Mrall

[Moogle]

Mrall is interesting. He's Taravangian's head jailor, and he determines whether or not Taravangian is too smart or too stupid.

 

 

Maben stepped forward to set out the meal, but Mrall— a Thaylen man in a black leather cuirass who wore both his head and eyebrows shaved— stopped her with a hand to the arm.

 

He apparently has this illustrious position because of a curious quirk of his: he can turn off his emotions at will, making him the most capable of viewing Taravangian without bias (though this is speculation):

 

“How is it out there?” Taravangian asked softly, picking at his meal, which had gone cold during the testing.

“Horrible,” Mrall said with a grin. “Just as we wanted it.”

“Do not take pleasure in suffering,” Taravangian replied. “Even when it is a work of our hands.” He took a bite of the mush. “Particularly when it is a work of our hands.”

“As you wish. I will do so no more.”

“Can you really change that easily?” Taravangian asked. “Turn off your emotions on a whim?”

“Of course,” Mrall said.

 

As speculation, I'd say that Mrall is a Dysian Aimian, and that they can change their emotions like Siah Aimians change their bodies. Difficult to say. Perhaps he shaves his head and eyebrows because the color of his hair is a pure blue or something. Anyone have any thoughts to add on him?

 

Perhaps he drew stares because of his blue nails and crystalline deep blue eyes. Aimians—even Siah Aimians—were rare.

 

“I wonder if you could do that to a man. Pull him apart, emotion by emotion, bit by bit, bloody chunk by bloody chunk. Then combine them back together into something else, like a Dysian Aimian. If you do put a man together like that, Dalinar, be sure to name him Gibberish, after me. Or perhaps Gibletish.” “Is that your name,

 

[Veil]

Interesting theory. Personally, I figured if there was something mystical going on, it had to do with the Nightwatcher. Like maybe he went to her to ask for help healing after he lost someone he loved, and she gave him the ability to turn off his emotions.

 

But him not really being Thaylen would explain the shaved eyebrows...

[thejopen27]

Mrall did strike me as slightly off, but he might just be a sociopath.  What Taravagian himself is doing seems very wrong. I find it odd that the only brilliant plan he could come up with involves putting himself in charge not to mention he is weakening humanity's chances against Odium.  I think Taravangian will be one of the main villains in the books and will oppose Dalinar and the Knights Radiant as the knights will be a threat to his plan for world domination.  Brandon gives us the clues right in Taravangian's chapter, the smarter he is the less compassion he has, so at his smartest he would have the least empathy so by following his plan he may be destroying the world.  

[Argent]

Sociopath was my guess as well. He is not actually changing his emotions on demand, he is changing what he displays outwardly - which is easy for him, as the decision is on par with the decision about whether I am going to scratch my nose with the left or right arm.

 

This being said, I like the idea that he is an Aimian, but different from Axies. It's not really supported, but is compelling nonetheless.