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Overview

Seithran is an ancient land of scholars, skeptics and sages. Their territories are the result of a melting pot of traditions and faiths which have made Seithran into a patchwork tapestry of temples, shrines and cathedrals dedicated to just about any deity imaginable. Above all others, however, the Seithrani honor Abani, the goddess of wisdom and the afterlife, and have built their capital around her Cathedral called the Skyhold. Pioneers of an educational technique that merges divine teachings with arcane, it can be assumed that nearly everyone in Seithran is capable of wielding magic. This is especially true of their army, which are by Seithrani law required to master at least one magical discipline as part of their training. A quiet and reflective people, Seithran is known for magic, riddles, monastic buildings and near-constant rain.

Geography

Seithran is a temperate region that experiences cold, crisp mountain air and stiff sea breezes all year long. Compared to its neighbors, the weather tends to be quite a bit cooler, with far more frequent rain and snow storms than the average. In central Seithran there are high risks of mudslides and avalanches which frequently interrupt travel in the winter thaw.

Geography

Settlements

Appearance

Seithrani people are known for wearing excellently tailored, form-fitting garments topped with a cape. Usually the cape is of a solid color personalized with fine details, while the layers underneath have simple patterns and subtle artistry.

Two indicators of high social status are spellthread embroidery and leather boots; leather is very expensive in Seithran, so tall leather boots are the height of fashion and extravagance. Additionally, the soft leather of these boots is usually difficult and expensive to maintain properly in the cold, wet Seithrani climate, so it is assumed that if you are wearing well-kept leather boots that you not only came into wealth at one point in your life, but also have enough constant income to continuously oil and care for this luxury item.

Seithran is associated with velvet, and most citizens own at least one velvet doublet, cape, or shawl. It is common for Seithrani sleeves to extend past the wrist and for pants to cover the ankle, even in the height of summer; some say this is also to conceal magical tattoos and markings, which are fairly common amongst Seithrani mages and students. In the instances that a Seithrani may wish to wear shorter sleeves, it is customary to wear gloves or bracers. Exposing a wrist can be seen as an erotic gesture amongst more conservative Seithrani folk.

Teal is a particularly Seithrani color and is associated with magic and mysticism. It is the color of the flag of the capital and of the agents of Skyhold. It is customary for magical pendants and enchanted accessories to be fashioned out of turquoise, which is believed to be lucky. Periwinkle is another popular color, as it is the shade of Seithran’s national flower: the forget-me-not.

Military & Diplomacy

Seithran has had a very difficult history when it comes to matters of military and diplomacy. While Seithran’s military has often been praised for its discipline and might and their diplomats have generally been received well in foreign courts, about 150 years ago Seithran was the site of the one of the longest and cruelest civil wars Sharum Mal’Kari has ever seen. When academics talk of Seithran, they speak of the failings of diplomacy and inevitability of war in a land characterized by diversity. In truth, most Seithrani now know that it wasn’t their differences that drove them to kill each other, but manipulations by foreign governments who sought to take advantage of their lack of leadership.

They refuse to let it happen again. After a long, complicated election process, Seithran settled on a new leader they felt they could trust to protect them from the mistakes of their past. Already, things have been changing. A new partnership has been forged with Oyczyzna Podgora— a feat that seemed completely impossible in recent memory. With this new partnership came new military victories, with both nations reclaiming lands stolen from them by the former Bahrami Empire and establishing newer, more solid borders. Seithran also won a bid with Falkor to have the new Falkan Intercontinental Railway extended all the way to the capital, which has been celebrated as an incredible diplomatic victory. Prime Magister Mirza Avaro has also been praised for her policies that ended centuries-old divisions between Seithran’s academies and merged the academic disciplines of arcane and divine magic— while not popular at first, it is this shift that is credited with keeping Seithran largely untouched by Corruption. The Seithrani people love their Prime Magister and her work so far has earned their implicit trust.

Magic & Faith

In Seithran, the study of arcane and divine are intertwined. This experiment in the hybridization of magical education has largely been a successful one, and many have credited this innovation as the reason why Seithran has been able to defend itself from Darkspawn while continuing to practice arcane arts.

The presence of magic is felt at all levels of Seithrani society. Partially due to increasing international pressure to suppress arcane casting, partially to distinguish themselves from their Gathic counterparts, and partially due to their new partnership with Oyczyzna Podgora, Seithran has recently invoked stricter anti-magic policies. In the cities and on the roadways, there are Magic Mouths that blare out every hundred feet, shouting announcements about how unauthorized magic is forbidden and reminders to report any suspicious items or activities. Spell components are heavily regulated and a black market for them exists.

Seithrani people call those who have innate magical talents “blue-blooded”; their lingo has caught on, and has become a common phrase in many urban centers around the world. It is assumed that all elves are “blue-blooded”, and it is a source of great familial and cultural shame whenever this is proven not to be the case. “Blue-blooded” individuals tend to have slim builds and are very rarely expected to be physical fighters; some see this as a privilege, though others see it as an insult. Seithran is a magocratic society, so in most cases, being “blue-blooded” is a status symbol and a compliment.

Education & Technology

In part a byproduct of the wet, cold weather that tends to persist in Seithran, Seithrani people are well known for preferring hobbies that keep them indoors— especially reading, writing, and intellectual puzzle games. The average Seithrani is fully expected to complete a high level of schooling compared to the rest of the world, and it is a given in Seithran that general education includes elementary magical education. A Seithrani who hasn’t gotten their level 0 casting license by the end of their teenage years is a mystery, an embarrassment and a failure.

People who display magical talent at a young age are expected to attend one of Seithran’s prestigious academies for a minimum of two years. There, their talents are assessed and the students are channeled into various roles, such as city planning, maintenance, research, law enforcement, government, or the military. While not as extreme as the Gathic Sckola Republika, some promising individuals do face extreme pressure to enroll and are sometimes harassed into doing so by the local law enforcement. Even so, attendance at an academy in Seithran is not mandatory, but a privilege. As the administration is very fond of pointing out, Seithrani schools are prestigious academies, not “mage prisons” like those run in Gath. Here, all students have the freedom to choose their own educational path.

Family Life

Seithrani are more likely than most to remain single for most of their lives, preferring pursuits of the mind to those to those of the heart. When Seithrani do take a partner, it’s almost always for life. Like their Riojan neighbors, Seithrani typically marry out of love, not obligation or convenience. Seithrani weddings are an elaborate affair, usually intertwining traditions of many faiths and cultures in their ceremonies. The receptions are expected to be massive, with nearly the entire community invited to attend, though the ceremony itself is usually quite intimate and small.

Partially because Seithrani wait to start families, their families tend to be quite small. Their children often have a lot of support from their parents, but also feel a lot of pressure to succeed and take care of them, even from a young age.

Naming Conventions

Seithrani names are inspired by Bosniak and Slovenian names. They also have elements in common with Bahrami, Czyznic, Doreain and Riojan names, due to the large immigrant populations from those nations; therefore, many of their names also have elements of Arabic, Polish, Sudanese, or Italian in them as well.

Personal Names: Faruk, Nihad, Zejnil, Ferid, Nadir, Izet, Džemal, Ismeta, Zaida, Selma, Vahida, Belma, Hasna, Jasmin, Ekrem, Galib, Kenan, Said, Saima, Lejla, Disa

Traditionally, their family names end in “ic” for a male or “ić” for a female, which roughly translates to meaning “blessed by”. Traditional Seithrani last names are assigned by their priest and are not hereditary, but this is often not the case for immigrant families and has even become less fashionable for locals in recent generations. Modern Seithrani people often have two family names: one that is hereditary, and a more traditional one that was given to them by their priest on their Name Day.

Family Names: Ostojić, Lucic, Mićić, Causevic, Babić, Turković, Mujic, Matković, Hodzic, Aganovic, Rakić, Ivanković

Local NPC Compendium

Additional Details

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Story Notes

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