The Seanchan

From Convergence

Seanchan history

To understand the Seanchan, it’s necessary to understand their history. As Arthur Hawkwing is greatly responsible for many of the current nations and customs on the mainland, his son Luthair Paendrag Mondwin is responsible for Seanchan, but to an even greater degree, because unlike his father’s empire, Luthair’s legacy still stands whole and strong in his memory.

Before Hawkwing sent Luthair and his armies across the Aryth ocean, Seanchan was a constantly shifting quilt of nations of various sizes, most ruled by Aes Sedai. Any attempt to map the history of Seanchan would drive a cartographer to madness, because the borders shifted with frequent wars as countries were swallowed whole or divided, and rebellions split of parts of others. Some of these parts grew into nationhood, while others were once again consumed by other nations.

Aes Sedai, who made open use of their power, formed temporary alliances with one anotherm as when following one of teir number who had achieved a throne, but in reality it was every woman for herself, all plotting and scheming for advancement, as Aes Sedai do. This was the way of everyone, not just Aes Sedai though. Those few who were truly faithful to their word were considered fools. Assassination was the most common cause of death among Aes Sedai and all who achieved power in Seanchan.

Almost since the Breaking Seanchan had been a land of intrigue and nearly constant warfare. Alliances were always temporary, usually for the space of a war and often not lasting the length of it. It was not uncommon for a nation allied on one side at the beginning of the war to be allied to the other at the end of it, and in more than once instance nations went through several alliances through the course of a war. There was little trust between the nations.

This suspicious and scheming nature of Seanchan was the main reason why Luthair Paendrag and his descendants were able to conquer all of Seanchan. Some nations allied themselves with him against others, but none remained constant. Eventually Luthair Paendrag, whom the Seanchan had begun to call the Hammer, no longer trusted any of the native born, nor did his descendants, or the descendants of his soldiers and retainers. Luthair had brought with him, inherited from his fathers difficulties, a grave mistrust for all things Aes Sedai. When he discovered the cutthroat nature of Aes Sedai who ruled Seanchan before his arrival, this mistrust turned into outright hatred.

Eventually those who allied themselves with Luthair’s descendants did remain constant, because it was clear by then that Luthair’s dynasty was the great power in Seanchan. The first nobility of the Empire of Seanchan would all be descended from Luthair Paendrag’s followers, and it would be centuries before others began to be raised to ‘the Blood’. The conquest, however, also called the Consolidation, required three hundred years, and another two centuries passed before the last resistance was crushed and Luthair’s descendants reigned Seanchan at peace.

The second thing that enabled Luthair to conquer such a vast land, and one with so many Aes Sedai was the discovery of the A’dam, which enabled him to force captured Aes Sedai to serve him. This discovery was followed by the discovery of the sul’dam, which meant he no longer needed Aes Sedai allies at all. There is no doubt that the current power of the imperial family is directly linked to their subjugation and control of all Seanchan Aes Sedai. It is fairly certain that in the beginning Luthair knew that sul’dam were women who could be trained to use the One Power, but with his antipathy towards Aes Sedai this information was probably suppressed. It was lost within a hundred years.

Seanchan geography

Far across the Aryth ocean lies the continent of the Seanchan. Bordered by the Morenal Ocean to the West, and the Aryth ocean to the East, it is known to be approximately fifteen hundred leagues wide at it’s greatest breadth in the southern hemisphere. From the Mountains of Dhoom in the North to the southernmost point of the continent is a distance of approximately four thousand leagues.

Crisscrossed by rivers and mountain ranges, the continent also has four major islands to the south, east and west as well as three islands located in the dividing channel.

Seanchan culture

Seanchan appearance

Seanchan class structure

Since Luthar’s conquest Seanchan had evolved into a nation that is stratified and has very little movement between the ranks. That is not to say that there are no power struggles, only that almost all of them are between members of the same class. The society is based on the concept that everyone has a place in which to serve, and that everyone should be in that place.

Because of the widespread slavery, Seanchan honour and power are not always equal to freedom, as it is with nations on the mainland. Some of the upper servants and slaves outrank commoners such as merchants and craftsmen.

Da’covale/Covale – Those who are property/property. It is assumed that Luthair was surprised when he discovered a culture which allowed people to be bought and sold as property, along with animals and household goods. But even if the conquerors ever tried to get rid of this particular institution, they failed. In fact, most of the underlying culture and customs of the Seanchan has survived the invasion intact. Instead of fighting their conquerors, one might say that Seanchan simply absorbed them into her rich culture.

So’jhin – hereditary upper servants of the blood. Though this is a hereditary position, going from parents to children, it is possible for a commoner of free birth to be chosen as so’jhin. It’s a rare honour that is eagerly sought, because it is one of the few ways to advance beyond one’s station of birth. The loss of freedom, not just for oneself but also for future generations is believed to be a very small price to pay for such an honour.

Seanchan exotics

Seanchan Blood

Seanchan channellers

In Seanchan young women are tested for the ability to channel or the ability to wear the bracelet each year until they pass the age of manifestation. Those who have the ability inborn become damane. They are immediately leashed and put into service. Their names are removed from all records, because the damane are less than human, which is a fine example of how Luthair’s hatred echoed through over the centuries that have passed. A damane is a valued slave, and therefore she is seldom killed, not even for infractions that would have resulted in death for a lesser slave. Instead they are sometimes horribly mutilated for punishment, because it is possible to channel without hands, feet or tongue.

Young women with the ability to use the a’dam, but who can not channel are made sul’dam, or ‘leashholder’. These girls are honoured for their abilities, gaining prestige for their family as well. They are trained in the care and handling of damane in much the same way a huntsman is trained to control his hounds, save that the link between damane and sul’dam is far more personal. Sul’dam are responsible for every action of the damane under their control. There are many more sul’dam than there are damane. Because of this it is not unnatural for a damane to be passed around by many sul’dams over the course of her lifetime.

The damane are not only used as weapons but also aid in construction work on large bridges for example, or other tasks that would be difficult to manage without the one power. The few damane that are strong in earth are used to locate and refine metals and rare ores. These damane are highly valued. Some damane are also used to heal the sick and injured, though only those who are wealthy or among the upper classes. Often the healing is rejected though, because of the belief that damane are not human, and therefore they would defile the person being healed. This is why the ability to heal is rare among damane.

Men who can channel are executed and expunged from all records upon the moment of their discovery.

The a’dam is a ter’angreal, unique to the Seanchan. It us used to control a woman who can channel. The most common form is that of a thin silvery metal collar and a bracelet linked by a leash of the same material. The a’dam can only be used by a woman who has the potential to channel, and it has no effect on a woman who can’t. The ter’angreal creates a link between the two women so that the wearer of the bracelet can inflict her wishes and desires upon the collared woman. If a man who can channel is linked to a woman who can channel the result is often a very painful death for both of them.

The first a’dam was made by an Aes Sedai, Daein, who brought it to Luthair Paendrag in an attempt to curry favour with him, She knew he had no Aes Sedai in his armies, and for the most part Aes Sedai hated him. Deain believed Luthair would eventually win and felt she would be richly rewarded for bringing him the gift that would hand him the Power of the Aes Sedai, willing or not. Several years after that the first sul’dam were found. These women were considered to be the ideal controllers of the damane, the leashed ones. For her trouble Deain was rewarded with imprisonment by her own device. She was, after all, an Aes Sedai and therefore not to be trusted. Once the a’dam gained regular use, the title Aes Sedai disappeared completely from Seanchan, and those who could channel were rename marath’damane, or Those who must be leashed.

Seanchan warriors

Seanchan seekers

Members