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Difference between revisions of "Dalinar Kholin"

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'''Dalinar Kholin''', the '''Blackthorn''', was a lighteyed [[Alethi]] on [[Roshar]], [[Highprince]] of [[Alethkar]] and uncle of King [[Elhokar Kholin]]. He is also a member of the [[Order of Bondsmiths]].
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'''Dalinar Kholin''', the '''Blackthorn''', is a lighteyed [[Alethi]] on [[Roshar]], [[Highprince]] of [[Alethkar]] and uncle of King [[Elhokar Kholin]]. He is also a member of the [[Order of Bondsmiths]].
   
 
==Appearance and Personality==
  
==Appearance and Personality==
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Dalinar was an aging but powerfully built man, with the face of a warrior. He had black hair that was peppered with grey in the temples.{{ref|b|sa1|c|52}} He chose to wear his [[Shardplate]] in its original slate grey color without any adornment or decoration.{{ref|b|sa1|c|12}} His Shardblade was called [[Oathbringer]].{{ref|b|sa1|c|13}} He rode a [[Ryshadium]] stallion named [[Gallant]].{{ref|b|sa1|c|12}}
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Dalinar is an aging but powerfully built man, with the face of a warrior. He has black hair that is peppered with grey in the temples.{{ref|b|sa1|c|52}} He chooses to wear his [[Shardplate]] in its original slate grey color without any adornment or decoration.{{ref|b|sa1|c|12}} His Shardblade is called [[Oathbringer]].{{ref|b|sa1|c|13}} He rides a [[Ryshadium]] stallion named [[Gallant]].{{ref|b|sa1|c|12}}
   
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Dalinar considered himself as a soldier and a general with no talent for back-room politicking.{{ref|b|sa1|c|69}} After Gavilar's assassination, Dalinar blamed himself{{ref|b|sa1|c|12}}{{ref|b|sa1|c|15}} and since he worked to protecting Gavilar’s kingdom and Gavilar’s son,{{ref|b|sa1|c|13}} in hope to earn some form of redemption.
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Dalinar considers himself wholly a soldier and general with no talent for back-room politicking.{{ref|b|sa1|c|69}} After Gavilar's assassination, Dalinar blamed himself{{ref|b|sa1|c|12}}{{ref|b|sa1|c|15}} and since then has worked to protect Alethkar and Gavilar’s son [[Elhokar Kholin|Elhokar]]{{ref|b|sa1|c|13}} in hope of earning some kind of redemption.
   
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Dalinar's Calling was to be a leader and his Glory was determination,{{ref|b|sa1|c|18}} and his devotary was the Order of Talenelat.{{ref|b|sa1|c|54}}
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Dalinar's Calling is to be a leader, and his chosen Glory is determination.{{ref|b|sa1|c|18}} His devotary is the Order of Talenelat.{{ref|b|sa1|c|54}}
   
 
==History==
  
==History==
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===Early Life===
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===Early Adulthood===
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In his youth, Dalinar all but worshipped his elder brother [[Gavilar Kholin|Gavilar]].<!--- where does this come from? --> He and Gavilar had reunited [[Alethkar]]'s warring highprinces after centuries of strife. Dalinar had been the warrior, genius of the battlefield, scattering their opponents slaying their leaders and best [[Shardbearer]]s, bending them to Gavilar's rule. His prowess in battle earned the nickname 'Blackthorn' and reputation among the common folk of being one of the greatest warriors and generals who ever lived.{{ref|b|twok|c|12}} He has won many [[Shardplate]]s and [[Shardblade]]s in battle. One set he won during the first year of the [[War of Reckoning]] which he gave his brother's son, [[Elhokar Kholin|Elhokar]], that Elhokar can award a warrior he thought worthy for the war.{{ref|b|twok|c|18}}
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In his youth, Dalinar deeply respected his elder brother [[Gavilar Kholin|Gavilar]], although he was also envious of him at times.{{ref|b|twok|c|18}} He and Gavilar reunited [[Alethkar]]'s warring highprinces after centuries of strife. Dalinar had been the warrior, a genius of the battlefield, slaying their leaders and best [[Shardbearer]]s, and bending their surviving opponents to Gavilar's rule. His prowess in battle earned him the nickname 'Blackthorn' and a reputation of being one of the greatest warriors and generals who ever lived.{{ref|b|twok|c|12}} He won many [[Shardplate]]s and [[Shardblade]]s in battle; one set he won during the first year of the [[War of Reckoning]] which he then gave to [[Elhokar Kholin|Elhokar]], so that he could reward one he thought worthy in order to help the war effort.{{ref|b|twok|c|18}}<!--- can't find this stated in chap 18 --->
   
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Dalinar had gotten to know and befriended Navani and desired her hand, but stepped aside for Gavilar and watched him court and marry her.{{ref|b|twok|c|64}} Soon after he married,{{ref|b|twok|c|64}} fathering [[Adolin Kholin|Adolin]] and [[Renarin Kholin|Renarin]]. Ten years ago his wife passed away.{{ref|b|twok|c|22}} Sometime after he seeked the [[Old Magic]], whose curse wiped all his memories of her. Whenever someone said her name, Dalinar heard only the sound of the wind, and if he ever encountered the name in any other manner, he could not retain it in his mind.{{ref|b|twok|c|42}}{{ref|b|twok|c|64}} <!-- In later years after the conquest, King Gavilar began to loose his thirst for battle, he introduced Dalinar to the codes... hunting trip -->
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Dalinar had befriended Navani and desired her hand, but stepped aside for Gavilar's sake and watched his brother court and marry her.{{ref|b|twok|c|64}} Soon after Dalinar married another woman,{{ref|b|twok|c|64}} he fathered [[Adolin Kholin|Adolin]] and [[Renarin Kholin|Renarin]]. His wife passed away four years before Gavilar was assassinated, in {{date|1163|EoS}}.{{ref|b|twok|c|22}} <!---wasn't sure if it's allowed to say 'ten years before the events of the Way of Kings'? ---> Sometime after, he sought the [[Old Magic]], whose curse wiped away all of his memories of her. Now whenever someone says her name, Dalinar only hears the sound of the wind. If he ever encounters the name in any other manner, he is unable retain it in his mind.{{ref|b|twok|c|42}}{{ref|b|twok|c|64}}
   
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In later years after the unification of Alethkar, Gavilar began to lose his thirst for battle. He began reading a book called ''The Way of Kings'', trying to convince Dalinar and the other highprinces to be peaceful and follow the [[Alethi Codes of War]].{{ref|b|twok|c|18}} Like the other highprinces, Dalinar resisted his brother's ideas, finding them unpalatable and strange - even un-Alethi. To try and change his brother's mind, Dalinar convinced him to go on an expedition, a hunt for a chasmfiend. He suggested this hoping to remind Gavilar of the good times in their youth, to reawaken his brother's warrior spirit.{{ref|b|twok|c|28}} In {{date|1166|EoS}} Dalinar and Gavilar set out on their expedition. In an unmapped forest south of the Shattered Plains, Dalinar met a [[Parshendi]] patrol.
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===War of Reckoning===
  
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At first Dalinar didn't believe what he was seeing, but soon accepted that the Parshendi were intelligent and organized, unlike their parshmen cousins. Dalinar brought Gavilar to meet them, and within days the Alethi and Parshendi were communicating very well.{{ref|b|twok|c|28}} A year later, the Parshendi signed a formal treaty with Alethkar in the Alethi capital of [[Kholinar]].
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  ⚫
===War of Reckoning (1167-)===
 
[[File:Dalinar_the_Blackthorn.jpg|300px|thumb|left|Dalinar fights a chasmfiend during a hunt]]
  
[[File:Dalinar_the_Blackthorn.jpg|300px|thumb|left|Dalinar fights a chasmfiend during a hunt]]
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During the assassination of Gavilar Kholin, Dalinar was in a drunken stupor,{{ref|b|sa1|prologue}} and was therefore unable to aid his brother.{{ref|b|twok|c|15}} After the king’s death, Dalinar considered himself to be at fault and underwent a radical change in personality. He began to read ''The Way of Kings'', a book that his brother was fond of, and began to adhere to the [[Alethi Codes of War]] that his brother attempted to make him follow.{{ref|b|twok|c|15}} Had Dalinar been following the first Code, "Readiness", then he would have been sober enough to aid his brother against the assassin. After the death of Gavilar, Dalinar joined forces with the new king, Elhokar, and the other highprinces to pursue the [[Parshendi]] under the [[Vengeance Pact]].
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Within hours of the treaty signing, the Parshendi sent [[Szeth]] to assassinate Gavilar. When the Alethi king was assassinated, in the middle of the feast, Dalinar was in a drunken stupor,{{ref|b|sa1|prologue}} completely unable to help his brother.{{ref|b|twok|c|15}} After his brother's death, Dalinar blamed himself and underwent a radical change in personality. Gavilar's last words were to Dalinar, stating that he must find the most important words a man can say. Dalinar recognized the quote from ''The Way of Kings'' and began molding himself after the teachings from the book, as his brother had done.
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Dalinar also began to adhere to the same [[Alethi Codes of War]] that Gavilar had attempted to convince the highprinces to follow.{{ref|b|twok|c|15}} Had Dalinar been following the first Code, "Readiness", then he would have been sober enough to aid his brother against the assassin. After the death of Gavilar, Dalinar joined forces with the new king, Elhokar, and the other highprinces to pursue the Parshendi to the [[Shattered Plains]] under the [[Vengeance Pact]].
  +
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At first, Dalinar threw himself into the fighting against the Parshendi with abandon, his guilt driving him. But as his grief faded, so did his thirst for battle and war. Dalinar and his camp followed the Codes when no other Alethi highprince would. He studied the words of [[Nohadon]], the author of ''The Way of Kings'', seriously, convinced that he must now become an example to Alethkar and lead them towards peace and honor. At the same time, Dalinar started having fits during every [[highstorm]].
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During these fits, Dalinar lost awareness of his surroundings, experiencing visions of the past as though he were living them himself. The visions seemed to be from the Almighty, {{ref|b|twok|c|12}} leading Dalinar to believe that the Almighty was telling him to unite the Alethi highprinces. In most of these visions [[Knights Radiant]] appeared. When Dalinar began to make important decisions based on these visions, his son [[Adolin]] questioned the wisdom in trusting dreams. Dalinar expressed his belief that the visions were true and Adolin questioned his father's sanity.{{ref|b|twok|c|24}}
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Men began to speak of Dalinar the same way they'd spoken of Gavilar, namely that he was becoming weak and feeble. Despite Dalinar's history as a powerful general, the battle against the Parshendi marks the first time that Dalinar lost the [[Thrill]].{{ref|b|twok|c|26}} This loss of the Thrill during battle caused Dalinar to question why he was fighting this war and whether alternative methods of settling the Alethi dispute with the Parshendi would yield better results. The highprinces viewed Dalinar's wish for a more peaceful resolution as a sign of weakness rather than wisdom. When Dalinar explained to the king that he is not afraid of battle, but would prefer to approach it in a different manner, Elhokar listened to him for the first time, and Dalinar finally felt that he was making progress.
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Dalinar's adoption of the Codes caused the other highprinces to deride and underestimate him, as he no longer possessed the thirst for battle that had made him one of the most feared generals in Alethkar. Despite heroic acts such as saving Elhokar's life from a [[chasmfiend]],{{ref|b|twok|c|14}} Dalinar had lost most of his influence over the conquered highprinces, as rumors of his fits during highstorms circulated.
   
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Dalinar was charged by his nephew King Elhokar to investigate a suspected assassination attempt on the king's life.{{ref|b|twok|c|15}} This involved the girth strap on his saddle being cut so that he would fall from his horse in battle, and weakened gemstones being placed in Elhokar's Shardplate so that the armor would easily crack and break. Dalinar failed to uncover anything of use and thought that Elhokar was becoming unhealthily paranoid, Elhokar named Highprince [[Sadeas]] the [[Highprince of Information]], and requested him to investigate instead.{{ref|b|twok|c|22}} This accelerated Dalinar's loss of power and suspicion is cast upon him for the assassination attempt. Sadeas, who was a good friend to Dalinar and Gavilar during the reunification of Alethkar, confuted this and defended Dalinar and his loyalty to Elhokar.{{ref|b|twok|c|54}}
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Dalinar's adoption of the Codes caused the other highprinces to underestimate him, as he no longer possessed the thirst for battle that made him one of the most feared generals in Alethkar. He and his brother Gavilar managed to conquer all of the other highprinces and force them to crown Gavilar as their king. Despite sporadic heroic acts such as saving Elhokar's life from a [[chasmfiend]],{{ref|b|twok|c|14}} Dalinar began to lose his influence over the conquered highprinces, as rumors of his fits during highstorms circulated.
  
   
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Dalinar had grown deeply frustrated by the war at the Shattered Plains, as the war changed from seeking vengeance on the Parshendi to gathering [[gemhearts]] in order to gain wealth for themselves. Dalinar believed the war on the Parshendi has become nothing but a game to the highprinces and sought to unite them as the [[Highprince of War]].{{ref|b|twok|c|18}} However, Elhokar refused to give him the title unless Dalinar could prove that it was possible for the highprinces to productively work together.{{ref|b|twok|c|18}}
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Dalinar was charged by his nephew King Elhokar to investigate a suspected assassination attempt on the king's life.{{ref|b|twok|c|15}} This involved the girth strap on his saddle being cut so that he would fall from his horse in battle, and weakened gemstones being placed in Elhokar's Shardplate so that the armor would easily crack and break. When Dalinar failed to uncover anything of use, Elhokar named Highprince [[Sadeas]] the [[Highprince of Information]], and requested him to investigate.{{ref|b|twok|c|22}} This accelerated Dalinar's loss of power and suspicion is cast upon him for the assassination attempt. Sadeas, as Highprince of Information, confuted this.{{ref|b|twok|c|54}} Later Dalinar realized that the "assassination attempt" was a fabrication and confronted his nephew. The king admitted cutting the girth strap but maintained that he had nothing to do with the weakened gemstones.{{ref|b|twok|c|69}}
  
   
  ⚫
One by one, the highprinces rejected Dalinar's pleas that they join forces.{{ref|b|twok|c|28}} His plans to try and change Alethkar met with dead ends. The realization that even those close to him thought that he has lost his wits resulted in Dalinar going through a period of self-doubt, and he considered abdicating his position as highprince to [[Adolin]] to save House Kholin from being destroyed by his foolish decisions.{{ref|b|twok|c|28}} At the suggestion of his son [[Renarin]], Dalinar enlisted his sister-in-law and scholar [[Navani]] to investigate whether the dreams were real or a result of an addled mind.{{ref|b|twok|c|52}} Navani concluded that the gibberish that Dalinar spoke during the fits was actually [[Dawnchant]], a now-dead language that Dalinar couldn’t have learned, therefore giving proof that his visions were real.{{ref|b|twok|c|60}} Dalinar’s resolve to unite Alethkar strengthened.
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Dalinar was of the belief that the war on the Parshendi has become nothing but a game to the highprinces and sought to unite them as the [[Highprince of War]].{{ref|b|twok|c|18}} However the king would not grant him this title unless Dalinar could prove that it was possible for the highprinces to productively work together.{{ref|b|twok|c|18}}
  
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One by one the highprinces rejected Dalinar's pleas that they join forces.{{ref|b|twok|c|28}} After Sadeas' declaration about the "assassination attempt" on Elhokar, Dalinar asked Sadeas to ally with him and Sadeas agreed.{{ref|b|twok|c|54}} However this alliance was a ploy used by Sadeas to attempt to kill Dalinar. Sadeas withdrew from a battle that they entered together, leaving Dalinar and his men stranded and surrounded by an overwhelming number of enemy troops.{{ref|b|twok|c|55}} Dalinar was rescued by [[Kaladin]] and the other members [[Bridge Four]], but not before he had his armies severely weakened and almost died at the hands of a Parshendi Shardbearer.{{ref|b|twok|c|66}}{{ref|b|twok|c|67}}{{ref|b|twok|c|68}}
  
   
  ⚫
After Sadeas declared publicly that there was indeed a plot against Elhokar, Dalinar asked Sadeas to ally with him and Sadeas agreed.{{ref|b|twok|c|54}} However, Sadeas only agreed to ally in order to try and kill Dalinar. Sadeas withdrew from a battle that they entered together, leaving Dalinar, Adolin, and their men stranded and surrounded by an overwhelming number of Parshendi troops.{{ref|b|twok|c|55}} Dalinar almost died facing a Parshendi Shardbearer. He and Adolin were rescued by [[Kaladin]] and the other members of [[Bridge Four]], but not before the majority of the Kholin army had died. {{ref|b|twok|c|66}}{{ref|b|twok|c|67}}{{ref|b|twok|c|68}}
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Despite Dalinars's prowess in battle, the battle against the Parshendi marks the first time that Dalinar lost the "[[Thrill]]".{{ref|b|twok|c|26}} This loss of the Thrill during battle caused Dalinar to question why he is fighting and whether the alternative methods of settling the Alethi dispute with the Parshendi could yield better results. The highprinces viewed Dalinar's wish for a more peaceful existence as a sign of weakness rather than wisdom, and this prompted him to talk to the king about his beliefs. When Dalinar explained to the king that he is not afraid of battle, but would prefer to approach it in a different manner, Elhokar listened to him for the first time, and Dalinar finally felt that he was making progress.
 
   
  ⚫
After Kaladin rescued him, Dalinar promised to free Bridge Four from their slavery at the hands of Highprince Sadeas.{{ref|b|twok|c|68}} When Sadeas refused to sell the bridgemen, Dalinar offered his Shardblade in exchange for all of Sadeas' bridgemen.{{ref|b|twok|c|69}} Sadeas accepted. Dalinar appointed Kaladin as the captain of all the bridgemen,{{ref|b|twok|c|73}} who would be trained as soldiers to replenish Dalinar's armies. Bridge Four was appointed as the honor guard for Dalinar and his family. He also gave Kaladin his cloak, to mark him as a Kholin man.{{ref|b|twok|c|73}} Dalinar also gave his son Renarin Kholin his Shardplate.{{ref|b|twok|c|69}} By relinquishing both of his Shards, Dalinar kept his promises to Kaladin and Renarin, proving himself an honorable man.
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Dalinar was plagued by [[Dalinar's visions| visions]] during [[highstorm]]s which he believed to be sent by the Almighty.{{ref|b|twok|c|12}} In most of these visions [[Knights Radiant]] appeared. When Dalinar began to make important decisions based on the visions his son Adolin questioned the wisdom in trusting dreams. Dalinar expressed his belief that the visions are true and Adolin questioned his father's sanity.{{ref|b|twok|c|24}} The realization that even those close to him thought that he has lost his wits resulted in Dalinar going through a period of self-doubt, and he considered abdicating his position as highprince to save House Kholin from being destroyed by his foolish decisions.{{ref|b|twok|c|28}} However at the suggestion of his son Renarin, Dalinar enlisted his sister-in-law and scholar Navani to investigate whether the dreams are true or a result of an addled mind.{{ref|b|twok|c|52}} Navani concluded that the gibberish that Dalinar spoke during the fits is actually [[Dawnchant]], a now (apparently) dead language, and therefore that the visions are real.{{ref|b|twok|c|60}}
  
   
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Dalinar realized that the assassination attempt on Elhokar was a fabrication and confronted his nephew. The king admitted cutting the girth strap but maintained that he had nothing to do with the weakened gemstones.{{ref|b|twok|c|69}}
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After Dalinar had been rescued by Kaladin, he promised to free the Bridge Four bridgemen from their slavery at the hands of Highprince Sadeas.{{ref|b|twok|c|68}} When Sadeas refused to sell the Bridge Four bridgemen, Dalinar offered his "priceless" Shardblade in exchange for all of Sadeas' bridgemen.{{ref|b|twok|c|69}} He appointed Kaladin as the Captain of all of the bridgemen,{{ref|b|twok|c|73}} who would be trained as recruits to replenish Dalinar's armies. Bridge Four was appointed as honor guard for Dalinar and his family. He also gave Kaladin his cloak, to mark the new Captain as one of Dalinar's men.{{ref|b|twok|c|73}} Dalinar also decided to give his son Renarin Kholin his Shardplate,{{ref|b|twok|c|69}} fully relinquishing his Shards to fulfill his promises to those around him and maintaining his honor.
  
   
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Another highstorm hit and Dalinar experienced another vision in which he realized that The Almighty who had spoken to him in his visions was unable to hear what Dalinar said.{{ref|b|twok|c|75}} Dalinar's misinterpretations of the visions are then explained, and the last chapter concerning Dalinar in The Way of Kings ended with the Almighty admitting that he is dead and that [[Odium]] has killed him.{{ref|b|twok|c|75}}
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Another highstorm passed and Dalinar experienced another vision in which he realized that the Almighty, who had spoken to him in his visions had been unable to hear what Dalinar was saying the whole time.{{ref|b|twok|c|75}} Dalinar realizes that he had misinterpreted the visions and that the Almighty had not been calling him to specifically unite Alethkar or specifically to trust Sadeas. The Almighty’s words in the visions were a recording and not a conversation with him. The Almighty said to Dalinar that he, God, was dead and that [[Odium]] had killed him.{{ref|b|twok|c|75}}
   
 
==Attributes and Abilities==
  
==Attributes and Abilities==

Revision as of 03:23, 17 March 2014

Dalinar Kholin
Dalinar.jpg
by Exmakina
House Kholin
Spouse "Shshsh"
Children Adolin, Renarin
Siblings Gavilar
Born ca. 1123 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content
Abilities Bondsmith
Titles Highprince of War
The Blackthorn
Nationality Alethi
Homeworld Roshar
This page or section contains spoilers for [[Book shorthand incorrect|Book shorthand incorrect]]!
This information has the ability to potentially ruin elements of the plot for the reader. Proceed with caution if you have not read this book.

[[Category: Spoilers for Book shorthand incorrect]]

Dalinar Kholin, the Blackthorn, is a lighteyed Alethi on Roshar, Highprince of Alethkar and uncle of King Elhokar Kholin. He is also a member of the Order of Bondsmiths.

Appearance and Personality

Dalinar is an aging but powerfully built man, with the face of a warrior. He has black hair that is peppered with grey in the temples.Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content He chooses to wear his Shardplate in its original slate grey color without any adornment or decoration.Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content His Shardblade is called Oathbringer.Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content He rides a Ryshadium stallion named Gallant.Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content

Dalinar considers himself wholly a soldier and general with no talent for back-room politicking.Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content After Gavilar's assassination, Dalinar blamed himselfCite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have contentCite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content and since then has worked to protect Alethkar and Gavilar’s son ElhokarCite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content in hope of earning some kind of redemption.

Dalinar's Calling is to be a leader, and his chosen Glory is determination.Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content His devotary is the Order of Talenelat.Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content

History

Early Adulthood

In his youth, Dalinar deeply respected his elder brother Gavilar, although he was also envious of him at times.Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content He and Gavilar reunited Alethkar's warring highprinces after centuries of strife. Dalinar had been the warrior, a genius of the battlefield, slaying their leaders and best Shardbearers, and bending their surviving opponents to Gavilar's rule. His prowess in battle earned him the nickname 'Blackthorn' and a reputation of being one of the greatest warriors and generals who ever lived.Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content He won many Shardplates and Shardblades in battle; one set he won during the first year of the War of Reckoning which he then gave to Elhokar, so that he could reward one he thought worthy in order to help the war effort.Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content

Dalinar had befriended Navani and desired her hand, but stepped aside for Gavilar's sake and watched his brother court and marry her.Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content Soon after Dalinar married another woman,Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content he fathered Adolin and Renarin. His wife passed away four years before Gavilar was assassinated, in 1163 .Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content Sometime after, he sought the Old Magic, whose curse wiped away all of his memories of her. Now whenever someone says her name, Dalinar only hears the sound of the wind. If he ever encounters the name in any other manner, he is unable retain it in his mind.Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have contentCite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content

In later years after the unification of Alethkar, Gavilar began to lose his thirst for battle. He began reading a book called The Way of Kings, trying to convince Dalinar and the other highprinces to be peaceful and follow the Alethi Codes of War.Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content Like the other highprinces, Dalinar resisted his brother's ideas, finding them unpalatable and strange - even un-Alethi. To try and change his brother's mind, Dalinar convinced him to go on an expedition, a hunt for a chasmfiend. He suggested this hoping to remind Gavilar of the good times in their youth, to reawaken his brother's warrior spirit.Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content In 1166 Dalinar and Gavilar set out on their expedition. In an unmapped forest south of the Shattered Plains, Dalinar met a Parshendi patrol.

At first Dalinar didn't believe what he was seeing, but soon accepted that the Parshendi were intelligent and organized, unlike their parshmen cousins. Dalinar brought Gavilar to meet them, and within days the Alethi and Parshendi were communicating very well.Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content A year later, the Parshendi signed a formal treaty with Alethkar in the Alethi capital of Kholinar.

War of Reckoning (1167-)

Dalinar fights a chasmfiend during a hunt

Within hours of the treaty signing, the Parshendi sent Szeth to assassinate Gavilar. When the Alethi king was assassinated, in the middle of the feast, Dalinar was in a drunken stupor,Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content completely unable to help his brother.Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content After his brother's death, Dalinar blamed himself and underwent a radical change in personality. Gavilar's last words were to Dalinar, stating that he must find the most important words a man can say. Dalinar recognized the quote from The Way of Kings and began molding himself after the teachings from the book, as his brother had done.

Dalinar also began to adhere to the same Alethi Codes of War that Gavilar had attempted to convince the highprinces to follow.Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content Had Dalinar been following the first Code, "Readiness", then he would have been sober enough to aid his brother against the assassin. After the death of Gavilar, Dalinar joined forces with the new king, Elhokar, and the other highprinces to pursue the Parshendi to the Shattered Plains under the Vengeance Pact.

At first, Dalinar threw himself into the fighting against the Parshendi with abandon, his guilt driving him. But as his grief faded, so did his thirst for battle and war. Dalinar and his camp followed the Codes when no other Alethi highprince would. He studied the words of Nohadon, the author of The Way of Kings, seriously, convinced that he must now become an example to Alethkar and lead them towards peace and honor. At the same time, Dalinar started having fits during every highstorm.

During these fits, Dalinar lost awareness of his surroundings, experiencing visions of the past as though he were living them himself. The visions seemed to be from the Almighty, Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content leading Dalinar to believe that the Almighty was telling him to unite the Alethi highprinces. In most of these visions Knights Radiant appeared. When Dalinar began to make important decisions based on these visions, his son Adolin questioned the wisdom in trusting dreams. Dalinar expressed his belief that the visions were true and Adolin questioned his father's sanity.Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content

Men began to speak of Dalinar the same way they'd spoken of Gavilar, namely that he was becoming weak and feeble. Despite Dalinar's history as a powerful general, the battle against the Parshendi marks the first time that Dalinar lost the Thrill.Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content This loss of the Thrill during battle caused Dalinar to question why he was fighting this war and whether alternative methods of settling the Alethi dispute with the Parshendi would yield better results. The highprinces viewed Dalinar's wish for a more peaceful resolution as a sign of weakness rather than wisdom. When Dalinar explained to the king that he is not afraid of battle, but would prefer to approach it in a different manner, Elhokar listened to him for the first time, and Dalinar finally felt that he was making progress. Dalinar's adoption of the Codes caused the other highprinces to deride and underestimate him, as he no longer possessed the thirst for battle that had made him one of the most feared generals in Alethkar. Despite heroic acts such as saving Elhokar's life from a chasmfiend,Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content Dalinar had lost most of his influence over the conquered highprinces, as rumors of his fits during highstorms circulated.

Dalinar was charged by his nephew King Elhokar to investigate a suspected assassination attempt on the king's life.Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content This involved the girth strap on his saddle being cut so that he would fall from his horse in battle, and weakened gemstones being placed in Elhokar's Shardplate so that the armor would easily crack and break. Dalinar failed to uncover anything of use and thought that Elhokar was becoming unhealthily paranoid, Elhokar named Highprince Sadeas the Highprince of Information, and requested him to investigate instead.Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content This accelerated Dalinar's loss of power and suspicion is cast upon him for the assassination attempt. Sadeas, who was a good friend to Dalinar and Gavilar during the reunification of Alethkar, confuted this and defended Dalinar and his loyalty to Elhokar.Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content

Dalinar had grown deeply frustrated by the war at the Shattered Plains, as the war changed from seeking vengeance on the Parshendi to gathering gemhearts in order to gain wealth for themselves. Dalinar believed the war on the Parshendi has become nothing but a game to the highprinces and sought to unite them as the Highprince of War.Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content However, Elhokar refused to give him the title unless Dalinar could prove that it was possible for the highprinces to productively work together.Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content

One by one, the highprinces rejected Dalinar's pleas that they join forces.Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content His plans to try and change Alethkar met with dead ends. The realization that even those close to him thought that he has lost his wits resulted in Dalinar going through a period of self-doubt, and he considered abdicating his position as highprince to Adolin to save House Kholin from being destroyed by his foolish decisions.Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content At the suggestion of his son Renarin, Dalinar enlisted his sister-in-law and scholar Navani to investigate whether the dreams were real or a result of an addled mind.Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content Navani concluded that the gibberish that Dalinar spoke during the fits was actually Dawnchant, a now-dead language that Dalinar couldn’t have learned, therefore giving proof that his visions were real.Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content Dalinar’s resolve to unite Alethkar strengthened.

After Sadeas declared publicly that there was indeed a plot against Elhokar, Dalinar asked Sadeas to ally with him and Sadeas agreed.Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content However, Sadeas only agreed to ally in order to try and kill Dalinar. Sadeas withdrew from a battle that they entered together, leaving Dalinar, Adolin, and their men stranded and surrounded by an overwhelming number of Parshendi troops.Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content Dalinar almost died facing a Parshendi Shardbearer. He and Adolin were rescued by Kaladin and the other members of Bridge Four, but not before the majority of the Kholin army had died. Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have contentCite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have contentCite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content

After Kaladin rescued him, Dalinar promised to free Bridge Four from their slavery at the hands of Highprince Sadeas.Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content When Sadeas refused to sell the bridgemen, Dalinar offered his Shardblade in exchange for all of Sadeas' bridgemen.Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content Sadeas accepted. Dalinar appointed Kaladin as the captain of all the bridgemen,Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content who would be trained as soldiers to replenish Dalinar's armies. Bridge Four was appointed as the honor guard for Dalinar and his family. He also gave Kaladin his cloak, to mark him as a Kholin man.Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content Dalinar also gave his son Renarin Kholin his Shardplate.Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content By relinquishing both of his Shards, Dalinar kept his promises to Kaladin and Renarin, proving himself an honorable man.

Dalinar realized that the assassination attempt on Elhokar was a fabrication and confronted his nephew. The king admitted cutting the girth strap but maintained that he had nothing to do with the weakened gemstones.Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content

Another highstorm passed and Dalinar experienced another vision in which he realized that the Almighty, who had spoken to him in his visions had been unable to hear what Dalinar was saying the whole time.Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content Dalinar realizes that he had misinterpreted the visions and that the Almighty had not been calling him to specifically unite Alethkar or specifically to trust Sadeas. The Almighty’s words in the visions were a recording and not a conversation with him. The Almighty said to Dalinar that he, God, was dead and that Odium had killed him.Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content

Attributes and Abilities

Shardwielding

Before he gave them up, Dalinar possessed a set of Shardplate and a Shardblade named Oathbringer. He was considered extremely skilled at using them.Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; refs with no name must have content

Dalinar's Army

Officers

Trivia

  • Dalinar was originally from the first book that Brandon wrote, when he was fifteen. Brandon used him other books, such as the unpublished Dragonsteel, before eventually using him in The Stormlight Archive.[1] Brandon has said that he didn't get the character "right" until he re-wrote The Way of Kings from scratch after The Way of Kings Prime.[2]

See Also

Notes

  1. ↑ Steelheart Release Party Q&A
  2. ↑ Writing Excuses - Projects in Depth: The Way of Kings

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