Question after recaping RoW

[Munazir]

No spoilers past Row

“Good luck, human, when he does come. You are not protected from him as many on this world are. You have made deals that exempt you from such safety.

She faded from the mirror, and Taravangian hunched over, trembling as he continued to write”

Why does making a deal with Odium mean you're no longer protected. This is from Taravangian and Sja-anat's conversation and was does Sja-anat even come to him

"This is a seal of deputation. I have legal jurisdiction in this land, as granted by your king. You will authenticate it."

How did Nale get all the kingdoms to give him these seals for him to hunt Radiants. Did he have to reveal his identity to the leaders

"We'll add a line to the contract," Wit said,

"naming me as a contractual liaison for Honor

-whom Dalinar represents. This will protect me from Odium's direct attacks for the life of the contract. He will have to abide by those terms, as they are part of the promise Rayse made by taking up the Shard of Odium. "

"I can't keep this bubble up much longer, I'm afraid," Wit said. "He'll notice if I do-and then he'll destroy me. I have violated our agreement, which exposes me to his direct action. I'd rather not be killed, as I have seven more people I wanted to insult today."

These two excerpts seem to contradict each other and who is bound in this deal Rayse or the shard and if it's Rayse does Taravangian and any new Shard have to obey this agreement

And Vyre would see him dead first. A mercy"

Why doesn't he want Kaladin to join him in service to Odium. doesn’t he view it as a good thing 

“Bless you, Renarin, Dalinar thought. For making my life unpredictable to this being. For letting me bluff.”

How does he and Renarin know Odium can’t see him because of Renarin’s future sight 

“ Tonight I found reason to have him killed, but it will take me months of planning to achieve the proper legality.”

Nale seems to follow legal action. What action could he do against Gavilar. I think he thinks he’s transferred Ulim to Roshar from Braize

 

“I was betrayed,” he finally said, “by someone I trusted. Soon after, one of us was needed to go to Thaylenah—my people, though small, like to know what is happening in the great nations of the world. I volunteered. So I wouldn’t have to be around the one who had treated me so.”

do we know who betrayed Nikli? Is the one of the Sleepless who works for the Ghostbloods?

Edited July 16, 2025 by Munazir

[Treamayne]

3 hours ago, Munazir said:

"This is a seal of deputation. I have legal jurisdiction in this land, as granted by your king. You will authenticate it."

How did Nale get all the kingdoms to give him these seals for him to hunt Radiants. Did he have to reveal his identity to the leaders

Not necessarily, as shown in WoR I-9 he has had ample time to learn and memorize the policies of all Roshar's nations. He basically weaponized bureaucracy.

Spoiler

“I am here,” Darkness said, “for a thief.”

“Do you realize where you are? How dare you interrupt—”

“I have,” Darkness said, “the proper forms.” He spoke completely without emotion. No annoyance at being challenged, no arrogance or pomposity. Nothing at all. One of his minions entered behind him, a man in a black and silver uniform, less ornamented. He proffered a neat stack of papers to his master.

“Forms are all well and good,” the vizier said. “But this is not the time, constable, for—”

Lift bolted.

<snip>

“I am highly disturbed by the nature of this incursion, constable,” the lead vizier said, shuffling through the stack of papers that Darkness had dropped. “Your paperwork is in order, and I see you even included a plea—granted by the arbiters—to search the palace itself for this urchin. Surely you did not need to disturb a holy conclave. For a common thief, no less.”

“Justice waits upon no man or woman,” Darkness said, completely calm.

3 hours ago, Munazir said:

“ Tonight I found reason to have him killed, but it will take me months of planning to achieve the proper legality.”

Nale seems to follow legal action. What action could he do against Gavilar. I think he thinks he’s transferred Ulim to Roshar from Braize

We don't know what action he would have taken. We can guess it would have to do with mobilizing the other Vorin Nations to finding Gavilar guilty of breaking Vorin law, and therefore open to international action to remove him from his position - but that is just deductive speculation. I don't think he was referencing Ulim in this quote though, it was about whatever happened at his meeting with Gavilar that we did not see (when Eshonai saw them depart in the Oathbringer Prologue):

Spoiler

She was always wandering off, poking into things, peeking into doors …

And finding the king?

Eshonai froze, the door cracked open, allowing her to see into a lush room with a thick red rug and bookshelves lining the walls. So much information just lying around, casually ignored. More surprisingly, King Gavilar himself stood pointing at something on a table, surrounded by five others: two officers, two women in long dresses, and one old man in robes.

Why wasn’t Gavilar at the feast? Why weren’t there guards at the door?

3 hours ago, Munazir said:

And Vyre would see him dead first. A mercy"

Why doesn't he want Kaladin to join him in service to Odium. doesn’t he view it as a good thing 

It's not stated directly, but it's implied that Moash sees himself as a mirror to Kaladin - forever lesser and in his shadow. He would not admit it to himself, but he wants to beat Kaladin - so he lies to himself saying it is a mercy to see him dead (rather than just his ego). 

3 hours ago, Munazir said:

“I was betrayed,” he finally said, “by someone I trusted. Soon after, one of us was needed to go to Thaylenah—my people, though small, like to know what is happening in the great nations of the world. I volunteered. So I wouldn’t have to be around the one who had treated me so.”

do we know who betrayed Nikli? Is the one of the Sleepless who works for the Ghostbloods?

We don't even know how much of that is true, since he was still under-cover at that point - it could be entirely false, or just a bending of truth (if referencing Arclomedarian or the traitor swarms - substituting "I" for "we") Later in that chapter - Dawnshard Ch 6:

Spoiler

Arclomedarian crosses us again, said Yelamaiszin, the First. It meddles more and more. It has met with these new Radiants.

Are we certain it was wrong to do so? Nikli asked. Perhaps that was the wise move.

You are young, Yelamaiszin sent, calm and sure. Youth is beneficial in some ways. You learn faster than us, for example. Nikli could imitate humans better than the others. When the swarm that had become Nikli had been Separated, it had already contained hordelings evolved for this subterfuge. Nikli had further evolved them, and was now certain that the body didn’t need the tattoos to cover the seams in its skin.

Arclomedarian is dangerous, Nikli sent. I can see this. But it is not as dangerous as the true traitors.

Both are equally dangerous, Yelamaiszin sent. Trust us. 

If there was one specific Sleepless that betrayed him, we do not know who or how.

 

3 hours ago, Munazir said:

“Bless you, Renarin, Dalinar thought. For making my life unpredictable to this being. For letting me bluff.”

How does he and Renarin know Odium can’t see him because of Renarin’s future sight 

This was explained earlier in RoW - Ch 54:

Spoiler

See the blackness that will be, Renarin? Glys said.

“Friction between the two of you,” Renarin said, pointing up at the stained glass. “And a blackness interfering, marring the beauty of the window. Like a sickness infecting both of you, at the edges.”

“Curious,” Dalinar said, looking where Renarin had pointed, though he’d see only empty air. “I wonder if we’ll ever know what that represents.”

“Oh, that one’s easy, Father,” Renarin said. “That’s me.”

“Renarin, I don’t think you should see yourself as—”

“You needn’t try to protect my ego, Father. When Glys and I bonded, we became … something new. We see the future. At first I was confused at my place—but I’ve come to understand. What I see interferes with Odium’s ability. Because I can see possibilities of the future, my knowledge changes what I will do. Therefore, his ability to see my future is obscured. Anyone close to me is difficult for him to read.”

“I find that comforting,” Dalinar said

 

3 hours ago, Munazir said:

Quote

 

“Good luck, human, when he does come. You are not protected from him as many on this world are. You have made deals that exempt you from such safety.

She faded from the mirror, and Taravangian hunched over, trembling as he continued to write”

 

Why does making a deal with Odium mean you're no longer protected. This is from Taravangian and Sja-anat's conversation and was does Sja-anat even come to him
 

Quote

 

"We'll add a line to the contract," Wit said,

"naming me as a contractual liaison for Honor

-whom Dalinar represents. This will protect me from Odium's direct attacks for the life of the contract. He will have to abide by those terms, as they are part of the promise Rayse made by taking up the Shard of Odium. "

 

Quote

"I can't keep this bubble up much longer, I'm afraid," Wit said. "He'll notice if I do-and then he'll destroy me. I have violated our agreement, which exposes me to his direct action. I'd rather not be killed, as I have seven more people I wanted to insult today."

These two excerpts seem to contradict each other and who is bound in this deal Rayse or the shard and if it's Rayse does Taravangian and any new Shard have to obey this agreement

Something we don't know the full details of prevents Shards from directly taking action against mortals unless there is a specific Connection that allows such action (such as Taravangian's or Moash's deal with Odium - otherwise Odium could have just killed Kaladin or Dalinar even before they were bonded Radiants. Wit does not have that protection, likely because of his roll in the Shattering. Deals are another kind of Oath, they Connect the person to the Shard and allow influence (good and bad) that would notmally be prohibited (or possible, but would open the Shard to attacks by other Shards by breaking that prohibition). Rayse partially explains it in Ch 112:

Spoiler

Yes. But what if you break your word? You’ve delayed longer than you should have. What if you refuse to send a champion?”

“I cannot break my word,” Odium said, the heat increasing. “I basically am incapable of it.”

“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. But that is not going to happen, and I am not going to break my word. Because if I did, it would create a hole in my soul—which would let Cultivation kill me.

“I am no fool, and you are a man of honor. We will both approach this contest in good faith, Dalinar. This isn’t some deal with a Voidbringer from your myths, where one tricks the other with some silly twist of language. A willing champion from each of us and a fight to the death. They will meet on the top of Urithiru. No tricks, no lies.”

I think I got them all.

Hope that helps. 

Edited July 17, 2025 by Treamayne
SPAG