Silothil

the great Fountain of Opleneer

Silothil is the traditional Elothninian art of fountain design and construction. These sculptures, which can be found in the town square of any Elothinian city of reasonable size and repute, are made of materials indigenous to that region. Thus, the silothil in a given city represents the perfect blending of the terrain and spirit of the area.

The art form originated in Opleneer, a city which is broadly considered the artistic capital of Elothnin. Opleneer, a coastal city abundant in sand, has long been a major source of glass products, and glass has been a fixture of much of the artistic experimentation there. Nearly 300 years ago, the great sculptor Chernold Bumbolt constructed the famed Fountain of Opleneer (above). He sought to capture the effervescent spirit of Opleneer using only materials locally available to him, and his masterwork of flowing water and violet glass is widely considered the first piece of silothil.

Another notable silothil resides in Neerhemhind (see left). The creator of this famed fountain was none other than the current queen's predecessor, King Gimelthorpe, who as a lad had trained with Bumbolt to learn the arts. King Gimelthorpe unveiled the fountain immediately after his coronation, suggesting to his subjects that he was to lead them into a new golden age of art and culture. The hope and enthusiasm of the time is still evident in the fountain today.

Silothil remains a major part of Elothnian culture, but it has a distinctly classed character. Silothil exist only in the more populous, wealthier areas of the empire, and are virtually absent from the agrarian outlands of the Fethil. It has also become custom, since King Gimelthorpe's time, for families of note (especially those with vassalships, such as the esteemed Worthis clan) to send their children to Opleneer or Neerhemhind to study silothil, along with receiving training in music, languages, and etiquette. Thus, the streets of these cities are peppered with fountains of various quality around virtually every corner. Quite often, these minor silothil (which bear nameplates) are sometimes sought out as a memorial to their maker, and many times a fountain can be seen which is strewn with flowers and small tokens.

See Also:
Lendnisa Worthis