Aubade, or the Isle Aubade is an island city located inside the Blade in the Dark. A peaceful, relatively happy society, it prospers in isolation from Hieron outside, looked over by Samothes, who has become more humble in his time within the blade.
Geography
Aubade sits upon a sunken volcanic island, surrounding a large lagoon and surrounded by an atoll. It has a relatively warm, Mediterranean climate. The city is built on a series of hills and resembles a "quaint Medieval town", "like going to a Renaissance faire".[1]
Although there is some degree of variation in Aubade's weather, it does not experience seasons in that sense. However, the tides there work in such a way that 'high tide' and 'low tide' can be considered the two seasons. Otherwise, there is no calendar.
Dark storms can always be seen off in the distance, and there is nothing beyond Aubade except for the endless ocean.
Neighborhoods/Districts
Aubade has six named districts that surround the castle of Samothes at the island's center. Many place names refer to early victims of the Blade in the Dark, with whom Samothes founded Aubade. The districts have "soft borders" distinguished by "style of architecture changes here or there" rather than any sort of formal border.
New Helianthus
The largest residential district, located to the north of the castle. It is named after Helianthus Parish in Marielda. It is also home to Thackeray Court (named after Captain Thackeray), an L-shaped building with a pearlescent rooftop and two floors.
Cartwright House
To the northeast, the Cartwright House district hosts schools, workshops, stages, and other public spaces where people can try new things. The Cartwright House itself is a university. It is named for Winston Cartwright.
Fields
To the southeast are agricultural fields, with the Shrine of Sabinia located in the middle.
Cunningham Street
To the south, Cunningham Street, named after Smoulder Cunningham, runs north-south from the southern tip of Aubade to the castle. It is lined with markets, shops, and restaurants.
Halisham Docks
To the southwest, the Halisham Docks are host to fishing and industrial activities, such as the making of new clothes and blacksmithing. They are named after Garner Halisham.
San-Becket Theater
To the west, the San-Becket Theater is a large, beautiful red building that serves as an outdoor amphitheater. It is located on an overlook above the sea. It is named after Bewilder San-Becket.
History and Involvement
During his rule of Marielda, Samothes ordered a member of the Creed of Samothes, Rector Sabinia, to investigate The Heat and the Dark. In doing so, she became infected with the Heat and the Dark herself, becoming a vessel for it before she was killed with the Blade in the Dark. According to Austin, the place inside the Blade "was largely determined by Sabinia at that point ... She and her darkness kind of consumed everything here until Samothes was killed and brought inside".
Samothes seized control from Sabinia's influence, created the ocean and raised a volcano from underneath the water, creating the island that would one day become Aubade. His first priority was to seek revenge against the mages, and it is implied that Samothes initially ruled that land even more harshly than he did Marielda.
Later, encountering Sabinia again, Samothes realized that he was responsible for her suffering and began to regret the way he had treated his people. He purified her of the Heat and the Dark and co-founded Aubade with her, where she would go on to spend a long time working to help the people living there and help Samothes become a better king, eventually choosing to pass on once Aubade seemed stable. The Shrine of Sabinia stands in her honor.
Hella, Hadrian, Lem, Adaire, and Adelaide arrive in Aubade during Winter in Hieron 28: What Life Looks Like, and their time in Aubade is spread out over 4 years that take place over the first 4 episodes of Spring in Hieron.
Right after arriving, Lem wanders away from the group and becomes lost in New Helianthus, where he meets a young woman named Elspeth who wears a rainbow-colored ribbon. Elspeth tells Lem that she was born in New Helianthus and that she is part of "Prism" this year, but that she might try farming later, implying that residents of Aubade switch jobs regularly depending on their interests.
Gallery
"Two Types of Distance" by Conner Fawcett
Trivia
- An 'aubade' is a poem or song for the morning, or about lovers parting at dawn.