Moash

Moash, also known as Vyre, is an Alethi man on Roshar. Originally a bridgeman in Bridge Four, he becomes a soldier and bodyguard under Kaladin; eventually, he leaves Bridge Four and switches sides to the Diagram, then the Fused, serving them as a slave and warrior. He's the current holder of Jezrien's Honorblade.
== Appearance and Personality ==
=== Appearance ===
Moash is lean, though strong, with a narrow hawkish face and brown hair speckled with black. He's born darkeyes, with brown eyes which turn tan after he receives a full set of Shards. Moash is a young man, potentially close to Kaladin's age. He is tall and has a scar on his chin.
Unlike many other members of Bridge Four, Moash does not have slave brands on his forehead. Due to this, he gets his Bridge Four tattoo on his left upper arm.
=== Personality ===
Moash comes off as standoffish and grim, holding people at arm's length when he first meets them. Though once he does warm up to someone, he gets attached extremely quickly. Once he joins a group, he's friendly and amicable, and often the driving force behind more relaxed, off-duty activities. He values his friendships, and tries to salvage them when he can. He's eager to gain power and he admires those who do have it. At the same time, he's highly suspicious of those above him in the social order. He has a strong sense of justice, originating with the injustice visited on his grandparents earlier in his life.
Moash tends to view people's actions by the external factors that motivate said actions, external factors such as one's position as a lighteyes or darkeyes in the Vorin caste system. As he becomes more involved in the Fused army and pushes deeper into Odium's emotional voiding, his old priorities slip away. 
His need to see Elhokar and then all lighteyes face retribution consumes him and pushes him further and further away from friends and into the waiting arms of the Voidbringers. Eventually, as he gives in to Odium's power completely, he seems to lose any drive altogether, telling himself he feels no emotions even as he accomplishes his vengeance. In this period, he follows the commandments to seek out passion and follow the orders of the Fused. Although he continues to care for Kaladin, he thinks that suicide is the only way that Kaladin can be saved from Odium's torment, and in his own despair, urges Kaladin to kill himself rather than risk Kaladin joining Odium.
== Abilities and Attributes ==
Moash is a skilled spearman, enough so to kill an attacking Fused. For a time, he also possessed a set of Shardblade and Shardplate. While Moash was able to move naturally in his Plate after less than a week, he is less skilled with the Shardblade, finding it too clunky, and still defaulted to the spear when his life was on the line. Eventually, he's given Jezrien's Honorblade, granting him control over the Surges of Gravitation and Adhesion. He appears to be natural at using it, as it takes him no time at all to drink in Stormlight and use Lashings.
He's also a decent spear teacher and commander, able to train a group of singers before the attack on Kholinar.
Following the Occupation of Urithiru, he was left blind.
== History ==
=== Early Life ===
Both of Moash's parents died when he was a child. He was raised by his aging grandparents, Ana and Da, who both worked as silversmiths in Kholinar. It was his grandfather who named him. Later, Moash would discover that his name was singer in origin. Moash was generally met with hostility and distrust by other people, and likely had a troubled childhood because of it. This was one of the reasons Moash joined the caravans for work, which his grandparents encouraged. He did not want to enter the family business, preferring jobs that were more physically active. Moash worked the caravans with his uncle when he was young.
While he was working on a caravan for a few months, his grandparents became victims in the Roshone Affair which led to them dying while incarcerated in the palace dungeons. Moash ultimately blamed Elhokar Kholin, who was then a royal prince but would later become the king of Alethkar, for their deaths. Ana and Da had been dead for two months by the time Moash returned and was told of their passing by a neighbor after returning to an empty home. The pain of losing them helped shape Moash's personality.
=== Bridge Four ===
==== Sent to the Bridgecrews ====
Moash joined the war voluntarily with the hope of winning a Shardblade, and traveled to the Shattered Plains in Jam's caravan. Assuming he would be made a spearman, Moash instead got sent to the bridge crews along with most of the other people who joined with him, ending up in Bridge Four. Moash initially tried to run away from the bridge crews, but he was caught and beaten for it, with the threat of receiving a slave brand if he tried to run again.
When Kaladin first began his attempts to reform Bridge Four, Moash was singled out to be made an example due to his strong appearance and since he was one of the men who ignored Kaladin's command to get up, instead rolling back over to sleep more. Kaladin pulled Moash out of bed and punched him in the stomach, picking him up over his shoulder and taking him outside the barracks while he was stunned. Irritated at this treatment, Moash called out to Gaz, asking if they needed to follow Kaladin's orders. Receiving a negative from Gaz, Moash told Kaladin to storm off unless he planned on beating all of them up, and he and the other bridgemen dispersed.
Moash continued to distrust Kaladin's intentions and openly disliked him. While many of the other bridgemen also disliked Kaladin, he was one of the most vocal. When Kaladin chose to stand instead of resting on a bridge run, Moash swore at him. He was the first one to laugh at the idea of pooling their money and food to help the wounded bridgemen Kaladin brought back, claiming that if it were him, he'd rather die quickly on a bridge run than slowly in the barracks. Moash, along with Sigzil, refused to look at Kaladin when he tried to pull the bridgemen into conversation on chasm duty. Moash did let Kaladin use his flint and steel to cauterize wounds, however, which he likely had due to it being standard equipment that caravaneers carried with them.
 
When Kaladin picked up and stared at a spear during chasm duty, Moash taunted him, calling Kaladin "lordling," which he picked up from talking with Gaz. Moash shared with Narm what he learned from Gaz, claiming that Kaladin was lying about being a previous squadleader. This triggered the other bridgemen to start complaining about Kaladin with each other, until they were stunned into silence by Kaladin's kata that he performed. Moash himself dropped the spheres he was holding in shock. That night, Moash accepted Rock's stew, though Moash still refused to rise the next morning to train when Kaladin called for it.
Later, Kaladin named Moash a subsquad commander for Bridge Four, along with Rock, Teft, and Skar. Kaladin told the four to go gather their men, but Moash lingered behind to ask Kaladin why he chose him to be one of the subsquad leaders. He explained that it was because Moash was so vocally resistant to Kaladin's efforts for so long, and that in addition to being capable and intelligent, it showed Moash was strong-willed, which Kaladin could use. Moash accepted this, but claimed that he was not like the others who revered Kaladin, and he still didn't trust him. When asked why Moash was choosing to obey him then, he claimed he was curious before moving off to follow Kaladin's previous orders.
Despite his efforts to distrust Kaladin, Moash joined Teft and Rock in telling Kaladin they won't forget him and will carry on his legacy after Kaladin is beaten and strung up for attempting the side carry maneuver on a bridge run. Moash commented that this way they would only lose one member thanks to what Kaladin did, and that he did it for them. Moash was awed by the side carry maneuver at the time, not realizing the harm it had done to the greater battle.
Moash shared with Kaladin his desire to win a Shardblade and how he was sent to the bridge crews after Sigzil told them about how the kingdom Babatharnam decides who gets placed in power. Unlike Kaladin, Moash said that he'd join the lighteyes if given the opportunity and that he still planned to win a Shardblade to change the world so abuses wouldn't happen to anyone. Even though Moash said he would make lighteyes work the difficult and dangerous jobs instead of darkeyes, he denied Sigzil's warning that the world would stay the same and claimed he'd change it.
==== Learning to Fight and Trust ====
Moash was eager to begin training with spears in the chasms. When Bridge Four started their training, Moash was one of the first who changed into a fighting man and only needed two hours to start exercises Kaladin usually wouldn't start until the second or third day of training. Only Skar and Drehy were nearly as talented as Moash was. Later, on the bridgerun when Dunny died, Moash used one of the moves Kaladin taught him to knock Kaladin to the ground and prevent him from running onto the bridge in an attempt to try and reach Dunny's body, and probably saved Kaladin's life. After Kaladin tended to the wounded bridgemen, Kaladin told Moash that he was right to stop him, and Moash then told Kaladin that he was wrong about him and they shook hands.
Once Moash fully accepted putting his trust in Kaladin, he later defended him when Skar questioned how Kaladin would get the spears out of the chasms once it was time to run, much to Kaladin's surprise. During that same chasm duty shift Kaladin found an emerald broam, which Moash became infatuated with and insisted he could swallow so they could keep it to spend on medical supplies. Moash was crestfallen when Kaladin repeatedly told him it would be too suspicious for a bridgeman to spend a broam, despite Bridge Four being able to keep an equal amount of other spheres in smaller denominations.
Bridge Four continued to get more disciplined and loyal to Kaladin. Moash and the other bridgemen always chose to stand beside Kaladin at parade rest while the army crossed their bridge, despite passing soldiers jeering and throwing overripe pile-vine fruits at them, one of which hit Moash in the face. After they returned from that bridge run, Moash led Bridge Four in doing their first salute to Kaladin, which Teft had taught them.
The situation for Bridge Four became more dire after Hashal informed them they would be required to go on every bridge run while continuing to perform chasm duty every night. Exhausted after barely getting any sleep, Moash and the other bridgemen felt discouraged on their chances of survival. Moash suggested charging the soldiers and Sadeas as he passed, and said that if they were to die anyway they could take out a few lighteyes before they were killed. Some of the bridgemen liked this idea, but Kaladin dismissed it and said he had another plan, which satisfied Moash. Kaladin's plan, which was to wear armor adorned in singer bones and carapace to draw arrow fire to himself instead of the bridgemen, worked, much to the joy of Bridge Four. Moash was excited by the idea and immediately began thinking about expanding on it. Later, Moash commented that their luck that day was almost enough to make Moash buy his own prayer armband despite his criticism of Kaladin's purchase of one before the bridge run.
Following Kaladin's success, Bridge Four's scavenging quota in the chasms was decreased, giving them more time to train secretly. Moash was "surprisingly good" with the spear, and often kept training while the other men took breaks. Kaladin recognized the dedication in Moash and related to how he felt after Tien died, and advised Moash not to overwork himself. Moash told Kaladin when asked that he worked so hard because of vengeance, but declined telling Kaladin who he wanted to kill. Moash then told Kaladin that it was because of him that Moash's plans were still possible, and swore to guard Kaladin with his life. Kaladin felt more comfortable with Moash because he didn't seem to revere him in the same way the others did.
When Adolin tried to give Kaladin the gift of Shardblade and Shardplate, Kaladin instead gave them to Moash, thereby making him a lighteyes in rank. The Shardblade had a twisting vine pattern along the center of the blade, and the Shardplate, previously belonging to Abrobadar, was painted orange. Moash later had the Plate repainted to be blue with red accents. His eyes started to lighten a week after receiving the Shards, though he still did not consider himself lighteyes.
=== Attempted Regicide and Desertion ===
Moash became involved in a plot with Graves to assassinate King Elhokar Kholin, which was ultimately thwarted by Kaladin. Moash took his Plate and Blade and fled the warcamps with Graves after their failed attempt.
They head out into the wilderness with a caravan of stolen goods. Graves intended to introduce Moash to the Diagram, hoping that bringing back a full Shardbearer could compensate for his plan's failure. A short while into the trip, they were attacked by a group of Fused. Graves was killed, and Moash attempted to fight with his Shardblade but deemed it too unwieldy. He got hold of a spear and was able to kill Leshwi, one of the Fused.
Upon seeing this, the other Fused gave Moash a choice, he could give up his weapons and come with them, or die at their hands. They did this because they thought that Leshwi would want to have revenge once she was reborn. Leshwi did not want revenge however, considering Moash to have great passion.
=== Servant of the Fused ===
As a slave, he pulled supply sledges across the country. On one of his routes, he saw a group of singers pulling sledges like the other slaves. He stood up for the group, gaining more respect among the Fused and the singers. Eventually, he joined the assault on Kholinar as a warrior for the Fused's army.
In Kholinar, he and his singer companions fought with Kholinar's Wall Guard. At the climax of the fight, Moash found his way to King Elhokar, and stabbed him through the chest. He then stabbed the king again in the eye, just before Elhokar could finish swearing the First Ideal. His vengeance was fulfilled, and he looked up to see Kaladin, who was in Kholinar with the king on a mission to save the city. Moash saluted his former captain, who had frozen in shock at what happened, and left.
Following the siege, he was put to work as a laborer clearing out the debris. There he was approached by a Fused, Hnanan, who gave him a bright golden knife with a sapphire attached to it. The Fused then sent him to assassinate the Herald Jezrien, whom he killed with the knife. Some time after the successful assassination, the Fused, Leshwi, offered Moash Jezrien's Honorblade as well as a new identity. He accepted, took the singer name Vyre, which meant He Who Quiets, and used the Honorblade to join the Fused in the air.
A year later, Moash took part in the Fused assault on Hearthstone, where he murdered Roshone in front of Kaladin, who went into a state of battle shock. Moash then attempted to persuade Kaladin to commit suicide. He was stopped by Renarin, who showed Moash a vision of the man he could have been had he not betrayed Bridge Four, a Windrunner of the Third Ideal, causing Moash to flee.
In Kholinar, he sat in on a session of the Nine, where he warns them that Kaladin will foil their plan to occupy Urithiru. Later, he was approached by Odium, who intended to break Kaladin and questioned Moash on the best ways of tormenting his former captain.
=== The Occupation of Urithiru ===
During the occupation of Urithiru, Vyre used his Honorblade to operate the Oathgate between Kholinar and the tower for the Fused. When the uprising to take Urithiru back began, he set a trap for Kaladin in his family's clinic, but the trap was instead sprung by Teft and Lift. Moash injured Lift, then used a raysium dagger containing anti-Stormlight to permanently kill Teft's spren, Phendorana, before killing Teft. He handed Lirin to the Fused as insurance against Kaladin, ordering them to kill Lirin in front of his son should Kaladin fight back.
Moash then descended to the basement of Urithiru to kill Queen Navani. Nearly succeeding, he was ambushed by an injured Raboniel, which gave Navani time to bond the Sibling. After restoring the tower, she used its Light to incapacitate Moash and forcibly return his pain to him. Moash fled, hating himself for what he had done to Teft and realizing that he did not truly regret the murder, only the guilt. He eventually broke his spine in a fall and nearly died before being rescued by a few Heavenly Ones and given Stormlight. When he recovered, he found that he was blind.
=== Transformation ===
After being brought to Kholinar, Moash found that Odium was no longer feeding on his emotions, and began to dwell on his actions in Urithiru. Odium came to him, and explained that he needs to be able to handle the emotions of what he has done. He placed a vision into Moash's mind revealing a possible future where "every wrong being righted"; a world where the Singers ruled benevolently. Odium then offered Moash to aid in this possible future. Moash agreed, and was immediately stabbed through the eyes with crystal shards.
This "procedure" appears to have granted Moash sight similar to Steel Inquisitor Steel Sight, although focused on Rosharan Investiture. It is currently not known if this is due to the material used, nature of Investiture on Roshar, or the intent present when performing the Hemalurgy.
=== Siege of the Shattered Plains ===
== Trivia ==
* Though Moash's name is similar to Moshe Feder (Brandon's editor) it is not actually a cameo.
* Moash's eye color is initially (and erroneously) written as dark green in The Way of Kings. In Words of Radiance, his eyes are said to be brown. Peter Ahlstrom has confirmed that Moash's eyes are brown and that the first book is incorrect.
* The name Moash was originally a singer name.
* Had he not begun killing for Odium, Moash could have become a Windrunner of at least the Third Ideal.
* Initial concept art of Moash's black Bridge Four uniform included a Bridge Four patch that was distorted and upside down, however, it was deemed too dramatic even for Moash.
== Notes ==
category: viewpoint characters
Category: Bridgemen
es:Moash