Dawncities and Elantris

[VirtuousTraveller he/him]

The reason Elantris stopped working properly was because the shape of the land, meaning the shape of the aon on which Elantris was patterned, had changed.  This obviously speaks to a very intentional design of the city of Elantris, one focused on a specific pattern.  The city is obviously much older than we know (or even the people of Raoden's time know), but how old, and where did it come from?

 

This idea of a city laid out in a specific way sparked a connection in my mind to the Dawncities on Roshar.  They too had interesting, intricate patterns to them, and the cites were believed to be very, very old.

 

I wonder, did the same group of people who built Elantris on Sel also happen to build/influence the Dawncities on Roshar?

[Quiver he/him]

The reason Elantris stopped working properly was because the shape of the land, meaning the shape of the aon on which Elantris was patterned, had changed.  This obviously speaks to a very intentional design of the city of Elantris, one focused on a specific pattern.  The city is obviously much older than we know (or even the people of Raoden's time know), but how old, and where did it come from?

 

This idea of a city laid out in a specific way sparked a connection in my mind to the Dawncities on Roshar.  They too had interesting, intricate patterns to them, and the cites were believed to be very, very old.

 

I wonder, did the same group of people who built Elantris on Sel also happen to build/influence the Dawncities on Roshar?

 

I can buy there being some sort of cultural connection between the Dawncities and Elantris (or other Selian architecture).

 

I suppose part of the issue would be, how much of that is intentional. I do feel as if there are a lot of points where Elantris almost reads like a proto-Stormlight in terms of some of the concepts and characters, at least to me... so would Elantris being reminiscent of the Dawncities be an intentional thing, or a case of Brandon drawing upon and refining an earlier influence.

[the.fulgid he/him]

Definitely begs the question, though, of whether or not larger groups of people were active around the Cosmere in the past. Evidence of ancient cities on multiple planets, people on Threnody moving in mass exodus, and hints that Worldsingers and Worldbringers (from Roshar and Scadrial) are connected.

 

I would not be surprised if there's something to this idea, such as people from Yolen leaving around the time of the Shattering (possible BECAUSE of the Shattering), and seeking out other people and places where the Shards settled. And maybe travelling between worlds to see each other and share in things, like building cities and founding organizations.

[Stormgate he/him]

Elantris was likely constructed by Shardic means, and the Dawncities in a similar fashion. After we learn more about the Dawnshards, we will have more information.

[Sitroentje]

I believe that there is a WOB that says that elantris is not a dawncity, but that he understood why people whould think it is, i'm on my phone so I can't search for it sadly.

[Argel he/him]

It could just be that certain aesthetic values are universal (e.g. the golden ratio)  resulting in similar planned  city layouts. How defensible city is could also play a factor.

[VirtuousTraveller he/him]

SCM288

So I guess my follow-up question is: is Elantris a Dawncity?

BRANDON SANDERSON

Hmm. I could see where your reasoning could come to that conclusion, but no. No, that's not it. But your earlier extrapolations are in the right direction.

http://www.theoryland.com/intvmain.php?i=1072

 

Upvote to Sitroentje!  Good catch.  I still think there's some kind of connection, even if it's a similar culture or from a similar era of time, between the Dawncities and Elantris.

Edited May 27, 2016 by VirtuousTraveller

[Stormgate he/him]

I looked up the first question, the one to which Brandon refers to.

So, I don't actually own a hardcover copy of The Way of Kings, but I did notice when looking at one that there's a map of Shadesmar... And that the map shows that Shadesmar geography is precisely aligned with Roshar's geography... So I'm just going to assume that other planets we've visited so far also have realms of Shadesmar that are aligned geographically.

BRANDON SANDERSON

That's very clever of you! (smiles) Very clever...

So, it stands to reason that, however Elantris and the Dawncities were created, they are somehow connected, likely having to do with some cognitive aspect or another.