Tesh'koulai, the Touched

The Touched believe that they were touched by Saya - the ever-present spirit of cold, death and knowledge. And this belief is not without its reason - the Touched are much more advanced than the rest of the world. They are highly industrialized, while other members of the Court and Astarion are, at best, equivalent of medieval.
The first Touched is Tazhal the Founder (in some versions, Rhazhal or Tarzhal), who is also allegedly the architect of the first tel'nazari, underground cities (not to be confused with Buried Cities). Notably, he came from peasants under the rule of the Undying, because prior to his appearance vast C'halassteenh Wastes and southern part of Lasstreenh Mountains were inhabited only by nomadic tribes that left with Leysa and returned with Kharta.
Underground cities, fueled by coal, are necessary to the very existence of the Touched. Their land is quite hostile, since it is close enough to the cold of the Second Gate, but not directly under the trajectory of the Sun Beast, unlike the northern Lasstreenh Mountains. During Leysa ("ending time") cold winds from the North become especially severe and render surface completely uninhabitable. The Touched are only able to live there because they can always retreat into safety and warmth of their tel'nazari, and return with Kharta ("warmth") - relatively pleasant season that slowly grows colder again.
The Touched eagerly trade with local nomadic tribes and the neighbouring Undying minarals, steel, wood and manufactured goods for food. They do have surface farms, where they grow what crops can survive the climate, but heavily rely on exported food.
Because of this, the Touched are very interested in continued trade and many say they actually hold the Court together through their facilitation of mutual dependence.

Politics

Every tel'nazar is ruled by a dictator - that is, one person that holds all the power. The dictator, however, must devote themselves wholly to their duty (be celibate or give up their children, no private life, etc.) and choose and teach the next one.
Tech'malai (the dictator) has a "court" of specialists from various fields and high-ranking officials that can advise them, but cannot make decisions without them.
Tech'malai is very influential and usually has a steel grasp on their people. Carefully designed tel'nazari are easy to police, manage and control. It's very vital for survival in these lands.
For example, birth rates are regulated more carefully than anything else, since most cities can't afford to feed more mouths than they already have.
There are only three types of punishment for breaking the law - forced labor, exile and death. Exile, especially during Leysa, is equivalent to death sentence, but if one survives, they are forgiven. In hard times, starving cities used to ignore both exile and labor camps.
Since each tel'nazari has it's own government, what keeps the Touched together is the sects of Saya. They are highly organized and their hierarchy is global (all member of a sect report to one governing body, independent of cities). Large portions of tel'nazar' inhabitants are members of these sects. It is not uncommon for them to influence local ruler's decisions or to simply remove an unfavourable tech'malai. More so, there are two tel'nazari where an Ash line of succession is established, and two more with members of Smoke and Silver as their respective dictators.
Tel'nazari have a say in matters of other cities too. They can intervene if a tech'malai from a nearby city is becoming dangerous, unpredictable or useless. These interventions explain why powerful tel'nazari are often surrounded by puppet dictatorships in smaller neighbours. However, if the intervention wasn't explained properly or the conflict was actually two-sided, it can lead to a city war. These wars aren't frequent, because practically no major players ever want it, but the history of the Touched has a fair share of them anyway.
The Touched have serious tensions with neighbouring Lasstreenh monks. The former only live where they do to be closer to Saya, and not only are the latter closer to the Second Gate, they don't worship it. The monks have lived there for a long time and know their land, but the Touched have a significant technological advantage. So far, there were only skirmishes and one annexation, but many believe the Touched will go to war, sooner or later.
Throughout the mountains the Touched live alongside mountain Kashta. These are know to be the friendliest (not a big achievement), compared to Kashta of steppe and of jungles. The Touched are also the most tolerant of Kashta. They often cooperate and connect their settlements (local Kashta build underground too), and Kashta are even paid to guard borders. Some cities are rumoured to have Kashta and half-Kashta as their citizens. All of this, of course, isn't stated explicitly - other members of the Court, especially the Pure, wouldn't like it.

Infrastructure

All te'nazari are connected via underground trains and tunnels. They all share the benefits of careful planning: the distribution of heat, water, electricity, streets and building sizes are highly optimized.
The cities grow downwards and to the sides - mountains are rich in metals and minerals, and the Touched just dig in. This is regulated too, because uncontolled mining can bring the whole tel'nazar down.
On the surface there are only farms and lak'traz - upside down settlements. Farms are literally "portable", because they are regularly disassembled and stored in the neighbouring city along with animals or crops. Lak'traz aren't proper underground cities, they are more of a half-buried village with a heavy steel roof. These are responsible for mining outside of tel'nazari, for logging and, sometimes, trade.
Towers of Silence, khe'latzi, are worth mention too. They may look delicate, but they are a wonder of engineering, rivaling underground cities. Firstly, they are built with local winds in mind to minimize resistance. Secondly, towers are anchored to the ground and to the nearby mountains with steel chains. Thirdly, their weight is distributed to oppose the wind. All this allows khe'latzi to stand tall despite the most extreme weather.

Worship

There are many different sects, each worshipping Saya in their own way. But there are practices that are used by practically anyone. Most Touched desire to be "touched" by Saya once again, and try to reach it by making close contact with death. Near-death experience is something to be sought. Death (when one is ready) is return to Saya, for all Touched are lost children, avatars (tesh'koulai) of Saya.
Similarly, it is an honor to see another Touched die. It is said that in their eyes for a moment will be truth, and their touch will be enlightening.
Birth, on the other hand, is treated as necessary tragedy - a soul, torn away from the all-encompassing spirit. There are five stages in human life, two - entering, two - exiting, each - with a corresponding goal-milestone. Not everyone passes through each. Those, who didn't, will sleep, and then awake in the time of Tai'rish ("the ending of the great cycle") to finally return to Saya. It is the duty of living to make sure entering soul will be prepared to accomplish the needed goals. The first two are whispered to the parents by a prophet, the middle one - to the child, the last two must appear in the dreams of the Touched.
There is also the pilgrimage of Cold - a journey from anywhere to anywhere, but only during Leysa. Even traveling from one city to another is perilous, but those who embark on such quests usually seek either redemption or enlightment and don't have much to lose.
Throughout the land there are holy mountains, whose summits can be reached only by the blessed ones. On these mountains reside prophets, khal'traz, whose eye has been opened. Sometimes, a Touched will recieve a sign to go to one of these mountains. If they truly are worthy, they will see more signs in the dust and snow, images of future, past and far away lands. Those will be able to ascend, and when they do, one of their eyes will see those images clearly. Some of khal'traz descend again, advising rulers and commoners, sometimes even traveling abroad. Their services are highly valued, despite the effort it takes to extract something of value from them.
Prophets are blessed by Saya and suppossedly have divine knowledge and powers, but they are not to be confused with magi, khel'riaz, who all leave for the Second Gate and never return.

Technology

The society of the Touched is highly indutrialized and their technology is much more advanced than that of their neighbours. Thanks to the strict state policy, they have managed to keep their secrets to themselves so far. Notable discoveries are: gunpowder, steam engines and electricity, thermal insulation.
Sometimes, the Touched sell guns, but the secret of the gunpowder is heavily guarded.

Society

by Lord Sovorn

The Touched are very diverse in different cities, but they are quite united as a people. Their only goal is to be closer to Saya, and this requires cooperation. Each city has it's own tech'malai, it's own customs and policies, but the Touched look and behave like a single country. As was said earlier, this is in large part thanks to organised religious sects.
In the southeast, the lands of the Touched start roughly where the Undying stop being comfortable. However, their domain is limited only by the very ocean and Chaos in the west and northwest. The least hospitable are the middle and northwestern lands, while in the far north and west, beyond the mountains, vast boreal forests survive even during Leysa.
Trade between the Touched and outsiders is simple. A special commision from the city accompanies a shipment of goods and determines what it can be exchanged for. A similar commision usually awaits on the receiving end, having collected the payment from all the final receivers. Trade between two tel'nazari works exactly the same way, but somewhat faster. There are two main "currents" between the cities: the current of food from the border inland, and the current of steel and other resources from the mines to the border. Trade between the Touched is... a lot more complicated. Most tel'nazari don't even allow free trade. They exchange provisions and coal for various manufactured goods in the Towers of Silence or employ them directly in the city, and then distribute or sell them abroad. But can you stop two people from giving things to one another? And so "I owe you" tokens with various levels of credibility appear.

The Ascended

Tazhal the Founder (Ormial) is not only one of the Ascended, he is a national hero of the Touched. The legends have it that he is the first human to have contact with Saya in his dreams. After this, he managed to enlist thousands of people who were eager to become closer to the deity, and went north, to the Second Gate. On the way many died, and Thazal himself was on the brink of freezing. But just then, a complex and vivid image appeared in his dreams. He didn't tell everything he saw there, but he commanded to stop and begin excavation.
Beneath the frozen earth and ice they have found an ancient buried city, later named Lash'tried, dome of shades. There they were protected from cold, and when they exited the city with the beginning of Kharta, Thazal already made the blueprints. Lash'tried was later lost again, and to this day no one can pinpoint its location. But other Buried Cities, keya'ron, are considered sacred places of worship.
Tazhal the Founder built the underground cities, expeled the savage tribes and created the rigid social system that persists to this day. He is the symbol of the Touched, for he is the Touched One.
No less important is Terchet the Blind (Koshtai), or Terchet the Open-eyed (Layshtai). He is the first to ascend a holy mountain and complete its many trials, therefore, he is the first prophet. He wanted nothing more than communion with Saya. He was freezing, starving and lost in the endless blizzard. In desperation, he tore out his eyes, and than he saw that he was on the very summit.
From there Terchet saw the entire world, the smallest details, and he saw things to come and things long gone. And he saw the world breathing, moving, he saw its beating heart. He was overwhelmed, lost in this endless vision. He couldn't even distinguish any details, as he was seeing more and more.
And Terchet felt all that he was seeing. And he felt so much suffering, pain and confusion that he cursed this world. And his curse was Leysa. He didn't see what part of the world he cursed, or what his curse caused.
Some legends say he doesn't feel time passing, and his curse reverts when thinks that was enough. And then he feels everything again. Others say that a young man or woman learnt his story, some say it was Tazhal. They went to the mountain on which Terchet resides and at the base of it they left the beauty and wonders of the world: plants and animals, books and paintings, clothes and sculptures. And the winds carried them to the summit. Terchet didn't see them; he touched and felt them, and he forgave. And the Leysa ended.
It is said that Terchet is immortal and can never leave the summit of his mountain, Kreyst'heya. In time, he forgets about the beauty of the world and curses it once again - and thus cold returns. And then the Touched bring their sacrifices to the mountains, and the winds carry them, and once again, Leysa ends.
He is also a warning, and all the prophets after him give up only one of their eyes, so that they won't lose their grip on reality. And thus the symbols of the Touched are the Blind and the Seeing Eyes of the Prophet.

by Lord Sovorn

Yorn the Frozen (Zai'leern, Frozen-blooded) is widely worshipped by the Touched, but local nomadic tribes have a whole cult of him. Allegedly, he was one of the last ascendants of the giants, and and was one day touched by Saya.
He went far north, to the icy deserts surrounding the Second Gate. And he lived there, and the cold and deprivation cleared his mind. Then Yorn started preaching about his way of life that brought him this close to Saya, and gained many followers. One of them, Kaitan, would later become his lover. Together, through hardship and cold they all gained enlightment. It is said that they didn't feel the burn of icy winds and their blood never froze. They called themselves "Lays'shaki" - "welcoming end/cold".
Soon, they have realised they were not alone. Crimson beasts inhabited these lands. Furthermore, these beasts were immortal. Yorn considered this a blasphemy - for immortal beings to reside this close to the deity of death, and decided he would purge them.
He and his lays'shaki slew many of them. But one day the ground shook and a colossal worm appeared, wreaking havoc and devouring everyone. After the attack, Yorn and Kaitan decided to track the beast and kill it. They followed the Prince (Orm, so they named the thing) for many miles, and at last, it stopped fleeing.
The battle was fierce. Though the Prince was slain, Kaitan was dead and Yorn was fatally wounded. In his last moments, he understood that the beasts they were fighting were just like lays'shaki - fearless warriors and survivalists, who were blessed by Saya, just in a different way. It is said that before he died, he was encased by ice and remains there, near the remains of the Prince, forever frozen.

"Tesh'koulai" - avatar(s) of the Spirit. It is a singular noun, since Saya is inseparable from the avatar and Saya is one, but describes all the Touched. Sayertai, sayertaz - touched one(s).

Type

Geopolitical, Country

Parent Organization

Kherala, the Court

Divines

• Saya