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|image=Szeth.jpg
|parents=[[Neturo]]
|siblings= Sister
|ancestors=Vallano
|abilities={{tag+|skybreaker}}, {{tag+|Shardbearer}}
|bonded=[[Szeth's highspren]]
|profession={{cat tag|Assassins|Assassin}} <small>(formerly)</small>, bodyguard
|aliases=Assassin in White, Szeth of the Skybreakers, Szeth of Shinovar, One All White{{book ref|sa2|I|9}}
|titles=[[Truthless]] of [[Shinovar]]
|groups={{tag|Knights Radiant}} <small>([[Order of Skybreakers|Skybreakers]])</small>
|world=Roshar
|universe=[[Cosmere]]
|
}}
{{update|sa4}}
{{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 large, round eyes lacking the epicanthic fold that most [[Roshar]]ans possess. Normally, his eyes are dark green, but they change to pale sapphire whenever he summons Jezrien's [[Honorblade]],{{book
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}} Even after he stops following his [[Oathstone]], he continues to wear white.{{book ref|sa4|16}} 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 anyone with sufficient [[Investiture]], such as [[Lift]] or the Skybreakers.{{book ref|sa2.5|9}}{{book ref|sa3|90}}{{wob ref|2563}}
}}
Szeth is bound unwaveringly to honor, and loyal to the extent that he will do anything asked by his master, including self-mutilation.{{book ref|sa1|i|3}} However, as a Truthless he's forbidden to take his own life or to give up his Blade.{{book ref|sa1|i|3}} While accomplished at assassination, he's not a willing killer, always facing inner turmoil when taking a life. He hears the screams of his victims when he closes his eyes; his self-loathing eventually sends him spiraling into madness. His resurrection did nothing to help him; he continues to hear the whispers of those he'd killed, which [[Nale]] believes to be trembles from the [[Spiritual Realm]], serving as a constant reminder of his crimes.{{book ref|sa3|90}}
During this era, he is deeply devoted to Stone Shamanism, seeing it as the only thing of worth he had left in his life. He comes to question his faith's teachings often during his time as Truthless, but tries to silence any such thoughts, considering them dangerous.{{book ref|sa1|i|6}}
As a [[Skybreaker]], Szeth develops a far greater suspicion of his superiors; he starts questioning his orders, and even argues 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}} His [[Szeth's highspren|highspren]] believes he needs to learn to rely on himself instead of Dalinar more.{{book ref|sa4|i|7}} 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}}▼
▲As a [[Skybreaker]], Szeth develops a far greater suspicion of his superiors; he starts questioning his orders, and even argues 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}} His [[Szeth's highspren|highspren]] believes he needs to learn to rely on himself more instead of Dalinar
He finds the idea of eternal damnation far more comforting than the obliteration of the soul.{{book ref|sa1|i|6}}
== Attributes and Abilities ==
{{image|Teamfight by Marie Seeberger.jpg|side=right|width=350px|First attempt to assassinate [[Dalinar]], foiled by [[Kaladin]]}}
Szeth's new master gave him a list of high-ranking targets, all of whom were to be eliminated with the flashy display of skill seen over five years ago in [[Kholinar]]. Szeth carved a bloody path across the continent, slaying, among many others, a [[Selay]] [[gerontarch]] and two [[Azir|Azish]] Primes.{{book ref|sa1|i|6}}{{book ref|sa2|i|9}} His second-to-last kill was King [[Hanavanar]] of Jah Keved, whom he killed on {{rosharan date|1173|9|1|4}} along with his two Shardbearer guards and many others who were present.{{book ref|sa1|i|9}}{{wob ref|7832}} This led directly to the Veden civil war.{{book ref|sa2|i|14}}
King [[Taravangian]], the last name 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 ordered him to kill [[Dalinar Kholin]].
|The Third Ideal of the [[Skybreakers]], as sworn by Szeth{{book ref|sa3|121}}
}}
At first, Dalinar was nothing
Since the Battle of Thaylen Field, he has completely devoted himself to following the orders of Dalinar Kholin, and became his bodyguard.{{book ref|sa3|121}}{{book ref|sa3|122}} He has since followed the man around as much as he was allowed to, travelling with him to Emul and accompanying him on the battlefield.{{book ref|sa4|27}}{{book ref|sa4|47}}{{book ref|sa4|50}}{{book ref|sa4|66}}{{expand}} The reason he devoted himself to Dalinar was due to his reputation, and how he lived up to that reputation; the reputation was far more important than the man himself, in his eyes.{{wob ref|8753}}
=== Nale ===
Nale was his master during his time in the Order of Skybreakers, and was the man who resurrected him and gave him Nightblood after he died in the Battle of Narak.{{book ref|sa2|88}} At first, he was outraged at Nale for bringing him back to life after he intentionally let himself die.{{book ref|sa2|88}} During his time following him, he continuously tried to convince him of the coming of the True Desolation, but was unable to get it through to him.{{book ref|sa2.5|9}} He respected him enough that even upon Nightblood's urging that he was evil and must be killed, he refused to draw his blade on him.{{book ref|sa3|106}} He followed him due to the fact that he thought that he had too, but began questioning it after Nale declared his intentions to join on the side of the Fused.{{book ref|sa3|106}} Questioning his loyalty, he turned to Nightblood again, who convinced him he always had a choice; this led him to swearing loyalty to Dalinar Kholin, turning against his previous master.{{book ref|sa3|116}}{{book ref|sa3|117}}
Nale was watching Szeth since the assassination of Gavilar Kholin in {{rosharan date|1167}}, and was greatly impressed by his unflinching loyalty to the orders of whoever held his oathstone.{{book ref|sa4|77}} It was his respect for his loyalty that he brought him back to life and
=== Navani Kholin ===
Navani Kholin deeply despises him for killing her former husband, Gavilar Kholin. She wants him executed for his crimes, and does not trust that he
=== Neturo-son-Vallano ===
Neturo-son-Vallano is Szeth's father. After becoming Truthless, Szeth felt too ashamed to associated himself with him, and thus besmirch his name. This led him to taking on the name Szeth-son-son-Vallano, as a way to keep Neturo's name clean.{{
While separated for close to a decade, he still loved him, and was deeply shaken by his death.{{book ref|sa4|111}}
=== Taravangian ===
For a time, Taravangian served as Szeth's master and ordered him to assassinate various key political figures such as Hanavanar, Dalinar, and two Azish Primes.{{book ref|sa2|i|9}} Due to Taravangian holding his oathstone, he followed his orders without question, not out of any feeling of devotion to Taravangian himself, but out of a feeling of obligation due to his role as Truthless.
After Szeth accepted he wasn't Truthless, and stopped obeying the orders of those who held his oathstone, he stopped obeying the king's orders. He came to deeply despise him, enough that he was driven to murder him while he was imprisoned, unintentionally bringing about his Ascension to Odium.{{book ref|sa4|66}}{{book ref|sa4|113}} He also saw him as manipulative and unable to be trusted, and obliges Dalinar Kholin to not to trust anything that he says.{{book ref|sa4|66}} His distrust of Taravangian is enough that he disregards and rejects anything he says as manipulation, even when he is telling the truth.{{book ref|sa4|i|8}}
=== Bonded Highspren ===
* Brandon considers Nightblood and Szeth to be one of the more terrifying pairings in the [[cosmere]].{{wob ref|4328}}
* In ''[[The Way of Kings]]'' and ''[[Words of Radiance]]'', every chapter written exclusively from Szeth's point of view begins with the phrase "Szeth-son-son-Vallano, Truthless of Shinovar..." In ''[[Oathbringer]]'', the phrase is dropped for "Szeth of Shinovar" and then "Szeth of the Skybreakers". In ''[[Rhythm of War]]'', this is changed to "Szeth-son-Honor".
*In ''[[The Way of Kings Prime]]'', Szeth-son-son-Vallano, Truthless of Shinovar, was known as Jeksonsonvallano, Truthless of Shinavar, or Jek.
== Notes ==
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