Vasher

Vasher
by botanicaxu
Spouse	Shashara
Abilities	Returned, Awakener, Worldhopper, Cognitive Shadow, Shardbearer (formerly)
Titles	Strifelover, Peacegiver the Blessed, Warbreaker the Peaceful
Aliases	Zahel, Kalad the Usurper, Talaxin
Profession	Scholar, Ardent
Groups	Five Scholars
Nationality	Idrian
Homeworld	Nalthis

This page is part of the November 2018 objectives!

It has been claimed by User: Rebeca, please contact them before doing edits.

Vasher, Kalad, Strifelover, Peacegiver the Blessed, Talaxin, Zahel, or Warbreaker the Peaceful is a Returned on Nalthis. He helped create the Awakened sword Nightblood and was one of the Five Scholars.

Appearance & Personality

He is a tall man who has trouble expressing himself, who let his anger get the better of him, and who was rough around the edges.Template:Annotation ref Vasher's memory has a few holes.. He is usually grumpy.Template:Annotation ref

During most of the Pahn Kahl Rebellion he looked ragged. He was wearing ragged brown clothing, ripped in places, his loose trousers tied at the waist by a simple rope. His facial hair was halfway between being a beard and just scruff. His hair was unkempt and came down to his shoulders.

When he wanted to show his Returned form to Susebron, he started to glow with an aura that made colors brighter. He grew and his chest became more firm, the muscles bulging, and the scruffy beard on his face retreated, leaving him clean-shaven. His hair turned golden. He still bore the cuts on his body, but they seemed inconsequential.

As a Returned, he can change his appearance at will.

In Roshar his apprarance is also long-haired, with a short but scruffy black beard, he wore loose tan clothing tied with ropes with a robust build and a scar on his cheek. His eyes seemed old somehow, but the man’s skin didn’t seem wrinkled enough to match them. He had a low, grinding voice. Scratchy. He becomes a swordmaster, and to joins the ardents, though he knows he is not good at this second job. Here he uses exclamations and phrases involving colors, which generally confuses the Rosharans.

• Images of Vasher
• 

  Vasher wielding an unsheathed Nightblood, by Matthew Johnson

History

First years and becoming a Returned

Vasher was born on Nalthis, and was a member of the Five Scholars, (Vasher, Denth, Arsteel, Shashara and Yesteel but cannot remember anything before his Return.

All five scholars Returned. Vasher and Shashara created Nightblood, among other things. He married Shashara shortly before he slew her with Nightblood. He killed her in order to prevent the knowledge of its creation from being disseminated.Template:Annotation ref

Upon being returned, the Cult of the Returned named him Warbreaker the Peaceful and kept him alive by giving him Breath. Later, Vasher misinterpreted the Arsteels motives in joining with Denth and killed him. Denth and Vasher become enemies.Template:Annotation ref

The Manywar and Aftermath

After the five Scholars split, they all joined different sides. Some kingdoms gained the use of Lifeless while others did not. Some kingdoms had weapons others could only envy.

By the time war started, Vasher was known as Kalad. The true origin of the war is a topic of debate among scholars, it is known that Kalad was the man who had started the Manywar, the one who had used his knowledge of BioChromatic Breath to create a vast army of Lifeless and seize power in Hallandren. He had protected the kingdom with his armies, yet had shattered the kingdom as well by driving the royals into the highlands.

He later had a change of heart, which was so confusing for people they thought he was a different person. Because of this, he is also known as Peacegiver, who stopped fighting, and brought the Phantoms back to seize control of his own kingdom to stop the Manywar. However, he had not restored Hallandren to its original rulers. Idris’s histories claimed betrayal and treachery. The monks spoke of heresies that were too deeply ingrained in Hallandren. It was too late for Kuth and Huth. However, the other kingdoms—Pahn Kahl, Tedradel, Gys, and Hallandren itself—were brought out of the conflict.

Peacegiver’s legacy of the Manywar are two. He left a wealth of BioChromatic Breath, over fifty thousand Breaths, which he asked to keep safe (held by the God Kings) and he warned not to use it. He also left the Phantoms Invested with enough Breath to hold them together but not to move. You needed another big, substantial influx of Breath in order to actually make them have motion, to bring them enough strength to move and fight.

Pahn Kahl Rebellion

Vasher used a trick to get himself imprisoned in the God King's palace. He escaped his cell and visited a rebel called Vahr. He exchanged his Breath for a merciful death.

Vasher got a priest to find out Hallandren’s politics, finding there was a group pushing to move to war towards Idris, where the exiled royals lived, and pushed to find more about the factions in the city who wanted the war.

After talking to Bluefingers,Template:Annotation ref knowing the returned kept secrets, Vasher sought out the home of Mercystar, a Returned known for her involvement in politics, yet who wasn’t all that influential. He broke into her palace and after disabling some guards and Awakening a lifeless squirrel, he was able to find a secret trapdoor.

He kidnapped Vivena and took her to one of the slums, where he forced her to take Nightblood to test her heart. As Nightblood cannot tempt the hearts of those who are pure, when she drops the sword feeling sick, she passed the test and got his protection. She however, still believed Denth and his team were on her side and ran back to them, finding out they were traitors and ran from them as well. Sometime after, Vasher threw Nightblood to some thugs hired by Denth who were taking her, and after they were all dead, he descended from a rooftop, secured the sword and took her back with him.

Vasher then took her to his meetings where he had been trying and failing to convince the Idrian community in Hallandren to stop the riots and avoid the war. He got Vivenna’s help who asked them to find a way to bring attention to their suffering without bringing hatred as well, and to become heroes to Idris. After that, they continued reaching different groups of people with the same speech in favor of stopping the war.

Vivenna shared with Vasher some plans Denth and his team used her to execute which tipped him into finding the daughter of one of the priests who was kidnapped to turn her father in favor of the war. During this rescue, Vasher loses his temper and kills the thugs.

Vivenna and Vasher go to the arena to watch the vote, it doesn’t go very well to the peace cause, and they also find out that Siri is pregnant. Vasher accepts to help Vivenna to save her. When he broke into the God King’s palace, he was ambushed by Denth’s mercenaries who captured him. Vasher was tied by his wrists to a hook in the ceiling of a stone room and Denth tortured him.

At the same time, Nighblood was thrown into the water, but was able to come out and contact Vivenna; together they went to find him. Vivenna came in, freed Vasher and gave her Breath to him as Denth stuck his sword into her shoulder. She later recovered some of her Breath and threw Vasher out the window. Using Awakening, he survived and found Nighblood, which he used to kill a group of Lifeless that were sent to kill him. Nightblood consumed most of his Breath, and before he was killed by him, he let the blade go. At that time, Denth came in and asked to finish the duel. Vasher was almost killed by Denth in combat but he used his secret maneuver, he gave Denth his last Breath and during the time of “shock” when getting it, he killed him.

By the time Vasher comes out, the Pahn Kahl had already sent Hallandren’s Lifeless to attack Idirs. They wanted both kingdoms to fight and be weakened in hope to gain their own liberty. Vivenna finds via Nightblood who Vasher really is and they together go to see the God King, who had his tounge healed. Vasher showed himself as Returned and Susebron keeled at him. Vasher gave him information on his old army: Kalad’s Phantoms.

The Lifeless were destroyed, and only a couple of the phantoms were lost.Template:Annotation ref. He then sets off to find Yesteel who was attempting to restore Huth and Kuth, Vivenna goes with him.

Worldhopping to Roshar

Vasher moved to Roshar and changed his name to Zahel. His main purpose in returning to Roshar was to have easier access to the Investiture (Stormlight) that he needs in order to survive. He partially walked and partially took a vehicle to get from Nalthis to Roshar. Vasher was separated from Nightblood after arriving into Roshar.

During the War of Reckoning he served as ardent and swordmaster. With encouragement from Adolin, who he had trained before, he became the master for Renarin Kholin..

Zahel appreciated Renarin’s enthusiasm, obedience, and no fear of looking foolish. He also offered to train Kaladin in using and defending himself from Shardbearers and help him protect the Kholins. He tested Kaladin by sparing with him; recognizing his abilities both in skill and tenacity, but letting him know training was needed. Kaladin, didn’t accepted the offer at first, but came asking for it after the attempt on the king’s life; he brought three more of his bridge four men to train with him. Most of the training was given to his fellow female ardent Ivis.

During the Kholinar battle with the fused, Vivenna (going now by the name of Azure) met both Kaladin and Adolin. Before parting from them, she asked them to warn Zahel she was looking for him.

Attributes and Abilities

Returned

Vasher is a Returned who has a Divine Breath making him automatically of the Fifth Heightening (ageless). however, over the years he has learned to give away all his Breath except for that one Returned Breath that keeps him alive. As long as he has that one Breath (which he’s learned to suppress and hide), he can stay alive.Template:Annotation ref

In Roshar he uses Stormlight to keep himself alive and though he cannot use it to Awaken, he can still sense people. He can draw investiture from highstorms, this, however, doesn't allow him access to Surgebinding. The method he uses involves the gap in his spiritweb left by his Divine Breath.

Awakening

He’s got a lot of good information, and he has a handle on what he doesn’t understand.Template:Annotation ref He can issue three commands in one Awakening, which is a difficult task, but for him it had become as simple as blinking.

Vasher has also developed innovations in the application of Breaths. He created Kalad's Phantoms, a near-unstoppable army of Lifeless stone soldiers. He is also one of two people who know how to create sentient inanimate objects, having created Nightblood.

In Roshar, he uses Stormlight to keep himself alive, but has not figured out how to Awaken with it.

Swordsmanship

Vasher is a very skilled swordsman, with three hundred years of practice along with his Returned speed and strength. Though he has admitted that he is not the best swordsman because his temper gets in the way, his ingenuity in combat gives him an edge. He also is open to using "cheap tricks" in combat, such as when he transferred Breaths to stun his opponent. A clear indicator of his sword-fighting prowess is that on Roshar he is a highly sought-after Alethi blademaster, having directly trained both of the Kholin children and Kaladin in the use of and defense against Shardblades. His familiarity with wielding Shardblades presumably was honed by using Nightblood, a very powerful Shardblade.

Relationships

Denth

Vasher knows Denth as VaraTreledees and Denth knows Vasher as Tax. They were friends, colleagues from the five scholars and in-laws when Vasher married Denth’s sister Shashara. However after the creation of Nightblood, Vasher killed his wife thus making Denth a long life enemy.

Denth worked for the Pahn Khal and his payment would be capturing Vasher and make him pay for killing Shashara and Arsteel. Denth did respect Vasher and acknowledged all the good he had done for people throughout his life. Denth wanted Nightblood to kill Vasher, like he did with Shashara; or killed in duel like Arsteel. In the end, Denth end up killed by Vasher with the same maneuver used to kill Arsteel.

Vivenna

At first glance, Vasher believes Vivena is working with Denth and wants war between Idris and Hallandren. He kidnaps her tests her by asking her to take Nighblood,, as she feels sick, he finds she has a good heart and decides to protects her, even after she ran from him. He teaches Vivenna Awakening not only the practical but theory. He also helped her get a good grip on her sword and some tips on how to act.

For Vivienna, Vasher was rough. He was brutal. He had a terrible temper. But he was a good man. And, walking beside him, she felt safe.

Shashara

Shashara, Denth’s sister, one of the Five Scholars and a Returned also known as Glorysinger by the Cult of the Returned.

She drew Nightblood at the battle of Twilight Falls and Vasher was horrified by the result. It’s because of her insistence on using the sword in battle, and in giving away the secret to creating more, that Vasher and she fought. He ended up killing her with Nightblood, which they’d created together during the days they were in love—he married her a short time before their falling out. That marriage ended with him slaying his own wife to keep her from creating more abominations like Nightblood and losing them upon the world.Template:Annotation ref

Nightblood

Vasher and Shashara created Nightblood during the days they were in love.Template:Annotation ref And he changed his name after using him to kill his wife. Vasher has a bit of a blind spot when it comes to Nightblood. He makes assumptions he wouldn’t make regarding other people or elements of Awakening. It’s hard for him to regard the sword without bias.Template:Annotation ref

He doesn’t usually draws him, all Vasher has to do is throw in Nightblood and let him do what he does. To Vasher, that’s often all the justification he needs. If the sword can make them kill each other, then they were guilty.Template:Annotation ref

Nightblood can sense where Vasher is. This is because Nightblood has ingested and fed off of Vasher’s Breaths in the past which is also the reason why he is not sick when touching it.Template:Annotation ref In Roshar, it is implied he still talks to Nightblood expecting his answer back though there hasn’t been an answer in years.

Dalinar Kholin’s family

He considers this part of the Kholins as his friends. He speaks fondly to Adolin and even knowing his status, he talks to him as student. On his side, Adolin constantly remembers his advice and speaks fondly of his training with him. He also considers a pleasure to train Renarin who has enthusiasm, obedience, and no fear of looking foolish which is not easy to teach.

He trains Kaladin and his men to help them take care of the Kholins. He would also see Adolin duel and shout advices at him.

He gave Dalinar advice on how the ardents must feel having to choose between him and their religion the more he pushed for breaking some rules.

Kaladin

Vasher as Zahel trains Kaladin and is able to read him. Knowing that he is a profound person that makes questions. Kaladin on the other side, trusts him to the point of going to seek his advice when bothered with the moral decision of letting King Elhokar be killed.

Quotes

“ Sneaking, Vasher? You’re terrible at sneaking. ”

— Nightblood to Vasher when he went into the Mercystar’s palace.

“ I have trouble talking. I get frustrated. I snap at people. Doesn’t make me very popular. But I promise you that I won’t lie to you. ”

— Vasher to Vivenna asking for help to stop the war.

“I’m old, son, repeating myself makes me eat the wrong flower. ”

— Zahel to Renarin after asking him to jump in shardplate.

“ But boy, you’ve got red on your ears like I’ve never seen ”

— Zahel to Kaladin and his men meaning they are angry at everything and everyone.

Trivia

• Vasher grows in size when he isn’t paying attention. That’s his Returned nature beginning to manifest.Template:Annotation ref
• Children and animals like Vasher. They can sense the divine Breath within him, and it comforts them.Template:Annotation ref
• Vasher has only visited Nalthis and Roshar.
• He was in the original Way of Kings draft.

Notes

This article is still missing information. Please help The Coppermind by expanding it.