Xiansai (pronounced "shyan-sai") is an island in Sanctuary's northern hemisphere—west of the Frozen Sea and north-west of Scosglen. It is the home of the Xian. Xiansai is Sanctuary's northernmost nation, and due to its insular nature, Xian culture developed free from major foreign influence. Xian society is dominated by the Great Families, which each controls a portion of their kingdom's economy. Xian religion is polytheistic, featuring numerous gods, albeit without any distinct hierarchy.[1]
Capital of the island is also named Xiansai.[2]
Beliefs and Culture
- Abd al-Hazir(src)
Xiansai is home to unmatched artisans and artists, as well as enigmatic sorcerers, scholars and philosophers. Many jewels of wonder were made in Xiansai by famed gem cutters. Names of Xiansai people are varying from quite complex (of three and more parts) to simpler ones. The Mage Clans sometimes pick Xian children for study[3].
Arts practicioned in Xiansai include the legal making of poisons[4]
History
The time before Xiansai's unification is referred to as a time of legends. The mage Woh and his companions herald from this age.[5]
In-game
Diablo II
Xiansai technically appears in the world map in the manual for Diablo II, but is unnamed.
Diablo III
The Wizard class and Covetous Shen hail from Xiansai.
Trivia
- The name Xiansai seems to come from the nomenclature system of Chinese cities. In China, "Xi'an", assuming there are two syllables, is a capital city which means "Peace in the West". The pronunciation of the word "Xi'an" in Mandarin Chinese, written as "西安", sounds like "shee-anh" in English. However logically, "Xian" ought to be shown as only one syllable and should be pronounced like "shyan" in English. Quite possibly, the syllable "Xian" refers to the Chinese Character "仙", which means an immortal or being mysterious if it is an adjective. The syllable "sai" means fortress, written as "塞" as a noun. Therefore, the word "Xiansai" means "The Fortress of the Immortals" or "The Mysterious Fortress".
- "Xiansai" is perhaps an anagram of the word "Asian" plus the letters "x" and an additional letter "i"
References
Astral Realm • Burning Hells • Ether • Fractured Plane • High Heavens • Limbo • Mirrored World • Nephalem Rifts • Obliterated Realm • Pandemonium • Realm of the Banished • Realm of the Dead • Realm of Shadow • Realms of Fate • Void • Wastelands
Sanctuary — Ancients' Cradle • Aranoch • Bakuli Jungle • Bilefen (Valostre, defunct) • Cold Isles • Dreadlands • Dry Steppes • Eastern Steppes • Fractured Peaks • Greyhollow Island • Hawezar • Ivgorod (defunct) • Kehjistan (defunct) • Marshland • Nahantu • Samauren Empire (defunct) • Scosglen • Sharval Wilds • Shassar Sea (Fahiran Empire, defunct) • Skovos Isles • Stormpoint • Uie • Western Kingdoms (Entsteig • Khanduras • Westmarch) • Wojahn • Xiansai • Zeleny Lowlands
Related — Towns