Alethela

Alethela is one of the Silver Kingdoms on Roshar. As one of the Silver Kingdoms, its name is perfectly symmetrical, due to the Vorin belief in holiness of symmetry. It is generally considered to be the predecessor of Alethkar. Alethela's borders included parts of the present-day countries of Herdaz, Jah Keved, Alethkar and the Unclaimed Hills.
== Geography ==
=== Territories and Features ===
==== Territories ====
Alethela 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 Alethela touches on the Ocean of Origins while to the South and South-east, it shares a border with the Silver kingdom of Natanatan. Additionally, Alethela’s south sees a short border with Thalath. To the West, Alethela has a long border with Valhav and to the North-west, Alethela borders Rishir.
Besides the mainland, the Alethelan people govern a number of territories off the coast. Almost all of these are located on the Steamwater Ocean, where a small island chain is under Alethelan control. As Alethela controls the northern half of Mevan Bay, they might also control several of the islands in the aforementioned bay.
==== Geographic Features ====
Alethela has numerous rivers crossing it, the largest one being the Windrunner. The Windrunner River runs East to West, to the Bay of Elibath, which is located in Rishir, and has numerous tributaries across the northern half of the country. Additionally, Alethela also has another large river, distinct from the Windrunner, ending in Rishir and one that goes south to the Tarat Sea. The West of Alethela contains a long, cross-shaped masiff later called the Sunmaker Mountains. The Eastern part of the country also sees a large and hilly area of land. Alethela also controls the northern half of a large lake called the Sea of Spears.
=== Climate ===
Due to how far east it is, Alethela is buffeted by particularly heavy highstorms. This, like in its successor state Alethkar, forces settlements to primarily be built on the leeward sides of laits. These leeward sides are also far more lush with plant life, due to the protection the laits provide from powerful highstorm winds. 
Like the rest of Roshar, Alethela does not experience true seasons, as they are unrelated to irradiance. The east of the country experiences a moister climate than the west. Clouds are also less frequent in this region.
=== Ecology ===
==== Flora ====
Like with many countries, the flora one finds depends heavily on the region of Alethela. In the northwest, common flora includes thickets of snarlbrush, stout markel trees and stumpweight trees. Some forests are made up of purely vivim trees, which can bind their branches together to ensure that the forest is almost impenetrable for a man. Central Alethela is filled with rockbuds, and here the roots of trees sprout from the ground. Southwest Alethela is also home to sturdy trees as well as many varieties of vines, although there are less vines than in Valhav. In some areas of Alethela, rockbuds can grow nearly to the size of a barrel, with vines as thick as a human wrist;
==== Fauna ====
Alethela also has a large variety of fauna. Large wild Fauna includes Whitespines, Chulls, axehounds as well as many more. Another common species found across Alethela is the lurg, a small amphibian. Alethela isn’t home to any sarpenthyn, but skyeels are common near at least some of it’s coasts.
== History ==
=== Creation of Roshar ===
The land that would become known as Alethela was created at an unknown point before the Shattering by Adonalsium, along with the rest of Roshar and the Rosharan supercontinent over ten-thousand years prior to Vorin year . It is unclear how much the geography of Alethela has changed compared to the land at creation.
=== Pre-Human Arrival ===
Before humanity arrived on Roshar from Ashyn, the land that would come to be known as Alethela was inhabited by Singers. 
Circa -5825 in the Vorin calendar, humanity arrived on Roshar after fleeing Ashyn and were granted the land that would become Shin Kak Nish. After less than a generation, they headed an invasion, slaughtering the Singers and expelling them from their land and claiming it as their own, this included the land that would come to be known as Alethela. This history was lost to man until the discovery of the Eila Stele.
=== The Establishment of Alethela ===
Alethela was founded in the Silver Kingdoms Epoch. They were an extremely militaristic nation which remembered and studied the arts of war so that they would be able to teach it to new generations whenever a Desolation came. Due to this, the Knight's Radiant primarily lived in Alethela, even if their operations were based in Urithiru. This militarism laid the foundation for later Alethi militarism and military strength.
Due to the Desolations, they were constantly returned back to early technological levels, often to the point to making use of stone tools. Though they advanced each time with the help of the Heralds whenever they returned, often receiving this assistance from Kalak and his Willshapers. Old manuscripts and texts dating back to these times mention quick-spreading diseases that killed tens of thousands.
Very early in the nation's history, the Dawncity of Kholinar was created and made into its capital. Kholinar was eventually made into the home of the Alethelan Oathgate. It was the place that many people wanted Urithiru to be built, likely due to Alethkar being the home to the Knight's Radiant. Despite this, for a reason obvious to many others at the time, it could not be, instead being built in the mountains near Makabakam.
==== The Rule of Nohadon ====
At some point early in its history, prior to year 31 of the Sixth Epoch, it was ruled over by King Nohadon. During one Desolation in his life, they fought for over eleven years and nine-in-ten Alethelan citizens were killed. 
Nohadon wanted to abdicate due to the tragic events of this Desolation, however, he kept his throne and tried to rebuild. Over the decades, he successfully managed to rebuild Alethela into a bustling and colorful place. Eventually, he went to war with Makabakam over trade routes, the full effects this had on both kingdoms are unknown.
==== Further Desolations ====
The Sixth Epoch lasted at least thirty-one years, and likely significantly longer, before its Desolation arrived. 
One of the many Desolations that struck the nation, along with the rest of Roshar, arrived in the year of the Eighth Epoch. This Desolation was heralded by the release of Midnight Essence in a small settlement in Natanatan. The length of this Desolation is unknown.
During some of the Desolations, the Fused managed to take the capital of Alethela, though were ultimately pushed out.
Another Desolation occurred later and ended circa -3333, during an unknown Epoch. This left society wounded and weak, forcing them into a period of recovery.
==== The Last Desolation (c.-3332) ====
The Last Desolation was a large scale Desolation which occurred circa -3332, around 4500 years before the Assassination of Gavilar Kholin. This Desolation was particularly devasting due to the fact that it happened only a year after the previous Desolation, and thus society was weakened and still recovering. Tired of the Desolations and their torture on Braize, the nine Heralds still on Roshar refused to return to Braize, leaving Taln as the sole Herald on the planet for millennia.
After the Last Desolation, Desolations ceased to ravage the nation. Due to this, society was able to advance much further than ever before, giving them the strength to potentially resist any potential Desolation without complete societal collapse. The era heralded by the Last Desolation came to be known as the Era of Solitude.
==== After Aharietiam ====
At some unknown point in history, after Aharietiam, Alethela collapsed. It is unknown if this occured before or after the Oldblood Dynasty's rule, and they might have ruled over Alethela.
== Culture ==
 
==== People ====
The Alethelan people are ethnically similar to their successor people, the Alethi. They are generally tan with dark, typically black hair. They are extremely tall, standing on average at least a foot taller than people living further West. Like most Rosharan people, they also possess Epicanthic folds. The Alethelan people in the northwest of the country have curly dark hair. Many Alethelan people enjoy haggling.
Although the orders of Knights Radiant were centered in Urithiru, many spent their lives in Alethela, and Radiants lived in cities throughout the nation, crossing borders to protect others. Of these radiants, members of the Order of Windrunners were particularly prominent in Alethela. Alethela was also the most militaristic of the Silver Kingdoms, and it’s people had the duty, during at least some of the desolations, to protect all the other nations. People could also go to Alethela if they could fight or wanted to be trained. Those who had fought the Ten Deaths could go to Alethela and be trained so that the changes wrought in them by fighting the Ten Deaths would not destroy them.
==== Fashion ====
Alethelan men wore long skirts, tied at the waists with wide girdles, some of which came all the way over their stomachs. Above that, they wore either a simple overshirt, or went barechested. Some high ranking men also wear robes, sometimes with voluminous sleeves that completely engulf the wearer’s hands. Some men also pull their hair back into a braid, and beards are kept short, with a point end.
Women, at least those of a high social class, wore tubular gowns. These gowns were made of small layered rings of cloth with tassels on the bottom, and they seemed to ripple as they moved. The women’s shoulders are usually kept bare. Alethelan clothing was bright and richly coloured. Some men also wore many rings on their hands. 
==== Writing and language ====
The Alethelan people wrote in the Dawnchant. At some point in history though, the Alethelan people adapted the original Dawnchant script to fit their own language. This process began with simple phonetic substitution, in which humans used the Dawnsingers' script to transcribe their own languages. By the time of the Recreance, they spoke a language known as Alethelan.
==== Architecture ====
The Alethelan people also have their own architectural styles. A lot of things are richly and brightly coloured. They also tend to use much sandstone in their buildings, and often incorporate large pillars into their designs. The Knights Radiant and Vorinism play a large role in their decorations.
== Notes ==
category: Silver Kingdoms