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{{magical entities
|image=Seon
|magic=[[AonDor]], {{tag+|Splinter}}s of [[Devotion]]
|appearance=Glowing, floating spheres with [[Aon]]s at their core
== Appearance and Characteristics ==
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}} The light of seons has a mother-of-pearl iridescence, at least in the [[Cognitive Realm]],{{book ref|sa4|20}} and it can be difficult to discern their Aons through the light without close examination.{{book ref|Elantris|2}}{{book ref|Elantris|32}} The general appearance of seons is similar in the Cognitive and [[Physical Realm]]s
There is only one seon for each Aon.{{wob ref|14410}} Each seon has an individual personality. Seon personalities are very similar to those of humans and they are able to convey emotions easily; they may even have superstitions.{{book ref|Elantris|2}} They are generally agreeable, but can sometimes suffer negative psychological effects from stress or abuse.{{wob ref|2068}}{{book ref|sa4|115}} Raoden and Sarene each note that their seons are incredibly wise.{{book ref|Elantris|5}}{{book ref|Elantris|10
Known seons tend to have soothing voices. [[Ashe]]'s voice is described as "deep" and "sonorous", with well-enunciated words.{{book ref|Elantris|2}}{{book ref|thoe}} [[Ien]]'s voice is "indulgent",{{book ref|Elantris|16}} [[Dio]]'s is "melodious",{{book ref|Elantris|45}} and [[Riika]] needs [[Mai]] to tell her a story when she goes to sleep.{{book ref|thoe}} However, [[Opa]]'s voice is formal and unemotional, which [[Sarene]] notes as unusual, particularly compared to seons in [[Teod]].{{book ref|Elantris|32}} It is not clear if
{{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.{{wob ref|1965}} 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 (title)|Wyrn]] [[Wulfden the Fourth]] 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
The bond can be Passed from person to person.{{book ref|Elantris|5}} 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 gives one to Hrathen{{book ref|Elantris|12}} and Raoden gives two seons to [[Dashe]].{{book ref|thoe}} Unbound seons are quite rare.{{book ref|sa4|115}}
The people of [[Opelon]] and [[Teod]] did not know the true origin of the seons. The most common assumption was that they were created by Elantrians through AonDor,{{book ref|Elantris|12}}{{book ref|Elantris|34}} despite a lack of documented proof. Raoden realized that this might be inaccurate, and planned to continue researching the origin of seons.{{book ref|Elantris|63}} The seons themselves had some awareness of their origin,{{wob ref|3024}} but they were not known to have shared this information with any humans.
{{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. The Reod disrupted the Elantrian connection to the Dor and corrupted the [[Shaod]].{{book ref|elantris|1}} Seons of Elantrians lost their thinking capacity, wandering aimlessly and silently within the walls of Elantris.{{book ref|elantris|4}} These seons usually avoided people{{book ref|Elantris|28}} and their movements were lazy and sometimes wobbly.{{book ref|Elantris|10}} The change in the seons of Elantrians was caused by the Reod's effect on the Connection to their masters.{{wob ref|1267}}{{wob ref|10049}} Infrequently, a mad seon might show some unconscious recognition of its Elantrian master, but only through classically conditioned actions, not communication.{{book ref|elantris|10}}{{book ref|elantris|16}} Additionally, if closely inspected, the [[Aon]] of a seon who had lost its master to the Shaod would appear patchy and incomplete.{{book ref|Elantris|16|p|174}}
|[[Ala]], to [[Shallan]]{{book ref|sa4|115}}
}}
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
== Similarities to
===Spren===
Seons have many similarities to the spren that live on Roshar. They are both [[Splinter]]s and essentially "the same thing",{{wob ref|9432}} but there are some differences that would not make them interchangeable.{{wob ref|6928}}{{wob ref|141}}
===Skaze===
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.
== Notable Seons ==
== Notes ==
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{{Elantris}}
[[Category: Seons| ]]
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