The Contract [Discuss]

[Bejarden]

So I’ve seen it thrown around that if Dalinar breaks the Contract Odium can free himself 

So what is everyone’s thoughts on that; Would it work?

If it did what if someone like Jasnah broke the Contract?

And what if Dalinar appointed someone to break it for him

I would put this in Q&A but it’s an RoW spoiler 

Hope to see everyone’s thoughts!

[+mdross81]

Thanks for the interesting questions @Bejardin1250. Here’s my take.

The Stormfather tells us in OB 38 that Odium is sealed by the powers of Honor and Cultivation. So I don’t think he’s completely free if Dalinar breaks the contract, because ostensibly Cultivation’s powers would still be holding him (unless it required both of them together to seal him; we just don’t know).

But there do some to be limitations that would fall away simply by virtue of Dalinar, the representative of Honor, being in Odium’s power. In OB 57, Odium speaks with Dalinar:

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“Did you know that? You are deeply connected to the remnants of a god.”

“Whom you killed.”

“Yes. I’ll kill the other one too, eventually. She’s hidden herself somewhere, and I’m too … shackled.”

And later in the same conversation after Dalinar asks what would be the consequences of him releasing Odium:

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“Well, first I’d see to Cultivation’s death.”

Presumably the reason he’d do this first is to completely free himself.

All of that said, there is this in RoW 112:

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“Basically?” Dalinar pressed. “What happens, Odium, if you break your word.”

“Then the contract is void, and I am in your power. Same, but reversed, if you break the contract. You would be in my power, and the restrictions Honor placed upon me—chaining me to the Rosharan system and preventing me from using my powers on most individuals—would be void.

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“Let me finish,” he said. “In exchange for you giving up one thing you wanted, I will give up one in turn. If I win, I will give up my grand plans for Roshar. I will leave this planet for a thousand years, and abandon all I’ve worked for here. I give you and the singers freedom to make your own peace. Freedom for you, and freedom for me.

“This is all I ask for my victory: As you represent Honor, you can relax his prohibitions on me. No matter what happens in the contest, you never have to worry about me again. All I want is away from this miserable system.”

These passages seems to suggest that Dalinar alone could grant Odium freedom from the Rosharan system. I’ll note that this conversation takes place after Dalinar “Ascends” at the end of OB. So maybe that is the difference. Or maybe, just like the Oathpact, only one of Honor or Cultivation needs to agree to free Odium to make it possible.

So where does that leave things? At a bare minimum Odium would be “unshackled” and free to pursue and try to kill Cultivation. But it could be the case that, with Dalinar in his power, Odium would simply be free.

In terms of your other questions, my read is that there is one provision of the contract that explicitly requires each side to maintain discipline in their forces:

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On the tenth day of the month Palah, tenth hour. We each send a willing champion, allowed to meet at the top of Urithiru, otherwise unharmed by either side’s forces.

This line about the champions being otherwise unharmed by either side’s forces is the only provision where I think someone other than Dalinar could potentially break the contract. So, Jasnah? Definitely part of Dalinar’s forces and if she harmed Odium’s champ (or, frankly, Dalinar’s champ based on the plain language) that would break the contract. Ditto to anyone that Dalinar explicitly sends to harm either champ.

Outside of this provision, I don’t think anyone but Dalinar could break the contract for Team Dalinar.

[disregard the spoiler/quote boxes below; I just hit the wrong button and couldn’t figure out how to delete them on my phone]

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