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Cairhien
The sigil of Cairhien is the Rising Sun.
The most well known tale about Cairhien is called sometime Laman's Sin, or other variations of that name. After the Breaking, when the world was thrown in chaos, there was only one group that shared water with the Aiel. The Aiel remembered that and for years searched for the people. Finally they found them; the Cairhienin. In token of thanks the Aiel gave the people Avendoraldera, the only know sapling of the Tree of Life, which is lost, and the privelage to use the Silk Road. The Silk Road wound through the Jangai Pass in the Spine of the World, and through the Waste to the lands beyond. By using that road for trade, the Cairhienin grew rich and prosperous. At that time the King was Laman Damodred. He, not knowing or perhaps choosing to ignore what it would mean to the Aiel, cut down Avendoraldera to build a throne with the wood, thinking to have to greatest throne ever. The Aiel took it as a sign of ending their friendship and ravaged a war on the country. They tore through the lands, burning and pillaging everything but the Royal Library in the capitol, second only to the great library in the White Tower itself. They killed King Laman, and went back to the Waste.
Along with the loss of homes, King, food, and riches, the Cairhienin also lost the right to use the Silk Road, and where not the same again. It is thought that if not for the support of their alies, Cairhien would have collapsed. Though Cairhien has regained much of it's power and riches, it has never fully recovered. The Aiel now particularly despise the Cairhien above all other 'wetlanders,' calling them Treekillers and refuse them entrance into the Waste.
The Cairhien people are very short, pale and usually dark haired and dark eyed. They are stubborn, stern, and hard headed people, very determined and proud. They take special joy in political maneuverings and are subtle and dangerous manipulators. They claim to have created the Great Game, and this is certainly a believable claim, as Cairhienin are raised at birth with Daes Dae'mar and are right away taught to think beyond what is said.
The nobles wear dark colors, usually dark green or blue, or black, with narrow slashes across the chest and body in their house colors. The more slashes across their body, the higher their rank is. Their clothes are usually fairly simple, though well fitting, with lace at the neck and wrists. Men usually wear their hair long, often with felt caps. Women pile elaborate curls on top of their heads, each one a different peice of art. The commoners, in stark contrast, often wear their hair long and down, and wear bright, often clashing colors, however ill fitting or tattered the peices are.
Thought the people are usually modest and proper, one of their festivals are completely the opposite. Men and women kiss anyone they want, regardless of who they are or what rank. All sense of propriety is lost for two days, where everyone walks around scantily clad, women often bare to the waist in broad daylight with nothing but their hair or perhaps a peice of tattered cloak as covering. After the festivel ends, the people resume their rigidy, and nothing that happened during those two days is ever mentioned again.
The city namesake of Cairhien is the capitol, and is built on the ancient Al'cair'rahienallen, once the site of a breathtaking Ogier grove. The grove is now lost, and the city built on top of it is not at all Ogier-like. All rigid lines, the walls, arcitecture, art, furniture and streets are all planned and laid out like a grid, and unnaturally straight.
Written by Isilwen Gilraen
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