Difference between revisions of "Valam"

|Valam's final words, likely a [[Death Rattle]]{{book ref|sa2|i|14}}

Brightlord '''Valam''' is a [[Jah Keved|Veden]] highprince on [[Roshar]] who later becomes king.{{book ref|sa1|3}}{{book ref|sa2|i|14}} [[Valam princedom]] notably includes the lands of [[House Davar]].{{book ref|sa1|3}}

Valam was a powerful aristocrat. He had ten landed [[lighteyed]] men who led noble houses in [[Valam princedom|his princedom]]. Each of these nobles constantly tried to curry his favor by contributing economically to the princedom through various methods, such as [[Revilar]]'s textiles and [[Lin Davar]]'s mining.{{book ref|sa2|45}}{{book ref|sa2|73}} They also feared him; he employed his son [[Redin]] as a ruthless enforcer and assassin.{{book ref|sa2|39}}{{book ref|sa2|i|14}} Valam spent most of his time in the capital of [[Vedenar]], only occasionally visiting his distant princedom.{{book ref|sa2|31}}{{book ref|sa2|45}}

[[House Davar]] was one of the houses who pledged fealty to Valam. After the death of [[Shallan's mother]], the house was in turmoil and began to decline financially.{{book ref|sa2|39}} By this time, Valam was likely in his seventies (his daughter [[Sudi Valam|Sudi]] was a widow in her fifties){{book ref|sa2|61}} and his health was failing him. He no longer provided the Davars with the same protection as he once did.{{book ref|sa1|3}} Additionally, Redin suspected that Lin had killed his wife and would have likely removed him if he had any proof.{{book ref|sa2|61}} [[Revilar]] sensed Lin's weakness and forced him into a terrible business deal. Lin, who was becoming increasingly unstable, also disowned his heir, [[Helaran]].{{book ref|sa2|45}}

Despite Valam's age and ill health, he participated in the war of succession that followed the murder of King [[Hanavanar]] and six Veden highprinces by [[Szeth]].{{book ref|sa2|31}} He was closely monitored by both the Ghostbloods and the [[Diagram (group)|Diagram]], with reports indicating that his health was failing.{{book ref|sa2|34}}{{book ref|sa2|i|14}} He commanded a significant military force that laid siege to [[Vedenar]]. The other remaining highprinces attempted the same tactic, leading to months of brutal combat, spurred on by the [[Thrill]].{{book ref|sa2|i|14}} The battle all but destroyed the city,{{book ref|sa2|34}} but Valam became the kingKing of Jah Keved.{{book ref|sa2|i|14}}

His reign was short-lived, however, as his physical condition continued to decline and he began coughing up blood. He was visited on his deathbed by [[Taravangian]], who had been sending aid to the city. Valam was lucid until the end and expressed some regret for his ambition to become king. He saw through aspects of Taravangian's plan, realizing that he had surreptitiously built his own case to become the Veden king and would probably soon have him poisoned, if he hadn't already. Taravangian's actions had indeed been laid out in the [[Diagram (literature)|Diagram]] as a step towards unifying the world. Despite Valam's disdain for Taravangian, he named himthe man the heir to the throne. He then ordered Redin to kill him with a knife through the heart, angrily chastising his son when he hesitated. His final words were a [[Death Rattle]], surprising Taravangian.{{book ref|sa2|i|14}}