Difference between revisions of "Taravangian"

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 granddaughter's well-being and did not want her to be harmed, despite putting her in a dangerous situation.{{wob ref|3242}}{{wob ref|8070}}

 

 

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 claimed to disagree 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 beliefs, unlike those in the ardentia, who had repeately tried to convert her.{{book ref|sa1|29}}

[[Szeth]], the [[Assassin in White]], traveled to Kharbranth with orders to kill 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 that he had been the assassin's hidden master and was in possession of the man's [[Oathstone]]. Taravangian had also deliberately put his own name on Szeth's list to deflect suspicion from himself. He took Szeth to his hidden hospital, where Szeth witnessed the atrocities the king of Kharbranth was committing to maximize 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}}

 

 

=== King of Jah Keved ===

Eight days after the battle, on a day of below average intelligence, he received a vision from Odium, who took a tall form reminiscent of the [[Shin]] with a scepter in his hand. Taravangian tried to convince Odium that he only wanted to serve him and begs him to visit him another day, but Odium sees through him immediately and orders him not to prostrate himself. He then asked Taravangian why he would be inclined to speak with the king on a day of intelligence, thereby allowing him to negotiate from a position of power, declaring that such an event would never 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 Diagram's information (though he could not read [[Renarin]]'s participation) and giving him the Honorblade in exchange for sparing the people of Kharbranth (the city itself, any humans born into it, and their spouses).{{book ref|sa3|121}} Odium accepted, placing Taravangian and the Diagram firmly under the control of Dalinar's enemy.

 

=== Betrayal and Imprisonment ===

 

A year later, Taravangian distanced himself from Kharbranth and his fellow Diagram members in preparation of being contacted by Odium, who commanded him to have his forces betray Dalinar's on their campaign in [[Emul]].{{book ref|sa4|i|3}} As Taravangian expected, the betrayal is swiftly dealt with and Dalinar has him arrested and imprisoned.{{book ref|sa4|i|6}}

 

Taravangian, however, realized that he could kill Odium himself, guessing that if Szeth saw the Shard manifesting, he would strike out with Nightblood.{{book ref|sa4|i|12}} He had also figured out that the future of anyone close to Renarin would be obscured to Odium, due to the fact that both of their methods of seeing the future used [[Fortune]].{{book ref|sa4|i|6}} Consequently, he requested that Dalinar bring him an Oathstone so that Szeth would come to his prison with the intent of killing him.{{book ref|sa4|i|7}} He also asked [[Sja-anat]] for a way to ensure that Odium arrived at the same time as the assassin and, knowing that Odium was tracking her corrupted spren,{{book ref|sa4|i|12}} she sent him two gemstones with corrupted windspren.{{book ref|sa4|113}}

 

Just as Taravangian had plotted, Szeth entered his house, intending to kill him. As Szeth was reaching for his knife, Odium arrived and pulled Taravangian's mind out of the [[Physical Realm]]. Still next to Szeth in the Physical Realm, Taravangian reached for the manifestation of [[Nightblood]] in the vision and used the weapon to attack Odium. Szeth then killed Taravangian, but before he could pass into the [[Beyond]], Nightblood consumed [[Rayse]], the original Vessel of Odium. As Taravangian was having his least intelligent day yet, his emotions ran rampant, giving him an Intent very similar to that of the Shard, allowing him to Ascend to become the new Vessel of Odium.{{book ref|sa4|113}}