I-14. Taravangian

Interlude I-4 following Taravangian, king of Kharbranth. Taravangian undergoes daily intelligence testing and discovers he is of average intellect today. He travels to the devastated city of Vedenar in Jah Keved, where his healers have earned the gratitude of soldiers from all warring factions. He unexpectedly encounters Szeth-son-son-Vallano and learns of a new Surgebinder, then consults the Diagram to identify a bridgeman among Dalinar's men. Finally, he witnesses the death of King Valam and is named heir to the throne of Jah Keved.

Taravangian wakes on his ship in Vedenar's harbor and submits to his daily intelligence testing by three stormwardens. Deemed of average intellect, he is granted limited autonomy. He reviews the Diagram, his masterwork created during a day of transcendent genius years prior, and learns from Adrotagia that another such day is statistically unlikely to occur again in his lifetime. Upon landing, Taravangian visits wounded soldiers on the battlefield, where his healers have ministered to all sides impartially, earning him widespread gratitude. The Veden soldiers cheer him despite the kingdom's devastation. Szeth-son-son-Vallano unexpectedly appears among the soldiers, informing Taravangian that he encountered a Surgebinder protecting Dalinar Kholin—a man who healed a severed arm using Stormlight. Taravangian realizes this Surgebinder must possess an Honorblade and orders Szeth to focus on assassinating Dalinar rather than pursuing this new threat. Alarmed, Taravangian consults the Diagram and discovers a passage predicting the emergence of oath-takers among those who survive impossibly. He instructs Adrotagia to locate one of Dalinar's bridgemen, suspecting one has bonded a spren. Later, Taravangian visits the dying King Valam of Jah Keved, who reveals Taravangian has a legitimate claim to the throne through his mother's lineage. Valam names Taravangian his heir before commanding his bastard son Redin to kill him. After Valam's death, Taravangian sits alone with the corpse, reflecting that he has taken the first major step toward unifying the world as Gavilar instructed six years ago, though the burden of his necessary cruelties weighs heavily on him.