"The city of Ember was made for us long ago by the Builders, [. ] It is the only light in the dark world. Beyond Ember, the darkness goes on forever in all directions." ―The Book of the City of Ember [src]
The City of Ember, simply known as Ember, was an underground city constructed to protect a small population of humans from a series of apocalyptic events singularly referred to as the Disaster for an exact two hundred years, however, due to the death of the seventh mayor of Ember, a box containing instructions on how to permanently evacuate the city was lost, leaving Ember to just barely survive another forty-one years before the box was recovered by Lina Mayfleet, a descendant of the seventh mayor.
In the late years of Ember, everyone in the town dreaded the thought of the lights going out and never coming back on. The sky was constantly dark in Ember with the only lights coming from the top of large poles and flood lamps that were attached to the buildings throughout the city, though they were turned off between 9 pm and 6 am.
Ember was located within a vast cave approximately one mile below the surface. The cave was most likely man-made and at the center of it lied the city itself with the river to the north, the greenhouses to the east, and the beehives and trash heaps to the south. The land that lied beyond was commonly referred to as the Unknown Regions.
Ember was widely known as an underground city, thus there was limited light with the exception of flood lamps and lampposts located all across the city. Ember's layout seemed to be very organized with various squares and other commercial areas situated near public buildings as well as homes.
During the common blackouts that occurred in the city, it was entirely dark in homes and even out on the streets. Individuals would be able to get lost incredibly easily. While the Troggs' were practically ruling over the abandoned Ember, it was chaotic all around with several characteristics off and out of place, one such example being Harken Square which was home to an enormous fire that provided light to the broad majority of the usually dark city.
Past the hour of 9 pm and before 6 pm, all the city's lights would automatically go off including the ones located in homes and public spaces.
Following the construction of the City of Ember, the city was populated by one hundred infants and one hundred adults—fifty men and fifty women—for the purpose of expanding the set population and caring for the one hundred infants. [1] The adults were all middle-aged and were strictly instructed to bring no means of recording, which included writing, filming, or photographing. [1] In spite of the order, Nicole Randolph smuggled in a notebook in which she logged the events leading up to the settlement of Ember and ditched the notebook near the entrance. The adults were to raise the children as their own.
A titanium box was left in the care of the first mayor. It contained the instructions for leaving Ember, it would automatically open in two hundred years, which was when it was assumed that it would be safe to leave. [2] [3]
A titanium box was left in the care of the first mayor. It contained the instructions for leaving Ember, it would automatically open in two hundred years, which was when it was assumed that it would be safe to leave. [4] [5]
after Doon Harrow and Lina Mayfleet eavacuted ember, lina throwed a rock with the instructions and messages tied together with a string into a hole where no rain can get thru it, then doon's dad found it and the news spreaded and everyone except the mayor evacuted.
After the Emberites left, the Troggs found and inhabited Ember. They renamed it Darkhold due to the lack of light and the amount of treasures it held.
When Lina Mayfleet and Doon Harrow returned to Ember, they found it inhabited by the Troggs. The Troggs captured Doon while Lina escaped, Doon later did the same with the help of Scawgo. They bid their final farewells to Ember and left though later they returned with the citizens of Sparks to collect leftover materials and food as well as to collect the diamonds.
In Ember, there were certain celebrations such as the Singing, where the citizens sung three songs that acted much like the anthems of the city. The songs that were always sung were the "Song of the River", the "Song of the City", and the "Song of Darkness." Each song had an accompanying banner as well. The songs were conducted by the song master.
Another special day in Ember was Assignment Day, when the twelve-year-old students of the highest class were assigned a job by reaching into a bag filled with various papers inscribed with job names.
There was mention of something called the Cloving Square Dance Day, although this seemed to be a one-time event.
Upon the death of an individual, friends and family took the body beyond the Trash Heaps, and sung "The Song of Goodbye," and abandoned the body to decomposition.
The city was called "Ember" because it maintained and protected the last remnants of humanity, in a state much like the embers of a fire. Maddy told Lina that Sparks was a place that was just starting out, much like how sparks were the start of a fire. It was probably also a reference to the fact that Ember was "the only light in a dark world", as it was a city surrounded entirely by darkness, much like an ember in the night.
