Government of Adar

Adar is a nation concerned with survival. At one time, Adarans could get along without working together, but that all changed when the Inspired began their siege. The sacrifice of Taratai threw the invading forces back and left the Shroud that protects Adar to this day. Still, Adarans know that internal strife is the surest means to their destruction.

Adar's high passes (and the hidden fortresses guarding them) shelter it from direct assault. Water, a border with Syrkarn, and the largest concentration of defenders in Adar all help to protect Kasshta Keep. The Riedran war machine has yet to find a way to alter the frequent storms that howl out of the mountains. Similar storms occur daily over the waters around Adar, and mighty beasts prowl the seas, as if nature conspires to keep Adar secure. The quori who inhabit the Inspired actually fear the spirit-binding magic employed by Adar's Keepers of the Word. Immortality is no defense against such sorcery.

These truths said, if the Inspired acquired enough intelligence to locate the fortresses in Adar and a way to breach the Shroud, they could strike quickly and take out Adar's major defenses. As it stands, Riedran patrols and feints on the borders cause many Adaran deaths and many more Riedran casualties. Adarans, especially those living on the borders, are accustomed to loss.

Who Rules Adar

No one authority rules Adar. Excluding elders among the mountainfolk, the major points of power in the land are the eight monastery fortresses that guard passes and weak points in Adar's redoubtable terrain. Each of these citadels is a center of power for a specific set of monks and kalashtar. Two factors do keep Adar unified, however. First is the kalashtar; second is the threat of the Inspired.

The aforementioned rule by elders is prevalent in Adaran society. The wisest and eldest lead. Wisdom supersedes age, so many "elders" are not old at all, but often the wisest folk are the oldest. Each elder represents a section of a settlement's population, and that group trusts the elder to look out for them. These elders make decisions for a settlement as a group. The most respected elder, a male or female who has the confidence of all local elders, heads a local council. Such a person is a leader among equals, not a chieftain. Little dishonesty occurs in this system—those who are incompetent or corrupt are quickly replaced. For the most part, merit determines power in Adar.

Among Adarans, the Speaker of the Word in Kasshta Keep is a respected figure. The Speaker position has existed far longer than the kalashtar have been in Adar—even they revere the wisdom of the Speaker of the Word. Although the Speaker holds no actual authority, words from this person can move the citizens of Adar to action and sway the minds of masters in other monasteries. Throughout the ages, Speakers have been reputed to be dispassionate and invariably long-sighted. Speakers often suggest their successors, but the Keepers' Council of the Wise makes the final choice. Adarans often speak of former Speakers as if they were highly regarded ancestors.