Emelan
Encyclopedia
Emelan is a fictional realm that provides the main setting of the Circle of Magic
quartet by Tamora Pierce
, primarily in the capital city of Summersea and the nearby temple of Winding Circle. Of the follow-up books, only Magic Steps
of the quartet The Circle Opens
and the opening sequence of the standalone book The Will of the Empress
take place in Emelan.
ern regions, both in geographical features and in culture.
Emelan itself resides on the northern shore of the Pebbled Sea, the fictional equivalent of the Mediterranean sea
. Its location parallels that of Greece
on the world map
, extending a peninsula
surrounded by many island
s of various sizes into the sea. However, Emelan seems to extend over a larger and more diverse territory.
Briar Moss
takes pains to learn the Chammuri language, and debates about whether or not he should teach his student Evvy
to read and write it. This may be for the same reason that Sotat does not enforce its sovereignty
over Chammur, since it's located in a distant, mountainous desert. As well, the fall of the Kurchal Empire gave rise to the term "K.F." after the listing of a date, such as 1041 K.F., as frequently mentioned in The Will of the Empress. This probably refers to the term A.D. (in comparison to B.C.) in the Western world.
duchy
with an extensive noble
class. The inheritance
of the ducal throne
seems to be combined with a merit
system; references in The Will of the Empress
reveal that Duke Vedris IV, the current ruler of Emelan, has the power to choose his own heir, through rumors that he is considering displacing his third son (Franzen fer Toren, mentioned in passing and listed in the book's glossary
) in favor of his grandniece, protagonist Sandrilene fa Toren
.
systems of government
: Namorn is an empire ruled by Empress Berenene dor Ocmore
, Yanjing is an empire(possibly based on China, as it is called the Empire of Silk) with an unknown ruler, Chammur is an emirate
and the noble
class is abundant almost everywhere. One prominent exception to this rule is the city state of Tharios, which is ruled by an Assembly
, although it, too is an oligarchy
effectively ruled by the first and highest caste
. The caste system in Tharios operates on a principle of divine privilege similar to the one nobility
works on.
Known conflicts in the world of Emelan include:
. While most locations visited in the books are ethnically mixed, showing characters of apparent Chinese
, black
, caucasian
, India
n, Middle East
ern and multiracial
ethnicities, some of the clothing
and most of the food
consumed in the region have a strong Middle Eastern flavor. The cuisine favors chickpea
s, "flatbread
", couscous
and baklawa, among other things.
By contrast, the Namornese culture has a distinct Russia
n overtone, and the culture of Tharios is mixed; its city state status and democratic
tradition have roots in ancient Greece
(as well as many Tharian words being very similar to Greek words - shenos/xenos, kyten/chiton), the caste
system is based not on the Indian caste system but on the Japanese Burakumin
, and the pleasure district of Khapik is based on traditional Japan
ese geisha
.
. nature
-worshipping religion, based on the classical element
s system of air, fire
, water
and earth
, with two god
s, one male and one female, dedicated to each element. A temple is dedicated to each of the four elements within each Living Circle temple-city.
The philosophy of the Living Circle is based on harmony and balance
, and opposition of fanaticism
. Liberal about sex
in general and homosexuality
in particular, Dedicates of the Living Circle are not celibate
, but are discouraged from pursuing either marriage
or child
ren at the expense of their devotion to their god
s.
Tamora Pierce
on the Living Circle, SheroesCentral, June 28, 2005.
Tim Liebe on the Living Circle, SheroesCentral, January 3, 2004.
gods dedicated to thieves such as Lakik, gods of law enforcement such as Harrier the Clawed, and other profession
al gods.
Traders have two gods, Trader Koma and Bookkeeper Oti, and also pay homage to their ancestors with religious ceremony
, altar
s and incense
.
Namorn has its own pantheon
of gods, which is also, to an extent, base on the classical elements. Hospital
s are named after Yorgiry, the goddess of healing
.
Tharios worships the All-Seeing, and an assortment of minor gods.
genre rules for use of magic. It is a potential that only exists in some individuals, born mages
, which can be detected by magic sniffers, sight-mages who specialize in discovering children with magical potential. Magical education may take place in temples, such as Winding Circle, or universities, such as Lightsbridge. At some point during the training the mages choose their own specialty, and once their training is complete they receive a certificate in the form of a medallion bearing their specialty and the names of their primary teacher
s.
Mages are also entitled to choose new surname
s for themselves that will declare their specialty to potential employers. Niklaren Goldeye
chose his name because his specialty is seeing things that most people, even other mages, cannot see. By contrast, all four protagonist
s of the series have chosen to keep their given name
s--although Briar Moss merely kept the name he chose when Niklaren found him.
, power or raw material
, ranging from carpentry
to dance
to weather
. Ambient mages can only work with the craft their magic is tied to. Ambient mages are rarer than academic ones, at a ratio of about one to four. Both the Circle of Magic
and The Circle Opens
series focus on the mechanics of ambient magic, shifting viewpoints to show several different types.
The existence of ambient mages is one of the reasons why magic is such a commonplace thing in the Emelan Universe. It manifests as just another aspect of an artisan
's expertise, and exemplifies the philosophy
that magic
exists in all things, no matter how seeingly mundane. This distincts it from other fantastical magic systems, which often manifest as fire
or lightning
, but rarely as weaving
, smithing and other daily craft
s.
quartet:
quartet:
Circle of Magic
Circle of Magic is a quartet of fantasy novels by Tamora Pierce, set in Emelan, a fictional realm in a pseudo-medieval and renaissance era. It revolves around four young mages, each specializing in a different kind of magic, as they learn to control their extraordinary and strong powers and put...
quartet by Tamora Pierce
Tamora Pierce
Tamora Pierce is an author of fantasy literature for young adults. She is an alumna of the University of Pennsylvania. Best known for writing stories involving young heroines, she made a name for herself with her first quartet The Song of the Lioness, which followed the main character Alanna...
, primarily in the capital city of Summersea and the nearby temple of Winding Circle. Of the follow-up books, only Magic Steps
Magic Steps
Magic Steps is the opening book of The Circle Opens quartet of young adult fantasy novels by Tamora Pierce. It is preceded by the Circle of Magic quartet, taking place four years after the conclusion of Briar's Book...
of the quartet The Circle Opens
The Circle Opens
The Circle Opens is a quartet of novels written by Tamora Pierce and set in a pseudo-medieval/renaissance era. It mainly revolves around four teen-age mages, each specializing in a different kind of magic, as they find that they are forced to deal with mages whose powers are similarly unusual to...
and the opening sequence of the standalone book The Will of the Empress
The Will of the Empress
The Will of the Empress, previously titled The Circle Reforged, is a standalone fantasy novel by Tamora Pierce, a continuation of the story of the quartets Circle of Magic and The Circle Opens.-Empress Berenene:...
take place in Emelan.
Overview
The map of Emelan and the surrounding countries is noticeably based on the Mediterranean and Middle EastMiddle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
ern regions, both in geographical features and in culture.
Emelan itself resides on the northern shore of the Pebbled Sea, the fictional equivalent of the Mediterranean sea
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
. Its location parallels that of Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
on the world map
World map
A world map is a map of the surface of the Earth, which may be made using any of a number of different map projections. A map projection is any method of representing the surface of a sphere or other three-dimensional body on a plane....
, extending a peninsula
Peninsula
A peninsula is a piece of land that is bordered by water on three sides but connected to mainland. In many Germanic and Celtic languages and also in Baltic, Slavic and Hungarian, peninsulas are called "half-islands"....
surrounded by many island
Island
An island or isle is any piece of sub-continental land that is surrounded by water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, cays or keys. An island in a river or lake may be called an eyot , or holm...
s of various sizes into the sea. However, Emelan seems to extend over a larger and more diverse territory.
Notable locations in Emelan
- Summersea, Emelan's capital city, is home to Duke Vedris IV, Pasco Acalon and Yazmín Hebet.
- The Mire is the city's poorest district, outside the city walls. Much of the plot of Briar's BookBriar's BookBriar's Book by Tamora Pierce, is a fantasy novel set in the fictional duchy of Emelan. It is the fourth and final book in the Circle of Magic quartet, starring the four young mages Sandry, Tris, Daja and Briar as they learn to handle powerful magic, form intense bonds of friendship and stand up...
takes place in Urda's House, a volunteer-run hospitalHospitalA hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment by specialized staff and equipment. Hospitals often, but not always, provide for inpatient care or longer-term patient stays....
in the Mire.
- The Mire is the city's poorest district, outside the city walls. Much of the plot of Briar's Book
- Winding Circle, a temple-city of the Living Circle religion just outside of Summersea. Winding Circle is a center for the learning of ambient magic, equivalent to Lightsbridge university for academic magic. While the temple serves as a school for the general population, once students are sixteen they must enter novitiateNovitiateNovitiate, alt. noviciate, is the period of training and preparation that a novice monastic or member of a religious order undergoes prior to taking vows in order to discern whether they are called to the religious life....
in the temple, or leave.- Discipline Cottage is a house run by Dedicate Rosethorn and Dedicate LarkDedicate LarkDedicate Lark is a fictional character in the Circle Of Magic Quartet and The Circle Opens Quartet books, with mentions in The Will of the Empress. She runs Discipline Cottage with the plant mage Dedicate Rosethorn, who some believe is her lover, in the Winding Circle temple complex, in Emelan...
, and serves as home to 'special cases', such as powerful ambient mages, or students who don't get along with the general studentry during their education. The Circle of MagicCircle of MagicCircle of Magic is a quartet of fantasy novels by Tamora Pierce, set in Emelan, a fictional realm in a pseudo-medieval and renaissance era. It revolves around four young mages, each specializing in a different kind of magic, as they learn to control their extraordinary and strong powers and put...
quartet tales place primarily in Discipline, during the education of the four protagonists.
- Discipline Cottage is a house run by Dedicate Rosethorn and Dedicate Lark
- Gold Ridge Valley, a mountainous county in the north of Emelan, the setting of Daja's BookDaja's Book-Plot introduction:Daja's Book, the third installment in the Circle of Magic quartet by Tamora Pierce, is a young adult fantasy novel. Daja Kisubo, an outcast to her people after she was the lone survivor of her family ship's wreck, and a smith mage in training, travels with her three friends and...
. The valley draws the wealth it is named after from its saffronSaffronSaffron is a spice derived from the flower of Crocus sativus, commonly known as the saffron crocus. Crocus is a genus in the family Iridaceae. Each saffron crocus grows to and bears up to four flowers, each with three vivid crimson stigmas, which are each the distal end of a carpel...
crocusCrocusCrocus is a genus in the iris family comprising about 80 species of perennials growing from corms. Many are cultivated for their flowers appearing in autumn, winter, or spring...
beds and copperCopperCopper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu and atomic number 29. It is a ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. Pure copper is soft and malleable; an exposed surface has a reddish-orange tarnish...
mineMiningMining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, from an ore body, vein or seam. The term also includes the removal of soil. Materials recovered by mining include base metals, precious metals, iron, uranium, coal, diamonds, limestone, oil shale, rock...
s, but at the time in which the book takes place had been suffering a three-year droughtDroughtA drought is an extended period of months or years when a region notes a deficiency in its water supply. Generally, this occurs when a region receives consistently below average precipitation. It can have a substantial impact on the ecosystem and agriculture of the affected region...
that severely damaged the crocus plants, and its mines were depleted. The valley's economy was restored when new copper beds were discovered, and a magical working melted some of the Dalburz glacierGlacierA glacier is a large persistent body of ice that forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its ablation over many years, often centuries. At least 0.1 km² in area and 50 m thick, but often much larger, a glacier slowly deforms and flows due to stresses induced by its weight...
using the heat of a forest fire.
Neighboring countries
- Sotat (birthland of Briar MossBriar MossBriar Moss, once known as 'Roach', is a fictional character from Tamora Pierce's quartets Circle of Magic and The Circle Opens as well as the stand-alone The Will of the Empress.Briar is of unknown, multiracial parentage...
) to the east. Sotat's capital is Hajra. Hajra's poorest quarter is called Deadman's District, and is the place where Briar spent most of his childhood. - Qalai to the north-east.
- Lairan to the north.
- Gansar to the north-west.
- Anderran (birthland of Dedicate Rosethorn) to the west.
Other countries in the Emelan Universe
- Capchen, birthland of Trisana ChandlerTrisana ChandlerTrisana Chandler, Tris for short, is a character in Tamora Pierce's Circle of Magic and Circle Opens quartets and the book The Will of the Empress. She has curly red hair , gray eyes, and wears spectacles. She believes herself to be fat and is called "Fatty" a few times by some of the series'...
, and its capital city, Ninver (name possibly derived from the biblicalBibleThe Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
city of NinevehNinevehNineveh was an ancient Assyrian city on the eastern bank of the Tigris River, and capital of the Neo Assyrian Empire. Its ruins are across the river from the modern-day major city of Mosul, in the Ninawa Governorate of Iraq....
, from the Book of JonahBook of JonahThe Book of Jonah is a book in the Hebrew Bible. It tells the story of a Hebrew prophet named Jonah ben Amittai who is sent by God to prophesy the destruction of Nineveh but tries to escape the divine mission...
). The temple city of Stone Circle, where Niklaren GoldeyeNiklaren GoldeyeNiklaren "Niko" Goldeye is a character of Tamora Pierce's creation, who appears in The Circle of Magic quartet and in Shatterglass of the The Circle Opens quartet, although he is mentioned in all four books of both quartets....
found Tris, is located outside of Ninver. - Hatar Island, an island in the Pebbled Sea where Niklaren GoldeyeNiklaren GoldeyeNiklaren "Niko" Goldeye is a character of Tamora Pierce's creation, who appears in The Circle of Magic quartet and in Shatterglass of the The Circle Opens quartet, although he is mentioned in all four books of both quartets....
finds Sandry after both her parents died of smallpoxSmallpoxSmallpox was an infectious disease unique to humans, caused by either of two virus variants, Variola major and Variola minor. The disease is also known by the Latin names Variola or Variola vera, which is a derivative of the Latin varius, meaning "spotted", or varus, meaning "pimple"...
. - The Empire of Namorn, birthland of Sandry's mother, the setting of Cold FireCold Fire (Tamora Pierce novel)Cold Fire is the third book in the series The Circle Opens by author Tamora Pierce. It deals with the continuing adventures of child mage Daja Kisubo and her teacher, the dedicate initiate Frostpine.-Plot summary:...
and the 2005 standalone novel The Will of the EmpressThe Will of the EmpressThe Will of the Empress, previously titled The Circle Reforged, is a standalone fantasy novel by Tamora Pierce, a continuation of the story of the quartets Circle of Magic and The Circle Opens.-Empress Berenene:...
.- Cold FireCold Fire (Tamora Pierce novel)Cold Fire is the third book in the series The Circle Opens by author Tamora Pierce. It deals with the continuing adventures of child mage Daja Kisubo and her teacher, the dedicate initiate Frostpine.-Plot summary:...
is set in Kugisko, a Namornese city of brightly-painted wooden buildings and frozen canals. Pierce has said that she based Kugisko on the RussiaRussiaRussia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n city of St. Petersburg. - The Will of the EmpressThe Will of the EmpressThe Will of the Empress, previously titled The Circle Reforged, is a standalone fantasy novel by Tamora Pierce, a continuation of the story of the quartets Circle of Magic and The Circle Opens.-Empress Berenene:...
is set in various Namornese locations, including the capital city of Dancruan, and Sandry's ancestral holding, Clehamat Landreg.
- Cold Fire
- Chammur, an emirateEmirateAn emirate is a political territory that is ruled by a dynastic Muslim monarch styled emir.-Etymology:Etymologically emirate or amirate is the quality, dignity, office or territorial competence of any emir ....
owing de jureDe jureDe jure is an expression that means "concerning law", as contrasted with de facto, which means "concerning fact".De jure = 'Legally', De facto = 'In fact'....
allegiance to Sotat, the setting of Street MagicStreet MagicStreet Magic is the second book in the quartet The Circle Opens by acclaimed fantasy author Tamora Pierce. It describes the further adventures of child-mage Briar Moss in his travels with his teacher, the Dedicate Initiate Rosethorn.-Plot introduction:...
, the second book in The Circle OpensThe Circle OpensThe Circle Opens is a quartet of novels written by Tamora Pierce and set in a pseudo-medieval/renaissance era. It mainly revolves around four teen-age mages, each specializing in a different kind of magic, as they find that they are forced to deal with mages whose powers are similarly unusual to...
quartet. Pierce has cited the JordanJordanJordan , officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan , Al-Mamlaka al-Urduniyya al-Hashemiyya) is a kingdom on the East Bank of the River Jordan. The country borders Saudi Arabia to the east and south-east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and the West Bank and Israel to the west, sharing...
ian city of PetraPetraPetra is a historical and archaeological city in the Jordanian governorate of Ma'an that is famous for its rock cut architecture and water conduits system. Established sometime around the 6th century BC as the capital city of the Nabataeans, it is a symbol of Jordan as well as its most visited...
as her inspiration for Chammur. - Tharios, a city state far to the south of the Pebbled Sea, the setting of ShatterglassShatterglassShatterglass, a novel by Tamora Pierce, is the fourth book in the The Circle Opens series. It takes place four years after the Circle of Magic series.- Setting :...
, the fourth book in The Circle OpensThe Circle OpensThe Circle Opens is a quartet of novels written by Tamora Pierce and set in a pseudo-medieval/renaissance era. It mainly revolves around four teen-age mages, each specializing in a different kind of magic, as they find that they are forced to deal with mages whose powers are similarly unusual to...
quartet.- Khapik is Tharios city's entertainment district, home to the fifth casteCasteCaste is an elaborate and complex social system that combines elements of endogamy, occupation, culture, social class, tribal affiliation and political power. It should not be confused with race or social class, e.g. members of different castes in one society may belong to the same race, as in India...
, the yaskedasi, and the location of the murders that take place in ShatterglassShatterglassShatterglass, a novel by Tamora Pierce, is the fourth book in the The Circle Opens series. It takes place four years after the Circle of Magic series.- Setting :...
.
- Khapik is Tharios city's entertainment district, home to the fifth caste
- Olart, a country north of the Pebbled Sea, is the birthland of Dedicate Crane, the younger son of a countCountA count or countess is an aristocratic nobleman in European countries. The word count came into English from the French comte, itself from Latin comes—in its accusative comitem—meaning "companion", and later "companion of the emperor, delegate of the emperor". The adjective form of the word is...
in that country. - Mbau, a country south of the Pebbled Sea, is the birthland of Dedicate Frostpine.
The Kurchal Empire
All countries between Namorn in the north and Tharios in the south were once a part of the Kurchal Empire, and the language common to these areas is still called Imperial or Imperial Kurchali. Chammur seems to be the exception to this, since in Street MagicStreet Magic
Street Magic is the second book in the quartet The Circle Opens by acclaimed fantasy author Tamora Pierce. It describes the further adventures of child-mage Briar Moss in his travels with his teacher, the Dedicate Initiate Rosethorn.-Plot introduction:...
Briar Moss
Briar Moss
Briar Moss, once known as 'Roach', is a fictional character from Tamora Pierce's quartets Circle of Magic and The Circle Opens as well as the stand-alone The Will of the Empress.Briar is of unknown, multiracial parentage...
takes pains to learn the Chammuri language, and debates about whether or not he should teach his student Evvy
Evumeimei Dingzai
Evumeimei Dingzai is a character in the book Street Magic, part of the Circle Opens quartet. She is also the protagonist in Melting Stones-Background:...
to read and write it. This may be for the same reason that Sotat does not enforce its sovereignty
Sovereignty
Sovereignty is the quality of having supreme, independent authority over a geographic area, such as a territory. It can be found in a power to rule and make law that rests on a political fact for which no purely legal explanation can be provided...
over Chammur, since it's located in a distant, mountainous desert. As well, the fall of the Kurchal Empire gave rise to the term "K.F." after the listing of a date, such as 1041 K.F., as frequently mentioned in The Will of the Empress. This probably refers to the term A.D. (in comparison to B.C.) in the Western world.
Politics of Emelan
Emelan is a sovereignSovereignty
Sovereignty is the quality of having supreme, independent authority over a geographic area, such as a territory. It can be found in a power to rule and make law that rests on a political fact for which no purely legal explanation can be provided...
duchy
Duchy
A duchy is a territory, fief, or domain ruled by a duke or duchess.Some duchies were sovereign in areas that would become unified realms only during the Modern era . In contrast, others were subordinate districts of those kingdoms that unified either partially or completely during the Medieval era...
with an extensive noble
Nobility
Nobility is a social class which possesses more acknowledged privileges or eminence than members of most other classes in a society, membership therein typically being hereditary. The privileges associated with nobility may constitute substantial advantages over or relative to non-nobles, or may be...
class. The inheritance
Inheritance
Inheritance is the practice of passing on property, titles, debts, rights and obligations upon the death of an individual. It has long played an important role in human societies...
of the ducal throne
Throne
A throne is the official chair or seat upon which a monarch is seated on state or ceremonial occasions. "Throne" in an abstract sense can also refer to the monarchy or the Crown itself, an instance of metonymy, and is also used in many expressions such as "the power behind the...
seems to be combined with a merit
Merit
The term merit constitutes a desirable trait or ability belonging to a person or an object.It may refer to:* Merit * Merit * Meritocracymerit may also mean:...
system; references in The Will of the Empress
The Will of the Empress
The Will of the Empress, previously titled The Circle Reforged, is a standalone fantasy novel by Tamora Pierce, a continuation of the story of the quartets Circle of Magic and The Circle Opens.-Empress Berenene:...
reveal that Duke Vedris IV, the current ruler of Emelan, has the power to choose his own heir, through rumors that he is considering displacing his third son (Franzen fer Toren, mentioned in passing and listed in the book's glossary
Glossary
A glossary, also known as an idioticon, vocabulary, or clavis, is an alphabetical list of terms in a particular domain of knowledge with the definitions for those terms...
) in favor of his grandniece, protagonist Sandrilene fa Toren
Sandrilene fa Toren
Lady Sandrilene fa Toren, or Sandry, is a fictional character from Tamora Pierce's quartets The Circle of Magic and The Circle Opens as well as the stand-alone The Will of the Empress. She is described as having light brown hair prone to sun-streaks, bright corn-flower blue eyes and an unusually...
.
Politics of other countries
Most countries in the Emelan Universe have monarchicMonarchy
A monarchy is a form of government in which the office of head of state is usually held until death or abdication and is often hereditary and includes a royal house. In some cases, the monarch is elected...
systems of government
Government
Government refers to the legislators, administrators, and arbitrators in the administrative bureaucracy who control a state at a given time, and to the system of government by which they are organized...
: Namorn is an empire ruled by Empress Berenene dor Ocmore
Berenene dor Ocmore
Berenene dor Ocmore, Empress of Namorn is the title character in the young adult fantasy novel The Will of the Empress by Tamora Pierce. Based upon the Russian Empress Catherine the Great and Elizabeth I, Berenene serves as an antagonist to the book's four protagonists, and especially Sandrilene fa...
, Yanjing is an empire(possibly based on China, as it is called the Empire of Silk) with an unknown ruler, Chammur is an emirate
Emirate
An emirate is a political territory that is ruled by a dynastic Muslim monarch styled emir.-Etymology:Etymologically emirate or amirate is the quality, dignity, office or territorial competence of any emir ....
and the noble
Nobility
Nobility is a social class which possesses more acknowledged privileges or eminence than members of most other classes in a society, membership therein typically being hereditary. The privileges associated with nobility may constitute substantial advantages over or relative to non-nobles, or may be...
class is abundant almost everywhere. One prominent exception to this rule is the city state of Tharios, which is ruled by an Assembly
Parliament
A parliament is a legislature, especially in those countries whose system of government is based on the Westminster system modeled after that of the United Kingdom. The name is derived from the French , the action of parler : a parlement is a discussion. The term came to mean a meeting at which...
, although it, too is an oligarchy
Oligarchy
Oligarchy is a form of power structure in which power effectively rests with an elite class distinguished by royalty, wealth, family ties, commercial, and/or military legitimacy...
effectively ruled by the first and highest caste
Caste
Caste is an elaborate and complex social system that combines elements of endogamy, occupation, culture, social class, tribal affiliation and political power. It should not be confused with race or social class, e.g. members of different castes in one society may belong to the same race, as in India...
. The caste system in Tharios operates on a principle of divine privilege similar to the one nobility
Nobility
Nobility is a social class which possesses more acknowledged privileges or eminence than members of most other classes in a society, membership therein typically being hereditary. The privileges associated with nobility may constitute substantial advantages over or relative to non-nobles, or may be...
works on.
Known conflicts in the world of Emelan include:
- Invasion of Gyonxe by the Yanjing Empire, referenced by BriarBriar MossBriar Moss, once known as 'Roach', is a fictional character from Tamora Pierce's quartets Circle of Magic and The Circle Opens as well as the stand-alone The Will of the Empress.Briar is of unknown, multiracial parentage...
in The Will of the EmpressThe Will of the EmpressThe Will of the Empress, previously titled The Circle Reforged, is a standalone fantasy novel by Tamora Pierce, a continuation of the story of the quartets Circle of Magic and The Circle Opens.-Empress Berenene:...
. Pierce intends to contract an unnamed novel about this war. - Ongoing war between Namorn and Yanjing in the Sea of Grass in north-eastern Namorn, referenced multiple times throughout The Will of the Empress.
Culture
The culture around the Pebbled Sea is strongly based on that of the Middle EastMiddle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
. While most locations visited in the books are ethnically mixed, showing characters of apparent Chinese
Chinese people
The term Chinese people may refer to any of the following:*People with Han Chinese ethnicity ....
, black
Black people
The term black people is used in systems of racial classification for humans of a dark skinned phenotype, relative to other racial groups.Different societies apply different criteria regarding who is classified as "black", and often social variables such as class, socio-economic status also plays a...
, caucasian
Caucasian race
The term Caucasian race has been used to denote the general physical type of some or all of the populations of Europe, North Africa, the Horn of Africa, Western Asia , Central Asia and South Asia...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n, Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
ern and multiracial
Multiracial
The terms multiracial and mixed-race describe people whose ancestries come from multiple races. Unlike the term biracial, which often is only used to refer to having parents or grandparents of two different races, the term multiracial may encompass biracial people but can also include people with...
ethnicities, some of the clothing
Clothing
Clothing refers to any covering for the human body that is worn. The wearing of clothing is exclusively a human characteristic and is a feature of nearly all human societies...
and most of the food
Food
Food is any substance consumed to provide nutritional support for the body. It is usually of plant or animal origin, and contains essential nutrients, such as carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, or minerals...
consumed in the region have a strong Middle Eastern flavor. The cuisine favors chickpea
Chickpea
The chickpea is a legume of the family Fabaceae, subfamily Faboideae...
s, "flatbread
Pita
Pita or pitta is a round pocket bread widely consumed in many Middle Eastern, Mediterranean, and Balkan cuisines. It is prevalent in Greece, the Balkans the Levant, the Arabian Peninsula and Turkey. The "pocket" in pita bread is created by steam, which puffs up the dough...
", couscous
Couscous
Couscous is a Berber dish of semolina traditionally served with a meat or vegetable stew spooned over it. Couscous is a staple food throughout Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia.-Etymology:...
and baklawa, among other things.
By contrast, the Namornese culture has a distinct Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n overtone, and the culture of Tharios is mixed; its city state status and democratic
Democracy
Democracy is generally defined as a form of government in which all adult citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives. Ideally, this includes equal participation in the proposal, development and passage of legislation into law...
tradition have roots in ancient Greece
Ancient Greece
Ancient Greece is a civilization belonging to a period of Greek history that lasted from the Archaic period of the 8th to 6th centuries BC to the end of antiquity. Immediately following this period was the beginning of the Early Middle Ages and the Byzantine era. Included in Ancient Greece is the...
(as well as many Tharian words being very similar to Greek words - shenos/xenos, kyten/chiton), the caste
Caste
Caste is an elaborate and complex social system that combines elements of endogamy, occupation, culture, social class, tribal affiliation and political power. It should not be confused with race or social class, e.g. members of different castes in one society may belong to the same race, as in India...
system is based not on the Indian caste system but on the Japanese Burakumin
Burakumin
are a Japanese social minority group. The burakumin are one of the main minority groups in Japan, along with the Ainu of Hokkaidō, the Ryukyuans of Okinawa and Japanese residents of Korean and Chinese descent....
, and the pleasure district of Khapik is based on traditional Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese geisha
Geisha
, Geiko or Geigi are traditional, female Japanese entertainers whose skills include performing various Japanese arts such as classical music and dance.-Terms:...
.
The Living Circle
The temple of Winding Circle belongs to the fictional religion, the Living Circle. It is a polytheisticPolytheism
Polytheism is the belief of multiple deities also usually assembled into a pantheon of gods and goddesses, along with their own mythologies and rituals....
. nature
Nature
Nature, in the broadest sense, is equivalent to the natural world, physical world, or material world. "Nature" refers to the phenomena of the physical world, and also to life in general...
-worshipping religion, based on the classical element
Classical element
Many philosophies and worldviews have a set of classical elements believed to reflect the simplest essential parts and principles of which anything consists or upon which the constitution and fundamental powers of anything are based. Most frequently, classical elements refer to ancient beliefs...
s system of air, fire
Fire
Fire is the rapid oxidation of a material in the chemical process of combustion, releasing heat, light, and various reaction products. Slower oxidative processes like rusting or digestion are not included by this definition....
, water
Water
Water is a chemical substance with the chemical formula H2O. A water molecule contains one oxygen and two hydrogen atoms connected by covalent bonds. Water is a liquid at ambient conditions, but it often co-exists on Earth with its solid state, ice, and gaseous state . Water also exists in a...
and earth
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
, with two god
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
s, one male and one female, dedicated to each element. A temple is dedicated to each of the four elements within each Living Circle temple-city.
The philosophy of the Living Circle is based on harmony and balance
Balance (metaphysics)
In the metaphysical or conceptual sense, balance is used to mean a point between two opposite forces that is desirable over purely one state or the other, such as a balance between the metaphysical Law and Chaos — law by itself being overly controlling, chaos being overly unmanageable,...
, and opposition of fanaticism
Fanaticism
Fanaticism is a belief or behavior involving uncritical zeal, particularly for an extreme religious or political cause or in some cases sports, or with an obsessive enthusiasm for a pastime or hobby...
. Liberal about sex
Sex
In biology, sex is a process of combining and mixing genetic traits, often resulting in the specialization of organisms into a male or female variety . Sexual reproduction involves combining specialized cells to form offspring that inherit traits from both parents...
in general and homosexuality
Homosexuality
Homosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, or romantic attractions" primarily or exclusively to people of the same...
in particular, Dedicates of the Living Circle are not celibate
Celibacy
Celibacy is a personal commitment to avoiding sexual relations, in particular a vow from marriage. Typically celibacy involves avoiding all romantic relationships of any kind. An individual may choose celibacy for religious reasons, such as is the case for priests in some religions, for reasons of...
, but are discouraged from pursuing either marriage
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
or child
Child
Biologically, a child is generally a human between the stages of birth and puberty. Some vernacular definitions of a child include the fetus, as being an unborn child. The legal definition of "child" generally refers to a minor, otherwise known as a person younger than the age of majority...
ren at the expense of their devotion to their god
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
s.
While the Living Circle doesn't discourage sex (though some Air temple devotees, particularly the most purely intellectual ones, don't go for it because it messes up their thought processes, and they spend their days trying to become purely creatures of the mind) (no, Crane is not one of those--he likes plants, remember!), the temples do discourage handfasting/marriage and having children, because legal relationships and children tend to distract the mind and spirit from complete devotion to the gods. Moreover, such ties to a particular place mean that a dedicate is not free to simply go where s/he is ordered to go. This wasn't an issue in the first Circle quartet because the dedicates we knew were bound to teach the four, but most dedicates--including ours, in the past--were sent anywhere the temple council saw fit to send them. A spouse and kids would interfere.
The whole point to taking vows is that you dedicate yourself first and foremost to the service of your gods, then to your temple, then to the Living Circle. All other attachments come after that. If you can't live with that, you can resign your vows honorably.
Tamora Pierce
Tamora Pierce
Tamora Pierce is an author of fantasy literature for young adults. She is an alumna of the University of Pennsylvania. Best known for writing stories involving young heroines, she made a name for herself with her first quartet The Song of the Lioness, which followed the main character Alanna...
on the Living Circle, SheroesCentral, June 28, 2005.
In many ways it resembles a mix of Buddhism and Shintoism, with its acceptance of the broad and often contradictory panapoly of life and human relationships, and its belief that the only real morality is in harmony and balance with your world.
Tim Liebe on the Living Circle, SheroesCentral, January 3, 2004.
Other Gods
Various minor, specialized gods exist alongside the worship of the Living Circle. These include tricksterTrickster
In mythology, and in the study of folklore and religion, a trickster is a god, goddess, spirit, man, woman, or anthropomorphic animal who plays tricks or otherwise disobeys normal rules and conventional behavior. It is suggested by Hansen that the term "Trickster" was probably first used in this...
gods dedicated to thieves such as Lakik, gods of law enforcement such as Harrier the Clawed, and other profession
Profession
A profession is a vocation founded upon specialized educational training, the purpose of which is to supply disinterested counsel and service to others, for a direct and definite compensation, wholly apart from expectation of other business gain....
al gods.
Traders have two gods, Trader Koma and Bookkeeper Oti, and also pay homage to their ancestors with religious ceremony
Ceremony
A ceremony is an event of ritual significance, performed on a special occasion. The word may be of Etruscan origin.-Ceremonial occasions:A ceremony may mark a rite of passage in a human life, marking the significance of, for example:* birth...
, altar
Altar
An altar is any structure upon which offerings such as sacrifices are made for religious purposes. Altars are usually found at shrines, and they can be located in temples, churches and other places of worship...
s and incense
Incense
Incense is composed of aromatic biotic materials, which release fragrant smoke when burned. The term "incense" refers to the substance itself, rather than to the odor that it produces. It is used in religious ceremonies, ritual purification, aromatherapy, meditation, for creating a mood, and for...
.
Namorn has its own pantheon
Pantheon (gods)
A pantheon is a set of all the gods of a particular polytheistic religion or mythology.Max Weber's 1922 opus, Economy and Society discusses the link between a...
of gods, which is also, to an extent, base on the classical elements. Hospital
Hospital
A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment by specialized staff and equipment. Hospitals often, but not always, provide for inpatient care or longer-term patient stays....
s are named after Yorgiry, the goddess of healing
Healing
Physiological healing is the restoration of damaged living tissue, organs and biological system to normal function. It is the process by which the cells in the body regenerate and repair to reduce the size of a damaged or necrotic area....
.
Tharios worships the All-Seeing, and an assortment of minor gods.
Academic magic
Academic magic follows the traditional fantasyFantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
genre rules for use of magic. It is a potential that only exists in some individuals, born mages
Magician (fantasy)
A magician, mage, sorcerer, sorceress, wizard, enchanter, enchantress, thaumaturge or a person known under one of many other possible terms is someone who uses or practices magic that derives from supernatural or occult sources...
, which can be detected by magic sniffers, sight-mages who specialize in discovering children with magical potential. Magical education may take place in temples, such as Winding Circle, or universities, such as Lightsbridge. At some point during the training the mages choose their own specialty, and once their training is complete they receive a certificate in the form of a medallion bearing their specialty and the names of their primary teacher
Teacher
A teacher or schoolteacher is a person who provides education for pupils and students . The role of teacher is often formal and ongoing, carried out at a school or other place of formal education. In many countries, a person who wishes to become a teacher must first obtain specified professional...
s.
Mages are also entitled to choose new surname
Surname
A surname is a name added to a given name and is part of a personal name. In many cases, a surname is a family name. Many dictionaries define "surname" as a synonym of "family name"...
s for themselves that will declare their specialty to potential employers. Niklaren Goldeye
Niklaren Goldeye
Niklaren "Niko" Goldeye is a character of Tamora Pierce's creation, who appears in The Circle of Magic quartet and in Shatterglass of the The Circle Opens quartet, although he is mentioned in all four books of both quartets....
chose his name because his specialty is seeing things that most people, even other mages, cannot see. By contrast, all four protagonist
Protagonist
A protagonist is the main character of a literary, theatrical, cinematic, or musical narrative, around whom the events of the narrative's plot revolve and with whom the audience is intended to most identify...
s of the series have chosen to keep their given name
Given name
A given name, in Western contexts often referred to as a first name, is a personal name that specifies and differentiates between members of a group of individuals, especially in a family, all of whose members usually share the same family name...
s--although Briar Moss merely kept the name he chose when Niklaren found him.
Ambient magic
Ambient magic, although it also exists as a potential from birth and cannot be manufactured, operates on a different principle. It is tied to a specific craftCraft
A craft is a branch of a profession that requires some particular kind of skilled work. In historical sense, particularly as pertinent to the Medieval history and earlier, the term is usually applied towards people occupied in small-scale production of goods.-Development from the past until...
, power or raw material
Raw material
A raw material or feedstock is the basic material from which a product is manufactured or made, frequently used with an extended meaning. For example, the term is used to denote material that came from nature and is in an unprocessed or minimally processed state. Latex, iron ore, logs, and crude...
, ranging from carpentry
Carpentry
A carpenter is a skilled craftsperson who works with timber to construct, install and maintain buildings, furniture, and other objects. The work, known as carpentry, may involve manual labor and work outdoors....
to dance
Dance
Dance is an art form that generally refers to movement of the body, usually rhythmic and to music, used as a form of expression, social interaction or presented in a spiritual or performance setting....
to weather
Weather
Weather is the state of the atmosphere, to the degree that it is hot or cold, wet or dry, calm or stormy, clear or cloudy. Most weather phenomena occur in the troposphere, just below the stratosphere. Weather refers, generally, to day-to-day temperature and precipitation activity, whereas climate...
. Ambient mages can only work with the craft their magic is tied to. Ambient mages are rarer than academic ones, at a ratio of about one to four. Both the Circle of Magic
Circle of Magic
Circle of Magic is a quartet of fantasy novels by Tamora Pierce, set in Emelan, a fictional realm in a pseudo-medieval and renaissance era. It revolves around four young mages, each specializing in a different kind of magic, as they learn to control their extraordinary and strong powers and put...
and The Circle Opens
The Circle Opens
The Circle Opens is a quartet of novels written by Tamora Pierce and set in a pseudo-medieval/renaissance era. It mainly revolves around four teen-age mages, each specializing in a different kind of magic, as they find that they are forced to deal with mages whose powers are similarly unusual to...
series focus on the mechanics of ambient magic, shifting viewpoints to show several different types.
The existence of ambient mages is one of the reasons why magic is such a commonplace thing in the Emelan Universe. It manifests as just another aspect of an artisan
Artisan
An artisan is a skilled manual worker who makes items that may be functional or strictly decorative, including furniture, clothing, jewellery, household items, and tools...
's expertise, and exemplifies the philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
that magic
Magic (paranormal)
Magic is the claimed art of manipulating aspects of reality either by supernatural means or through knowledge of occult laws unknown to science. It is in contrast to science, in that science does not accept anything not subject to either direct or indirect observation, and subject to logical...
exists in all things, no matter how seeingly mundane. This distincts it from other fantastical magic systems, which often manifest as fire
Fire
Fire is the rapid oxidation of a material in the chemical process of combustion, releasing heat, light, and various reaction products. Slower oxidative processes like rusting or digestion are not included by this definition....
or lightning
Lightning
Lightning is an atmospheric electrostatic discharge accompanied by thunder, which typically occurs during thunderstorms, and sometimes during volcanic eruptions or dust storms...
, but rarely as weaving
Weaving
Weaving is a method of fabric production in which two distinct sets of yarns or threads are interlaced at right angles to form a fabric or cloth. The other methods are knitting, lace making and felting. The longitudinal threads are called the warp and the lateral threads are the weft or filling...
, smithing and other daily craft
Craft
A craft is a branch of a profession that requires some particular kind of skilled work. In historical sense, particularly as pertinent to the Medieval history and earlier, the term is usually applied towards people occupied in small-scale production of goods.-Development from the past until...
s.
Circle of Magic
The Circle of MagicCircle of Magic
Circle of Magic is a quartet of fantasy novels by Tamora Pierce, set in Emelan, a fictional realm in a pseudo-medieval and renaissance era. It revolves around four young mages, each specializing in a different kind of magic, as they learn to control their extraordinary and strong powers and put...
quartet:
- Sandry's BookSandry's BookSandry's Book, by Tamora Pierce is a fantasy novel set mainly in Emelan. It is the first in a quartet of books: The Circle of Magic, starring four young mages as they discover their magic.-Plot introduction:...
, U.K.United KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
title The Magic in the Weaving. - Tris's BookTris's BookTris's Book, a fantasy novel by Tamora Pierce, tells the story of four young mages as they battle pirates and become closer than ever.-Plot introduction:...
, U.K.United KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
title The Power in the Storm. - Daja's BookDaja's Book-Plot introduction:Daja's Book, the third installment in the Circle of Magic quartet by Tamora Pierce, is a young adult fantasy novel. Daja Kisubo, an outcast to her people after she was the lone survivor of her family ship's wreck, and a smith mage in training, travels with her three friends and...
, U.K.United KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
title The Fire in the Forging. - Briar's BookBriar's BookBriar's Book by Tamora Pierce, is a fantasy novel set in the fictional duchy of Emelan. It is the fourth and final book in the Circle of Magic quartet, starring the four young mages Sandry, Tris, Daja and Briar as they learn to handle powerful magic, form intense bonds of friendship and stand up...
, U.K.United KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
title The Healing in the Vine.
The Circle Opens
The Circle OpensThe Circle Opens
The Circle Opens is a quartet of novels written by Tamora Pierce and set in a pseudo-medieval/renaissance era. It mainly revolves around four teen-age mages, each specializing in a different kind of magic, as they find that they are forced to deal with mages whose powers are similarly unusual to...
quartet:
- Magic StepsMagic StepsMagic Steps is the opening book of The Circle Opens quartet of young adult fantasy novels by Tamora Pierce. It is preceded by the Circle of Magic quartet, taking place four years after the conclusion of Briar's Book...
. - Street MagicStreet MagicStreet Magic is the second book in the quartet The Circle Opens by acclaimed fantasy author Tamora Pierce. It describes the further adventures of child-mage Briar Moss in his travels with his teacher, the Dedicate Initiate Rosethorn.-Plot introduction:...
. - Cold FireCold Fire (Tamora Pierce novel)Cold Fire is the third book in the series The Circle Opens by author Tamora Pierce. It deals with the continuing adventures of child mage Daja Kisubo and her teacher, the dedicate initiate Frostpine.-Plot summary:...
. - ShatterglassShatterglassShatterglass, a novel by Tamora Pierce, is the fourth book in the The Circle Opens series. It takes place four years after the Circle of Magic series.- Setting :...
.
Other novels
- The Will of the EmpressThe Will of the EmpressThe Will of the Empress, previously titled The Circle Reforged, is a standalone fantasy novel by Tamora Pierce, a continuation of the story of the quartets Circle of Magic and The Circle Opens.-Empress Berenene:...
, previous title The Circle Reforged. - Melting StonesMelting StonesMelting Stones, a fantasy novel by young adult author Tamora Pierce, was released by Full Cast Audio as an audiobook original in October 2007, and was released in print form by Scholastic in the summer of 2008....