The Stone Sky
Chapter 12: NASSUN UNDERGROUND
by Jemisin, N. K.Nassun and Schaffa descend a mysterious underground stairwell, its walls unnervingly clean and its lights still functional despite being part of an ancient ruin. Nassun questions the oddities of the place, but Schaffa admits he doesn’t fully understand the workings of such “deadciv” remnants. Their journey is tense, with Nassun observing Schaffa’s mood through subtle physical cues, a habit ingrained from her troubled past. As they pause to rest on a landing, Nassun’s exhaustion and curiosity lead her to press Schaffa about the purpose of Guardians during a Season, hinting at deeper mysteries surrounding their role.
Schaffa explains that Guardians leave their communities during Seasons because they are unable to contribute long-term—unable to have children and becoming increasingly difficult to live with due to their need for “silver,” a resource tied to orogeny. Nassun deduces that Guardians may take silver from non-orogenes, a dark possibility. When she asks if Schaffa ever tried to have children, he reveals that Guardians carry the latent trait of orogeny, though it doesn’t manifest in them. This revelation unsettles Nassun, who reflects on the cruelty of her own orogene upbringing compared to Schaffa’s hidden inheritance.
The conversation takes a darker turn as Schaffa recalls fragments of his past, including the painful corestone embedded in his neck, a visible reminder of the violence done to him. Nassun struggles to reconcile the kindness of Schaffa with the brutality of other Guardians. Schaffa admits that while he once believed he loved the orogenes he guarded, his role involved enforcing small cruelties to prevent greater atrocities—genocide. He defines genocide as the systematic eradication of orogenes, not just through killing but through dehumanization and sterilization, a reality that has been unfolding for centuries.
Nassun grapples with the horrifying realization that the persecution of orogenes is not accidental but deliberately engineered by the Guardians. Despite their power, orogenes are vulnerable because they depend on society for survival. The chapter ends with Nassun questioning whether true genocide doesn’t always leave physical bodies—suggesting that the destruction of personhood and hope can be just as lethal. This revelation leaves her with a growing certainty about the systemic forces arrayed against her and all orogenes.
FAQs
1. What are some unusual features Nassun notices about the underground environment, and why might these details be significant?
Answer:
Nassun observes that the underground stairwell lacks dust and stale air, with functional lights and doors—highly unusual for a deadciv ruin. These details suggest advanced, maintained technology far beyond typical abandoned structures. The absence of decay hints at ongoing systems or preservation magic, deepening the mystery of the Guardians’ purpose here. Schaffa’s vague response (“because”) implies even Guardians don’t fully understand these mechanisms, reinforcing the theme of lost knowledge and the eerie, controlled nature of the setting.2. How does Schaffa explain the Guardians’ departure from communities during Seasons, and what does this reveal about their societal role?
Answer:
Schaffa states Guardians leave because they offer no long-term value to communities: they’re sterile, and without orogenes to tend, they become “difficult to live with.” This implies their dependence on orogeny for stability—possibly due to their corestone implants driving them to seek magic (silver). The admission exposes Guardians as both protectors and parasites, sustaining orogenes to prevent genocide while systematically oppressing them. This duality underscores the tragic cycle of control “for survival,” where Guardians perpetuate the very system that dehumanizes orogenes.3. Analyze Nassun’s realization about genocide. How does Schaffa’s definition expand her understanding of orogene oppression?
Answer:
Schaffa defines genocide as exterminating a people “down to the very idea of them,” which shocks Nassun. She connects this to orogenes’ systemic dehumanization: not just physical killings but cultural erasure (e.g., forced sterilization, anti-orogene propaganda). Her epiphany—that “genocide doesn’t always leave bodies”—highlights psychological and structural violence. The Guardians’ “task” to preserve orogeny while crushing personhood mirrors this, framing their cruelty as a slower genocide. Nassun’s horror reflects her growing awareness of her own place in this engineered system.4. Why does Nassun struggle to reconcile Schaffa’s past as a Guardian with his current behavior, and what does this reveal about her character?
Answer:
Nassun cannot imagine Schaffa—who treats her with kindness—as one of the “awful” Guardians who tortured orogenes. This cognitive dissonance stems from her trauma with Jija, making her hypervigilant to authority figures’ moods. Schaffa’s confession that he “loved” his charges while inflicting “small cruelties” forces her to confront complexity: oppressors can believe they’re benevolent. Her discomfort shows her evolving moral clarity, as she begins to question systemic violence rather than individual actors, signaling her transition from victim to critical thinker.5. How does the chapter frame orogenic power as both a strength and a vulnerability?
Answer:
Nassun reflects that despite her world-ending power, she’s still a child dependent on communities for survival. Orogeny can’t protect her from societal hatred or loneliness, revealing its limits against systemic oppression. The Guardians’ control—exploiting orogenes’ necessity while denying their autonomy—turns power into a trap: strength ensures survival but invites subjugation. This paradox mirrors real-world dynamics where marginalized groups are both relied upon and persecuted, emphasizing that true power requires more than raw ability—it demands structural change.
Quotes
1. “With deadciv ruins, sometimes the answer is simply ‘because.’”
This quote captures the mysterious and ancient nature of the underground world Nassun and Schaffa are exploring. It reflects the chapter’s theme of encountering the inexplicable remnants of a lost civilization, setting the tone for the surreal journey ahead.
2. “We leave during Seasons because we have nothing to offer to a comm, little one. I cannot have children, for one thing, which makes me a less than ideal community adoptee. However much I might contribute toward the survival of any comm, its investment in me will return only short-term gains.”
This reveals Schaffa’s perspective on Guardians’ roles and limitations during catastrophic Seasons. It introduces the idea of transactional survival dynamics in this world and hints at the deeper systemic issues surrounding orogenes and Guardians.
3. “Killing a people, down to the very idea of them as a people.”
This powerful definition of genocide comes during Schaffa’s explanation of the Guardians’ paradoxical mission. It crystallizes the central conflict of the story - the systematic dehumanization of orogenes while simultaneously depending on their existence.
4. “We prevent orogeny from disappearing—because in truth, the people of the world would not survive without it. Orogenes are essential. And yet because you are essential, you cannot be permitted to have a choice in the matter. You must be tools—and tools cannot be people.”
This quote encapsulates the tragic core of the novel’s premise - the necessary oppression of orogenes. It presents the fundamental contradiction that drives the story’s conflict: society’s dependence on a group it refuses to recognize as fully human.
5. “And maybe … maybe genocide doesn’t always leave bodies.”
Nassun’s chilling realization represents a turning point in her understanding of oppression. This profound insight suggests that destruction of a people can occur through systemic dehumanization and cultural erasure, not just physical extermination.