TheLazyOwl

I really appreciate you taking so much time to break down everything I wrote. I learned a LOT about the Roshar timeline posting this.

Oh! I didn't even think about the timeline of when the Diagram was actually made. Thanks for the heads up!

The first time I read "The Way of Kings," a couple of things about Taravangian slipped by me because I didn't realize how significant a character he would eventually be. Could he be involved in Kaladin and Shallan's lives this early? Much of this revelation came to me during my reread when I realized that Kharbranth is a city-state. This leads me to believe that anyone associated with Kharbranth has the potential to be connected with Taravangian. Kaladin Kaladin's first flashback introduces two intriguing elements. Firstly, Lirin worked as a courier in Kharbranth. Secondly, Kaladin was to be sent there to train as a surgeon. So, my first question: has Lirin ever met Taravangian? He is described as being a courier, which feels very vague to me, especially when it is being told to a 12-year-old Kaladin. What were you movin', Lirin? My second question: Kaladin was supposed to train as a surgeon in Kharbranth. Would this have led to Kaladin being under the tutelage of Taravangian instead of Dalinar? Did someone "save" Kaladin from ending up in Kharbranth, or was it just fate or coincidence? Shallan On reread, I noticed something crazy I had missed before. Shallan meets Jasnah in Kharbranth. Coincidence? It is explicitly stated that Jasnah never intended to meet Shallan; she was essentially dodging her. Why is Shallan still in Kharbranth that day? She had to save a granddaughter in distress! She soulcasts some rock away (with a fake Soulcaster). My theory is that Shallan was only able to petition Jasnah because of how tired Jasnah was from soulcasting that day. Sanderson makes it clear that she is very exhausted back at the Palanaeum. By the way, whose granddaughter was that? Taravangian's! We even know this was planned by Taravangian. In a paraphrased conversation: Darkness: Ok. Um… did Taravangian arrange for his granddaughter to be trapped so he could see Jasnah soulcasting? Brandon Sanderson: Um, he used an opportunity that he could've gotten to through a multitude of ways to check on some things. But it is his granddaughter, and she really was in danger. Darkness: Yep, he really did seem concerned. Brandon Sanderson: Yes. (I would post the link to the WOB but I believe is Spam filtered be cause of it. (Side note: He laments in this chapter that his granddaughter could be saved if ONLY someone had a Shardblade. He is literally in the presence of two women with Nahel bonds.) In essence, my main theory is, is this a coincidence, or has Taravangian meddled in the lives of Kaladin and Shallan? I'm about 50% through my reread of "The Way of Kings," so I'm still looking for more Taravangian plotting!