Seanchan (country)
| Seanchan | |
|---|---|
| Political information | |
| Capital | Seandar |
| Demonym | Seanchan |
| Government type | Totalitarian |
| Ruler(s) | TBD |
The Seanchan Empire occupies the continent of Seanchan and the islands around it. It was ruled by an Empress, who is a descendant of Luthair Paendrag. The Society is highly rigid and though the armies of Luthair eventually conquered the land, it can also be considered that the land conquered them as they adopted the customs and practices of Seanchan instead of retaining their own.
Seanchan is located on a continent west across the Aryth Ocean. Its nearest shores are over 5,000 miles to the west of the Westlands. It is divided into two landmasses separated by a wide dividing channel, and is longer north-to-south than east-to-west, although it is split by many fissures and fjords. The Morenal Ocean separates Seanchan from Shara to the west.
The Seanchan sigil is a golden hawk in flight, clutching three lightning bolts in its claws. The sigil on a white background with a wide border of royal blue. The empress has one fringed in gold; the heir, fringed in blue.
Contents
History
Pre conquest
After the Breaking, the society in the Seanchan lands collapsed in much the same way as throughout the rest of the world. The land was in constant warfare, with short lived alliances between nations breaking or forming over the course of the many wars. Despite this lack of stability, the Seanchan were able to almost entirely eradicate Shadowspawn from their lands during the course of the first thousand years after the breaking. It was during this period that the Seanchan exotics were first brought from lands beyond the Portal Stones. Women who could channel, calling themselves Aes Sedai often fought in these wars and the armies that Luthair found, featuring Aes Sedai and strange powerful beasts, became known as the Armies of the Night.
Luthair's Conquest
Luthair was able to use the shifting alliances and mistrust the Seanchan felt for each other to conquer much of the land. In this, he was also helped by his use of damane, which the other nations did not possess, the first a'dam having being made for him by Deain. Luthair himself did not complete the conquest, which was affected over almost three hundred years, with a further two hundred to finally remove any formal opposition, in a period known as the Consolidation.
Culture
The Seanchan empire has a rigid class structure. At the highest level are the Blood who trace their lineage back to Artur Hawkwing by way of his son Luthair. Below them are the free men and women. Lower still are slaves. There are a number of sub-classes within these three groups.
The interactions of members of different classes are extremely regimented. For instance, it is forbidden to look someone of a higher class directly in the eye. Also, someone of high rank will generally not speak to someone of significantly lower rank; instead they will communicate with the inferior by using a slave (called a Voice) to relay their message.
Slavery
Slavery has a long history in the Seanchan empire. Slaves are known as da'covale, or "those who are property." The majority have menial jobs as maids, cooks, etc. However, not all slaves hold low rank in Seanchan society. Those that hold powerful positions as servants to the High Blood or the Empress make up a subclass of slaves called so'jhin, and are considered to have higher rank than free men and women.
Damane are also considered da'covale. Many of them belong to the Empress herself, with the Empress being the single largest holder of damane in the empire. Due to their association with the One Power, they are considered to rank even below common house slaves, and akin to animals. Damane are ranked so low, despite being one of the Seanchan Empire's main methods of maintaining power, that sexual attraction to damane is considered perversion, similar to how bestiality would be regarded in other cultures.
The Blood
The highest tier of Seanchan society is held by those who are of the Blood. Initially, it was only the descendants of Luthair and his armies who were of the Blood, but over time others have been raised to the Blood. Being raised to the Blood, while exceptionally rare, is the greatest honour possible for one who was born a commoner.
The Blood are divided into two groups, the Low Blood and the High Blood. Members of the Low Blood have their hair cut into a bowl-type cut with a tail in the back and lacquer the last one or two nails on each hand. The High Blood shave the sides of their heads, leaving a long crest running along the top of their heads and lacquer the first one or two nails on each hand, depending on their rank (two is higher than just one). Members of the Imperial Family shave their heads bald and lacquer all of their fingernails.
Seanchan military
The Seanchan Empire has a large military called the Ever Victorious Army, responsible for keeping control of the nation, preventing rebellion, seeking out traitors, and conquering new territory. Until the Return, controlling uprisings has been the main duty of the military for quite some time.[1][2]
Deathwatch Guard
A division within the Seanchan military, the Deathwatch Guards are perhaps the most honoured and valued of the imperial da'covale. They are charged with the protection of the Imperial family.
They are easily recognised by both their dark green tasseled spears and dark green lacquered shields. The green on their armor is so dark that it is easily mistaken for black by those who do not already know. These fearsome warriors are known for their willingness to kill or die, as necessary, to protect the Imperial family. Sometimes a segment of the Deathwatch Guards is loaned, as an honour, to other nobles.
The most elite members of the Deathwatch Guards are never loaned, and are responsible for the life of the Empress herself and her immediate family. Some members of the Deathwatch Guards are Ogier; they are called the Gardeners and are not da'covale. These Ogier are more somber than their relatives across the ocean, and carry large battle axes taller than most men.
One Power
Damane
Women who can channel are regarded as animals, and are kept on a silvery metal leash, the a'dam, that allows control of their channeling by a trainer known as a sul'dam. The leashed women are called damane, meaning "Leashed One." Women who can channel but are not kept as damane are referred to as marath'damane, or "those who must be leashed." Most damane have been treated this way their entire lives, and tend to become hysterical at the very mention of marath'damane.
Damane are kept and treated as sentient pets, but are also used extensively in warfare by the Seanchan. They are trained in the art of using the One Power as a weapon, preferring fireballs and lightning to more indirect methods.
Sul'dam
A trainer of damane is known as a sul'dam, meaning "Leash Holder" in the Old Tongue. Like damane, only certain women can use the a'dam, but the reason for this is largely unknown to the Seanchan. Recent discoveries show that sul'dam have the ability to learn the use of the One Power, showing that the a'dam must be used by two women who can channel.
A'dam
The a'dam is a silvery metal leash attached to a collar made of the same material, which seems to be made all of one piece. It is a specialized ter'angreal that actually creates a link between two female channelers.
The collar, at one end of the leash, must be fastened onto the female channeler's neck, and the other end clasps around the wrist of the sul'dam in the form of a bracelet. A leash is usually present between a damane and sul'dam, but it is not necessary for the ter'angreal to function. The sul'dam may then direct and guide the flows of the damane, or even block access to the One Power altogether. Commands may also be issued, and the damane is compelled to obey, even if the a'dam is removed from the trainer's wrist.
The a'dam has no effect on either end for men and women who cannot channel. At times, the Seanchan have been known to force a man to take the a'dam, sometimes with disastrous results. It is unknown whether this is related to a man's ability to channel, though it is assumed to be the case.
Omens
The Seanchan have very strong beliefs in finding many omens in nature. While some of these omens can be passed off as mere superstition, it is unclear whether some of them have some basis to truth. They are a central part of Seanchan culture, with many Seanchan characters being shocked that people in the Westlands are unaware of such things.
Specific portents:
- Albatross - A symbol of victory.
- An owl hooting at dawn or hooting two times - A prediction of death.
- An owl hooting and not flying away when looked at - An omen indicating great care should be taken, that the next few days would be ones of important decisions.
- Birds circling overhead more than once - Signifies a storm approaching.
- A bird entering indoors during the day - An extremely bad omen, the evil of which is averted by a night in prayer and contemplation.
- Three porpoises rising only once - Stay on your chosen course.
- Two dead rats on their back, one with a tail in the other's mouth - A chillingly terrible omen, one of the worst.
- Lightning on a day without rain - Tread very lightly and be careful what you speak.
- A new spring rose dropping three petals - An omen of great victory.
- A hawk with a white head flying away - An omen of great power.
- Rain without clouds - Expect an unexpected visitor.
- A burst of wind revealing the skull of a rodent - Danger.
- Peach blossoms - The most powerful omen known.
Superstitious actions:
- Putting a hat on a table - Extremely bad luck, the evil of which is warded off by a hand gesture involving folding under the middle two fingers and extending the other two stiffly.
- Clearing away a spiderweb before shooing the spider out - Results in the death of someone close to you within a month; even seeing a torn spiderweb with the spider still in it requires hand signals to ward off the evil.
- Blocking a line of ants in the middle and counting the seconds - The time it takes for the ants to regroup tells how many days of fair weather before a storm is to come.
The Return
The Return, in the Old Tongue Corenne, is the name given by the Seanchan to their invasion of the Westlands. Plans for the return date by to Luthair Hawkwing, who set out the policy to return the Westlands and avenge his father, after the news came of his death and no further news followed. The invasion fleet consisted of thousands of ships and hundreds of thousands of people form every port and inlet of the eastern coast. It was commanded by Lunal Galgan. Many of the people involved had no intention of returning.
Preparations for The Return were made for years before the omens said it was time to leave. They had expected to make allies who would aid them in winning the Last Battle in the name of the Empress, but instead found they had the need to conquer.
Names
The list of names below come from Seanchan characters created specifically for the Grey Tower.
- Male names: Daelar, Finn, Gharak, Shamus
- Female names: Illyria, Seonin, Tatiana, Suki
- Family names: Ralead, Malkom, Latani, Jawareth
