The origins of Seons and Skaze, and its implication on "Splintering"

[Skantre]

Recently, I reread Elantris 10th anniversary addition, and notice the extra epilogue on Hoid discussing whether he would succeed in being initiated as an Elantrian with a Skaze, there is a quote that caught my attention:

          

          "Yes, they [skaze] did have a wider range of emotions than Hoid had assumed. He needed to be careful not to let interactions with one member of a race - even a synthetic race - color his view of them all."

 

What does Hoid mean by "synthetic"? It could imply that Skaze are artificial, and not something of natural occurrence. Due to the similarity between Seons and Skaze, we can sensibly infer one's characteristics to another. We have known that the Aons in Seons are in face Splinters, but not Seons themselves, which supports further that Seons, similar to Skaze, are artificial. We can infer that if there isn't any interference, these Splinters of Devotion and Dominion will NOT form Seons and Skaze. 

 

So who created them? The first possible candidates are Selish, especially those who can access the Dor in a large, significant manner, i.e. Elantrians, and later, Dakhor Monks. However, they do not appear to be viable candidates. First, there is no mention of the creation of Seons in the libraries of Elantris, though it is possible that Raoden has yet to discover related records, but very unlikely, as Elantris had been an advanced society for quite some time, and the lack of mention of the creation of Seons is rather suspicious. Second, even if Elantrians are indeed the ones who creates Seons, it does not explain the creations of Skaze, due to the fact that they are completely oblivious of their existence. Third, it would appear that Skaze has existed as long as Seons, but Dakhor Monks are reasonably a very recent creation of the Fjordell Empire, so they could not possibly be the creators of Skaze.

 

It would seem that, Odium appears to be a pretty viable candidate for the creation of Seons and Skaze. It is known that Odium splintered Devotion and Dominion. It is also known that Seons and Skaze contains or consist tof Splinters. This is pure conjecture, but could it be Odium who creates Seons and Skaze? Could it be That in order to kill a shard, to Splinter a shard, it would take a Shard's investiture, and create something new, so that no one can pick up the shard and become its vessel?

 

I originally want to involve Sprens, but as I do my research I discover many inconsistencies and sophistication involving the nature of them, so I will just leave it as it is for now. 

 

The main question I asked today, is that did Odium created Seons and Skaze, as the product or result of Splintering Dominion and Devotion?

Edited May 15, 2016 by Skantre

[Jondesu]

My assumption would have been whatever ancient people built Elantris originally (IIRC, the Arelish people found it intact but empty, settled in the city and countryside, then after a few generations, began turning into Elantrians as we know them). Skaze wouldn't have to be inherently evil, so they could have both been created with good intentions. In fact, I'd like to know if the behaviors of either Seons or Skaze changed significantly following the splintering of D&D.

jW

[Blightsong]

The Seon and the Skaze didn't exist before the Splintering of Devotion and Dominion, so I suspect that that is what caused them to manifest.

Edited May 15, 2016 by Blightsong

[Jondesu]

The Seon and the Skaze didn't exist before the Splintering of Devotion and Dominion, so I suspect that that is what caused them to manifest.

I remember a WoB relating to that, but I don't recall it now. Was it specific about that point, or more vague?

jW

[Blightsong]

I remember it being specific. I can't find it right now, but it was very specific about that point.

[Jondesu]

I remember it being specific. I can't find it right now, but it was very specific about that point.

Good to know. That definitely supports the theory and all but destroys mine, unless they were splintered far earlier than I thought. I guess it's possible that happened before "modern" Elantris and Arelon, but I suspect that's not the case. I think it happened not long before the Reod.

jW

[VirtuousTraveller]

I just started a topic on this very subject.  I like the idea of Odium's strategy of splintering involving the creation of sentient splinters.  The seons and skaze are clearly not splinters in and of themselves, but rather the aons / misty symbols they contain are.  I wonder if this technology that brings about sentience is what prevents the Investiture from pooling together again (like the Well of Ascension).

 

How would one even go about combining two seons?  It doesn't seem possible from what we know at this point.  Could one combine two spren together?  Unlikely!