Gavilar's Secret

[Tuhian]

It seems to me that Gavilar is the link between all the groups and organisations across Roshar. He possessed a certain knowledge which he ironically shared with everyone but his own family which now has kind of formed the Knight Radiants. Starting with the followers of Diagram, we see that Taravangian in his moment of reflection after he becomes the king of Jah Keved thinking about how he had followed Gavilar’s instructions to unify the world for survival and he also knew that Gavilar had visions from Honor which foretold of the Everstorm.

Also, Amaram when he sneaks in to inspect Taln and steal the shardblade wonders that the heralds are real and murmurs “Gavilar, we have done it. We have finally done it” which leads me to think that Amaram and Sons of Honor’s motivations are also linked to Gavilar. Though I don’t know what exactly Gavilar has shared with them, probably something about the return of the Heralds and facing the Desolations. This could be something similar to what the Envisagers wanted maybe, where they tried to bring back Knight Radiants the Restares are trying to get back the Heralds, I mean they want the dominance of the Church and they would want their Gods back to help them survive. 

The Parshendi of course knew what Gavilar was planning. On the shattered plains when Adolin was facing Eshonai in his father’s shardplate, she says that Gavilar was trying to bring their gods back and that would have led to complete destruction. As their gods had once forced the forms upon them and the only way they could have freedom was by devolving to the dullform. (this makes me think that the Parshmen and Parshedi are of Odium). 

Even the Ghostbloods, before dying Gavilar thought Szeth was sent by Thaidakar, the man who leads the Ghostblood.

And the Heralds were also involved as Nalan was there at the treaty signing party and they were discussing how their conditions are getting worse specifically mentioning Ash (shalash). Also, Nalan reveals to Lift that what she is must be stopped as it would return desolation so maybe they were there to stop Gavilar as he wanted to refound the Knight Radiants.

So, it seems to me like every road leads to Gavilar. Something is happening that all these secret societies know and Gavilar was the trigger that started the chain of events by discovering the secret that led to his assassination by the Parshendi bringing the fate of Roshar together. And now everyone is either following or trying to stop Gavilar’s work by attempting to unify mankind or trying to stop the desolation.

 

Edited March 29, 2014 by Tuhian

[Edgedancer]

Gavilar wanted to return the Parshendi gods, which most likely are the Unmade, or at the very least accepted that as a consequence. This makes me belife that he had a similar goal to Amaram.  He might have wanted to unite the world just how he united Alethkar and the Diagram was the backup plan in case they messed up.

Although, from what we see I get the impression that Mr T would prefer not having a Desolation in the first place, so Gavilar either played him or after his death the factions went haywire.

 

I also find it interesting that his first thought for Szeths employer went to the Ghostbloods, if Thaidakar is their boss, that would imply that they wanted to stop the desolation. Still doesn´t tell us what their goal is.

[Tamzin Ashevai]

Tuhian, I think you've hit the nail on he head, so to speak.

[Green Hoodie Mistborn]

I think Gavilar's secret was the visions and his plans... 

 

The visions gave him the plan to unite "them" which since he had just finished uniting Athlekar, it meant now the whole world as well as refounding the Knights Radiant. He shared his plan with T and Amaram (his BFF's?), Thiadakar, and the Parshendi. Why he shared it with everyone BUT his family... who knows right now.

 

Gavilar is killed by the Parshendi after sharing his plans to refound the knights radiant, as they feared the return of their gods, using the Honorblade wielding Shin to kill Gavilar (in a spectacular manner). How they got Szeth is still a mystery, I'm thinking Ghostbloods had a hand in it though. 

 

After Gavilar dies, T and Amaram disagree on how best to follow Gavilar's plan/visions. Not receiving them themselves, they split and found a couple of different groups. T goes to the Nightwatcher to get a Boon, writes the Diagram on his best day, now follows it as best they can. Meanwhile Amaram's group is trying to encourage the return of the voidbringers which will encourage the spren to bond with humans again, thus refounding the Knights Radiant. 

[FirstSelector]

Gavilar knew something in addition to the visions that Dalinar received, as evidenced by the anti-glowing black sphere and his dying request.  While I am reluctant to speculate as to the exact interaction between Gavilar and the various secret societies, he knew enough about their plans to instruct Szeth to keep the sphere away from others.  Furthermore, he knew enough about the Knights Radiant (and their progression of Ideals) to tell Dalinar to "find the most important words a man can say."

 

Also note that the visions were sent to (at least) one other person, who I can only suspect would have been a Bondsmith if he had not been killed by Taravangian.  So unless the visions varied wildly in scope, we might suspect that Dalinar and Gavilar saw approximately the same visions.  Furthermore, if we make the reasonable assumption that the Stormfather was required to send all of the visions, then Dalinar has seen nothing else of particular note.

 

(As an aside, if several Heralds are involved with taking out potential Knights then perhaps that is why that particular subject was picked up by Taravangian.)

 

Taken together along with the fact that several Heralds attended the feast makes me think that Gavilar knew something more than what is revealed by the visions.  The Heralds had a hand in (and perhaps even orchestrated) his assassination, and whatever he did was directly related to the return of the spren.

[Green Hoodie Mistborn]

Where does it say that someone other than Gavilar and Dalinar received the visions? I must have missed that part in my reading...

[WeiryWriter]

Where does it say that someone other than Gavilar and Dalinar received the visions? I must have missed that part in my reading...

 

The Death Rattle epigraph for chapter 66 of WoK has this attribution:

 

 

Kaktach 1173, 16 seconds pre-death. A middle-aged potter. Reported seeing strange dreams during highstorms during the last two years.

[Green Hoodie Mistborn]

The Death Rattle epigraph for chapter 66 of WoK has this attribution:

 

Great catch, I did NOT remember that

[Tuhian]

Also note that the visions were sent to (at least) one other person, who I can only suspect would have been a Bondsmith if he had not been killed by Taravangian.

My thoughts exactly, people who receive visions probably have the attributes of a bondsmith (Piousness/ Guidance). I mean Gavilar having these visions from Honor to unite Alethkar and actually succeeding to do them does sounds suspiciously like the work of a bondsmith.

 

I also see a recurring pattern which suggests that Gavilar was trying to bring back the ancient ways through the return of Parshendi’s Gods, the Heralds (with Amaram) and re-establishing the Knight Radiants (his visions). But the return of the old ways would also mean the return of desolation which would explain why the Heralds would want to stop that because after every desolation they have to go to the place of torture (or atleast one of them) to maintain the Oathpact and the Parshendi would not have wanted to be slaves to their gods again. So, yes I agree that not just the Parshendi but also the Heralds had a played a part in Gavilar’s assassination, the two groups that would benefit the most. Also one of the Heralds says “That creature carries my lord’s own Blade. We shouldn’t have let him keep it.” It clealy refers to Szeth possessing the Honor blade.  And if Gavilar was a Bondsmith or even a potential knight radiant, it would make more sense why Heralds would want him dead or why he knew of the Radiant’s oaths. I mean towards his end Gavilar went through a transformation in a very short time and had also stopped wearing his shardplate, giving it to Tearim. (similar to how Kaladin never took up another Radiants’ shardplate or blade and Dalinar giving up his, before becoming Knight Radiants themselves).

 

What bothers me is that, isn’t assassination kind of an underhanded act, something unlawful, so why did Nalan not follow his principles of Justice to kill the King.