Taravangian
| Taravangian | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 by Sheep
| |||||
| |||||
| Titles | King of Kharbranth King of Jah Keved[1] | ||||
| Aliases | Vargo | ||||
| Groups | The Diagram | ||||
| Nationality | Kharbranthian | ||||
| Homeworld | Roshar | ||||
“ I am the monster who will save this world. ”
— Taravangian to Szeth[2]
Taravangian (Alethi pronunciation: [tɑ·rɑˈvæn·gi·æn] ta-ra-VAN-gi-an) is the king of Kharbranth [3] and Jah Keved. . He is the leader of the secret society known as “the diagram” which believes the truth and path to human salvation is written on a script created by him on a day when he was a genius.
Appearance and Personality
Taravangian is elderly, with a wispy white beard. He has pale grey eyes and an open, kindly face.[4] He lives with perpetual aches in his body, and has other symptoms of old age although he is relatively fit for his age.
History
Childhood
He was childhood friends with Adrotagia and his nickname was Vargo.[5]
Visiting the Nightwatcher
Taravangian once went to go visit the Nightwatcher and received a curse and boon from the Old Magic. He asked the Nightwatcher for "the capacity to save humankind." The Nighwatcher 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 in intelligence, sometimes resulting in him waking a genius and sometimes waking an idiot. He is most often average and the probability of him being more or less intelligent decreases the more extreme the case (following standard deviation percentages of a bell curve). 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 stormwardens 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 regulation. He also tends to be more compassionate the less intelligent he is.
Assassination of Gavilar Kholin
Taravangian was present in Kholinar and spoke with Gavilar the night of his assassination. Gavilar confided in him that he has seen visions of the Almighty and that the Almighty is now dead. Gavilar also insisted that the world would need to be united if men are to survive, which Taravangian took very seriously. Because he knows that the Almighty is dead he does not trust gods or religion anymore. He claims to only put his trust in himself and his pure genius.
Taravangian has surprising knowledge of the Shin and the Shin language, which is rare outside of Shinovar.[6] He also knows women's script. He has also solved Fabrisan's Conundrum.
The Diagram
“ Taravangian worshipped only one god now. It was the man he had been on that day. ”
—
On Taravangian's most brilliant day he engaged in "20 hours of lucid insanity" that he had no memory of later. In his bedroom, in a language that he devised that day, he wrote on the walls, ceiling, and nearly any surface he could reach. He wrote of the coming True Desolation and devised a plan for humanity's survival.
The writing was transcribed and annotated into a book by Adrotagia and other scribes. The book came to be known as the Diagram. Taravangian reveres the book as though holy.[5]
Implementing the Diagram
“The Diagram, and its members, knew no boundaries. ”
—
He leads a secret group also known as the Diagram which seeks to implement the plan devised by Taravangian. The group is ruthless, willing to kill directly, or indirectly, as many as necessary to achieve its goals.
Death Rattles
Taravangian runs 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 [6] Silent Gatherers[7] can record cryptic supernatural sentences spoken in the seconds before death by some of the victims.[8] Through these Death Rattles, Taravangian hopes to gain information with which he can update the Diagram.
Jah Keved
Taravangian gains possession of Szeth's Oathstone[9] 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. Taravangian claims that these murders are necessary for future stability, which will be needed when the True Desolation comes.[6] 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.
After Szeth discovers he is not Truthless, and forsakes his oathstone, Taravangian loses his allegiance.
The True Desolation
Taravangian eagerly agrees to Dalinar's coalition[10], so that he can eventually deal with Dalinar and take his place.
Odium
Taravangian has contacted Odium and is now working alongside the shard. They make a deal that Odium will not destroy Kharbranth, his home, if Taravangian agrees to work for him.
Notes
| Preceded by Valam |
King of Jah Keved |
Succeeded by Incumbent |
- ↑ Words of Radiance interlude I-12#
- ↑ The Way of Kings chapter 70#
- ↑ The Way of Kings chapter 3#
- ↑ The Way of Kings chapter 5#
- ↑ a b Words of Radiance interlude I-14#
- ↑ a b c The Way of Kings chapter 71#
- ↑ The Way of Kings endnote#
- ↑ Death Delirium Quotes#
- ↑ The Way of Kings interlude I-6#
- ↑ Oathbringer chapter 12#