Difference between revisions of "Diagram (group)"

 

== Known Members ==

*[[Taravangian]]: King of [[Kharbranth]] and [[Jah Keved]].

 

*[[Dukar]]: The head of Taravangian's [[King's Testers|Testers]].

*[[Adrotagia]]: A Kharbranthian scholar and childhood friend of Taravangian.

*[[Malata]]: [[Dustbringer]].

 

*[[Joshor]]: Head of the Silent Gatherers.

*[[Dova]]: An ardent, researching the Death Rattles.

 

*[[Graves]]: A lighteyed Alethi Shardbearer.

*[[Danlan]]: A lighteyed Alethi lady.

*[[Fia]]: Not specifically mentioned as a Diagram member, but in Graves's party.

 

*[[Danlan Morakotha]]: A lighteyed Alethi scribe.

*[[Maben]]: Taravangian's maid.

 

The senior members of the Diagram, including Taravangian himself, spend much of their time interpreting the Diagram and coming up with strategies to implement it. Because much of the original Diagram was written in opaque ways, including codes, diagrams, poetry, and made-up languages, the Diagram must sometimes first be translated into plain speech, sometimes multiple times.{{epigraph ref|sa2|87}} Diagram members sometimes disagree as to the course of action prescribed by the Diagram.

 

Knowing that his fluctuating intelligence and compassion could hinder his decision-making ability, Taravangian set up a system that will legally restrict some of his own rights depending on the result of a written test that he would take daily. This system is enforced by the [[King's Testers]] headed by [[Dukar]], and often assisted by other stormwardens who are also presumably members of the Diagram. [[Adrotagia]] and [[Mrall]] have also observed the king's testing, as well as his room maid [[Maben]]. The results of this test determine which activities Taravangian is allowed to perform for the day, like offering binding commentary on the Diagram, interacting with other people without supervision, changing governmental policy, and passing judgement in trials.{{book ref|sa2|i|14}}

 

Unfortunately, Taravangian has been caught cheating on his own test by claiming to be unable to solve a problem, when he was really able to, in order not to be restricted for performing too well.{{book ref|sa3|i|5}} How this affects Adrotagia's calculations and how the Diagram members plan to handle cheating in the future remains to be seen, but the daily tests apparently continued afterwards.{{book ref|sa3|122}}

 

:''Main article:'' [[Death Rattle]]

 

During the succesion battle in Jah Keved, Adrotagia reported to Taravagian that the number of Death Rattles was continuing to drop, down to two or less per day.{{book ref|sa2|I|14}} Later in [[Urithiru]], Adrotagia reports that Moelach has settled in the [[Horneater Peaks]]. Joshor is on his way there, hoping to reestablish access to the Death Rattles.{{book ref|sa3|107}}

 

The Diagram predicted that the [[Order of Dustbringers]] would be most likely to ally with the Diagram, though obtaining a Radiant was not guaranteed in the text. Taravangian implemented a program among its lower members to attempt to bond an [[ashspren]]. It is unknown what steps this involved. [[Malata]] was the first to succeed.{{book ref|sa3|107}}

 

The Diagram mentioned the possibility of finding or creating a [[Shin]] [[Truthless]] who they could use as a weapon.{{epigraph ref|sa2|78}} It is unclear whether the Diagram was involved in the events that led to [[Szeth]] becoming a Truthless, but Taravangian did eventually obtain possession of his [[Oathstone]] and used the Shin man who possessed [[Jezrien]]'s [[Honorblade]] to assassinate other world leaders.{{book ref|sa1|i|6}}

 

Szeth found Dalinar in the Alethi warcamps, but the highprince, with the aid of his guard [[Kaladin Stormblessed]], managed to survive the attack. Seeing Kaladin use [[Stormlight]] to heal a Shardblade wound caused Szeth to flee.

 

Taravangian had used Szeth to kill the King of [[Jah Keved]] and several Veden highprinces, creating a power vacuum and a succession crisis. The surviving Veden highprinces vied for the throne and were killed in a brutal civil war. Taravangian went to [[Vedenar]] posing as a benevolent foreign king bringing aid to the war-torn city, as the Diagram instructed him to.{{book ref|sa2|I|14}} Taravangian had created a false geneology showing he had a legitimate claim to the Jah Keved throne, which would be conveniently discovered by his scribes after a week.

 

But Highprince [[Valam]] found out about this plot and chose to make Taravangian his heir outright. This unpredicted turn of events, along with the fact that the Diagram had predicted 6 factions fighting instead of 7 and Szeth's arrival to announce his fight with Kaladin, made Taravangian worry about the future accuracy of the Diagram.{{book ref|sa2|I|14}}

 

[[Graves]] was an Alethi [[Shardbearer]] and a member of the Diagram. According to his interpretation of a part of the Diagram, they needed to ally themselves with Highprince [[Dalinar Kholin]], and that the way to do this was to make Dalinar king of Alethkar by assassinating [[King Elhokar]].{{book ref|sa2|87}}

 

As they fled the Alethi warcamps, Graves wondered whether his interpretation had been wrong, or if he was simply too slow.{{book ref|sa2|87}} Fleeing across the Frostlands with Moash, [[Febrth]], and [[Fia]], he was attacked and killed by [[Fused]] using [[voidlight]], though Moash escapes.{{book ref|sa3|43}}

 

Even though Graves believed that Dalinar was vital to their cause, he still obeyed the Diagram's orders to keep Kaladin from guarding the highprince{{book ref|sa2|87}} so that Szeth, who had been sent once again to assassinate Dalinar, would not realize that Kaladin was a [[Knight Radiant]]. Taravangian believed that Szeth would turn on him and the rest of the Diagram if he found out that the Knights Radiant have returned, as this was connected to how Szeth became Truthless.{{book ref|sa2|i|14}}

 

Szeth intended Dalinar to fall to his death when the Stormlight ran out, but Kaladin had arrived just in time, flying in haste all the way from the warcamps, to save the highprince. The two Windrunners then fought as the others escaped to [[Urithiru]]. Kaladin managed to defeat Szeth, unwittingly handing the Diagram another heavy loss. Szeth was later revived by [[Nalan]], but he no longer considered himself under Taravangian's orders.{{book ref|sa2|86}}

 

As the [[True Desolation]] brought about by the Everstorm started, Taravangian was the first ruler to join [[Dalinar#Uniting_Roshar|Dalinar's coalition]] in Urithiru.{{book ref|sa3|24}} On a day of very high intelligence, he re-evaluated his interpretations of the Diagram regarding Dalinar and decided that replacing him as the leader of the coalition would be their best course of action. In order to do this, they set out to find secrets that would undermine Dalinar's leadership.{{book ref|sa3|i|5}}

 

Through espionage and research, they discovered three secrets:

* That Roshar had originally been inhabited only by the [[Dawnsingers]], who were not humans but parshmen, and that the first [[Desolation]] was caused by humans who came from another world. This called into question what the coalition was fighting for, as the parshmen clearly saw humans as the invaders.

* That King Elhokar had sworn allegiance to Dalinar as ''highking''.{{book ref|sa3|12}} The Diagram tried to imply that the Alethi had imperial ambitions, although the king merely wanted a way to save face after having to follow his uncle on so many things.

* That Dalinar had visions that involved talking to [[Odium]], visions that he hid from the public.{{book ref|sa3|57}} Again, they tried to twist a fact into something that would cast Dalinar in a different light. This time, they made it seem like he was fraternizing with the enemy.

 

They released all three secrets to the public at the same time, causing the coalition to break apart.{{book ref|sa3|111}}

 

The Diagram predicted that Taravangian will have a confrontation with Odium. While the [[Battle of Thaylen Field]] was occurring, Taravangian decided to attract the attention of the god by having [[Malata]] open the Veden Oathgate for a [[singer]] strike force to enter and attack Urithiru. He also had a Diagram agent steal [[Jezrien]]'s [[Honorblade]].{{book ref|sa3|i|14}}{{book ref|sa3|120}}

 

 

== Notes ==

{{Stormlight}}