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{{lifeform
|image=Seon
|
|abilities=
|sapient=Yes
▲|abilities=flight, immortality, enhanced senses, instantaneous communication to and through other Seons
|world=Sel
|universe=[[Cosmere]]
|books=[[Elantris (book)|Elantris]], [[The
}}
{{exemplary|date=2022-05-22}}
{{quote
|You look at things as a human, young master. You see rank and distinction; you try to order the world so that everything has a place either above you or beneath you. To a
|[[Ien]] to [[Raoden]]{{book ref|Elantris|16}}
}}
'''Seons''' are sapient magical beings that originate on [[Sel]]. They are [[Splinter]]s of [[Devotion]]{{wob ref|5991}}
== Appearance and
Seons take the form of floating orbs of light, each with a glowing [[Aon]] at their core for which they are named.{{book ref|Elantris|2}}{{book ref|elantris|part=ars}} They are described as "small"{{book ref|Elantris|2}} and "melon sized".{{book ref|Elantris|2}} Seons have control over the level of their brightness,{{book ref|Elantris|17}} and they often pulse while speaking or laughing.{{book ref|Elantris|5}}
Known
{{image|Sarene and Ashe by Séverine Dumagny.jpg|width=250px|side=right|[[Sarene]] and [[Ashe]]}}
=== Bonds with humans ===▼
Seons can form bonds with individual humans. The human does not have to be an [[Elantrian]]. They love their masters and act as loyal companions and advisors.{{book ref|Elantris|16}} The bond works through [[Spiritual Realm|Spiritual]] [[Connection]]{{wob ref|10049}} and has similarities to the [[Nahel bond]] on [[Roshar]].{{wob ref|3488}} The Seons are bound only by love and are not obligated to serve.{{annotation ref|Elantris|chapter=16|link=annotation-elantris-chapter-16}} The bond typically makes the Seon and its master very close. Raoden sees [[Ien]] as more than a servant or even a friend; he sees him as the embodiment of his god's love.{{book ref|Elantris|16}} A Seon could theoretically abandon its master,{{wob ref|893}} but how and why this could happen is not known; [[Hrathen]] views Seons as heresy and is shocked upon learning that [[Wyrn]] uses them. He uses his Seon as a necessary tool to achieve higher goals, hating it and keeping it in a box, but it is always ready and willing to serve him when called upon.{{book ref|Elantris|12}} Unlike the [[Nahel bond]], the bond between Seons and humans has not been shown to give either party any new abilities.▼
The bond can be Passed from person to person.{{annotation ref|Elantris|chapter=34|link=annotation-elantris-chapter-34}} The Passing is initiated when the Seon's master instructs it to form a bond with a new person,{{book ref|Elantris|34}} but the mechanics of the change in bond is not clear. Passing can occur even if the human is an infant.{{book ref|Elantris|5}} It is not uncommon to keep a Seon in the same family for hundreds of years.{{book ref|Elantris|5}}{{book ref|Elantris|34}} Raoden believes that the Seons inherently need to serve and that they would seek out a new master if theirs suddenly died.{{book ref|Elantris|34}} In some cases, it appears that Seons can be assigned by an authority figure; [[Wyrn]] forces Hrathen to use a Seon{{book ref|Elantris|12}} and Raoden gives two Seons to [[Dashe]].{{book ref|thoe}}▼
▲Seons can form bonds with individual humans. The human does not have to be an [[Elantrian]]. They love their masters and act as loyal companions and advisors.{{book ref|Elantris|16}} The bond works through [[Spiritual Realm|Spiritual]] [[Connection]]{{wob ref|10049}} and has similarities to the [[Nahel bond]] on [[Roshar]].{{wob ref|3488}} The
▲The bond can be Passed from person to person.{{
== Powers and abilities ==▼
As [[Splinter]]s of a [[Shard]] of [[Adonalsium]], Seons are a sapient form of [[Investiture]] and possess several magical qualities. They are immortal.{{wob ref|3885}} They generate their own light and have control over their brightness, to the point that they can become nearly invisible.{{book ref|Elantris|32}} They move by floating and seem to be able to change their speed and altitude quickly.{{book ref|Elantris|32}} They are able to mimic human speech and mannerisms, which they may have perfected over time.{{book ref|Elantris|5}} Their senses are superior to those of humans.{{book ref|Elantris|32}} They have an innate sense of direction and can point the way to any place they have ever been.{{book ref|Elantris|32}}{{book ref|Elantris|62}} They cannot be harmed by conventional means.{{wob ref|7439}}▼
They are able to link to each other over long distances to allow their masters to communicate instantly. They can temporarily transform into a three-dimensional image of the person speaking on the other end of the link.{{book ref|Elantris|2}}{{book ref|Elantris|12}} The image shows only the person's features and not anything else in their surroundings.{{book ref|Elantris|2}} It is not clear if they can transform for any other purpose.▼
▲As [[Splinter]]s of a [[Shard]] of [[Adonalsium]],
▲They are able to link to each other over long distances to allow their masters to communicate instantly. This ability seems to function similarly in the [[Physical Realm]] and the [[Cognitive Realm]], and seons are therefore one of the few ways to instantaneously communicate between the realms.{{book ref|sa4|20}}{{book ref|sa4|115}} They can temporarily transform into a three-dimensional image of the person speaking on the other end of the link.{{book ref|Elantris|2}}{{book ref|Elantris|12}} The image shows only the person's features and not anything else in their surroundings.{{book ref|Elantris|2}} It is not clear if they can transform for any other purpose.
Although [[Sel]]ish magic generally does not function properly away from Sel,{{wob ref|6164}} seons are capable of traveling to another planet.{{wob ref|736}} Their ability to leave the planet is somehow related to the unusual properties of Investiture on Sel, and does not necessarily apply to similar magical beings.{{wob ref|14522}} The [[Ghostbloods]] were able to bring at least two seons to [[Roshar]], including [[Ala]].{{book ref|sa4|115}}
[[Ashe]] notes that Elantris was once "overflowing" with
Many people in [[Fjordell]] do not believe that
After Elantris is restored and Raoden and Sarene become king and queen,
== History ==
=== Creation ===
Seons were created by the Splintering of [[Devotion]], a [[Shard of Adonalsium]].{{wob ref|7103}}{{wob ref|4679}} [[Odium]] traveled to [[Sel]] and killed both [[Aona]] and [[Skai]], the [[Vessel]]s of Devotion and [[Dominion]].{{wob ref|7103}} After they were killed, the power of their Shards
The people of [[Opelon]] and [[Teod]]
{{image|Elantris HU1 Cover Art.jpg|side=right|width=300px|Seons floating aimlessly after the Reod}}
=== The Reod ===
The [[Reod]] had a significant effect on the magic used in Arelon, including
Seons that were not bound to an Elantrian were unaffected by the Reod. During this time (and possibly earlier) [[Wyrn (title)|Wyrn]] [[Wulfden the Fourth]] used seons to communicate with his [[gyorn]]s, an embarrassing and closely guarded secret.{{book ref|Elantris|12}} It is not known how Wyrn and the [[Derethi]] obtained their seons.
Upon the restoration of Elantris's magic, the Seons recovered their sanity and returned to their former state.{{book ref|Elantris|63}} However, they were unable to remember the time that passed while the Shaod was incomplete{{book ref|Elantris|63}} and they may have been fundamentally changed by the experience.{{wob ref|7182}}{{wob ref|9561}}▼
▲Upon the restoration of Elantris's magic, the
=== On Roshar ===
{{quote
|I'm … supposed to stay. I’m not supposed to talk. To you. To anyone.
|[[Ala]], to [[Shallan]]{{book ref|sa4|115}}
}}
Around 1167, Shallan used an unknown seon. However, she did not have it by 1172.{{book ref|sa4|30}}{{book ref|sa2|73}}
The [[Ghostbloods]] were able to bring at least two seons to [[Roshar]] through unknown means. [[Ala]] was kept in captivity and given to [[Shallan Davar]] inside of a special cube for use as a communication device with [[Mraize]], who possessed an unknown seon. Ala, who seemed traumatized by the Ghostbloods, was eventually freed by Shallan with assistance from [[Kalak]].{{book ref|sa4|115}} [[Hoid]], who was also on Roshar during this time, possessed his own unknown seon that he used to communicate with [[Pattern]] through Ala.{{book ref|sa4|78}} After Ala was released, Hoid informed Shallan of the nature of seons and the rarity of finding one that was not bound to someone. Ala then remained with Shallan.{{book ref|sa4|115}}
▲=== Cultural role ===
▲[[Ashe]] notes that Elantris was once "overflowing" with Seons{{book ref|Elantris|2}} and that nearly all Elantrians had one.{{book ref|thoe}} After the Reod, Seons become increasingly rare as more of them go "mad".{{book ref|Elantris|5}} They remain common enough that some people in larger cities still ignore them,{{book ref|Elantris|23}} but Ashe mentions that many people have become wary or even fearful of Seons, since they associate them with the fall of Elantris.{{book ref|Elantris|5}} This attitude is more prevalent in Arelon, the presumed source of Seons, than it is in Teod.{{book ref|Elantris|32}}
▲Many people in [[Fjordell]] do not believe that Seons exist{{book ref|Elantris|2}} or that they are "heathen magic" that should be be shunned.{{book ref|Elantris|12}} In reality, [[Wyrn]] [[Wulfden]] uses Seons to communicate with his [[gyorn]]s, an embarrassing and closely guarded secret.{{book ref|Elantris|12}}
===Spren===
Seons have many similarities to the spren that live on Roshar.
===Skaze===
▲After Raoden and Sarene become king and queen, Seons are once again seen as desirable in Arelon.{{book ref|thoe}}
Seons are closely related to the [[skaze]] that are also found on Sel.{{wob ref|2233}}{{wob ref|5540}} They are both sapient Splinters, with the skaze being of [[Dominion]] rather than [[Devotion]].{{wob ref|4547}} Like seons, skaze could theoretically be used to create a [[Shardblade]] or build a [[fabrial]].{{wob ref|6197}}{{wob ref|12918}} They each appear as floating balls of light and possess unique humanlike personalities. However, skaze glow with a dark, almost "negative" light and are surrounded by a ring of symbols, rather than having one at their center. They also exhibit personality traits like sarcasm that have not been seen in seons,{{book ref|Elantris|part=postscript}} and could even be considered "evil".{{wob ref|2233}}{{wob ref|5540}}
Although the origins of both seons and skaze are unclear, they are categorized together by the scholars of [[Silverlight]]{{au ref|sel}} and were likely created under similar circumstances. The skaze are influential in [[Fjordell]]{{wob ref|4641}} and are not commonly seen or even mentioned in Arelon or Teod.
▲== Similarities to spren ==
▲Seons have many similarities to the spren that live on Roshar. Brandon has called them "the same thing"{{wob ref|9432}} but he has also noted that there are some differences that would not make them interchangeable.{{wob ref|6928}}{{wob ref|141}} Like spren, a Seon's appearance in the Cognitive Realm would be different from their appearance in the Physical Realm.{{wob ref|date=2017-11-28|8663|Oathbringer London signing}} The Nahel bond with a spren can theoretically be Passed like a Seon bond.{{wob ref|885}}. Like spren, Seons can turn into [[Shardblade]]s if they have something to pull them more into the [[Physical Realm]].{{wob ref|6197}}
== Notable Seons ==
{{for|:Category:Seons|a complete list of seons|Category:Seons}}
* [[Ashe]]
* [[Ien]]
* [[Hrathen's seon]]
* [[Dio]]
* [[Ala]]
== Trivia ==
* Seons were inspired by a series of paintings by
* In an earlier draft of ''Elantris'',
* The origins of
== Notes ==
<references />
{{complete|[[User:Big Smooth|Big Smooth]] ([[User talk:Big Smooth|talk]]) 20:14, 8 July 2021 (UTC)}}
{{Elantris}}
[[category: AonDor]]
▲[[Category: Splinters]]
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