Difference between revisions of "Threnody"

|shards=None current, potential Investiture from [[Ambition]]'s past presence and Splintering{{au ref|Threnody}}{{book ref|yumi|17}}{{epigraph ref|row|27}}{{wob ref|12922}}

|system=[[Threnodite Systemsystem]]{{map ref|Threnodite system}}

| Never call this land hell. Respect the land as you would a dangerous beast, but do not hate it.

| [[Silence's grandfather]]{{book ref|sfs}}

'''Threnody''' is the [[Cosmere#Planets|world]] that contains the [[Forests of Hell]].{{wob ref|5603}} It is the setting for the story [[Shadows for Silence in the Forests of Hell]]. It is a temperate world with notable features such as large forests, mountains and oceans. This planet is populated by humans, which are known as Threnodites, as well as hostile [[Cognitive Shadow]]s, referred to locally as shades[[shade]]s. The shades can only be combated with silver, which makes itthe metal an incredibly valuable, if finite resource on the planet.

ThereSeveral arenotable a wide variety of herbivores in the Forests including rodents, deer, birds, rabbits, and turkeys.{{book ref|sfs}} Hogs are kept by some of the inhabitants of the Forests, but they are not eaten. Due to the nature of the [[Simple Rules]], there are no predators within the Forests, if any ever existed. Anyone, predator or human that spills blood draws the attention of the dangerous shades, so any predators that once inhabited the Forests are long dead. The [[shade]]s are the most populous creatures within the Forests. These limit population growth of humans and animalplant species alike by restricting them with the [[Simple Rules]]. Any that breaks these rules, regardless of their intentions, will be attacked and killed. Several important plants that grow in the Forests include [[fenweed]], which can be used as a poison, and [[wetleek]]s, whose sap glows under the light of a specific type of [[glowpaste]]. There are also large fields of pale white mushrooms whichthat grow in the Forests. The Forests themselves are said to be unnaturally quiet, particularly at night.

| The [[Threnodite System|Threnodite system]] is a site warped by an ancient conflict.

| Khriss's essay on the Threnodite Systemsystem{{au ref|Threnody}}

Little to nothing is known about the early history of Threnody. AtSoon someafter point in historythe [[AmbitionShattering]], athe Shard [[Shard of AdonalsiumOdium]], arrived in the [[Threnodite System|system]].{{au ref|Threnody}} Some level of Investiture existed on the planet, although it is unknown whether it was a natural manifestation or if it was related to Ambition. The origin of its human population is unknown, but it predates Ambition's arrival. They populated the larger of the two continents, later known as thechasing [[Fallen WorldAmbition]], buildingintent aon technologicallykilling advanced culture that even managed to develop gunpowderher.{{bookau ref|sfsThrenody}} Threnodite explorers discovered the smaller heavily forested continent on their world, which was populated predominantly with shades. The horrified explorers called them the [[Forests of HellMercy]], believingwas thealso shades to be the spirits of the damned. A very few settlerspresent, called the [[Forescout]]s were the first to colonize this newly discovered continent. At some point afterward, the Shard [[Odium]] arrived in the system, intent on killing Ambition.{{auepigraph ref |Threnodyrow|27}} for reasons unknown. The twothree Shards fought in interplanetary space, battling on all three [[Realmatic Theory|Realms]]. Odium tore chunks of Investiture off Ambition during the fight, mortally wounding the other ShardsShard. These broken chunks of power twisted every planet in the system, including Threnody and its people. Ambition fled the system, pursued by Odium.

| Smiling was wasted energy. And love...lovelove…love was for the people back in [[Homeland]]. The people who'd died to the [[Evil]].

| [[Silence Montane]]'s thoughts on Homeland{{book ref|sfs}}

There appears to be little sense of importance to race or ethnicity among the modern Threnodites.{{book ref|sfs}} Some people have darker skin than others, but there doesdo not seem to be any racial divides amongst the people; they are mostly focused on survival. A few still have faint memories of the lands they once came from, such as the Homeland, but theythose memories do not have much significance in day -to -day life. Nothing is known about Threnodite languages, but it appears that most in the Forests speak the same tongue. A common swearword curse word in theirthe local language is "shadows". In the Forests, people often bear names that indicate sorrow or grieving, such as Lamentation or Silence. The planet itself is also named in memoriam for somebody or something.{{wob ref|775}}

| You can rail against the God Beyond, but it will change nothing. William was a fool and an idiot. You are better off. We are Forescouts. We survive. We will be the ones to defeat the Evil, someday.

| Silence's Grandmother on the God Beyond{{book ref|sfs}}

Little is known about the cultures of the nations that once existed on the [[Fallen World]], as they were destroyed in their entirety.{{book ref|sfs}} The people of a place that is now simply called [[Homeland]] worshiped the [[God Beyond]], basing a religion around it. They symbolized this religion with a dagger, which was often made of silver and carved with symbols of divinity. They also made small shrines to their god. This religion wasis still practiced in the Forests by some, who have adapted it to fit recent events. Some people, such as [[Silence's grandmother]], believe that the coming of the Evil was a part of the God Beyond's plan and that the Forescouts are destined to one day return to the Fallen World and defeat the Evil there. Others, such as [[Silence Montane]], dismiss these notions as mere superstition.

| The smaller continent is a frontier, mostly unexplored and unnamed, with several bastions of civilization. I have visited one of the largest of these, and even it feels unfinished—set up haphazardly by refugees fleeing across the ocean, lacking some basic necessities. They focused on making it a fortress first, and a home second.

| Khriss's essay on the Threnodite Systemsystem{{au ref|Threnody}}

The people that fled to the smaller continent did not set up nations there upon their arrival.{{book ref|sfs}} Fearing that the Evil would manage to follow them across the ocean, they instead founded several [[Fortress Town]]s{{au ref|Threnody}} in the mountains, such as [[Bastion Hill]] and [[Lastport]].{{book ref|sfs}} They focused on making these places cities into fortressessecure rather than homescomfortable, and even much later theythese places still feel as if they are half-built.{{au ref|Threnody}} TheseNonetheless, these serve as centers of civilization and law within the Forests.{{book ref|sfs}} They have their own legal systems that lay out procedures for things such as marriages, taxation, bounty hunters, and debt collection. A person must have citizenship at a fort if they wish to live there, so Homesteaders and others cannot simply move into the forts. They prioritized on making these cities secure rather than comfortable. These towns claim to own the paths through the Forests and the land on either side, but in reality have little authority beyond their own walls. The fortdwellers see some waystops along the roads as being strategically important and dislike when they are owned by unknown elements such as Silence Montane. They tax those homesteaders and waystops outside the cities, ostensibly charging to maintain the roads and send out occasional patrols of soldiers. In reality, the roadspatrols are poorly maintaineduncommon and overgrown,the androads thepoorly patrolsmaintained uncommonand overgrown. Occasionally, the forts will doembark somethingon projects such as the construction of bridges to help the Homesteaders, but often times their work is often shoddy and does not last long, as in the case of the [[New Bridge]]. As a result, many individuals who live in the Forests simply refuse to pay the tax collectors, becoming criminals by default. Waystops and homesteads are still consistently taxed by the forts though.

LivingLives spent living in the mountains, with few shades in the area, fortdwellersmakes aremany fortdwellers skittish about shades and unused to following the Simple Rules.{{book ref|sfs}} They avoid traveling the Forests, particularly at night. If they are forced to do so, they remain perfectly silent and do not speak. Fortfolk have a particular way theyof looklooking at the Forests, they avertaverting their gaze and rarely looklooking at them directly or starestaring too deepdeeply into the trees. Those traveling in the Forests without proper guidance often end up violating one of the simpleSimple rulesRules and are slaughtered by the shades. They tend to wear fancier clothes than the homesteaders,: black coats with shirts covered in lace at the front, as well as wide-brimmed hats with tall tops. The lands near the forts are relatively infertile and they are dependent on the Homesteaders for the majority of their food.

| You couldn't spend your life trapped inside, frozen by fear of the darkness. Live like that, and...well, you were no better off than the people in the forts. Life in the Forests was hard, often deadly. But it was also free.

| Silence's thoughts on life in the Forests{{book ref|sfs}}

The Threnodites who homestead the Forests of Hell are a tough, practical people.{{book ref|sfs}} They are more focused on survival than anything else, and have little time for sentimentality and emotion. The forestborn are much more at home with the Forests and the shades than the fortfolk. Most cannot afford enough silver to fully encircle their homes and lands, so they live among the shades, some may even enter their homes, and accept that the Simple Rules are just a way of life. Even the Homesteaders do not care for traveling the forests at night, but they accept that at times they will have to do so. They often live in large family groups of up to a dozen. Homesteaders wear plain clothing and eat simple foods, such as gravied venison and beer. One can often tell a Homesteader by the way they walk, in a deliberate slow pace that will not draw the shades. The Homesteaders are an independent group,; they have a deep dissatisfaction with the fortfolk, who they feel have broken their commitments, unfairly taxing them while failing to properly maintain and patrol the roads. They view the fortdwellers as prim and soft, unable to survive in the Forests. The Homesteaders tend to not want anything to do with the forts, they do not believe that they need their help. Many people that live in the Forests are technically criminals for dodging the taxes levied on them by the forts. Homesteaders know that their lives are harder and more dangerous than the fortfolk, but they value their freedom more than anything. Forestborn are often a superstitious people as well, they believe that hogs ward away shades and refuse to eat them. Many people are afraid to touch those that have been disfigured by shades, fearing the taint of their touch.

Homesteaders primarily survive by farming the fertile forest clearings for grain to produce flour and other higher -quality foods than the forts can provide.{{book ref|sfs}} They also trap and raise a variety of creatures such as turkeys, and rabbits. They have to be careful when they slaughter these creatures, because they risk exposing blood to the air and enraging the shades. Others travel to the cities, selling these goods to the fortfolk. Some people, known as fire merchants, travel the Forests with an already -kindled fire sourcesources, selling itaccess to those who are unable to light their own fires due to the Simple Rules. AnotherWaystops commonare businessanother withincommon thetype Forestsof arebusiness; waystops,they which serveprovide food and shelter those who are unwilling to make camp in the Forests where they are, unprotected from the shades. These waystops are often seen as neutral territory, where criminals may visit without fear of bounty hunters. Criminals commonly frequent the Forests, where they can live far from the authority of the forts.

As [[silver]] is the only known material capable of wounding a shade or healing the withering damage their touch inflicts, it is one of the most critical resources on the planet.{{book ref|sfs}} Homesteaders carry weapons of silver and pouches of silver dust, in case of injury. Barriers made of silver can be embedded in the ground or around a door frame to create areas that shades cannot access. These are commonly used to protect waystops in the Forest. However, once silver has been touched by a shade, it blackens and becomes ruined, useless against any future shades, making silver a precious commodity. While Threnodites make use of a coin-based currency, measures of silver form the basis of the Threnodite economy. Homesteaders grow the majority of crops and breed most livestock, which they sell back to the Fortress Towns in exchange for silver. It is implied that the silver is mined in the mountains near the Fortress Towns, giving them control of the resource. Silver prices often fluctuate, which can put hardship on those in the forests who are trying to pay the fort taxes while still having enough silver to defend themselves.

Since the Fortress Towns have such a weak grasp on the Forests themselves, they provide an ideal refuge for criminals fleeing the justice of the fortfolk.{{book ref|sfs}} As such, bounty hunting is a common occupation, especially among the forestborn. This is further incentivized by fort law, which allows bounty hunters to keep anything that belongs to the person they bring in, except for stolen goods. Famous bounty hunters, such as the [[White Fox]] and [[Bloody Kent]], have become legends and folk heroes, with elaborate stories told about their exploits and the mysterious powers they are reputed to control. Some bounty hunters work in groups, and may track a high -value bounty through the Forests for months. It is implied that the silver is mined in the mountains near the Fortress Towns, giving them control of the resource. Silver prices often fluctuate, which can put hardship on those in the forests who are trying to pay the fort taxes while still having enough silver to defend themselves.

| The stories of what gunpowder could do were often as fanciful as stories of the Homeland.

| Silence's thoughts on gunpowder{{book ref|sfs}}

Before the arrival of the Evil, the people of Homeland had discovered gunpowder.{{book ref|sfs}} However once, humankind's fledflight from its influence muchcaused large amounts of technological knowledge wasto be left behind. Technological innovation has been rather stifled in the Forests by the Simple Rules, specifically the rule against kindling fire. This has rendered technologies such as firestarters or gunpowder nearly useless in the Forests, although myths of gunpowder's explosive properties remain. It has also restricted the development of any sort of combustion -related technologies, such as a steam engineengines. Any and all fire must be provided by a fire merchant, so once they are kindled, most fires are never allowed to go out. The Threnodites have also developed an alternative light source to fire, due to the difficulties with lighting fires in the Forests.{{book ref|sfs}} They make use of a material called [[glowpaste]], which provides a soft blue light and makes shades glow as well. They have also domesticated several species of animals on thisthe planet, including horses and dogs, which they make use of in their everyday life.{{book ref|sfs}} They have also domesticated hogs, turkeys, and rabbits, which are raised and carefully slaughtered for food.

In terms of weaponry technology, bladed weapons are less commonuncommon in the Forests, as theyusing them riskrisks drawing blood.{{book ref|sfs}} This also makes weapons such as war hammers uncommon as large impacts will often cause the victim of its use to bleed. Most bladed weapons, such as spears, knives, and crossbows, are made of silver and used only to combat shades. When fighting another human, Threnodites tend to make use of weapons that rely on blunt force and are unlikely to draw blood if used appropriately, such as acudgels cudgeland or a garrotegarrotes. They also have developed an easy -to -crank crossbow that fires blunt bolts, which do not draw blood but hit hard enough to stun an enemy. In the event that spilling blood is absolutely necessary in the Forests, the desperate make use of burlap sacks that have been sealed with tar. If they can get the sack over someone's head, they can smash their skull in and; as long as the blood does not reach the open air, the shades do not enrage. Overall, the Simple Rules make it incredibly difficult to kill another person, so large -scale battles and wars seem nonexistent between the forts or in the Forests.

Without a full Shard currently residing on the planet, Threnody lacks a stable [[perpendicularity]],{{au ref|Threnody}} like the [[Well of Ascension]] on [[Scadrial]].{{msh ref|2|1}} This absence prevents anyone from making an easy transition between the Physical Realm and [[Shadesmar]], restricting travel on and off the world.{{au ref|Threnody}} On occasion, perpendicularities form on the planet, but they are unstable and difficult to predict. Their origin is uncertain, but it is known to be morbid, so they may be related to the shades. It is known that the perpendicularities on Threnody have some link to the fact that a Shard was Splintered nearby.{{wob ref|12922}} There are currently no details on the appearance of Threnody's subastral in Shadesmar. However, the [[Sel|Selish]] organization known as the [[Ire]] have troops on the border of Threnody in Shadesmar to prevent Cognitive Shadows, presumably shades, from escaping the subastral.{{msh ref|5|2}} The reflection of the larger continent, the place where the Evil lives, in Shadesmar is very dangerous to visit.{{au ref|Threnody}}

:''Main article: [[Threnodite Systemsystem]]''

Threnody is the the third planet in the Threnodite system, located between the planets of Elegy and Purity, orbiting a red star.{{map ref|Threnodite system}} The planet itself has no moon. Visible in the night sky of Threnody is an unusually bright patch of stars, called '''Starbelt''' .{{book ref|sfs}} It is useful for navigation in the [[Forests of Hell]] during the night; the light usually filteredfilters through the trees fairly well. The Starbelt is the same patch of unusually bright stars that is visible from Scadrial.{{wob ref|6089}} It is visible fromand other worlds in the Cosmerecosmere.{{wob as well.ref|6089}}{{wob ref|3363}}

*[[ChestertonSilence DivideMontane]] -: A dangerouswoman criminal,who Chestertonruns accidentallya killedwaystop in the governorForests; she also secretly hunts for criminals under the alias of Lastportthe [[White Fox]].{{book ref|sfs}}

*[[Nazrilof]] -: A [[Worldhopper]] thatwho works closely with [[Khriss]] to retrieve documents and other items for her reports.{{au ref|Threnody}}

[[Brandon Sanderson]] had planned for Threnody to exist within the Cosmerecosmere for many years, intending to one day write a novel detailing the escape of humanity to the Forests of Hell, seeking refuge from the Evil.{{sots ref|name=sots-2016}} He had not yet written a book set there when [[Wikipedia: George R. R. Martin| George R. R. Martin]] asked him to write a story for an anthology he was planning with [[Wikipedia: Gardner Dozois| Gardner Dozois]] called Dangerous Women.{{au ref|sfs}} Brandon planned to tell a story about a middle-aged woman working as a bounty hunter, and discovered that the already -planned world of Threnody would fit the story well. Brandon still intends to one day write a full novel set on the world, but is toying with the idea of changing the story to follow an expedition from the Forests back to the Forgotten World.{{sots ref|name=sots-2016}} Many of the names used on Threnody are based on [[Wikipedia: Puritan| Puritan]] names.{{au ref|sfs}} The Simple Rules were inspired by the [[Wikipedia: Jewish| Jewish]] rules for the [[Wikipedia: Shabbat|Sabbath]].{{book ref|sfs|part=postscript}}

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