Difference between revisions of "Diagram (group)"

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==Activities==
===Testing the King===
Several Diagram members are responsible for administering a binding daily intelligence test to King Taravangian. The results of this test determine his ability to serve as king, offer binding commentary on the Diagram, interact outside of supervision, change governmental policy, and pass judgement in trials.{{book ref|sa2|i|14}} [[Dukar]] is the head of the [[King's Testers]], often assisted by other stormwardens, presumably also members of the Diagram. [[Adrotagia]] and [[Mrall]] have also observed the King's Testing, and his room maid [[Maben]] has also been present.
 
The test consists of an increasingly difficult series of math problems, with the King's abilities determined by how he performs. His decisions will be restricted for the day if he performs too badly (because he is too unintelligent), but also if he performs too well (because he is too uncompassionate). In Oathbringer, Taravangian cheats his test by claiming to be unable to solve the next problem, when he is really able to.{{book ref|sa3|i|5}}
 
Adrotagia has used the data from Taravangian's test scores to show that his intellegence varies according to a statistical normal curve. From her calculations, she believes that another day of brilliance would be unlikely to occur more than once in two thousand years.{{book ref|sa2|i|14}}
 
===Interpretation of Diagram===
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 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. One notable example is what to do with Dalinar Kholin. Graves was convinced that the Diagram could be interpreted as allowing them to ally with Dalinar, while most others believed that Dalinar was competition. The failure of Graves's conspiracy was seen as proof that his interpretation was wrong.
 
===Testing the King===
Knowing that his fluctuating intelligence and compassion could hinder his decision-making ability on certain days, 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}}
 
The test consists of an increasingly difficult series of math problems, with the Kingking's abilities determined by how he performs. His decisions will be restricted for the day if he performs too badly (because he is too unintelligent), but also if he performs too well (because he is too uncompassionate). In Oathbringer, Taravangian cheats his test by claiming to be unable to solve the next problem, when he is really able to.{{book ref|sa3|i|5}}
 
Adrotagia has used the data from Taravangian's test scores to show that his intellegenceintelligence varies according to a statistical normal curve. From her calculations, she believes that another day of brilliance would be unlikely to occur more than once in two thousand years.{{book ref|sa2|i|14}}
 
===The Silent Gatherers and the Collection of Death Rattles===
One phenomenon predicted by the Diagram was the existence of Death Rattles, prophecies of the future pronounceduttered uponby the timedying of death underthrough the influence of [[Moelach]]. Taravangian instituted a program of collecting these death rattles from selected hospital patients (the terminally ill, the lowly, and the forgotten) who are slowly and intentionally bled to death solely for this purpose{{book ref|sa1|71}}. Those who participate in this operation are called the Silent Gatherers{{book ref|sa1|endnote}}. Their leader is [[Joshor]].
 
See [[{{for|Death Rattle]] for the|a list of confirmed Death Rattles.}}
 
Taravangian instituted a program of collecting these Death Rattles from selected hospital patients (the terminally ill, the lowly, and the forgotten) who are slowly and intentionally bled to death solely for this purpose{{book ref|sa1|71}}. Those who participate in this operation are called the Silent Gatherers{{book ref|sa1|endnote}}. Their leader is [[Joshor]].
 
===Search for Dustbringers===
The Diagram predicted that the order[[Order of Dustbringers]] would be most likely to ally with the Diagram, thoughtthough obtaining a radiantRadiant was not guaranteed byin the Diagramtext. It appears that the DiagramTaravangian implemented a program among its lower members to attempt to bond an [[ashspren]]. It is unknown what steps this consisted ofinvolved. [[Malata]] was the first to succeed.{{book ref|sa3|107}}
 
===Assassination of Leaders===
The Diagram predictedmentioned the abilitypossibility toof usefinding (or create)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 truthlessTruthless, but Taravangian did eventually obtain possession of his oathstone[[Oathstone]] and used itthe Shin man who possessed [[Jezrien]]'s [[Honorblade]] to assassinate other world leaders.{{book ref|sa1|i|6}}
 
Obeying the holder of his Oathstone, Szeth killed many of Roshar's royalty and anyone else who stood in his way. The final person he was assigned to assassinate was [[Dalinar Kholin]], uncle to King [[Elhokar]] of [[Alethkar]] and Highprince of [[Kholinar]].{{book ref|sa2|71}} Dalinar had been trying to unite the highprinces of Alethkar, which Taravangian felt was a threat to the Diagram's command that Taravangian should rule all of Roshar.{{epigraph ref|sa2|80}}
 
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.
 
===Takeover of Jah Kaved===
Taravangian had used Szeth to kill the King of [[Jah Keved]] and several Veden highprinces, creating a power vacuum and a succession warcrisis. EveryThe surviving Veden Highprincehighprinces vied for the throne and waswere killed in thea brutal battlecivil war. When Taravangian went to [[Jah KevedVedenar]] posing as a benevolent foreign king bringing aid to the war-torn city, as the Diagram instructed him to, he was made Kingking of Jah Keved.{{book ref|sa2|I|14}}{{expand}}
 
===Graves's Conspiracy===
[[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}}
 
He, along with [[Moash]], [[Danlan]], and [[Rill]],{{book ref|sa2|44}}{{book ref|sa2|46}} conspired together and attempted to stage an accident wherein Elhokar would fall to his death from a balcony. This plan failed when the king managed to hold on to part of a railing and was saved by his guards.{{book ref|sa2|23}}
 
Later on, they tried to recruit Kaladin to their side. Kaladin had been investigating the matter and discovered Moash's part in it, and so Graves attempted to convince him that Elhokar was a bad king who deserved to be replaced. Kaladin, who , did not report them to authorities but refused to assist Graves.{{book ref|sa2|46}} When the conspirators had another opportunity to assassinate the king, this time through direct physical assault, Kaladin had a change of heart and saved Elhokar from them.{{book ref|sa2|84}}
 
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}}
 
===Second Assassination Attempt on Dalinar===
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}}
 
On the day that Kaladin was saving Elhokar in the warcamps, Szeth arrived in [[Narak]], where Dalinar had been commanding the Alethi armies against [[stormform]] [[listeners]] who were summoning the [[Everstorm]]. Dalinar bravely fought against the assassin, but proved to be no match for him. Several soldiers, [[Bridge Four]] members, and even Highprince [[Roion]] died trying to protect Dalinar, who was then finally struck with a [[Lashing]] that sent him up in the sky.{{book ref|sa2|85}}
 
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}}
 
===Undermining of Dalinar's Leadership===
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{{book ref|sa3|111}}:
* 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 Elhokar had sworn allegiance to Dalinar as ''highking''.{{book ref|sa3|12}} The Diagram tried to imply that the Alethi had imperial ambitions.
 
* That Dalinar had visions that involved talking to [[Odium]], visions that he hid from the public.{{book ref|sa3|57}}
 
They released all three secrets to the public at the same time, causing coalition to break apart.{{book ref|sa3|111}}
 
===Alliance with Odium===
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}}
At the end of Oathbringer, Tarvangian allies the Diagram with Odium in exchange for his promise to save the city and people of Kharbranth (defined as anyone born in the city and their spouses).
 
Soon after, during the passing of the Everstorm and on a day of low intelligence, the predicted confrontation happened. Odium isolated Taravangian from the others and interrogated him. Taravangian then offered to ally the Diagram with Odium in exchange for his promise to save the people of Kharbranth. Odium accepted the offer, and specifically agreed to save anyone born in the city as well as their spouses. Taravangian gave the stolen Honorblade to Odium's forces afterwards.{{book ref|sa3|122}}
 
== Notes ==
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