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House Kholin

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House Kholin
Kholin Crest.svg
by Isaac Stewart
Type Family
Homeland Kholin princedom, Alethkar
Era Era of Solitude
World of Origin Roshar
Universe Cosmere
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House Kholin (/ˈχolɪnˈ/)[1][2] is the ruling family of the kingdom of Alethkar on Roshar. Kholin princedom is their ancestral home, with Kholinar being their capital city.

History[edit]

Like all Alethi princes, the Kholins are descended from the Sunmaker Sadees, who historically unified the warring states that made up the fallen kingdom of Alethela around 500 years before the True Desolation, around the year 670.[3][4] He had ten sons, none of which were given the right to the throne upon death, leading to infighting and the creation of the Princedoms and the Ten Houses. The Kholins are descended from one of these ten sons, who acted as the progenitor of the Kholin family tree. The name of said son is currently unknown.

The title of the Kholin Highprince has been held by 34 generations.[5]

In an unknown year, Dalinar and Gavilar's father was born of a rather poor and insignificant branch of the Kholin family, and wasn't a prime contender for the highprince throne[6]. At some point during his youth, he participated in some war[7][8]

In 1120[9], Dalinar Kholin was born, Gavilar was born to the same parents in an unknown year. Both were born into the 4th Dahn[6]. Due to their father being left incapable of raising them due to head injuries sustained during combat[10], and their mother dying when they were children[11], the two brothers had to raise themselves.[7]

Despite having existed for many generations, the Kholin family did not begun their expansion until around roughly 1139, when Gavilar and Dalinar Kholin led a conquest against the other Highprinces of Alethkar, eventually consolidating the whole nation into a kingdom in the year 1148. [12] [13]

Unification War[edit]

In 1141, Gavilar led an attack on Rathalas in order to bring it under their rule. During the siege, Dalinar slew Brightlord Tanalan, successfully conquering the city and bringing the shardblade Oathbringer under Kholin ownership.

A year into the war, House Kholin looked for allies, and found them in Toh and Evi, a western Brightlord and his sister. Evi married into the Kholin family in order to secure an alliance, though they would remain merely betrothed into several years later.[14]

Dalinar led an attack against Brightlord Kalanor , one of Gavilar's major enemies, who he had been maneuvering politically with each other for the two years prior to the attack. After a period of attacking smaller cities in his territory in order to weaken his authority, Dalinar managed to defeat Kalanor, claim his shards, and brought his region of western Alethkar under Kholin rule.[13]

Rule of Alethkar[edit]

Gavilar Kholin took the Alethi crown, and married Navani, siring Jasnah in 1139, and Elhokar in 1147[15]; while Dalinar, had Adolin on Chachakach 1150[8][16] and Renarin in 1154 with Evi.[8]

Around the year 1150, Gavilar sent Dalinar to the borders of Alethkar in order to fight Herdazians and Vedens as a gesture of Kholin strength, and to defend the security of the border. This was further needed due to the increased aggression of Herdaz under their new monarch.[17] This helped him to become one of Gavilar's best generals, and also shaping the modern Alethkar-Herdaz border.

Around the year 1155, Dalinar Kholin led an attack against Akak and the Akak Reshi, and claimed the island for Alethkar.[18][19]

Starting in an unknown year, Jasnah renounced Vorinism and became an infamous heretic and academic across all of Alethkar. Gavilar attempted to get Jasnah to marry Meridas Amaram until his death, although this never came to be.[20]

Despite the Kholins gaining unquestionable control over Alethkar, the people of Rathalas continued to question their rule and rebel against them. Gavilar attempted to solve the issue diplomatically, but none of his attempts were able to quell the rebellion.

In the year 1163, Gavilar sent Dalinar and Sadaes to quell the rebellion in Rathalas, having run out of options. Dalinar suggested a peaceful solution, and Tanalan's son seemingly accepted the truce, he tricked Dalinar and buried him under rubble. In his anger, Dalinar burned the entire city of Rathalas to the ground, killing all of its inhabitants. The burning of Rathalas also brought about the death of Evi Kholin. The Kholin family worked to cover up the truth of Evi's death, and of the Burning of Rathalas.[21]

In the year 1166, Gavilar and Dalinar came across a Parshendi patrol near the Shattered Plains.[22][23]

Gavilar attempted to make a treaty with the Parshendi, though during a party in Kholinar Palace, he was attacked by and assassinated by Szeth, whom was hired by the Parshendi in order to stop Gavilar from bringing back their long gone gods[24][25]. He gave the sphere of Anti-Voidlight to Szeth, shortly before dying from his wounds.[26]

At an unknown period before his assassination, Gavilar began to come into contact with Thaidakar, Nale, and Kalak, for unknown reasons and to an unknown extent.[26][27] He also somehow managed to find or create Anti-Voidlight.

War of Reckoning[edit]

Following Gavilar's assassination in 1167, Elhokar, as the sole male heir, succeeded the throne.[26] Some time before his father's death, he had married Aesudan and had a single son, Gavinor in the early years of the War of Reckoning. In response to the assassination of Gavilar, the Vengeance Pact was issued between the Ten Highprinces, including Dalinar Kholin, starting the War of Reckoning. Following this, the Elhokar, Dalinar, Adolin, and Renarin moved to the Shattered Plains in order to assist in the war efforts, and with this the seat of power shifted to the Shattered Plains[28]. Navani eventually moved to the Shattered Plains as well, after several years of remaining at Kholinar to assist Aesudan.[8]

After Navani left, Aesudan began to fall into an abyss of decadence, and was corrupted by Ashertmarn and Yelig-nar. She threw lavish feasts, reveling in excess, increasing taxes, and allowing food sent in by farmers for the soldiers at the Shattered Plains to rot away. This turned the populace to turn against her, and made the city fall into decay.[29][30]

An assassination attempt was made on Dalinar by Szeth, Gavilar's assassin, under the orders of Taravangian. This failed due to the assistance of Adolin and Kaladin.[31]

In an attempt to unite the Highprinces, Dalinar Kholin proposed a joint assault deep into the Shattered Plains.[32] The armies of Aladar, Roion, and Sebarial decided to team up with him in his assault.[33]

On Ishishach 1173[34], the plans went through and they pushed through to Narak during the Weeping.[35] Before the battle, upon hearing of the Parshendi taking on Stormform, he ordered Shallan Davar to seek out the Oathgate to Urithiru, in case the battle went poorly for them, Renarin accompanied her alongside various scholars.[36][37]

During the Battle of Narak, Dalinar stayed on the fourth plateau to command the battle.[36] Adolin went to battle on the front lines, and engaged in a duel with Eshonai. This led to them both falling into a chasm, but Adolin was saved by Skar and Drehy. Eshonai vanished and later drowned.[37][38][39]

Szeth was once again sent to assassinate Dalinar[38], but once again failed due to the assistance of Kaladin, who fought and defeated Szeth.[40]

Late into the War of Reckoning, Dalinar began to see visions left by Honor, which culminated in him creating a Nahel Bond with the Stormfather and becoming a Bondsmith.

The True Desolation[edit]

In 1173, during the War of Reckoning, Navani attempted to court Dalinar, picking up their mutual interest in each other from their younger days, that had only been allowed to lapse because Dalinar had stepped aside in favour of Gavilar. Their courtship was frowned upon by the ardentia but nevertheless maintained and culminated in them being married in Urithiru by the Stormfather, as no ardent was willing to perform the rites. Afterwards, Dalinar was titled a highking, giving up his claim to the princedom and making Adolin the Kholin highprince.

Adolin assassinated Torol Sadeas, the patriarch of House Sadeas, in the halls of Urithiru, and hid all evidence of his involvement in the death.[41] This would lead to a temporary instability in the House, and the election of Highmarshal Amaram as regent and heir to the house title by Ialai Sadeas. This cemented a division with the Kholins that would last for an entire year until her death. This assassination would also lead to the discovery of Re-Shephir hidden away in Urithiru.[42]

After gaining access to Urithiru and the Oathgates, Dalinar founded the Coalition of Monarchs in an attempt to mount a resistance against Odium's army. Dalinar, Navani, and Jasnah are major leaders in this coalition. The first monarch he reached out to was Yanagawn of the Azish Empire, though they were initially recalcitrant and refused to take up any invitation.[43]

They went to attempt to ally with Queen Fen of Thaylenah after they were refused by Yanagawn, though she too refused they invitations initially.[43] The rulers of Yezier, Tashikk, and Tukar refused as well. Though Taravangian of Jah Kaved and Kharbaranth accepted their invitation, and was the first to do so, and thus he quickly became an important member of the coalition.

The Siege of Kholinar claimed the life of Elhokar at the hands of Moash[44], but his child and heir, Gavinor, was rescued by Skar and Drehy.[45] Around the time of Elhokar's death, his wife perished as well, being consumed by the power of Yelig-nar, with whom she had entered a bond shortly before and proved unable to control the overwhelming power of the Unmade within her. Kaves Kholin was also found dead during the siege.[30]

After the Battle of Thaylen Field Dalinar asked Adolin to be king, but as he did not believe himself to be capable, Jasnah was crowned queen instead.[45]

When Shallan Davar becomes Jasnah's ward, in order to protect Shallan's family from their creditors and political adversaries, Jasnah orchestrates a causal betrothal between her ward and Adolin.[46] This eventually culminated in their marriage after the battle of Thaylen Field, bringing together House Kholin and House Davar.[45]

Six months after the Battle of Thaylen Field, Jasnah and Dalinar met with Relu-na and his son Talik in order to create an alliance with the Reshi.[47]

Jasnah, Dalinar, and Renarin went to a military expedition in Emul against Tukar and the Voidbringers, in order to gain Emul as an ally. While Adolin and Shallan went to Lasting Integrity as a delegation to convince the Honorspren to once again start bonding to humans to create Windrunners. Upon arriving, they tried Adolin for the crimes of the Recreance.

Dalinar negotiated with Odium, setting the conditions of the Contest of Champions based upon the document written by Jasnah and Wit, which would decide the fate of Roshar.[48]

Military[edit]

House Kholin has access to a large and powerful military, during the War of Reckoning and before the Battle of Narak, they were primarily stationed at the Kholin Warcamp at the Shattered Plains. After the battle and the start of the True Desolation, most moved into Urithiru. Furthermore, following the stationing at Urithiru, Dalinar Kholin, in his position of Highprince of War, took full control of the armies of the other highprinces, in order to prevent any additional squabbles[49], this increased the size of the army under House Kholin to around 100,000[50].

With their military might, they were capable of taking over the disunified Alethi provinces, bringing them together into a single unified Alethkar over years of conquest.

General Khal is the highest ranking general in the Kholin Army.[51] Dalinar often trusts him to lead his armies when he cannot.[40]

King's Guard[edit]

The King's Guard are made up of soldiers specifically tasked with the protection of the incumbent king of Alethkar.[26] They are administered directly by Dalinar Kholin.[52] Their current state is unknown.

They wear uniforms of deep blue and gold.[26][51]

Cobalt Guard[edit]

The Cobalt Guard are an honor guard of House Kholin, protecting members of the House.


Bridge Four[edit]

Bridge Four was a former bridge crew that became Dalinar Kholin's honor guard, guarding the highprince and his family, and a military unit in the Kholin army. They are a very powerful and important part of the army, containing a large amount of Knight's Radiant and Squires, and being trusted with important tasks not entrusted to ordinary soldiers.


  • Kaladin - Captain, Fourth Ideal Windrunner
  • Rock (former) - lieutenant and quartermaster, in charge of food for the battalion
  • Lopen - second lieutenant to Rock, Third Ideal Windrunner
  • Teft (former) - lieutenant in charge of training, Third Ideal Windrunner
  • Sigzil - lieutenant and clerk
  • Skar - lieutenant, Second Ideal Windrunner[54]
  • Moash (former) - lieutenant
  • Rlain - First Ideal Enlightened Truthwatcher[55]
  • Drehy
  • Lyn - Third Ideal Windrunner[56]
  • Dabbid
  • Hobber - Second Ideal Windrunner[57]
  • Leyten - Quartermaster
  • Huio - Third Ideal Windrunner[58]
  • Eth
  • Kara - Second Ideal Windrunner[54]
  • Bisig
  • Torfin
  • Laran - Third Ideal Windrunner
  • Renarin Kholin - Unknown Ideal Enlightened Truthwatcher[59]

Kholinar Wall Guard[edit]

The Kholinar Wall Guard is a military force stationed at Kholinar. They patrol the city wall and stand watch over its gates.[60]

The Kholinar Wall Guard is split into four battalions, each of which being commanded by a Highmarshal at the head of the Guard.[61] Each battalion seems to be ruled over by a Battalionlord[62], and each battalion is split into platoons (led by a Captain), which are split into squads (led by a Lieutenant).[63][64]

Shards[edit]

The Kholins have access to a very large amount of shardblades between their family and their military, numbering over thirty after the unification of the ten armies, not including the increase in numbers after the revival of the Knights Radiant.[51]

The Kholins themselves have access to eight known Shardblades, five of which being Dead Shardblades, and three of which are Radiant Shardblades.


In terms of Shardblades in their army, but not possessed by a member of the house.

They also have access to multiple sets of Shardplate, all unnamed.

  • Dalinar's unpainted set[8]
  • Adolin's Kholin Blue set[8]
  • Elhokar's Gold Set[8]
  • Jasnah's set[77]

In terms of Shardplate in their army, but not possessed by a member of the house.

  • Rust Elthal's Shardplate[36]
  • Serugiadis' Shardplate[75]
  • Teleb's Shardplate[33]
  • General Khal's Shardplate[75]
  • Kaladin's Shardplate[78]

Iconography[edit]

The Kholins are distinguished by the colors white and a deep shade of blue, often referred to as "Kholin blue." These are the official colors of the Kholin household which they use for their uniforms.[8][79][80]

Dalinar Kholin's crest takes the form of the words khokh and linil formed into the shape of a tower and a crown, respectively.[22][81] This crest is emblazoned upon the armor, clothing, and banners of Dalinar's army and servants.[52]

Elhokar Kholin's crest uses the same words as Dalinar's, but they are shaped into a sword and crown, instead of a tower and crown.[22][82]


Family Tree[edit]

House Kholin Family Tree
Key
Parents/Children
Siblings
Ancestors/Descendants
Marriage
Partnership/relationship
  Deceased

Notes[edit]

  1. ↑ Arcanum Unbounded San Francisco signing
    — Arcanum - 2016-11-30#
  2. ↑ Miscellaneous 2017
    — Arcanum - 2017-10-12#
  3. ↑ The Way of Kings chapter 24#
  4. ↑ JordanCon 2018
    — Arcanum - 2018-04-21#
  5. ↑ Oathbringer chapter 105#
  6. ↑ a b /r/Stormlight_Archive
    — Arcanum - 2017-08-09#
  7. ↑ a b Oathbringer chapter 16#
  8. ↑ a b c d e f g h The Way of Kings chapter 12#
  9. ↑ /r/Stormlight_Archive
    — Arcanum - 2017-09-21#
  10. ↑ Oathbringer chapter 106#
  11. ↑ Skyward Pre-Release AMA
    — Arcanum - 2018-10-19#
  12. ↑ Oathbringer chapter 3#
  13. ↑ a b Oathbringer chapter 26#
  14. ↑ Oathbringer chapter 19#
  15. ↑ The Way of Kings chapter 22#
  16. ↑ Dragonsteel 2022
    — Arcanum - 2022-11-14#
  17. ↑ Oathbringer chapter 49#
  18. ↑ The Way of Kings chapter 56#
  19. ↑ Oathbringer chapter 52#
  20. ↑ Words of Radiance prologue#
  21. ↑ Oathbringer chapter 76#
  22. ↑ a b c The Way of Kings chapter 28#
  23. ↑ Rhythm of War chapter 45#
  24. ↑ Oathbringer prologue#
  25. ↑ Rhythm of War chapter 77#
  26. ↑ a b c d e The Way of Kings prologue#
  27. ↑ Rhythm of War prologue#
  28. ↑ Words of Radiance chapter 67#
  29. ↑ Words of Radiance interlude I-12#
  30. ↑ a b Oathbringer chapter 67#
  31. ↑ Words of Radiance chapter 32#
  32. ↑ Words of Radiance chapter 51#
  33. ↑ a b Words of Radiance chapter 76#
  34. ↑ Words of Radiance timeline#
  35. ↑ Words of Radiance chapter 75#
  36. ↑ a b c Words of Radiance chapter 81#
  37. ↑ a b Words of Radiance chapter 83#
  38. ↑ a b Words of Radiance chapter 84#
  39. ↑ Rhythm of War chapter 117#
  40. ↑ a b Words of Radiance chapter 85#
  41. ↑ Words of Radiance chapter 89#
  42. ↑ Oathbringer chapter 29#
  43. ↑ a b Oathbringer chapter 12#
  44. ↑ Oathbringer chapter 84#
  45. ↑ a b c Oathbringer chapter 122#
  46. ↑ Words of Radiance chapter 1#
  47. ↑ Dawnshard chapter 3#
  48. ↑ Rhythm of War chapter 112#
  49. ↑ Oathbringer chapter 2#
  50. ↑ The Way of Kings chapter 6#
  51. ↑ a b c d Words of Radiance chapter 5#
  52. ↑ a b The Way of Kings chapter 18#
  53. ↑ a b Rhythm of War chapter 50#
  54. ↑ a b Rhythm of War chapter 5#
  55. ↑ Rhythm of War chapter 111#
  56. ↑ a b Rhythm of War chapter 10#
  57. ↑ Rhythm of War chapter 12#
  58. ↑ Edgedancer chapter 18#
  59. ↑ Words of Radiance chapter 41#
  60. ↑ Oathbringer chapter 61#
  61. ↑ Oathbringer chapter 77#
  62. ↑ a b Oathbringer chapter 81#
  63. ↑ Oathbringer chapter 70#
  64. ↑ Oathbringer chapter 79#
  65. ↑ a b c Words of Radiance chapter 14#
  66. ↑ Shallan's sketchbook - Shard sketches
  67. ↑ Oathbringer chapter 10#
  68. ↑ Words of Radiance epilogue#
  69. ↑ Dawnshard chapter 18#
  70. ↑ Shadows of Self San Francisco signing
    — Arcanum - 2015-10-09#
  71. ↑ Calamity Seattle signing
    — Arcanum - 2016-02-17#
  72. ↑ /r/books AMA 2015
    — Arcanum - 2015-08-04#
  73. ↑ a b Calamity Austin signing
    — Arcanum - 2016-02-25#
  74. ↑ Rhythm of War chapter 9#
  75. ↑ a b c Words of Radiance chapter 66#
  76. ↑ Words of Radiance chapter 82#
  77. ↑ Rhythm of War chapter 64#
  78. ↑ Rhythm of War chapter 110#
  79. ↑ JordanCon 2018
    — Arcanum - 2018-04-21#
  80. ↑ FanX 2018
    — Arcanum - 2018-09-08#
  81. ↑ Map of the Warcamps
  82. ↑ a b Kholinar Map
  83. ↑ Battle of Narak Map
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