The city of Ember was built as a refuge for humanity after a catastrophic event that made the outside world uninhabitable. The builders created Ember to ensure the survival of the human race, providing a protected environment where the citizens could live in safety.
The founders of Ember designed the city with a series of systems intended to maintain order and sustain life, including a reliable power source, underground infrastructure, and a food supply. They believed that this self-sufficient city would last for 200 years, at which point they expected people to be able to venture back outside. To guide future generations, they left behind a set of instructions known as the