Battar

Battar, known as Battah'Elin in Vorinism and as Batlah amongst the Shin, is one of the ten Heralds of the Almighty on Roshar. She is the patron of the Order of Elsecallers. She resided in Kharbranth as an ardent under the assumed name of Dova. She is currently with the other Heralds on Braize.
== Attributes and Abilities ==
Battar is an immortal Cognitive Shadow who gains a physical body upon each return to Roshar. After death, she is transported to Braize to be tortured; when she or another Herald breaks, a new Desolation begins.
During the Heraldic Epochs, she wielded an Honorblade. It granted her access to the Surges of Transformation, which enables her to Soulcast, and Transportation, which allows for travel to and from Shadesmar. She has, however, abandoned it at Aharietiam.
She seems to be fairly knowledgeable, being ascribed the attribute of Wise, and noticing signs of an upcoming Desolation years before the Battle of Narak. During her pre-herald life, even Battar had flaws such as having conniving tendencies. That conniving turned into cruelty as her soul was warped over time by her immortal torture.
She currently maintains a shaved head “as she enjoyed the way that imitating an ardent made most ignore her”.
== History ==
Battar was born on Ashyn and made the trip to Roshar during the Expulsion. She was someone important in the pre-Desolations society -- a queen, scholar, or general. Along with the others, she approached Honor and formed the Oathpact. Whenever a Desolation ended, she'd travel along with them to Braize, where she suffered torture until one of them broke. She broke at least once, starting a new Desolation. 
Eventually, she and the other Heralds grew exhausted with this endless cycle of war and torture. When Ishar suggested that one person might be enough to hold the Oathpact, she and the others abandoned Taln to his fate, leaving their Honorblades behind. From then on out, they hid among the human populace. Most of her actions in the intervening four and a half millennia are unknown.
As Dova, she approached Taravangian and warned him of a coming Desolation, which prompted him to seek out Szeth after King Gavilar's assassination. She has since been assisting the Diagram. Sometime prior to Taravangian seizing the throne of Jah Keved, she reported that the frequency of Death Rattles had been declining further, hinting at Moelach's movement. She was later assigned with writing an anonymous essay revealing Dalinar and Elhokar's decision to make the former a highking, to undermine Dalinar's authority along with the revelations of the translated Eila Stele. With the fulfillment of the Diagram Taravangian instructed his followers to no longer trust Battar as he feared for her mental state after seeing the other Heralds.
After Taravangian's ascension to Odium, Battar is positioned to rule Kharbranth from the shadows. She seems to have abandoned morality for greed and corruption as demonstrated by her conversation with Odium and the treasures she keeps with her including “Priceless paintings, jeweled vases, [and] bars of aluminum”. Odium recruits her to switch allegiances in return for both her general service and "specifically, the art with crystal spikes" that allows a person to sense investiture. She puts this art to use for him soon after, putting spikes through the eyes of the blinded Moash; this allows him to see investiture and, specifically, spren.
After Taravangian ascends to Retribution, Battar returns to Shinovar with the rest of the heralds to restore the Oathpact and protect the spren. While she had previously shown a willingness to serve Odium, it is unclear where her loyalties currently lie.
== Culture ==
Battar has been worshipped since the Silver Kingdoms Epoch, with people swearing by her name even in-between the Desolations. In the modern Vorin tradition, she's known as Battah'Elin, and is associated with the number seven (Betab), the Essence of Tallow, the gemstone Zircon, and the attributes Wise and Careful. 
There is a temple to her in several major Vorin cities. The temple of Battah in Thaylen City is particularly notable -- it is the oldest in the city, and a must-see location for every arriving dignitary.
She is known as Batlah amongst the Shin.
== Trivia ==
* Battar's portrait used in the chapter arches is called the Counselor by the Dragonsteel Entertainment staff.
* Battar is featured as one of the Wind and Truth endpapers.
== Notes ==
es:Battar