Difference between revisions of "Summary:Elantris"

Crown Prince [[Raoden]] of [[Arelon]] wakes up to find that he has been taken by the [[Shaod]]. His father, King [[Iadon]], exiles him to [[Elantris]] with a small funeral offering of food and wine. Raoden meets a beggar and gives him a loaf of bread. He turns to walk away, only to hear the young beggar assaulted by five other Elantrians for the bread. He runs from the men, but finds his strength quickly fading and tosses the remainder of his basket to them. Raoden meets [[Galladon]], a man from [[Duladel]] also taken by the Shaod. Galladon informs Raoden that his injuries will not heal because he is dead, and Raoden finds that indeed, he has no heartbeat. Raoden decides to trust Galladon and offers him a piece of dried meat hidden from histhe basket in exchange for being his guideguidance in Elantris for 30 days.

Princess [[Sarene]] of [[Teod]] arrives in Arelon to find that she is now considered a widow to the presumed dead Raoden, despite the fact that they were only engaged and had never met. She discusses the relevant clause in the marriage contract with [[Ashe]], her [[Seonseon]], who confirms that the contract is firm on this point. She asks a servant of King Iadon, [[Ketol]], to take her to the prince's wake. At the wake, Sarene is not allowed to look in the casket (the excuse given is that the disease was disfiguring), and finds Iadon's absence from the funeral and the funeral's formality suspicious. She contemplates the loneliness of her life up to this point and the city of [[Kae]]. She discusses with Ashe the necessity of her marriage treaty and the alliance it brings to help ward off Fjorden invaders. She is taken to King Iadon, whom rudely dismisses her and hands her off to his wife, [[Eshen|Queen Eshen]], who proves to be a scatterbrained, frivolous woman. After settling in to her new rooms, she holds a conference with her father, [[Eventeo|King Eventeo]], to inform him of the death of her husband. He offers to void the marriage contract for her; Sarene is tempted, but decides that it is best for Teod if she remains.

[[Hrathen]], Fjordell gyorn, arrives by ship in Arelon to convert the people to [[Shu-Dereth]]. He has a three month deadline to finish the conversion, or else his god [[Jaddeth]] will destroy the ArelishArelene people. He surveys Elantris and the surrounding areas with a military eye, judging it to be too poorly organized to be defensible. Hrathen's presence and appearance, with the imposing plate armor of a Derethi high priest, causes a stir as he walks to the Derethi chapel. En route, he is met by [[Fjon]], Kae's Derethi head [[arteth]]. Hrathen is displeased with Fjon, and with the lack of order he encounters at the chapel, and orders all the Derethi priests to be gathered. Hrathen orders Fjon to return to Fjordell to be remediated in his religious faith, stating that Fjon has been corrupted by being in Arelon for too long.

Hrathen replaces Fjon as head arteth. Hrathen organizes his new office, and ruminates about a holy scroll written by the [[Wyrn (title)]] [[Wulfden|Wulfden the Fourth]], containing his orders. Fjon confronts Hrathen, asking for another chance to serve in Kae, but when reading the scroll, realizes that he could not have carried out the orders held within, and takes his leave to return to Fjordell.

Hrathen meets with Fjon's former underlings and realizes how disordered and corrupted by Arelon the chapel's staff had become. He only encounters one arteth with the proper potential, [[Dilaf]], who explained how while he was ArelishArelene, he had learned to follow the Derethi faith. Dilaf states he went to [[Rain]] and gained a Derethi following, then returned to Kae when the chapel was built. Fjon raised Dilaf to arteth, though he didn't have the authority to do so. Hrathen is impressed with Dilaf's teaching ability, though he also feels caution at his ardor, and appoints him arteth and [[odiv]], to both reward him and control him.

After Hrathen dismisses Dilaf by sending him to make sure that Fjon is boarding a ship for Fjordell, Hrathen rereads the scroll with his orders. The scroll states that all of the ArelishArelene and TeoishTeo people who fail to convert to Shu-Derethi within three months will be slain, and that Jaddeth will end his slumber within his tomb of rock, and ascend to rule. Hrathen wishes for the more peaceful resolution of conversion over annihilation.

After Hrathen departs, Sarene and Ashe discuss Iadon's ignorance of the current state of affairs and Fjorden's growing power. Sarene decides that Hrathen will be a more worthy recipient of her scorn than the ArelishArelene nobility. She realizes the danger that the gyorn poses and worries that he will successfully convert the citizens of Kae, and frets about how that would affect the alliance with Teod.

At Kiin's castle-like home, they are greeted by Kiin's wife [[Daora]], their children [[Kaise]] and [[Daorn]], and Daora's children [[Lukel]] and [[Adien]], and Lukel's wife [[Jalla]]. Over dinner, they discuss the Reod, the fall of the ArelishArelene government, and the changes to Elantris, and how the servants revolted against the Elantrians. Sarene talks of her Seonseon, Ashe, and how Ashe had been passed down to her from her mother.

Hrathen and Dilaf visit the boundary wall of Elantris, then return to the Derethi chapel where Hrathen explains his strategy of using the fallen Elantrians as scapegoats by denouncing them as the evil [[Svrakiss]], the souls of the dead who hate Jaddeth, and then unifying the ArelishArelene in hatred of Elantris.

Lukel also discusses the past rivalry between the Merchant's Guild and the Elantrians who had provided free food and services to the population. Sarene speculates that the ArelishArelene population will revolt over this poor treatment since they still remember freedom from not too long before, unlike the Fjordell who have been living under harsh conditions for centuries. Lukel compares Sarene to Raoden, and reminisces about the former prince, who was kind and outspoken, and stood up to the king's harsh laws, creating friction between father and son. Lukel also discusses Kiin's undermining of the king's authority by refusing to accept a noble title, and the line of succession which is endangered due to Raoden's 'passing' though the king may try to have another child. Lukel states that Raoden's friends will stop their subvertive meetings since the prince is not there anymore to provide protection, and Sarene asks to be invited to their last gathering.

Hrathen and Dilaf go to a meeting at an inn to form an alliance with some ArelishArelene aristocrats, mostly minor nobles but also including the powerful Duke [[Telrii]], talking of recent conquests of the Fjordell Empire, and promising power in exchange for the nobles converting to Shu-Dereth. Hrathen explains that many ArelishArelene believe that the Elantrians will return to power and that this belief undermines Iadon's and the nobles' authority. Hrathen speaks vaguely so that he can maintain plausible deniability in the event that one of the nobles accuses Hrathen of insurgence against the government. [[Waren]] muses that it will be a lengthy process to establish Shu-Dereth in Arelon, but Hrathen counters that the Jesker Mysteries were banished from the Duladel Republic in a very short time span and that the Elantrians fell from power suddenly as well, and that Shu-Korath has been in great decline and is now followed in only two nations, Arelon and Teod.

Raoden encounters Ien, who reflexively reacts to Raoden's raised hand by approaching him, but the Seonseon shows no other signs of recognizing its former master.

Sarene learns of a traditional ritual called the [[Widow's Trial]], which is performed by newly widowed ArelishArelene ladies, and involves charitable work.

After the main gathering ends, Roial and Kiin discuss how impressed they are with Sarene and how she can take Raoden's place as a unifying force for their cabal. Sarene raises the uncomfortable notion that Iadon had Raoden killed and covered it up, and the others agree that this avenue is worth discreetly investigating. Sarene says that she will use her Seonseon to look for evidence of Raoden either still being alive but imprisoned or having died under suspicious circumstances. Sarene is currently using Ashe to explore Elantris, since she want to investigate Hrathen, who has shown curiosity in Elantris, and who Sarene believes is very dangerous and was involved in the collapse of the Duladel Republic.

Raoden asks Karata to keep his identity secret and not to reveal the route they took out of Elantris, to avoid countermeasures from Iadon. Karata decides to confide in Raoden, and reveals that she is taking care of the Elantrian children in secret, and that all her followers are parents who have left children behind. The children cope well with their situation surprisingly well. Karata pledges her loyalty to Raoden and wants to help realize his dream of a better Elantris.

Sarene accompanies Shuden to a lavish party at Duke Telrii's residence. Sarene's noble rank allows them access to an exclusive gathering attended by King Iadon, which also includes high ranking ArelishArelene along with Hrathen. Shuden talks of the history of [[Shu-Keseg]], the parent religion of Shu-Korath and Shu-Dereth, and of how the original intended concept of Unity became complicated over the passage of time. Shuden expresses concern about Hrathen and Lord Walen, and this concern is echoed by Lord Roial. Sarene tells the king about fencing at the queen's request, and Iadon acquiesces to their desire to exercise. A messenger delivers bad news to the king. Sarene tries to eavesdrop but is outed by Hrathen, as payback for her earlier interference with his preaching. Sarene meets as many people as possible to become acquainted with the political and social scenes to avoid being disadvantaged by Hrathen in this regard.

Hrathen strolls along the Elantrian wall and ponders about Elantris and feels pity for the Elantrians even as he plans to exploit them to unite the ArelishArelene and convert them with as little bloodshed as possible. Hrathen wishes to avoid a repeat of the revolution in the Duladel Republic, which weighs heavily upon his conscience.

Raoden reflects upon his relationship with Ien, and observes to Galladon that his seon's aonAon is damaged and incomplete. Galladon and Raoden discuss what they miss most in their former lives, Galladon's home and Raoden's correspondence with Sarene respectively. Raoden talks of his engagement to Sarene, and this discussion leads to the revelation to Galladon of Fjorden's invasion of his home

The funeral proceeds following TeoishTeo burial rites. Sarene watches the burial, contemplating the important part Iadon will take in history books going forward.

Sarene explains the circumstances around Iadon's death, including details of his involvement in the Jeskeri Mysteries. She also talks of how Telrii is in line to sieze the ArelishArelene throne with Derethi assistance. She then goes into extreme detail on the political situation, though some of the information is already understood by Spirit.

Sarene explains to Raoden that the people of Arelon are ready to accept a man because he will lead them well. But even so he admits it might not have turned out the same had she not intervened. Questioning who Dilaf is, Raoden first lays suspicion on the Derethi priest about being the one who manipulated his Aon. Asking to borrow Ashe he sends the Seonseon into New Elantris to warn Galladon to be prepared.

Raoden awakens as a hostage but the blow to his head has left him dizzy thatand nohe Elantrianis wouldunable recoverto fromheal as an Elantrian. Noticing Dilaf has besieged Kiin's house he vainly tries to screamshout.

Although too late to realiserealize, itbecause as she steps out onto the balcony, the Dakhor monks ambush her and Kiin, taking them captive. Dilaf demands Hrathen's Seonseon to communicate with Eventeo and inform him of the terms of surrender. Though Dilaf has no intention of acceptingadmitting it. He just wants to murder the king and spread the chaos throughout. Hrathen is conflicted, and openly revolted with Dilaf's campaign.

Almost as an after thought, Dilaf impales Raoden on his sword and leaves him muttering a Hoed mantra, "Failed, my love". Dilaf orders that the Elantrians be rounded up and burntburned.

Galladon arrives to report that the TeoishTeo armada is holding out against the Fjordell.

Sarene is insistent on not letting Raoden out of her sight until they are married. At the ceremony, Raoden's mind wanders during Father Omin's extensive speech. TheHe possibilityworries that the Wyrn hadmay attainedhave accessfound a way to access the Dor, inand somethe wayFjorn ismay strengthenedhave bytheir Raoden'sown suspicionsversion of AonDor. He considers that there are various ways to access the Dor, as he considers Shuden's beingChayShan ableused to defeat a DakhorDahkor Monk single-handedly monkand with his eyes closed.

Sarene and Raoden gather with Shuden, Galladon, and LukelsLukel's familyfamilies for Hrathen's funeral. The gyorn Hrathen is buried alongside several other tombs, including those of Roial, Eondel, Karata, Iadon, and Saolin. The area containing these graves is to become a memorial to the victims and heroes of the [[Invasion of Arelon]] as well as the battles of Elantris and [[Battle of TeoinTeoras|TeoinTeoras]]. Sarene gives a short speech about Hrathen's contributions to the restoration of Elantris and the recent victories against Fjordell. She finishes by proclaiming that Hrathen should not be remembered as an enemy to Arelon, but as a savior and a hero.

[[Category: Elantris|*+]]