Roshar Worldguide
A world of stone and storms, where life has evolved to survive the devastating highstorms that sweep across the land, and magic flows from the light of captured storms.
Roshar is the second planet in the Greater Rosharan system, orbiting a star the inhabitants haven't named. It has three moons and is home to humans, singers, and countless species of spren — fragments of power from the gods Honor, Cultivation, and Odium. The world is dominated by a massive supercontinent battered by highstorms from the east, shaping everything from architecture to culture.
The Highstorms
The defining force of Rosharan life
Highstorms are massive magical hurricanes that sweep across Roshar from east to west, bringing devastation and renewal in equal measure. The leading edge — the stormwall — carries rocks, debris, and enough force to destroy anything not built into the stone itself.
But the storms also bring Stormlight, the magical energy that powers Surgebinding, infuses gemstones, and drives the economy of nations. After the stormwall passes, a period of gentle rain called the riddens allows plants and creatures to emerge briefly before retreating again.
⚡ The Everstorm
A new storm born during the True Desolation, the Everstorm travels west to east — the opposite of highstorms. It carries the souls of the Fused, brings red lightning, and transforms listeners into Regals. Unlike highstorms, the Everstorm does not bring Stormlight.
Geography
Nations and landmarks of the supercontinent
🏰 Alethkar
The most powerful of the Vorin kingdoms, known for its warrior culture and the Alethi Codes of War. Home to the Kholin dynasty and the starting point of the war on the Shattered Plains. Currently occupied by singer forces.
Eastern Roshar🏔 Urithiru
The legendary tower city of the Knights Radiant, hidden for millennia in the mountains. Rediscovered by the Alethi, it now serves as humanity's last bastion. Powered by the Sibling, one of three Bondsmith spren.
Mountain Fortress⚔ The Shattered Plains
A vast expanse of plateaus separated by deep chasms, once the site of the Silver Kingdom of Natanatan. The Alethi waged war here for years against the Parshendi. The center holds the ruins of Stormseat and the Oathgate.
Eastern Roshar📜 Azir
Capital of the Azish Empire and heart of the Makabaki region. Governed by bureaucracy and scholars rather than warriors. The Prime Aqasix rules through competitive examinations and written law.
Central Roshar🌿 Shinovar
The western edge of Roshar, protected from highstorms by the Misted Mountains. Unlike the rest of Roshar, Shinovar has soil, grass, and familiar earth-like vegetation. The Shin guard the Honorblades here.
Western Roshar⚓ Thaylenah
An island nation of merchants and sailors, famous for their long eyebrows and trading prowess. Thaylen City guards the southern approach and houses massive Soulcaster devices in its Gemstone Reserve.
Island NationThe Shattered Plains
Once a unified land, the Plains were shattered in a cataclysmic event millennia ago. Now they consist of countless plateaus separated by chasms hundreds of feet deep, requiring bridges or Surgebinding to cross.
The Alethi warcamps dotted the western edge for years during the War of Reckoning, launching bridge runs to harvest gemhearts from chasmfiends. The center, called Narak, holds the ruins of the ancient city of Stormseat and the Oathgate to Urithiru.
separated by chasms lost in shadow
Peoples & Cultures
The diverse nations of Roshar
Alethi
Warrior culture, tan skin, strict gender roles. Men fight, women read.
Veden
Vorin kingdom, red hair common, politically fractured into princedoms.
Azish
Bureaucratic empire, rule by scholars, elaborate patterned clothing.
Thaylen
Merchant sailors, famous long eyebrows, island nation traders.
Shin
Pacifist farmers, large eyes, revere stone, guard the Honorblades.
Horneaters
Mountain dwellers, tall and red-haired, can eat shells and stone.
Reshi
Live on the backs of giant greatshells, island-hopping traders.
Iriali
Golden hair and skin, follow the One religion, nomadic history.
Makabaki
Dark-skinned peoples, includes Azir and many smaller nations.
Flora & Fauna
Life adapted to the storms
🐚 Creatures
🌿 Plant Life
Spren
Fragments of power made manifest
Spren are fragments of the gods' power, splinters of Investiture given form and consciousness. They are attracted to concepts and emotions — flamespren to fire, painspren to suffering, honorspren to oaths. Some spren can bond with humans, granting the powers of Surgebinding.