Elhokar Kholin

Elhokar Kholin
by Marie Seeberger
House Kholin Spouse Aesudan Children Gavinor Parents Gavilar, Navani Siblings Jasnah Relatives Dalinar, Adolin, Renarin, Kaves Ancestors Dalinar's father, Sadees
Born	1147
Died	Siege of Kholinar 1174
Abilities	Shardbearer
Titles	King of Alethkar
Nationality	Alethi
Homeworld	Roshar
Universe	Cosmere

“Perhaps the liar here is me—lying to tell myself I could do this, that I could be a fraction of the man my father was. ”

—Elhokar to Dalinar

Elhokar Kholin is the king of Alethkar directly following his father Gavilar.

Appearance and Personality

Elhokar has green eyes. He keeps himself clean-shaven. His face is "almost too handsome" with full lips, a broad forehead, and a firm chin. He bears a resemblance to his father, though Elhokar has fewer scars than Gavilar did.

Elhokar suffers from a deep paranoia and fear of assassins, especially after his father is killed. Because of his suspicious nature, he wears his Shardplate far more often than other Shardbearers. He dislikes people mentioning his father, believing correctly that the Alethi often compare him unfavorably to Gavilar.

Despite his own uncertainty in his ability to rule, Elhokar is capable of making decisive action and manages to control the Highprinces, if just barely. He is also a capable warrior, despite being easily defeated by his uncle. His wife Aesudan manages the kingdom in his absence.

Elhokar was a spoiled and somewhat childish character who technically ruled Alethkar, but was not taken seriously by anyone, including Dalinar, who performed most of Elhokar's actual duties. However, Elhokar matures and sees the flaws in himself and his rule. He goes so far as to formally hand off most of his power to Dalinar as highking, while requesting to remain in power of Kholinar, insisting that he is not a terrible ruler, but that Alethkar needs an exceptional ruler if Roshar is to survive what is to come. He also tries to step up and take responsibility as king, and goes to Kholinar with Kaladin, Skar, Drehy, Shallan, and Adolin in an attempt to recapture the city. On their trip, Elhokar tells Kaladin to save the operation if and when the he himself fails in his duties, admitting that Kaladin is a natural hero, while the he is prone to mistakes. Kaladin notes that this humbled Elhokar is very different from the general impression he had of the king.

• Images of Elhokar
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  by Marie SeebergerPortrait
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  by KiebieArtPortrait
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  Elhokar in his uniform by User: Sheep

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  Elhokar and the mirror by User: Sheep

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  Elhokar in Shardplate by Ben McSweeney

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  by CastaYounger Jasnah and Elhokar
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  by jurassicpencil
• Elokhar Framed Portrait by Grant Hansen.png

  by Grant M. Hansen A framed portrait
• 

  by Grant M. Hansen Drinking

History

by jurassicpencil

War of Reckoning

After the assassination of Gavilar, Elhokar vows to avenge his father by waging war against the Parshendi, who claimed responsibility for the king's death. He makes the highprinces swear to the Vengeance Pact to help him in his conquest, thereby managing to keep his kingdom together for now. 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. The King's paranoia stemmed from the assassination of his father and he feared that he would meet the same fate, although he overcompensated on the battlefield and often acted recklessly to the dismay of his family and guards. This paranoia was furthered by his ability to see strange creatures (almost certainly Cryptics) in mirrors.

Elhokar's deep fear of assassination caused him to fake an assassination attempt on his own life by cutting the girth strap on his saddle, in order to trigger an investigation on those who wish him dead. Although this rash action placed suspicion on his uncle Dalinar, this method did yield results as it was found that weakened gemstones were placed in his Shardplate by an unknown individual.

He was almost assassinated by Moash and Graves on multiple occasions. When Moash comes into the palace to kill Elhokar, he is saved by Kaladin who then speaks the third ideal of the Windrunners.

After recovering from the attempt on his life. Elhokar moves to Urithiru and gives his blessing to Dalinar and Navani's marriage. He later tries to abdicate in favor of Dalinar, but they settle on the title of Highking, giving Dalinar authority over Elhokar and his kingdom. They agree to keep this unofficial until Kholinar has been freed and they are sure Elhokar still has an Alethkar to rule over.

Death

Shortly before his death, Shallan sketches Elhokar as a righteous and proud king and Elhokar, moved by the drawing, is inspired to be a good ruler for his people, despite all the faults he finds within himself. He is clutching this drawing when he is killed, using it as inspiration to become a Radiant. Unfortunately for the king, he is stabbed to death while speaking the First Ideal, unable to complete the words in time to save himself.

Elhokar is slain in Kholinar while trying to escape to the city's Oathgate with Adolin, Kaladin, Shallan, Skar, Drehy, and Azure. During their escape, the city is invaded by a parshmen army and several Fused. The army kills almost the entire Wall Guard, but it is Moash who slays Elhokar, by stabbing him through the chest and eye. Immediately before his death, Kaladin hears the king begin to mutter the First Ideal, and sees the king start glowing with Stormlight, but the king was not able to finish the words before he was run through by Moash. Later, Hoid rescues a Cryptic hiding near the scene of his death. His body was eventually burned with honors.

The king's son, Gavinor, survives and remains in Kholinar with Drehy and Skar while the others are transported to Shadesmar. The former three, along with Vathah, Red, Ishnah, and a local merchant managed to escape and send for help via spanreed. They are rescued by Kaladin after a scribe sent by Dalinar informs him of their location.

Attributes and Abilities

Had he completed saying the First Ideal, Elhokar would have become a Lightweaver, one who can make illusions and does not require the use of a fabrial in order to Soulcast. This was foreshadowed in The Way of Kings:

“ I see their faces in mirrors. Symbols, twisted, inhuman ”

— Elhokar Kholin

This description is very similar to the apparitions that Shallan observes in her drawings.

“ a figure with a sharp, angular symbol hovering above its collar instead of a head ”

— Shallan Davar

Elhokar also notices Pattern on Shallan's skirt and notes that it looks familiar to him.

Shardwielding

Elhokar is a Shardbearer, with both a Shardblade and Shardplate. His Shardblade is called Sunraiser and is long and thin with a large crossguard. It is etched with the ten basic glyphs up the sides of the blade.

He also owns several additional sets of Plate and Blade that are often loaned out. His father's Shardblade, Firestorm, and Shardplate are among these.

Trivia

• If Elhokar had lived long enough to speak his first Truth, it would be to admit that he was a bad king.

Notes

Preceded by Gavilar Kholin

Monarch of Alethkar

Succeeded by Jasnah Kholin

Footnotes

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