Tanavast

Tanavast was the original Vessel of the Shard Honor. Before his Ascension, he was a Yolish tanner.
== Appearance and Personality ==
=== Appearance ===
In one of Dalinar Kholin's visions, he appeared as a tall muscular man, thick of chest with dark skin and pure white hair. He compared himself, at least in skin tone, to Nale, Makibak, and their people; thus he likely looks comparable to the Makabaki. 
He dons billowing trousers and a waist-length coat, both of which seemed to be made of gold. Dalinar considered this clothing strange, which may indicate that it was from Yolen—or it may simply be a reflection of how style had changed since Tanavast recorded the visions.
=== Personality ===
==== Mortal ====
Little is known about Tanavast as a person, before he became a Vessel, but the people who met him have an excellent opinion of him. He seems to be the only original Vessel with whom Hoid has a good relationship, and is, aside from Ati, the only one Hoid ever praises, calling him a decent person. 
Tanavast was fond of dogs, and this love would continue even after his Ascension. 
He was not prejudiced against dragons, taking Koravellium Avast, a dragon, as his lover following his Ascension.
He believed that Adonalsium needed to be Shattered for its own good, this belief was strong enough he would eventually join in the conspiracy to Shatter it. In time, Tanavast came to see his, and the other Vessel's, decision to Shatter Adonalsium as a terrible one. His personality was not well aligned with the Shard of Honor, which he would come to take up. 
==== Vessel ====
After becoming a Vessel, his personality was strongly in opposition to the Intent of his Shard, though, over time, his personality was warped to come more in alignment with the Intent of Honor, he became more fixated upon honor, oaths, and allegiance. Though it also led him to care less about the meaning of the oaths, but rather simply upon the oath itself. However, he would continue to fight against it even as it warped him, and this would eventually lead to the Shard abandoning him.
He appears to have loved mankind from the start, convincing the Dawnsingers to give mankind a home after they fled from Ashyn following its destruction. For unknown reasons, he even turned against the Singers, becoming the god of humanity and abandoning his former followers. The Stormfather insists that Tanavast did love mankind, even dying to defend them. Tanavast himself seems to have been highly dedicated to his role as a deity and protective of humanity, even apologizing in visions for getting himself killed.
Whenever mankind discovered the truth of the Desolations, he would comfort them and convince them that their fight was still justified. Arguing that it doesn't matter what their ancestors did, only that they were defending themselves against a present enemy. 
Late in his life, as his death grew near, he began to go insane, raving about how humanity was like unto Dawnshards and telling them that they would destroy Roshar like they destroyed Ashyn before. He also came to care more about oaths themselves, rather than the meaning behind it. This insanity directly led to the Recreance. Yet, despite his madness, he died defending humanity.
He came to love the mathematics and equations intrinsic in nature, finding Honor in them. Much like nature, he believed that oaths were also expressible as equations.
After Ascension, he quickly came to view himself as God, beginning to do so shortly after the Shattering. and he tried to supplant himself as the god of the Singers upon arriving at Roshar, and over time, this belief in his Godhood became increasingly engrained in his psyche. Despite this, he knew deep within himself he was ultimately the same person as he had always been.
He is shown to believe in a singular universal Truth to the cosmere. What this Truth is, and whether it actually exists or is merely part of a philosophical structure, is currently unknown.
== Attributes and Abilities ==
As a Vessel, Tanavast originally held as much power as his peers. At some point, however, he was weakened enough that, even with Cultivation's assistance, Odium was able to kill him. Like other Vessels, he had Shardic future sight, though it was not as strong as that of Cultivation.
== History ==
=== Before the Shattering ===
Tanavast was born and spent his early life on Yolen over ten-thousand years before the Night of Sorrows. He was a regular mortal before he Ascended.
On Yolen, he lived his life as a tanner, and at some point made a belt for Rayse. As a mortal, he also developed a fondness for dogs. He and Rayse would come to become rivals in their mortal lives.
At some point in the past, likely prior to the Shattering, Tanavast met Hoid, and left a good impression on him. Prior to the Shattering, he came to believe that Adonalsium needed to be Shattered for its own good. This belief was strong enough that he would eventually join in a conspiracy to kill the entity.
=== The Shattering ===
Tanavast was one of the seventeen people who shattered Adonalsium, after which he Ascended as the Shard of Honor. After the Shattering, Tanavast and his lover, Koravellium Avast, moved to Roshar, and both Shards Invested equally in the planet.
== Relationships ==
=== The Vessels ===
==== Aona ====
Aona always treated Tanavast with great kindness, thus he felt an attachment to her and was deeply hurt by her death.
==== Koravellium Avast ====
He claims to have loved Koravellium Avast even as a mortal, and lamented that they could never truly be together.
==== Rayse ====
Tanavast and Rayse were rivals in their mortal life, this rivalry would continue after their Ascension. Their opinions for each other were such that Tanavast despised Rayse.
=== The Wind ===
The Wind deeply resonated with his soul and sung to him, leading him to feel a deep connection to it, though he didn't understand why.
== Notes ==
es:Tanavast
category: viewpoint characters