King's Boon
| King's Boon | |
|---|---|
| Related to | Alethkar, Right of Challenge |
| Type | Tradition |
| World of Origin | Roshar |
| Universe | Cosmere |
“ I offer you a boon. Name what you wish of me or of this court. It shall be yours. ”
— King Elhokar to Adolin[1]
On Roshar, the King's Boon is a privilege that can be granted to a lighteyes who has performed an impressive feat before the King of Alethkar, such as winning a difficult duel.[2] The limit of what the boon can grant is unknown, though it presumably must adhere to existing laws and traditions, meaning that a darkeyes cannot demand it or use it to challenge a lighteyes.[3] If a boon is granted that affects another subject of the king, that person must obey it as well.[1]
History[edit]
The origins of the King's Boon are uncertain. Much like the Right of Challenge, the King's Boon was a tradition that fell by the wayside in the centuries leading up to the War of Reckoning, although it remained well-known to the Alethi lighteyes. It was revived by King Gavilar Kholin when he sought to rid himself of a rebellious highprince, Yenev. To assist Gavilar, Torol Sadeas dueled an unknown man with the purpose of awing the crowd. Upon his victory, Gavilar offered Sadeas a boon; he invoked the Right of Challenge, demanding that Yenev duel him to the death. Sadeas then killed Yenev, paving the way for Aladar to replace him.[2]
In the weeks preceding the Battle of Narak, House Kholin sought to entrap Sadeas in a similar way. Following his victory in a four-on-one duel, Adolin Kholin was granted a boon by king Elhokar, and used it to demand the Right of Challenge from Sadeas. However, at the same time Kaladin also demanded a boon for participating in the duel and coming to Adolin's rescue. When it turned out that Kaladin wanted to challenge Amaram, he was arrested for slander since he was a darkeyes, and Sadeas managed to weasel out of his own duel in the ensuing chaos.[1][3]