Siojhetioxh, the Shining Stars of Condioh (see-jaw-tee)

Siojhetioxh are powerful mystery artists who typically hold royal court positions in Condioh, Rikondi, and Jonna Empire countries. They are among the most venerated magick wielders on the continent of Seari.

In this document:

All artwork by Shanda Nelson unless otherwise stated

Kitta, Shining Star of Iova

Origin

Siojhetioxh originated in Condioh during the reign of King Cliovan. They were initially a female mystery order comprised of the most powerful wielders to graduate from Condi lightarts schools. These women held positions of power in the Condi court, garnering respect not only through family connections but to their school association.
Cliovan needed magickal backing as he attempted to conquer land and draw Condioh's initial borders. He first threatened the family of Kalthrenmehnraoh, the Flame Dragon's companion, hoping to convince him and the dragon to side with him in conflicts. They kidnapped the Roshein high priest and handed him over to the king, which cemented his rule and his might, but Kal disliked Cliovan's rage fits and his complicit court, and withdrew.
Needing another source of magickal backing, Cliovan turned to the lightarts schools his Ga Iniria ancestors built across the lands north of the Sea of Condioh. Eager to please the conquerer, and hoping to attract government investments, the headminsters sent their strongest graduates to the court.
Realizing the need for a more formal association, and annoyed by some of the prospects sent to court, Queen Shelethios created an all-female group by personal invitation. She named them the Jestileene Siojhetioxh, or Shining Stars, and offered them court standing and wealth, as long as they remained loyal to the throne.

Shelethios divided the newly formed Condioh into districts, usually based around a larger city, and assigned a siojhetioh to each one. The assignments corresponded to the place their lightarts school sat, granting those institutions the court influence they desired. Advised by the headminsters, the siojhetioh focused on bringing the still-rebellious to heel, which granted them and their schools the favor of Cliovan and his court.
It did not take long before the siojhetioh were given another task. Headminsters disliked Kalthrenmehnraoh's negative assessment of their righteous advising, and some convinced their siojhetioxh to hunt down the dragon companion for practicing shadowarts instead of the lightarts.
Siojhetioxh, seeing an opportunity to destroy a rival and become a dragon companion themselves, followed the bad advice and ended up nothing more than ash from an annoyed Flame Dragon's breath. Shelethios, furious at the betrayal of siojhetioh oaths, cleansed the order. They fell from favor, and when her son ascended the throne, he disbanded them.

Shelethios eradicated the siojhetioxh and the headminsters who convinced them to attack Kal. Many wondered at her vicious response to a natural lightartist hatred of the shadowarts.
The act cemented her ruthless nature in contemporary histories, to the point some speculated she had a hand in Cliovan's unexpected death by heart attack. Others pointed out that upsetting the Flame Dragon was not in Condioh's favor.
In truth, she protected the father of her children.

Jonna Empire

They stayed as a historical footnote until King Giarel, smarting from the separation of Rikondi from Condioh, decided to resurrect them. He wished to form an empire to prove to the Rikondi they should have stayed under his rule, and he needed magickal might to do so.
Pleased that a loyal lightartist by the name of Eserial acquired the Flame Dragon's stone, and therefore the aid of a dragon, he officially declared her a Shining Star of his court and reinstated the siojhetioh rank. He lured in suspicious lightarts schools with the same promises Shelethios used, but instead of becoming Shining Stars of Condioh districts, they would become rulers of their own empire country.
Convinced their graduates would bring fame and fortune to their respective lightarts schools, headminsters sent their best to court to join siojhetioxh ranks. Anyone with power and backing could become a Shining Star, though the important positions tended to have more women than men.

During the Jonna Empire, siojhetioxh were known as ruthless enforcers of Condi will. Animosity towards them and the lightarts grew in step with their crackdown on shadowarts practitioners in the conquered countries. By the end of the empire, siojhetioxh were among the most reviled of Condi, a hatred that remains in the modern era.

After Jonna

Siojhetioxh became synonymous with magickal power and political might. The Condi and empire leaders respected their strength and cunning, while the subjugated peoples hated them, for the same reason.
When the Jonna Empire fell around 4100 AGI, countries needed to form new courts under new leadership. Despite the hate, siojhetioxh had experience in ruling lands, and many of them became defacto kings and queens. They commanded the loyalty of troops left within their borders and had the magickal backing to make their rule stick.
Inspired by their experiences, many of these rulers formed Shining Star divisions within their court. Due to the withdrawal of the Condi and their lightartists, they filled them with shadowartists and charged them to keep the new countries safe in anxious times.
Having shadowartists rather than lightartists fill the roles softened the impact of the countries retaining a Jonna governmental structure, but general populations still disliked having siojhetioxh in positions of power. Those who fought as rebels did not want to return to Jonna ideals and strictures.
The rulers, more concerned in holding onto power, ignored the concerns. Within two generations, while resentment lingered, Midem countries accepted that the siojhetioxh were there to stay.

Jonna Empire countries have a love/hate relationship with siojhetioxh. Peoples hate the fact that the lightartists subdued their ancestors for the pleasure of a Condi ruler, and take that hatred out on (poorer) descendants.
However, those with magickal ability and Condi ancestors tend to have deeper Magickal Wells than their peers. They become beloved, trusted court siojhetioxh honored for their dedication and service to kin and country.

Not all ex-empire countries are wed to the siojhetioxh ideal. Aki n'di ori lands embrace their shadowarts traditions and sniff at anything touched by lightartists, even though most of their strongest wielders come from noble families who married Condi for political gain.

Shining Stars

In Jonnese- and Siodame-speaking countries, siojhetioxh became the general designation for those who oversaw magickal issues for the royal court. Rulers reserved the title of Shining Star for wielders who were given jurisdiction over magick use in cities and the surrounding countryside, and who led a workgroup consisting of siojhetioxh.

The official title of these wielders came from noble titles, so Shining Star of (name of city).
Example: Lady Kitta, Shining Star qua Iova

Siojhetioh Duties:

• monitor jurisdiction for magick attack
• care for magickal problems in jurisdiction
• aid military endeavors
• complete special charges from crown
• conduct magickal research
• train new recruits, as directed by Shining Stars

Shining Star Duties:

• monitor jurisdiction for magick attack
• send members of workgroup to care for magickal problems in jurisdiction
• advise the crown
• complete special charges from crown
• advise in military endeavors
• conduct magickal research
• maintain proficiency in offensive, defensive and healing magicks above that of general siojhetioxh

Siohjhetioxh first appear in Dawn of Shiobe: The Wellspring Dragons Book 1.