s opinion of Shinovar{{book ref|sa1|i|4}}

Lying on the western side of continental Roshar, Shinovar is bordered to the east by the [[Misted Mountains]] and to the west by an unnamed mountain range. Multiple rivers flow through Shinovar from the bodies of water to both the north and the south. The Misted Mountains prevent Shinovar from bordering any other nations.{{map ref|Roshar}} The mountains aldoalso protect Shinovar from the worst of the [[highstorm]]s, so Shinovar experiences far more mild highstorms than the rest of Roshar. Regular storms also occur in Shinovar, particularly during the summer, and it can be difficult to tell the two apart based on strength.{{wob ref|5701}} The highstorm still recharges gems with the same amount of [[stormlightStormlight]] despite its lower strength.{{wob ref|11482}} [[Spren]] rarely manifest in Shinovar, though that is unrelated to highstorm strength.{{wob ref|8714}}

Shinovar has a vastly different ecology from the rest of the planet, as the flora and fauna there have not the need of adapting to survival in the highstorms. MushMuch of the ecology there is based on the plants and animals brought to Roshar by the [[Ashyn]] refugees.{{book ref|sa3|113}} The ground in Shinovar is coated with a layer of soil, making the ground feel springy to outsiders. The entire land is coated with a thick layer of grass that does not move or react to movement. The trees dotting the landscape are straight upward with leaves that do not withdraw into the trunk. {{book ref|sa1|i|4}} Plants that are known to be farmed in Shinovar include wheat,{{book ref|sa3|106}} strawberries,{{book ref|sa|48}} and grapes.{{wob ref|3978}} Animals that live in Shinovar include [[chicken]]s and horses. Horses are both domesticated and wild.{{book ref|sa1|i|6}}

Buildings made of clay and earth seem to be common in Shinovar, as they remind [[Szeth]] of his home in the [[Valley of Truth]]. This is motivated by the Shin's beliefs that stone is sacred and cannot be used as a building material.{{book ref|sa1|i|6}} The weakened highstorms likely make this form of building viable when it would not be in other parts of Roshar. Shinovar contains an [[oathgateOathgate]] somewhere inside the country, though its exact location is not known.{{file ref|Oathgate Locations.jpg|Oathgate Locations}}

When humans first arrived on Roshar from [[Ashyn]], the [[singer]]s gave them the land of ShinavarShinovar to settle in. Because it is sheltered from highstorms, humans were able to grow the plants and animals they had brought with them there. Humans, however, decided to expand frmfrom the land they were given.{{book ref|sa3|113}} During the [[Silver Kingdoms]], Shinovar was known as [[Shin Kak Nish]].{{map ref|Silver Kingdoms}} [[Nohadon]] claims to have been in a war near the Shin border.{{book ref|sa3|103}} Shinovar seems to have been less isolationist then, as they had a working [[oathgateOathgate]] and Shin people among the [[Knights Radiant]].

After the [[Last Desolation]], the Shin took control of the [[honorbladeHonorblade]]s and brought them to Shinovar.{{book ref|sa3|106}} Because of this history, they consider themselves the only ones who remember the truth about Rosharan history, though what they remember might not be entirely accurate.{{wob ref|5964}} [[Nale]] came back and retrieved his at some point without informing the Shin leaders.{{book ref|sa3|106}} Members of the Shin use and train with the honorbladesHonorblades and [[surge]]s.{{wob ref|5090}} During the [[Era of Solitude]], the Shin tried multiple times to conquer all of Roshar, but they did not succeed any time.{{book ref|sa3|2}} They used Honorblades, Surges,{{wob ref|12700}} and cavalry, a fighting technique unfamiliar to the rest of the continent.{{book ref|sa3|75}} [[Shubreth-son-Mashalan]] was likely a leader during one of the invasions.{{book ref|sa3|19}} Approximately seven years before the [[True Desolation]], [[Szeth]] announced that the [[Voidbringers]] were returning.{{book ref|sa2|i|10}} He was told by the Shin leaders that this was false, given [[Jezrien]]'s honorbladeHonorblade, and made [[Truthless]].{{book ref|sa2|33}} He was traded to [[Vstim]], a [[Thaylen]] merchant who often traded successfully with the Shin, and exiled from Shinovar.{{book ref|sa1|i|4}}

After the [[Everstorm]] hit the first time, the Shin sent warnings to other countries, including [[Tashikk]], to prepare them.{{book ref|sa2.5|14}} [[Dalinar]] sent word to them through a Thaylen merchant asking them to cooperate with his planned coalition.{{book ref|sa3|12}} The Shin were considered particularly important allies to gain because they controlled the easternmostwesternmost oathgateOathgate on continental Roshar.{{book ref|sa3|39}} When they received his message, the Shin declined to join, sending back only a congratulations to Dalinar.{{book ref|sa3|24}} WellWhile the Shin did not join the coalition, they also did not join [[Odium]] and were considered uncommitted by the end of the [[Battle of Thaylen Field]].{{book ref|sa3|122}}

The way Shinovar is governed does not seem to be well known outside of Shinovar, even to other monarchs like [[Taravangian]].{{book ref|sa3|24}} They have multiple leaders who [[Szeth]] viewwsviews as corrupt for falsely making him [[Truthless]].{{book ref|sa3|121}} Other countries tend to view them as barbarians. When it comes to foreign policy, the Shin tend to be isolationist, declining to join Dalinar's coalition of countries when the Everstorm hit.{{book ref|sa3|24}}{{book ref|sa3|122}} TihsThis policy is due to their xenophobic nature.{{wob ref|10455}} The Shin leaders are involved in making someone Truthless.{{book ref|sa2|88}}{{book ref|sa3|121}} As the Stone Shamans are also involved in monitoring the Truthless, it is possible they are part of the Shin leadership.{{book ref|sa1|i|6}}

The Shin, natives of Shinovar, have round faces and are one of few ethnicities on Roshar whose eyes lack [[wikipedia:Epicanthic fold|epicanthic fold]]s. These features give them a wide-eyed look that, to outsiders, makes them appear to resemble young children.{{wob ref|4079}} The Shin also have lighter skin than people in other parts of Roshar ansand are often describeeddescribed as pale.{{book ref|sa1|19}} The average Shin is shorter than the average [[Alethi]].{{wob ref|6411}} Their distinctive features are the result of them being xenophobic and not intermixing with other races very much.{{wob ref|10455}}

The Shin have an extremely strict social structure based on profession. AtHigh the top ofon the social ladder in Shinovar are the farmers, who add to the land beby growing plants and are as such considered holy. Each farmer is given the title '''he who adds''' and is referred to as such by other Shin. Farmers spend their days either working their fields or negotiatingexercising tradestheir withpower merchants.to Whileoversee negotiating with merchantsnegotiations, Shinduring farmerswhich they wear fine, multicolored robes that tie in the front. The robes seem designed for horseback riding, as the robes reach almost to the ground from horseback. Farmers are able to own and trade warriors by way of stones similar to [[oathstoneOathstone]]s.{{wob ref|9754}} Because of their holy nature, outsiders are not allowed to visit farming villages or farmland.{{book ref|sa1|i|4}}

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Warriors are all consideredviewed extremely poorly in Shin culture. To a Shin, since warriors exist only to destroy, they are far below the farmers and craftsmen who live to create, and even merchants, who trade in other's goods. All warriors are required to obey totally the person who holds their oathstonestone, voluntarily subjecting themselves into a state not unlike slavery. While a Shin warrior is able to distinguish his oathstonestone, it does not appear to be remarkable in any other way--their subjugation appears to be entirely voluntary. As a rule, Shin warriors cannot be given to outsiders, and the rules regarding the trading of oathstoneswarriors inside Shinovar are unknown. What is known, however, is that any person who picks up a weapon is required to take an oathstonestone and live the rest of their life as a warrior. Warriors are recognizable by the simple brown tunics clothing they wear.{{book ref|sa1|i|4}}

Only the [[Truthless]] are considered lower than warriors in the Shin culture. At present, there is only one Shin Truthless, and there are not likely to be more in the foreseeable future. Truthless are exiled from Shinovar, and required to live the life of a Shin warrior outside of Shinovar. They are required to have a master, but are not allowed to seek or avoid a particular master, freely sharing information about their servitude to any who asks (assuming that a current master has not given contradictory orders). The precise nature of the offense that makes one Truthless is unknown.

| Never try to cheat the Shin. Be forthright, tell them the truth, and—if anything—undervalue your goods. They will love you for it. And they’ll pay you for it too.

| [[Vstim]]'s lesson to [[Rysn]]{{book ref|sa1|i|4}}

When it comes to trading, and as a result of their humble nature, haggling with the Shin usually involves both parties devaluing their wares to the other, until an agreement can be reached. The Shin value and reward honesty in negotiations. This unique attitude towards trading means it can be difficult for merchants to understand how to get a good deal from them. [[Vstim]] is one of the few [[Thaylen]] merchants to understand them, so he often gets good deals. Shin are known for raising and trading [[chicken]]s, aan speciesanimal unique to this region of Roshar. They also commonly trade horses, cloth, and dried meats.{{book ref|sa1|i|4}} They are also famousfamed for their horses, and many varieties of fruit, such as strawberries, can only grow in the soil of Shinovar.{{book ref|sa1|48}} In exchange, the Shin want metal, particularly [[Soulcast]] metal that does not require mining stones to get.{{book ref|sa1|i|4}}

| Tan balo ken tala,

| A presumably Shin greeting [[Vstim]] gives [[Thresh|Thresh-son-Esan]]{{book ref|sa1|i|4}}

The Shin have their own language.{{wob ref|1874}} The Shin, languagewhich is part of the dawnateDawnate family derived long ago from the [[dawnchantDawnchant]]. It shares grammar with other languages in the dawnateDawnate family, like [[parshendilistener]] and [[Horneater]], but the vocabulary is vastly different because of how long ago the languages diverged.{{wob ref|3977}} Unlike languages spoken in the east, the Shin have multiple words for different kinds of [[chicken]]s.{{wob ref|1415}} The Shin language does not lend itself to simplifying words as well as the [[Vorin]] language family.{{wob ref|3978}}

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