The Agreement of Champions

[BraDDsTeR]

Is the Agreement of champions between Dalinar and Odium honored by the Intent of Odium or is it honored between Dalinar and Rayse?

Although T-Odium discussed wanting to go through with the agreement could he back out or change the Agreement without breaking it and leaving him vulnerable to Cultivation (as Rayse mentioned) due to the Agreement being with Rayse rather than Taravangian. 

[RIP Sureblood]

I don't think he can back out, the contract was sealed with Odium's power, so to speak, so Todium inhereted that

[Knight of Iron she/they]

Yep, whoever holds the Shard of Odium is bound by everything Rayse agreed to, using his authority. Kind of comparable to someone holding a position. For example, the next US president, Biden, will still be bound by the deals/agreements of his predecessor, just as he was before him, and etc. The deal wasn't with the person, but with the entity. Same thing with Odium.

[Guest]

I have a further question about this. Let's assume there is some promise made by Rayse. Rayse specifically said he keeps the spirit as well as the letter of the agreement. Is Taravagian required to do that? Also, let's assume he is. What if some action was considered by Rayse to be violating the spirit but Taravagian doesn't think so? Would Taravagian be allowed to perform that action? Which is to say, what determines the allowable actions of a shard? The current vessel's interpretation or the swearing vessel's interpretation? 

[teknopathetic he/him]

It is insane to me that Dalinar didn't ask what the battle entails....How can someone consent to something they dont understand?

[XaviGzz]

8 hours ago, DougTheRug said:

What if some action was considered by Rayse to be violating the spirit but Taravagian doesn't think so? Would Taravagian be allowed to perform that action? 

I think we see an example of this in the epilogue, when Todium is able to modify/remove breaths from Hoid. He says something along the lines (and bear in mind this is from memory) of "I don't think this would hurt you". Complying with the previous Shards'/Vessels' agreement of not hurting Hoid.

[Guest]

@XaviGzz I guess that could count and would be the only place we could look for answers to my question. I don't know the specific wording of the oath so I can't say for sure. I personally read it as a loophole that always existed but that Rayse didn't think of it because of his animosity toward Hoid. Taravangian not having the same grudge lets him see it. Really, the question is whether loopholes exist for Taravangian that don't exist for Rayse. 

@teknopathetic Yes, you are totally right. If the top of Urithiru is large enough, Taravangian could grab a talented archer with Shardplate to just snipe him. 

[teknopathetic he/him]

1 hour ago, DougTheRug said:

 

@teknopathetic Yes, you are totally right. If the top of Urithiru is large enough, Taravangian could grab a talented archer with Shardplate to just snipe him. 

Dalinar seems to know it just isn't a physical fight though, so what gives? Mental willpower mind fights? ASK FOR A PAMPHLET, DALINAR! Hopefully Hoid knows what a champion battle entails (unless Tod took that memory too)....