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Difference between revisions of "Urithiru"
Adding the Trivia section and fixing some wording issues
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== Location ==
[[FILE:Urithiru on the map.png|thumb|Urithiru on the map of [[Roshar]]|right]]
Urithiru is located almost exactly in the middle of the Rosharan continent, in the mountains that comprise the border of [[Emul]] and [[Greater Hexi]].{{map ref|Roshar}} The tower sits on the east side of one of those mountains, leaning against two slopes.{{qa ref|1100|1|It is on the east side of a mountain.|date= Jan 8th, 2015}}{{file ref|Urithiru.jpg}} The plateau on which the tower is located is at a considerable altitude, high enough that both [[highstorm]]s and the [[Everstorm]] pass beneath it, which in the modern day makes it difficult for the tower's occupants to obtain [[stormlight]].{{book ref|sa3|4}}
Historically, there was some disagreement as to whether or not Urithiru is accessible by means other than [[Oathgate]] travel or flight. Ancient chroniclers Varala and Sinbian both stated that it was impossible, but in [[Nohadon]]'s eighth parable from [[The Way of Kings (in-world)|''The Way of Kings'']], he claims that he walked from [[Abamabar]] to Urithiru (which he confirms in Dalinar's dream, saying that he did not use an Oathgate, only a guide, which was akin to "taking a ferry across a river."){{epigraph ref|sa1|34}}{{book ref|sa3|103}}. As is later revealed, there is an entrance at the bottom of the mountain which can be used to exit the tower on foot.{{book ref|sa3|4}}
Urithiru consists of 10 levels, with each level being 18 stories tall, for a total of 180 floors. Going down, each level is wider than the one above it, with the roofs of the wider levels having fields and gardens built on them. There are numerous balconies on the sides of the tower. On the stormward side of Urithiru, there are large glass windows, which, miraculously, survived the thousands of years of abandonment utterly intact.{{book ref|sa3|8}} In front of the tower is a massive plaza surrounded by the ten [[Oathgate]] platforms.{{file ref|Urithiru.jpg}}
The interior of Urithiru is filled with tunnels that twist about in strange curves, which Dalinar hypothesizes was done to fool invaders.{{book ref|sa3|8}} Each tunnel has distinctive patterns of strata - for instance, the corridor to Dalinar's quarters has alternating red and yellow strips of strata that slope upwards while the strata in the bathhouse where [[Vedekar Perel]]'s body is found spiral and corkscrew.{{book ref|sa3|9}} Known strata colors include shades of brown, yellow, red, orange, and emerald green, though it would appear that only [[Surgebinder]]s are capable of perceiving the various colours.{{wob ref|10715}} The stone itself is smooth to the touch and hard enough that it can't be scratched with a knife.{{book ref|sa3|13}} Notably, the same strata patterns can be seen on [[Kholinar]] windblades, indicating similar, perhaps shared origin.{{book ref|sa3|61}}
The tower is comprised of multiple rooms of different functionality, including sleeping quarters, meeting halls, libraries and bathhouses.
==== Re-Shephir's Chamber ====
The room in which [[Re-Shephir]] hides until being banished by [[Shallan]] has likely once been a library; however, by the time the Alethi arrive there, its collection has been destroyed by the [[Unmade]]. A notable feature of the room is a column of gemstones in its center, around which Re-Shephir coiled when discovered
==== The Top Platform ====
Urithiru displays a number of unusual properties that allow humans to survive despite its high altitude. Among those are heightened pressure; increased temperature; and general conditions encouraging plant growth.{{epigraph ref|sa3|69}} In addition, there is a number of [[fabrial]]s, such as the elevators connecting Urithiru's floors and the [[Urithiru gem archive|gem archive]] capable of preserving recordings of human voices.{{book ref|sa3|8}}{{book ref|sa3|53}} There is also a strange column of gems in the tower's lower levels, although its current purpose is unclear.{{book ref|sa3|29}}
Urithiru was once home of the spren [[Sibling]].{{epigraph ref|sa3|87}} However, at some point it withdrew from mankind, and currently slumbers.{{epigraph ref|sa3|70}}{{book ref|sa3|111}} This
== Trivia ==
* The [[Shinovar|Shin]] consider the stones in Urithiru to be fine to walk on - or "unhallowed" - in contrast to the rest of [[Roshar]]. This is cultural rather than magical.{{wob ref|6508}}
* For some time, it was theorized that Urithiru might be a spaceship or something akin to a spaceship that [[Ashyn]]ites used to travel from their ruined homeworld to Roshar. This has been debunked.{{wob ref|8762}}
* In similar vein, it has been theorized that the [[Kholinar]] windblades power Urithiru in some fashion, though this, too, was debunked.{{wob ref|10715}}
== Notes ==
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