Hav
| Hav | |
|---|---|
| Profession | Soldier (Sergeant and personal guard) |
| Groups | Amaram's army |
| Nationality | Alethi |
| Homeworld | Roshar |
| Universe | Cosmere |
“Kaladin could thank Hav for that, for training him to think in terms of 'us' and 'them.' ... Protect the 'us,' destroy the 'them.' A soldier had to think like that. ”
—Kaladin while watching a fight between Alethi soldiers and Parshendi[1]
Hav is a soldier in Highlord Meridas Amaram's personal guard on the Shattered Plains of Roshar.[2] He played a major part in the training of Kaladin when he first became a spearman.[1]
Appearance and Personality[edit]
Hav is a solid-looking man. He has a thick, wide nose, and a graying beard. He often wears the uniform of a soldier in Amaram's army, including a traditional takama.[2]
Hav is an excellent teacher who is able to instill crucial lessons about survival as a soldier, such as the importance of mentally dividing the battlefield into friend and foe, and not worrying about those that were not your friends.[1] He believes that guard duty is one of the most respectable assignments a soldier can perform.[3] Hav is also very protective, sometimes overly so; he attempted to create a secure perimeter around Amaram's manor, a nearly impossible task without walls.[2]
History[edit]
Skirmishes in Alethkar[edit]
“Panic on the battlefield kills more men than enemy spears. Never run. Always retreat.”
—Hav, as recalled by Kaladin[4]
Nothing is known about Hav's early life. At some point he joined the army, becoming a soldier under then-Highmarshal Meridas Amaram.[5] Hav rose to the rank of sergeant at some point there. At least one of his responsibilities was receiving and training new recruits to Amaram's forces. In 1168, after Tien and Kaladin were recruited by Amaram, they were sent to speak with Sergeant Hav to begin their training.
Hav trained Kaladin during the early part of his military career. Hav's training was physically demanding,[6] and he taught Kaladin close-combat fighting techniques such as how to throw a punch and how to grab your enemy's spear.[7][8] He also taught Kaladin about the mental component of being a soldier and a leader. He trained him to stick with a decision that he made and not second guess himself.[9][10] He emphasized the need for unity among a squad, noting that soldiers who march together find it easier to fight together.[11] He also trained Kaladin to think of soldiers in terms of "us" and "them", protecting his side and killing the enemy.[1] Using this technique to divide his mind helped Kaladin handle the difficult adjustment to fighting in battles that often had no clearly righteous side.
Life on the Shattered Plains[edit]
Late in the year 1173, Hav accompanied Amaram to the Shattered Plains as a member of his personal guard.[2] Amaram moved into a temporary dwelling, and Hav tried to set up a secured perimeter around the building. When Shallan Davar attempted to sneak into Amaram's home in the guise of a messenger to do reconnaissance for the Ghostbloods, Hav stopped her at the boundary, but she managed to talk her way onto the grounds. While pretending to be the maid Telesh, Shallan sent Amaram out to speak with Hav, who she claimed had stopped the messenger. Hav was confused by this, as he had let the messenger pass.[2]
Legacy[edit]
Hav's lessons made a strong impact on Kaladin. He often reflected upon the things he had learned from Hav as a recruit, throughout his enslavement and his path to becoming a Knight Radiant.[9][11] The wisdom that he gained from Hav's counsel helped Kaladin continue with his course of saving the men of Bridge Four[9] and come to the conclusion that he needed to rescue Dalinar Kholin and his men after their betrayal in the Battle of the Tower.[12] When Kaladin punched Roshone for Moash, he remembered Hav teaching him the proper technique.[7] After leaving Hearthstone, he reminisced about Hav's methods of teaching a squad to march—shouting commands from the back and helping anyone that was struggling.[11] Even as the years pass by, Kaladin continues to hear Hav's voice in his head, giving him advice.[11][4]
Kaladin sometimes thinks of Hav himself, wondering what became of him. He believes that Hav would be proud of him.[13] Hav's fate is unclear, as he is not mentioned during Amaram's last stand at the Battle of Thaylen Field.
Notes[edit]
- ↑ a b c d The Way of Kings chapter 57#
- ↑ a b c d e Words of Radiance chapter 52#
- ↑ Words of Radiance chapter 16#
- ↑ a b Rhythm of War chapter 70#
- ↑ Words of Radiance chapter 44#
- ↑ Rhythm of War chapter 9#
- ↑ a b Oathbringer chapter 6#
- ↑ Rhythm of War chapter 59#
- ↑ a b c The Way of Kings chapter 21#
- ↑ Rhythm of War chapter 15#
- ↑ a b c d Oathbringer chapter 10#
- ↑ The Way of Kings chapter 67#
- ↑ Words of Radiance chapter 15#