Difference between revisions of "Kaladin"

Ever since childhood, Kaladin has had a strong protective instinct, which only grows once he begins discovering and swearing the [[Immortal Words]]. He uses his medical skills to save people, first as an apprentice surgeon and later as a battlefield medic. As a youth, he joins the army so he can look after his younger brother, Tien.{{book ref|sa1|44}} As a squadleader in Amaram's army, he recruits the youngest members with the least training to his squad so that he can train and protect. them{{book ref|sa1|47}} As captain of Dalinar's personal guard, he protects Dalinar and [[Elhokar Kholin|the king]] from assassins on multiple occasions.

Kaladin was born in late 1153 to [[Lirin]] and [[Hesina]], a family of second [[nahn]], in the town of [[Hearthstone]] in [[Torol Sadeas]]' [[Sadeas princedom|princedom]] in northwestern [[Alethkar]]. His younger brother, [[Tien]] was born two years later. Growing up, Kaladin preferred the shorter name Kal to his full name, which he felt sounded like a lighteyes’s name. At the age of eight, Kal began training with his father in surgery, though he dreamed of becoming a soldier. At first, he became sick at the sight of wounds and injuries. Over the next couple of years, he grew used to the sight and assisted his father during surgeries which he figured would come in handy on the battefieldbattlefield. However, the amount of time Lirin spent with books and sick people, coupled with their class disparity, made people uncomfortable to be around Lirin and Kal, by association. As a result of his isolated upbringing, Kal became very close with his brother and, at the encouragement of his parents, [[Laral Wistiow]], the daughter of the citylord.{{book ref|sa1|10}} {{book ref|sa1|16}}

Kaladin received his initial training under [[Tukks]], who taught him learned the importance of controlled passion—to be passionate and to care without losing control of his emotions—a lesson that he did not initially understand. During his training, Kaladin demonstrated a natural aptitude for being a soldier, learning the spear faster than anyone else in his cohort, barely even needing instruction, much to Tukks’ surprise.{{book ref|sa1|27}}{{book ref|sa1|49}}

Kaladin sent a letter to his parents informing them of [[Tien]]’s death and his decision not to return to [[Hearthstone]]. He spent the next year driving himself to exhaustion every day on the practice yard, vowing vengeance and never letting another person die because of his lack of skill. He became the best spearman in his company and was rumored to be the best in the entire army.{{book ref|sa1|47}}{{book ref|sa1|63}} He eventually met [[Tarah]], the daughter of an assistant quartermaster, who coaxed Kaladin out of his single-mindedness, claiming it would burn him out. The two became romantically involved, but they separated soon after she was transferred to a scribe’s job in Mourn’s Vault. Kaladin blamed himself for their failed relationship, knowing that he’d been stupid not to send responses to her letters.{{book ref|sa2|68}}{{book ref|sa3|112}} He later joined the [[Takers]] under [[Tukks]]' leadership. There, Kaladin met [[Durk]], who became a mentor to him. Durk was impressed with Kaladin’s abilities, considering him a natural born soldier, an artist with a spear.{{book ref|sa1|46}} Unfortunately, every member of the Takers was eventually killed with Kaladin being the lone survivor. At the age of eighteen, Kaladin was promoted to squadleader, markingmaking him the youngest one in the army and becoming known as Kaladin Stormblessed.{{book ref|sa1|2}}

Days passed and the wagons continued to roll on until one particular day when they didn’t stop at their usual time, leaving Kaladin to wonder why they hadn’t stopped for their afternoon slop. Well past noon, they finally rolled to a stop and [[Bluth]] and [[Tag]] joined [[Tvlakv]]. The three quickly started arguing as they held up a piece of paper. Kaladin called out, asking Tvlakv if he was lost and offered that perhaps he should seek guidance from the [[Almighty]] who had a “fondness” for slavers. Tvlakv walked over and asked Kaladin if he knew anything of the area. Kaladin requested the map and without even reading it, he ripped it into pieces, much to Tvlakv’s horror. Tvlakv called for the mercenaries, but both Bluth and Tag declined to inteveneintervene. Realizing that Kaladin was probably invaluable at that point, Tvlakv asked what the former wanted in exchange for guiding the caravan. Kaladin suggested a cliff, not for a vantage point as Tvlakv assumed, but one to throw the slaver off of.{{book ref|sa1|4}}

In {{Rosharan date|1173}}, [[Tvlakv]] released Kaladin and the other slaves from the wagon and brought them to be inspected by [[Hashal]], the wife of the [[Matal|lighteyed officer]] who was in charge of the slaves in [[Highprince]] [[Torol Sadeas|Sadeas]]'s army. Hashal was not particularly impressed with the men Tvlakv presented until her eyes found Kaladin. Despite eight months as a slave, he was still far more muscled than the others. Hashal inquired if he was a military man and Kaladin stated that he was in [[Amaram]]’s army and a citizen of second nahn. She inspected his brands, clicking her tongue at the "shash" glyph, telling him such a mark meant death. Asking how he ended up here, Kaladin told Hashal that he killed someone while drunk. Despite his mistake, Kaladin spoke of his talents with a spear and asked her to give him a chance to fight again in her brightlord’s army. However, Tvlakv told Hashal not to listen to him as he was a deserter. Enraged, Kaladin reached for Tvlakv but he was knocked to the ground and then pulled back in line. Tvlakv continued by saying that Kaladin could not be trusted as he had led rebellions against his prior masters and who knows how many of the slaves he had corrupted. Hashal asked which ones and assigned those, along with Kaladin, to be bridgemen. Due to his “shash” glyph, his reputation as a deserter, and his attitude during the exchange, Kaladin was specifically sent to [[Bridge Four]], the bridge crew with the worst reputation and casualty rate.{{book ref|sa1|6}}

Kaladin was placed under the command of the bridge sergeant [[Gaz]] and was immediately forced to go on a bridge run completely unprepared and unequipped. [[Bridge Four]] was sent to carry a large bridge, allowing Sadeas' soldiers to cross the plateaus of the [[Shattered Plains]] and assault the [[Parshendi]]. Gaz ran beside Bridge Four, calling out commands during the run due to the their most recent bridgeleader tossing himself down the [[Honor Chasm]]. He sent Kaladin to the open slot at the tail of the bridge. Without a vest, the wooden supports dug into Kaladin’s skin causing his shoulders to bleed. As they ran, a nearby bridgeman offered Kaladin advice. Eventually, Gaz called them to a stop and they lifted the bridge into place, allowing the army to pass. They repeated this process, with Kaladin eventually asking why they weren’t turning around. One of the other bridgemen just chuckled and told him they weren’t there yet and to be glad they weren’t. After more than a dozen times, Gaz ordered Kaladin to the front for the final push, declaring that newcomers get to go first. Kaladin quickly realized why arriving was the worst part. The Parshendi volleys launched, killing the men around Kaladin. They eventually got the bridge dropped, but at the expense of the bridgemen, resulting in many casualties. Kaladin just collapsed, knowing he should move or at least bind his wounds, but he just couldn’t, falling unconscious instead. Kaladin was about to be left for dead by the retreating bridge crews, until [[Syl]] called out his name and urged him to move. He forced himself to his feet and asked the windspren if she had a name. As he limped through the casualties, he found the body of the leathery faced man who had been nice to him. He harvested his vest and shoes, tying them on as the windspren introduced herself as Sylphrena.{{book ref|sa1|6}}