3,209
edits
LadyLameness (talk | contribs) |
LadyLameness (talk | contribs) m |
||
}}
'''Kharbranth''', City of Bells, is an independent city-state on [[Roshar]], ruled by
== Geography ==
Kharbranth is located on the western coast of the [[Frostlands]], within a natural harbor that opens onto the [[Tarat Sea]].{{map ref|Roshar}} One of the most
Residing within a natural wedge shaped lait that opens onto the sea, Kharbranth is built on unbroken stone and extends down the side of and into the surrounding mountain.{{book ref|Sa1|3}} It is believed by some in the [[ardentia]] that Kharbranth was built upon a cymatic pattern, however, it is currently unknown as to whether this claim is true.{{book ref|sa1|45}} While the city itself is well protected from the [[
[[File:View_of_Kharbranth.jpg|450px|thumb|left|Kharbranth, by Grant Hansen [[Coppermind: Artists/Grant Hansen|Grant Hansen]]]]
Bells can be found in large numbers throughout the city, supposedly to warn of the passing
Famous for its crowds, the streets of Kharbranth are often packed during both the day and at night.{{book ref|Sa1|36}}{{book ref|Sa1|71}} The Ralinsa, the main thoroughfare made up of a series of switchbacks, connects the port and docks with the Conclave at the top of the mountain.{{book ref|sa1|3}}{{book ref|Sa1|36}} The steepness of the pathways makes it difficult to use [[chull]] pulled carts to transport goods, and instead merchants will hire workers to carry their products
Buildings are constructed from either [[crem]], daub, mud, or a combination of all three, blocky in nature, and either built on top of, or carved out of, the mountain.{{book ref|sa1|3}} Each structure is painted vibrant colors, with each color symbolising the function of the building.{{book ref|sa1|3}} Most buildings are either red or orange with fewer being painted blue or yellow.{{book ref|sa1|3}} Violet colored buildings signify tailors or cloth merchants, while food can be purchased in green buildings.{{book ref|sa1|3}} Homes are painted in pastel colors and use different patterns than commercial buildings.{{book ref|sa1|3}} Kharbranth is a busy city, with stores and venues operating well into the later hours of the evening.{{book ref|sa1|36}}
The Kharbranthian plumbing system, which relies on gravity to move water through pipes, has become quite popular in the Alethi warcamps.{{book ref|sa2|67}} The system is used within the Conclave and is combined with heatrials to produce running hot water.{{book ref|sa1|36}}
== Landmarks ==
{/{for|Conclave}}
The [[Conclave]] can be located at the top of the city and is built down into the surrounding mountain.{{book ref|sa1|3}} The Conclave serves as both an official building and a residential abode, with a section of the building serving as the kings palace, and another as a residential wing for guests.{{book ref|sa1|71}}{{book ref|sa1|7}}{{book ref|sa1|3}} The Palanaeum can be located within the Conclave.{{book ref|sa1|7}} Additionally, deep within the Conclave is a secret hospital run by Taravangian and the Diagram.{{book ref|sa1|71}} Terminally ill patients, as well as the extremely poor, are taken to this hospital to be killed, in the hopes that
=== The Palanaeum ===
{/{for|Palanaeum}}
The [[Palanaeum]] is the largest known library on Roshar and contains over seven hundred thousand texts.{{book ref|sa1|7}} Entrance to the Palanaeum is expensive, with the funds collected being used to finance Kharbranth's hospitals.{{book ref|sa1|7}} The Palanaeum also doubles as Kharbranth's royal treasury and houses the city's store of emeralds.{{book ref|sa1|33}} The scholars of the Palanaeum are involved in the translation of the dawnchant.{{Book ref|sa3|50}} Following the Everstorm, the Palanaeum saw a large increase in requests for information on the [[Voidbringers]].
=== Kharbranthian Hospitals ===
As a youth, [[Lirin]] travelled to Kharbranth as a courier, where he was introduced to different cultures and societies. Later in his life, Lirin studied medicine under [[Vathe]], who had been trained as a surgeon at the [[Great Concourse of Kharbranth]].{{book ref|sa1|10}}{{book ref|sa1|17}}
Lirin desired to send his son [[Kaladin]] to Kharbranth to train as a surgeon
=== The Diagram and the Death Rattles ===
[[File:Taravangian_as_the_Wheel_of_Fortune_Orientation_1.jpg|250px|thumb|right|Taravangian, by [[Coppermind: Artists/Tara Spruit|Tara Spruit]]]]
On the night of his death, [[Gavilar Kholin]] confided in [[Taravangian]] about the visions he had received regarding the [[True Desolation]]. Believing the visions had come from the [[Almighty]], Gavilar insisted to Taravangian that for the world to survive the True Desolation, it would have to be united. Taking the kings warning to heart, Taravangian travelled to The [[Valley]] to visit the [[Nightwatcher]] and beg her for the ability to save Roshar. The Nightwatcher bestowed Kharbranth's king with a boon and a curse; the boon being extreme intelligence and compassion. The curse, constant fluctuation of these traits and the inability to have both at the same time.{{book ref|sa2|i|14}}{{book ref|sa3|122}}{{wob ref|2892}}
At some point following his visit to the Nightwatcher, Taravangian experienced a day of extreme intelligence, where he transcribed a large number of predictions on the available surfaces in his bedroom. These writings were bound together into a tome referred to as the [[Diagram (literature)|Diagram]]. A [[Diagram (group)|society by the same name]] worships the Diagram, however, it is currently unknown if this society existed before the creation of the Diagram, or whether it was formed in response to Taravangian's creation.{{book ref|sa2|i|14}}
Following its creation, the Diagram began supplementing Taravangian's predictions with the [[Death Rattle]]s provided by the Unmade [[Moelach]]. Moelach took up residence in Kharbranth in the year {{Rosharan date|1167}}, approximately around the time Gavilar began investigating the [[Shattered Plains]]. It is possible that the Unmade's arrival in Kharbranth could potentially be related to Gavilar's exploration of the eastern most part of Roshar. Why Moelach chose to settle specifically in Kharbranth at this time is unclear, however, when the Unmade began to move away from Kharbranth in 1173, Taravangian worried that the creature may return to slumber, implying that Moelach could possibly have been inactive prior to settling in Kharbranth.{{book ref|sa2|i|14}}
The [[Diagram (group)#Silent_Gatherers|Silent Gatherers]] were tasked with administrating and running the hospital where the Death Rattles were collected, however, the creation of this hospital, as well as the details surrounding the formation of this group, are currently unknown. It is also unknown when this operation began, and whether Death Rattles were collected prior to Taravangian's creation of the Diagram. Frequency in the number of Death Rattles begins to decline in late {{Rosharan date|1173}} before ceasing completely in {{Rosharan date|1174}} after Moelach
=== Scholar and Apprentice ===
During the year {{Rosharan date|1173}}, [[Jasnah Kholin]] travelled to Kharbranth to access to the [[Conclave]] and the [[Palanaeum]], in order to continue her research into the Voidbringers and Urithiru. [[Shallan Davar]], who had been attempting to contact the Alethi princess for six months, arrived in Kharbranth part way through the year, relieved to find that she had finally caught up to Jasnah. Locating the woman in the Conclave, Shallan petitioned Jasnah to become her ward and, eventually, was accepted. Despite Shallan's enjoyment of scholarship, her primary purpose for seeking out Jasnah, was to switch the broken Davar Soulcaster, with Jasnah's functional one.{{book ref|sa1|3}}{{book ref|sa1|5}}{{book ref|Sa1|8}}
Shallan's arrival at the Conclave coincided with Jasnah helping Taravangian rescue his granddaughter, who had become trapped in an inner room of the palace following a cave-in. The situation had been deliberately planned by the Kharbranthian king, who wished to view the Alethi princess use her [[Soulcasting]] abilities when removing the fallen stone blocking the rooms entrance. Taravangian had suspected Jasnah did not need a physical Soulcaster to be able to use Soulcasting as an ability and to test this theory, engineered a scenario where he would be able to watch the Alethi princess wield her power. Jasnah Soulcast the rock into smoke, masking her abilities with the fake Soulcaster she wore on her right hand. In return for freeing his granddaughter, Taravangian granted Jasnah
Out late one night in the city, Shallan and Jasnah were attacked by a group of criminals while in an alley near the theatre district. Jasnah had deliberately taken them to a specific street where the criminals had been attacking, robbing, and killing people. She had planned to dispatch of the men as a service to Taravangian who she felt had put himself in a more precarious position than he realised when he allied with her and allowed her access to the Palanaeum. Jasnah killed the four men during the encounter, turning them into a variety of other substances using Soulcasting, and in doing so, saving both her own, and Shallan's life. Shallan, angry at Jasnah for the situation she had deliberately put them in, switched her broken Soulcaster, with Jasnah's device shortly after the pair returned to the Conclave.{{book ref|sa1|36}}
}}
As the months passed, Shallan began to grow more and more aware of [[Pattern]] and the other Cryptics who watched her from the [[Cognitive Realm]]. Several times, Shallan unconsciously included them in portraits she created, first while sketching king Taravangian, and later in a sketch of herself and the ardent [[Kabsal]]. She also began hearing the Cryptics whispers, convincing herself that she was mishearing sounds made by the Conclave staff as they worked. Eventually Shallan was unable to ignore the spren, leading her to accidentally
In the hospital, Shallan was visited by Jasnah, who had been studying outside the hospital room. While Jasnah was with Shallan, the pair were joined by Kabsal, whom Shallan had struck up a friendship with during her time in the city. In an attempt to kill Jasnah, Kabsal offered both women poisoned bread, knowing that Jasnah would not eat the jam that contained the antidote. Jasnah, suspecting that Kabsal was trying to assassinate her, Soulcast the jam when she inspected the jar, believing that it was the item that contained the poison. Unfortunately, she removed the antidote, leading to the poisoning of Shallan and Kabsal. Jasnah saved Shallan's life by Soulcasting her blood to remove the poison, learning at the same time that Shallan had stolen her Soulcaster.{{book ref|sa1|48}}
|size=400px
}}
By using Szeth to causing mayhem and destruction across Roshar, Taravangian was able to further the goals of the Diagram and created a situation where he could take control of the [[Veden]] empire without creating suspicion. Towards the end of the [[Jah Keved#War of Succession|War of Succession]] ({{Rosharan date|1173}}), Taravangian sent food, medical supplies, and healers to the country to help the wounded on all sides of the fighting. In doing so, he secured a new ally for Kharbranth with whichever side was victorious. In the case that the country fell to ruin, Taravangian, through a distance connection to Veden royalty, could engineer a situation that would end with the king of Kharbranth on the Veden throne. When the war ended later that year, Taravangian was named as king by the previous monarch, [[Valam]], shortly before he died, securing Jah Keved as an ally for Kharbranth.{{book ref|sa2|i|14}}
Taravangian entered both Jah Keved and Kharbranth into an alliance with [[Alethkar]] in {{Rosharan date|1174}}, after Dalinar Kholin contacted the leaders of Roshar's nations seeking aid in the fight against the [[Voidbringers]]. Taravangian was the only leader to initially respond to Dalinar's request. The council of Kharbranth were suspicious of Dalinar's initial request, as well as his intentions with refounding the [[Knights Radiant]]. Mistrust of Dalinar increased amongst the council members after Dalinar pronounced the death of Honor, which those within the [[Vorin]]
{{sidequote
After receiving news that the Bridge Four members who had been left in Kholinar might still be alive, Kaladin flew towards Alethkar, stopping to stay the night in Kharbranth. Before moving on from the city, he requisitioned a number of infused gemstones from the Kharbranthian royal treasury to aid him on his travels.{{book ref|Sa3|122}}
Following the battle, Taravangian revealed to Dalinar that Kharbranth had been behind Szeth's murderous spree across Roshar. He told Dalinar that he had sought out Szeth after Dova had approached the Taravangian and warned him that the Desolation was approaching. He also told Dalinar that he
== Culture ==
Kharbranth is one of the five [[Vorin]] nations.{{book ref|sa1|8}} The [[ardentia]] in Kharbranth holds a degree of influence within the city and remains in contact with the other Vorin leaders in the eastern Rosharan nations.{{book ref|sa1|5}}{{book ref|sa3|50}} Ardents, along side their religious duties, manage and staff the [[Palanaeum]].{{book ref|sa1|45}}{{book ref|sa1|33}} Not all Devotaries can be found in Kharbranth, with the city currently containing no ardents from the Devotary of Sincerity.{{book ref|sa1|48}} The Kharbranthian ardentia do not own any [[Soulcaster]]s{{book ref|sa1|42}} and Taravangian keeps careful track, and is familiar, with his ardents.{{book ref|sa1|42}}
Like other Vorin nations, Kharbranth's social structure is based in eye coloring, with lighteyes considered the upper class, while darkeyes the lower, or working class. Each class is further split into a ten rank system; [[dahn]] for lighteyes and [[nahn]] for darkeyes. Each rank reflects different amounts of power and influence within the Vorin system, with those of the first or second rank holding more privilege than those of lesser ranks. The Kharbranth king would be considered of equal status to that of first dahn, however, traditionally does not claim this rank.{{wob ref|4006}} Unlike other Vorin nations such as [[Alethkar]]
=== Language ===
{/{for|Spheres}}
Like most of [[Roshar]], Kharbranth uses [[spheres]], glass beads with an imbedded gemstone, as its currency. Spheres infused with [[Stormlight]] are also used as a light source.{{book ref|sa1|3}}{{book ref|sa1|33}} The type and size of each imbedded gemstone determines the value of the sphere with a diamond chip being the smallest denomination and an emerald broam the largest. The [[Palanaeum]] doubles as Kharbranth's royal treasury, and the city's store of emeralds are used to light the pathways within the Palanaeum proper.{{book ref|sa1|33}}
== Politics ==
{/{for|The Diagram|Diagram_(group)}}
The [[Diagram (group)|Diagram]] is a secret society on [[Roshar]] that is headed by Taravangian and based around a book of predictions, that goes by the same name. The [[Diagram (literature)|Diagram]] (literature) is a recollection of writings by Taravangian that was created on a day of extreme intelligence. These predictions, initially written over many surfaces within the kings bedroom, have been transcribed as written and form the basis of the secret society.{{book ref|sa2|i|14}} Different sects exist within the society and interpret the Diagram
Members of the Diagram known as the
== Notable Citizens ==
|