Hrathen's seon
| Unknown | |
|---|---|
| Abilities | Splinter of Devotion |
| Bonded With | Hrathen |
| Species | Seon |
| Homeworld | Sel |
| Universe | Cosmere |
Hrathen's seon is a magical being on Sel that is used by the gyorn Hrathen for communication purposes.[1]
Appearance and Personality
Hrathen's seon is described as having a similar size and appearance to other seons—a small floating, glowing sphere.[2] Her Aon, and therefore her name, are not known. She is patient and obedient.[2] Her voice is soft, melancholy, and feminine.[2][3]
Attributes and Abilities
Hrathen's seon appears to have the same powers as other seons, including the ability to instantly communicate through other seons.[4][2] She obeys Hrathen's commands and refers to him as "my lord", which would seem to indicate that the two are bonded.[5] The seon was presumably given to Hrathen by a process called Passing.[6]
History
Background
Hrathen was Fjordell, and like other followers of Shu-Dereth he viewed Aonic magic as "heathen".[2] Many people in Fjordell did not even believe that seons existed.[2] Hrathen always believed that they are real, but he had several misconceptions about them, including an assumption that they were created by Elantrians.[2] Hrathen ascended the ranks of the Derethi church and became one of twenty gyorns, high priests that directly served Wyrn Wulfden the Fourth.[7] He was shocked to learn that Wyrn and the other gyorns each had a seon that they used for communication, and had to be convinced by Wyrn over a period of several years that their use by the Derethi was justified.[2] It is not known how the Derethi church originally obtained the seons.
Assignment to Hrathen
The seon was given to Hrathen and he kept her in a steel box with an elaborate locking system; he also kept the box itself well hidden.[2] Hrathen believed that the church would be embarrassed if common people knew that it used the magic that it condemned.[2] Seons cannot pass through solid matter[8] so Hrathen's seon was imprisoned, although she made no effort to escape when the box was opened.[2] She remained unfailingly obedient, but Hrathen still felt disgust and distrust towards all seons, more so than other gyorns.[2] Hrathen's seon was generally forbidden to speak, and Hrathen sometimes left the box unopened for months.[2] Their relationship was completely different from the loving connections seen between Aonic characters and their seons (such as Raoden's with Ien)[9] and Hrathen's thoughts and actions were incongruous with what is known about the usual nature of the human-seon bond.[5][10]
As a communicator
Hrathen used her to contact Wyrn regarding a plot involving Telrii.[2] She was later used to contact Forton, a use which was not sanctioned but not technically forbidden.[11] Hrathen procured some potions from Forton and kept them in the box.[3] When Hrathen feigned becoming an Elantrian, someone rifled through his belongings and the box was damaged, but the seon was not discovered.[3]
Unbeknownst to Hrathen, the Dakhor gragdet Dilaf always knew about his seon; at one point, he used her to contact Eventeo and threaten him.[12] Her fate after Hrathen's death is not known.
Trivia
- This seon could be featured in a potential Elantris sequel, possibly even as a viewpoint character, after bonding with Adien.[13]
Notes
- ↑ Elantris chapter 13#
- ↑ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Elantris chapter 12#
- ↑ a b c Elantris chapter 36#
- ↑ Elantris chapter 2#
- ↑ a b Elantris Annotations
— Arcanum - 2005-07-29# - ↑ Elantris Annotations
— Arcanum - 2005-10-24# - ↑ Elantris chapter 5#
- ↑ TWG Posts
— Arcanum - 2005-05-06# - ↑ Elantris chapter 16#
- ↑ Alloy of Law release party
— Arcanum - 2011-11-07# - ↑ Elantris chapter 18#
- ↑ Elantris chapter 59#
- ↑ Elantris Annotations
— Arcanum - 2005-07-15#