Difference between revisions of "Taravangian"

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{{character
|image=Taravangian by stinkypanda.jpg
|descendants=[[Gvori]], [[Karavaniga]], [[Ruli]], [[Taravangian's granddaughter|granddaughter]]
|abilities={{tag+|oldmagic}}
|aliases=Vargo
|groups={{tag|Diagram}}
|'residence-raw=[[Kharbranth]] (palace), {{tag|Urithiru|cat=Resident of Urithiru}}<!-- renting a room & plotting everyone's demise -->
|nation=Kharbranth
|world=Roshar
|universe=[[Cosmere]]
|books=[[The Stormlight Archive]]
}}
}}{{spoilers|book=sa3}}
{{quote
| I am the monster who will save this world.
| Taravangian to Szeth{{book ref|sa1|70}}
}}
'''Taravangian''' (<small>Alethi pronunciation:</small> [[Wikipedia:Help:IPA|[tɑ·rɑˈvæn·gi·æn]]] [[Wikipedia:Wikipedia:Pronunciation_respelling_key|''ta-ra-'''<small>VAN</small>'''-gi-an'']]) is the king of [[Kharbranth]]{{book ref|sa1|3}} and [[Jah Keved]]. He is the leader of the secret society known as "the [[Diagram (group)|Diagram]]" which believes the truth and the path to human salvation islies writtenin onthe aset scriptof createdpredictions byand himinstructions he laid out on athe day when he was a genius.
 
== Appearance and Personality ==
Taravangian is an aged man with a wrinkled, clean-shaven face. He has pale grey eyes and an open, kindly face.{{book ref|sa3|24}} He lives with perpetual aches in his body, and has other symptoms of old age.
 
{{sidequote
| Someone must bear the responsibility, someone must be dragged down by it, ruined by it. Someone must stain their souls so others may live. Society offers us up to trudge through dirtlydirty waters so others may be clean.
| Taravangian to Dalinar{{book ref|sa3|86}}|left|250px|
}}
He is popular among many for providing free access to city hospitals funded by an admittance fee to the [[Palanaeum]].,{{book ref|sa1|7}} Heand he is known to visit the hospitals on a weekly basis.{{book ref|sa1|48}} HeRuling was said to be a kindly if somewhat simple man. Perfect to rule a small city-stateKharbranth with the help of a council.,{{book ref|sa3|12}} All his life he has been quiet and humble, becausefor ofhis thisentire somelife, peopleleading consideredmany himpeople to bebelieve he is slow witted,.{{book ref|sa3|16}} however peoplePeople who knewknow him better know he had a keen intelligence until his "illness" 5 years before the [[Battle of Thaylen Field]].{{book ref|sa3|21}} The "illness" is really a consequence of a visit to the [[Nightwatcher]] who granted him great intelligence and great compassion, but cursed him to never have them at the same time. As a result, he wakes up every morning with a fluctuation of both. These fluctuations will cause him to spendOn some days, cryinghe cries and havinghas compassion for everyone around him, butwhile unable to have intelligent conversations,{{book ref|sa3|107}} andwhile otheron daysothers he would beis brilliant, but wouldyet easily talkspeaks of killing singing children.{{book ref|sa3|i|5}}
 
Taravangian is a pragmatic man who considers it his duty asto taking the responsibility of doingdo whatever it takes to havemake a "better world". HeWhen hashe twoposes quotesa thatmoral showdilemma, this:asking "Someone must stain their souls so others may live. Society offers us upwhat to trudge through dirty waters so others may be clean."{{book ref|sa3|86}} The other is when he is asked on what he would do if therethree areof four men and you are sureguilty threeof aremurder guiltyand butone notis sureunsure whowhich is the innocent, he repliessays "To prevent murder to happen again … I must hang them and weep."{{book ref|sa3|28}} He doesn't believe inbelieves religion. He considers religion as something that fills gaps and brings a sense of comfort which prevents understanding. ThisHe istrusts opposed to his trust inonly the Diagram, as thiswhich is the result of his raw intelligence.{{book ref|sa3|i|5}}
 
<gallery caption="Images of Taravangian">
Taravangian.jpg | Portrait by [[User: Sheep]]
Kharbranth characters.jpg | With Shallan , Kabsal, and Jasnah by [[User: Botanicaxu]]
Taravangian as the Wheel of Fortune Orientation 1.jpg | Taravangian's two sides by [[Coppermind: Artists/taratjah|Taratjah]]
Taravangian as the Wheel of Fortune Orientation 2.jpg | Taravangian's two sides by [[Coppermind: Artists/taratjah|Taratjah]]
</gallery>
 
When Taravangian was born, the surgeon said there was a cord around his neck. He made public that he might have diminished capacity and the recommendation was to keep him on outer estates in favor of others. Though the diminished capacity was not present, the reputation followed him all his life.{{book ref|sa3|i|5}}
He was childhood friends with [[Adrotagia]] and his nickname was Vargo.{{book ref|sa2|i|14}}
Taravangian meets [[BattahBattar]], a Herald posing as an [[Ardent]] named Dova, who said that the true desolation is close.
 
=== The Nightwatcher and the creation of the Diagram ===
 
=== Kharbranth ===
[[File:Kharbranth characters.jpg|thumb|right|350px|With Shallan , Kabsal, and Jasnah by [[User: Botanicaxu]]]]
During a [[Highstorm]], Taravangian's granddaughter became trapped within a room in the [[Conclave]] when a large stone fell and obstructed the doorway. The king enlisted the help of [[Jasnah Kholin]], who had already been in the city, offering her access to the [[Palanaeum]] in exchange for the use of her [[soulcaster]] to remove the rock. Making a deal with the heretical princess was a dangerous political move on Taravangian's part as it risked angering the [[Ardentia]], however, with the next Highstorm scheduled to hit the city within days, the king's architects would not have time to cut through the boulder. Additionally, the removal of the boulder by conventional means risked the potential of further cave ins within the area.{{book ref|sa1|5}}
 
Jasnah recommended that the king and his staff move to the end of the hall to be out of range, however, Taravangian refused, and told her that he would not leave his granddaughter to go through the ordeal alone. The Alethi princess soulcast the stone into smoke, freeing the king's granddaughter along with the child's nursemaids and several palace servants. Taravangian offered to hold a feast as a way of thanking Jasnah, however, the princess declined, and instead requestrequested to be taken directly to the Palanaeum so she could begin her study.{{book ref|sa1|5}}
 
The incident with Taravangian's granddaughter had been deliberately planned by the king. He suspected Jasnah was using means to soulcast that did not include the use of the fabrial she carried and intentionally engineered a scenario where he could observe her work. Despite his ulterior motives, he was concern for his granddaughters wellbeing and did not want her to be harmed, despite putting her in a dangerous situation.{{wob ref|3242}}{{wob ref|8070}}{{wob ref|3242}}
 
Weeks later, Taravangian joined [[Shallan]] and Jasnah for lunch on their balcony in the [[Palanaeum|Veil]]. In response to Jasnah's enquiry, he reported that his granddaughter had recovered from her ordeal, though now avoided the narrower passageways of the Conclave incase of a repeat incident. Curious, he asked the princess where she had acquired her soulcaster, however Jasnah declined to answer, telling him that her secrets were her own. Taravangian acknowledged her refusal and turned the subject towards Shallan and her artistic skills which had earned her quite the reputation in the Conclave and Palace. Shallan was all to happy to fulfil the king's request for a portrait, of which he intended to give as a gift to his granddaughter.{{book ref|sa1|29}}
[[Szeth]], the [[Assassin in White]], travelled to Kharbranth with the intent of killing the king after causing destruction throughout [[Jah Keved]]. The assassin had explicit instructions on how the king was to be killed: it was to be done quietly, without any additional deaths and the man was only to die after he acknowledged Szeth's intent. Taravangian ignored Szeth's declaration when confronted, instead speaking to him of the chaos and destruction the assassin had caused. He revealed to Szeth had he had been the assassin's hidden master and was in possession of the Shin man's [[oathstone]]. Taravangian had also deliberately put his own name on Szeth's list to to deflect suspicion from himself. He took Szeth to his hidden hospital, where Szeth witnessed the atrocities the king of Kharbranth was committing to maximise access to the [[Death Rattle]]s. Taravangian freely admitted to the monstrous acts he had committed before commanding Szeth to seek out Dalinar Kholin on the [[Shattered Plains]] and end his life.{{book ref|sa1|71}}
 
=== Raise to King of Jah Keved ===
The [[Diagram]] shows that to save human kind, Taravangian needed to unite [[Roshar]] under his rule. The first path is Jah Keved and per the scripts he needed to gain possession of Szeth's Oathstone.{{book ref|sa1|i|6}}
He is able to do so and orders Szeth to kill a number of world leaders, including [[Hanavanar]], the king of Jah Keved, as well as various other highprinces of Jah Keved.
The power vacuum in Jah Keved resulted in a devastating succession war, which wiped out all of the remaining highprinces. Taravangian arrived at the city in time for the death of the last Veden Highprince [[Valam]] who named him king of Jah Keved. His first step to uniting humanity was complete.
Taravangian is able to fullilfulfill his plot without anyone suspecting his intervention. They believe he was given the title as an act of spite from Valam and accept Taravangian as King.{{book ref|sa3|12}}
 
=== Dalinar's coalition of Roshar ===
 
=== Battle of Thaylen Field and Aftermath ===
Taravangian was decided to ensure Dalinar's failure at Thaylen. By the time Odium strikes them, he and his people had already left and had retrieved their ships. He also wrote to the singers and opened the gate to Urithiru to attack there and avoidprevent them from sending help to Thaylen.{{book ref|sa3|121}}
Much to Taravangian's surprise, Dalinar and his allies win the battle and after doing so confronts him. He comes clean on several plotspoints, including his plotting to take the throne of Jah Keved, his usage of Szeth, and knowledge of the desolationDesolation. He however kept to himself the existence of the Diagram orand that he brought the singers to Urithiru. Though Dalinar would never again trust him again as before, this does clear the air and their relationship is not fully broken.{{book ref|sa3|121}}
Eight days after the battle, on a day whereof hebelow wasaverage notintelligence, so smart thehe received thea visitvision from Odium, who lookedtook a tall form reminiscent of the [[Shin]], tall and with a scepter in his hand. Taravangian tried to convince himOdium that he only wantswanted to serve him orand begs him to visit him another day, but Odium sees through him immediately and asksorders him not to prostrate himself. He explainedthen asked Taravangian why he would visitbe himinclined to speak with the king on a day of idiocyintelligence, asthereby heallowing wouldhim never let himto negotiate from a position of power, anddeclaring madethat such an agreementevent withwould himnever happen.
Taravangian then offered a deal to Odium, knowing the god couldn't afford to face Dalinar directly again for fear of losing a previously declared contest of champions. The agreement would trade his help by sharing the diagramDiagram's information (throughthough he could not read [[Renarin]]'s participation) and giving him the honor bladeHonorblade in exchange for sparing the people fromof Kharbranth (the city itself, any humans born into it, along withand their spouses).{{book ref|sa3|121}} Odium accepted, placing Taravangian and the Diagram firmly under the control of Dalinar's enemy.
 
== Attributes and Abilities ==
Every morning he takes an intelligence test that he devised for himself on intelligent days. The test takes the better part of an hour and is made up of mathematical problems. A trio of [[stormwarden]]s consult regarding his answers and decide his intelligence for the day. The stormwardens as well as [[Mrall]], his head bodyguard, also decide if he is fit to rule and what restrictions he will be subject to. He is restricted to his room on both his worst and best of days because during both he tends to make irrational regulationregulations. He also tends to be more compassionate the less intelligent he is. His intelligence changes during each night, regardless of whether he is asleep or awake.{{wob ref|11390}}
 
Taravangian has surprising knowledge of the [[Shin]] and the Shin language, which is rare outside of [[Shinovar]].{{book ref|sa1|71}} He also knows [[women's script]] and has solved [[Fabrisan|Fabrisan's Conundrum]].
; [[Adrotagia]]: Taravangian's head scribe and closest friend. Even on his days of genius he is aware of her intelligence. He has real fondness for her. They are childhood friends.
 
; [[Malata]]: She is a Taravangian ThaylenVeden bodyguard who is also aand [[Dustbringer]]. She works for him and follows his lead, however she had said she "is not his" and they were there because her spren [[Spark]] suggested visiting [[Urithiru]] now that it has been rediscovered.{{book ref|sa3|27}}
 
; [[Odium]]: Taravangian is fully aware of Odium's power. In desperation, he makes a deal with him. The agreement would trade his help by sharing the [[Diagram]]'s information (throughthough he could not read [[Renarin]]'s participation) and giving him the honor bladeHonorblade in exchange for sparing the people fromof ;;Kharbranth''. (cityOdium itself,comments anyon humanshis born intodrive, itsaying, along"Your withpassion theirdoes spouses)you credit".{{book ref|sa3|121}}
Odium recognizes Taravangian's passion. Quoting "Your passion does you credit".{{book ref|sa3|121}}
 
; Taravangian's Grandchildren: Taravangian has three grandchildren who write to him. They are oblivious to the Diagram and his plans. The eldest is [[Gvori]], accepted at the school of storms, [[Karavaniga]], the middle accepted forwardship and little [[Ruli]].
| Taravangian reflecting alone{{book ref|sa3|121}}
}}
 
 
== Trivia ==
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