Difference between revisions of "Elhokar Kholin"

|relatives=[[Dalinar]], [[Adolin]], [[Renarin]], [[Kaves]]

|abilities={{tag+|Shardbearer}}, {{tag+|Lightweaver}}

|died=[[Siege of Kholinar]] {{Rosharan date|1174}}{{wob ref|7832}}, killed by [[Moash]]

|booksfirst appeared=[[The StormlightWay of ArchiveKings]]

'''Elhokar Kholin''' is the king of [[Alethkar]] on [[Roshar]] from 1167 to his death in 1174, and the nephew of [[Dalinar]].{{book ref|sa1|12}}

{{image|ElokharElhokar Framed Portrait by Grant Hansen.png|side=left|width=150px}}

Elhokar is deeply paranoid, fearing assassins everyever since his father was killed by one, and thus wears his [[Shardplate]] far more often than other Shardbearers.{{book ref|sa1|58}} Due to Elhokar's youth and paranoia his ability to rule was questioned by those under his rule and he maintained a weakened authority over the ten Highprinces. He also has a strong complex about being compared to his father. He vacillates between extremely spoiled, demanding respect for the sheer fact of being a king, and fearful, keenly aware that he does not measure up as a ruler.{{book ref|sa2|80}} He lacks the spine or accomplishments to stand up to [[Dalinar]] when the latter starts to take more and more power, and the highprinces often talk around him, with Elhokar himself serving more as a unifying figurehead than a true leader.{{book ref|sa2|38}} He has a habit of surrounding himself with sycophants and people intent on using him for their own purposes.{{book ref|sa2|62}}{{book ref|sa3|84}} Perhaps related to that, he seems to have very low self-esteem. Furthermore, his paranoia was furthered by his ability to see [[Cryptic|strange creatures]] in mirrors.{{book ref|sa1|58}} He has narcissistic personality disorder, caring little for the feelings of others and being very concerned about his reputation.{{wob ref|12800}}

By the time of his death, Elhokar is a budding [[Surgebinder]] of the [[Order of Lightweavers]], although he passes away before he can finish stating the First Ideal.{{book ref|sa3|84}} In the months or years leading up to his death, he's been seeing [[Cryptic]]s, in their [[Shadesmar]] form, in mirrors.{{book ref|sa1|58}} He seems to have also spotted a [[Physical Realm|Physical]] form of a Cryptic at some point -- possibly [[Design]], the spren that began a proto-bond with him.{{book ref|sa3|74}}{{book ref|sa4|epilogue}} If Elhokar had lived long enough to speak his first [[Order of Lightweavers#Ideals of the Lightweavers|Truth]], it would be to admit that he was a bad king.{{wob ref|11730}} Pretending he was a good king for years was also the lie that drew the Cryptics to him.{{wob ref|12364}}

=== Early Life ({{Rosharan date|1147}} - {{Rosharan date|1166}}) ===

A year before Gavilar's deaddeath, Elhokar was left in charge of the kingdom while his father was out on his expeditions. Elhokar was good friends with the lighteyed [[Roshone]], who owned several silversmith shops. Roshone didn't like the competition from a pair of darkeyed silversmiths, [[Moash]]'s grandparents. At Roshone's request, Elhokar had them brought in, on made up charges. He then seemedleft tothem have forgotten about themthere, causing themand tothey diedied in the dungeons while awaiting their trial.{{book ref|sa2|44}}{{book ref|sa2|62}}

{{image|ElokharSaving Elhokar by GrantMarie HansenSeeberger.jpg|side=left|width=200px|side=right[[Dalinar]] saving Elhokar from the [[chasmfiend]]}}

=== War of Reckoning ({{Rosharan date|1167}} - {{Rosharan date|1174}}) ===

After the assassination of Gavilar, Elhokar vowed to avenge his father by waging war against the Parshendi, who claimed responsibility for the king's death. He made the highprinces swear to the [[Vengeance Pact]] to help him in his conquest, thereby managing to keep his kingdom together forin nowthe short term. During the early years of the war, Elhokar sent messengers to the Parshendi asking for explanations, but no answers came.{{book ref|sa1|15}}

Several years after the start of the war, in {{Rosharan date|1173}}, Elhokar lead an expedition including Dalinar, Sadeas, Adolin, Renarin and many other lighteyes and a thousand soldiers on to the shattered plains for a greatshell hunt. When they closed on the hunting grounds, the king galloped ofoff in his shardplate to a rock formation with a good vantage. Dalinar was forced to chase after him. At the summit, they discussed Elhokar's fear of assassination. When the huntmaster placed the bait one plateau over, the Chasmfiend climbed onto the viewing plateau.{{book ref|sa1|12}} Elhokar lead the assault on the creature together with Dalinar. He went to distract the beast so the others could fight it. Suddenly his saddle girth broke, and Elhokar fell to the ground. Dalinar urged him to get away from the fight, but Elhokar charged the Chasmfiend instead. In the skirmish, the king got knocked ofoff his feet by the beast. Only the timely arrival of Dalinar, who caught the beast's claw, saved his life. Glory spren appeared when Elhokar held the captured gemheart up.{{book ref|sa1|13}}

===== Watching the Duel =====

===== Return of the Assassin in White =====

When Kaladin made his way back into the palace, Elhokar was the first to accept his story on how he survived the fall with the assassin. He praised Kaladin for alerting them to the danger. When Navani asked why the assassin had come, Elhokar said he came to claim him. Neither Dalinar nor Kaladin corrected him. A bit later, the king went intinto his bedroom to get more wine. On the door he found a new series of glyphs with a countdown.{{book ref|sa2|33}}

===== Interviewing Taln =====

Elhokar and Dalinar talk with [[Bordin]] who had brought a madmenmadman from Kholinar to the warcamps. The man repeated the same things over and over, and called himself [[Talenel|Talenel'elinElin]], Herald of War. He had an unbonded Shardblade which befuddled them.{{book ref|sa2|i|7}}

After the attack, the king held a council with all highprinces and their wives. Many feared another attack and brought their shards.{{book ref|sa2|37}} During a break in the meeting, Shallan Davar arrived. The Highprinces argued over the assassin. The king insisted they had to follow his commands, which many found ludicrous. Dalinar made the case for an expedition to defeat the Parshendi once and for all. This ended the meeting. Shallan went to inform Elhokar of the deaddeath of his sister Jasnah. The king also sealed pardons for her retinue.{{book ref|sa2|38}}

===== Assassination attempt by the Diagram =====

After Kaladin had saved him, Elhokar went into hiding and was given shelter by [[Lopen|The Lopen]] and his family. Lopen's mother forced the king to eat more as he looked totoo pale.{{book ref|sa2|87}} The [[Herdazian]]s later escorted Elhokar to the Oathgate and [[Urithiru]].{{book ref|sa2|89}}

=== The True Desolation (1174 -{{Rosharan date|1174}}) ===

Elhokar attended the wedding of Dalinar and Navani on the top of Urithiru. He had been recuperating after the attempt on his livelife. When Dalinar expresses his sorrysorrow for usurping Elhokar's power, he responded that Dalinar always was and that it never stopped him from acting. He gave the couple his blessing as it would make his mother happy.{{book ref|sa3|4}}

During a highstorm, Kaladin and two squires flew the team including Shallan, Adolin and Elhokar towards Kholinar. When they approached the city, Kaladin scouted ahead. He reported the ParhendiParshendi were still besieging the city. Elhokar immediately wanted to get down and go into the city. Kaladin countered that something seemed wrong with the palace, and advised caution, which Adolin seconded. Elhokar gave in and they landed close to the city.{{book ref|sa3|60}}

Elhokar, Adolin and Kaladin interrogated [[Yokska]] the tailor, to find out about the current state of the city. She found it hard to tell the story without saying something bad about queen Aesudan, but Elhokar reassured her that their would be no reprisal. She then told about the riots, how the queen vanished from public eye and had the guards retreat. Elhokar found it all hard to take in and  resisted putting any blame on his wife, suggesting it was all the fault of the dark spren around the palace. When Yokska recalls the proclamation ordering the death of all the Parshmen, Elhokar found it reassuring that the message about the danger of the Parshmen had come through. A group of nobles went to the palace to protest, never to be seen again. Eventually the wallguard restored order and exiled the Parsh. In the end the city was now lawless. After dismissing the tailor, the group formed a plan. Elhokar concluded the voidbringers were cutting of the city for a siege. He wanted to be cautions while still take action. He suggested to have Shallan pretend to be a messenger from the plains with a letter from him for the queen to investigate the palace. When Kaladin complained about the rest of them needing to wait, Elhokar told him "Waiting and trusting those whom you have empowered is the soul of kingship, Windrunner."{{book ref|sa3|62}}

When Kaladin and Azure led an army from the Wall Guard to the tailor, Elhokar rushed outside to greatgreet them.{{book ref|sa3|82}} Azure informed Elhokar that the voidbringers had arrived and could start their attack at any moment. In turn, Elhokar commended her for her work with the Wall Guard. When everyone gathered, Elhokar gave the last instructions, including tasking Kaladin with getting the queen and the heir to safety. Right then drums had begun sounding in the distance, the wall was under attack. Azure made the case to attack right away, and Elhokar ordered to march on the palace. Elhokar quietly gave a spanreed to the ardent from the wall guards, with instructions to alert Urithiru at all costs.{{book ref|sa3|83}}

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When they charged down the stairs, they heard sounds of fighting from below. Below it was parshman troops joining the fight, which caused Kaladin to freeze when he recognized them. Elhokar stood in the center of the room holding is son, amid some soldiers. It became a chaotic melee, which Kaladin tried to stop but couldn't. The guards around Elhokar fell and he got hit in his arm. The king fell to his knees holding  his son in one arm and Shallan's sketch of him in the other. He then started to stutter, while slowly starting to glow:

|Life... life before death..., Strength... before weakness.... Journey.   Journey before...

The next known incarnation of Elhokar appears in ''[[The Way of Kings Prime]]|''The Way of Kings'' Prime]], the first draft of what would become ''[[The Stormlight Archive]]''. There, Elhokar participates in the same battle as Merin (proto-[[Kaladin]]). Sheneras, the eldest of Dalinar's three sons (since written out) dies to protect him, and when that is not enough, Merin steps in and saves his life, winning Shards in the process.{{book ref|wok'|1}} This version of Elhokar is already established as a bad king (and a significantly worse person overall); at the end of ''The Way of Kings Prime'' Prime, Dalinar is forced to kill him. Brandon, however, decided to leave him alive for a short while, deciding that the interplay between the two would be more interesting.{{wob ref|11552}}

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