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{{character
|image=Szeth.jpg
|parents=[[Neturo]]
|ancestors=[[Vallano]]
|abilities={{tag+|skybreaker}}, {{tag+|Shardbearer}}
|aliases=Assassin in White
|titles=[[Truthless]] of [[Shinovar]]
|groups={{tag|Knights Radiant}} <small>([[Order of Skybreakers|Skybreakers]])</small>
|born={{Rosharan date|1138}}{{book ref|sa1|i|3}}
|'birthplace
|residence=Urithiru
|ethnicity=Shin
|world=Roshar
|universe=[[Cosmere]]
|books=[[The Stormlight Archive]]
}}
{{quote
| I am Truthless. I do as my master requires and I require no explanation.
| Szeth, regarding his oath.{{book ref|sa2|I|14}}
}}
'''Szeth'''
Szeth is currently a [[Skybreaker]] of the Third Ideal and serves [[Dalinar Kholin]]. He intends to return to Shinovar and bring justice to the ones who exiled him as his Fourth Skybreaker Ideal quest.{{book ref|sa3|121}}
== Appearance and Personality ==
[[File:Szeth by Jessi Ochse.jpg|thumb|right|350px|<center><small>by {{a|Jessi Ochse}}</small></center>]]
=== Appearance ===
{{for|/Gallery|more images}}
Szeth is roughly thirty-five years old at the start of the [[True Desolation]]. Like all [[Shin]], he's short and pale-skinned, with round, beady eyes lacking the epicanthic fold that most [[Roshar]]ans possess. Normally, his eyes are dark green, but whenever he summons the [[Honorblade]], they change to pale sapphire.{{book ref|sa1|i|3}}{{book ref|sa2.5|8}} He's bald, and shaves his head often, mentioning that he's unable to grow his hair out as much as most people.{{book ref|sa3|90}}
As the Assassin, Szeth always wears white. While this originally stemmed from [[listener]] customs, [[Taravangian]] had him keep the outfit as a symbol.{{book ref|sa1|prologue}}{{book ref|sa1|i|9}} Following his death and subsequent revival, his soul was improperly attached to his body, leaving him with a ghostly white afterimage that can be seen by some people, including [[Lift]].{{book ref|sa2.5|9}}
=== Personality ===
{{quote
| This man was not sane. Szeth-son-son-Vallano was the most dangerous weapon on all of [[Roshar]], and he was broken.
| [[Taravangian
}}
As a [[Skybreaker]], Szeth develops a far greater suspicion of his superiors; he starts questioning his orders, and even argue with those above him if he believes they are wrong.{{book ref|sa2.5|9}} He slowly learns to make his own decisions, although still seems to yearn for someone to follow, as evidenced by his newfound dedication to Dalinar.{{book ref|sa3|119}} He's exceedingly serious, and unless severely agitated, highly respectful to others. He also seems deaf to jokes or sarcasm, often finding what others say to be incredibly profound, even when it's nonsensical or silly.{{book ref|sa3|120}}
== History ==
{{quote
| I knew a voice like yours once, sword-nimi. ... A single one, in my mind, when I was young. I hope things go better this time.
| Szeth
}}
As a younger man, Szeth was a highly-regarded member of the [[Shin]] society.{{wob ref|4040}} At the time, he trained with the [[Honorblade]]s, familarizing himself with all ten of the [[Surge]]s. Among others, the training included ice-skating excercises to mimic [[Abrasion]].{{book ref|sa3|98}}{{book ref|sa3|120}} At some point, however, he began hearing a voice in his head, possibly that of a [[spren]].{{book ref|sa3|92}} Perhaps as a result of this, he began saying that the [[Voidbringers]] were returning to Roshar.{{book ref|sa2|i|14}} The Shin leaders, however, told him that his claims were false and, at the age of 27, named him Truthless.{{book ref|sa2|i|10}} Likely due to his prior high status, he was given [[Jezrien]]'s Honorblade before being sent away -- something that wasn't done for other Truthless.{{wob ref|5089}}
After being made a slave and given an [[Oathstone]], Szeth was traded to the Thaylen merchant [[Vstim]].{{book ref|sa1|i|4}} From then on out, whoever owned his Oathstone owned Szeth, and Szeth was obliged by his honor to do as the owner commanded, with the exception of killing himself or giving up the Honorblade.{{book ref|sa1|i|3}} Just after being exiled from [[Shinovar]], Szeth visited [[Urithiru]] for the first time.{{book ref|sa2|i|10}}
=== Assassin in White ===
[[File:Szeth and Gavilar by ThomasW.jpg|thumb|left|200px|<center><small>by {{a|ThomasW}}</small></center> Facing off against [[Gavilar Kholin]] ]]
==== Killing King Gavilar ====
{{for|Assassination of Gavilar}}
Two years after his banishment, Szeth was purchased by [[Klade]], a member of the [[listener]] ruling council. When Klade pressured him, Szeth told him about his Shardblade and the abilities it brought.{{book ref|sa3|prologue}} As a result, [[the Five]] ordered him to murder king [[Gavilar Kholin]] of [[Alethkar]] during the treaty-signing celebration. They stipulated that the killing had to be done with live witnesses, and while wearing white.{{book ref|sa1|prologue}}
As Szeth attacked, he was fooled into believing Gavilar was a bodyguard, and decided to chase after the escaping target, instead of fighting a protracted battle. However, soon after he realized the "target" was simply a decoy, since Gavilar would be much safer fighting with his own Shardblade and Plate instead of fleeing for his life. Doubling back, Szeth returned to kill Gavilar, and a fierce battle commenced. Gavilar almost succeeded in killing Szeth with a Shardplate-enhanced punch, but ultimately failed and fell to his death onto a piece of wooden debris, which impaled him in an area where the Shardplate had been broken.{{book ref|sa1|prologue}}
Before dying, Gavilar had two last requests: to tell his brother to "find the most important words a man could say," and to protect a mysterious [[black sphere]] that shone dark light. Szeth honored both requests, scrawling a message to [[Dalinar]] into the wood with Gavilar's own hand and blood.{{book ref|sa1|prologue}} Eventually he also hid away the black orb somewhere in [[Jah Keved]].{{book ref|sa1|i|3}}
His clothes on the night of the killing led to the general public dubbing him the Assassin in White.{{book ref|sa1|8}}
==== Laying low ====
After Gavilar's death, the listeners threw away Szeth's Oathstone as they fled [[Kholinar]]. Since the Alethi believed that Szeth had fled with the Parshendi, they did not attempt to track him down and instead initiated the [[Vengeance Pact]], waging war on the [[Shattered Plains]]. Meanwhile the stone, and as a result Szeth, was eventually picked up by [[Avado]], a travelling merchant.{{book ref|sa1|i|3}}
Avado took Szeth with him to [[Jah Keved]] in fear of possible Alethi retribution against strange foreigners in the wake of their king's assassination. He did not keep his slave for long, however; over the course of the next five years, the Oathstone changed possession many times before landing in the hands of [[Took]], a transient worker. Took was robbed and killed after a night of drinking in [[Ironsway]], a town in the [[Bavland]], and Szeth's Oathstone is taken by [[Makkek]], a small-time criminal.{{book ref|sa1|i|3}} With Szeth under his control, Makkek set out to gain wealth, first by killing his fellow robbers and then by establishing a gambling den in [[Bornwater]].{{book ref|sa1|i|6}}
On one of Makkek's missions, this time to eliminate a rival who had opened his own gambling place, Szeth infiltrated the local lord's mansion where his target, [[Gavashaw]], resided. After entering Gavashaw's rooms, he met a mysterious stranger who knew of Szeth and his role in Gavilar's death, as well as his powers. After a short confrontation, the man revealed that both Makek and Gavashaw had been killed, and that Szeth's Oathstone was now in the hands of a new master. Thus, Szeth began to unwittingly serve the [[Diagram (group)|Diagram]].{{book ref|sa1|i|6}}
====
[[File:Facing off with the Assassin in White.jpg|thumb|right|350px|<center><small>by {{a|Jules Aguimatang}}</small></center> First attempt to assassinate [[Dalinar]] ]]
Szeth's new masters gave him a list of high-ranking targets, all of whom were to be eliminated with the same skill displayed over five years ago in [[Kholinar]]. Szeth set out to do just that, carving a bloody path across the continent, slaying, among others, two [[Azir|Azish]] Primes.{{book ref|sa2|i|9}} His second-to-last kill was King [[Hanavanar]] of Jah Keved, whom he killed along with his two Shardbearer guards.{{book ref|sa1|i|9}} This led directly into the Jah Keved civil war.{{book ref|sa2|i|14}}
King [[Taravangian]], the last one on Szeth's hit list, turned out to be his secret employer. When Szeth arrived in [[Kharbranth]], Taravangian revealed a portion of his schemes, showcasing his "hospitals" in which people were slowly killed in order to draw out [[Death Rattle]]s.{{book ref|sa1|71}} Upon showing this to Szeth, he sent him out on a mission to kill a new target: [[Dalinar Kholin]].
During a [[highstorm]], Szeth attacked King [[Elhokar]]'s palace on the [[Shattered Plains]], entering it through a hole cut in the wall with his Blade. On his way, he killed [[Beld]] and cut through [[Hobber]]'s midriff, crippling the use of his legs, then proceeded to fight against [[Adolin]], [[Kaladin]], and [[Dalinar]], who all believed he was there to assassinate Elhokar. He quickly gained the upper hand, lashing Adolin to the ceiling and cutting through Kaladin's arm. However, he ultimately failed, as Kaladin managed to push him through his entryway. The two of them fell to the ground, both surviving. Szeth panicked when he saw Kaladin healing his arm, and when Kaladin told him he was a Windrunner, Szeth fled.{{book ref|sa2|32}}{{book ref|sa2|33}}
After his confrontation with Kaladin, Szeth retreated to the top of Urithiru, shaken by Kaladin's words and wondering if he was wrong the entire time. Ultimately, he decided to confront Taravangian about the matter.{{book ref|sa3|i|10}} He found the king in [[Vedenar]], and, control almost gone, demanded to know if the [[Knights Radiant]] were returning. Taravangain managed to appease him by claiming that a Honorblade with [[Regrowth]] has been stolen. Hearing that, Szeth made to depart, vowing to kill [[Kaladin]]; however, Taravangian forbade him to approach, demanding that Szeth kill only Dalinar.{{book ref|sa2|i|14}}
==== Death and resurrection ====
{{quote
|What I am owed will come to me eventually! Every bit of it. I will drown in it, stonewalker!
|Szeth to Dalinar{{book ref|sa2|85}}
}}
Szeth attacked Dalinar during the climax of the [[Battle of Narak]]. Dalinar was able to temporarily hold his own before being lashed to the sky, to eventually fall to his death after the Stormlight sustaining the lashing ran out. However, before that could happen, Kaladin, having recently sworn the Third Ideal of the Windrunners, swooped in and caught him, then safely returned him to the ground. Kaladin and Szeth then battled above the colliding [[highstorm]] and [[Everstorm]]. During the battle Szeth came to the realization that Kaladin was truly a Radiant, and so Szeth himself was never Truthless. Unable to accept his actions, Szeth unbonded his Honorblade and fell through the highstorm to his death.{{book ref|sa2|85}}{{book ref|sa2|88}}
Moments after his death, Szeth was revived by [[Nale]], who used a fabrial to heal his body before his spirit departed {{book ref|sa3|90}}. Though Szeth was initially outraged at being returned to life, Nale promised to give him a new purpose and gifted him with [[Nightblood]].{{book ref|sa2|88}}
===
[[File:Szeth and Nightblood.png|thumb|left|300px|<center><small>by {{a|LittleGreyDragon}}</small></center>]]
==== Yeddaw ====
After gifting him with Nightblood, Nale inducted Szeth into the [[Skybreakers]], and took him to [[Yeddaw]] in order to find a potential Radiant. Throughout, Szeth attempted to convince Nale of the upcoming [[True Desolation]], but was unable to get through to him.{{book ref|sa2.5|9}}
During his time there, he met [[Lift]] in the city's [[Grand Indicium]]. He confronted her and drew Nightblood to test her, but left when Nightblood's power found her innocent.{{book ref|sa2.5|15}} Later, he encountered her again, chasing after him and the other Skybreakers. He stopped to inform her that she could not possibly get there before they did, but also shared the identity of the person they were seeking.{{book ref|sa2.5|16}}
After the Everstorm passed over Yeddaw, Nale departed in a hurry, leaving Szeth stranded in Yeddaw. He was picked up by the Herald after a few weeks and taken to join the other Skybreakers. There, master [[Ki]] informed him that his mission with [[Nale]] was his first task, and that after being evaluated, he was found worthy of the First Ideal. This, however, was not enough for him to draw Stormlight, as Skybreaker trainees can only do so after attaining the Second.{{book ref|sa3|90}}
==== Second Ideal ====
After swearing the First Ideal, Szeth was taken to the [[Purelake]] along with other Skybreaker hopefuls and squires to complete the next test. The challenge was based on a message sent via [[spanreed]] by the city's minister, who told them there was a breakout of convicts. The request was to find the guilty and execute them. While most of the squires and hopefuls started immediately to find and execute the convicts, Szeth stayed and questioned their motives, learning more about the local law.{{book ref|sa3|92}}
He was able to find and fight one. He found that the convict had a knife, but was thin, dirty and emaciated. Upon questioning him, Szeth also learned that the prison fort had only one guard. Once back, he saw other convicts, confirming that they had all been poorly fed and under a strict regime, leading him to the realization that the prison itself was improperly ran. When he confirmed with Ki that the prison administrator was also on the list of the guilty, Szeth drew Nightblood and killed the man. This allowed him to swear the Second Ideal, letting him draw Stormlight. Impressed, Ki chose him as her squire.{{book ref|sa3|92}}
{{quote
}}
==== Learning the truth ====
The next test was based on the newly acquired ability to Lash by the Skybreaker hopefuls. It involved Lashing oneself through the air and throwing pouches of colored powder at other competitors -- the one with the least spots of color on their outfit would win the game. Szeth originally held the lead, but when the rest of the group realised he would win, he was surrounded and pummeled with pouches. Shortly after, his Stormlight ran out and he fell into the Purelake. Nonetheless, he managed to win, as the water washed away the colors.{{book ref|sa3|98}}
Initially, Szeth
[[File:Szeth Thunderclast.jpg|thumb|right|250px|<center><small>by {{a|Matthew Johnson}}</small></center> Szeth killing a [[thunderclast]] ]]
=== Serving Dalinar Kholin ===
==== Battle of Thaylen Field ====
Szeth arrived on the field just in time to drop down and slay a [[thunderclast]]. After landing, he met [[Lift]], who let him know that Dalinar asked her to recover [[Honor's Drop]], a perfect gemstone. Acknowledging this as Dalinar's will, Szeth joined her in the hunt.{{book ref|sa3|117}} Things initially went poorly, especially when Szeth lost Nightblood's sheath to one of the [[Fused]], causing the sword to go out of control and begin devouring him, despite Lift's attempts to help.{{book ref|sa3|118}}
Fortunately, it was then that Dalinar managed to open [[Honor's Perpendicularity]], infusing the city with enough Stormlight to slake Nightblood's thirst. Szeth managed to resheathe the blade, and met with Dalinar. After managing to convince the Alethi of his new loyalty, he returned to his search for Honor's Drop with Lift.{{book ref|sa3|119}}
==== Aftermath ====
After the battle, Szeth met with Nale, who warned him about following a man instead of a law, but supported the decision overall. The Herald made to depart, promising to return later and teach Szeth about the Surge of Division. Before he left, Szeth swore his Third Oath. He also made it clear that for his Fourth, the Ideal of Crusade, he intended to travel to [[Shinovar]] and cleanse it of the false leaders who made him the Truthless in the first place.{{book ref|sa3|121}}
{{quote
| The Third Ideal of the [[Skybreakers]], as sworn by Szeth{{book ref|sa3|121}}
}}
{{quote
| The Fourth Ideal of the [[Skybreakers]], as sworn by Szeth{{book ref|sa3|121}}.
}}
Afterwards, Szeth became Dalinar’s bodyguard, despite the apprehension of other Alethi.{{book ref|sa3|122}}
== Attributes and Abilities ==
Szeth is an exceptionally skilled combatant; when ordered to fight, he becomes a nigh-on unstoppable killing machine. He's proficient with a sword, as well as the martial art of [[kammar]]. He combines both of those skills with his [[Surgebinding]] abilities to a deadly effect.{{book ref|sa1|i|9}} In one-on-one combat, he can hold his own, and even defeat, a master swordsman.{{book ref|sa2|85}} He's fearless when attacking even people in [[Shardplate]] and wielding [[Shardblade]]s, trusting his greater, [[Stormlight]]-augmented agility to carry him through the battle unharmed.{{book ref|sa1|prologue}} He also shows great cunning, resourcefulness and determination, which serve him well both in and out of combat.{{book ref|sa3|98}}
[[File: The Assassin in White by Ari Ibarra.jpg|250px|thumb|right|<center><small>by {{a|Ari Ibarra}}</small></center> Drawing [[Nightblood]] ]]
=== Surgebinding ===
{{quote
| Szeth of the Skybreakers had, fortunately, trained with all ten Surges.
| Szeth{{book ref|sa3|120}}
}}
Szeth knows how to use all of the [[Surge]]s, having practiced with them through the Shin's eight [[Honorblade]]s.{{book ref|sa3|120}} When he was exiled, he was given [[Jezrien]]'s Honorblade, granting him the powers of a [[Windrunner]] and thus the Surges of [[Gravitation]] and [[Adhesion]].{{book ref|sa3|87}} Over the years, he has become a master of it, easily controlling all three [[Lashing]]s. However, he is unaccustomed to fighting other Windrunners, levelling the playing field somewhat when his opponent can also take to the skies.{{book ref|sa2|85}}
The training has also included basic information about all Radiant orders; Szeth is familiar with their names, their powers and their capabilities, as well as strategies to counter all of them.{{book ref|sa3|120}} It has also gave him an assortment of other, non-supernatural skills, such as ice-skating.{{book ref|sa3|120}}
At the present, Szeth no longer has Jezrien's Honorblade, and has since become a [[Skybreaker]] of the Third Ideal. This gives him access to the Surges of Gravitation and [[Division]]. While he has been using the former extensively, thanks to his prior experience, he's yet to use the latter, although he already has access to it.{{book ref|sa3|121}} Theoretically, he should also have a Shardblade at this point, although his spren is too skittish to approach him.{{book ref|sa3|121}}
=== Nightblood ===
{{for|Nightblood}}
After losing Jezrien's Honorblade, Szeth has been gifted [[Nightblood]] by [[Nale]].{{book ref|sa2|88}} While Szeth cannot dismiss Nightblood the way he could with a regular Shardblade, he is nonetheless just as dangerous with it, if not more, as with a Blade. He cannot, however, draw it from its sheath in most circumstances; lacking [[Breath]], he has to feed it Stormlight to survive the act of using it.{{book ref|sa3|98}}
Notably, it seems that unlike Shardblades, Nightblood is capable of erasing [[Fused]] from existence completely, preventing them from resurrecting in the next [[Everstorm]].{{book ref|sa3|117}}{{wob ref|10440}}
== Relationships ==
===
{{quote
| I'm sure you can spot [evil]. You seem smart. If increasingly kind of boring.
| [[Nightblood]] to Szeth{{book ref|sa3|92}}
}}
Szeth
Szeth has only fully drawn the sword twice, during the [[Skybreaker]] test at the [[Purelake]]{{book ref|sa3|92}} and at the [[Battle of Thaylen Field]].{{book ref|sa3|118}} In both cases the sword singlemindedly begins screaming
== Trivia ==
=== Continuity Change ===
Szeth's death was subject to a continuity change. In the original hardcover edition of ''[[Words of Radiance]]'', Szeth was killed by [[Kaladin]] driving [[Syl]] as a [[Shardblade]] into his chest, severing his spine. Brandon felt this was out of character for Kaladin, and changed the text with the release of the paperback edition of the book. Szeth's death now occurred when he unbonded his Blade and fell through the Highstorm.{{bws ref|date=2015-04-05|three-stories-in-new-formats|Three Stories in New Formats}}
=== Other ===
* Brandon wrote Szeth's scenes while listening to [[wikipedia: Daft Punk|Daft Punk]]{{wob ref|1124}}
* Brandon considers Nightblood and Szeth to be one of the more terrifying pairings in the [[cosmere]].{{wob ref|4328}}
== Notes ==
|