Thaylenah

Thaylenah
by User: Otto didact
Ethnicity	Thaylen
Capital	Thaylen City
Ruled by	Fen Rnamdi
World	Roshar
Universe	Cosmere

This page or section needs to be updated with new information for Oathbringer!

Be aware that in its current state, it may not include all additional content yet.

Thaylenah is an island kingdom in the South of Roshar, with capital in Thaylen City. The people and language of Thaylenah are called the Thaylen.

Geography

Thaylenah encompasses a trio of islands, as well as a small number of islets, in the South-East of Roshar, on the ocean known as the Southern Depths. The largest of the three is several times bigger than the other two, and appears to be the country's population center. It's largely mountainous, with a tall range rising in the middle. The mountains reach all the way to the shore, with its northern coast made up of towering cliffs. The climate is cold and frigid, although the locals find it pleasantly chill.

To the north, Thaylenah is separated from the Frostlands by the Longbrow's Straits. The nearest countries to it are the city-states of Kharbranth to the north and Shallow Crypts to the east.

There are only two known major cities -- the capital, Thaylen, in a large lait on the nothwestern coast, and Klna, a shipbuilding centre further east.

History

During the Heraldic Epochs, the islands that now compose Thaylenah were part of the Kingdom of Thalath. The current capital, Thaylen City, was likely also the capital of Thalath, as it possesses that state's Oathgate. It's unclear when the country broke apart.

Within the past few decades, Fen Rnamdi was elected as the Queen of Thaylenah. The coming of the Everstorm dealt massive damage to the country's economy as Thaylen City was devasted, first by the storm itself, and then by the local Parshmen stealing the ships and leaving. Having no other choice, the Thaylen allied with Urithiru, remaining even after the alliance with other countries broke up.

Most recently, the country was the site of one of the True Desolation's first major engagements, the Battle of Thaylen Field.

Politics

Thaylenah is an elective monarchy. Following the death of a king or queen, an assembly of merchant councils and high-ranking naval officers elects the new ruler, with the current one being queen Fen Rnamdi. While the kingdom follows the Vorin division between lighteyes and darkeyes, there doesn't appear to exist a formalized noble caste analogous to Alethi or Veden highprinces and highlords. Rather than nahns and dahns, the Thaylen utilize their own system of ranks. The Thaylen monarch, however, still claims the first dahn.

Thaylenah appears to have little in the way of a land army, but they do have a long-standing naval tradition famous the world over. Thaylen officers are trained in naval tactics and strategy to a far greater extent than their counterparts elsewhere, and their country boasts a large fleet. Unfortunately, many of their ships have been stolen by former Parshmen following the first Everstorm, crippling their capabilities in this regard.

The kingdom holds five Shardblades and three suits of Plate, each owned by a different house. Shardbearers are referred to as highguards. Prior to the Battle of Thaylen Field, known highguards are Hrdalm, who wields the Shardplate Cvaderln, and Tshadr and Estnatil, who wield an unnamed Plate and Blade respectively. Following the Battle, Estnatil's Blade is now in hands of Kdralk, the Queen's son.

One of Roshar's ten Oathgates is located in Thaylen City, adding to its importance. In the present, it's one of only four Oathgates controlled by the Urithiru alliance, alongside Stormseat, Vedenar and Azimir.

Culture

A Thaylen woman, with the characteristic long eyebrows and a glove instead of a full safehand.

People

Thaylen people have long white eyebrows that they tuck behind their ears as a sign of respect. The eyebrows are often styled in various ways, such as by spiking or curling into ringlets. Silk patterned vests, shirts, and skirts with removable hems are fashionable for Thaylen women to wear. An older fashion -- though still apparently present in some form -- includes knee-lenght trousers tucked into socks and jackets with rolled-up sleeves. Parasols to protect oneself from sun have also been popular for some time, a fashion that doesn't seem to have crossed over to the mainland. Their architecture is flowery and decorative, unlike the more utilitarian Alethi structures.

Thaylens can be found not only in their native country but also elsewhere in the world. While many of them are travelling merchants, some Thaylen settle in other countries, such as Alethkar, permanently. In some parts of the world, they have a reputation for swindling, but they are not considered particularly warlike.

It is mentioned that Thaylen bread is puffy, like cake, with a long and rounded shape.

Language and writing

“ Shaylor mkabat nour. ”

— "The winds have brought us safely", a Thaylen thanks

Thaylen words can be recognized by clusters of consonants (babsk, Cvaderln, Kdralk). Fittingly, their own writing system, the Thaylen script, is an abjad - it contains no vowels. In contrast to most other Vorin countries, Thaylen men seem to be permitted to learn how to read or write the script, although it's not a skill shown off publicly.

Known full phrases in Thaylen include the thank you quoted above and Mkai bade fortenthis, an exclamation with unknown meaning. Thaylens have a distinctive accent; they give emphasis to unusual syllables and run words together. They seem to have a habit of ending sentences with "you see."

Religion

The dominant cultural tradition in Thaylenah is Alethi Vorinism, albeit mixed heavily with local culture and native beliefs. Despite discouragement from the Ardentia, belief in the Passions is common. Even beyond the Passions, the Thaylen stray slightly from the Vorin doctrine. Men are permitted to learn to read, and women seem to eschew the traditional full-sleeve safehand, instead covering their left hands with long gloves.

Although this makes them half-pagan in the eyes of other Vorin countries, the Thaylen are nonetheless considered one of the five Vorin Kingdoms, and their religious authorities are taken into account when the Ardentia as a whole debates. However, there has always been some friction between the Thaylens and the church authorities, with the Thaylen monarchs often having to go the extra mile to reassure the ardents of their piety. In the present, this has led to some voices in Thaylenah to call for breaking ties with Vorinism altogether.

Local lore connects Oathgates to the Passions, calling them "portals of worlds" and claiming that only the most Passionate will be able to reopen them. The legend seems to suggest that only women would be capable of such a feat, possibly because of the Vorin division between masculine and feminine arts.

by Casta A Thaylen ship in port

Trade

Thaylenah is well known for its merchants. Thaylen traders can be found across the entire continent, as far West as Shinovar and as far North as the Reshi Isles. On land, they typically travel in caravans of wagons, while on sea, they have their own ships. The goods they carry range from Soulcast metals to slaves.

Merchants in Thaylenah are ranked, from apprentice to master merchant. The position is equally open to both men and women, and even to non-Thaylens. One can become a merchant by being taken in as an apprentice by a master, whereupon the latter becomes their legal parent, or babsk. Traditional clothing, consisting of a flat-topped conical hat and starched robes, identifies master merchant from their servants and guards. Ship captains -- who are often merchants themselves -- can be additionally identified by an item known as the captain's cord. The cord is a twenty-feet-long white rope, which the captain wraps in their own colors and strings on the ship's rigging to mark their ownership. Traders without ships can rent barges to ferry them a short distance to and from Thaylenah, connecting them to the mainland.

Trade forms the backbone of Thaylen economy, leading to merchant councils holding significant power over the reigning monarch, including participating in the election alongside the navy officers. The position of a master merchant can serve as a path to a high rank in the Thaylen government.

Notable Thaylen

For a list of all Thaylen characters, see :Category: Thaylen.

• Queen Fen Rnamdi
• Rysn
• Vstim
• Kdralk
• Tozbek
• Yalb
• Tvlakv
• Mraize
• Mrall
• Yokska

Notes

This article is still missing information. Please help The Coppermind by expanding it.