Tarabon

Tarabon
Sigil	A golden tree with a thick bole and spreading branches balanced by roots below. Known as the Tree or the Golden Tree.
Banner	The Golden Tree on a field of vertically striped red and white stripes. There are four red and three white stripes.
Capital	Tanchico
Ruler	Unknown
Throne	The Throne of Light
Crown	The Crown of the Tree (Panarch)
Palace	King's Palace and Panarch's Palace

Author: Leora Oldessroth

Pronunciation: TAH-rah-Bon

General

Tarabon is a coastal country at the south western shores and are the first country the Seanchan invade during their Return.

The Banner of the Panarch adds a green staff behind the tree (TWoRJTWoT, Ch. 30).

Taraboners call themselves the Tree of Man and claim descent from rulers and nobles of the Age of Legends. It was once even rumored that Tarabon had a branch of living sapling of Avendesora (TWoRJTWoT, Ch. 30).

History

Unless stated otherwise, all information herein is taken from The Wheel of Time Roleplaying Game, Chapter 12.

A similar entry appears in the Wheel of Time Companion, confirming the information. Other information is also included in the Companion, but we did not use it in the TarValon.Net Library.

Tarabon was formed early in the War of the Hundred Years, in FY 1006, when a group of nobles who had held power under Artur Hawkwing, Haren Maseed, Tazenia Nerenhald, and Boral Amadia seized Tanchico and formed a government there along the lines of that in Balasun, the nation that had previously existed around Tanchico until Artue Hawkwing's conquest. Lord Boral was murdered, leaving Tazenia to become Queen and Haren to become Panarch. The city state survived attacks by those wanting to re-establish Balasun and like Cairhien and Andor was able to expand from then. The basic form of government remained largely unchanged, except that by around 500 NE, the role of King had become hereditary and that of Panarch always female and chosen by the Assembly.

Geography

Relation to Previous National Borders

According to the maps, during the Compact of the Ten Nations, the area that is now Tarabon was occupied by the nations of Aelgar and Safer. After the Trolloc Wars, the nations of Elan Dapor and Balasun occupied the land that eventually became Tarabon.

Borders

Tarabon is bordered to the north by Almoth Plain, to the east by the Mountains of Mist, to the southeast by Amadicia, to the southwest by the Shadow Coast, and to the west by the Aryth Ocean (TWoRJTWoT, Ch. 2).

Geographical Features

Bodies of Water

The River Andahar flows through Tarabon (TWoRJTWoT, Ch. 2).

Hills and Mountains

Miscellaneous

Tall stone pillars to either side of the road mark the border between Tarabon and Amadicia (TFoH, Ch. 8).

Government

The Throne

Tarabon is nominally ruled jointly by a King and a Panarch, who are elected by the Assembly of Lords. The King and the Panarch are equal (TWoRJTWoT, Ch. 30).

The Panarch collects taxes, customs and duties, controls the Civil Watch, and oversees the lower courts (TWoRJTWoT, Ch. 30). A similar entry appears in the Wheel of Time Companion, confirming the information. Other information is also included in the Companion, but we did not use it in the TarValon.Net Library.

The King is responsible for spending the collected revenues properly, controlling the army and overseeing the High Court (TWoRJTWoT, Ch. 30).

The only major political duty of the Assembly of Lords is the election of King and Panarch (TWoRJTWoT, Ch. 30).

Military

The Panarch has a personal guard known as the Panarch's Legion; the king has a personal guard known as the King's Life Guard. Both are considered to be one of the main military groups of the last centuries (TWoRJTWoT, Ch. 26; TWoRJTWoT, Ch. 30).

Cities, Towns, and Villages

Cities, towns, and villages in Tarabon

• Tanchico (Capital city, port city on Aryth Ocean, home to the first chapter house of the Guild of Illuminators) (TWoRJTWoT, Ch. 2, TWoRJTWoT, Ch. 30)
• Alcruna
• Elmora
• Maracru
• Nassad
• Serana

Relations and Trade

Tarabon and Arad Doman have a history of small wars between them (TWoRJTWoT, Ch. 14). For the past three hundred years this conflict has often involved maneuvering for control of Almoth Plain, which lies just north of Tarabon (TWoRJTWoT, Ch. 30).

Tarabon is a major source of fine rugs, dyes, fireworks, and luxury items. It is considered to be a great trading nation (TWoRJTWoT, Ch. 30).

Tarabon grows olives (TWoRJTWoT, Ch. 30).

Tarabon produces dyes (LoC, Prologue).

Tarabon produces high quality porcelain, though it is not of the quality that the Amayar made (NS, Ch. 13).

Taraboners do not like the sea so they don't have many ships that can trade via the sea (TGH, Ch. 9).

People and Customs

Taraboners call themselves "The Tree of Man" and claim to be descended from rulers and nobles during the Age of Legends (TGH, Ch. 7).

Feasts and Festivals

Festivals celebrated in Tarabon that are not celebrated by all nations include the Feast of Abram, Bailene, and the Festival of Lanterns (TWoRJTWoT, Ch. 30).

Appearance, Clothing, and Dress

They have dark, thick hair (TWoRJTWoT, Ch. 30).

Some have honey-yellow hair with dark eyes; this combination is instantly recognizable as Taraboner (TFoH, Ch. 18).

It is considered impolite to completely reveal one's face except when eating or drinking. Thus, men and women wear transparent veils across their faces. Sometimes people may don a mask to completely hide their features if anonymity is required (TWoRJTWoT, Ch. 30).

Men from Tarabon usually have facial hair under the veil in the form of a thick mustache. They wear a dark cylindrical cap on their heads. Lords and commoners wear baggy white trousers and coats embroidered with scrollwork on the shoulders. Lords' coats are made of finer material and have more elaborate embroidery. Loose-fitting shirts with embroidered chests are worn under the coats. Occasionally the trousers are embroidered as well (TWoRJTWoT, Ch. 30).

Noblewomen wear clinging gowns of thin silk that are almost as revealing as Domani dresses. Peasant women also wear thin fabric, but it is usually wool and is quite coarse by comparison (TWoRJTWoT, Ch. 30). Women wear their hair in long thin braids (TSR, Ch. 46).

Household servants wear wool of a finer quality than that worn by peasants. The sigil of the House that employs them is embroidered on the breast (TWoRJTWoT, Ch. 30).

Characters from Tarabon

Main article: Taraboner Character List