Balat Davar
| Balat Davar | |||||||
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 by botanicaxu
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| Born | 1150[1] | ||||||
| Residence | Urithiru | ||||||
| Nationality | Veden | ||||||
| Homeworld | Roshar | ||||||
| Universe | Cosmere | ||||||
Balat Davar is a lighteyed Veden on Roshar.[1] Balat is born into House Davar as the second oldest child of Lin and his mother. Originally known as Tet Balat Davar, he becomes Nan Balat Davar, taking on the title for the first son and heir to House Davar after his father disowns his older brother Helaran.[2] He is betrothed to Eylita Tavinar.[3]
Appearance and Personality
Balat is a young man twenty-three years old as of 1173. He has a round face and a haunted look that shadowed him. [4] He is the tallest among his surviving siblings.
It is inferred that as a boy, he liked starting fires. One of these almost burned down the servants building. [5] He is also known to have cruel habits towards animals.[6]
As an adult he still liked killing animals, not people. Never people. The pain of whatever he killed seemed to ease up his own pain. He did so with cruelty, enjoying each step. An example is ripping legs of a small crab one by one.[1] Scrak was his axehound pet, which he was close and fond of. [1]
Balat's father smashes Balat's leg with a poker and causes him an injury that leaves him walking with a cane. [7]. Balat still feels a constant, latent ache. [1]
He believes that House Davar is deeply damaged and a "family of cripples" as a result of the death of his mother and the events that followed it. He sees himself as the only one who is normal and unscathed by these events.[1]
- Images of Balat
Portrait by User: Botanicaxu
The Davar children by User: Botanicaxu
History
Childhood
Balat is born as second son to Lin Davar and his mother. Because of this, he grows up as Tet Balat. Still a child by the time he reaches adulthood, he grows up with bitterness towards his father believing he cold bloodedly killed his mother and lover. [8] His anger and escape seems to be relieved by torturing animals. it's likely he abused an axehound pup that his older brother Helaran gave him as a gift. [6]
Becoming Nan Balat
Nan Helaran confronts his father, Lin Davar, and leaves the house. Though there is no immediate change for Balat or his brothers, they seem to constantly grieve his absence as no one else dares to confront his father, not even when the highprince sends his bastard son to their manor and asks someone to speak against him. Balat wants them to take his father, but does not dare speak.[8]
At one of his father's feasts, Balat meets Elyta Tavinar. She is the daughter of a Brightlord of lower dahn than his father. [9] With the help of Shallan, they start writing and later dating. [2]
Several years later, as Helaran and Lin grow further apart, Lin starts calling him Nan Balat as if he was the eldest son of the family. However, it is not until the Middlefest Fair when his father receives a threatening message from Helaran that Lin decides to disinherit Helaran and officially change the title of Tet Balat to Nan Balat. [2]
Confrontation with Lin Davar
The first time Balat confronts his father is when Lin decides to forbid Balat's engagement with Eylita. His father disapproves of the marriage because she is of lower station. Lin Balat prefers that Balat marry the Highprince's daughter who is in her fifties. Balat mentions to his father that he saw Helaran, which makes Lin even more angy. As punishment, Lin sends a servant to kill Balat's beloved axehound puppies. [10]
Looking at his dead puppies, he confirms to himself that he is not as strong as Helaran and doesn't consider himself capable of taking care of his family. Shallan helps him make a plan to escape with Eylita using Helaran's help under the condition of taking their step mother Malise with them. [11]
They were never able to contact Helaran. Because of this, Balat decides to only take Eylita and go to the Highprince and testify against his father for his mother's death. Though his father had gained much more power since the death and the accusation might not be as well received; Balat decides this is a risk to take, as he can't be a coward anymore. [7]
On the day he was to run to the Highprince, Lin beats and kills Malise who revealed Balat's plan. Lin summons Eylita before she and Balat escape, and he sends a guard to kill Helaran. [7]
Lin's death and Aftermath
When Balat finds out his father called for Eylita, he confronts him again. This time however, his father is cold and aggressive. The confrontation turns to violence, but Balat is not skillful enough to hurt him (though he breaks his father's hidden Soulcaster). Lin injures Balat's leg, but was unable to hurt him further as Shallan tricks him into sipping poisoned wine, which paralyzes him. Shallan kills her father with her necklace knowing that, if he survived, he would not have mercy. [7]
Nan Balat runs the affairs of House Davar in the stead of his dead father while Shallan pursues Jasnah Kholin for a wardship. He communicates with Shallan via Spanreed. They barely manage economically, but they know someone will discover their father's death before long. Some men visit Balat and demand the return of his Father's Soulcaster. [3]
Jasnah Kholin steps in to help House Davar [12] but everything is lost during the upheaval in Jah Keved. By order of Mraize, Balat and his brothers are saved and taken to Urithiru as a "gift" to Shallan for her services to the Ghostbloods. [4]
Attributes and Abilities
Balat has no magical ability and no particular strength in politics, finance, social skills, nor dueling.[4] His animal cruelty is magically enhanced by a moving force on Roshar.[13]
Relationships
Shallan and brothers
In times past, Balat hated Shallan for being left alone/untouched by the brutality of his father, but he also knew he couldn’t truly hate her. He considered her shy, quiet and delicate. [1] Shallan worries and tries to help her brothers. In the case of Balat, she helps him get closer to Eylita[2] and later encourages him to plan an escape with her. [10] She potentially saves his life by stopping their father. [7]
Though Balat seems to care for his brothers, he doesn’t step up to protect or help them. This is shown when Jushu is taken by debtors. However, Balat gives Shallan his knife to help get Jushu back. [14]
After Shallan leaves, they kept in touch via spanreed. Mraize uses Balat and his other brothers to keep Shallan on his side. [15]
Helaran
When Helaran leaves the house the first time, he doesn't think Balat is ready to lead their brothers.[6] However, several years later, before leaving for the war in Alethkar, Helaran asks Balat to watch over the family. Balat considers Helaran to be strong and brave and doesn't consider himself to be as good.[10]
Lin Davar
Balat is sure his father killed his mother and her lover. He resents his father's cruelty to the point he wishes the Highprince to take him. [8] Balat is always afraid of stepping up to him. It is only his disapproval of Eylita that triggers Balat to confront Lin. Lin cripples Balat with a poker.[16]
Quotes
“ “Am I a coward, Scrak?” ”
— Balat to his axhound [1]
Trivia
- His cruelty to animals used for soothing aches is being magically enhanced by unspecified forces on Roshar.[13]
Notes
- ↑ a b c d e f g h The Way of Kings interlude I-2#
- ↑ a b c d Words of Radiance chapter 45#
- ↑ a b The Way of Kings chapter 29#
- ↑ a b c Oathbringer chapter 122#
- ↑ Words of Radiance chapter 27#
- ↑ a b c Words of Radiance chapter 19#
- ↑ a b c d e Words of Radiance chapter 73#
- ↑ a b c Words of Radiance chapter 39#
- ↑ Words of Radiance chapter 35#
- ↑ a b c Words of Radiance chapter 61#
- ↑ Words of Radiance chapter 65#
- ↑ Words of Radiance chapter 1#
- ↑ a b Leipzig Book Fair
— Arcanum - 2017-03-24# - ↑ Oathbringer chapter 45#
- ↑ Oathbringer chapter 21#
- ↑ Words of Radiance chapter 122#