Editing Teft

{{character
|image=Teft.png
|died={{Rosharan date|1175|4|10|4}}{{book ref|sa4|104}}
|abilities={{tag+|windrunner}}, {{tag|Shardbearer|cat=Shardbearers}}
|bonded=[[Phendorana]]
|groups={{tag|Knights Radiant}} <small>([[Order of Windrunners|Windrunner]])</small>, {{tag|Bridge Four}}, {{tag|Envisagers}} <small>(formerly)</small>, {{tag+|army|Sadeas}} <small>(formerly)</small>, {{tag+|army|Kholin}}
|residence=Urithiru
|nation=Alethkar
|world=Roshar
|universe=[[Cosmere]]
|introduced=[[The Way of Kings]]
}}
{{quote
|Take that next storming step. You can't change the past, only the future.
|Teft{{book ref|sa4|91}}
}}
'''Teft''' is a [[darkeyes|darkeyed]] soldier from [[Alethkar]] on [[Roshar]].{{book ref|sa1|11}} He is a member of [[Bridge Four]] and later serves as [[Kaladin]]'s sergeant{{book ref|sa1|46}} before becoming a [[Order of Windrunners|Windrunner]] bonded to [[Phendorana]].{{book ref|sa3|119}}{{book ref|sa4|23}} He is addicted to [[firemoss]] but begins to manage his addiction before his death in the occupation of [[Urithiru]].{{book ref|sa4|91}}{{book ref|sa4|104}}

== Appearance and Personality ==
{{image|Teft Shuravf.jpg|side=left|width=150px}}
{{for|/Gallery|more images}}
{{quote
|I ain't grouchy, I just have a low threshold for stupidity.
|Teft{{book ref|sa2|44}}
}}
Teft is a man in his fifties with tan skin, drooping cheeks, and no slave mark.{{book ref|sa1|11}}{{book ref|sa4|91}} He has brown eyes with an [[wikipedia:epicanthic fold|epicanthic fold]] and close-cropped, grizzled white-salted hair.{{book ref|sa1|11}} He keeps a neat, short, and square beard that is light brown mixed with patches of gray. Teft is often blunt and speaks in a matter-of-fact tone. He nurses a deep-seated grudge against [[lighteyes]] but is observant and gruffly thoughtful towards the other members of Bridge Four.{{book ref|sa3|46}}{{book ref|sa1|63}}{{book ref|sa3|55}} He is also a natural leader and a loyal sergeant.{{book ref|sa2|9}}{{book ref|sa4|23}} He fills the role of sergeant well, able to serve his ranking officer without needing to feel superior,{{wob ref|15864}} hearing the things Kaladin leaves unspoken,{{book ref|sa4|38}} and tactfully refraining from correcting him at times.{{book ref|sa4|91}}

Teft has harbored a [[firemoss]] addiction since his time in [[Torol Sadeas|Sadeas]]' army,{{book ref|sa3|41}} which is a deep cause of personal shame and grief; during his many conversations with Kaladin, Teft repeatedly states that he isn't trustworthy.{{book ref|sa2|12}} Even after bonding [[Phendorana]], he harbors feelings of inadequacy and shame for a while, believing that he is incapable of upholding the ideals of a Radiant due his past actions.{{book ref|sa3|41}} Phendorana eventually turns his perspective around, and he finds within himself a deep determination to struggle forward for the sake of those who love him even if he sometimes fails. He comes to enjoy the good parts of life despite all of the things that go wrong around him.{{book ref|sa4|91}}

== Attributes and Abilities ==
=== Surgebinding ===
As a Windrunner, Teft has the ability to manipulate the [[Surges]] of [[Adhesion]] and [[Gravitation]] through his [[Nahel bond]] with his [[honorspren]].{{book ref|sa1|57}} By breathing in [[Stormlight]], he gains superhuman strength, speed, agility, durability, stamina, and healing for the duration of his access to Stormlight.{{book ref|sa1|62}} While his [[Phendorana|honorspren]] is present with him, his movements are enhanced by her. This gives Teft a superior natural fighting talent, although it does not replace skill by itself.{{book ref|sa2|52}} After Teft swears the Third Ideal of the Windrunners, his honorspren gains the ability to become a [[Shardblade]]. Unlike the dead Blades left after the [[Recreance]], he can summon it in the form of any weapon he chooses, including a shield, and transform it from one to another almost instantaneously.{{book ref|sa2|86}}

==== Adhesion ====
Teft can manipulate the Surge of Adhesion, also known as the Full [[Lashing]], to bind objects or creatures together using Stormlight.{{book ref|sa1|prologue}}

==== Gravitation ====
Teft can manipulate the Surge of Gravitation to change the direction and strength of an object's gravitational attraction. This enables him to achieve a form of flight.{{book ref|sa2|part=ars}}

==== Resonance ====
As a Knight Radiant who has access to two Surges, Teft also has a [[resonance]].{{wob ref|1296}} Windrunners have an increased number of squires, more than any other order, as their resonance.{{wob ref|915}} Teft's squires include the entire crew of [[Bridge Thirteen]].{{book ref|sa3|122}}

== History ==
=== Early Life ===
Teft was born in [[Talinar]] to a family of the sixth [[nahn]]. When he was a boy, a cult known as the [[Envisagers]] introduced the people of Talinar to the idea of returning the [[Knights Radiant]] by returning the [[Voidbringer]]s. Envisagers also purposefully put their lives in danger, hoping that they would manifest [[Surgebinding]] powers. Teft's family joined the Envisagers, and they brought him with them to their initiation. His parents taught Teft about their beliefs, giving him basic information on using [[Stormlight]] and what the Radiants would be able to do with the power. Teft's mother later died in an attempt to bring out hidden Radiant powers. Teft reported the Envisagers to the citylord when he was eight years old, after which a trial was held for them; all of them were executed, including Teft's father, whom he watched being hanged.{{book ref|sa2|71}}{{book ref|sa4|91}}

At some point Teft got married, though when and to whom is not clear; his wife had already died by the time he was a [[bridgeman]].{{book ref|sa2|46}}

=== Bridge Four ===
{{image|Kaladin Stormblessed by Elisgardor.jpg|width=300px|side=right|Helping take care of [[Kaladin]]}}

Eventually, Teft joined [[Torol Sadeas|Sadeas]]' army as a spearman. His squadmembers there convinced him to try [[firemoss]], which began a life-long addiction.{{book ref|sa3|41}} He became a sergeant and made his way to the [[Shattered Plains]], where he was sent to the [[Bridge crew|bridge crews]] as a punishment. After some other camp infraction, Teft was transferred to [[Bridge Four]],{{book ref|sa1|11}} where [[Kaladin]] befriended him.{{book ref|sa1|21}} He ended up in Kaladin's inner circle along with [[Rock]], actively helping him in his plans.{{book ref|sa1|23}}{{book ref|sa1|27}}

Teft was the first to suspect Kaladin might be able to use [[Stormlight]]. He confirmed this suspicion by (amongst other things) pushing a dun [[spheres|sphere]] into Kaladin's hand, claiming it to be "for luck," just before Kaladin was to be left outside alone to face "the judgement of the [[Stormfather]]" by way of the [[highstorm]].{{book ref|sa1|34}} After the storm, the sphere in Kaladin's hand appeared to be dun, even though it should have been [[infuse|infused]] with light by the highstorm.{{book ref|sa1|35}} Teft was almost certain that this meant Kaladin had the ability to use Stormlight. While Kaladin was recovering from his wounds and fever after the highstorm, Teft brought three small infused diamond spheres and pressed them into Kaladin's hand, waiting anxiously to see what would happen. When Teft had nearly lost hope of being right about the events and their meaning, Kaladin drew in a short powerful breath, infusing himself with Stormlight, and began to glow from the leaking Light.{{book ref|sa1|38}} Teft, knowing there was a healing effect to Stormlight, repeated this treatment enough to save Kaladin's life but not enough to draw suspicion from the other bridgemen. Ten days after surviving the highstorm, Kaladin was well enough to get up.{{book ref|sa1|40}}
{{sidequote
|An empty sphere after a storm... And a man who's still alive when he should be dead. Two impossibilities.
|Teft musing on [[Kaladin]]'s survival{{book ref|sa1|35}}
|side=left|size=300px
}}
These revelations sparked a heavy curiosity in Teft, and he began asking leading questions to see if Kaladin was willing to discuss his use of Stormlight, or if he was even aware of his abilities. At one point, Kaladin was handed a bag of infused spheres. Teft then threw a surprise punch at Kaladin, causing him to inhale reflexively; Kaladin noticed his familiar surge of strength and focus, and both Teft and [[Lopen]] noticed the soft glow coming from Kaladin's skin.{{book ref|sa1|57}} After time passed and they were certain of Kaladin's abilities, Teft, Lopen, and [[Syl]] worked with Kaladin to help him understand and trigger his newfound powers. Teft shared with Kaladin what he knew about the Radiants and their ways from his youth in the Envisagers. He was also the one to divulge the words of the First Ideal to Kaladin, who seemed almost (whether by instinct or experience is not clear) to understand the meaning and reasoning behind the words.{{book ref|sa1|59}} 

Kaladin discovered Teft had military experience and was a sergeant before becoming a bridgeman.{{book ref|sa1|46}} He became invaluable to Kaladin's leadership by acting as sergeant to Kaladin's captain and by taking command when asked, when ordered, or during times when Kaladin was indisposed. His military experience was never divulged in great detail, as the history of bridgemen's personal lives seemed to be their most guarded secret, although it was sufficient to convince Kaladin that Teft was able to conduct the daily training in the chasms. Teft tried to convince Kaladin to join in, but he refused to hold a spear.{{book ref|sa1|63}}

After the disaster of the side-carry that led to Kaladin being strung up in the highstorm, he devised a new way to protect Bridge Four: wearing armor made from the corpses of the [[Parshendi]], scavenged in the chasms, to draw the enemy's attention to himself. The first time he tried this, he gave Teft orders to lead the group on an escape attempt that night if his idea failed.{{book ref|sa1|62}} Because the idea worked well, they bided their time until the [[Battle of the Tower|assault on the Tower]] to attempt an escape. Teft was wounded on the initial approach,{{book ref|sa1|65}} and after Kaladin patched him up, [[Rock]] and [[Peet]] helped him walk as they retreated with the rest of Sadeas' army.{{book ref|sa1|66}} After Bridge Four abandoned their chance to escape by returning to the Tower in aid of [[Dalinar]]'s army, Teft was able to return the favor by pulling arrows out of Kaladin's arm and settling him in a safe place.{{book ref|sa1|67}} He helped push the bridge into place, then took charge of the crew while a freshly healed Kaladin, who had just sworn the Second Ideal, went after Dalinar.{{book ref|sa1|68}}

That evening, after Dalinar secured the lives of Sadeas' bridgemen, Teft spoke with the rest of Bridge Four about the Radiants and Kaladin's abilities.{{book ref|sa1|73}}

=== Dalinar's Honor Guard ===
{{image|WOKLB - Part4 End by Steve Argyle.jpg|Teft and Bridge Four standing behind [[Dalinar]] as he trades [[Oathbringer (Shardblade)|Oathbringer]] for them|width=250px|side=left}}
After Dalinar traded [[Oathbringer (Shardblade)|Oathbringer]] for the lives of Sadeas' bridgemen, Teft joined with the rest of Bridge Four as his personal guard.{{book ref|sa1|73}} Kaladin created a command structure among the former bridge crews he was going to train into guards, making Teft a lieutenant and putting him in overall charge of training. He directed Teft to begin by organizing the bridgemen into groups of forty, then training two from each group to act as sergeants to the rest of their men. Not long after, Bridge Four went to get tattoos to cover up the slave brands that most of them had on their foreheads, and Teft got one too, despite the fact that he never had a slave brand. He was the first to speak up for [[Rlain|Shen]] when the tattooist objected to serving him. As the group outfitted themselves in their new [[Cobalt Guard]] uniforms, Teft tried to talk Kaladin into showing Dalinar what he could do, but Kaladin refused outright. When the others cut the old guard's insignia out of the uniforms, Teft agreed with them that they weren't just replacements, they were their own crew: Bridge Four.{{book ref|sa2|2}}

Teft had a difficult time getting anywhere at first with training the former bridgemen,{{book ref|sa2|5}} prompting Kaladin, Rock, and Teft to take the group of trainees into the chasms; this helped the new recruits feel included and opened them up to show interest in the training.{{book ref|sa2|9}} On one of the regular trips to the chasms they began making, Teft left the trainees under [[Drehy]]'s direction and came to speak with Kaladin, who asked him more about the Radiants and observed that Teft became much more dour when speaking about his past.{{book ref|sa2|12}}

As well as taking shifts guarding Dalinar and the King,{{book ref|sa2|16}}{{book ref|sa2|46}} Teft kept training the former bridgemen, sending daily reports to Kaladin and assessing when they were ready to begin patrolling the area outside of the warcamps.{{book ref|sa2|18}} He went on a patrol with Kaladin and the group of forty, then disappeared right after; this was the first of many such disappearances.{{book ref|sa2|31}} Kaladin confronted him about his disappearance when he came to initiate Bridge Seventeen in the chasms, but Teft made it clear he didn't want to talk about it. After the two got back to Bridge Four's fire that evening, Teft went out again with a small group from Bridge Four.{{book ref|sa2|41}}

When Kaladin decided to take [[Zahel]] up on his offer to train him to fight with a [[Shardblade]], he took Teft, [[Moash]], and [[Yake]] with him; they each handled a Blade and began training in the ten sword [[stances]] with wooden models. During a break in training, Teft mentioned to Kaladin that the circumstances around [[Shallan]]'s arrival looked suspicious, prompting Kaladin to investigate her further.{{book ref|sa2|44}}

Some of the other members of Bridge Four wanted to break Kaladin out when [[Elhokar]] imprisoned him for asking a [[King's Boon]], but Teft talked them out of it. He was with the crew when they witnessed Moash becoming a [[Shardbearer]], then led them back to the barrack to allow Kaladin a moment alone with Moash.{{book ref|sa2|66}}

{{sidequote
|Well, Teft supposed that was all right, Dalinar not believing. He'd just be that much more surprised when Kaladin '''did''' return.
|Teft, when [[Dalinar]] visits him on his vigil{{book ref|sa2|71}}
|side=right|size=300px
}}
Teft and Bridge Four carried their old bridge out onto the Shattered Plains on the expedition to allow Shallan to see a [[chasmfiend]] chrysalis.{{book ref|sa2|68}} After Kaladin and Shallan were lost into the chasms, Teft took shifts with the others watching for them, never doubting that they would return. On one of these watches he discussed his past among the Envisagers with [[Sigzil]] while they played [[michim]]. For the duration of Kaladin's absence, the crew made Teft their leader and looked to him for daily assignments, though he managed to be on nearly every shift out by the chasms.{{book ref|sa2|71}}

=== Battle of Narak ===
Immediately after Kaladin and Shallan's return, Dalinar, [[Roion]], [[Sebarial]], and [[Aladar]] left on the expedition that culminated in the [[Battle of Narak]] and the discovery of [[Urithiru]]. Teft and most of Bridge Four went with them, though he decided to leave Moash behind to watch over King Elhokar.{{book ref|sa2|76}} During the battle, Teft and the rest of Bridge Four kept close to Dalinar.{{book ref|sa2|81}} After Kaladin defeated Elhokar's assassins, he flew out to the army on the plains, saving Dalinar from [[Szeth]]'s Lashing and encountering Bridge Four, who gave him infused gems to recharge his Stormlight at Teft's command.{{book ref|sa2|86}} After Kaladin defeated the Assassin in White, he returned to the plateau where the [[Oathgate]] was and found Teft and the rest of the crew looking for him. Teft told him that [[Rod (Roshar)|Rod]] had died, then commented that he had noticed some of the men glowing faintly right before Kaladin had arrived on the plains; he had been listening to readings of some of Dalinar's visions and, based on that information, thought that they were becoming [[Knights_Radiant#Squires|squires]] to Kaladin.{{book ref|sa2|87}} The crew had had to abandon their bridge in the conflict, but a salvage team later found the old Bridge Four in a chasm near [[Narak]]; at Teft's request, Dalinar had it hauled up, repaired, and put to use moving people between plateaus near the Oathgate.{{book ref|sa3|37}}

Teft and the rest of the bridgemen took shifts scouting and exploring Urithiru. He was with some of Bridge Four when they discovered Sadeas' body in the tunnels of Urithiru, and he vehemently denied killing the man when a group of Sadeas' own soldiers finally found the scene, though he did tacitly agree with [[Palona]]'s opinion that Sadeas' death solved one problem they had been facing.{{book ref|sa3|2}} He and [[Lyn]] at some point scouted past a hidden room that Shallan later discovered while following [[Re-Shephir]] from the site of her latest murder. When Shallan called [[Adolin]] to the room, Lyn, Teft, [[Renarin]], and other members of Bridge Four arrived with him and accompanied them down to the Midnight Mother's lair, where they helped her dispel the spren's presence.{{book ref|sa3|29}}{{book ref|sa3|30}}

=== Windrunner ===
{{image|Teft’s Weakness.jpg|width=250px|side=right|Teft mossing}}
Teft continued to disappear from time to time without explanation of where he was going, though the other members of Bridge Four figured out about his addiction anyway.{{book ref|sa3|35}} He was driven to give in to his craving more and more the more money he earned from Dalinar. He at some point spoke the first two [[Order of Windrunners#Ideals of the Windrunners|oaths]] of a Windrunner, hoping it would take away his addiction, but quickly realized that it would not; because of his deep-rooted shame, he then hoped to drive away his spren, [[Phendorana]].{{book ref|sa3|41}}{{book ref|sa4|23}} After Teft missed the first training session when Kaladin borrowed the royal emerald reserve{{book ref|sa3|37}} because he had binged on firemoss the night before, Kaladin and Rock found him in a moss den, paid his tab, and brought him back to the barracks.{{book ref|sa3|41}} After that incident, Teft laid off firemoss use for a while and made sure his behavior seemed more normal to the others. He helped out at recruitment and training events, bringing Lyn over to Kaladin after she drew in Stormlight for the first time{{book ref|sa3|46}} and leading a group of Bridge Four members in aerial exercises.{{book ref|sa3|55}}

After Kaladin left for the expedition to [[Kholinar]], Dalinar delivered the [[Honorblade]] Kaladin had recovered from Szeth to Bridge Four. This allowed them, albeit one at a time, to gain and practice with the powers of a Windrunner even without Kaladin's presence.{{book ref|sa3|64}} Teft let Rock take the Honorblade first, but during the time they had possession of the sword, they randomly switched around who carried it so that no one trying to steal it could know whom to target. They continued acting as guards to the Kholins among their other duties; [[Navani]] got news of Kholinar's fall and the likely demise of Kaladin's group, but when she informed Bridge Four of the group's trouble, Teft laughed at the suggestion that Kaladin might be dead. They, as representatives of the Radiants, attended the first meeting of monarchs at Urithiru.{{book ref|sa3|96}} 

During that time, Teft continued to struggle with his addiction. At one point he was arrested and brought before Aladar's magistrates on the charge of public intoxication; Navani used her seal, at Aladar's quiet request, to free him.{{book ref|sa3|104}}

Teft and some other squires accompanied Dalinar as his guards when he went to [[Thaylen City]] to check on Amaram's progress helping rebuild the city; Teft was irritated enough by Amaram that he wanted to 'stab him a little.' There was another conference of the [[coalition of monarchs]] in the city, and during the course of the gathering someone leaked specific information to each group in attendance that was calculated to undermine their trust in Dalinar.{{book ref|sa3|111}} Bridge Four was heavily affected by the news that the first Radiants destroyed their old world before coming to Roshar and that humans were in fact the [[Voidbringers]]; they were dispirited enough to leave Thaylen City for Urithiru to discuss the news with those of their members who hadn't come, leaving Dalinar behind.{{book ref|sa3|113}} Upon their return to Urithiru, Phendorana appeared to Teft and alerted him to danger. They discovered Rock and [[Bisig]] injured and unconscious in the barracks, while [[Eth]], the one who had held the Honorblade that day, was dead. Bisig woke up enough to tell them that the reason they had been taken by surprise was that the perpetrator had been wearing a Bridge Four coat with lieutenant's knots. Teft realized that must have been the coat he had sold to afford a little more firemoss, and he ran from the barracks in shame.{{book ref|sa3|i|14}}

{{sidequote
|I will protect those I hate. Even ... even if the one I hate most ... is ... myself.
|Teft swearing the [[Order of Windrunners#The Third Ideal|Third Ideal]]{{book ref|sa3|119}}
|side=left|size=250px
}}
As Teft ran through Urithiru, trying to find a place to hide, Phendorana appeared to him again, and he tried to run from her too. By chance, he ended up in a room that overlooked the Oathgate platforms in time to see an invasion of [[singers]] flooding in from the Kholinar platform.{{book ref|sa3|115}} Teft found a dark place to hide away for a while, trying to ignore the fighting but able to hear the sounds of it.{{book ref|sa3|118}} Hiding there, Phendorana appeared to him yet again and persuaded him to speak his [[Order of Windrunners#The Third Ideal|Third Oath]].{{book ref|sa3|119}}

After they defeated the invading force, Teft appeared in the middle of the [[Battle of Thaylen Field]] on Thaylen City's Oathgate with a division of Alethi soldiers and the rest of Bridge Four, whose Windrunner powers were restored thanks to Kaladin's proximity. They chased a group of [[Fused]] away from the Oathgate and kept the area secure until the conflict was over.{{book ref|sa3|120}} Kaladin sought out Teft after the battle, and they spoke together briefly about what it was like to swear the Ideals before Bridge Four began helping fly the wounded from the city's triage station to the Oathgate.{{book ref|sa3|121}} Bridge Thirteen became Teft's squires sometime during or shortly after the conflict, and he at some point discussed the personal words of his Third Oath with the rest of Bridge Four.{{book ref|sa3|122}}{{book ref|sa3.5|epilogue}} Over the following year, most of Teft's squires became Radiants themselves.{{book ref|sa4|12}}

=== Still a Sergeant ===
{{image|Teft Portrait by Marie Seeberger.jpg|width=250px|side=left}}
[[Navani]] and [[Kaladin]] discussed sending Teft with [[Rysn]] on her [[expedition to Akinah]], but they ultimately decided against it due to the possibility of the presence of [[Odium]]'s forces on the island. If that were true, the [[coalition of monarchs|coalition]] didn't want their enemies to have access to a living [[Shardblade]] and therefore to be able to unlock the [[Oathgate]] and access [[Urithiru]].{{book ref|sa3.5|13}}

Teft accompanied the force from Urithiru that went to evacuate [[Hearthstone]]. After Kaladin's pursuit of [[Leshwi]] failed, Teft flew over to receive instructions and to check on him, feeling concerned about how Kaladin had been looking lately. On Kaladin's orders, he returned to the [[Windrunners]] and instructed them to fight defensive engagements, not worrying over much about keeping the [[Fused]] away from the ''[[Fourth Bridge]]''.{{book ref|sa4|5}} On the trip back, Teft approached Kaladin again. Although Kaladin tried to rebuff him, he sat next to him anyway and made him listen to his suggestion that Kaladin go congratulate [[Laran]], who had just sworn the Third Ideal. They discussed [[Moash]] as well, but when Teft mentioned [[Renarin]] finding Kaladin frozen in battle, Kaladin abruptly left to congratulate Laran. He flew the rest of the way to Urithiru on his own to escape Teft's questions.{{book ref|sa4|9}}

{{sidequote
|Thank you, Teft. You shouldn't have given up so much. But ... thank you.
|[[Kaladin]] when Teft became his aide{{book ref|sa4|23}}
|side=right|size=250px
}}
After Dalinar relieved Kaladin from active duty, Kaladin tried to make Teft companylord of the Windrunners; Teft vehemently opposed this idea, so Kaladin promoted [[Sigzil]] to the position instead.{{book ref|sa4|18}} Teft, hearing that Kaladin had decided to become a surgeon and establish a clinic with his father, withdrew from battle himself and became Kaladin's assistant. Kaladin tried to talk him out of staying behind, but Teft was immovable on the subject; eventually Kaladin acknowledged that he was grateful to have Teft with him.{{book ref|sa4|23}} The first thing they did together was track down a refugee named [[Noril]] at the behest of his niece [[Cressa]], who had come to Kaladin for help finding her uncle. [[Lirin]] remembered sending the man to the [[ardent]]s, but the ardents directed Teft and Kaladin to the Devotary of Mercy. The ardent they encountered there was less than helpful until Teft summoned [[Phendorana]] as a Shardspear. Teft grumbled about finding Noril locked in a bare, dark room, but they convinced Noril to come outside onto the balcony to talk. In the conversation, Teft and Kaladin showed Noril that they understood what he was feeling; while Kaladin demanded that the ardents release Noril into his care, Teft kept chatting with the man about inconsequential things.{{book ref|sa4|25}}

Later, Kaladin sent Teft to look for [[Dabbid]] so the nonverbal bridgeman could join in on the group therapy meetings Kaladin had started, but Teft found that the man had been missing for three days. They went to check with [[Rlain]], as Dabbid sometimes helped him in the fields surrounding Urithiru.{{book ref|sa4|37}} Teft and Kaladin met with Rlain in the winehouse [[Adolin]] was fond of visiting. Teft thought about ordering something stronger than the orange [[Roshar#Wines|wine]] that he got, but Kaladin reminded him of what he already knew - that giving in a little bit would lead to a slide right back to addiction. They drank a toast "to unfairness" just before Rlain walked in with [[Syl]]. The four of them discussed war and Rlain's experience as a bridgeman before talking about Dabbid. Then Teft accused Kaladin of not attending his own group therapy meetings, and the other two sided with Teft until Kaladin promised to attend the next meeting.{{book ref|sa4|38}}

=== Occupation of Urithiru ===
Teft dropped unconscious suddenly in the middle of their conversation,{{book ref|sa4|39}} the result of [[Raboniel]] successfully activating the [[Sibling]]'s defenses with [[Voidlight]] such that it suppressed Radiant powers while still allowing powers fueled by Odium to function.{{book ref|sa4|38}} Kaladin felt disoriented for a moment, but he immediately moved to check on Teft, whom he assumed was having either a stroke or a severe aftereffect of withdrawal from firemoss. They decided to take Teft to the [[Order of Edgedancers|Edgedancer]] clinic, so Kaladin carried him as Rlain led the way. After discovering that all of the Edgedancers were unconscious too, they took Teft up to Lirin's clinic. Syl appeared and confirmed that she couldn't see Phendorana anywhere either.{{book ref|sa4|39}}

As Kaladin fed Teft some broth at Lirin's clinic, he observed that Teft seemed closer to waking than the [[Stoneward]] who was also unconscious in the room. He listened to his father tell him that the best way to help the Radiants was to back down and fill his role as a surgeon; Kaladin agreed with him up until a [[Regal]] and a [[warform]] soldier came to take Teft to the infirmary where the other Radiants were. Kaladin attacked the two enemy soldiers, killing the Regal and sending the other running.{{book ref|sa4|43}} He took the still unconscious Teft on his back and fled to a hidden room at the direction of the Sibling.{{book ref|sa4|44}} Kaladin retrieved supplies to feed and clean Teft, and after [[Dabbid]] found them later, he helped care for the man too.{{book ref|sa4|49}}{{book ref|sa4|55}}{{book ref|sa4|63}} When Dabbid and [[Rlain]] brought [[Lift]] to the hidden room to heal Kaladin, she nonchalantly healed Teft too; Teft woke up in time to greet Kaladin as he awoke from the nightmares [[Odium]] had given him while he was feverish from an infected wound.{{book ref|sa4|85}}

{{sidequote
|The others loved him. So, whatever he'd done, he would get up and make it right. That was the oath he'd taken, and by the Almighty's tenth name, he would keep it. <br /> For them.
|Teft{{book ref|sa4|91}}
|side=left|size=300px
}}
When Teft woke disoriented and confused, he believed that he had given in to his [[firemoss]] addiction; he was emboldened to hear that he was still sober. He had to strain to summon Phendorana, who had been unaware of happenings since Teft fell unconscious. Lift had to come by and heal him about every ten hours or he would start to fall back unconscious, and she arrived at one point with Rlain while Dabbid, Kaladin, and Teft were eating soup. The five of them discussed their situation, and, prompted by Kaladin questioning whether it wouldn't be better just to stop fighting, Teft gave the rest a detailed version of his childhood trauma surrounding the [[Envisagers]] and encouraged them just to do the best they could in their circumstance. They agreed they at least needed to rescue the rest of the Radiants, but decided to wait a few days. Teft found himself feeling happy just to consider the few little things that were still good about life and conceded to Phendorana that she had been right all along to think he was worth saving.{{book ref|sa4|91}}

=== Final Battle ===
{{quote
|You can kill me, but you can't have what I have. You can '''never''' have it. Because '''I''' die knowing I'm loved.
|Teft to [[Moash]]{{book ref|sa4|104}}
}}
The crew had devised a plan for Kaladin to distract the Fused while Teft and Lift snuck into Lirin's clinic to have Lift heal the unconscious Radiants. They hoped to be able to find a different way to resolve the situation, being unsure quite how they would manage to escape the tower, but when the Sibling informed them that the enemy had found the final node, they had to resort to their original plan.{{book ref|sa4|100}} Upon arriving at the clinic, Teft and Lift had to take down a Regal who was guarding the door. Once inside, they realized they had sprung [[Moash]]'s trap which he had intended for Kaladin. Moash wounded Lift with [[Jezrien]]'s [[Honorblade]] before Teft engaged him while wielding only a dagger.{{book ref|sa4|103}}

Teft tried to stay out of Moash's reach, prolonging the fight to think of options. Lift began moving toward the Radiants behind Moash's back in order to heal them, so Teft and Phendorana tried to keep Moash from noticing her. Unfortunately, when Moash killed one of the Radiants, Lift cried out and drew his attention; to keep him from killing the girl next, Teft invited him to really fight. Moash easily wounded Teft, sending him to the ground. As he swung his blade to kill him, though, Teft and Phendorana strained together and managed to manifest the spren as a "phantom spear shaft," stopping Moash's blow. Realizing they wouldn't be able to do that again, Teft prepared to lunge at Moash in order to eliminate the advantage of his sword's reach. Before he could move, however, Moash pulled out a [[raysium]] dagger embedded with an [[anti-Stormlight]] gem and stabbed Phendorana in the forehead with it. This permanently killed Phendorana, and Teft felt incapacitating agony as a part of his soul was ripped away. Moash hoisted Teft into the air, and Teft knew he was about to die. Knowing that he would die as someone who was loved, Teft had a few final words for Moash before Moash killed him with his Honorblade.{{book ref|sa4|104}}

{{image|Teft statue Connor Chamberlain.jpg|side=right|height=275px|Teft's statue}}

Moash dropped Teft's body in front of Kaladin as he made towards the Radiant infirmary.{{book ref|sa4|105}} Seeing his body, Kaladin was overwhelmed with such a sense of failure and grief that he became insensate. Teft's death was one of the catalysts in Kaladin's decision to jump from the top of Urithiru.{{book ref|sa4|106}} However, in Kaladin's vision of [[Tien]], Tien addressed Teft's death and helped Kaladin see that he had been discounting all of the times he had helped the man and instead focusing solely on failing to save him from dying. After that, Kaladin accepted that he wouldn't be able to protect everyone and was able to swear his [[Order of Windrunners#The Fourth Ideal|Fourth Ideal]].{{book ref|sa4|108}}

Rlain sang the Song of the Fallen over Teft's body, while Dabbid knelt next to him and grieved. He channeled Teft while speaking to the group of [[singers]] and humans in the atrium about leaving the tower, but realized he probably came across as too gruff.{{book ref|sa4|109}} Moash, having gone after Navani but having failed to kill her before she bonded the Sibling, felt pain over killing Teft as Navani and the Sibling's [[Towerlight]] pushed away his Connection to Odium.{{book ref|sa4|111}}

After Urithiru's liberation, Bridge Four had Teft's body [[Soulcast]] into stone, planning to place him in a room the Sibling knew about in the tower in which there were already stone statues of many fallen Radiants. The mortician was unable to change Teft's habitual scowl into a smile, which Bridge Four found appropriate; later, a sculptor would create a likeness of Phendorana to place by him. Bridge Four gathered and drank to his memory and reminisced. Kaladin lingered by the statue while the others left, and he and [[Syl]] discussed missing Teft before hugging his statue and leaving him behind.{{book ref|sa4|114}} As a final promise kept to Teft, Kaladin began attending his own group therapy sessions.{{book ref|sa4|116}}

== Relationships ==
=== Bridge Four ===
{{quote
|Teft '''did''' have hope. That was what he'd recovered, these years in Bridge Four.
|Teft{{book ref|sa4|104}}
}}
When [[Kaladin]] first asks Teft to help him with his plans to care for the injured members of [[Bridge Four]],{{book ref|sa1|21}} Teft's agreement leads him to help gather the other members to practice carrying a bridge on their time off and to help begin the tradition of having nightly stew.{{book ref|sa1|27}}{{book ref|sa1|30}} Later, Teft trains the other men of Bridge Four in fighting with spears.{{book ref|sa1|49}} Kaladin's efforts mold Bridge Four into a team of which Teft is proud to be a part, which he proves when he receives a Bridge Four tattoo on his forehead even though he doesn't have a slave mark there to cover up.{{book ref|sa2|2}} He later finds himself giving out duties and filling the role of commander at times when Kaladin is away.{{book ref|sa2|71}} Because of his natural fit for leadership positions, he also is put in charge of running potential recruits through drills after Bridge Four shifts roles within the army and seeks to recruit to the ranks of [[Windrunner]] [[squire]]s.{{book ref|sa3|46}} Perhaps because of Teft's experience at the head of Bridge Four and his feeling toward the group as a whole, he is doubly ashamed of his actions when he sells his bridgeman coat to further his [[firemoss]] addiction and it ends up indirectly enabling the theft of [[Jezrien]]'s [[honorblade]] and the death of [[Eth]].{{book ref|sa3|i|14}}{{book ref|sa3|115}} Ultimately, Teft feels that his time in Bridge Four has allowed him to have hope again, and he is able to face even his death at the hands of [[Moash]] with confidence and hope.{{book ref|sa4|104}}

=== Kaladin ===
{{quote
|You and I were the start of this though. Figure we ought to stick together.
|Teft to [[Kaladin]]{{book ref|sa4|23}}
}}
Aside from Rock, Teft is the first [[bridgeman]] [[Kaladin]] approaches to ask for support in his plans for [[Bridge Four]].{{book ref|sa1|21}} He is also the first to suspect Kaladin's nature as a [[Knight Radiant]], a suspicion that pays off when he saves Kaladin's life.{{book ref|sa1|38}} Kaladin in turn suspects that Teft has been a soldier and tricks him into revealing it in the chasms;{{book ref|sa1|49}} later, Teft easily falls into the role of Kaladin's sergeant as he begins turning the bridgemen into soldiers.{{book ref|sa2|2}}{{book ref|sa3|46}} Kaladin is concerned about Teft when he begins disappearing on [[firemoss]] binges, but he respects Teft's privacy enough to lay off the issue until it becomes a serious problem.{{book ref|sa2|41}}{{book ref|sa3|41}} Both men take Teft's position as Kaladin's sergeant seriously, meaning that Kaladin listens to Teft's advice at times when he would rather not,{{book ref|sa4|9}} and Teft knows to balance not letting Kaladin go into situations totally alone with not correcting him sometimes when he is wrong.{{book ref|sa4|23}}{{book ref|sa4|91}} Teft feels a sense of proprietary pride when he sees Kaladin still fighting after all that has dragged him down.{{book ref|sa4|103}}

=== Phendorana ===
{{quote
|You were storming right. You have always been right.
|Teft to [[Phendorana]]{{book ref|sa4|91}}
}}
At first, Teft resents the attention of [[Phendorana]] and wishes to give up instead of progress in his oaths, as she encourages him to do.{{book ref|sa3|i|14}} She convinces him to swear the Third Ideal, committing himself to continue to struggle onward despite his self-loathing.{{book ref|sa3|119}} She later encourages him to open up to [[Kaladin]], [[Lift]], [[Rlain]], and [[Dabbid]] about his past with the [[Envisagers]] when the others wonder whether it is the right thing to do to keep fighting the occupation of [[Urithiru]]. After the discussion, Teft finds himself smiling because he enjoys life despite its difficulties; he admits to Phendorana that she had been right all along to convince him to keep going and to convince him that he was worth saving.{{book ref|sa4|91}} They equally commit to the fight against [[Moash]] and somehow manage to manifest Phendorana to form just enough of a spear shaft to stop a blow from Moash that would otherwise have killed Teft. The nature of their bond causes Teft to feel as if some part of him is ripped off of his soul when Phendorana dies. In the end, that pain is what incapacitates Teft to the point that Moash is able to kill him without resistance.{{book ref|sa4|104}}

== Trivia ==
* Teft was originally Hine, a character in ''[[Mythwalker]]'' that did not make it past the revision to be written into ''[[Warbreaker]]''. [[Brandon Sanderson]] combined Hine with an aspect of Voko, a different character from ''Mythwalker'', and placed him in Bridge Four as Teft.{{wob ref|8601}} He is, however, largely the same as the Teft written in Brandon's Masters Thesis, [[Dragonsteel Prime|''Dragonsteel'' Prime]].{{wob ref|7142}} 
* Brandon planned to have [[Moash]] kill Teft from early on in his plans for the series.{{wob ref|14724}}
* In a hypothetical game of Mario Kart with [[Zahel]] and [[Dalinar]], Zahel would cheat to win and Teft would allow Dalinar to beat him.{{wob ref|15864}}
* Teft is not named after one of Brandon's friends.{{wob ref|8133}}

== Notes ==
<references/>
{{complete|[[User:Truthwatch3r|Truthwatch3r]] ([[User talk:Truthwatch3r|talk]]) 18:17, 28 February 2024 (UTC)}}
{{Stormlight}}
[[category: viewpoint characters]]
[[Category: Bridgemen]]