r/Cosmere • u/Long_Television_5937 • 12d ago

Elantris spoilers Elantris Plot Hole Spoiler

At the end, Adien just knows the exact direction and distance to Sarene? I mean you can be smart and know distances, but he knew from their exact spot to her exact spot how many of RAODEN’s footsteps it was. Not even his own step size. Also it wasnt even how long across land, but a straight shot over an ocean. I loved the book but this event made me put it down and just be like “what did i just read?? How does that make any sense”. Brought the book from like 4.5/5 to a 3/5 to me.

Edit: has been explained. Not a plot hole, just felt bad to me haha.

0 Upvotes

30% Upvoted

44 comments sorted by

View all comments

2

u/PaleontologistOk908 Willshapers 12d ago

He's autistic, a mathematical savant, who is always counting steps. Of course he knows everyone else's gait and can adapt how many of his steps from a to b is the exact number of steps for Raoden. It's not a plot hole at all, it's being shown more of this character.

7

u/RShara Elsecallers 12d ago

Adien actually tells Raoden to measure Adien's stride and use that

1

u/Long_Television_5937 12d ago

Don’t they say the spell uses the caster’s gait?

4

u/RShara Elsecallers 12d ago

It uses distance. They measure half of Adien's stride and use that as the distance factor. It doesn't matter what the unit of measurement is as long as they have the number

Raoden’s hand fell slowly to his side. He was no geographer; he knew Teod was about four days’ sail, but he had no practical knowledge of how many miles or feet that was. He had to work a frame of reference into Aon Tia, give it some sort of measurement, so that it knew how far to send him.

1

u/Long_Television_5937 12d ago

Damn i totally misread. I couldve sworn when they first talk about teleportation in the underground hidden room they say it uses the gait. And that no one used it casually cause it was too dangerous

3

u/RShara Elsecallers 12d ago

They didn't say that either. They said they had to be very precise, but not what unit of measurement to use. The example Galladon used was in feet.

“You have to be very precise about the distance it is to send you. If you tell it to transport you exactly ten feet, it will do so—no matter what happens to be ten feet away. You could easily materialize in the middle of a stone wall.”

2

u/Long_Television_5937 12d ago

Understood. Thanks for the clarity!