Editing Vathah

{{character
|image=Vathah by Marie Seeberger.jpg
|abilities={{tag+|lightweaver}}
|bonded=[[Mosaic]]
|groups={{tag|Knights Radiant}} <small>([[Order of Lightweavers|Lightweavers]])</small>, {{tag|Unseen Court}}{{book ref|sa4|20}}
|residence=Urithiru
|world=Roshar
|universe=[[Cosmere]]
|first appeared=[[Words of Radiance]]
}}
{{quote
|What do polished buttons matter when you’ve got a child’s blood on your boots?
| Vathah{{book ref|sa4|26}}
}}
'''Vathah''' is a [[Order of Lightweavers|Lightweaver]] and a member of the [[Unseen Court]] on [[Roshar]].{{book ref|sa4|20}} He is bonded to the [[Cryptic]] [[Mosaic]].{{book ref|sa4|26}}

== Appearance and Personality ==
He is described as tall and bearded, with arms too long for his body.{{book ref|sa2|20}} He is a [[darkeyes]] and speaks with very little emotion, not even seeming to have much emotion.{{book ref|sa2|20}} He is also very blunt, and is quite intimidating to those who don't know him.{{book ref|sa2|21}} He is dark and hard to read.{{book ref|sa4|20}}

He is cruel and possibly corrupt.{{book ref|sa4|26}} He's stolen spheres off of corpses.{{book ref|sa4|35}}

He is regretful for his actions during the [[War of Reckoning]] and hopes to [[Surgebinding#Illumination|Lightweave]] himself into something different.{{book ref|sa4|26}}

Even when cleaned up and wearing work clothing, Vathah looks rough. He is never properly shaved, but never wears a full beard, either.{{book ref|sa4|26}} He isn't sloppy, but shows disdain for "spit and polish" by leaving his jacket undone.{{book ref|sa4|7}}

== Abilities ==
As a [[Order of Lightweavers|Lightweaver]], Vathah can use the Surges of '''Illumination''' and '''Transformation'''. Vathah is the most naturally talented Lightweaver amongst the [[Unseen Court]].{{book ref|sa4|20}} He didn't recognize the first time he used Lightweaving.{{book ref|sa3|77}}

=== Soulcasting ===
The [[Soulcaster]] enters (or partially enters) the [[Cognitive Realm]] to convince the sentience of an object to change materials, transforming it into something else if successful. Some transformations are more basic than others, with more complicated transformations requiring a more skilled Surgebinder and more [[Stormlight]]. Vathah taught [[Beryl]] a method of soulcasting that involves showing the object an example of what you want want it to become.{{book ref|sa4|26}}

=== Lightweaving ===
[[Surgebinding#Illumination|Lightweaving]] deals in illusions. It involves the manipulation of waves of sound or light and has a strong [[Spiritual Realm|Spiritual]] component requiring a certain measure of [[Connection]] and a full mental picture of the desired illusion. When Lightweaving, he thinks like the thing he wants to be, and the Lightweaving takes over.{{book ref|sa4|32}}

== History ==
Vathah's past is a mystery. He avoids questions about his past. He's never had a family before.{{book ref|sa4|26}}

When he was in [[Torol Sadeas]]'s army, he considered himself a good soldier, until something broke in him. He expressed regret for his actions, as he believed the purpose of the war shifted from revenge to the acquisition of [[gemheart]]s. {{book ref|sa4|26}}

He is the leader of the group of mercenaries spotted by [[Bluth]] which includes [[Gaz]] among their numbers. They spot [[Tvlakv]]'s caravans and begin chasing slowly on foot, following the trail of crushed [[rockbud]]s left behind by the [[chull]]s.{{book ref|sa2|15}} His band of deserters are rugged and dirty, but take good care of their weapons and equipment.{{book ref|sa2|20}} Vathah is the most dark out of the deserters.{{book ref|sa4|26}} There are roughly 25 men in his band{{book ref|sa2|20}}{{book ref|sa2|15}} Eventually [[Shallan]] Davar turns around and uses her [[Surgebinding#Illumination|Lightweaving]] in order to convince his crew to fight on her behalf. He does not take her seriously and begins ordering Gaz to tie her up and take her hostage. Vathah and two others are not convinced but the rest of his men are swayed and charge into the fight, the first of whom is Gaz. He is angry that he loses seven men in the battle, which he feels will not exonerate him or his men for what they did nor stop the recurring nightmares. He then questions Shallan on why she seemed so regal during their meeting before the fight, but then looks like a spoiled child afterwards. She dismisses his questions, at which point he grabs her and becomes threatening until distracted from her by [[Pattern]].{{book ref|sa2|21}} He dislikes the mission as a whole, and thinks that Shallan will not be able to do anything for them.{{book ref|sa2|21}} Vathah is also against art of any kind in the beginning, sneering at those who ask for drawings.{{book ref|sa2|30}}

He is often very brooding, and is not usually in the best of moods. He greatly dislikes Shallan, insulting his men because they want to help her.{{book ref|sa2|24}} He can be quite stealthy, and later during his time in [[Urithiru]] takes great interest in learning espionage.{{book ref|sa2|20}} He can play a part well.{{book ref|sa2|36}} After [[Tyn]] is killed, Vathah accepts Shallan as a true master, and gains respect for her. He will only take orders from her, and won't do what he is told not to.{{book ref|sa2|36}} It does not mean he will do whatever she tells him to do though, and thinks it stupid when others work extra hard to please her.{{book ref|sa2|77}} Once arriving at the Warcamps Vathah gets his record cleared of past crimes and is housed in a tenement in Highprince [[Sebarial]]'s Warcamp.{{book ref|sa2|42}} Vathah will mainly speak in grunts, preferring not to use actual words. Vathah also does not like sitting around not doing anything, even if he gets paid to do it.{{book ref|sa2|47}} He seems to understand many jokes, but barely acknowledges them, except for with the occasional grunt.{{book ref|sa2|77}} When given a job, he will do it wholeheartedly, as long as he accepts it.{{book ref|sa2|77}}

After the relocation to [[Urithiru]] Vathah does not have much do to for a few weeks, and so he starts to to take his job less seriously. He slouches and yawns while guarding Shallan because she doesn't seem to even want him there.{{book ref|sa3|21}} Despite this he does not think of Shallan as a bad employer. She has only done right by him, in his book.{{book ref|sa3|27}} When in the middle of doing something for Shallan he acts nicer and friendlier towards people.{{book ref|sa3|29}} Vathah wants people to think him a ruthless person who only cares about getting the job done and getting paid, but he is not naturally that person.{{book ref|sa3|40}} Vathah does not want any of his men to get into trouble again, and ensures that they don't do what they did before meeting Shallan, such as making sure that [[Gaz]] does not get in debt again.{{book ref|sa3|40}} When learning how to do espionage from [[Ishnah]] Vathah becomes very interested, and does not participate in the rest of the guards' friendly banter.{{book ref|sa3|44}} He has a lot of enthusiasm for the training, and possesses quite a bit of natural talent.{{book ref|sa3|44}} He takes things in stride when they are part of his job, or tries to seem like he does. If he gets surprised he doesn't let it slow him down.{{book ref|sa3|72}}

During the [[siege of Kholinar]] he becomes a squire to Shallan.{{book ref|sa3|77}} This is probably related to his skill in espionage, as that is a Lightweaver trait.{{book ref|sa3|77}} He is the member of the [[Unseen Court]] that Shallan trusts the most.{{book ref|sa4|7}}

Vathah was part of the group that captured [[Ialai]] and the [[Sons of Honor]] in the warcamps. He identified the poison used on Ialai as [[Blackbane]]. He recounted a story about an officer in Sadeas' army that used it to commit suicide.{{book ref|sa4|7}}

Vathah was selected by [[Shallan]] for the mission to [[Lasting Integrity]].{{book ref|sa4|20}} She suspected him as a spy for the [[Ghostbloods]] but eventually ruled him out.{{book ref|sa4|26}} This group sailed from Nohadon's Stairway to [[Nameless]], then caravanned to [[Lasting Integrity]].

== Notes ==
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