Difference between revisions of "Taravangian"

|abilities={{tag+|oldmagic}}, {{nosnippet|{{tag+|shard|Odium}}}}

|titles=King of [[Kharbranth]] <small>(former)</small>, King of [[Jah Keved]] <small>(former)</small>,{{book ref|sa2|i|12}} {{nosnippet|Odium}}

'''Taravangian''' 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 lies in the set of predictions and instructions he laid out on the day he was a genius. He is the current Vessel of the [[Shard]] [[Odium]].

Taravangian meets [[Battar]], a Herald posing as an [[Ardent]] named Dova, who said that the trueTrue desolationDesolation is close.

One of the first things he does are [[Death Rattle]]s. These were run at a secret hospital hidden in his palace filled with hundreds of beds for the terminally ill, poor, and forgotten who will not be missed. The patients are slowly killed by draining their blood so the [[Silent Gatherer]]s can record cryptic supernatural sentences spoken in the seconds before death by some of the victims.{{book ref|sa1|71}}{{epigraph ref|sa1|Death Delirium Quotesprologue|text=Death DeliriumRattle Quotes}} Through these Death Rattles, Taravangian hopes to gain information with which he can update the Diagram.

During a [[Highstormhighstorm]], 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 [[soulcasterSoulcaster]] 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 [[Ardentiaardentia]],. howeverOstensibly, with the next HighstormTaravangian scheduled to hitmade the citydeal withinbecause days, the king'shis architects would not have time to cut through the boulder. Additionally,before the removalnext ofhighstorm arrived and because removing the boulder by conventional means riskedwould thegave potential ofrisked further cave -ins withinin the area.{{book ref|sa1|5}} In actuality, Taravangian could have rescued his granddaughter on his own, but wanted to see Jasnah's powers, as he suspected she was a [[Surgebinder]]. {{wob ref|8070}}

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 requested 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 concerned for his granddaughtersgranddaughter's wellbeing and did not want her to be harmed, despite putting her in a dangerous situation.{{wob ref|3242}}{{wob ref|8070}}

Weeks later, Taravangian joined [[Shallan]] and Jasnah for lunch on their balcony in the [[Palanaeum|Veil]]. In response to Jasnah's enquiryinquiry, he reported that his granddaughter had recovered from her ordeal, though now avoided the narrower passageways of the Conclave incasein case 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 too happy to fulfilfulfill the king's request for a portrait, of which he intended to give as a gift to his granddaughter. {{book ref|sa1|29}}

While Shallan drew, the king struck up conversation again with Jasnah, this time about religion and the Jasnah's lack of faith. He had trouble understanding how she could differentiate between right and wrong when what was right was a dictate of the [[Almighty]]. Right and wrong, Jasnah argued, shouldn't be subject to the will of an unseen being. To her, morality and human will were as independent from religion as mathematics. Taravangian ultimately disagreed with the scholar, though he did admire the efficiency of her arguments. Jasnah explained that she had no intention of trying to convert him to her belief'sbeliefs unlike those in the Ardentia who tried to convert her. {{book ref|sa1|29}}

Shallan, who had been engrossed in the conversation, went to finish her drawing of the king, however, found that she had added several [[Cryptic]]s to the background of her sketch by accident. She destroyed the drawing, promising Taravangian that she would do him another by the end of the day. Shortly after, Taravangian excused himself so he could visit one of the many hospitals that he had established in [[Kharbranth]]. After he took his leave, Jasnah chided Shallan for calling the king dull and told her that she was not to refer to him in that manner. She deeply admired the man who reminded her of her uncle [[Dalinar]] and found them both to be earnest and sincere.{{book ref|sa1|29}}

After several people were killed in the theatre district of Kharbranth, Taravangian stepped in, hoping that he could prompt the city watch into action. His efforts failed and despite the reprimands, the watch continued to ignore the section of the city that had been terrorisedterrorized by footpads. Eventually, Jasnah took it upon herself to remove the criminals, travellingtraveling into the city late at night with Shallan and purposely putting them in a situation where they would be attacked. After she killed the men using soulcasting, Jasnah explained to Shallan that she had done so as a service to the king of whom she felt she had taken advantage. She worried that Taravangian did not realiserealize the danger he had put himself in by welcoming her to his city and did what she could to help the elderly man. {{book ref|sa1|36}}

Weeks later, Taravangian visited Shallan in the hospital after her supposed suicide attempt. Taravangian visited the hospitals of Kharbranth at least once a week and was a welcomed sight for those admitted on the ward. During his visits he would sit and talk with each patient, checking on their progress, and doing what he could to help. Shallan complimented the king on the impressiveness of Kharbranth's hospitals, an accomplishment of which the man was extremely proud. Taravangian denied Shallan's request to be released from the hospital, however before he left, did grant her wish for visitation rights. Outside the ward, Taravangian ran into Jasnah who had been studying in the waiting room. He explained that Shallan could now receive visitors and passed on the news that she had decided to return to her family's estate before leaving the princess to visit with her student.{{book ref|sa1|48}}

[[Szeth]], the [[Assassin in White]], travelledtraveled 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 maximisemaximize 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}}

After this failure, Taravangian decided to move closer to Dalinar. He is the first and only King to answer and unite with Dalinar and moved to [[Urithiru]].{{book ref|sa3|12}} When he finds out no other King would be part of the coalition, he recommends invasion.{{book ref|sa3|24}} After his surprise on Dalinar's negotiation strategy, he agreed to follow him and eventually moved with him to [[Thaylen City]]Urithiru.{{book ref|sa3|58}}

; 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]]. He has another [[Taravangian's granddaughter|granddaughter]] whom he arranged to become trapped in a rockslide in an attempt atto seeingsee [[Jasnah Kholin]] use her [[Soulcaster]]. Despite his ulterior motives, he was concerned for her wellbeing and did not want her to be harmed, even though he put her in a dangerous situation.{{wob ref|3242}}

|Nightwatcher, OdiumsOdium's victory will kill you too. Couldn't you gift me and not curse me?

* Taravangian was blinddeaf in the original draft of Way of Kings Prime. Brandon removed this part of Taravangian's character as he thought he had done it poorly.{{wob ref|1320}}{{wob ref|4204}}

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