Elantris

Prince Raoden of Arelon wakes up to find he has experienced the Shaod, a transformation that is now a curse: His hair is grey, his skin is covered with black patches, and he feels neither heat nor cold. His father, King Iadon, has him thrown into Elantris, which is now an “expansive tomb for those whose bodies had forgotten how to die” (29). Raoden resolves not to give in to despair, but is shocked by the state of the city, which is decaying, reeking, and covered in slime. The residents are dejected, listless, and in constant pain.

When Raoden gives a beggar boy some bread from the basket sent inside with him, the boy is attacked by others, who steal the bread and then chase Raoden for the rest of the food. Raoden stubs his toe and is surprised by how much it hurts. A man observing him explains that, since he is dead now, his body won’t repair itself like it should. Every injury will cause continuous pain, and he will feel hungry no matter what he eats. Raoden asks the man, whose name is Galloden, to show him around the city.

Sarene, princess of the kingdom of Teod, arrives in the Arelene city of Kae intending to marry Prince Raoden, but is told that he has died. By the terms of the marriage contract, she is considered his widow. Sarene is accompanied by her seon, Ashe, a floating ball of light that can speak, observe, and communicate across distances.

Sarene visits the funeral tent and learns that Raoden was popular and admired for his intelligence and good sense. As she travels to the palace, Sarene observes that the nobles of Kae are wealthy, while the common people are starving and the country is in economic shambles.

Sarene enters the throne room of the palace and finds Iadon a forceful and unpleasant man. His wife, Queen Eshen, is so chatty that Sarene finds the court’s lack of mourning for Raoden suspicious. Sarene uses Ashe to communicate with her father, King Eventeo, and informs him she will stay in Arelon so that Iadon, who seized power 10 years ago, will honor the treaty with Teod. Sarene liked Raoden when she corresponded with him and was hoping the marriage would be happy, but now she is doomed to be lonely.

Hrathen, a high priest, or gyorn, of the Derethi religion, arrives in Kae from Fjorden, an ambitious empire to the east. He takes command of a Shu-Dereth chapel. Hrathen meets Dilaf, a native Arelonian, who expresses a fierce hatred of Elantris. Hrathen makes Dilaf his personal servant.

In private, Hrathen rereads the scroll he received from Wyrn, the emperor of Fjorden, who styles himself “the Regent of all Creation” (58) and the mouthpiece of Jaddeth, the supreme Derethi deity. The scroll gives Hrathen three months to convert the people of Arelon to the worship of Jaddeth, or Wyrn’s armies will destroy them. The followers of Shu-Dereth believe that when all who live on Sycla worship Jaddeth, he will rise from the underworld to rule. Hrathen regards himself as the savior of Arelon.

Raoden watches a newcomer be shut into Elantris and wonders how the city has decayed so much in 10 years. Many of the people he’s seen are lost in silent apathy or mindless despair. No one knows what caused the Reod; it began with an earthquake that opened a chasm across the lands of the south. Overnight the inhabitants of Elantris turned from bright beings to cursed sufferers, and all the majesty and wealth of the city disappeared. Raoden sees a ball of light bobbing around and is told that seons whose masters undergo the Shaod lose their intelligence and purpose, becoming lost and aimless.

Galloden explains that there are three rival gangs that rule the city and compete to steal food from newcomers: Shaor’s men are mindless thugs, Karata keeps to herself and only harms those who threaten her, and Aanden’s followers have stooped to eating the vellum of old books for sustenance. Raoden insists that hunger and pain are forces that can be resisted and that the residents of Elantris don’t need to behave as beasts. He follows Galloden to his home, an underground room full of books and carvings of Aons, the “mystical ancient characters behind the Aonic language” (69) and the symbols that Elantrians used to perform magic. Raoden is shocked when Galloden draws an Aon in the air.

Sarene is in Iadon’s throne room when Hrathen strides in, wearing his bloodred cloak and armor, and advises the king to convert to Shu-Dereth. Iadon counters that since he already believes in Shu-Korath, they serve the same God. Hrathen insists that Shu-Dereth “is the only true form of Shu-Keseg” (70), but Iadon dismisses him. Iadon still thinks of Fjorden as the kingdom that fell 300 years ago and seems unaware that it is now a powerful empire with a massive military. Sarene suspects that Hrathen is dangerous. Ashe points out that Iadon, who was a merchant, is not a born politician like she is. Sarene decides to match wits with the gyorn and prevent him from converting the country.

Sarene is shocked to encounter her uncle Kiin, who she always thought was a merchant. He takes Sarene to his fortress-like mansion to meet his family: his wife, Daora; his stepson Adien, who says little beyond muttering numbers; and his stepson Lukel, Lukel’s new wife Jalla, and their children, Kaise and Daorn. As he serves the dinner he cooked, Kiin explains that when the Reod hit and Elantris toppled, Arelon fell into chaos. The servants revolted, and in the riots that followed, many Elantrians were killed. With family in Arelon, Sarene feels less lonely, though she is sad that she will not be allowed to marry again and have children of her own.

Hrathen learns from Dilaf who Sarene is. He decides he can use her to convert Teod as well. Teod and Arelon are the last known places in Sycla that are not under the rule of Wyrn, and therefore Jaddeth. Hrathen reflects that Arelon is ready to fall: “Beyond inept leadership, Arelon suffered from an overtaxed working class, religious uncertainty, and dwindling resources. All of the factors competed to deliver the final blow” (85). Hrathen asks Dilaf to show him Elantris. When Dilaf displays his visceral hatred of the place, Hrathen counsels him to see past his prejudices and instead use logic. Hrathen will pursue the conversion of Arelon by giving them something to hate: Elantris.

Raoden practices drawing Aons, but the AonDor, the magic they once channeled, doesn’t work any longer. He remembers that when he was a child and broke his leg, his mother brought him to Elantris, where someone healed him with a simple wave of the hand. Raoden wonders what caused the Reod: “Something so terrible it caused the land to shatter and gods to stumble. However, without an understanding of how AonDor had worked, he couldn’t even begin to imagine what had caused it to fail” (92).

Raoden and Galloden go to the city gate and see a priest in bloodred robes preaching on the city wall. When a newcomer enters, Raoden approaches him and brings him to a rooftop where Shaor’s men can’t reach them. The man was a craftsman, and Raoden asks if he can make shoes. Elantrian bodies are easily fatigued by running, another drawback in addition to wounds that don’t heal. Raoden decides to keep pressing forward to forget about the hunger and pain. He tells the newcomer to call him Spirit, a word that corresponds to the Aon symbol Rao.

Sarene irritates King Iadon by setting up her painting easel in his throne room. From this position, she can observe. She overhears a suit between two nobles who are contesting ownership of a peasant and child. Lukel informs her that in the last decade, due to Iadon’s rule, the wealthy noble class emerged and peasants have become less free: “Once Arelon had boasted the happiest, most advanced society in the world” (102), but Iadon has crushed that into something cruel. Lukel explains that Raoden often spoke out against Iadon’s policies, angering his father. Now that Raoden is gone, the two wealthiest dukes, Roial or Telrii, might inherit the throne. Raoden was meeting with a group of supporters, discussing ways to improve life in Arelon, but Kiin supposes those meetings will end.

Sarene has dinner with her uncle and family and is envious when she sees the affectionate partnership between Lukel and Jalla. Sarene had proposed the marriage with Raoden so their countries, which share a common culture and religion, could form an alliance against Fjorden. She had hoped for affection in her marriage, but now that chance is gone.

Sarene visits the walls of Elantris where Hrathen preaches of Shu-Dereth and its deity, Jaddeth. She upsets his tirade by pretending to misunderstand his point. Sarene decides to defend Elantris. She is dismayed to see the decay of the once-beautiful city and is surprised to learn that no one sends them food.