Syeliasi was founded during Malazhi's rise to power. The tales say that several ships of magic-poor humans traveled to this remote island to avoid the Malazhi magical dominance. They became very insular, fearing both Malazhi and Ossavia, and did not venture into the outer world much.
Upon arrival, they discovered a small colony of Duergar, who had fled here from long ago. The duergar were not pleased to find their island suddenly home to a new race, but their numbers were too few to oust the humans by force. The leaders of the human colonies met with the gray dwarves and explained their reasons for arrival. Since the gray dwarves had also fled their original homelands, they did indeed accept the human inhabitants as kindred souls in a sense. Eventually a trade was established between the Duergar and the Syeliani (the human's term for themselves).
Over the next several centuries, the Duergar found that the Syeliani were gaining proficiency in the same mental arts which they were so adept at. Magic use had dwindled at the same time, and those few practicing mages were frequently scorned. Priests had established worship of several deities, and the Duergar event built small temples to Laduguer and Abbathor in the capital city. People born on Syeliasi began to exhibit psionic talent from early ages, and training in the mental arts became formalized.
In YYYY, a group of elves sailed to Syeliasi, to find what had become of the humans which had colonized there. The elves had a large contingent of mages in their number, and were used to the respect such roles gave them in Malazhi territory. The Syeliani saw the arrival of the elves as a precursor to invasion, and killed all of the mages and a good number of the other elves. The remainder were enslaved.
The society of Syeliasi has structured itself around the use of Psychic talents, much as Malazhi based their culture on magic. Four distinct social classes arose - The true psionics, the psychically talented (wild talents), the psychically dead, and the slaves. Psionics held important positions, and some established small counties for their families. The children of two psionics was given the best opportunity to learn the psychic arts, and the rare psychically dead children were usually disinherited. Warriors from Syeliasi frequently possess wild talents, and the degree of one's talent often gave the key to higher positions in society.
Within the past several hundred years, the population of Syeliasi has grown to tax the island's food production. After subjugating all other small islands nearby, the problem continued. Therefore, more Syeliani are re-entering the outside world by necessity, and exploring the varieties of cultures. The true psionics typically maintain an attitude of superiority which has not endeared them to other peoples. The wild talents find that concealing their nationality frequently gains them advantages, and are therefore the most common within other cultures. The common people of other nations do not trust Syeliani, and this gives another reason to hide talent.
At the same time, introduction of new ideas has had an effect on Syeliasi. Mages are becoming more common, even if still mistrusted. Slaves are occasionally set free, and delegations from other nations have visited the island. Elves are still not welcome, and the authorities will attempt to enslave any elf who does not wear slave bands. Furthermore, it is rumored that some Syeliani are teaching their art to non-Syeliani, including demihumans (but still not elves). Any Syeliani discovered teaching the psionic arts to non-Syeliani quickly has a high price put on their head.
The high-class Syeliani follow a strict dress code, indicating rank and specialty area. They usually wear robes corresponding to their discipline by color - Clairsentients wear green, Psychokinetics wear blue, Psychometabolics wear red, Psychoporters wear Orange, and Telepaths wear yellow. Those who have masters Metapsionics add Purple to their raiment. Their leather armor is usually elaborately decorated and tooled, and indicates relative rank (unreadable by a non-Syeliani). Wild-talents frequently wear tiaras with a gemstone of the corresponding color. Noble Syeliani also shave their heads above the ear-line; some families tattoo themselves.
The noble children are trained at an early age to determine whether they have inherited true talent or not. Particularly promising students are invited to Tunetha to participate in the Myehini Torugo, a set of tests to heighten skill, teach mental defense and quick-thinking. Those that pass are expected to achieve a high degree of mastery over their particular discipline.
The duergar of Syeliasi do not follow such rigorous dress codes. They frequently accompany nobles into the real world, since they usually have a more practical mindset than most of the arrogant Syeliani nobility.
Most demihumans and humanoids are enslaved (the exception being the Duergar). When a demihuman is born in captivity, the child is separated from its mother at an early age. After determining if the child may possess any useful talents, he or she is placed with someone to learn any necessary skills. At the same time, until adulthood, Syeliani psychics insure that no thought of rebellion exists in the child's mind by continuous monitoring and mental modification. Demihumans who are born weak are usually given to the Duergar.
The economics of Syeliasi are very closed. Syeliani trade foods, woods and furs with the Duergar in return for metal and stonework. Much of the culture is feudal, with a psionic lord ruling over slaves and psi-dead serfs. Syeliani produce much from the sea, and have excellent agricultural methods to make use of the small amount of land.