Hav
| Hav | |
|---|---|
| Profession | Amaram's army (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
Hav is a solid-looking man. He has a thick, wide nose, and a graying beard.[2] He often wears the uniform of a soldier in Amaram's army; including a traditional takama.
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; attempting to create a secure perimeter around Amaram's manor, a nearly impossible task without walls.[2]
History
Skirmishes in Alethkar
Nothing at all is known about Hav's early life. At some point he joined the army, becoming a soldier under then-Highmarshal Meridas Amaram.[4] 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. He taught Kaladin about the mental component of being a soldier. He trained him to stick with a decision that he made and not second guess himself.[5] Hav also trained Kaladin to think of soldiers in terms of "us" and "them", protecting his side and killing the enemy.[1] Dividing his mind like this helped Kaladin to handle the difficult adjustment to fighting in battles that often had no clearly righteous side.
Life on the Shattered Plains
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.
Legacy
Hav's lessons made a strong impact on Kaladin, he often reflected upon them even after his enslavement.[5] They helped him continue with his course of saving the men of Bridge Four[5] and come to the conclusion that he needed to rescue Dalinar Kholin and his men after their betrayal in the Battle of the Tower.[6] Kaladin often thought of Hav himself, wondering what became of him and what Hav would think of him today.[7] When Kaladin punches Roshone for Moash, he remembers how Hav taught him to punch.[8] After leaving Hearthstone he reminisces how Hav taught his squad to march; shouting commands from the back and helping anyone struggling. He also claimed that learning to march together meant it would be much easier to fight together.[9]