107. The First Step

Dalinar emerges from a week of drinking, regains mental clarity, and leads a crucial war council where he deduces the enemy's true target is Thaylen City rather than Jah Keved. Meanwhile, Taravangian and his inner circle plot to undermine Dalinar through information warfare and manipulation, viewing him as both an obstacle and a tragic necessity to eliminate.

Dalinar wakes refreshed after days of heavy drinking, bathed and dressed by the devoted Navani. He struggles with questions about his memories and visions, including a vivid dream of Nohadon whose origin he cannot explain. Taravangian arrives for a war meeting that had excluded him, and Dalinar escorts the aging king to the Gallery of Maps where military leaders debate defensive strategy for Jah Keved. After Queen Fen openly rebukes Dalinar's recent withdrawal, he apologizes and engages with the tactical discussion. Watching the maps, he experiences a revelation: the enemy will not attack Jah Keved—a terrain where Alethi and Veden have fought for generations and where defenders are too well-prepared. Instead, the Voidbringers moved to Marat to position for an assault on Thaylen City, which controls crucial naval routes and Oathgates while being militarily weakened by the Everstorm. Dalinar announces this deduction, shocking the council, and they pivot to hastily assembling a mixed naval force from Taravangian's ships, remaining Thaylen vessels, and newly arrived Azish troops. Queen Fen warns that many Thaylen sailors follow the Passions and question Vorinism; Dalinar refuses to recant his heresy despite the religious turmoil it causes. Later, Dalinar visits Kadash on a garden balcony to apologize for Rathalas. Kadash refuses release from Dalinar's service, arguing the ardents are needed regardless of Dalinar's heresy, though he begs Dalinar to release a public statement to reduce confusion during the war. Dalinar asks the Stormfather about enemy leadership and learns of a female figure the Stormfather can observe when others remain hidden. In a separate scene, Taravangian—feeling the weight of his advancing age—meets with Adrotagia and learns that Dalinar has recovered, which troubles him greatly. The old king reviews reports: Moelach has settled in the Horneater Peaks offering new Death Rattles, Graves is dead, and the Shards are irrelevant. Malata, a bonded Radiant serving the Diagram, reports her spren Spark is content working against the other orders for vengeance. Taravangian decides Dalinar's recovery requires drastic action and orders Adrotagia to prepare damaging secrets—translations from the Dawnchant and anonymous essays—to be leaked simultaneously to Tashikk, aiming to crush Dalinar's credibility and support before the enemy need destroy him in battle.