Summary:Words of Radiance/Interlude I-14
- Characters
- Taravangian (Point of View)
- Adrotagia
- Boriar (Mentioned only)
- Dalinar (Mentioned only)
- Dova (Mentioned only)
- Gavilar (Mentioned only)
- Jasnah (Mentioned only)
- Kaladin (Mentioned only)
- Maben
- Moelach (Mentioned only)
- Mrall
- Nergaoul (Mentioned only)
- Nightwatcher (Mentioned only)
- Pailiah (Mentioned only)
- Redin
- Torol Sadeas (Mentioned only)
- Shallan (Mentioned only)
- Szeth
- Valam
Taravangian awakes on a ship with stiff muscles, but noting that he doesn't feel stupid, which he considers a good sign. He notes that his ship has moored on time, when his servants arrive. Maben brings him his morning meal, but is stopped by Mrall, one of the Kings testers. He wants Taravangian to take the test first since it is an important day and he want to know what to expect. Taravangian agrees with him and Mrall lets the testers approach. The three stormwardens give the King some paper on which some math-problems are put down with in figures and glyphs. Taravangian made these him self on one of his better day's and even though he knows he is not a complete idiot, he finds that he is only average on this day. After checking the papers the stomwardens judge: “He is fit to serve,” one proclaimed. “He may not change the Diagram, but he may interact outside of supervision, may change policy, and pass judgment.” Mrall after getting Taravangian's acceptance lets Maban bring him his breakfast. Taravangian considers that even though it always takes up one hour of every day the test is the best way for a man who wakes up every morning with a different level of intelligence. He contemplate that life can be tricky especially when the world might depend of him.
Taravangian and his retinue enter the battlefield outside Vedenar, where his countrymen setup healing tents to tend to the wounded, and where they are welcomed and cheered for their mercy and aid, as the Diagram predicted, despite the fact that he was behind the civil war. Taravangian and Adrotagia speculate on the Thrill and Nergaoul. As Taravangian talks to the soldiers to show his compassion, he is confronted by Szeth who says they need to speak. Taravangian panics and makes sure he still has the Oathstone. They talk quietly and Szeth says that there is a problem, that Dalinar has a surgebinder and Taravangian thinks he found out about Jasnah and thinks she faked her own death. Szeth says that he fought a male surgebinder who protected Dalinar, which surprises Taravangian, and makes him wonder how Szeth will deal with the fact that he was right about the Voidbringers returning. Taravangian says that Szeth must have fought someone who had an honorblade, and must return to kill Dalinar and avoid fighting Kaladin.
Taravangian's cabal discuss the possible identity of the surgebinder, and he consults the Diagram, and tells Adro that he asked the Nightwatcher for Capacity to save humankind from the desolations. Taravangian guesses from one of the passages that one of the bridgemen that Dalinar took is the surgebinder, and that they must keep Szeth from him at all costs, to maintain control of their assassin.
Taravangian then goes to see King Valam, who is dying. Valam is upset how coy Taravangian is, and knows that Taravangian is feigning neutrality, but will soon press his valid but hidden claim for the throne of Jah Keved once Valam dies. Valam tells his scribe that he is making Taravangian his heir, and is shocked to learn all the other highprinces are dead. Valam asks his son Redin to stab him in the heart to put him out of his misery, and he does so when prodded, and as he dies, he has a death rattle. Taravangian thinks he succeeded as the Diagram instructed him to become king of Jah Keved, and is unifying the world as Gavilar insisted was necessary based on visions that he had.