Chapter 46: Child of Tanavast
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Spoiler Notice: This page contains full chapter spoilers. If you haven’t read the chapter yet, proceed with caution.
Summary
Kaladin experiences a vivid dream in which he becomes the highstorm, sweeping across Roshar. He observes the Shattered Plains from above, noting their symmetry and a central occupied plateau. He flies over the Sea of Spears, Alethkar, and the Horneater Peaks, witnessing widespread war. Drawn to strange flashes of light, he enters a building where a pale, bald man with large Shin eyes stands over two corpses. The storm cannot linger, and Kaladin continues westward. A booming voice addresses him as “Child of Tanavast” and “Child of Honor,” declaring that the Oathpact is shattered. The voice warns that Odium comes, the most dangerous of the Sixteen, before dismissing him. Kaladin asks why there must be so much war, and the voice replies ominously, “Odium reigns.”
He wakes to find Bridge Four restraining him; they say he tried to walk into the storm. After the highstorm passes, Kaladin allows Rock to shave him clean, a symbolic shedding of his past. The men discuss the abuse of power across nations—Sigzil’s tale of Babatharnam illustrates how any system can be corrupted—and Kaladin reaffirms his hatred of lighteyes but his desire not to replace them. Gaz delivers a new bridgeman: a docile parshman. Despite the crew’s hostility, Kaladin names him Shen and insists he be treated as one of them, refusing to perpetuate the cycle of prejudice.
Later, while walking through the warcamp, Kaladin wrestles with his pattern of failing those he tries to protect. Syl is visibly shaken when he mentions Odium. He witnesses a Sadeas officer abuse a prostitute and moves to intervene, but Adolin Kholin steps in with his Shardblade, defusing the situation honorably. Adolin tosses Kaladin a sphere and asks him to deliver a message, but Kaladin pockets the sphere and refuses, unwilling to bow to any lighteyes.
Key Events
- Kaladin’s storm dream shows the Shattered Plains, worldwide war, and a murder scene.
- A divine voice names him “Child of Tanavast,” announces the Oathpact’s breaking, and reveals Odium’s reign.
- Bridge Four stops him from wandering into the storm and he gets shaved by Rock.
- Sigzil recounts the corrupt age-based rule of Babatharnam to illustrate that power abuse is universal.
- A parshman named Shen is assigned to Bridge Four; Kaladin forces the crew to accept him.
- Kaladin reflects on his repeated failures to protect those he leads.
- Adolin Kholin intervenes to defend a prostitute and his Shardblade is revealed.
- Kaladin takes Adolin’s payment but refuses to run the errand, solidifying his defiance.
Character Development
- Kaladin: The dream shakes him, and he begins to question whether his string of failures is fate or a curse. Shaving his beard marks a deliberate step toward becoming the leader he once was. His decision to accept Shen shows his refusal to become like the lighteyes he despises. Yet his bitterness toward the nobility remains, as seen when he refuses Adolin’s command.
- Syl: Her fear at the mention of Odium suggests a deep, instinctive dread tied to her nature as a spren. She encourages Kaladin’s compassion but is troubled by his growing darkness.
- Adolin Kholin: Depicted as an honorable lighteyes who uses his Shardblade to protect rather than bully—a stark contrast to Sadeas’s men.
- Shen (parshman): Introduced as the ultimate outcast, his silent compliance challenges Kaladin’s principles of equality and tests Bridge Four’s solidarity.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
- The Oathpact and Odium: The voice’s proclamation introduces a cosmic conflict underlying the world’s wars, linking Kaladin’s personal struggles to a mythic scale.
- Cycle of Abuse: Sigzil’s Babatharnam story mirrors Alethi society; Kaladin’s treatment of Shen demonstrates a conscious break from turning victim into abuser.
- Shaving the Beard: Symbolizes shedding the despair and identity of a broken slave, reclaiming the disciplined soldier he once was.
- Power and Prejudice: Parshmen are seen as subhuman by most, but Kaladin’s defiance of that norm reflects his larger fight against dehumanization.
Why This Chapter Matters
This chapter is a turning point for the novel’s mythology and Kaladin’s arc. The dream sequence delivers the most explicit information yet about the Oathpact, the Almighty (Honor/Tanavast), and the threat of Odium. It hints that the war on the Shattered Plains is not merely political but part of a deeper cosmic struggle. Kaladin’s questioning of his own “curse” sets up his eventual breakthrough as a Radiant. The inclusion of Shen previews the complexity of the parshmen/Parshendi conflict, while Adolin’s introduction showcases a different kind of lighteyes—one Kaladin will have to learn to trust. Kaladin’s refusal to deliver the message marks a stubborn independence that will later collide with Dalinar’s ideals.
Study Questions and Answers
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What does the voice in the storm reveal about the state of the world?
The voice says the Oathpact is shattered and that Odium reigns. This implies the ancient pact that kept the Voidbringers at bay is broken, and the god Odium now influences the widespread war across Roshar. -
Why does Kaladin insist that Shen be treated as a member of Bridge Four?
Kaladin recognizes that abusing the parshman would make him no better than the lighteyes who oppress darkeyes. He wants to break the cycle of dehumanization and build a crew based on mutual respect, even if Shen is an enemy by species. -
How does Kaladin’s reaction to Adolin’s request reflect his current mental state?
Kaladin’s refusal to deliver the message, despite taking the sphere, shows his deep-rooted anger at the lighteyes. He sees any acquiescence as submission, and his inability to trust a noble—even one who acted honorably—reveals how past betrayals have hardened him.