Devotion's Perpendicularity
Devotion's Perpendicularity | |
---|---|
Related to | Devotion |
Use | Bringing peace to Elantrians |
Era | Late Era |
Region | Atad Mountains |
World | Sel |
Universe | Cosmere |
Devotion's Shardpool, also called The Lake or The Pool, is a round, ten foot deep body of crystalline, sapphire, fluid found on a mountain near Elantris and Kae[1] on Sel.[2] It appears to have no natural inlets or outlets, and is not filled with water but a thicker cool liquid.[3] It is not absolutely confirmed to be of Devotion, but the feelings the pool generates and the close connection with Elantris heavily imply it.
Effects
When entering Devotion's Shardpool, people feel an extreme sense of comfort and calm.[3] If someone is a Hoed, they can sometimes momentarily regain a bit of consciousness, looking at those nearby for an instant[2] or reaching their arms to the sky.[4] The experience is so relaxing that it causes people in the Pool to sigh involuntarily.[2]
The Pool speaks to people when they enter it, offering peace and contentment, wishing to take away their sorrows and pains.[3] Whether or not this is an actual consciousness or simply an effect of Devotion's intent is as-of-yet unknown.
Those who give in to the peace float for several seconds and then dissolve suddenly, without leaving any trace that they had ever been there.[2] Those who do not accept the relief will not dissolve.[3]
The Selish don't fully understand the nature of the Pool or its power.[5] It is somehow tied to the physical form of the Elantrians.Template:Annotation ref
History
The origin of Devotion's Shardpool is unknown.
The Pool seems to have been a part of the Elantrian religion, as in the secret room under the Elantrian meetinghouse, there was a wall relief of the pool[2] and a mysterious white circle that is potentially the Dor. The mural appears to imply that the Pool is a gateway of some sort.
One of the Hoed who had been an Elantrian during the height of Elantris' power gave Raoden, Karata, and Galladon directions to the Pool so that he could die.[2] They decided not to tell anyone else of its location.[6]
Raoden was extremely tempted to enter the Pool himself to gain relief from his aches and the Dor's attacks.[6] He made Karata and Galladon promise to bring him there if he ever became a Hoed.[2][7]
Later, after Saolin was injured by some of Shaor's men and became a Hoed, Raoden, Karata, and Galladon brought him to the Pool to die as well.[4]
After Raoden's injury by Dilaf, Galladon and Karata threw Raoden into the Pool to kill him; planning to then kill themselves.[1] Fighting through the pain, Raoden realized that Elantris was in the shape of Aon Rao. He successfully managed to resist the Pool's temptation to give in to the relief from his pains, and emerged from the Pool unharmed.[3]
At some point, Hoid worldhops from the pool after failing to become an Elantrian.[8]
Trivia
- Brandon developed the Pool initially as a plot device to get Raoden into the mountains above Elantris so he could have his epiphany on the connection between Aon Rao and the shape of the city.Template:Annotation ref
- When Brandon first wrote the Pool into the book, it simply represented giving in.Template:Annotation ref He did not know how it fit into the magic of the cosmere.
Notes
- ↑ a b Elantris chapter 60#
- ↑ a b c d e f g Elantris chapter 25#
- ↑ a b c d e Elantris chapter 61#
- ↑ a b Elantris chapter 31#
- ↑ Let's just say that the characters in the book do not fully understand the pool or its power
— Theoryland - 2013-01-23# - ↑ a b Elantris chapter 28#
- ↑ Elantris chapter 37#
- ↑ Elantris postscript#