The Women's World is the cloistered, rules-bound life of Highborn women, and the structures and patterns of it.
Duties of a Highborn lady[]
The duties of a Highborn lady are listed by Jame's instructress at the beginning of Seeker's Mask:[1]
- Obedience
- Self-restraint
- Endurance
- Silence
Rings of secrecy[]
Within the Women's World, the secrets and mysteries are held within rings of secrecy. A young woman is initiated into each in turn as her elders, particularly the Matriarchs, consider her ready for them.
Jame is never initiated into any of the rings of secrecy,[1] while Kallystine is only initiated to the lowest level.[2]
Bloodline manipulation[]
The matriarchs have been known to manipulate bloodlines, sometimes creating Shanir.[3][4][5]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Seeker's Mask, "Part I", I
- ↑ Seeker's Mask, "Part I", IV
- ↑ Seeker's Mask, "Part V: Mount Alban", IV — "She understood why the Matriarchs hadn't wanted to strengthen a girl whose bloodlines they intended to manipulate for their own purposes."
- ↑ Seeker's Mask, "Part I", V — "the three Shanir known collectively as the Tyr-ridan. Earlier matriarchs had tried to speed that day by mating together potent Shanir."
- ↑ Seeker's Mask, "Part I", V — "Adiraina winced, remembering Karidia's taunt: '…manipulating bloodlines, creating monsters…' True, she had suggested the blood-cross which had produced Brenwyr, but really…!"