Difference between revisions of "Kharbranth"

|ruler=KingQueen [[TaravangianSavrahalidem]]

}}{{exemplary|date=20192020-0311-1017}}

'''Kharbranth''', the City of Bells, is an independent city-state on [[Roshar]], ruled by KingQueen [[TaravangianSavrahalidem]]. It is one of the five [[Vorin]] nations and home to the [[Palanaeum]], the largest library on Roshar. Kharbranth is known for the quality of its hospitals, and people come from all over the world to study medicine from Kharbranth's surgeons. The Kharbranthian royal colors are burnt orange and white, and have become synonymous around Roshar as the colors of surgeons, medicine, and healing.{{book ref|sa1|5}}{{book ref|sa1|3}}{{book ref|sa1|7}}{{book ref|sa2|i14i|14}}

Buildings are constructed from either [[crem]], daub, mud, or a combination of all three, blocky in nature, and either built on top of, or carved out of, the mountain.{{book ref|sa1|3}} Each structure is painted in vibrant colors, with each color symbolisingsymbolizing the function of the building.{{book ref|sa1|3}} Most buildings are either red or orange with fewer being painted blue or yellow.{{book ref|sa1|3}} Violet colored buildings signify tailors or cloth merchants, while food can be purchased in green buildings.{{book ref|sa1|3}} Homes are painted in pastel colors and use different patterns than commercial buildings.{{book ref|sa1|3}} Kharbranth is a busy city, with stores and venues operating well into the later hours of the evening.{{book ref|sa1|36}}

The [[Conclave]] can be located at the top of the city and is built down into the surrounding mountain.{{book ref|sa1|3}} The Conclave serves as both an official building and a residential abode, with a section of the building serving as the kingsking's palace, and another as a residential wing for guests.{{book ref|sa1|71}}{{book ref|sa1|7}}{{book ref|sa1|3}} The Palanaeum can be located within the Conclave.{{book ref|sa1|7}} Additionally, deep within the Conclave is a secret hospital run by Taravangian and the Diagram.{{book ref|sa1|71}} Terminally ill patients, as well as the extremely poor, are taken to this hospital to be killed, in the hopes that they will deliver a [[Death Rattle]] as they die.{{book ref|sa1|71}}

The [[Palanaeum]] is the largest known library on Roshar and contains over seven hundred thousand texts.{{book ref|sa1|7}} Entrance to the Palanaeum is expensive, with the funds collected being used to finance Kharbranth's hospitals.{{book ref|sa1|7}} The Palanaeum also doubles as Kharbranth's royal treasury and houses the city's store of emeralds.{{book ref|sa1|33}} The scholars of the Palanaeum are involved in the translation of the dawnchantDawnchant.{{Book ref|sa3|50}} Following the Everstorm, the Palanaeum saw a large increase in requests for information on the [[Voidbringers]].{{book ref|sa3|24}}

Kharbranth is famous for both the number and quality of its hospitals, with medical care being available for both physical and psychological illnesses.{{book ref|sa1|16}}{{book ref|sa1|52}} Funding for these hospitals is provided by the entrance fee to the Palanaeum.{{book ref|sa1|48}} Any who require assistance will be treated, regardless of eye color, social ranking, or nationality.{{book ref|sa1|48}} During his time as king, Taravangian is a frequent visitor to the hospitals and is warmly welcomed by patients during their stay. During his visits, he will stop and speak with each patient individually, checking in on their care and wellbeing.{{book ref|sa1|48}}

Private patient rooms, along with larger wards, can be found in some, if not all, of Kharbranth's hospitals.{{book ref|sa1|48}}{{book ref|sa1|50}} The wards are segregated by gender and resemble large hallways.{{book ref|sa1|48}} Partitions can be set up around each bed to provide privacy for each patient.{{book ref|sa1|48}} The hospital that Shallan is initially admitted to after faking suicide, is run by an ardent named [[Mungam]].{{book ref|sa1|48}}

Little is known about the function of the [[School of Storms]] at the present time. Scholars at the School of Storms have legacy access to the Palanaeum. Taravangian's granddaughter, [[Gvori]], is a current student at the school.{{book ref|sa3|122}}

Kharbranth was formerly a pirate town in its early years, before becoming a real city over the course of decades.{{annotationwob ref|sa1|chapter=37125}} It is rumored to be older than the [[Last Desolation]], with at least one source claiming that it was built during the [[shadowdays]].{{book ref|sa1|3}} During the time of the [[Silver Kingdoms]], the area in which Kharbranth is situated would have been considered part of Thalath.{{map ref|Silver Kingdoms}} Kharbranth has been a [[Vorin]] nation since at least the [[Hierocracy]], and maintained a strong alliance with many of the other Vorin nations following the [[War of Loss]].{{book ref|Sa1|8}}

The two chambers that make up the [[Palanaeum]] predate the founding of the city,{{book ref|sa1|7}} with the rooms that house the Palanaeum's collection of manuscripts, books, and tomes having been added after people settled in the region.{{book ref|sa1|45}} How the caverns were created is unknown, however, some believe that it was the work of the [[dawnsingersDawnsingers]].{{book ref|sa1|7}} At some point between the creation of the Palanaeum and present day, a fire occurred that destroyed parts of the library's collection.{{epigraph ref|sa1|46}}

As a youth, [[Lirin]] travelledtraveled to Kharbranth as a courier, where he was introduced to different cultures and societies.{{book ref|sa1|10}} Later in his life, Lirin studied medicine under [[Vathe]], who had been trained as a surgeon at the [[Great Concourse of Kharbranth]].{{book ref|sa1|10}}{{book ref|sa1|17}}

[[File:{{image|Taravangian_as_the_Wheel_of_Fortune_Orientation_1.jpg|250px|thumb|side=right|Taravangian, by [[Coppermind: Artists/taratjah|Taratjah]]]]height=450px}}

On the night of his death, [[Gavilar Kholin]] confided in [[Taravangian]] about the visions he had received regarding the [[True Desolation]].{{book ref|sa2|i|14}} Believing the visions had come from the [[Almighty]], Gavilar insisted to Taravangian that for the world to survive the True Desolation, it would have to be united.{{book ref|sa2|i|14}} Taking the kingsking’s warning to heart, Taravangian travelledtraveled to The [[Valley]] to visit the [[Nightwatcher]] and beg her for the ability to save Roshar.{{book ref|sa2|i|14}}{{wob ref|2892}} The Nightwatcher bestowed Kharbranth's king with a boon and a curse; the boon being extreme intelligence and compassion.; Thethe curse, constant fluctuation of these traits and the inability to have both at the same time.{{book ref|sa3|122}}

AtAfter some point following his visit tovisiting the Nightwatcher, Taravangian experienced a day of extreme intelligence, where he transcribed a large number of predictions on the available surfaces in his bedroom.{{book ref|sa2|i|14}}{{book ref|sa4|i|6}} These writings were bound together into a tome referred to as the [[Diagram (literature)|Diagram]]. A [[Diagram (group)|society by the same name]] worships the Diagram, however, it is currently unknown if this society existed before the creation of the Diagram, or whether it was formed in response to Taravangian's creation.{{book ref|sa2|i|14}}

During the year {{Rosharan date|1173}}, [[Jasnah Kholin]] travelledtraveled to Kharbranth to access to the [[Conclave]] and the [[Palanaeum]], in order to continue her research into the Voidbringers and Urithiru. [[Shallan Davar]], who had been attempting to contact the Alethi princess for six months, arrived in Kharbranth part way through the year, relieved to find that she had finally caught up to Jasnah.{{book ref|sa1|3}} Locating the woman in the Conclave, Shallan petitioned Jasnah to become her ward and, eventually, was accepted.{{book ref|sa1|5}}{{book ref|Sa1|8}} Despite Shallan's enjoyment of scholarship, her primary purpose for seeking out Jasnah, was to switch the broken Davar Soulcaster, with Jasnah's functional one.{{book ref|sa1|5}}{{book ref|Sa1|8}}

Shallan's arrival at the Conclave coincided with Jasnah helping Taravangian rescue his granddaughter, who had become trapped in an inner room of the palace following a cave-in.{{book ref|sa1|5}}{{book ref|sa1|3}} The situation had been deliberately planned by the Kharbranthian king, who wished to view the Alethi princess use her [[Soulcasting]] abilities when removing the fallen stone blocking the roomsroom's entrance.{{wob ref|8070}}{{wob ref|3242}} Taravangian had suspected Jasnah did not need a physical Soulcaster to be able to use Soulcasting as an ability and to test this theory, engineered a scenario where he would be able to watch the Alethi princess wield her power.{{wob ref|3243}} Jasnah Soulcast the rock into smoke, masking her abilities with the fake Soulcaster she wore on her right hand.{{book ref|sa1|5}} In return for freeing his granddaughter, Taravangian granted Jasnah entry to the Palanaeum, which she had been unable to access until this point.{{book ref|sa1|5}}

Out late one night in the city, Shallan and Jasnah were attacked by a group of criminals while in an alley near the theatre district. Jasnah had deliberately taken them to a specific street where the criminals had been attacking, robbing, and killing people. She had planned to dispatch of the men as a service to Taravangian who she felt had put himself in a more precarious position than he realised when he allied with her and allowed her access to the Palanaeum. Jasnah killed the four men during the encounter, turning them into a variety of other substances using Soulcasting, and in doing so, saving both her own, and Shallan's life. Shallan, angry at Jasnah for the situation she had deliberately put them in, switched her broken Soulcaster, with Jasnah's device shortly after the pair returned to the Conclave.{{book ref|sa1|36}}

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As the months passed, Shallan began to grow more and more aware of [[Pattern]] and the other Cryptics who watched her from the [[Cognitive Realm]]. Several times, Shallan unconsciously included them in portraits she created, first while sketching kingKing Taravangian, and later in a sketch of herself and the ardent [[Kabsal]].{{book ref|sa1|29}}{{book ref|sa1|45}} She also began hearing the Cryptics whispers, convincing herself that she was mishearing sounds made by the Conclave staff as they worked.{{book ref|sa1|42}} Eventually Shallan was unable to ignore the spren, leading her to accidentally Soulcast a goblet into blood.{{book ref|sa1|45}} To hide what she had done, Shallan cut open her arm, pretending that the blood was hers, and was taken to one of the city's many hospitals.{{book ref|sa1|45}}

=== ExpansionPolitics ofon Kharbranth'sthe AlliancesWorld Stage ===

During {{Rosharan date|1173}}, Taravangian acquired [[Szeth]]'s oathstone and tasked him with murdering a large number of high ranking officials in several foreign nations.{{book ref|sa1|i|6}} These murders, dictated by the Diagram, aimed to cause chaos in several foreign nationscountries including [[Jah Keved]] and [[Azir]]. Taravangian, as a precautionary measure, included his own name on the list given to Szeth to divert suspicion away from Kharbranth if the assassin had been captured during his spree.{{book ref|sa1|71}} When Szeth travelled to Kharbranth to kill its king, Taravangian revealed that he was in possession of Szeth's oathstone and had been behind the list of assassinations Szeth had been given.{{book ref|sa1|71}} After showing Szeth the hidden hospital where the Silent Gatherers collected the Death Rattles, Taravangian tasked Szeth with killing [[Dalinar Kholin]], who he believed had to die, based on his reading of the Diagram.{{book ref|sa1|71}}

By using Szeth to causing mayhem and destruction across Roshar, Taravangian was able to further the goals of the Diagram and created a situation where he could take control of the [[Veden]] empire without creating suspicion. Towards the end of the [[Jah Keved#War of Succession|War of Succession]] ({{Rosharan date|1173}}), Taravangian sent food, medical supplies, and healers to the country to help the wounded on all sides of the fighting. In doing so, he secured a new ally for Kharbranth with whichever side was victorious. In the case that the country fell to ruin, Taravangian, through a distance connection to Veden royalty, could engineer a situation that would end with the king of Kharbranth on the Veden throne. When the war ended later that year, Taravangian was named as king by the previous monarch, [[Valam]], shortly before he died, securing Jah Keved as an ally for Kharbranth.{{book ref|sa2|i|14}}

Taravangian entered both Jah Keved and Kharbranth into an alliance with [[Alethkar]] in {{Rosharan date|1174}}, after Dalinar Kholin contacted the leaders of Roshar's nations seeking aid in the fight against the [[Voidbringers]].{{book ref|sa3|12}} Taravangian was the only leader to initially respond to Dalinar's request.{{book ref|sa3|12}} The council of Kharbranth were suspicious of Dalinar's initial requestoffer, as well as his intentions withof refounding the [[Knights Radiant]].{{book ref|sa3|4}} Mistrust of Dalinar increased amongst the council members after Dalinar pronounced the death of Honor, which those within the [[Vorin]] church conflate with the Almighty.{{book ref|sa3|4}} [[Kadash]], one of Dalinar's ardents, did what he could to try and calm the council and allay their fears.{{book ref|sa3|4}} It is unknown whether Kadash was successful, leading to the council agreeing with Taravangian to enter into an alliance with Alethkar, or whether the king of Kharbranth has executive power over foreign affairs.

Following the battle, Taravangian revealed to Dalinar that Kharbranth had been behind Szeth's murderous spree across Roshar.{{book ref|sa3|121}} He told Dalinar that he had sought out Szeth after Dova had approached Taravangian and warned him that the Desolation was approaching.{{book ref|sa3|121}} He also told Dalinar that about the ardent Dova and how he believed Dovaher to be the [[Herald]] [[Battah]]'Elin.{{book ref|sa3|121}} It is unclear as to whether Taravangian truely believes this or if he is feeding Dalinar misinformation. Later, Odium met with Taravangian during the Everstorm agreeing to spare Kharbranth and its citizens during the imminent war in exchange for the Diagram's loyalty.{{book ref|sa3|122}}

[[File:{{image|Shallan_in_Kharbranth.jpg|400px|thumb|right|Shallan inbeing Kharbranth,ported travellingaround to the Conclave, by [[Coppermind: Artists/John LyKharbranth|John Ly]].]]side=right|height=350px}}

=== ReligionSocial Structure ===

Like most of [[Roshar]], Kharbranth uses [[spheres]], glass beads with an imbeddedembedded gemstone, as its currency. Spheres infused with [[Stormlight]] are also used as a light source.{{book ref|sa1|3}}{{book ref|sa1|33}} The type and size of each imbeddedembedded gemstone determines the value of the sphere with a diamond chip being the smallest denomination and an emerald broam the largest. The [[Palanaeum]] doubles as Kharbranth's royal treasury, and the city's store of emeralds are used to light the pathways within the Palanaeum proper.{{book ref|sa1|33}}

The smallest of the five [[Vorin]] nations, Kharbranth is a fragile, but independent, city-state governed by KingQueen [[TaravangianSavrahalidem]].{{book who also rules over [[Jah Keved]].ref|sa4|i|3}}

The highestKharbranthian seatgovernment offollows governmenta [[wikipedia:King-in-Council|monarch Kharbranthand iscouncil system]],{{book ref|sa3|12}} with the positionmonarch ofbeing hereditary through either the king,male currentlyor heldfemale byline.{{book Taravangianref|sa4|19}} The current queen is Savrahalidem, whodaughter rulesof alongsidethe aformer governingruler councilTaravangian.{{book ref|sa3sa4|12i|3}} The exact dynamic between the kingmonarch and the council is currently unknown, however, the king or queen is able to propose and influence policy, decide upon and conduct foreign affairs, and also has some form of direct authority over the implementation of laws.{{book ref|sa2|i|14}} Although the monarch of Kharbranth would be considered equal to first [[dahn]] under the Vorin class system, they do not traditionally claim the rank, due to Kharbranth's city-state status.{{wob ref|4006}}

Taravangian's intelligence and compassion fluctuatefluctuated on a daily basis and he mustwould be tested each morning to determine how much control he hashad over policy and how much he cancould interact with the politicians and citizens of Kharbranth. Initially, his political power was to be limited only on days of extreme unintelligence, however, after proposing, and attempting to implement, a eugenics program in Kharbranth on a day of high intelligence, it was decided that his ability to affect policy be restricted for both extremes.{{book ref|sa2|i|14}} Additionally, Taravangian's ability to interact with others isalso restrictedhad onto daysbe of both low and high intelligencerestricted, asdue he hasto previouslyprevious attemptedattempts to reveal his condition to the general public.{{book ref|sa2|i|14}}

Kharbranth has only a small standing army so as to not affect its cultivated image of being unassuming and unthreatening.{{book ref|sa2|i|14}}{{book ref|sa3|24}} It is known that Kharbranth doesrarely notengages wagein war, and has previously offeredoffers foreignmedical aid to both sides of the same conflictconflicts.{{book ref|sa2|i|14}}{{book ref|Sa3|24}}{{book ref|sa4|50}} The city-state does not have a true navy, however, has a number of merchant ships that can be commandeered in times of need.{{book ref|sa3|107}} Kharbranthian soldiers wear burnt orange livery.{{book ref|sa2|i|14}}

*[[Kabsal]]: ardentArdent. Deceased.

*[[Pailiah]]{{disputed}}{{ref|group=fn|text=In 2017 a Word of Brandon from a signed book allegedly confirmed that the ardent Shallan finds in the Palanaeum, while searching for the book ''[[Shadows Remembered]]'', is the [[Herald]] [[Pailiah]]. No photo of this WoB is attachattached to the Arcanum entry and Brandon has been evasive when asked to confirm whether this information is true.{{wob ref|4419}}{{wob ref|11589}}{{wob ref|11521}}{{book ref|Sa1|33}}}}

* An [https://github.com/Palanaeum/palanaeum open-source project] created by [[17thshard.com|17th Shard]] for archiving and transcribing [[Arcanum|Words of Brandon]] was named after the Palanaeum.

*[[Diagram (literature)]] and [[Diagram (group)]]

{{complete|[[User:Chaos2651LadyLameness|Chaos2651LadyLameness]] ([[User talk:Chaos2651LadyLameness|talk]]) 1606:0700, 917 MarchNovember 20192020 (MSTUTC)}}