Elantris / Characters

The Character Sheet for Elantris.

For information on other characters around the Cosmere, see Mistborn, Warbreaker, and The Stormlight Archive. For Cosmeric Forces such as the Shards of Adonalsium and Hoid, see The Cosmere.

POV characters are marked with (*).

SPOILER ALERT: All trope names are visible. Read at your own peril.

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Elantrians

Transformed humans who live in the city of Elantris. They are chosen, called the Shaod, at random from Arelon blood. Elantrians once possed immense magic, and becoming one was a blessing. By the time of the story the magic is gone, Elantrians left as physically decayed beings who cannot heal from anyone wound, feeling the pain of one forever, until they eventually break. They are quarantined in the ruined city of Elantris, and being taken by the Shaod is considered a curse.

Raoden*

Prince Raoden

Crown prince of Arelon, Raoden tried to help Arelon, but then turns his attention to Elantris and the Aons.

The Ace: He's described in glowing terms by just about everyone who ever knew him, and said to be good at very nearly everything he took an interest in.
All-Loving Hero: He always tries to help others, even Shaor's men.
Badass Bookworm: He loves his books, and he's brilliant, resourceful, and was a skilled fencer before the Shaod took him. Once The Magic Comes Back, his skill at the Aons makes him a magical powerhouse.
Battle Couple: With Sarene against Dilaf the climax.
Blithe Spirit: His energy and optimism were his prominent features before becoming an Elantrian, and he spends much of the book trying for a downright epic example of this trope - cheering up a rotting city populated by the damned.
Defeat Means Friendship: He manages to convert both Karata and Aanden to his side by proving his philosophy about life in Elantris is superior to theirs. Subverted with Shaor, who is killed by her own men.
Guile Hero: Although a capable fighter (learnt to fence mostly because it annoyed the hell out of his father, who considered fighting "an activity for peasants"), Raoden is best when solving problems with his intelligence and insight.
Heroic Willpower: After hitting the Despair Event Horizon and going comatose, he drags himself back awake, followed by resisting Devotion's Shardpool.
Hope Bringer: To the people of Arelon, who hope that he will replace his corrupt father and end serfdom, and to the Elantrians, with his determination to create a livable society.
Humble Hero: While Raoden isn't exactly meek, he also doesn't seem to see himself as anything very special - he just sees what needs to be done and does it. That creates a sharp contrast to the way other characters are frequently gushing about how great he is.
Innocent Blue Eyes: His blue eyes are his most striking feature, as not even the Shaod could corrupt them.
Karmic Transformation: Downplayed in that it's only mentioned after the fact, but he once believed, as many did, that the Shaod only went to those that "deserved" to be cursed by it. Then it took him, and he realized how wrong he was.
King Incognito: He goes by "Spirit" in Elantris.
Love Before First Sight: With Sarene - they fell in love with each other through letters and then talking through seons. The fact that they felt both alienated in their respective courts may've had something to do with it.
Madness Mantra: After a brutal beatdown by Dilaf: "Failed my love".
Meaningful Name: "Rao" means "Spirit" or "Soul" in Aonic.
Messianic Archetype: He endures pain that would ordinarily turn him into one of the Hoed to save Elantris.
Mystical White Hair: When The Magic Comes Back, his hair grows pure white.
Physical God: After he fixes the Aons, and especially after fixing Elantris itself.
Rebel Prince: He and his father... didn't get along.
Rousseau Was Right: He believes all people are fundamentally good and will do the right thing, if they are given a choice.
Royals Who Actually Do Something: He tries to make people's lives better, both as a prince of Arelone court and later in Elantris. And he is a natural leader.
Steven Ulysses Perhero: A literal translation of your name is not a particularly creative alias, Raoden.
Wide-Eyed Idealist: Subverted. He comes from a relatively comfortable life and believes that most people are fundamentally good, and his insistence on somehow making Elantris a good place to live is seen as incredibly naive by most other characters, who assume that he'll break as soon as he suffers enough. However, he endures setback after setback, and he does succeed in restoring Elantris, proving to be a particularly strong-willed idealist instead.
The Wise Prince: Raoden was always educated, insightful and idealistic. His friends considered him far superior to his father the King, and exactly what the beleagured kingdom needed.

Galladon

Raoden's best friend in Elantris, Galladon is a cynical Dula with a Mysterious Past.

Action Survivor: Moreso than Raoden, since, unlike him, he's literally just trying to help survive, and is not very good at making Aons.
Call to Agriculture: Like his father. And, just like his father, he's taken away from that life by the Shaod.
The Confidant: Even from the start, he's pragmatic enough that Raoden trusts him with the Long Game of his plans before anyone else.
The Cynic: A sharp contrast to most Dulas, as Raoden and others note. His upbringing has a fair bit to do with it.
Deadpan Snarker: Always has a quip or two handy for whatever the situation
Heterosexual Life-Partners: With Raoden. Originally he was recruited by the former prince for being the Only Sane Man in Elantris, but over time they forged a genuine bond of friendship and trust.
Knight in Sour Armor: Cynical and pessimistic, but when Raoden's efforts begin to show results Galladon really comes to believe in him (though he won't admit it for some time).
The Lancer: Being Raoden's closest friend and confidant, he's this for him in the Elantris plotline. Eventually shares the role with Karata.
Like Father, Like Son: His father was an Elantrian as well.
Mysterious Past: He says he's a farmer. Raoden is less than convinced. He was actually the son of an Elantrian, who went off to become a farmer due to the issue of being a non-Elantrian living in Elantris. He only went back to Elantris because he got the Shaod anyway.
Physical God: Upon the restoration of Elantris.
Verbal Tic: He nearly always ends his sentences with "Kolo?". In his cameo in The Stormlight Archive, it's translated as "understand?", befitting a self-proclaimed Only Sane Man.

Karata

One of the more proactive gang leaders, Karata personally goes to the gates when a new Elantrian comes in, and has tried to escape several times.

Action Girl: She's the only female gang leader - and the most competent, before Raoden's arrival - for a reason.
Action Mom: It's why she wants to get into the palace so badly. Her daughter is there and she wants to tell her why she vanished.
Friend to All Children: To Raoden's surprise, she's been taking care of every child in Elantris, gathering food for them.
From Nobody to Nightmare: Outside of Elantris, she was a Housewife to a nameless guard. Inside, she became a ruthless gang leader.
Heel–Face Turn: She allies with Raoden, knowing who he really is, once he helps her get to the palace to see her daughter again.
Heroic Sacrifice: Aids Galladon in distracting the soldiers who could potentially stop Raoden from saving Elantris (though only Raoden actually knew what he was doing at the time). Unlike Galladon, who is impaled, she is decapitated, meaning she does not come back.
Killed Off for Real: She is decapitated by the end of the book.
The Lancer: Becomes a secondary one to Raoden, along with Galladon, after he earns her trust and she discovers his identity. She is by far the most competent of the gang leaders.
Mama Bear: She will do anything for the children of Elantris.
Noble Demon: Shifts to Anti-Hero once she joins Raoden.
Off with His Head!: Tragically, just moments before she could be a true Elantrian at full power.
Pet the Dog: She's been rescuing children, and the food her gang steals mostly goes to feed them.
Vasquez Always Dies: She's not the only woman to die in the climax, but she is the one closest to this character type.

Aanden

Aanden (Taan)

"Baron of Elantris", he is another gang leader.

Authority in Name Only: Only his gang follows him.
Ax-Crazy: Until Raoden defeats him.
Crazy Sane: According to Galladon, his insanity was a conscious choice upon entering Elantris.
Defeat Means Friendship: Joins Raoden once he is shown the Scenery Porn that is post-Reod Elantris, reawakening the Taan within him.
Heel–Face Turn: Like Karata, though it takes a bit more effort in his case.
My God, What Have I Done?: Or rather, My God, What Did I Nearly Do?. He breaks down on figuring out the beauty of Elantris after so long, after he nearly destroyed it.
Obfuscating Insanity: Raoden realizes that while he acts crazy in front of his guard, he is far too intelligent for it, and exposes the ruse in front of his followers. That, and appealing to him as Taan, is what wins him over.
Rags to Royalty: Not quite royalty, and given this is Elantris, not out of rags, either. However, he was just a sculptor named Taan outside of Elantris, and faked his way into Baron of Elantris.

Riino

A Hoed who leads Raoden to the Pool and then jumps in, seemingly killing himself. For additional tropes, see his folder in The Cosmere.

Madness Mantra: As you’d expect for a Hoed.
Small Role, Big Impact: He only appears in a few scenes, but he leads Raoden to Devotion’s Perpendicularity.

Shaor

Shaor (Soine)

A psychotic gang leader of the most insane group.

Ax-Crazy: With a gang to supplement that.
Blue Blood: In contrast to Aanden, her nobility is real, as she is the daughter of Telrii.
Decapitation Presentation: A variant: Her men show Raoden her golden wig stained with Elantrian blood after defecting.
Defeat Means Friendship: Subverted. Unlike the other gang leaders that join Raoden, after he undermines her authority, her men kill her.
Hair of Gold, Heart of Gold: Subverted in-universe. Her gang treats her like a goddess because of her apparent head of blonde hair, but it's a wig she's had for her life due to being unable to grow hair.
Hoist by His Own Petard: Killed by her own gang, when her infallibility is proven before their eyes and they defect to the evidently more capable "Lord Spirit".
Kids Are Cruel: Youthful and malicious - she was the spoiled daughter of Duke Telrii as a human, and becoming an Elantrian when doing so was detrimental to the mind didn't help in the least...
Killed Off for Real: By her own men after Raoden undermines her authority by giving them food.
Never Found the Body: The narration notes that Raoden's followers never found her corpse despite searching for some time. As she never appeared again it's safe to assume her men killed her before defecting to Raoden.
Samus Is a Girl: Nobody had seen her outside her gang, so it was believed that Shaor was a man until Raoden saw otherwise.
Spoiled Brat: Even Raoden thinks so - apparently, she was this even before the Shaod took her.
Walking Spoiler: Shaor's identity is a major reveal that occurs several weeks into Raoden's time in Elantris.
Young and in Charge: Of her gang - physically, she's still a child not even in her preteens.

Saolin

An Elantrian who takes up the job of bodyguard to "Lord Spirit", and trains a guard for him as well.

Determinator: He has multiple serious wounds, but just ignores them because he's needed.
Forgotten Fallen Friend: Defied. Raoden insists on giving him a grave after the battles against the Dakhor.
Madness Mantra: As a Hoed: "I failed my Lord Spirit"
No Body Left Behind: Dissolved in Devotion's Shardpool after his Despair Event Horizon.
Undying Loyalty: To "Lord Spirit"; even when he becomes a Hoed, his failure is foremost on his mind.

Arelon

The nation built around Elantris. Once thriving, after the Reod that cursed the Elantrians, the nation has begun to decline thanks to internal struggles and the expasionist threat of Shu-Dereth.

Iadon

King Iadon

The ten-year king of Arelon and father of Raoden, Iadon has replaced the broken-down system of Elantris with a wealth-based hierarchy, and instituted many unpopular laws.

Broken Pedestal: Raoden idolized him as a child. This view shattered after Iadon became king and power corrupted him.
Corrupt Corporate Executive: Who made his entire country's royalty operate in the same way. He actually was planning long-term to change the system either after a certain amount of time or upon his own demise, by establishing titles at that point via his last will to the current crop of nobility, he was hoping that nobility granted stable titles would be strong enough as a collective to keep the country stable.
Death Equals Redemption: The proclamation granting stable titles to the Arelish nobility comes with his death, ultimately giving Raoden his legitimate claim to the throne.
Driven to Suicide: He hangs himself after his ruthless actions are revealed.
Nonindicative Name: "Iad" means "Trust" or "Reliable" in Aonic. Iadon is really paranoid (and was before becoming king).
Offing the Offspring: Sarene is convinced he killed Raoden. Actually subverted, since while Iadon might have wanted to kill Raoden, Raoden was turned into an Elantrian, not killed.
Politically Incorrect Villain: Extremely sexist; Sarene's Brainless Beauty act is so transparently obvious, yet he buys it because of his lack of respect for women.
Smug Snake: To the point that Sarene was very easily able to manipulate him by playing into his preconceived notions and ideas.
Social Darwinist: Turns out he was one of these, in a way. Upon his death and the proclaimation that the nobility be awarded stable titles and that the system of nobility based on wealth be abolished, the rebels discuss his motives and come to the conclusion that he wanted the nobility to compete for their titles and earn them by merit, which would mean Arelon would have a stable, strong and somewhat competant noble class. The rebels also agree it was also still a rather scummy move on his part, however, even if they were stunned at how aware Iadon actually was about the instability of Arelon's political system.
Villainous Breakdown: Sarene pretty much destroys him emotionally with a "The Reason You Suck" Speech. He has another one when his part in a cult of Mysteries is exposed, which ultimately causes him to be forced off the throne, resulting in his suicide.

Sarene*

Princess Sarene

A Teoish princess, Sarene's hopes of marrying Raoden were dashed with the news of his "death", but she works to save Arelon regardless.

The Ace: In her own immodest (though seemingly not unjustified) opinion, she's great at pretty much everything... except painting, for some reason.
Action Girl: It's not her forte the way politics is, but she's a fairly capable swordswoman and practices with her Royal Rapier for recreation as well as empowerment.
Battle Couple: With Raoden at the climax.
Big Eater: it's suggested that the cooks who served Sarene in Teod were more respectful of her big appetite than anything else about her. When she effortlessly demolishes five whole plates of her uncle's cooking after five days of eating modest Elantrian portions her friends aren't even slightly surprised, commenting that someone her height has a lot of body to fuel.
The Chessmaster: She's politically astute, having been guided by her father to be active in this field.
Femininity Failure: She utterly sucks at traditional feminine tasks.
Guile Heroine: More liable to use her brain than anything else, enough so that she quickly earns the respect of Hrathen and any others who see her intelligence.
Hair of Gold, Heart of Gold: Has blonde hair and is very kind-hearted and caring.
Huge Schoolgirl: Often made fun of for her height.
Love Before First Sight: With Raoden, as she came to love the man she was learning about through their letters (even if she was unsure how he'd turn out in real life). She really came to believe that she could learn to love him, too, not quite aware that she already did.
Meaningful Name: "Ene" means "Wit" or "Cleverness" in Aonic.
Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: Averted, twice. First her distribution of food nearly destroyed the fledgling New Elantris and on the second occasion she wounds Spirit and almost blows his disguise ahead of time just because she didn't like how he acted. Both times only Raoden's quick wit was able to avert disaster.
No Man Wants an Amazon: She firmly believes it.
Obfuscating Stupidity: Initially to Iadon, until she gets tired of it.
Oblivious to Love: She was unaware at first she had fallen in love with Spirit/Raoden or, for that matter, that he loved her. And she never realized Hrathen pulled a Heel–Face Turn partly because of her. He never voiced his feelings.
Old Maid: She's convinced that because she's unmarried at twenty-five, Raoden is her last chance to find a husband.
Politically-Active Princess: By age twenty-five, she's been serving for a long while as an (apparently highly-ranked) member of her father's diplomatic corps, and both she and others note her appreciation for (and skill at) political games.
Real Women Don't Wear Dresses: Played with. Sarene tries to be traditionally feminine sometimes - she's just not very good at it. She does seem quite fond of fancy dresses, though (to the degree that she quickly gives up on wearing mourning because she couldn't stand the mourning dresses she was given), and is specifically referred to as wearing make-up and heels at various times. It seems like she struggles with traditionally feminine activities more than feminine clothes.
Rebellious Princess: Subverted. She's got the personality, but her father approves of it.
Royal Rapier: Justified, as in Teod the rapier became a weapon for much of the noblewomen - as Sarene explains, the men of her country have historically considered it unmanly, but the women in turn picked it up as a result and became good at using it for its lightness and swiftness in combat. Thus, fencing became a popular sport with Teoish women.
Shoe Size Angst: Not surprisingly given her height. When she's given socks and shoes in men's size while in New Elantris, she blushes from shame.
Statuesque Stunner: She's nearly 6ft tall, towering over most men (Raoden and Hrathen excluded).
Straw Feminist: A very mild example, but it's there. Sarene is convinced that her brashness is deemed socially unacceptable just because she's female. Word of God is that while that is certainly part of it, any man who was as opinionated and sharp-tongued as Sarene would rub a lot of people the wrong way also.
Worthy Opponent: To Hrathen, and she shares the sentiment.

Kiin

Kiin (Dreok Crushedthroat)

Sarene's uncle and the brother of the king of Teod.

Badass Normal: When confronted with Dakhor monks, he kills one by himself with an axe, then it takes three of them to restrain him. Even after that, he still kicks at them, necessitating that they knock him unconscious to stop his resistance. This man has nothing but his physical strength going for him.
Cool Uncle: To Sarene, who has many fond memories of him as a child and was puzzled when he stopped appearing at her father's court.
Happily Married: To Daora, and they have three children to show for it.
I Call It "Vera": His axe bears the Aon for "Vengance" on it.
Modest Royalty: Especially because he was the rightful heir to the Teod throne.
Mysterious Past: He steadfastly refuses to tell Sarene why he and her father aren't speaking to each other anymore. Being exiled after his younger brother usurped the throne will do that.
Names to Run Away from Really Fast: When you're called Crushedthroat, there's a reason to run away.
Pirate: A legendary one - fifteen years before the events of the book, he tried to take the Teod throne by force with his pirates.
Retired Badass: He's skilled enough with his axe to kill Dahkor monks with it.
Shrouded in Myth: As Dreok Crushedthroat.
Supreme Chef: Sarene was surprised to discover this side of him. He could have others do his cooking for him, he just chooses not to because he enjoys it, and he's damn exceptional at it to boot.

Roial

A friendly member of the aristocracy, and close friend of Raoden before his Death Faked for You.

The Atoner: He helped put Iadon on the throne. He's now regretting it immensely.
Cool Old Guy: He's a cunning, but genial man in his fifties, and he becomes a good friend to Sarene.
Dirty Old Man: Discussed, then averted. He plays the role to ward off the many noble ladies eager to grab a very wealthy and soon to be dead bachelor, but privately he quit caring long ago. When he offers to marry Sarene, he makes clear that he expects nothing of her and he'll leave a clause in the contract so she can remarry once he dies.
Friendly Rivalry: With Ahan, for the most part - though half the time outsides can't be sure how much is genuine friendliness and how much is competitiveness.
Honest Corporate Executive/Reasonable Authority Figure: In contrast to King Iadon and Duke Telrii, he is a much more open-minded man and an honest merchant.
Honourary Uncle/Parental Substitute: he's been this for Raoden, having been the former since the prince was a child and a guiding moral influence in the fundamental years of the boy's life. Raoden seems to view him as the father that Iadon ultimately failed to be.
Meaningful Name: "Ial" means "Helpfulness" or "Aid" in Aonic.
The Rival: To Ahan, in the business sense.
Sacrificial Lion: Killed at the beginning of Telrii's reign when Ahan gives up the rebels.

Eondel

A member of the aristocracy with a personal army of his own, giving him authority that even Iadon will not try to uproot.

Badass Normal: He has no access to the Dor, but is a very capable swordman.
Dying Moment of Awesome: Kills Telrii before dying himself.
Master Swordsman: Extremely good with a sword in his hand, as his fencing duel with Sarene andas his final moments can attest.
Revenge Before Reason: Raoden thinks that his assassination of Telrii was a terrible idea, even if it were to avenge Roial, because it threw the politics of Arelon into chaos once again.
Post-Victory Collapse: Of the dead kind - he only succumbs after Telrii is dead.

Telrii

A very rich Arelene duke, Telrii hopes to gain the throne and usurp Iadon with the help of Fjordell.

Big Bad Wannabe: Plots to be King of Arelon and bring it under his control, but he's really not as dangerous as he thinks he is.
Corrupt Corporate Executive: His means of keeping his wealth are highly amoral.
Fat Bastard: He's quite obese and very much a Manipulative Bastard.
I Lied: Ahan wanted to send the conspirators to prison just to spite them. Telrii had other plans.
Off with His Head!: Courtesy of Eondel.
Puppet King: Subverted in that he tries hard to not be under Hrathen's rule when he rises to the throne.
Smug Snake: He thinks everyone else is playing to his tune, not aware that he's the one being used by Hrathen and Dilaf, among others. He's also not nearly as smart as he thinks he is.
Stupid Evil: While most of the time he's not a complete idiot, he has his moments, one of which has severe consequences - specifically, ordering Roial's execution on the spot rather than jailing him as Ahan requested. This particular decision is particularly poor considering the political consequences of going back on his word and executing a well-respected nobleman (whereas a public trial would've been much more paletable to the citizenry and the nobility), the execution was of minor benefit to him, it causes a more legitimate claimant to the throne (Raoden) to expose himself, and it gets him killed by a vengeful Eondel (pissing off the man with his own personal army and arguably the best fighting force in the country was in itself an incredibly bad idea) who could have otherwise accepted imprisonment if all the rebels lived. Hrathen in particular notes in reaction to the news that such a spontaneous execution had likely scared the already apprehensive nobility. In short, it was a spiteful decision that resulted in him screwing himself over.

Shuden

A Jindo who earned a place in the Arelon aristocracy by way of his money.

Bare-Fisted Monk: Ironically, he uses his skill in ChayShan against Dakhor monks.
Chekhov's Skill: The ChayShan martial dance is another way to use the Dor.
Chick Magnet: Every woman at court is swooning over him.
Mr. Fanservice: In-Universe, practically every woman finds him attractive - even Sarene, though she's not in love with him (though her aunt thinks as much).
Lady Killer In Love: Spends the first half of the story avoiding the attentions of his many admirers, and the second half smitten with Ahan's daughter, Torena.
Token Minority: Jindo is a Fantasy Counterpart Culture to East Asia (China most of all), and he's the one member of his people who has become a prominent noble in Arelon (and among the rebels, too).
Unwanted Harem: He doesn't want this at all... for the most part.

Ahan

A duke who is a friendly rival with Roial.

Friendly Rivalry: To Roial, for the most part. Until he takes the "rival" aspect too far...
My God, What Have I Done?: His reaction to Roial's death - he really thought nobody would die and was horrified when his sometimes-friend was summarily executed before his eyes.
Rebellious Rebel: Sells out the rebellion.
The Rival: To Roial.
Rival Turned Evil: Or, at the very least, extremely misguided. He sides with the throne to have the rebels imprisoned... just so that he can one-up Roial for once.
You Said You Would Let Them Go: He truly wasn't trying to get the others killed.

Shu-Dereth

An agressively expansionist religion that believes everyone must convert, or else. Based out of the nation Fjordell and led by a Wyrn, they are the primary antagonistic force of the novel.

Wyrn

Wyrn Wulfden the Fourth

The current ruler of the Fjordell Empire, Wyrn Wulfden serves as a mostly unseen Big Bad to the novel.

Everyone Calls Him "Barkeep": He's known as "Wyrn", as if the title were his name.
Evil Overlord: The perspective of those outside his empire, who oppose his rule and efforts at conquest.
Final Solution: He has decided that the utter annihilation of the Arelene people is required to prevent Elantris from coming back to power ever again.
Greater-Scope Villain: He’s the essential head of the Shu-Dereth church as well as The Emperor, and Hrathen and Dilaf are both subservient to him.
He Who Must Not Be Seen: His only actual appearance so far is a brief scene where Hrathen calls him up via Seon (and we only see the opening part of that).
Priest King: Spiritual and secular leader of Fjorden. His written orders are considered scripture.
Seers: According to Word of God, Fjon's assassination of the then-nearly immediately traitorous Hrathen in Teod was meant to show, among other things, that Wyrn has limited future sight.
Sorcerous Overlord: It's hinted in the novel and confirmed by Word of God that he's some kind of magic-user, but the details are as-yet unknown.
The Unfought: Given he's in Fjordell during the book, and the story itself takes place in Kae and Elantris.

Hrathen*

Hrathen

A gyorn sent by Wyrn to convert the people of Arelon in three months, or Wyrn will send an invasion force to conquer it, his loyalties are tested over the course of the novel.

Anti-Hero: Type V in the Battle of Teod. He's still loyal to Jaddeth, but rebels against Wyrn and Dilaf.
Anti-Villain: Type III. His Sympathetic P.O.V. keeps him from coming across as evil.
The Atoner: Hrathen does not want a repeat of what happened in Duladen, where the country was consumed in violent revolution. While he is also trying to overthrow the Arelon government, he wants to do it peacefully this time. He also believes a regime change necessary to save the country from getting wiped out by Fjordell. When it turns out that Wyrn and Dilaf have no plans to spare Arelon or the neighboring Teod, he turns against Wyrn and Dilaf out of a sense of justice, and in doing so helps save both Arelon and Teod.
Badass Preacher: Nothing he does is just for show
Blue Oni: He contrasts his logical support of Jaddeth with Dilaf's fanaticism several times.
The Chessmaster: Even with a three-month limit on his efforts to convert Arelon, he's quite apt and adjusting his plans. At least until it all falls apart.
Church Militant: Although in his case he tries to tone down the militant part as much as possible, not wanting to shed unnecessary blood if possible. He really does not want a repeat of what happened in Duladen.
Death by Irony: One of his first actions in Kae is to send a priest to Fjordell for training. Said priest is trained as an assassin, and Hrathen is his first kill... after killing Dilaf, anyway.
Defector from Decadence: In the end, he still believes in his religion, but not in its leader.
Hrathen: My problem is with Wyrn, not God.
Destructive Savior: Sees himself as a saviour. Ended up causing a bloody revolution in another country, and despite his efforts to make his next attempt more peaceful, is involved in the near-destruction of two others.
Determinator: Spends five days in Elantris after taking the concoction that with only a little bit of food and no water. Granted, he spends most of that time doing nothing but praying aside from beating the crap out of Shaor's men when they attempt to attack him, but he knows it's a risk and he's borderline delirious by the time the ordeal is over.
Even Evil Has Standards: He's trying to demonize the Elantrians for political purposes, but he still finds Dilaf's attempt to publicly burn one to death sick, and has his Heel–Face Turn in response to finding out about the Final Solution plan for Teod and Arelon.
Green-Eyed Monster: Mildly toward Raoden near the finale for having Sarene's love, though he didn't realize it at the time.
The Heretic: He eventually decides that while he still believes in Shu-Dereth and Jaddeth, he doesn't believe in Wyrn.
Heroic BSoD: For a given value of "Heroic." His first one is due to the Armor-Piercing Question. The second is finding out that as gragdet of the Dakhor monastery, Dilaf is ranked above him and was manipulating him to get into a position to kill everyone of Aonic descent in existence.
Master Swordsman: He's probably the best swordsman in the book, as shown by him easily defeating Eondel and fending off Dakhor monks with raw skill.
Noble Demon: Sure, he's out to conquer Arelon for Wyrn. However, he's doing so in order to avoid a war to accomplish the same thing.
Past Experience Nightmare: He still has nightmares from his time in Dakhor.
Redemption Equals Death: He gets assasinated immediately after turning against Fjordell and redeeming himself. And then he gets back up and kicks some more ass before dying for good.
Red Right Hand: His transformed right arm from his time in Dakhor.
Super-Strength: Only on his right arm due to the Dakhor transformation.
The Spock/The Stoic: In heavy contrast to Dilaf. He eventually comes to the conclusion that his form of loyalty to Jaddeth is by his god's design and and that he was never meant to be the zealot that Dilaf is.
Sympathetic P.O.V.: A third of the chapters are devoted to his point of view.
24-Hour Armor: Of a sort. His vestments include armor, since he's a priest in a Church Militant, but he can take them off to sleep. Most Derethi priests use fake armor for show. He does not.
Unwitting Pawn: Wrn and Dilaf were essentially using him to stall for time so the Dakhor could get into place to massacre the entire country. Hrathen believed his mission was to save Arelon from total destruction, but he was actually there to make it easier.
Villain Protagonist: He's the most visible antagonist for most of the story, but also the viewpoint character for a third of it.
Well-Intentioned Extremist: He believes that since his religion's conquest is inevitable, undermining the Arelene government and converting the populace by force is the best way to save lives.
Worthy Opponent: To Sarene, and he shares the sentiment.

Dilaf

A young-looking and psychotic arteth in service to Hrathen, but who seems to have his own agenda and bigotries. He is actually an elite Dakhor priest, a superpowered agent of Wyrn who is 71 years old and has been plotting the destruction of Arelon for decades, waiting for Hrathen to fail while he puts his original plan of genocide into action.

Anti-Magic: Both resistance to Aons and the ability to negate their use.
Ax-Crazy: He's absolutely deranged, as shown by his actions over the course of the story. His calm Motive Rant to Hrathen just goes to show how far he's gone.
The Dragon: To Hrathen but he's really The Dragon to Wyrn instead.
Dragon-in-Chief: To Hrathen. He pretends to be his overly zealous Beleaguered Assistant who serves as his young apprentice of sorts; but in actuality, Dilaf is a deep-cover operative of many decades who is older and more powerful than he looks, and Hrathen is his Unwitting Pawn who is meant to distract from Dilaf's true mission of genocide.
Dragon with an Agenda: Subverted. He spends most of the novel acting as though he rode Hrathen's coattails to power so he could then use said power to incite people against Elantris but actually, he's acting on orders to do exactly that from his and Hrathen's mutual boss. Not that he didn't enjoy every minute, mind.
Freudian Excuse: He’s motivated to go on his insane killing spree because of his dead wife.
The Fundamentalist: Utterly convinced in his own faith, and in the evils of everyone else's.
Hate Sink: A large part of the point of him, in contrast to Hrathen.
Brandon Sanderson: It’s nice to have sympathetic villains, but with Hrathen in the book, I didn’t feel that I needed much sympathy for Dilaf. Also, with one such well-drawn villain, I felt that if I tried to do the same with Dilaf, the comparison would make him come off very poorly. So, I went the other direction, and the contrast gives the readers someone that they can just hate.
Knight Templar: To better contrast Hrathen's Well-Intentioned Extremist. Hrathen genuinely wants to save lives and souls, even if he resorts to ruthless and underhanded methods to do it; Dilaf just subscribes to the "murder the unbelievers and let Jaddeth sort them out" school of Shu-Dereth.
Made of Iron: Has nearly indestructible bones.
Magic Knight: And it took only 50 people to give him that ability.
The McCoy: An evil version. His emotional fanaticism is put in stark contrast to Hrathen's cold rationalizations.
Moral Sociopathy: For instance, back when Hrathen was in his monastery, he sacrificed a monk's life to save a fifteen minute walk. He justifies it by saying that the demonstration of fanatic faith by the sacrifice was meant to inspire others, but... yeah. That incident drove Hrathen to leave the monastery.
A Nazi by Any Other Name: He's a hardcore racist and his manner of public speaking is very reminiscent of Hitler's, and the names "Adolf" and "Dilaf" sound similar besides. And then Hrathen finds out what he and Wyrn are actually planning...
Neck Lift/Neck Snap: How Hrathen kills him.
Obfuscating Stupidity: It becomes obvious early on he's quite a bit smarter than he looks and acts.
Older Than They Look: He looks about twenty. He's actually in his seventies.
Powered by a Forsaken Child: His Anti-Magic abilities apparently took fifty deaths to produce. Not to mention the fact that his Teleportation with Drawbacks has the Drawback be this. It costs a life and spirit for each use.
Red Oni, Blue Oni: Red to Hrathen's Blue.
Start of Darkness: He was a Fjordell priest sent to spy on Arelon, but he became the mask and fell in love with an Arelish woman, who he married. She later fell very sick, and he took her to Elantris for healing—but the healer botched the job and turned her into a proto-Elantrian of the post-Reod instead, ultimately turning her into a Hoed when she was Driven to Suicide and tried to jump off a cliff. Dilaf put her out of her misery, but the act of doing so caused his mind to snap. Returning to the Derethi faith with a passion, he vowed to destroy Elantris utterly in revenge.
Super-Soldier: Being a Dakhor priest.
Warrior Monk: He's actually the gradget of Dakhor monastery and the leader of a whole army of them.
Woobie, Destroyer of Worlds: He thinks he's one. Subverted in that no one agrees with him.

Characters / Elantris

Elantrians

Prince Raoden

Galladon

Karata

Aanden (Taan)

Riino

Shaor (Soine)

Saolin

Arelon

King Iadon

Princess Sarene

Kiin (Dreok Crushedthroat)

Roial

Eondel

Telrii

Shuden

Ahan

Shu-Dereth

Wyrn Wulfden the Fourth

Hrathen

Dilaf

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Index

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Characters / Elantris

Edit Locked

Elantrians

Prince Raoden

Galladon

Karata

Aanden (Taan)

Riino

Shaor (Soine)

Saolin

Arelon

King Iadon

Princess Sarene

Kiin (Dreok Crushedthroat)

Roial

Eondel

Telrii

Shuden

Ahan

Shu-Dereth

Wyrn Wulfden the Fourth

Hrathen

Dilaf

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Index

Next