Gaotona

Gaotona
by botanicaxu
Profession	Arbiter
Groups	Heritage Faction
Nationality	Grand
Homeworld	Sel
Universe	Cosmere

Gaotona is an arbiter of the Heritage Faction of the Rose Empire on Sel. He is noted as being the most influential of the arbiters, due to favor of the emperor .

Appearance and Personality

He is elderly, and the oldest of the arbiters . He is noted for being a very genuine person.^[expand]

• Images of Gaotona
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  Portrait by User: Botanicaxu

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  The Emperor's Soul by User: Botanicaxu

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  Gaotona and Shai by Lyraina

History

Gaotona was born in the same area as Ashravan. He extensively studied art of historical cultures. He became Ashravan's mentor, constantly encouraging him to become emperor. He is known to have been incredibly close with Ashravan, which has given him influence among the other arbiters. Gaotona, along with Frava and three others, were appointed as the five main arbiters of the Rose Empire. The resentment Ashravan felt for Gaotona slowly pushed Gaotona out of favor with the emperor. Gaotona disagreed with Frava on almost every topic discussed. When the Glory Faction sent assassins after the emperor, Gaotona and the other arbiters took over with damage control. They first brought in resealers to heal the wound. The physical wound was healed, but Ashravan's mind was gone. To keep their positions, Gaotona and the other arbiters considered secretly hiring Shai, currently a prisoner, to reForge Ashravan's soul. Gaotona, observing Shai's artwork, voted yes on using her out of a desire to understand her. This was the first time in years he and Frava had agreed on a vote.

Gaotona volunteers to personally oversee Shai's work to reForge Ashravan's soul. He is extremely cautious in guarding Shai. He forbids her from telling her guards about her work. He also employs Weedfingers to use Bloodsealing to prevent Shai from escaping. Gaotona's previous interaction with Weedfingers led him to believe the man is trustworthy in imprisoning her. Gaotona continued to watch and visit Shai each day as she worked. While Shai was doing her initial research into Ashravan's life, gaotona brought a book to her room to read. Gaotona asks Shai to tell him about how Forgery works after he wattches her Forge the desk in her room. He finds the bits of Realmatic Theory that she tells him to be superstitious nonsense, but his mind is open to learning. At Shai's advice, Gaotona increases the security around the emperor. He appoints someone to change a fake chamber pot and forbids anyone without a card showing his personal signature to enter the room. The seventeenth day after the assassination attempt, Gaotona took a break from watching Shai and went to the Delbahad festivities.

Gaotona offered himself up as the test subject for Shai's Essence Marks, as he fit the qualifications and did not want to subject any of his people to the abomination of Soul Forgery. The first one he tried took, but the second did not. Talking to Shai about art, Gaotona realized there was something the arbiters missed about ShuXen's painting. Shai admitted to him that the version hanging in Frava's office was a fake and that she'd burned the original. Angry at the destruction, Gaotona left for the day.

As time goes by, his understanding as well as relationship with Shai slowly develops. In the end, he aids in her escape; he returns her Essence Marks to her after Ashravan's soul Forgery is completed, allowing her of the powerful abilities that eventually saves her.

Notes

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