Palona

Palona
by Sheep
Residence	Urithiru
Nationality	Herdazian
Homeworld	Roshar
Universe	Cosmere

Palona is a Herdazian on Roshar. As the longtime mistress of Highprince Turinad Sebarial, she is effectively a member of the nobility of Alethkar.

Appearance and Personality

Palona is described as having dark eyes and the rocklike crystalline fingernails of a Herdazian. She is short, middle-aged, and has dark, curly hair. She speaks with a Herdazian accent and presumably has the typical deep tan skin of her people.

She is kind, although she is sometimes blunt. Shallan Davar notes several instances when Palona helpfully anticipates her needs, and Palona often pays personal visits to her quarters.

Palona enjoys luxury, spending money, and wearing fashionable clothing, yet she is not pretentious. She sometimes appears to be detached from events occurring around her, as she is seen relaxing with a novel during the Battle of Narak and reading gossip reports amidst the squabbling of Rosharan royalty. Her contemporaries, including Shallan and Navani Kholin, tend to make light of her penchant for massages.

Although she is not married to Turinad, she runs the household and appears to be familiar with the traditions of Alethi nobility. However, she does not have the modesty of a typical Vorin woman, as she does not cover her back while being massaged, even when other people are present. She covers her safehand, but is sometimes careless about showing it.

History

Little is known of Palona's history before meeting Sebarial. She obliquely referred to herself as a "stray" that Turinad brought home. Recent years had seen significant migration of Herdazian people to Alethkar and Jah Keved and the Sebarial warcamp likely had the largest Herdazian population on the Shattered Plains, but neither of those facts were explicitly linked to Palona's presence. Her birthplace is unknown. The duration of Palona and Sebarial's relationship is unclear, but it seemed to be well-established by the end of the War of Reckoning; other nobles were never surprised by Palona's presence, nor did they comment on the nature of her arrangement with Sebarial.

Palona claimed that Turinad wants to marry her, while Turinad said that he paid more than three broams a week for Palona; it is not clear if either of these statements were meant literally, as the two of them tended to playfully antagonize one another.

Shattered Plains

Palona was first seen living in the Sebarial warcamp on the Shattered Plains. The Sebarial warcamp was well-constructed and more similar to a city than other warcamps, and Palona lived in a manor with Turinad. Their home's interior was particularly opulent, with marble, silk, crystal, and gold among the materials used in the decor. The residence also had numerous servants, running water, and gardens with ornamental shalebark.

When Sebarial brought Shallan to the manor, Palona was very welcoming. She ensured that Shallan received a stipend that Turinad promised, her own room and servants, housing for her entourage, and the use of a horse-drawn carriage for transportation. She also helped Shallan improve the Herdazian accent that she occasionally used while disguised. Palona reviewed reports from Shallan regarding both House Sebarial's finances and updates on local events.

As the mistress of a Highprince, Palona attended many events for the Alethi elite. She was present when Adolin and Renarin Kholin fought an ill-advised duel against multiple Shardbearers. She insisted on coming to the Shattered Plains when Sebarial agreed to join Dalinar Kholin's assault on the Parshendi. Palona wore fashionable clothing while she and Sebarial lounged and ate sellafruit, even as the fighting escalated. Dalinar was surprised to learn that Sebarial actually helped during the battle, indicating that the couple may have been paying more attention than it seemed.

Urithiru

Palona was among the many residents of the Shattered Plains who moved to Urithiru after the activation of the Stormseat Oathgate. Sebarial's actions at the end of the War of Reckoning gained Dalinar's trust and he was named Highprince of Commerce, giving House Sebarial additional influence in the displaced Alethi government. Palona was among the first people to see the corpse of Torol Sadeas after his murder in the halls of Urithiru, and flippantly called his death a "problem solved", as she was one of the many people who hated Sadeas. She was present at Dalinar and Navani's small wedding ceremony, as well as Dalinar's meetings when he attempted to form a multinational coalition as part of his plan to unite Roshar. She was one of the first people to know that Jasnah Kholin had been crowned as Queen.

Shallan continued to live with Sebarial and Palona in their section of Urithiru, and she saw Palona as something of a mother figure who often checked in on her. Palona appeared in Shallan's sketchbook, and her face sometimes appeared in Shallan's Lightweaving illusions. Palona took an interest in Shallan's interaction with Re-Shephir, and thought that the other Unmade should be sought out to ensure that they were imprisoned.

Notes

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