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{{character
|image=Jasnah Shuravf.jpg
|family=[[House Kholin]]
|ancestors=[[Dalinar's father]], [[Sadees]]
|universe=[[Cosmere]]
|books=[[The Stormlight Archive]]
}}{{objective|date=2020-06|claim=PiedPeterPiper|complete=y}}
{{quote
|It strikes me that
|Jasnah on why she researches [[Voidbringers]]{{book ref|
}}
'''Jasnah Kholin''' is the queen of [[Alethkar]] on [[Roshar]].{{book ref|sa3|122}} She is a [[Surgebinder]] and [[Elsecaller]], with access to the [[Surge|Surges]]
== Appearance and Personality ==
=== Appearance ===
{{for|/Gallery|more images}}
Jasnah is a reserved and statuesque woman. She is widely praised for her beauty, always graceful and dressed immaculately. She is tall and slender with a full chest. She has tan skin and deep black hair that, when unbound, reaches the middle of her back - though she usually puts it up in intricate braids.{{book ref|sa3|39}} She has a squarish face and pale violet eyes with an [[Wikipedia: epicanthic fold|epicanthic fold]].{{book ref|sa1|5}}
=== Personality ===
{{quote
|You two are a pair of nails in the same doorframe. Stern, hard, and storming annoying to pull free.
|[[Navani]] about [[Dalinar]] and [[Jasnah]]{{book ref|sa1|28}}
}}
Jasnah is generally a stern and serious person, although she occasionally shows a wry sense of humor
She has also been shown to have some sort of aversion to darkness, or at the very least shadows, as seen when she became uneasy while staring at a shadow.
Jasnah is an atheist.{{book ref|sa1|29}} This has caused her not an insignificant amount of problems and led to her being ostracized a bit, but she has never compromised in her beliefs for the sake of appearances.{{book ref|sa1|28}} While she is confident in her lack of faith in the [[devotary|devotaries]], like the true scholar that she is, she also always keeps an open mind to the possibility of being wrong. She is content to keep her beliefs to herself, and doesn't particularly care about converting anyone else.{{book ref|sa1|29}}
== Attributes and Abilities ==
=== Surgebinding ===
Jasnah has a [[Nahel bond]] with the [[inkspren]] [[Ivory]] which gives her the ability to Surgebind.{{book ref|sa2|3}} She has access to the Surges of [[Transformation]] and [[Transportation]].{{book ref|sa1|72}} As with all Surgebinders, she has superhuman speed, strength and healing when she holds Stormlight. She has demonstrated her ability to Soulcast multiple times, as well as the power to enter and leave Shadesmar (the [[Cognitive Realm]]). She is in the process of becoming a [[Knights Radiant|Knight Radiant]] of the [[Order of Elsecallers]].
==== Transformation ====
The Surge of Transformation allows Jasnah to [[Soulcasting|Soulcast]]. Jasnah can use Soulcasting in various ways with great precision, ranging from burning letters into a page,{{book ref|sa1|33}} to transforming boulders into smoke,{{book ref|sa1|5}} and even purifying Shallan's blood from a poison called backbreaker powder.{{book ref|sa1|50}} She also used Soulcasting as a very deadly weapon when she and Shallan were attacked by four footpads in Kharbranth and she Soulcast their assailants into fire, crystal and smoke.{{book ref|sa1|36}} They were even more dramatically demonstrated when she fought Odium's forces in the [[Battle of Thaylen Field]].{{book ref|sa3|118}} She has expressed that she is not very capable of Soulcasting organics and she was, indeed, unable to successfully Soulcast the strawberry jam that Kabsal brought to Shallan's hospital room.{{book ref|sa1|48}} It is widely believed that her failure was due in part to the fact that she had never tasted strawberries.{{book ref|sa1|72}}
She has also shown the ability to Soulcast multiple targets from a distance. In this method of Soulcasting, bolts of Stormlight can be seen traveling towards the intended target. When Jasnah used this ability to transform two men into smoke, it caused the [[Polestone#Smokestone|smokestone]] she used to shatter, indicating that this method may use more Stormlight than regular Soulcasting.{{book ref|sa1|36}} This ability may be a specialized version of Soulcasting or a distinct ability resulting from manipulating a combination of the Surges of transformation and transportation.
Initially Jasnah pretends to use a fake Soulcaster fabrial to disguise her Surgebinding abilities from the public.{{book ref|sa1|70}}
==== Transportation ====
Jasnah can transport herself into and out of the Cognitive Realm, along with at least her clothing and small physical objects. Going all the way into the Cognitive Realm appears to require a greater degree of cooperation from Ivory and returning to the Physical Realm seems to require something more that going to the Cognitive does not.{{book ref|sa3|33}} It is unclear whether she can transport other people or object into Shadesmar, though she did retrieve Shallan from Shadesmar after her ward entered with not enough Stormlight available to return.{{book ref|sa1|70}}
==== Resonance ====
{{theory}}
As a Knight Radiant who has access to two Surges she also has a [[resonance]].{{wob ref|1296}} When she met [[Hoid]] after returning from the [[Cognitive Realm]], she immediately starts walking towards the nearest town, which prompts Hoid to think she has "a good sense of direction."{{book ref|sa2|epilogue}} Some suspect this indicates that the Elsecaller resonance is some sort of internal GPS that, at least, allows them to determine their exact location and the direction to the nearest settlement. Brandon has not clearly confirmed or denied this.{{wob ref|6740}}
=== Scholarship ===
Jasnah is one of the leading scholars of her time, and is widely known for her brilliance. Despite her young age, many feel she would have obtained the cap of a master scholar if it weren't for her vocal denunciation of the Vorin religion.{{book ref|sa1|3}} Her focus and area of expertise is history. As a Veristitalian, she looks to create a factual and unbiased account of the past events that she feels are misrepresented, in order to better understand the present.{{book ref|sa1|45}}
While researching, Jasnah prefers to collect various passages related to her subject from various sources in a single annotated, and cited notebook. Once she fills the notebook, she evaluates each item for reliability and usefulness, then copies them into different, more specific notebooks.{{book ref|sa1|42}}
==== Parshendi-Voidbringer Theory ====
Jasnah was among the first to predict that the Parshendi were the Voidbringers and that the Desolation was coming,{{book ref|sa1|74}} along with organizations such as the [[Ghostbloods]] and the [[Diagram (literature)|Diagram]]. Until it was proven,{{book ref|sa2|81}} the theory relied heavily on metaphorical texts and folk tales, both thousands of years old and translated through many [[Wikipedia:Proto-language|proto-languages]].{{epigraph ref|sa1|32}}{{epigraph ref|sa1|35}}{{epigraph ref|sa1|38}} Her most substantial proof was the shadow, ash and flame references in her sources that she believed were referring to the red and black skin color of the Parshendi, as well as the reported sudden appearance of Voidbringers which she thought similar to the way the Parshendi assassinated her father, King Gavilar, apparently out of nowhere.{{book ref|sa1|72}}
== History ==
=== Early Life (1139—1167) ===
Jasnah Kholin was born in {{Rosharan date|1139}} to Gavilar and Navani Kholin. Her brother, Elhokar, was born eight years later in {{Rosharan date|1147}}.{{book ref|sa1|12}} She became a princess of Alethkar when Gavilar united the [[highprince]]s and became the king in {{Rosharan date|1163}}. At
Jasnah transcribed Gavilar's account of his first meeting with the [[Parshendi]] in {{Rosharan date|1166}}.{{book ref|sa1|36}} She didn't know what to think of the changes in Gavilar around that time,{{book ref|sa1|15}} but felt connected to her father for the first time.{{book ref|sa1|45}} She was very interested in studying the Parshendi and the [[Shattered Plains]]. She suspected that the ruins in the Plains were extremely important, and that scholars had been searching for said ruins for a long time.{{book ref|sa2|prologue}}
Before Jasnah became famous as a heretic of Vorinism, her father wanted her to marry Amaram. Convinced that her plan to become a famous atheist would fail, Gavilar heartily disapproved of her denunciation of Vorinism, and wished her to return to the church and marry Amaram. Gavilar was sure that this was the only secure future for his daughter.{{book ref|sa2|prologue}} Jasnah refused the betrothal long before her father died, but Gavilar was still trying to convince her to take the offer of marriage on the night he was killed, and Amaram still pursued her for years after the fact. Jasnah continued rebuffing his advances whenever their paths crossed, and he was bitter toward her for years.{{book ref|sa2|37}}
{{image|Jasnah by horizonproblems.jpg|side=left|height=300px}}
=== The Research (1167—1173) ===
==== Parshendi Betrayal ====
In {{Rosharan date|1167}}, Jasnah attended the feast
Hours later, they discovered that the
==== Travels ====
After the death of her father, she started drawing parallels between the Parshendi and the [[Voidbringers]].{{book ref|sa1|74}} Eventually, she discovered her [[Surgebinding]] abilities, and started carrying a
In {{Rosharan date|1172}}, she received a letter from [[Shallan Davar]], asking for wardship. She replied to Shallan to meet her in [[Dumadari]] in two weeks' time, though she didn't really expect her to make it. She spent the next six months traveling from town to town, leaving notes for Shallan when she left so the young woman could follow her. She eventually reached [[Kharbranth]] in {{Rosharan date|1173}}.{{book ref|sa1|3}}
===Discovering a Potential Knight Radiant===
==== A New Ward ====
She found out King [[Taravangian]]'s [[Taravangian's granddaughter|granddaughter]] was trapped in one of the palace rooms after an highstorm caused a boulder to fall down from the walls, blocking the way in. Taravangian asked for Jasnah's help, to free his granddaughter by [[Soulcasting]] the stone. Jasnah accepted to help, in return for free admittance to the [[Palanaeum]]. Shallan Davar, a prospective ward, caught up with her at this point and Jasnah evaluated Shallan's knowledge. Once they reached the boulder that had trapped the king's granddaughter, Jasnah Soulcast the stone into smoke, causing the newly formed smoke to explode because of the difference in density of rock and smoke. After this, she informed Shallan that she wasn't good enough to become her ward. Jasnah left Shallan behind and went to the Palanaeum.{{book ref|sa1|5}} After she collected the books she wanted, she returned to the alcove she'd reserved, and found Shallan there. She was angry to be defied, and told Shallan, not in a kind way, to leave her alone. Shallan, in her embarrassment and disappointment, forgot the [[spheres]] she had used for illumination inside the alcove. Jasnah asked her to return and apologized to her for her rudeness. She found out that Shallan was self-taught and found it remarkable, promising if she filled the gaps in her knowledge, she would accept her as her ward. A few hours later, the servants informed her that Shallan was back and that she had her own alcove, intent on studying while in Kharbranth and applying for wardship again. Jasnah decided that if she could not get rid of Shallan, she might as well make use of her and accepted her as her ward.{{book ref|sa1|8}}
She spent the next two months studying and teaching Shallan, in particular having her study the events around the death of King Gavilar, to some frustration from Shallan.{{book ref|sa1|29}} During this time, she talked with her uncle, Dalinar, over [[spanreed]] about her studies, though she didn't mention specifics because they weren't speaking in person. Dalinar asked her to come back to the Shattered Plains, saying her presence was sorely missed, to which Jasnah replied she would eventually be back. Jasnah asked Dalinar to describe the events of the expedition where he and Gavilar first discovered the Parshendi. She also had Shallan draw a copy of a picture that was said to be a Voidbringer for him and Adolin. Dalinar and Adolin told her that the picture was of a [[chasmfiend]], made slightly more menacing than it really was. Jasnah replied that she didn't think that the figure in the picture really belonged to a Voidbringer and that the artist simply chose to draw the most intimidating she could think of.{{book ref|sa1|28}} Taravangian joined her and Shallan for lunch one day, where he and Jasnah talked about religion and Jasnah's lack of belief in one. Taravangian asked her about the Soulcaster, but Jasnah refused to answer. He also asked Shallan to make a drawing of him. Shallan happily accepted, but later crumpled it and refused to show it to them, claiming she made a mistake. Jasnah remarked that Shallan never made mistakes while drawing.{{book ref|sa1|29}}
Few days later, she found Shallan and the [[Ardent]] [[Kabsal]] in their alcove while he was showing Shallan the [[cymatics|cymatic]] patterns for the four cities of Kholinar, [[Vedenar]], [[Thaylen City|Thaylen]] and [[Akinah]] as a proof of the [[Almighty]]'s existence. Jasnah didn't show surprise by his demonstration, and asked if he could show the cymatic pattern for [[Urithiru]] as well, to which Kabsal answered Urithiru was a fable. She was rude to him, even insulting him and [[ardentia]] in general. Once Kabsal left, she told Shallan that he wasn't really interested in her, and was only getting close to Shallan, in order to turn her against Jasnah, and get her to steal Jasnah's Soulcaster.{{book ref|sa1|33}}
Jasnah first shared parts of her work with Shallan after a conversation about Gavilar and the Parshendi had turned to one about Urithiru and the Voidbringers. Of course, Shallan was not included in all elements of the research until her tentative reconciliation with Jasnah after the attempted theft of the Soulcaster.{{book ref|sa1|72}} Shallan suggested that Urithiru was in the Shattered Plains. Jasnah, however, was convinced it was located in the center of the [[Silver Kingdoms]].
Shallan left for several hours, allegedly retrieving [[Tifandor]]'s biography of Gavilar. She returned with Kabsal, insistent on drawing his portrait. Jasnah, annoyed by the distraction, left the alcove. Jasnah later saw Shallan emerge agitated about another drawing error, headed toward her quarters. Jasnah, concerned for her ward, followed her. When she found Shallan on the ground, bleeding from a cut on her wrist, she assumed it was a suicide attempt and immediately called for help. Shallan was taken to one of Taravangian's hospitals.{{book ref|sa1|45}}
{{image|Jasnah Kholin by Lyraina.jpg|side=left|width=250px|Jasnah Kholin and her Soulcaster}}
==== The Theft of the Soulcaster ====
Jasnah spent the next two days outside Shallan's hospital room. Once she was allowed inside the room, she apologized to Shallan, although she didn't prove to be very proficient at apologizing which Shallan attributed to Jasnah's ineptitude at making mistakes. Becoming serious again, Jasnah claimed she may have done the world a disservice and stolen from it one of the great scholars of the rising generation by overworking Shallan. She gave her an empty book, and called it ''The Book of Endless Pages'', and cautioned her to seek out the [[devotary|Devotary of Sincerity]] of whom the book was the guide. Kabsal joined them, and, as was typical in their interactions, Jasnah was cool and rude to him. He let it slip that Shallan was returning to her home and Jasnah, while initially surprised, agreed that it was the best for her. Kabsal revealed the strawberry jam and the bread she brought for Shallan. After being insisted by Shallan, Jasnah decided to eat some of it as well, but as her habit while accepting food from someone, she Soulcast the jam and the bread to purify them of any poisons. She was unsuccessful with the jam and the result was a rotten mush that was uneatable. Kabsal ate the jam anyway and tried to get Shallan to eat as well, though when she refused he tried to run out but collapsed before reaching the door. The same happened with Shallan a few seconds later. When Jasnah told her that she had to Soulcast her blood to get the poison out, Shallan revealed Jasnah's fake Soulcaster fabrial, apparently having stolen it. Jasnah healed her and Shallan fell unconscious.{{book ref|sa1|48}}
Despite
=== Shipwreck and Apparent Death (1173) ===
During their days sailing, Shallan occasionally asked Jasnah about the Ghostbloods, but
Jasnah was
=== Return to the Physical Realm (1173—) ===
After her travel through the Cognitive Realm,
After Dalinar released the vision proclaiming [[Honor]]'s death, he was labeled as a pariah and an outcast by ardents, colleagues, and former friends -- groups that were not necessarily mutually exclusive -- and eventually excommunicated from the Vorin church. Identifying a shared struggle between herself and her uncle, Jasnah offered sympathy and counsel on being an outcast in Alethi society.{{book ref|sa3|38}}
As Jasnah returned, her taking part in meetings with Roshar's world leaders inspired conflict between her and Shallan, who now resented being treated like a ward. Their first clash occurred shortly after Jasnah asked Shallan to take notes in a meeting. Jasnah later confronted Shallan about her rebellious attitude and lack of responsibility, chastising her for skipping meetings or arriving late, though she lessened the blow by expressing admiration for Shallan's accomplishments while Jasnah was stuck in the Cognitive Realm. Shallan proposed terminating her wardship, but Jasnah refused.{{book ref|sa3|39}} In another meeting, Shallan rebuked [[Janala Lustow|Janala]] after she insulted Renarin; After scolding Shallan once again, Jasnah confided that she didn't often take wards because she was bad at instructing them and keeping them in check. Shortly after, Shallan, resentful at returning to a more lowly position, decided to journey with [[Kaladin]], [[Adolin Kholin|Adolin]], and [[Elhokar Kholin|Elhokar]] to [[Kholinar]] just to get away from Jasnah and her orders.{{book ref|sa3|44}}
During their overlapping time in Urithiru, Jasnah observed Shallan's slow mental deterioration, which Ivory had warned her about.{{book ref|sa3|47}}{{book ref|sa3|53}}
====
In Urithiru, Jasnah contacted two colleagues of hers, both Veristitalians, who studied under the same master as she. She had lost her spanreeds when the ''[[Wind's Pleasure]]'' sank, and had to contact them through an intermediary in one of [[Tashikk]]'s famous information centers, using a scribe she'd personally interviewed and bribed to maintain confidentiality. [[Ethid]], an [[Azir|Azish]] [[Azir#Religion|Scion]], told Jasnah about the sightings of [[Nalan]] in Azir. Their other colleague, Jochi, a male Thaylen baker who used a pen name to publish his writings on philosophy, did not believe them at first. Ethid wrote of [[Lift]]'s antics during the selection of the new [[Prime]], as well as their suspicions that the lawkeeper who tried to kill Lift was Nalan, and that Lift was an [[Order of Edgedancers|Edgedancer]].{{book ref|sa3|53}} They also discussed the strange behavior of the Thaylen Parshmen, who stole ships and set out to sea. This data, combined with Kaladin's very different interactions with the Alethi Parshmen{{book ref|sa3|31}} and Dalinar's learning about the behavior of the Azish Parshmen,{{book ref|sa3|65}} lead Jasnah to wonder about the different Parshendi social constructs. During the conversation, Jasnah saw Renarin conversing with his spren and asked Ethid about descriptions of [[Order of Truthwatchers|Truthwatcher]] [[spren]]. She took notice of her cousin's strange behavior and decided to investigate his Nahel Bond and the proper spren for the Truthwatchers.{{book ref|sa3|53}}
Jasnah knew that the humans were the true Voidbringers before anyone else, having learned the fact from Wit when she found him after returning to the physical realm.{{book ref|sa3|47}} Nevertheless, she took an anti-pacifist stance in strategy meetings after [[Kaladin]] suggested negotiating with the Parshendi, arguing that the Voidbringers were ruthless creatures who needed to be stopped rather than oppressed citizens who deserved the same rights as humans.{{book ref|ob|39}} Jasnah also advocated to find the [[Heralds]] and kill them, thus restoring the [[Oathpact]] and returning the [[Fused]] to [[Damnation]]. Her plan was shot down by Dalinar and Kaladin. In addition, Jasnah suggested that humans try to regain control over the [[Shinovar|Shin]] [[Oathgate]] second -- as opposed to the one in Azir or Theylenah, which her uncle had been trying to do -- so that they could cross all of Roshar in one bound. The plan did not work in execution, as the Shin were unresponsive to Dalinar's entreaties, possibly because they didn't want it to be discovered that the [[Honorblade]]s were kept there.{{book ref|sa3|106}}
==== Battle of Thaylen Field (1174) ====
{{image|Jasnah vs Thrill.jpg|width=400px|side=right|Jasnah fighting Thrill berserkers}}
At the beginning of the Battle of Thaylen Field, Jasnah made a plan to protect her uncle and evacuate Thaylen city. She seemed to have known it was coming beforehand, having worn flexible garb in preparation.{{book ref|sa3|115}} She tracked down Renarin and discovered that he had bonded with a corrupted spren, a feat previously believed to be impossible. Jasnah felt she had to kill her cousin, but found she could not do so, remembering how they bonded when they were younger over being outcasts in the Alethi court.{{book ref|sa3|118}} Renarin, having seen his death in his visions, realized from this that he could be wrong, leading he and Jasnah to reason that his father could prevail against Odium.{{book ref|sa3|116}}{{book ref|sa3|118}} Jasnah ran with Renarin to save Dalinar, but they didn't get there before Dalinar prevailed against [[Odium]] and opened [[Honor's Perpendicularity]]. Jasnah took part in the battle and showcased her skills as an Elsecaller. While fighting, Jasnah found it incredibly easy to Soulcast, as the Cognitive and Physical realms were much closer together as a result of Dalinar opening Honor's Perpendicularity, reportedly feeling as if she existed half in the cognitive realm and half in the physical realm.{{book ref|sa3|119}}{{book ref|sa3|120}}
When Shallan began to run low on Stormlight, Jasnah alerted [[Navani]] and [[Queen Fen]] to send troops to aid her and clear out the [[Fused]] from inside the city. She also came to extract Shallan when she ran out completely before she could be captured by the Parshendi.{{book ref|sa3|120}} Jasnah checked on her again after the battle, and Shallan finally decided to continue with her wardship until Jasnah deemed her a fit scholar.{{book ref|sa3|121}}
===== Battle Aftermath =====
{{quote
|United, new beginnings sing: "Defying truth, love, Truth defy!"" Sing beginnings, new unity.
|[[Ketek]] written by Jasnah
}}
Following the battle, [[House Kholin]] had to decide who would succeed [[Elhokar]] as the Alethi monarch. [[Gavinor]], Elhokar's heir, was too young to rule and the next people in line to the throne, Dalinar and Adolin, both did not want to take the throne. At Shallan's suggestion, Jasnah was then crowned Queen of [[Alethkar]].{{book ref|sa3|122}}
Jasnah wrote a ketek for Shallan on her wedding day to celebrate the occasion.{{book ref|sa3|epigraph}}
==Development==
Jasnah was a main character in [[The Way of Kings Prime]], Brandon's 2002 draft of [[The Way of Kings]],{{wob ref|8069}} and her arc was the most complete out of all the threads.{{wob ref|4108}} Her plot line centered around her struggle against societal norms and her fight against outside pressures to marry.{{wob ref|7804}} In the 2010 version of The Way of Kings, this was relegated to her backstory so that Shallan could take center stage.{{wob ref|4978}}{{wob ref|7124}} Jasnah's personality was left mostly unchanged between the two versions, and her name was one among a couple that was also -- in fact, Jasnah's name, along with Dalinar's, was central to Brandon's creation of the Alethi tongue.{{wob ref|1991}}
== Quotes ==
{{for|/Quotes|a list of quotes}}
== Trivia ==
* Brandon thinks having [[Sazed]] and Jasnah together could lead to some great discussions of philosophy.{{wob ref|4058}}
* Dalinar's words with Jasnah suggest that she has had other ward(s) in her past, besides Shallan.{{book ref|sa1|28}}
* Brandon has released an uncannonical scene directly following Jasnah transferring to Shadesmar after she is stabbed aboard the ''Winds Pleasure'', which can be read on <span class="plainlinks">[https://tor.com/2014/08/06/stormlight-archive-scene-after-words-of-radiance/ on Tor's website]</span>.
== See Also ==
|title=Monarch of [[Alethkar]]
|prev=[[Elhokar Kholin]]
|this={{rosharan date|1174}} to present
|next=''Incumbent''
}}
<references />
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{{Stormlight}}
[[Category: Viewpoint characters]]
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