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Nightstar The Bright

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! The following text is a collection of the information about the Alethi Geography and Ecology!
! The following text is a collection of the information about Alethkar!


Every city has a little huddle of buildings for caravaneers and the likes. Also large stormbunkers to house armies or multiple caravans.{{book ref|sa3|45}} many small villages have a central cistern to catch rain water and filter out the crem. Alethi is used widely throughout the eastern world to make the underscript of a book. Also, lots of Alethi epics, which are famous even outside Alethkar.{{book ref|sa3|i|2}}
== Geography and Ecology ==
{{image|Alethkar Color.jpg|side=right|width=300px|Map of Alethkar. Alethi territories (barring the [[Shattered Plains]]) are marked in purple.}}


=== Borders and Territories ===
==== Slavery ====
Slavery is common in Alethkar, although there are many laws surrounding it.
Alethkar lies in eastern [[Roshar]], stretching across the entire continent, from the [[Steamwater Ocean]] in the North to the [[Tarat Sea]] in the South-West. To the East, it leans on the [[Unclaimed Hills]], while to the South, it reaches the nationless [[Frostlands]] and the [[Shattered Plains]], the latter of which it has recently claimed for itself. To the West, Alethkar has a long and long-disputed border with [[Jah Keved]], which currently follows two rivers and the bend of the [[Sunmaker Mountains]]. To the North-West, Alethkar borders [[Herdaz]] across a stretch of land decided through many years of border conflicts.{{map ref|Roshar}}{{book ref|sa3|52}}
How is someone made a slave...
Slaves themselves...
Slavers...
A slaver must provide the reason someone was sold into slavery when he sells the slave, it is illegal to lie. It is illegal to wear a sword without being a lighteyes. Every man has a slave debt, but he can theoretically pay it off and earn back his freedom. It is suspected by some people to be a shum however, intended to keep the slaves docile because it is an enormous amount, far more then a slave is sold for. Many masters find ways to cheat a slave out of their wages, charging them for housing etc. A master can also always set a man free, or the man can try and escape. People don't like slavers, and so they often choose other slavers as company. According to Vorin rules, every slave has to be paid a small wage, half of what a non slave would receive. {{book ref|sa1|4}} Slave carts, roughly 10 men per. Masters are free to give beatings. Stealing may make someone a slave (Chulls). Although it could also be a death sentence (stealing horses) Many Alethi slaves are sold to the remote, small and independent cities on the coast of the unclaimed hills. The rules binding slavers and slaves are Vorin in origin, and as such apply to all the major Vorin realms. Brands are burned into the skin. Brands are made up of a glyphpair; the highlord's district where the person is originally branded.{{book ref|sa1|2}} Each slaver has a ledger containing information on the slaves, such as how much they've paid of their slave debt, it isn't uncommon to lie though. Prices range from roughly 1,5 emerald broams for a weak or bad slave{{book ref|sa1|6}} to three emerald browns for a good one, although the average is two broams.{{book ref|sa1|69}}


== Economy ==
It has an area around 7,134,000 km<sup>2</sup>.{{17s ref|blog|634-roshar-physical-characteristics-and-areas|text=Roshar Physical Characteristics And Areas|date=2018-08-30|name=RosharAreas}}
⚫
=== Currency ===
As with many other nations on Roshar, their economy was based upon [[Spheres|glass spheres with cut polestones in their center]], known simply as spheres. In the mint, they check sphere weights in order to see if they fell into the proper categories.{{book ref|sa4|16}} The value of polestones, and thus the worth of sphere denominations in their economy, is based around the value of the substances a polestone can transmute another substance into.{{book ref|sa3|part=ars}}


⚫
=== State Income ===
Besides the mainland, the Alethi have a number of territories off the coast. On the [[Steamwater Ocean]], Alethkar has [[Akak]] and a number of surrounding islands, giving it complete control over the [[Bay of Elibath]]. On the [[Tarat Sea]] - more specifically, a region of it called [[Mevan Bay]] - it controls a number of small islands in the delta of [[Deathbend River]], near the city of [[Karanak]].{{map ref|Alethkar}}
Taxation is levied upon darkeyes and landless lighteyes over rights to live on the territory of wealthier lighteyes.{{book ref|sa3|106}} If a citylord fails to pay his taxes to the highlord, people are sent to collect it from him, often violently.{{book ref|sa3|26}}{{book ref|sa3|106}} The highlord answers to the highprince;{{book ref|sa3|116}} and highprinces themselves are taxed by the king for the right to use soulcasters, which were an important resource in waging prolonged, large-scale conflicts. This is the primary form of taxation levied upon the highprinces by the king.{{book ref|sa1|15}}


=== Interior ===
=== Labour and professions ===
At the tail end of the [[Era of Solitude]], Alethkar is the largest state on Roshar, covering around seven million square kilometers of land.{{ref|name=RosharAreas}} Despite the fact that it is far more exposed to the [[highstorm]]s than any country further West, large swathes of it are lush with animals and vegetation.{{book ref|sa3|5}} It has numerous rivers crossing it, the two major ones being [[Windrunner River|Windrunner]] and [[Deathbend River|Deathbend]]. The Windrunner River runs East to West, from Unclaimed Hills to the Bay of Elibath, and has numerous tributaries across the northern half of the country. The Deathbend River likewise starts in the Unclaimed Hills, though it turns South, ultimately ending in the Mevan Bay, with one of its major tributaries being an enormous lake called the [[Sea of Spears]]. The North and South of Alethkar are divided by a long, cross-shaped masiff called the [[Sunmaker Mountains]].{{map ref|Alethkar}}


Slaves and parshmen.
⚫
=== Climate ===
Due to how far east it is, Alethkar is buffeted by particularly heavy highstorms. This forces settlements to primarily be built on the leeward sides of laits.{{book ref|sa1|16}}{{cite}} These leeward sides are also far more lush with plant life, due to the protection the liats provide from powerful highstorm winds.{{file ref|Lait.jpeg|Lait study}}


Akanny in the Sadeas Princedom served as a major source of agriculture throughout Alethkar, being the source of a signifigant portion of the nation's lavis and tallew.{{book ref|sa3|10}} Other towns and cities throughout Alethkar are important centures for the production of hog leather and meat, whilst others still harvested [[gumfrems]] for their gemhearts, which were used in the soulcasting of meat.{{book ref|sa3|10}} Merchants of 1 and 2st nahn. (Footnote-like in other Vorin kingdoms). Many people go to the tavern: a days work and then an evening at the tavern for fun.{{book ref|sa2|46}}
⚫
=== Notable cities ===
<!-- That the city has a name does not make it notable, so let's not list every city on the map -->
{{for|Alethkar#Known_Princedoms|a more complete list|here}}
* [[Kholinar]] - the seat of [[House Kholin]] and the national capital following Alethkar's unification. The [[Alethela]] [[Oathgate]] is located there.
* [[Rathalas]] - ruined city once known for being constructed in a massive canyon for safety. It was burned down by [[Dalinar Kholin]] following the rebellion of the local [[highprince]], [[Tanalan]].
* [[Revolar]] - one of the largest cities in the [[Vamah]] princedom. During the [[True Desolation]], it's taken over by the [[Voidbringer]]s and used as a major assembly point for their armies.
* [[Hearthstone]] - a large town in the [[Sadeas princedom]], and home of [[Kaladin Stormblessed]].
* [[Dumadari]] - a major city on the border of Alethkar and [[Jah Keved]].


=== The Market ===
Alethkar has some form of open market,{{book ref|sa4|18}} though the amount of openness in the economy, that is the amount of government regulation in the market, is unclear.


=== Foreign Trade ===
Through trade treaties, they are able to trade with Jah Keved for cheap.{{book ref|sa3|66}} As of the True Desolation, Fen Rnamdi held administration over trade and supply, as one of the stipulations in the coalition of monarchs.{{book ref|sa3|96}}


== Architecture ==
Streets run east to west and doorways face away from the Origin bcs highstorms.{{book ref|sa2|46}}
=== Infrastructure ===
Alethkar has poor transport infrastructure, making travel and resource movement between distant cities slow and cumbersome.{{cite}} This increases the important of soulcasters to their economy and military.{{cite}}


The aquisition of Oathgates after the Battle of Narak greatly assisted in trade across the continent.{{book ref|sa3|96}}
Roshar does not experience true seasons, with them instead simply being defined by current temperature, climate, and storms, unrelated to irradiance.{{wob ref|11448}} These seasons are relatively random, and are often quite short, usually lasting only a few weeks.{{book ref|sa1|25}}{{book ref|sa1|64}} They can be roughly predicted by stormwardens. Seasons are primarily defined by changes in the storms.{{wob ref|11448}} Due to not being caused by axial tilt, they can vary greatly even between relatively nearby nations on the same hemisphere.{{book ref|sa3|64}} Further to the east, where the highstorms are the strongest, even such measures are not enough. There, plants grow mostly in sheltered areas, such as the [[Shattered Plains|chasms]] and [[lait]]s, while remaining sparse in the open air.{{file ref|Lait.jpeg|Shallan's sketchbook: Lait}} More fragile flora, such as vines and weeds, grow and flourish in such terrain, though some, like [[knobweed]], seem to prefer flatlands, utilizing highstorms deliberately to spread.

Contrarily, in the west where highstorms are weakened by the mountain ranges, plants are much less sensitive to stimulation and retract their leaves more slowly.

Roshar does have larger flora. Some trees, including the aforementioned [[dalewillow]], have trunks made of stone while others, such as the [[jella]], augment their wooden bark by accumulating crem. Like rockbuds, they withdraw their fronds into the trunks when sensing danger. There are also species such as [[makam]] and [[cobwood]], which appear to be sturdy enough to sustain highstorms without added protection.{{book ref|sa1|33}}{{book ref|sa2|66}}

Rosharan grass is known to move away from disruptions or vibrations, often fully retracting to protect itself.{{wob ref|13363}}{{cite}} It is type of shallowly burrowed seed pod that has enough room to hold moisture and contain the coiled up leaf. They at most grow to around three feet tall. Seeds emerge from the leaf tip to either be consumed and redeposited as faeces, or carried and redesposited by the wind.{{wob ref|13363}}

;Human uses

Some species of native Rosharan flora are edible for humans. This includes a number of fruits as well as a rice-like plant called [[tallew]], and [[lavis]], a type of rockbud that produces grain. Tallew, lavis, and longroot appear to be the major ingredients of Rosharan diet, with massive farmlands devoted to them throughout the continent.{{book ref|sa1|4}} In the West, the same niche appears to be filled by [[clema]].{{book ref|Edgedancer|6}}

Additionally, there exist a number of plants with known healing properties. This includes antiseptics, such as the sap of [[knobweed]] and [[fourleaf]], as well as [[lister's oil]]; treatments for specific diseases, such as [[bitterleaf]] for epilepsy and [[bloodivy]] for the [[grindings]]; anesthetics like [[winterwort]] and [[firemoss]]; and other, more specific medicines, such as [[denocax salve|denocax]], which encourages skin healing.

By contrast, several species of plant are noted to have detrimental effect on humans. Firemoss is known to be highly addictive, and [[blackbane]]'s leaves, once dried, are extremely poisonous. Eating shells of rockbuds is similarly known to be unhealthy, although the [[Unkalaki]] are capable of eating them without problems, likely thanks to their [[singer]] ancestry.{{wob ref|930}} While not all plants are edible, some, like [[breachtree]] and [[narbin]], are grown to make fabrics.{{book ref|sa1|25}}{{book ref|sa1|45}}

{{image|Chasmfiend.jpeg|side=right|width=250px|A Chasmfiend, with gleaming [[mandra]]s surrounding it. They allow the greatshell to exist despite its enormous size.}}

==== Fauna ====

Roshar contains a wide variety of fauna, most of which appears to be shelled. While most creatures are native to the world, some have been introduced into Roshar during human exodus from [[Ashyn]], among them mammals and birds.

Like Rosharan flora, the animals of Roshar have also adapted to their unusual circumstances. Several species, including the largest, grow massive shells which can protect them from highstorms. Others hide in dens or, in case of small [[sarpenthyn]], ooze between the cracks in the rock.

;Spren symbiosis
Multiple native species, as well as at least one imported animal, have formed symbiotic relationships with [[spren]]. This appears to be faciliated by gemhearts, crystals that grow naturally within the bodies of those creatures.

* Larger animals on Roshar utilize bonds with [[mandra]]s, or luckspren, to decrease the pull of gravity on them, allowing creatures such as [[chasmfiend]]s to exist without collapsing upon themselves. In the case of [[skyeel]]s, the same bond, coupled with smaller size, permits them to fly.
* The native sentient species, the [[Singer]]s, bond with a variety of spren to attain a number of forms, which alter their mental state, biological functions and appearance. While bonded, the spren remain within the gemheart.
* [[Ryshadium]] bond with what appears to be musicspren, attaining higher intelligence and physical strength. It is, however, unclear so far whether or not they have gemhearts.{{au ref|rosharan}}
* The fish in the [[Purelake]] gain various medicinal benefits through spren bonds.{{wob ref|2109}}

;Non-shelled animals
Mammals dwell mostly in Shinovar, though a few species have been successfully exported east. Those include horses, which are widely used as far east as Alethkar, and hogs, which are the primary source of non-Soulcast meat. While most mammals are domesticated, hogs, as well as minks and rats,{{book ref|sa1|3}} can be found in the wild. Several species of birds are known to exist, although they are all known as "chickens" among Rosharans. This includes actual chickens as well as more colorful birds, such as parrots. In contrast to mammals, they do not seem to do well in the wild, as all examples observed so far are domesticated. Amphibians, such as the [[lurg]] can also be found, as well as wide variety of fish, including both fresh- and seawater ones. Cephalopods also exist, albeit with unusual properties - [[zatalef]], for example, is described as bat-like, implying the ability to fly.{{file ref|Alethi_Glyphs_Page_1.jpg}} A category without a clear Earth analogue are [[sarpenthyn]], which appear to be similar to both mollusks and cephalopods, albeit without shells and with smaller number of arms.{{book ref|sa2|55}}

;Shelled animals
The largest known group of animals on Roshar are crustaceans. Those can be of various sizes, from finger-long to four-stories-high. They are all noted as having violet blood and multiple stages of life, with the initial stage being called a larva and the process of switching between stages called pupation.{{file ref|Chull_Life_Cycle.jpeg|Chull Life Cycle}} The creation of shells is aided by the presence of crem in the rain, which the creatures can process into minerals.

One of the largest crustacean family are [[cremling]]s, a group of tiny, multi-legged scavengers preying mostly on deceased animals, although they will also feed on uncovered plants after highstorms. Cremlings come in variety of colors, with different features, numbers of legs, and behaviours. While most are individuals, some are part of the [[Sleepless]] swarms, and as such share a sentient hivemind. The [[Sleepless]] cremlings are bred for particular purposes, such as imitating human body parts.

{{image|Shallan And The Santhid.png|side=right|width=250px|A Santhid. Roshar's greatest creatures are far larger than humans.}}

Other than the cremlings, Roshar also features a number of larger crustaceans that are nonetheless smaller than humans. This group includes predatory species, such as the [[axehound]], herbivores like [[axehind]], and near-cremling sized creatures like [[legger]]s and [[larkin]], as well as species that can be found on Earth, like crabs.{{book ref|sa3|63}} The larkin in particular are unusual for their flight, as well as the ability to pull Stormlight out of other creatures and absorb it.{{book ref|sa2|i|9}}

The largest family of animals on Roshar are known as [[greatshell]]s, which exist both on land and in the seas. All greatshells possess gemhearts and utilize them to attract [[mandra]]s to decrease their own weight. The land greatshells include domesticated herbivores known as [[chull]]s and two large predatory species, the [[chasmfiend]] and the extinct [[lanceryn]]. The marine greatshells include the [[yu-nerig]], which comes on land to pupate and is known to feed on humans,{{book ref|sa1|40}} and the [[Tai-na]], the largest animals known to inhabit the cosmere. Their legs are said to be sixty feet long, while the body itself stretches hundreds of feet tall. The back of Tai-na, which sticks out above water, is an ecosystem of its own, inhabited by multiple species of plants and animals, as well as humans.{{book ref|sa2|i|2}}

The [[santhid]], a massive marine species with large shell and a number of tendrils, might be considered a greatshell, and houses its own ecosystem, much like the Tai-na; however, as they were considered half-mythical until very recently, it's impossible to state so with any certainty.{{book ref|sa2|1}}

;Domestication
Large number of domesticated creatures on Roshar are the imports from Ashyn. All forms of birds are domesticated; some for food, while others as pets. Hogs are kept for meat, minks, like birds, are pets, while horses are common riding mounts. Of the local wildlife, axehounds are often kept and bred, similar to dogs, while chulls are the primary mount for hauling cargo or for riders who cannot afford to keep a horse. Another greatshell species called a [[gumfrem]] is kept for its gemhearts, which can be used to [[Soulcast]] meat.{{book ref|sa3|10}}

Latest revision as of 22:46, 29 June 2024

Hello everyone, I am Nightstar The Bright. I really enjoy reading Brandon Sanderson’s books, sometime after I read them all I began editing the Coppermind.

Notable pages I reworked

! The following text is a collection of the information about Alethkar!

Every city has a little huddle of buildings for caravaneers and the likes. Also large stormbunkers to house armies or multiple caravans.[1] many small villages have a central cistern to catch rain water and filter out the crem. Alethi is used widely throughout the eastern world to make the underscript of a book. Also, lots of Alethi epics, which are famous even outside Alethkar.[2]

SlaveryEdit

Slavery is common in Alethkar, although there are many laws surrounding it. How is someone made a slave... Slaves themselves... Slavers... A slaver must provide the reason someone was sold into slavery when he sells the slave, it is illegal to lie. It is illegal to wear a sword without being a lighteyes. Every man has a slave debt, but he can theoretically pay it off and earn back his freedom. It is suspected by some people to be a shum however, intended to keep the slaves docile because it is an enormous amount, far more then a slave is sold for. Many masters find ways to cheat a slave out of their wages, charging them for housing etc. A master can also always set a man free, or the man can try and escape. People don't like slavers, and so they often choose other slavers as company. According to Vorin rules, every slave has to be paid a small wage, half of what a non slave would receive. [3] Slave carts, roughly 10 men per. Masters are free to give beatings. Stealing may make someone a slave (Chulls). Although it could also be a death sentence (stealing horses) Many Alethi slaves are sold to the remote, small and independent cities on the coast of the unclaimed hills. The rules binding slavers and slaves are Vorin in origin, and as such apply to all the major Vorin realms. Brands are burned into the skin. Brands are made up of a glyphpair; the highlord's district where the person is originally branded.[4] Each slaver has a ledger containing information on the slaves, such as how much they've paid of their slave debt, it isn't uncommon to lie though. Prices range from roughly 1,5 emerald broams for a weak or bad slave[5] to three emerald browns for a good one, although the average is two broams.[6]

EconomyEdit

CurrencyEdit

As with many other nations on Roshar, their economy was based upon glass spheres with cut polestones in their center, known simply as spheres. In the mint, they check sphere weights in order to see if they fell into the proper categories.[7] The value of polestones, and thus the worth of sphere denominations in their economy, is based around the value of the substances a polestone can transmute another substance into.[8]

State IncomeEdit

Taxation is levied upon darkeyes and landless lighteyes over rights to live on the territory of wealthier lighteyes.[9] If a citylord fails to pay his taxes to the highlord, people are sent to collect it from him, often violently.[10][9] The highlord answers to the highprince;[11] and highprinces themselves are taxed by the king for the right to use soulcasters, which were an important resource in waging prolonged, large-scale conflicts. This is the primary form of taxation levied upon the highprinces by the king.[12]

Labour and professionsEdit

Slaves and parshmen.

Akanny in the Sadeas Princedom served as a major source of agriculture throughout Alethkar, being the source of a signifigant portion of the nation's lavis and tallew.[13] Other towns and cities throughout Alethkar are important centures for the production of hog leather and meat, whilst others still harvested gumfrems for their gemhearts, which were used in the soulcasting of meat.[13] Merchants of 1 and 2st nahn. (Footnote-like in other Vorin kingdoms). Many people go to the tavern: a days work and then an evening at the tavern for fun.[14]

The MarketEdit

Alethkar has some form of open market,[15] though the amount of openness in the economy, that is the amount of government regulation in the market, is unclear.

Foreign TradeEdit

Through trade treaties, they are able to trade with Jah Keved for cheap.[16] As of the True Desolation, Fen Rnamdi held administration over trade and supply, as one of the stipulations in the coalition of monarchs.[17]

ArchitectureEdit

Streets run east to west and doorways face away from the Origin bcs highstorms.[14]

InfrastructureEdit

Alethkar has poor transport infrastructure, making travel and resource movement between distant cities slow and cumbersome.[citation needed] This increases the important of soulcasters to their economy and military.[citation needed]

The aquisition of Oathgates after the Battle of Narak greatly assisted in trade across the continent.[17]

  1. ↑ Oathbringer chapter 45#
  2. ↑ Oathbringer interlude I-2#
  3. ↑ The Way of Kings chapter 4#
  4. ↑ The Way of Kings chapter 2#
  5. ↑ The Way of Kings chapter 6#
  6. ↑ The Way of Kings chapter 69#
  7. ↑ Rhythm of War chapter 16#
  8. ↑ Oathbringer Ars Arcanum#
  9. ↑ a b Oathbringer chapter 106#
  10. ↑ Oathbringer chapter 26#
  11. ↑ Oathbringer chapter 116#
  12. ↑ The Way of Kings chapter 15#
  13. ↑ a b Oathbringer chapter 10#
  14. ↑ a b Words of Radiance chapter 46#
  15. ↑ Rhythm of War chapter 18#
  16. ↑ Oathbringer chapter 66#
  17. ↑ a b Oathbringer chapter 96#
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