Kaladin

Kaladin
by Exmakina
Family Parents Lirin, Hesina Siblings Tien
Born	1154
Abilities	Windrunner
Titles	Stormblessed
Profession	Soldier, Bridgeman
Groups	Bridge Four
Birthplace	Hearthstone
Nationality	Alethi
Homeworld	Roshar

Kaladin is a darkeyed man of second nahn from Alethkar on Roshar. He was trained as a surgeon by his father. He has been a soldier in Amaram's army, a slave and a bridgeman on Sadeas's warcamp.

History

Early Life

Kaladin was born and raised in the town of Hearthstone in Sadeas's princedom. His parents are Lirin and Hesina, his brother is Tien. From an early age he was trained as a surgeon by his father. He was talented and learned quickly. His parents wanted him to train in Great Concourse of Kharbranth with the sponsorship of the local citylord Brightlord Wistiow for the promise Kaladin would return to Hearthstone after his training was done. He was friends with the citylord's daughter Laral Wistiow to whom Kaladin's parents wanted him to eventually marry. However, Brightlord Wistiow died and Lirin forged the document that would give the money set aside for Kaladin's training to them. Lirin was alone with Wistiow at the time so this couldn't be proven, which made Wistiow's replacement Brightlord Roshone an enemy to Lirin which led to Kaladin's family becoming destitute and eventually Tien being conscripted into service in Brightlord Amaram's army. Kaladin promised his father that he would protect Tien and bring him back home in four years, then enlisted in the army as well.

Amaram's Army

Despite Amaram's promise that Tien would work as a messenger boy, he was sent to battle after a few months where he was put in front of the advancing enemy to soften their attack. Kaladin tried to come to his help but he could only watch as his brother was killed by the enemy. In his depression, Kaladin started obsessively training with the spear. His drill sergeant was surprised with how fast Kaladin mastered the spear and soon he was known as one of the best spearman in Amaram's army. He was promoted to the rank of squadleader, earning the nickname Kaladin Stormblessed for the first time. Kaladin's squad always lost fewest men of any squad in the army, which was credited to Kaladin's luck and his bribing the army's surgeons.

In his final battle in the army, Kaladin killed a Shardbearer to save the life of the army's leader Amaram. The Shardbearer killed all but a few of Kaladin's men. Kaladin was disgusted with the thought of wearing the Shardplate and Shardblade that caused the death of so many of his men, so he tried to give the Shards to one of his subordinates. However, Amaram, on the advice of his advisors and Restares, laid claim to the weapon and armor for himself claiming it was for the greater good, then executed all witnesses and branded Kaladin a slave as what he called was a mercy.

Sometime during his time in the army, Kaladin attracted the honorspren Sylphrena who gave him the ability to Surgebind.

Slavery

As a slave, Kaladin made ten escape attempts, alone or with others. Sometimes he managed to escape but they always caught him again. After one of his escape attempts, he was branded with a shash glyph, meaning dangerous. He was eventually bought by a slaver named Tvlakv.

Tvlakv brings Kaladin to the Shattered Plains and sells him to Sadeas's warcamp. Kaladin tries to convince the lighteyed woman to make him a spearman but is sent to the Bridge Four to work as a bridgeman.

Bridge Four

During his time in Bridge Four, Kaladin grows more and more depressed. He stops caring about anything and Syl leaves Kaladin saying she will try to get back because she can't bear seeing Kaladin as he is. The last man from Kaladin's first bridge run dies, and between that and Syl leaving, Kaladin comes to the point of suicide. He goes to the Honor Chasm at night. Before he jumps down, Syl comes back with a leaf of blackbane, a deadly poison, hoping to make Kaladin feel better without understanding what she's bringing. She convinces Kaladin to try to protect the men of Bridge Four, saying there is nothing Kaladin can do to make their situation worse. Kaladin goes to the bridge sergeant Gaz, bullies and bribes him to become the bridgeleader and so Gaz stays out of his way. He goes back to the barracks and learns the name of every men in Bridge Four.

Next morning, Kaladin starts training for bridge runs. He tries to get others to practice as well, but is ridiculed for the effort, though soon Teft and Rock start training with him. Kaladin starts bringing back the wounded back at this point. Kaladin, Teft and Rock start collecting knobweed sap to use on the injured and to sell it so they can have money for supplies. Kaladin tells Rock to cook meals every night and soon every man in Bridge Four accept Kaladin as their leader and start training with him. This cuts down their losses in bridge runs but Kaladin doesn't feel it's enough. They start practicing carrying the bridge sideways so they can use it as a shield from the arrows. This, however, undermines the strategy of the army and causes it to lose a battle. As a punishment, Kaladin is strung up on the side of a building facing east during a highstorm to be judged by the Stormfather. His Surgebinding abilities allow Kaladin to survive the highstorm but he is still severely injured. It takes him ten days to recover, which is found to be miraculous and people start calling him Stormblessed again. Kaladin realizes that the bridgemen are bait to the Parshendi and knowing no matter how much they cut their losses it will never be enough, he proposes that they escape and starts training the Bridge Four as spearmen.

In the Battle of the Tower, Kaladin and the Bridge Four save the lives of Dalinar Kholin and his men. Dalinar, in return, buy all the slaves in the bridge crews from Sadeas with his Shardblade and free them. Kaladin accepts becoming bodyguard with the rank of captain for Dalinar and training the former bridgemen for Dalinar's army.

Bodyguard

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This information has the ability to potentially ruin elements of the plot for the reader. Proceed with caution if you have not read this book.

[[Category: Spoilers for Book shorthand incorrect]]

Kaladin promotes Moash, Skar, Teft, Sigzil and Rock to second captains, a rank which he invents because he needs a rank between squadleader and captain to form command structure for a thousand men.

Appearance and Personality

Kaladin concept art by Ben McSweeney

At the age of nineteen, Kaladin is described as having dark brown eyes, a strong chin, and being fairly tall, with black Alethi hair that is shoulder-long and wavy. During his months of slavery and bridgeman status, he had a beard that he eventually shaved with the help of Rock.

His personality varies with the events of his life. As a child, he was enthusiastic and had a strong sense of justice and responsibility, wishing at various stages to become a soldier to protect his country and a surgeon to heal the people of his town. In Amaram's army, he became a strong and confident leader, leading his squad through the battles. He cared deeply for his men, bribing the armies surgeons to treat his men before all except the wounded lighteyes. After being sold into slavery, Kaladin became frequently withdrawn and depressed, as it seemed to him that he lost everyone who he tried to save. He maintained a rebellious streak, making frequent escape attempts and possibly planning to kill the leader of the slave caravan with a poisonous leaf he found. After joining Bridge Four Kaladin attempts to gain back his former confidence and leadership from his soldiering days, and trying to inspire the other bridgemen. However the continual setbacks they suffer still leave him sometimes depressed and pessimistic about their situation. Syl usually pull him out of these episodes, offering him hope for the future. By the time Bridge Four rescue Dalinar's army, Kaladin more or less regain his former leadership and confidence, bolstered further by his new Surgebinding abilities.

The experience of being hung out in the highstorm might have changed something in Kaladin, too, as after that, he had a dream that he "was the storm." He blow all over Roshar and was told by a voice that he was the Child of Tanavast and that there was so much war on Roshar, because Odium reigns.

Attributes and Abilities

Kaladin learned knowledge of surgery from an apprenticeship with his father and was an extremely skilled spearman, possibly the best in Brightlord Amaram's army. His training as a spearman included the performing of katas. Teft was surprised by the speed, power, and technique of Kaladin's kata down in the chasms.

He is in the process of discovering the extent of his abilities as a Windrunner and has effectively used both a Reverse Lashing and Full Lashing as well as being able to inhale Stormlight which improves his speed, strength and healing.

Quotes

“Authority doesn't come from a rank. [It comes] from the men who give it to you. That's the only way to get it.”

—Kaladin to Sylphrena.