Editing Rayse

|titles=[[Odium]], King of gods,{{book ref|sa3|prologue}} God{{book ref|sa3|56}}

|aliases=Nun Raylisi{{wob ref|12755}}, Rasan{{file ref|Alethi Glyphs Page 2.jpg|Alethi Glyphs: Second Page}}

{{nosnippet|'''Rayse''' was the first Vessel of the Shard [[Odium]].{{wob ref|7266}} After Ascending, he went on a series of killings of various Shards in an attempt to become the sole god of the cosmere.{{book ref|mb7|20}} He was bound to the Rosharan System for around seven-thousand-seven-hundred standard years.{{book ref|sa4|14}}{{book ref|sa4|76}} He died at some point during {{Rosharan date|1175|4}}, slain by [[Taravangian]] with [[Nightblood]].{{book ref|sa4|113}}}}

While Odium’s true essence is too powerful to be seen, Rayse generally presents himself as an old man with a wide, furrowed face and bone-white hair sweeping back from his head, and thick mustaches with a hint of black in them blended into a short white beard. His skin and eyes look [[Shin]], that is to say, he has pale skin and lacks epicanthic folds,{{wob ref|4079}} and he wears a golden crown in his powdery hair.{{book ref|sa3|56}}

==== Mortal ====

Prior to Ascension, Rayse was already thought of as cunning, ambitious, and very dangerous.{{epigraph ref|sa1|18}} He was driven to kill Adonalsium to achieve his goals and desires, though his exact motivation for partaking in the Shattering is currently unclear.{{msh ref|3|2}}

His personality was such to lead him to pick up the Shard of Odium, indicating that his personality was aligned with hatred and strong emotions. He wished to become the type of person he came to be after holding the Shard.{{wob ref|5489}}{{epigraph ref|sa2|71}}

{{image|Odium - XV the Devil.jpg|side=left|width=250px}}

==== Vessel ====

He picked his Shard very deliberately, believing that it matches him perfectly, and desires nothing less than to be the sole god of the [[cosmere]].{{epigraph ref|sa2|71}}{{book ref|mb7|20}}{{wob ref|5489}} To this end, he seeks to destroy any other [[Shard]], primarily those capable of rivaling or threatening him.{{book ref|mb7|20}} To protect himself from a counterattack by other Shards, he picks the targets that he can claim have broken the rules that all the Vessels had previously agreed on.{{wob ref|8358}} This being said, he's not opposed to cooperating with his fellow Vessels if it suits him.{{wob ref|4298}}

He can be extremely cunning. He will often present himself as grandfatherly and friendly, a helping hand rather than a wicked overlord. He will carry this facade for a long time, even if whoever's talking to him is keenly aware of his real nature. He will praise his interlocutor effusively, attempting to present himself as a reasonable ally.{{book ref|sa3|57}}{{book ref|sa3|115}}{{book ref|sa3|118}} It is through this that he manipulates people into serving him or playing into his greater plans, such as when he manipulated [[Ishar]] into experimenting with Surges, leading to the destruction of Ashyn and the human exodus to Roshar.{{book ref|sa3|118}}{{book ref|sa3|119}}{{book ref|sa4|111}} On the other hand, when things do not go his way, the facade drops, and he's quick to reassert a position of dominance, growing callous and threatening.{{book ref|sa3|122}}{{book ref|sa3|i|11}}{{book ref|sa4|112}} If it turns out the situation is beyond his ability to control, he'll flee to regroup and try another day.{{book ref|sa3|119}}

While careful and subtle, Rayse is also an arrogant man. He can be lonely with nobody to share his accomplishments and likes to show off and enjoys being worshipped.{{book ref|sa4|i|6}}{{book ref|sa4|99}} This can be seen when he pulls people into a vision, presenting himself as a powerful, dominating figure while this is not really necessary. Furthermore, he hates being questioned, leading to a struggle between his mind and the Shard he holds, for Odium craves questions and arguments.{{book ref|sa4|i|2}}

In addition, he strongly believes that Odium is the Shard of Passion, not hatred.{{book ref|sa4|31}}{{cite}} He sees passion and emotions as a very important aspect of the lives of men, seeing them as what defines a person.{{book ref|sa3|57}} He sees beauty in passion, and greatly respects those that led their passions consume them unrestrained. He even encourages this, inspiring them to give in to all of their strongest emotions. He also respects straightforwardness and honesty in one's emotions.{{book ref|sa3|57}}{{book ref|sa3|115}}{{book ref|sa4|i|6}} His respect for such things is enough that he would willingly barter with people he considers passionate enough, despite his megalomania.{{book ref|sa3|122}} He even respects the Knights Radiant for their honesty and willingness to do what they thought was best, despite their resistance against him.{{book ref|sa3|57}} This respect for honesty is a common thread in his interactions with others, as he also respects [[Taravangian]]'s honesty.{{book ref|sa4|i|6}} As a lover of such things, he looks down upon those who restrain themselves and don't act on their feelings, as they are contrary to his ideology of emotional openness and indulgence.{{book ref|sa4|i|6}}

He is willing to grant people liberty from an oppressive master if it means that they would come to serve him, such as when he granted mind and freedom to slaveform singers, so that they could assist him and his Fused in their fight to claim Roshar and free him from the Rosharan system.{{cite}} He, however, is not a kind master to these peoples, using them as vessels to be possessed by his Fused.{{book ref|sa3|i|6}} He also strictly punishes people refusing to follow him, and as mentioned previously, is angered by his orders or actions being questioned by those he deems inferior.{{book ref|sa4|i|2}}{{book ref|sa3|118}} However, he acknowledges that resistance is in-line with his Intent as he interprets it, thus he would not unilaterally destroy those that betray or oppose him, and he respects one acting on their own agency. Leading to a complex mixture of feelings on the matter of resistance, which he himself hates, but feels is necessarily to fall in line with his self-perceived Intent.{{book ref|sa3|118}}{{wob ref|15736}} Despite all of this, he considers himself to have given his followers exactly what they wished for, the chance to die in war, in glory, in blood, and to find joy in that destruction.{{book ref|sa4|i|6}}

{{image|Odium by Felix Abel Klaer.png|side=right|width=250}}

{{sidequote

|I DO NOT THINK THAT IS TRUE, VYRE, THOUGH I UNDERSTAND WHY YOU THINK IT SO. I FEEL YOUR PASSIONS, AS THEY ARE MINE. I UNDERSTAND YOU.

|Odium speaking to [[Vyre]]{{book ref|sa4|i|4}}

}}

Following from his beliefs regarding passion and emotions, he believes a world without such things as not being worth living in.{{book ref|sa3|57}} He also believes himself the only Vessel to truly understand pain and emotion, and the only one to truly care about mankind. He attempts to comfort people through insuring them that he understands them and their feelings, and that he truly cares about them.{{book ref|sa3|109}}{{book ref|sa4|i|4}} He wants to take away the pain of sapient beings, to take away their guilt for their actions. To allow them to fully indulge in their emotions and passions without having to feel the weight of pain or guilt.{{book ref|sa3|118}}{{book ref|sa3|119}} He offers to take away the pain as one of his primary methods of getting people to turn to him, as he preys on their pain, guilt, and insecurities.{{cite}} Despite his claims to love mankind, he considers the lives of humans and singers of inherently lesser value than his own, and looks down upon them.{{book ref|sa4|112}} He does, however, see his singers as more valuable soldiers than mankind, and is willing to use the blood of mankind to preserve and strengthen them.{{book ref|sa4|i|6}}

He is a man deeply driven by hatred and contempt, despite his kindly facade,{{book ref|sa3|57}}{{book ref|sa4|32}} and is prone to bouts of anger.{{book ref|sa3|122}}{{book ref|sa3|i|11}}{{book ref|sa4|112}}

While willing to compliment people for their accomplishments, such as complimenting [[Taravangian]] for the creation of the [[Diagram (literature) | Diagram]], he often tries to immediately upstage said accomplishments and make them into nothing; this is likely motivated by his own megalomania and belief in the inferiority of mortals.{{book ref|sa3|122}}{{book ref|sa4|i|6}}{{book ref|sa4|112}} He ultimately considers even that which he compliments to be nothing compared to his own ability and being.{{book ref|sa4|i|6}}

Furthermore, he is a traitorous individual, as he is willing to double-cross those that he works with, such as [[Autonomy]], if it means achieving his goals.{{wob ref|15137}} He also betrays his followers, as previously mentioned, seducing them with promises of new forms, only to allow them to be possessed by Fused.{{book ref|sa3|i|6}} However, he holds to his Oaths, as he is incapable of breaking them.{{book ref|sa3|16}} It is due to this that he refrains from making Oaths unless he feels he has no other choice, or if he believes that he gets the better end of the deal.{{cite}}

His greatest desire is to escape the Rosharan system from which he is bound, so that he could continue his series of Splinterings around the cosmere, so that he could achieve his ''telos'' of becoming its sole ruler.{{epigraph ref|sa2|71}}{{book ref|mb7|20}}{{book ref|sa4|112}} He is willing to do whatever he can, or take however long is required, in order to achieve this goal. Spending around seven-thousand years in his endeavors.{{book ref|sa4|14}}{{book ref|sa4|76}} He is also willing to kill those he respects and feels don't deserve to die, if it means furthering his goals; be it escaping from Roshar, or becoming the sole god.{{book ref|sa3|57}} However, upon being forced into a corner by [[Dalinar Kholin]], he agreed to give up his wish for freedom, deigning to accept sole leadership over Roshar, so long as he had the freedom to send his soldiers across the cosmere in a greater war for control. Thus he was willing to give up his freedom, but not his lust for power and control. He was infuriated by his wishes not being granted in the Oath, but ultimately accepted as he felt he had no other choice.{{book ref|sa4|112}}

If it means achieving his goals, he would attempt something even if he doesn't fully understand how to.{{wob ref|9563}}{{wob ref|9616}} Such as when he Splintered [[Devotion]] and [[Dominion]], yet, not understanding what to do with the Investiture afterwards, pushed it into the Cognitive Realm, fundamentally effecting [[Sel]] in the process.{{wob ref|2546}}{{cite}}

He presents himself as a regal king, donning a golden crown and staff, reflective of his desires and how he views himself.{{book ref|sa3|56}} He even uses his regal staff when presenting himself to the Singers, likely as a display of authority.{{book ref|sa3|115}}

{{sidequote

|No. No, we killed you. WE KILLED YOU !

|Odium upon seeing [[Honor's Perpendicularity]]{{book ref|sa3|119}}

|side=left|size=200px

}}

As a Vessel of a Shard of Adonalsium, and a deeply arrogant man, Rayse fears very little. But one thing he does fear is [[Szeth]] and [[Nightblood]], for Nightblood is one of the only things that could truly kill him.{{book ref|sa4|i|6}}{{book ref|sa4|113}} He also came to fear Dalinar when he opened the Perpendicularity.{{book ref|sa3|119}} He also fears Harmony, both due to his power and the concept he represents.{{wob ref|3949}}{{wob ref|7318}}{{wob ref|14009}} Lastly, he fears the concept of losing himself, particularly by taking up other Shards and having his mind and self warped by them, thus he attempts to Splinter Shards rather than absorbing them into himself.{{epigraph ref|sa4|34}}{{wob ref|5489}}{{wob ref|4130}}

When truly terrified, such as upon Dalinar opening the Perpendicularity, he tends to completely lose his composure and begin screaming violently.{{book ref|sa3|119}} Ordering his followers to dispatch of the threat in a panic, even if they likely couldn't stop it.{{book ref|sa3|119}}

Rayse is capable of removing the negative emotions, such as pain and guilt, of his followers, so long as they are Connected to him. When the Connection is held, any negative emotions are drained out of an individual when the feelings arise, leaving them feeling nothing. This can be temporarily undone by disrupting the Connection between him and a given follower.{{book ref|sa4|i|4}}

Rayse had once been a human from the planet [[Yolen]].{{wob ref|4709}}{{wob ref|7939}} He participated in the [[Shattering]] of [[Adonalsium]] along with fifteen other people, and chose the Shard of Odium for himself.{{msh ref|3|2}}{{epigraph ref|sa2|71}} Afterwards, much like the other Shards, he departed the planet. While his Shard was interpreted as Odium from the very beginning, it's uncertain if the series of killings he would subsequently go on was his plan from the start.{{wob ref|12312}}

=== Autonomy ===

He was working with [[Autonomy]] to an unclear extent. Had he not been captured in the Rosharan system, he would have double-crossed them, attacking and trying to Splinter them.{{wob ref|15137}}

{{image|I am Unity.jpg|side=right|width=250px|Dalinar facing off with Rayse}}

=== Dalinar ===

|Don't blame yourself. I made you kill her, Dalinar. I caused all of this. Do you remember?

|Rayse to Dalinar{{book ref|sa3|118}}

Rayse has been grooming [[Dalinar]] to be his champion from a young age. During the war of [[Alethi]] unification, Odium provided him with the [[Thrill]], and he claims to be the influence behind Dalinar's most gruesome atrocities, including the burning of the [[Rift]]. His goal is to make Dalinar feel such overwhelming guilt that he would give Rayse his pain, willingly joining his cause.{{book ref|sa3|118}} When [[Cultivation]] wiped Dalinar's memories, Rayse's plan became to return them all to Dalinar at once, for the greatest possible impact.{{book ref|sa3|121}}

By the time of the [[True Desolation]], Rayse is confident in his ability to pull Dalinar over to his side when the time comes. He puts on a warm and caring facade, acting as though he's Dalinar's friend while at the same time underscoring just how thoroughly ''his'' Dalinar is.{{book ref|sa3|57}}{{book ref|sa3|109}} Likewise, at the [[Battle of Thaylen Field]] he's similarly friendly as he offers Dalinar an out from his overwhelming feelings of guilt, even as Dalinar attempts to deny him.{{book ref|sa3|118}}

What Rayse doesn't expect is that Cultivation has arranged for Dalinar to recover his memories beforehand, giving him time to work through them and greatly dulling the impact Rayse's sudden influx of memories has on Dalinar.{{book ref|sa3|118}} This allows Dalinar to reject Rayse's offer. Rayse is first stunned, and then terrified as Dalinar not only defies him, but progresses on the path of a [[Bondsmith]] and summons [[Honor's Perpendicularity]]. He flees, fearing that if they met face to face again, Dalinar could push him into a contest in which Rayse's victory wouldn't be certain.{{book ref|sa3|119}}{{book ref|sa3|122}}

=== Harmony ===

While he has not met [[Harmony]], he greatly fears him, both due to the power he holds and the concept he represents, that of two Shards coming together and finding harmony.{{wob ref|3949}}{{wob ref|7318}}{{wob ref|14009}}

Harmony, on the other hand, considers Odium a great threat, even while bound to the Rosharan System.{{epigraph ref|sa4|30}}{{epigraph ref|sa4|31}} He, at the behest of Hoid, sought after all the Vessels he could to try and find someone to help deal with Odium, to no avail.{{epigraph ref|sa4|22}}{{epigraph ref|sa4|24}}{{epigraph ref|sa4|25}}

=== Taravangian ===

| So honest, this version of you... I much prefer it, yes. There is a straightforwardness to your Passion.

| Rayse to Taravangian{{book ref|sa4|i|6}}

He respects the straightforwardness of Taravangian's passion, and was willing to barter with him over the lives of the people of Roshar, ultimately coming to a deal to spare the people of [[Kharbranth]].{{book ref|sa4|i|6}} Despite this, he ultimately considers Taravangian to be nothing, and openly admonishes him when he isn't complimenting him.{{book ref|sa4|i|6}}{{expand}}

Taravangian himself hates Rayse, enough so that he was led to murder the Vessel.{{book ref|sa4|113}}{{expand}}

=== Tanavast ===

{{quote

|Tell me you've never found yourself in conflict with someone you respect. Tell me you’ve never killed a man because you had to, even if—in a better world—he shouldn’t deserve it?

|Rayse on killing Tanavast{{book ref|sa3|57}}

}}

The relation between Rayse and [[Tanavast]] is difficult to determine, moreso for the fact that Rayse is the only source of information on it. On one hand, Rayse claims to sincerely respect him as a person, and claims that in a better world, Tanavast needn't have died. On the other hand, he also claims that Tanavast was heartless, caring for bonds and oaths more than the people behind them.{{book ref|sa3|57}} Tanavast's opinion of Rayse is unknown, but he was clearly wary, as he deliberately constructed their confrontation in a way that would allow him to bind Rayse to [[Braize]].{{wob ref|8560}}