Difference between revisions of "Elantris (city)"

{{settlement|name=Elantris

|map=Elantris-Kae Map.jpg

|nation=Arelon

|region=Opelon

|world=Sel

|books=[[Elantris]]

}}{{exemplary|date=2017-06-05}}

Ten years prior to the events of the novel [[Elantris]], a large earthquake occurred in the south of Arelon, causing a significant crack in the ground, later refered to as the [[Chasm]]. This caused an event that came to be called the Reod from [[Aon#Reo| Aon Reo]], which means punishment and retribution. The creation of the Chasm was a large enough change in the geography of Arelon that the Aons used across Elantris, such as the massive Aon Rao formed by the Elantrian Metropolitan Area, became incomplete. Elantris, and the Elantrians that called it home, "fell" because of this. The city, which had glowed with an inner light, grew dark and a greasy slime started to cover every surface. The Elantrians themselves were likewise diminished. Their silvery skin turned grey and was covered in dark splotches and their brilliant white hair began to fall out, along with other, less readily apparent, changes, such as their hearts ceasing to beat and their wounds refusing to heal. The strongest and most powerful Elantrians were also placed under extreme pressure from the [[Dor]], which ached for release, leaving them effectively immobilized through cyclical "attacks".

 

 

Inside Elantris, conditions continued to deteriorate. Elantris had been constructed using AonDor, and, without the Dor sustaining it, the city began to rot and decay. The stones themselves started to crumble. Since the Elantrians could no longer heal nor die from their wounds or starvation, the pain they felt from each injury eventually grew to the point where it drove them mad, forcing them to retreat deep inside themselves. Afterwards their only interaction with the outside world would be a phrase, unique to each person, that they would repeat over and over again as if in a trance. These Elantrians came to be known as the [[Hoed]].{{book ref|Elantris|4}}

 

Some Elantrians who had not yet succumbed and become Hoed formed gangs which would steal the funeral offerings of food from new entrants to the city in an effort to satiate their ravenous hunger. At a point ten years following the Reod there were three gangs, led by [[Karata]], [[Aanden]], and [[Shaor]]. Karata's gang resided in the Royal Palace and cared for the children residing in the city.{{book ref|Elantris|13}} Aanden and his followers took residence in the university, using the bindings of its books as a food source. Shaor's followers, a brutal, sub-human horde, worshipped Shaor, who was in reality a capricious, petulant little girl, because she was thrown into Elantris wearing her wig, giving her the appearance of a miraculous being who had retained her hair when all other Elantrians had lost theirs. Shaor's gang's base was in the bank.{{book ref|Elantris|4}}{{book ref|Elantris|22}}

 

=== New Elantris ===

The resettlement was supported in part by the [[Widow's Trial]] of [[Sarene]], Raoden's "widow", which supplied the city with much-needed food and supplies. Due to her initial distrust of "Spirit", she attempted to thwart his plans by obeying the letter but not the spirit of his requests. This forced the Elantrians to be creative with the materials and contributed to the unique culture of New Elantris, such as the garish clothing prompted by Sarene's choice of fabric colors.

 

 

=== The Restoration of Elantris ===

The hidden library is located below an Elantrian meetinghouse. Its entrance is marked by an [[Aon#Tae| Aon Tae]], which, when pressed, opened the entryway. Although it is marked by an Aon, the door itself works through a system of gears and is devoid of any magical effects. It was considered a holy place by the Elantrians and AonDor was forbidden there; the reasons why are unknown. As a result, the library was the only part of Elantris not covered in the ever-present slime.{{book ref|Elantris|25}}

 

 

During the Invasion of Arelon, the hidden library was where [[Ashe]] took the Elantrian children for safekeeping.{{book ref|thoe}}

* In the original draft of the novel that eventually became Elantris, the city was known as "Adonis". Brandon changed the name of the city after preliminary readers pointed out Adonis was the name of a figure from Greek mythology.{{annotation ref|Elantris|title page|link=annotation-elantris-title-page}}

* Brandon designed the three gangs who hold sway over Elantris at the time of Raoden's arrival to represent the three aspects the Elantrians had to overcome. Karata's gang, with its isolationist policies, represents their solitude. Aanden's, or rather Taan's, self-imposed madness represents their self-pity. Shaor's gang of "wildmen" represents their pain.{{annotation ref|Elantris|chapter=16|link=annotation-elantris-chapter-16}}

 

== Notes ==