Chapter 13: Negotiations – Summary and Analysis

Spoiler Notice: This page contains full spoilers for Oathbringer through Chapter 13. If you have not read this far, you may wish to start with the book hub.

Summary

Dalinar and his advisors begin spanreed diplomacy from Urithiru, reaching out to the monarchs of Roshar to build a coalition against the Voidbringers. His first contact is with the Azish emperor Yanagawn, whose court responds with maddening politeness but refuses every substantive request—insisting their Oathgate is destroyed, briefly mentioning they are negotiating with the enemy, then hastily withdrawing the claim. Queen Fen of Thaylenah proves more direct, describing a city devastated by the Everstorm and parshmen who stole her fleet, but she too declines to visit Urithiru. Across multiple conversations, Dalinar grows frustrated by the familiar dance of political half-answers.

The chapter pivots when Elhokar, having observed the negotiations, declares Dalinar his highking and kneels before witnesses. After Dalinar insists on formal terms, Elhokar reveals his desire to lead a covert mission to Kholinar, restore the city’s Oathgate, and rescue Alethkar—requesting Kaladin as his insurance against failure. As Dalinar reels from this upheaval, a spanreed delivers an unexpected message: King Taravangian has found a Radiant in his own lands, tested the Oathgate, and eagerly pledges his support. Someone, at last, is willing to join the fight.

Key Events

  • Dalinar and his team initiate spanreed contact with the Azish emperor, but the conversations yield only evasive compliments, a false claim about a destroyed Oathgate, and a retracted admission of Voidbringer negotiations.
  • Queen Fen of Thaylenah reports that her parshmen stole the city’s best ships and sailed away after the Everstorm ravaged the infrastructure.
  • Dalinar offers troops to Thaylenah but suspects Fen is hiding reservations about an Alethi army appearing inside her city via the Oathgate.
  • Brief overtures to Yezier and Tashikk produce no commitments; Dalinar recognizes he cannot rally the Makabaki kingdoms without Azir’s blessing.
  • Elhokar abdicates his authority to Dalinar as highking, then volunteers to lead a small team—including Kaladin—to Kholinar to unlock the palace Oathgate.
  • King Taravangian sends word that a Radiant has emerged in his realm, tested the Oathgate, and pledged full cooperation with Dalinar’s coalition.

Character Development

Dalinar wrestles with the ghosts of his past as a conqueror, noting that memories of bloodshed and smoke have grown more vivid. The political frustrations on the Shattered Plains repeat themselves, and he questions whether his honest approach is a weakness. Yet when Elhokar kneels, Dalinar refuses to accept a theatrical abdication without legal clarity—showing he values substance over spectacle.

Elhokar undergoes a stark transformation. No longer petulant or entitled, he speaks with fatalistic humility, acknowledges his limitations, and formally subordinates himself to his uncle. His plan to reclaim Kholinar—and his insistence on bringing Kaladin so that “Alethkar is in safe hands regardless”—demonstrates a level of self-awareness he has never before possessed.

Navani serves as the tactical counterpoint, reading political subtext, pressing for directness, and recognizing when Fen’s bluntness signals trust. She also manages the diplomatic team with practiced ease.

The Stormfather delivers a rare, stinging remark: telling Dalinar that some things are better left forgotten, specifically referencing the hole in Dalinar’s mind and the person who once filled it. This cryptic line deepens the mystery of Dalinar’s missing memories.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

The Burden of Leadership Revisited. The chapter frames leadership as a repeating cycle of frustration. Dalinar notes he is “trying to unite people who didn’t want to listen” exactly as he did with the highprinces, underscoring that even a legendary Radiant cannot escape the grind of politics.

Windows as Defiance. The enormous glass windows of Urithiru, built above the storms, symbolize the ancient Radiants’ ambition to transcend worldly pettiness. Dalinar’s longing gaze through them mirrors his desire to rise above the maneuvering of the Azish court.

Blood and Smoke Memories. Dalinar’s sudden flash of conquering instincts—the scent of smoke, the screams—hints that the Blackthorn’s past methods are surfacing, perhaps as a temptation when diplomacy fails. The Stormfather’s mention of a hole in Dalinar’s mind directly connects this motif to the larger mystery of his forgotten history.

Legalistic Culture as Narrative Texture. The Azish reliance on affidavits, certification, and recorded annals creates a distinct cultural texture that contrasts with the Alethi preference for martial directness, enriching the story’s worldbuilding while serving as a realistic obstacle.

Why This Chapter Matters

“Negotiations” is a critical pacing and worldbuilding chapter that expands the geopolitical scope of the war against the Voidbringers. After the battle of the Everstorm, readers might expect swift mobilization; instead, Sanderson depicts the grinding reality of forging an alliance among suspicious, traumatized nations. The chapter also seeds several major plot threads: the revelation that parshmen can sail and draft contracts radically complicates the enemy’s portrait, while Elhokar’s abdication and planned Kholinar mission set up a future arc with Kaladin as his reluctant companion. Finally, Taravangian’s eager acceptance—given what readers may suspect about him from previous books—lands with dramatic irony, promising that this alliance is not as straightforward as Dalinar believes.

Study Questions and Answers

  1. Why does the Azish emperor retreat from his claim about negotiating with the Voidbringers?
    Teshav suggests the Azish accidentally revealed more information than intended. The slip indicates the parshmen are capable of organized diplomacy, which is alarming, but the Azish court is more concerned with protecting its strategic position than sharing intelligence freely.

  2. What does Elhokar’s decision to abdicate reveal about his growth as a character?
    Elhokar admits his own limitations with remarkable clarity, acknowledging that the world needs a leader greater than himself. His willingness to step down without resentment—and to frame his Kholinar mission as a way to contribute despite his failings—shows that his brush with death has stripped away much of his earlier insecurity and pride.

  3. How does Queen Fen’s communication style differ from the Azish approach, and what does this tell the reader about Thaylen culture?
    Fen writes in her own hand, uses insults, and exaggerates her exasperation on the page. Navani interprets this bluntness as a sign of trust, while the Azish default to elaborate courtesy and plausible deniability. The contrast emphasizes that Thaylenah values directness, even brashness, and that Fen is willing to engage with Dalinar on something like equal footing.