[OB] Riino from Sel

[Thude]

Kaladin meets riino in shadesmar and views him as a shin. But riino says on page 913 "No something else. MERCIFUL DOMI..."

That is a saying for someone from Sel. Do you guys think riino is really selish and just is mistaken by Kaladin to be a shin?

Edited December 2, 2017 by Thude

[AbsentKeeper he/him]

Good catch! Honestly, I completely missed that because of all his talk of Hightenings and stuff.

Since I have the ebook version, I'll quote the page here for reference.

Quote

“How? Impossible. Unless … you’re Invested. What Heightening are you?” He squinted at Kaladin. “No. Something else. Merciful Domi … A Surgebinder? It has begun again?”

Now that I'm looking at it again, I agree that he's most likely from Sel, as he's using their curses, but he also directly mentions the Highenings and knows how to recognize a Surgebinder. I'd say its pretty clear that he's an accomplished worldhopper, I wonder where his fortune telling comes from though?

Kaladin mistaking him for Shin makes sense, because Rosharan eyes have epicanthic folds, while the Shin, and most people from other worlds so far, would not.

Edited December 2, 2017 by Cowmanthethird

[BlackYeti he/him]

He's absolutely Selish. In addition to what you've pointed out, his name is clearly based around Aon Rii which means Wealth or Affluence. Also remember, Shin do not have epicanthic folds on their eyes, which most people on Roshar do. The Aonic people do not have epicanthic folds which is probably why Kaladin assumed him to be Shin (and by the same reasoning, why Dalinar thought Odium looked Shin when Rayse would have been from Yolen).

[Erunion he/him]

Thing to remember: ‘Looks Shin’ to a Rosharin means ‘light skin and no epicanthic fold’. It’s usually a good way to tell off-worlders; because many of them ‘look Shin’. 

[Starla]

Also, his oracle orb might be from Sel. Captain Ico points out that it is "Foreign Technology" and others have noted that it is (Mistborn Secret History):

Spoiler

Similar to the Elantrian's orb in Mistborn Secret History. It's been a while since I read it so I don't recall the full context of that orb. 

It's interesting that it possibly shows future seeing coming from another shard, even though the people on Roshar associate all future seeing with Odium.

[Shardbearer he/him]

Yeah, I knew someone from Sel was about to show up as soon as I saw the chapter title.

[Jezerezeh he/him]

Seems like he must be a worldhopper or perhaps, just a Shadesmar-hopper? We see the clear Selish connection, but he also has either been to, or knows of, Nalthis. When he says, "What Heightening are you?", it seems to be a reference to Awakeners seen in Warbreaker. This guy definitely knows his stuff! I hope we see him again in the future (or maybe he'll see us there)!

[chruch013]

Based on his description:

Quote

 Inside, he saw an old Shin man-with furrowed, wrinkled skin and a completely bald head-sitting in a chair, reading by spherelight. A human?

Do you think Riino came to Shadesmar after the Reod?

[Spoolofwhool]

Elantris spoilers

Spoiler

Brandon has strongly implied that Riino is the hoed who showed Raoden the pool and was subsequently thrown into it.

 

Quote

I revised part four heavily, moving the scene where Kaladin runs into our "so very beautiful" friend from Elantris (and the subsequent dip into the Spiritual Realm) from happening in the market to happening in the Lighthouse. Originally, the Lighthouse was run by Crytpics. (Which was a lot of fun.) However, I needed stronger establishment of Kaladin's motivations earlier in Part Four, which was going kind of off-the-rails a little.

[Source]