Riino
| Riino | |
|---|---|
| Abilities | Elantrian, Worldhopper |
| Aliases | Rii Oracle |
| Groups | Ire |
| Birthplace | Sel |
| Residence | Shadesmar |
| Homeworld | Sel, Roshar |
| Universe | Cosmere |
“ You came here for a fortune, didn’t you? You wish me to see the unwalked paths—during the highstorm, when realms blend. ”
Riino is a formerly-Hoed Elantrian and a member of the Ire from Sel.[2] In the present, he serves as a lighthouse keeper and oracle in Roshar's Shadesmar.[1]
His name derives from Aon Rii, or Wealth.
Appearance and Personality
As a Hoed, he is small and extremely wrinkled; Raoden thinks he appears to be "a thousand years old".[3] When Kaladin and the others meet him, he has retained the wrinkled skin and also has the bald head common to Elantrians. Kaladin thinks he is Shin,[1] presumably because, as an offworlder, he lacks the epicanthic fold seen in most Rosharans but the Shin.
He displays a flair for showmanship; in his role as a fortune seer, he delivers a dramatic speech to entice potential customers into paying for fortunes, and confesses that he quite enjoys doing so. Once he realizes that Kaladin is not there for a fortune, however, he becomes businesslike and helpful, setting the travelers up with transportation and supplies. He's a follower of Shu-Korath, or at least has been heavily exposed to it.[1]
History
“ We were so beautiful once. My hair so bright, my skin full of light. Aons fluttered from my fingers. They were so beautiful… ”
Riino becomes an Elantrian at some point before the Reod; he eventually becomes a Hoed, repeating a mantra of "Beautiful, once so very beautiful...", referring to the lost beauty of Elantris and the Elantrians.[4] He survives until Raoden, ten years after the Reod, realizes what his mantra means and attempts to get information on AonDor from him. Riino displays just enough rationality and memory to direct Raoden to put him into Devotion's Perpendicularity, where he appears to dissolve.[3][5]
In actuality, he is transported to the Cognitive Realm, where he seems to recover his mind. Eventually, he takes up a post at a lighthouse on the Rosharan subastral of the Cognitive Realm, in the Sea of Lost Lights. He settles there for a specific reason, and though he is a member of the Ire,[2] his purpose is unrelated to the Ire's overall goals.[6]
When Kaladin, Shallan, Adolin, their spren and Azure accidentally enter Shadesmar, their travels bring them to Riino. Kaladin attempts to sneak up on Riino, who detects him anyway. Riino introduces himself as the "Rii Oracle" and offers to tell Kaladin's fortune during a highstorm, using a large globe filled with what appears to be Stormlight. When Kaladin touches the globe and has a vision of his own, Riino is surprised, and manages to guess how Kaladin has access to Investiture required.[1]
When the rest of the group arrives, Riino negotiates prices with them on supplies, and helps them get a ship to Celebrant.[1] He eventually drops them off into the care of the Reachers and returns to his lighthouse, having apparently decided that the matter is no longer his concern.[7]
Abilities and Attributes
Riino is an Elantrian, and as such, has all the associated powers, including functional immortality, healing and the ability to use Aons.[4] He seems capable of functioning as an Elantrian at a considerable distance from Sel, without the Dor channel that the Ire used back in the days of the Final Empire.[8][1] How he achieves this, and whether it's something available to all Ire at the time of the True Desolation, is unknown.
Riino is a worldhopper, having travelled at the very least from Sel to Roshar. He seems to be fairly cosmere-aware, mentioning being Invested, Heightenings, and Surgebinding.[1]
Futuresight
Riino has an ability to predict the future, assisted by some sort of shining globe. Whatever the globe is, it isn't a fabrial, as it doesn't feature a gemstone. While Riino himself mentions that utilizing it requires specific training, the globe can grant visions to the uninitiated. It requires that its surroundings be highly Invested, which is why Riino uses it only during a highstorm.[1]
This being said, Azure believes that Riino is a charlatan, using various euphoric substances and psychological manipulation to make people believe he can see the future.[1] Considering that Kaladin's vision appears to have been correct, she's likely wrong, though it's also possible that the vision is unrelated to the globe, as Kaladin has seen true things in highstorms before.
Trivia
- Riino's connection to the events of Elantris has not been revealed on-page; rather, Brandon pointed to it unprompted, referring to a scene where Kaladin meets "our 'so very beautiful' friend from Elantris".[5]
Notes
- ↑ a b c d e f g h i j Oathbringer chapter 97#
- ↑ a b Skyward Seattle signing
— Arcanum - 2018-11-10# - ↑ a b c Elantris chapter 25#
- ↑ a b Elantris chapter 4#
- ↑ a b /rStormlight_Archive
— Arcanum - 2017-11-29# - ↑ ICon 2019
— Arcanum - 2019-10-15# - ↑ Oathbringer chapter 99#
- ↑ Mistborn: Secret History part 5 chapter 2#