Yolen
| Yolen | |
|---|---|
| Shards | Unknown |
| Investitures | Lightweaving |
| Universe | Cosmere |
“ There is an original, shrouded and hidden somewhere in the cosmere. I've yet to find it, but I have found stories. ”
Yolen is a planet in the Cosmere where the Shattering of Adonalsium happened.[2] It's the homeworld of all the original Vessels, along with Hoid and Frost.[3][4] The inhabitants of Yolen are called the Yolish.[5]
Yolen is the setting of the unpublished novels The Liar of Partinel, The Lightweaver of Rens and Dragonsteel Prime.[6] Dragonsteel proper, the prequel to the Cosmere as a whole, will be set there.[7]
Geography and Ecology
Very little is known about Yolish geography, other than that it has some unusual features.[8] Its gravity and other measurements are considered the cosmere standard by cosmere-aware scholars like Khriss. Its ecology is divided into two distinct parts. Parts of it are similar to post-Catacendre Scadrial, with similar flora and fauna. Other parts are coverd in fainlife, a poorly-understood, parasitic ecosystem hostile to humans.[9][10] Although fain has the shape of ordinary flora, the plants and land overtaken by it are bone-white, and spill red liquid when crushed or snapped.[11]
Yolen is home to three sapient races: humans, dragons and Sho Del.[12] By Rosharan year 1174, Frost is the only known inhabitant, and though there are more people living there, the Yolish population is rather small.[13][14] While not all humans originated from Yolen, it was the first world on which they've appeared.[15] Many languages currently in use across the cosmere are derived from Yolish ones.[16]
History
Yolen is one of the oldest inhabited worlds in the cosmere, and the first on which humans have appeared.[15] It's also the homeworld of Adonalsium, the entity believed to be cosmere's creator deity.[17] At some point, fain either appeared or traveled there, and began spreading, overtaking the original landscape. After some time, the original inhabitants learned how to deal with it and keep it back.[10]
At some point, sixteen people -- not all of them human[3] -- came together to kill Adonalsium for various reasons.[1] The Shattering of Adonalsium, as it came to be known, dramatically altered the entire cosmere. All Investiture that once belonged to Adonalsium was divided between the Shards created by its death, and the preexisting magic systems were altered in how they functioned.[18][19]
Following the Shattering, most Shards left Yolen to go their own separate ways.[20] Many humans have also abandoned it, spreading across the cosmere.[16] Over the following millennia, it has become hidden in some way, shrouded from prying eyes, making reaching and researching it extremely difficult.[1] By the time of the True Desolation on Roshar, its remaining population is very small, although the fain ecosystem seems to be doing just fine.[14][9]
Magic
Yolen appears to have several magic systems, though only two are known.
Lightweaving
Lightweaving is cosmere's original illusion magic. It's capable of creating auditory and visual manifestations, either intependent or attached to a host.[5] It can produce disguises, as well as alter the appearance of other substances, like smoke.[21][22] It's most similar to the Surge of Illumination from Roshar, albeit less restrictive, not requiring a spren bond.[23]
The Shattering appears to have changed something in Lightweaving, as the original magic is only semi-functional.[24]
Particle Manipulation
Yolen is host to some form of magic related to manipulating sub-atomic particles. The power allows its users to observe atoms and interact with them directly.[25] This being said, this power is incapable of creating nuclear fission.[26] In that system, the atoms are referred to as axi. Modern cosmere scholars use the term either in this context, or to refer to a smallest theoretial division of matter.[27]
Notable Yolish
Trivia
- Brandon Sanderson named Yolen after Jane Yolen, who wrote Dragon's Blood, one of the early fantasy books he read.[28]
- The tree branch with writing on it from Mraize's collection comes from Yolen.[29]
- The Shattered Plains, as well as the Bridge Four plot and the character of Lunamor, were originally on Yolen. Brandon moved them to Roshar upon seeing concept art made by Ben McSweeney for The Way of Kings.[30]
Notes
- ↑ a b c Mistborn: Secret History part 3 chapter 2#
- ↑ Skyward San Diego signing
— Arcanum - 2018-11-07# - ↑ a b Kraków signing
— Arcanum - 2017-03-21# - ↑ Oathbringer San Diego signing
— Arcanum - 2017-11-14# - ↑ a b Oathbringer Ars Arcanum#
- ↑ Barnes and Noble Book Club Q&A
— Arcanum - 2009-07-08# - ↑ Salt Lake City Comic-Con 2014
— Arcanum - 2014-09-04# - ↑ /r/books AMA 2015
— Arcanum - 2015-04-07# - ↑ a b Arcanum Unbounded - The Scadrian System#
- ↑ a b TWG Posts
— Arcanum - 2007-02-12# - ↑ JordanCon 2018
— Arcanum - 2018-04-22# - ↑ Stormlight Three Update #4
— Arcanum - 2016-09-28# - ↑ Arcanum Unbounded Fort Collins signing
— Arcanum - 2016-11-29# - ↑ a b Calamity Chicago signing
— Arcanum - 2016-02-22# - ↑ a b General Twitter 2016
— Arcanum - 2016-01-03# - ↑ a b Stormlight Three Update #4
— Arcanum - 2016-10-03# - ↑ The Great American Read: Other Worlds with Brandon Sanderson
— Arcanum - 2018-10-25# - ↑ Oathbringer London signing
— Arcanum - 2017-11-28# - ↑ Leipzig Book Fair
— Arcanum - 2017-03-24# - ↑ Oathbringer chapter 39 epigraph#
- ↑ White Sand vol.1 release party
— Arcanum - 2016-06-28# - ↑ Oathbringer release party
— Arcanum - 2017-11-13# - ↑ Orem signing
— Arcanum - 2017-12-21# - ↑ Skyward release party
— Arcanum - 2018-11-06# - ↑ Stormlight Three Update #4
— Arcanum - 2016-10-19# - ↑ Leipzig Book Fair
— Arcanum - 2017-03-24# - ↑ Skyward Pre-Release AMA
— Arcanum - 2018-10-22# - ↑ OdysseyCon 2016
— Arcanum - 2016-04-08# - ↑ Shadows of Self signing London UK
— Arcanum - 2015-10-19# - ↑ The Way of Kings Annotations
— Arcanum - 2017-11-10#