Shinovar

Shinovar is a country on Roshar, populated by a people known as the Shin. It is separated from the other realms by a mountain range known as the Misted Mountains on its eastern border. Another unknown mountain range lies on its western border. The nation is open to the sea to the north and south.
==History==
According to the Stormfather, Shinovar was the land humans were granted when they came to Roshar, and it was the only place the plants of their original native world grew, as it has a very similar geography to the humans' original home world (i.e., Ashyn). Whether it was originally this way, or it was changed to accommodate the humans that were granted the land is unknown.
A series of invasions from Shinovar are implied to have happened in the far past.* Dalinar speaks of tens of thousands of mounted lancers, at a time when horses were rare or forgotten in the rest of Roshar.
==Geography==
The lands of Shinovar are protected from most highstorms by the Misted Mountains, which shelter the kingdom, causing the highstorms to break apart and fade. Due to this occurrence, Shinovar is the only kingdom in Roshar to have soil.
==Notable Places==
*Valley of Truth - Either a valley in Shinovar or another name for Shinovar itself. It is mentioned by Szeth.
==Flora and Fauna==
Shinovar is an exception to the predominant Rosharan landscape. Located far to the west within the continent, it benefits from the protection offered by its mountains' ranges. Shinovar's ecosystem has evolved without the influence of the highstorms and has a very "earth-like" feel.
Here, there is soil; grass that does not retract and which grows in abundance. The plains are dotted with branched, straight-trunked trees that are full of leaves which do not withdraw from the wind.
Here, there are all sorts of animals which are regarded as weird by most of Roshar: horses, chickens, and pigs ... amongst others. These are raised and traded outside of Shinovar, as is the feed for them. There are also shorter, heavier, horse-like animals (possibly cattle) that pull Shin wagons. Additionally, they have sheep there.
An expensive and rare treat out of Shinovar are strawberries, as are chickens.
Shin Thoroughbred horses are expensive, but by definition, not priceless. Elhokar rode one of the best horses among Shin stock named Vengeance.
==Shin Physiology==
The Shin are a race of humans. They have pale skin, large round eyes,Large round rues ... short statures, and a tendency toward baldness. These features give them a wide-eyed look that, to outsiders from the east, makes them appear to resemble young children. Most in the east also think that the Shin are docile and harmless. Szeth affirms that they are generally right in this assumption.
According to Brandon, the Shin look different from other Rosharans because they've spent a long time being very xenophobic. They haven't intermixed much.Book signing, Idaho Falls, ID, 7/21/18
==Shin Characteristics==
According to Vstim, the Shin people are a little too stable; that they're determined to remain the same despite influences from outside their country. He states that the Shin find fabrials worthless, or unholy, or too holy to use. Further, Vstim states that it is difficult to distinguish among them.
Rysn notes that the Shin treat being humble like Herdazians treat boasting. Vstim insists that she is never to try to cheat the Shin. Further, that she be forthright, tell them the truth, and undervalue her goods, because they will love her for it and pay for it too.
Warriors are at the lowest end of Shin society and are treated like slaves elsewhere.
Shin people aren't plentiful in the East, but one did see them on occasion.
==Shin Culture==
In the Shin culture, those who add are to be revered; great people create food and clothing.. Those who take away - those who kill - are considered the lowliest of Shin; they are traded and sold between houses, like slaves.
Some believe these stones to be Oathstones.
==Notable People==
*Szeth-son-son-Vallano
*Neturo - Father of Szeth.
*Vallano - Father of Neturo, Grandfather of Szeth
*Thresh-son-Esan - Farmer
*Hasweth - Mother of Shauka and Ali
*Shauka-daughter-Hasweth - Logicmaster esteemed by Jasnah Kholin.
*Gashash-son-Navammis is a Shin scholar who translated the books of Seld.
*Navammis is the father of Gashash.
*Ali-daughter-Hasweth - A scholar esteemed by Shallan Davar.
*Vath - A Shin woman and the mother of Zen-daugher-Vath.
*Zen-daughter-Vath - Artist who sketched spren.
*Shubreth-son-Mashalan - A leader that stretched farther and farther until he collapsed.
*Naze-daughter-Kuzodo - Mentioned in Urithiru's library drawers.
==Language==
* Szeth tells a mysterious man that he speaks like a "kukori." That great men create food and clothing. That he who adds is to be revered.
* "Shush-daughter-God" is the Shin name for Shalash.
* "Aboshi" is a divine honorific by which Szeth refers to Nale, and is his best guess at how to address one of the Heralds. Amongst the Shin it had been reserved for the great spren of the mountains.
===Warrior's Script===
When Szeth asks the above unnamed man just what his orders are, the man tells him that there is a list that details their master's wishes.
On this list are some two dozen names written in the warrior's script of Szeth's homeland. Some have a note beside them with instructions on just how they are to be killed. Szeth exclaims that they are some of the most powerful people in the world.
==Notes==
According to Brandon, spren don't necessarily not appear in Shinovar.Book signing, London, UK, 11/28/17
*Also according to Brandon, the Shin used Honorblades in these invasions and they also used Surges.Book signing, Stuttgart, Germany, 5/17/19
==Speculation==
* Shin religion might be based on the people's worship of Cultivation rather than the Almighty.
* The term "spirits of things" might be the Shin equivalent of something like spren, unlikely as this might be for them.
* The term "to exist in agony" might be a belief based on the time between Desolations for Heralds.
* Since the highstorms do not reach Shinovar, and there are no spren there, the spren might be tied to the highstorms.
==Q&A with Brandon==
Q. It's a random question, because we have chickens on Roshar, the other thing is are there cats in Shinovar?
A. So there were at least at one point cats in Shinovar. Whether cats are still there or not, you'll have to wait for book 5 to discover. But cats did make the jump. If they exist, they didn't make it past the mountains very far, but you'll have to see.Cosmere.es Interview, 4/22/21
==References==
Category:Country
Category:Roshar (world)