The Stormlight Archive/Characters

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Kaladin (AKA Kaladin Stormblessed)
The Hero of the story so far, and one of several viewpoint characters, Kaladin started as just your average son of a middleclass citizen. His father was a Surgeon, which is very high up for a Darkeyes. After he became a slave, he winds up in the ownership of Highprince Sadeas and decides to try one more time. He vows to protect his bridge crew.


 * The Ace
 * Author Avatar: Probably not to any great extent, but he shares at least one important bit of background with his author--both of them had parents who wanted them to go into medicine, but they ended up doing something else.
 * Badass Abnormal:.
 * Chronic Hero Syndrome He always tries to save people, he usually fails, in the beginning.
 * Combat Medic
 * Dead Little Brother
 * Driven to Suicide: Very nearly
 * Failure Knight
 * Good Angel, Bad Angel: If Syl acts as his Good Angel then the aspect of himself which he calls 'the Wretch' (representing his apathy) fulfills the role of Bad Angel.
 * Hurting Hero: Such a lot.
 * I Should Have Been Better: Feels this way about his failure to protect his brother.
 * Knight Templar Big Brother To his little brother
 * Survivor Guilt
 * The Hero
 * Took a Level In Badass
 * Walking Disaster Area: Lampshaded constantly throughout the book.

Highprince Dalinar Kholin (AKA: The Blackthorn)
The second major character of the first book, one of ten Alethi highprinces, fighting a war with the nominal aid of the other highprinces to avenge the assassination of his brother, the former king. Once renowned for his raw martial prowess, he is now plagued with doubts about his people's culture and the war they are fighting, and also by strange visions that seem to be of the distant mostly-forgotten past and which contain hints of a dark future that may be in store.
 * A Father to His Men
 * The Fettered: Adheres to his chosen code of conduct despite ridicule from his rivals and complaints from his son, and
 * Four Star Badass
 * Honor Before Reason Accused of it by his enemies.
 * Laser-Guided Amnesia:, he has no memory of his wife other then the fact she existed, and can't even hear her name properly when it's spoken.
 * Warrior Prince
 * Word of God: Dalinar was the first character Sanderson came up with for the series, and he "is the soul of the series, for me."
 * Word of God: Dalinar was the first character Sanderson came up with for the series, and he "is the soul of the series, for me."

Adolin Kholin
Dalinar's elder son and heir. Worries throughout the novel over his father's visions,. He has a love for dueling (in fact, it's his religious Calling) and doesn't take well to his father's insistence to follow the Codes.
 * Foil: According to Word of God, Sanderson created Adolin to have a contrasting viewpoint to Dalinar.
 * Hot Blooded
 * Serial Romeo: Constantly switching girlfriends, it's lampshaded by his brother on several occasions.

Shallan Davar
The third main viewpoint character in the first book, a young woman undertaking a desperate plan to save her family from destitution. She takes up a wardship with Jasnash Kholin to steal her Soulcaster, but finds this difficult as she begins to enjoy learning.
 * Deadpan Snarker: Seems to have a compulsion to make witty remarks at almost any opportunity.
 * Hidden Depths: According to Word of Brandon, the scene with her  "means what you think it means".
 * For those who haven't read it yet,  Given her culture's sharply defined gender roles, it's practically unheard of , much less someone with the image she tries to present in public.
 * Impoverished Patrician; Her father racked up a ton of debts and even more ill-will before he died.
 * Lonely Rich Kid: Her father sheltered her a great deal, she didn't get out much until the events of the story.
 * Parental Favouritism: She was the only child in the family that her father never abused and rarely got angry with.
 * Photographic Memory: She can remember any scene perfectly with a bit of effort and a blink, and then forget it later, after sketching it. This is probably a supernatural ability.
 * Photographic Memory: She can remember any scene perfectly with a bit of effort and a blink, and then forget it later, after sketching it. This is probably a supernatural ability.

Szeth-son-son-Vallano, Truthless of Shinovar
The Assassin In White sent to kill the former Alethi king, gets several viewpoint sections of his own throughout The Way Of Kings. His title of "Truthless" is never quite explained,
 * Extreme Doormat: He will do anything the person who holds his Oathstone orders, except commit suicide or give up his Shardblade.
 * Gravity Master: The thing that makes him so deadly, since nobody else understands his abilities or how to counter them.
 * Magic Knight: More like a magic ninja really.
 * My Master Right or Wrong
 * Person of Mass Destruction: Even most Shardbearers don't stand much of a chance.

Jasnah Kholin
Niece of Dalinar Kholin, and sister of the current reigning king of Alethkar, a famous scholar and an infamous heretic. During the length of the book, she remains in Kharbranth, studying something ( . She is very dedicated to her research, and belongs to a somewhat obscure order of historians that search for the truth in history.
 * Badass Bookworm: She uses Soulcasting to great effect against some random thugs resulting in three of them being vaporized and one Taken for Granite... and then orders Shallan to treat her actions as a problem for research into ethics.
 * Hollywood Atheist: Shallan initially assumes her to be this, actually averted, while she can be brusque and somewhat of an Insufferable Genius at times, she's a genuinely good person who shows tolerance and respect for Shallan's religious beliefs.
 * Stern Teacher
 * Stern Teacher

Sylphrena "Syl"
A mysterious Spren who follows Kaladin throughout his enslavement. Usually taking on the appearance of a young woman she attempts to encourage Kaladin and keep him from giving up hope.
 * Anthropomorphic Personification : All spren appear to be this to some degree. Though initially believed to be a simple windspren by Kaladin
 * Familiar: Shares a bond with Kaladin through which she gains greater sentience and he gains.
 * Good Angel, Bad Angel: Performs the role of Good Angel for Kaladin.
 * Invisible to Normals: Is usually only visible to those she allows to see her, but some people, such as Rock, are born with the ability to see her, and maybe any spren.
 * It could be that Rock's people have enough to see her.
 * Invisible Jerkass: May have a heart of gold but she does enjoy playing pranks, usually only appearing afterwards to laugh at her victim.
 * Mystical Waif: Of the six inch high variety.
 * Non-Human Sidekick
 * Shape Shifter: Can seemingly take any form but usually chooses to appear as a young woman about a handspan tall.
 * Spirit Advisor
 * Wham Line: "I am

King Taravangian
The king of the small city-state, Kharbranth. He is thought somewhat dull by his peers. However, he is well-liked due to funding hospitals throughout the city for those who can't afford medical care.
 * Obfuscating Stupidity: Most of the other lighteyes in Kharbranth consider Taravangian somewhat slow and unskilled at politics.
 * Not exactly "obfuscating":.

The King's Wit
The King's Wit is a traditional position held in the Alethi court. The job of the Wit is to make fun of the highprinces and others in the court, so that the King does not have to "sully" himself and give insults. The current King's Wit is very good at his job. However, his comments have a weight to them, and he appears to know more than he lets on, though what he knows more about is left vague. He helps Dalinar and Adolin on more than one occasion, both with jokes and serious advice, "Wit: Sadeas, I don't believe you've ever paid me a sphere. Though, no, please, don't offer. I can't take your money, as I know how many others you must pay to get what you wish of them.
 * Deadpan Snarker: Wit's entire job is to be this. He spends every feast thrown by the King just sitting by the entrance, insulting everyone who walks in with an easy, practiced air. He also mocks Sadeas, one of the most powerful highprinces, several times.

Sadeas: A whore joke, Wit? Is that the best you can manage?

Wit: Each man has his place. Mine is to make insults. Yours is to be in-sluts."


 * The Jester: His role practically mimics that of the medieval court jester, as he is allowed (and required) to insult members of the court.
 * Obfuscating Stupidity: Dalinar believes that Wit knows more than he should,