Szeth

Szeth-son-Neturo, known as Szeth-son-son-Vallano when he was Truthless, is a Shin man from Roshar. He is the infamous Assassin in White and is responsible for the death of Gavilar Kholin, which starts the War of Reckoning. He has had many masters, including Taravangian, Nale, and Dalinar Kholin. As the Assassin, he wields Jezrien's Honorblade; eventually, he loses it and is gifted Nightblood.
Szeth becomes a Skybreaker of the Fifth Ideal, but upon achieving it, he immediately renounces his oaths, as he feels his spren is not fit for him. He is the candidate Ishar chooses to replace the missing Herald. Kaladin fills the position instead, protecting Szeth from the fighting inherent in being a Herald, as Szeth had previously confessed that he wants to stop killing.
== Appearance and Personality ==
=== Appearance ===
Szeth is roughly thirty-five years old at the start of the True Desolation. Like many Shin, he's short and pale-skinned, with large, round eyes lacking the epicanthic fold that most Rosharans possess. Normally, his eyes are dark green, but they change to pale sapphire whenever he summons Jezrien's Honorblade, and glow light grey when he holds Stormlight as a Skybreaker. His hair is naturally brown, but he shaves his head often, mentioning that he's unable to grow a full head of hair. 
As the Assassin, Szeth always wears white. While this originally stemmed from listener customs, Taravangian had him keep the outfit as a symbol. Even after he stops following his Oathstone, he continues to wear white. Following his death and subsequent revival, his soul was improperly attached to his body, leaving him with a ghostly white afterimage that can be seen by anyone with sufficient Investiture, such as Lift or the Skybreakers.
=== Personality ===
Szeth has been driven to seek and follow what is right since his childhood. He devotes himself to perfecting his skills, even when they go against his fundamental values. He has a profound and agonizing distrust in his own ability to choose rightly, so he looks to authority figures to direct him.
Szeth is bound strictly to honor. He holds to the rules and expectations of his station as Truthless to an extreme degree, believing it is his place to obey his masters without question. He is accomplished at assassination, but is not a willing killer, always facing inner turmoil when taking a life. His self-loathing eventually sends him spiraling into madness. He hears the voices of those he's killed in darkness and shadows, even after his near death and resurrection. Nale believes Szeth is hearing trembles from the Spiritual Realm, serving as a constant reminder of his crimes.
Szeth clings to his faith in Stone Shamanism, though he begins to question the teachings he once followed strictly. He tries to silence any such thoughts, considering them dangerous. He finds the idea of eternal damnation far more comforting than the obliteration of the soul. Even after nine years in the East, he maintains his faith.
As a Skybreaker, Szeth is more vocal to his superiors. He starts questioning his orders, and even argues with those above him if he believes they are wrong. He slowly learns to make his own decisions, although he still yearns for someone to follow, as evidenced by his newfound dedication to Dalinar. His highspren believes he needs to learn to rely on himself more instead of Dalinar.
He's exceedingly serious, and unless severely agitated, highly respectful to others. He also seems deaf to jokes or sarcasm, often finding what others say to be incredibly profound, even when it's nonsensical or silly. He struggles with nuance, wishing that problems he faces had easy, straightforward solutions.
Szeth is distant, reserved, and outwardly emotionless when interacting with his masters, such as Taravangian or Nale. In the presence of those with no authority over him, such as Skybreaker squires or Kaladin, Szeth speaks bluntly. He is honest when sharing his thoughts and experiences, and considers leaving out pieces of personal information to be a form of lying. He is frustrated when made to explain things he sees as obvious, and doesn't repeat himself when clearly stating his intentions. He has a tendency to not respond in conversation, which leads Kaladin to believe that Szeth doesn't know or care about social customs. In reality, Szeth stays quiet out of a hope that he'll be left alone, or because he doesn't want to speak when others have so much to say.
Szeth is careful and observant, assessing his surroundings to arrive at a solution to challenges he faces. Once he decides how to proceed, he acts quickly, even recklessly.
He struggles with feelings of numbness and suicidality, and is resistant to the idea that he could begin to heal from the trauma he has endured. Szeth believes that it is right for him to suffer, and that accepting help is immoral. However, he gradually acknowledges that he is capable of making his own decisions, and that he is not an object. He learns to see the merit in choosing when to obey, and when to resist. He refuses to fight unless he is given a very good reason. Szeth participates in lighthearted conversation, and is able to smile and relax, even when he knows he will soon face a difficult situation.
== Attributes and Abilities ==
Szeth is an exceptionally skilled combatant; when ordered to fight, he becomes a nigh-on unstoppable killing machine. He's proficient with a sword, as well as the martial art of kammar. He combines both of those skills with his Surgebinding abilities to a deadly effect. In one-on-one combat, he can hold his own against, and even defeat, a master swordsman. He's fearless when attacking even people in Shardplate and wielding Shardblades, trusting his greater, Stormlight-augmented agility to carry him through the battle unharmed. He also shows great cunning, resourcefulness, and determination, which serve him well both in and out of combat. He has past experience as a dancer, and is able to swim.
=== Surgebinding ===
Szeth knows how to use all of the Surges, having practiced them with the Shin's eight Honorblades. For years, he bears Jezrien's Honorblade, which grants him the powers of a Windrunner and thus the Surges of Gravitation and Adhesion. Over the years, he has mastered all three Lashings. However, he is unaccustomed to fighting other Windrunners, leveling the playing field somewhat when his opponent can also take to the skies. He no longer carries the Blade in the present.
Szeth is familiar with the names, powers, and capabilities of each Radiant order, as well as strategies to counter all of them. However, his skill in this area varies. He considers himself more adept at facing Edgedancers and Dustbringers, and less capable when confronted by Elsecallers or Lightweavers. He has an assortment of other, non-supernatural skills from his training, such as ice-skating.
When he becomes a skybreaker, Szeth gains access to the Surges of Gravitation and Division. While he has used the former extensively, he has not practiced the latter in years. With Division, he can cause incredible destruction, but also exert precise control. He is able to set the air aflame, though it can be dangerous if done too often.
=== Nightblood ===
After losing Jezrien's Honorblade, Szeth was gifted Nightblood by Nale. While Szeth cannot dismiss Nightblood the way he could a regular Shardblade, he is even more dangerous with Nightblood. Lacking Breath, he has to feed it Stormlight to survive the act of using it, which means he cannot draw it very frequently.
Unlike Shardblades, Nightblood is capable of erasing Fused from existence completely, preventing them from resurrecting in the next Everstorm. Other unique capabilities include denting an Honorblade, collapsing an open perpendicularity, and destroying Connections made by Bondsmiths.
After learning Surgebinding from the Honorblades, Nightblood is able to use the Surges, as well as grant them to their wielder. Through this method, Szeth has access to all ten Surges. Nightblood is also able to forge Connections to those beside Szeth, to drain Investiture from them so as not to kill him, allowing him to use Nightblood despite no longer being a Skybreaker.
== History ==
=== Early Life (-) ===
==== Childhood ====
Szeth was born in the year to Neturo-son-Vallano and Zeenid-daughter-Beth, near Clearmount in southeastern Shinovar. He was their second child, born three years after his sister, Elid-daughter-Zeenid. Szeth and his family were shepherds, and grazed their sheep near their homestead in the early part of the year. In the middle months, they took their sheep to graze the untouched grass on the slopes closer to the mountains. One of Szeth’s duties was to carry water.
He was also a skilled dancer. By the time he was eleven, some in the village considered him to be among the best. Szeth preferred the times of year when he and his family brought their flock back to the homestead, so he could dance in worship for the sacred stone on their land. He had an idealistic view of his pastoral life, and believed that the Steen raiders who periodically attacked the Shin coast were envious of something they could not have for themselves.
Szeth practiced his dancing consistently, pushing himself hard when he did. He believed that he needed to continue improving his skills so long as he made mistakes. He was bothered that his sister didn’t share the same attitude. 
When Szeth was eleven-years-old, his sheep Molli led him to discover a new stone in the circular path of soil where he danced. He ran to get his father, who sent a carrier parrot with a note for Zeenid. Szeth, Elid, Neturo, and Zeenid discussed what they should do with the new rock. As it had emerged so close to the larger stone on their family land, Neturo explained that they may need to move into the town. Zeenid brought a shovel made of Soulcast metal, and suggested that they relocate the new stone a distance away so less attention would be focused on the immediate area. Szeth disliked both options. He looked to Neturo for guidance, but was told the ultimate decision was his to make. Szeth expressed a desire to do what was right. Neturo explained the predicament in more detail, and Szeth became uncertain. Sensing his family’s unspoken preference, he decided that the new rock should be moved, though it made him uncomfortable. Zeenid dug up the rock, but before she could carry it away, the raiders attacked. Zeenid hid the stone among the roots of a tree, where it was unlikely to be noticed for the time being.
Szeth and his family, along with many other shepherd families in the region, drove their sheep to a mountain ravine farther inland. While helping with the preparation of a meal, Szeth spoke with a farmer about choices and volition. He was disturbed by the lack of definitive answers to his questions. He brought Elid a plate of food, and learned that three of their sheep were missing. Molli was among those three. Szeth asked after her, searching flocks owned by other shepherds. However, he knew that Molli always returned to the home, even when the rest of the flock wandered. Szeth went alone to find her.
At the homestead, he found three Shin soldiers from the Stoneward monastery sitting on his family’s stone, eating charred meat and drinking Neturo’s wine. Szeth drew their attention when he accidentally snapped a twig. The soldiers verbally confronted him, and Szeth asked them to leave, expressing his disdain for people who subtracted. One of the men challenged Szeth’s assertions, while the other two left. Szeth realized that the soldiers had slaughtered and eaten Molli. He ran after the third man as he began to walk away, attacking him. The soldier threw Szeth to the ground, where he collided with the tree where the smaller stone had been hidden. Szeth picked up the rock and approached the soldier, but stopped himself before causing him harm. The man grabbed Szeth by the throat and attempted to strangle him. In his desperation to escape, Szeth picked up the stone again and killed the man with it. Afterword, he heard the Voice for the first time.
==== Joining the Soldiers ====
The following evening, Szeth overheard his parents and the farmer discussing his actions. The farmer said that Szeth needed to train with the soldiers, as he had subtracted and would be changed by what he had done. Neturo insisted that he would go with Szeth, so he would never be alone. Zeenid and Elid joined them. Both the farmer and Neturo remained firm in their decisions, and so Szeth and his family went to join the soldiers.
At the training yard near the Stoneward monastery, Zeenid gave Szeth a small toy sheep she had made from Molli’s wool. Betheth-son-Vetor met Szeth and his family, and explained the workings of the encampment, along with the options that would be available to them in the future. Neturo accompanied Szeth to his initial assessment, where Betheth told Szeth to give up the brightly colored handkerchief he wore around his neck, which had marked him as someone who added up to that point. Szeth joined four older boys who were to be assessed. Betheth handed each of them a spear, ordering them to attack the corpses of dead sheep provided for the testing. The other four began attacking with unrestrained aggression, and Szeth nearly joined them. However, the Voice instructed him to be more careful and deliberate, as the assessment was a way to judge whether or not the new recruits could control their urges to kill. Following the Voice’s instructions, Szeth stabbed once at the neck of a carcass. At Betheth’s questioning, Szeth repeated words given to him by the Voice. Betheth took him to the camp’s General, proposing that Szeth would be more suited to officer training.
Three years later, Szeth sparred against other officers in training. One of these was Jormo-son-Falk, and the Voice advised Szeth as they sparred. Szeth eventually knocked Jormo down, and he retaliated by tackling Szeth and slamming his head against the ground. Szeth found a stone in the dirt as he struggled, but let go of it and silently swore that he would never lose control again. Jormo was pulled away, and Sergeant Szrand berated him. Szrand then scolded Szeth, accusing him of being a problem and acting as if he was better than the other soldiers. Szeth said that he was better than them, explaining that he had been training with the monastery’s acolytes, as Szrand’s instructions were inadequate. Szrand ordered him to run laps around the camp, but Szeth resisted. Szrand took a practice sword and shield from another student and clashed with Szeth. Szeth defeated him, and the Voice expressed his approval. Szeth then began running his laps. Zeenid brought him water while he ran, and Szeth paused to speak with her. She pointed out that failed soldiers were sent to other kinds of work. He disliked the idea, as it would mean that he was incompetent. He finished running his laps, and found a note telling him to report to the General’s office. 
There, Szeth encountered Neturo working at a desk. They discussed Szeth’s confrontation with Szrand. Neturo explained that he was working out a retirement plan for him, and intended to promote Yago-son-Yargo in Szrand’s place. He went on to say that Yago would retire in approximately five years, implying that Szeth would then rise to the position of sergeant. Szeth liked the idea, as it meant that he wouldn’t need to fight or kill. Neturo then took him to meet with the General, who was speaking with a group of visiting Stone Shamans, including Pozen and Sivi. There, Szeth saw one of the Honorblades for the first time. The Voice asked if he wanted to hold one, and said that the time may never be right, though he was watching Szeth. The General introduced Neturo to Pozen, who expressed approval of Neturo’s administrative skills. Hoping for firmer direction, Szeth interrupted the conversation to ask Pozen how he knew what was right. Pozen told him to follow his superiors and the chain of command, which ultimately ended at God himself. Sivi asked if Szeth was struggling with a particular moral question, and he explained his difficulty in causing others harm, even while training. Pozen instructed him to take at least one shift at the slaughterhouse each week, so he could accustom himself to death. Pozen then told the General to put Szeth in the back lines of the defense when the next raid occurred. When asked if he would follow Pozen’s orders, Szeth asked if it was right, then complied.
==== Mission on the Ships ====
At the age of nineteen, Szeth led a group of soldiers on a mission to defend the Shin coast from another wave of raiders. The raiders had begun taking the common people of fishing villages as slaves. Szeth planted the men under his command in a village in place of the evacuated inhabitants, along with weapons hidden with the valuables the raiders took as loot. The Voice approved of the plan Szeth had devised. As he watched the raiders arrive, he noticed a young boy who had stayed behind. Szeth observed the raiders loading slaves and loot onto their ships, and the Voice translated their words for him, as he did not have the training in languages that was common to the Stone Shamans. Then, the men searched the sheds and chicken coops of the village, approaching the place where the boy had hidden. Szeth stood from his own hiding place and caught the attention of the raiders before they reached the child. He feigned fear, surrendered his sword, and allowed himself to be captured.
On one of the three raiding ships, Szeth saw some of the men he had planted being taken belowdecks. He was searched, and the crew members found a stone he had picked up earlier for luck. They grew excited, believing it to be an Oathstone. Reserves on the coast blew horns, signaling the next part of Szeth’s plan. The Voice explained the captain’s amusement over the Shin people leaving slaves to be captured, along with his belief that he could profit from their weakness. One of the other ships began to burn, and Szeth saw his unarmored soldiers dive into the ocean. They had cut themselves free of their bonds with blades hidden in their mouths, killed watching crew members, and burned oil they had spread. The ship Szeth was on began to burn next, and he broke away from the men holding him and went down into the hold. There, he came upon a sailor fighting Lumo-son-Tumo. Lumo cut the ropes binding Szeth’s arms, then they and the rest of the strike team onboard returned to the deck to find that most of the crew members had jumped overboard. Szeth instructed his men to return to shore and watch the beach in the case of sailors moving farther inland. Four obeyed, though Lumo stayed by Szeth’s side, ignoring his orders to go. Szeth saw that the third ship was not burning, so he took the coat from a fallen sailor and told Lumo to swim to shore. 
Szeth leapt into the water and swam to the final ship. When he climbed over the rail, he saw his five men tied to the mast. He went to cut them free, but the raiders recognized that he did not belong among them. Szeth fought the Steen men, and defeated eight of them in moments. One stabbed him in the back from behind, and he collapsed to the deck. The Voice spoke to him about the stakes of battle, and how few people got the chance to learn from their mistakes and become true masters of the sword. As Szeth’s senses began to grow dull, the Voice asked if he wanted another chance. He accepted, and one of the lanterns filled with Stormlight spheres went out. Szeth’s wound healed, and the Voice told him to learn from his mistake. He freed two of his soldiers, who released two others. They fought the raiders, who soon surrendered. Szeth allowed the Steen men to tend their wounded, and ordered his soldiers to gather bows from the ship and prepare a smaller boat to row to shore. The Voice advised Szeth on how to inspire fear in the raiders, though he warned that such a tactic could result in more ships coming in the future, rather than an end to the attacks. Szeth stated that he was willing to do whatever it took to stop the raids. The Voice told him to show the captain his healed wound, and gave him words to repeat. When asked, the Voice told Szeth that he had proclaimed himself to be one of the Stormriders, and had brought immortals to stop the attacks on Shinovar. The Voice then directed him to stab one of the sailors in the stomach, so they would rush home in a futile attempt at saving the wounded. After a moment of hesitation, Szeth stabbed two of the sailors, and with the Voice’s help, warned them that the Shin shores would no longer be easy targets. 
He and his soldiers rowed back to shore, where the rest of his men and the fishermen were celebrating. Szeth did not join them. He stood on the beach and watched the two ships his men had burned sink into the water, until a group of riders, including Neturo, came from the monastery. The General exclaimed that Szeth had gone too far. He defended his actions, increasingly frustrated. The General ordered him to report to the camp, saying that he would need to consult others to determine how to handle Szeth.
==== Among the Honorbearers ====
==== Becoming an Honorbearer ====
==== Learning the Truth ====
==== Civil War ====
==== Truthless ====
After being made a slave and given an Oathstone, Szeth was traded to the Thaylen merchant Vstim. From then on, whoever owned his Oathstone owned Szeth, and Szeth was obliged by his honor to do as the owner commanded; with the exception of killing himself or giving up the Honorblade. Just after being exiled from Shinovar, Szeth visited Urithiru for the first time.
=== Assassin in White (-) ===
==== Killing King Gavilar ====
Two years after his banishment, Szeth was purchased by an assassin named Liss. She believed that Szeth was the best servant she ever had and told Jasnah that she wanted to show him off to her. However, she later found that Szeth was too good of a servant, so she sold him to slavers in Kholinar. A few weeks later, Szeth was purchased by Klade, a member of the listener ruling council, in . Klade knew of him from Venli, who in turn learned of him from Nale. When Klade pressured him, Szeth told him about his Shardblade and the abilities it brought. As a result, in , the Five ordered him to murder king Gavilar Kholin of Alethkar during the treaty-signing celebration. They stipulated that the killing had to be done with live witnesses, and while wearing white.
As Szeth attacked, he was fooled into believing Gavilar was a bodyguard, and decided to chase after the escaping target, instead of fighting a protracted battle. However, soon after he realized the "target" was simply a decoy, since Gavilar would be much safer fighting with his own Shardblade and Plate instead of fleeing for his life. Doubling back, Szeth returned to kill Gavilar, and a fierce battle commenced. Gavilar almost succeeded in killing Szeth with a Shardplate-enhanced punch, but ultimately failed and fell to his death onto a piece of wooden debris, which impaled him in an area where the Shardplate had been broken.
Before dying, Gavilar had two last requests: to tell his brother to "find the most important words a man could say," and to protect a mysterious black sphere that shone dark light. Szeth honored both requests, scrawling a message to Dalinar into the wood with Gavilar's own hand and blood. Eventually he also hid away the black orb somewhere in Jah Keved.
His clothes on the night of the killing led to the general public dubbing him the Assassin in White.
==== Laying Low ====
After Gavilar's death, the listeners threw away Szeth's Oathstone as they fled Kholinar. Since the Alethi believed that Szeth had fled with the Parshendi, they did not attempt to track him down and instead initiated the Vengeance Pact, waging war on the Shattered Plains. Meanwhile the stone, and as a result Szeth, was eventually picked up by Avado, a travelling merchant.
Avado took Szeth with him to Jah Keved in fear of possible Alethi retribution against strange foreigners in the wake of their king's assassination. He did not keep his slave for long, however; over the course of the next five years, the Oathstone changed possession many times before landing in the hands of Took, a transient worker. Took was robbed and killed after a night of drinking in Ironsway, a town in the Bavland, and Szeth's Oathstone is taken by Makkek, a small-time criminal. With Szeth under his control, Makkek set out to gain wealth, first by killing his fellow robbers and then by establishing a gambling den in Bornwater. 
On one of Makkek's missions, this time to eliminate a rival who had opened his own gambling place, Szeth infiltrated the local lord's mansion where his target, Gavashaw, resided. After entering Gavashaw's rooms, he met a mysterious stranger who knew of Szeth and his role in Gavilar's death, as well as his powers. After a short confrontation, the man revealed that both Makek and Gavashaw had been killed, and that Szeth's Oathstone was now in the hands of a new master. Thus, Szeth began to unwittingly serve the Diagram.
==== Taravangian's Killer ====
Szeth's new master gave him a list of high-ranking targets, all of whom were to be eliminated with the flashy display of skill seen over five years ago in Kholinar. Szeth carved a bloody path across the continent, slaying, among many others, a Selay gerontarch and two Azish Primes. His second-to-last kill was King Hanavanar of Jah Keved, whom he killed on along with his two Shardbearer guards and many others who were present. This led directly to the Veden civil war.
King Taravangian, the last name on Szeth's hit list, turned out to be his secret employer. When Szeth arrived in Kharbranth, Taravangian revealed a portion of his schemes, showcasing his "hospitals" in which people were slowly killed in order to draw out Death Rattles. Upon showing this to Szeth, he ordered him to kill Dalinar Kholin.
During a highstorm, Szeth attacked King Elhokar's palace on the Shattered Plains, entering it through a hole cut in the wall with his Blade. On his way, he killed Beld and cut through Hobber's midriff, crippling him, then proceeded to fight against Adolin, Kaladin, and Dalinar, all of whom believed he was there to assassinate Elhokar. Szeth quickly gained the upper hand, lashing Adolin to the ceiling and cutting through Kaladin's arm. However, he ultimately failed, as Kaladin managed to push him through his entryway. The two of them fell to the ground, both surviving. Szeth panicked when he saw Kaladin healing his arm, and when Kaladin told him that he was a Windrunner, Szeth fled.
After his confrontation with Kaladin, Szeth retreated to the top of Urithiru, shaken by Kaladin's words and wondering if he was wrong the entire time. Ultimately, he decided to confront Taravangian about the matter. He found the king in Vedenar, and, control almost gone, demanded to know if the Knights Radiant were returning. Taravangian managed to appease him by claiming that an Honorblade with Regrowth has been stolen. Having heard that, Szeth departed, vowing to kill Kaladin; however, Taravangian forbade him to approach Kaladin, demanding that Szeth kill only Dalinar.
==== Death and Resurrection ====
Szeth attacked Dalinar during the climax of the Battle of Narak on . Dalinar was able to temporarily hold his own before being lashed to the sky, to eventually fall to his death after the Stormlight sustaining the lashing ran out. However, before that could happen, Kaladin, having recently sworn the Third Ideal of the Windrunners, swooped in and caught him, then safely returned him to the ground. Kaladin and Szeth then battled above the colliding highstorm and Everstorm. During the battle Szeth came to the realization that Kaladin was truly a Radiant, and so Szeth himself was never Truthless. Unable to accept his actions, Szeth unbonded his Honorblade and fell through the highstorm to his death.
Moments after his death, Szeth was revived by Nale, who used a fabrial to heal his body before his spirit departed. Though Szeth was initially outraged at being returned to life, Nale promised to give him a new purpose and gifted him with Nightblood.
=== Skybreaker Trainee () ===
==== Yeddaw ====
After gifting him with Nightblood, Nale inducted Szeth into the Skybreakers, and took him to Yeddaw in order to find a potential Radiant. Throughout this time, Szeth attempted to convince Nale of the upcoming True Desolation, but was unable to get through to him. 
During his time there, he met Lift in the city's Grand Indicium. He confronted her and drew Nightblood to test her, but left when Nightblood's power found her innocent. Later, he encountered her again, chasing after him and the other Skybreakers. He stopped to inform her that she could not possibly get there before they did, but also shared the identity of the person they were seeking.
After the Everstorm passed over Yeddaw, Nale departed in a hurry, leaving Szeth stranded in Yeddaw. He was picked up by the Herald after a few weeks and taken to join the other Skybreakers. There, master Ki informed him that his mission with Nale was his first task, and that after being evaluated, he was found worthy of the First Ideal. This, however, was not enough for him to draw Stormlight, as Skybreaker trainees can only do so after attaining the Second.
==== Second Ideal ====
After swearing the First Ideal, Szeth was taken to the Purelake along with other Skybreaker hopefuls and squires to complete the next test. The challenge was based on a message sent via spanreed by the city's minister, who told them there was a breakout of convicts. The request was to find the guilty and execute them. While most of the squires and hopefuls started immediately to find and execute the convicts, Szeth stayed and questioned their motives, learning more about the local law.
He was able to find and fight one. He found that the convict had a knife, but was thin, dirty and emaciated. Upon questioning him, Szeth also learned that the prison fort had only one guard. Once back, he saw other convicts, confirming that they had all been poorly fed and under a strict regime, leading him to the realization that the prison itself was improperly run. When he confirmed with Ki that the prison administrator was also on the list of the guilty, Szeth drew Nightblood and killed the man. This allowed him to swear the Second Ideal, letting him draw Stormlight. Impressed, Ki chose him as her squire.
==== Learning the Truth ====
The next test was based on the newly acquired ability to Lash by the Skybreaker hopefuls. It involved Lashing oneself through the air and throwing pouches of colored powder at other competitors -- the one with the least spots of color on their outfit would win the game. Szeth originally held the lead, but when the rest of the group realised he would win, he was surrounded and pummeled with pouches. Shortly after, his Stormlight ran out and he fell into the Purelake. Nonetheless, he managed to win, as the water washed away the colors.
Frustrated with the slow progress, Szeth intended to swear his next ideal there and then, but at this point Nale arrived. The Herald took Szeth and the other full Skybreakers to Marat, where he showed them a village destroyed by the Voidbringers before telling them all the truth about the world. Afterwards, Nale declared his intentions: to side with the singers, the original inhabitants of Roshar, and oppose humanity.
Initially, Szeth believed he had no choice other than to follow Nale, but in a conversation Nightblood about the topic, he changed his mind, realizing that there was always a choice. He decided to swear himself into service of Dalinar, and joined the Battle of Thaylen Field.
=== Serving Dalinar Kholin (-) ===
==== Battle of Thaylen Field ====
During the Battle of Thaylen Field on , Szeth arrived on the field just in time to drop down and slay a thunderclast. After landing, he met Lift, who let him know that Dalinar asked her to recover the King's Drop, a perfect gemstone. Acknowledging this as Dalinar's will, Szeth joined her in the hunt. Things initially went poorly, especially when Szeth lost Nightblood's sheath to one of the Fused, causing the sword to go out of control and begin devouring him, despite Lift's attempts to help. 
Fortunately, it was then that Dalinar managed to open Honor's Perpendicularity, infusing the city with enough Stormlight to slake Nightblood's thirst. Szeth managed to resheathe the blade, and met with Dalinar. After managing to convince the Alethi of his new loyalty, he returned to his search for King's Drop with Lift. 
Together, the two managed to trick the Fused carrying it into letting it go and grabbing a Lightwoven fake, with Lift bringing the real King's Drop to Dalinar, who then used it to trap Nergaoul.
==== Aftermath of the Battle ====
After the battle, Szeth met with Nale, who warned him about following a man instead of a law, but supported the decision overall. The Herald made to depart, promising to return later and teach Szeth about the Surge of Division. Before he left, Szeth swore his Third Oath. He also made it clear that for his Fourth, the Ideal of Crusade, he intended to travel to Shinovar and cleanse it of the false leaders who made him the Truthless in the first place.
Afterwards, Szeth became Dalinar's bodyguard, despite the apprehension of other Alethi.
==== Imprisonment in Urithiru ====
Szeth only served as Dalinar's bodyguard for a short time, due to his unstable nature and the uncertainty of people close to Dalinar, notably Navani. He was put in a makeshift prison cell on the upper floors of Urithiru, and was given food, fresh clothing (white, as he specified), and plenty of spheres for light (presumably to banish the voices in his head). After several people got annoyed, he requested that Nightblood stop speaking to anyone but him. During his imprisonment, Navani interviewed him a number of times, asking him about her husband Gavilar's death. During one of these interview sessions, Navani learned of the black sphere, and Szeth was temporarily released to go get it.
==== Guarding Dalinar on the Emuli Front ====
When Dalinar went to Emul, Szeth and Nightblood accompanied him, wearing Lightwoven disguises. He accompanied Dalinar on and off the battlefield, with the exception of when Dalinar went to speak with Renarin.
While protecting Dalinar, he is disarmed by Nale, his former master and clearly his better in combat. Dalinar escapes Nale's attack unscathed. In an unusual deviation from his typical silent stoicism, Szeth offers Dalinar advice on Taravangian, saying that the aged king was not to be trusted. While watching Dalinar and little Gavinor, Szeth's highspren told him he must soon complete his Fourth Ideal.
Taravangian had deduced earlier that Szeth must be in Emul and had seen through his Lightwoven disguise. Taravangian requested a stone matching the description of Szeth's Oathstone in order to get Szeth to confront him. Unfortunately, this confrontation happened on a day when Taravangian was dumb and compassionate, and therefore unable to manipulate Szeth. His pleas for Szeth to give Nightblood to Dalinar for use on Rayse during a vision were ignored.
Szeth attended Dalinar's planning session in which he planned to confront Ishar. Szeth was surprised by the Herald's marked similarity to modern-day Shin. Later, he handed Dalinar the original copy of Oathbringer as they prepared to confront Ishar. Szeth then flew with the strike team to meet Ishar. At first, he stayed back. When Ishar summoned his Honorblade, which was previously held by Neturo-son-Vallano, Szeth's father, Szeth was shaken and collapsed. Just as Ishar was about to take Dalinar's bond to the Stormfather, Szeth stepped in and used Nightblood to slash the Connection. He then collapsed the perpendicularity, and, raging at Ishar, struck the Honorblade with Nightblood, leaving a chip in the Honorblade.
Szeth then went to Taravangian's makeshift prison, intending to kill him. An incredibly dumb and emotional Taravangian was unable to stop him, but fortunately was pulled into a vision by Odium right as Szeth was stabbing him with an ordinary knife. Taravangian used the slowing of time to grab Nightblood and stab Rayse, killing him. Taravangian then Ascended to Odium. Szeth re-sheathed Nightblood, and, mistaking Rayse's corpse for Taravangian's and thinking the deed done, left. He confessed to the murder of Taravangian, supposing him to have somehow drawn Nightblood and been consumed by it.
=== Cleansing of Shinovar (1175) ===
==== Leaving Urithiru and Arriving in Shinovar ====
==== Stoneward Monastery ====
==== Elsecaller Monastery and Shadesmar ====
==== Willshaper Monastery ====
==== Lightweaver Monastery ====
==== Dustbringer Monastery ====
==== Skybreaker Monastery ====
==== Bondsmith Monastery ====
==== The Fifth Ideal ====
Szeth refused to put up a fight until he received further details. He finally heard his father, though grimacing seemingly with anger, beseech freedom for himself and the other Honorbearers, who were being pupeteered by Ishar. Szeth swears his Fifth Oath but fails to bring about any change in Ishar as the latter had constructed a barrier that prevented any manipulation. Subsequently, he renounces his oaths as he feels Szeth's highspren to not be suitable for him. When Kaladin swore his Fifth Oath, the burst of power that ensued allowed, to some degree, effective utilization of Nightblood's capabilities by Szeth to release the rest of the Honorbearers. Nightblood, who had been covertly conversing with Honorblades, connected to Kaladin and was able to grant Lashings to Szeth. To enforce obedience and unquestioning compliance, Ishar forged a bond of Connection to Szeth, Kaladin, Sylphrena and Nale to make them able to feel the darkness he perceived he held back.
=== Night of Sorrows (1175-) ===
== Relationships ==
=== Masters ===
==== Dalinar Kholin ====
Dalinar is initially nothing more than another target to Szeth. Acting under Taravangian's orders, he makes two separate attempts at assassinating Dalinar.
At the Battle of Thaylen Field, Szeth chooses to follow Dalinar, as he believes he cannot see what is right any longer. He acts as Dalinar's bodyguard, following him nearly constantly. Szeth devotes himself to Dalinar because of his reputation, and how he lives up to it. That reputation is far more important than the man himself, in Szeth's eyes. Szeth wishes that he wasn't aware of Dalinar's questions or uncertainty. He views him as an unshakable Ideal, someone he needs to trust absolutely. Even during the cleansing of Shinovar, Szeth still wants to be with Dalinar, but acknowledges that he has another task to do.
==== Nale ====
At first, Szeth is outraged at Nale for bringing him back to life after intentionally letting himself die. Szeth is persuaded to accept training as a Skybreaker, and begins following Nale as his master. He continuously tries to convince Nale that the Voidbringers have returned, but his warnings are ignored. Szeth treats Nale with reverence and respect. Even when Nightblood insists that Nale is evil, Szeth refuses to draw the weapon and fight him. Szeth agrees with Nale's assertions that people need to rely on a strict, external code to guide their actions. He does not follow Nale's suggestion to swear to the law itself, instead choosing to follow Dalinar. This leads to Szeth and Nale being on opposite sides of the war for over a year.
When Nale arrives in Shinovar, Szeth initially closes himself off to Kaladin and returns to strictly obeying Nale’s orders. Elid and Nale inform Szeth that he is meant to become a new Herald, and he questions Nale directly, wondering if he’s insane. Szeth later refuses to give Nale an oath that he will accept his place without question. At Nale’s change of heart, Szeth reassures him that he can be helped.
==== Taravangian ====
Taravangian serves as Szeth's master for a time, ordering him to assassinate various key political figures such as Hanavanar, Dalinar, and two Azish Primes. While Taravangian holds Szeth's Oathstone, he obeys him absolutely, even when in great distress.
Once Szeth begins accepting that he was never Truthless, he stops following Taravangian in favor of Nale, and later Dalinar. Szeth sees Taravangian as manipulative and untrustworthy, and warns Dalinar that there is always more behind his words. His distrust of Taravangian is enough that he disregards anything he says as manipulation, even when he is telling the truth. Szeth deeply despises Taravangian. When he learns that his father is dead, Szeth comes to interrogate Taravangian, eventually killing him and unintentionally bringing about his Ascension to Odium.
==== 12124 ====
Szeth initially views his spren as another of his masters, and obeys his commands, even when his life is on the line. He describes 12124 as always judging his worthiness. He accepts 12124's assertions that emotion is of Odium, and that honor exists in strict obedience, though Szeth profoundly struggles with such restrictions. Szeth begins losing some of his reverence for 12124 while fighting Pozen and the Edgedancer Honorbearer in Shadesmar.
Szeth feels lonely when 12124 returns to speaking with him infrequently, and 12124 begins to acknowledge that he doesn't like to see Szeth hurting. Szeth finds it remarkable that the spren might need time to think about how to proceed. While 12124 is well-meaning when broaching the topic of Szeth becoming a new Herald, he offers little emotional support.
When Szeth attains the Fifth Ideal, 12124 is amazed. Szeth immediately breaks their bond, expressing disapproval of the methods used by Nale's group of Skybreakers and stating that he and 12124 aren't well-suited to one another.
==== Ki ====
Szeth is respectful of Ki. When he asks questions about the structure and methods of Nale's group of Skybreakers, he accepts her answers without complaint. He becomes Ki's squire after the Skybreaker test at the Purelake. Szeth defends his actions during the pole fight test to her and Warren, explaining that he never broke the rules of the contest. Ki is impressed by this, not having realized the extent of Szeth's skill. He and Ki are now on opposite sides of the war against Odium, as Szeth split from the bulk of the Skybreakers when he swore himself to Dalinar.
=== Nightblood ===
Szeth acquires Nightblood from Nale after his death and resurrection. He does not react with either bloodlust or nausea, as his desire to only do what he is told align's with Nightblood's Intent perfectly. He finally learns Nightblood’s name after months of carrying it, and refers to it with the honorific “sword-nimi". Nightblood is sentient and can communicate with Szeth telepathically. The two often have conversations, and throughout them, Nightblood has learned a fair deal about Szeth's past, including references to the Voice he heard when he was younger. In turn, the sword has no sense of time and casually speaks of his creators and wielders, such as Vivenna, Shashara, and Vasher, even though Szeth has no idea who they are. However, Szeth often finds Nightblood's words to be helpful and profound, and when the Battle of Thaylen Field comes, it's Nightblood that helps him decide which side to take.
Szeth is warned not to draw Nightblood from its sheath except in case of extreme emergency, and only if he carries a great deal of Stormlight, as the sword is extremely dangerous and can feed upon souls. Occasionally, he will draw it partially to see how other people react to it, as Nightblood causes "good" people to feel sudden nausea.
Szeth has fully drawn the sword only a handful of times. The first is while being tested by the Skybreakers at the Purelake, the second is at the Battle of Thaylen Field, and the third is to strike at the Herald Ishar. The next time he draws Nightblood is while fighting two Honorbearers in Shadesmar. The final time Szeth uses Nightblood while it’s unsheathed is while freeing his father, sister, and the other Honorbearers from Ishar’s control. In each case, the sword single-mindedly begins screaming into Szeth's mind while quickly consuming any available Stormlight, causing him extreme pain and eventually eating away his right arm. Nightblood insists that it wouldn't deliberately attack Szeth, as it doesn't consider him to be evil. It later comes to question this, and Szeth discusses the morality of his past actions with the sword.
Between Nightblood and Szeth, Nightblood is the first to confess that it no longer wants to kill. It later decides that it doesn’t want to kill its friends, and stops disintegrating Szeth and Kaladin, even while still unsheathed. When Szeth regains consciousness and believes that Kaladin is dead, he reassures Nightblood that it wasn’t the one to kill him, affirming that it stopped before destroying needlessly.
=== Navani Kholin ===
During the year Szeth spends imprisoned in Urithiru, he occasionally gets questioned by Navani. He tells her about the night he assassinated Gavilar, and explains how he was given the black sphere. He has also given her facts about Nightblood and mentioned his training with the Honorblades. Szeth is aware of Navani's hatred of him, and even thanks her for her negative opinion.
=== Family ===
==== Neturo-son-Vallano ====
Neturo-son-Vallano is Szeth's father. Throughout the changes in Szeth's early life, Neturo follows him from one place to another. Each time, Szeth is grateful that he isn't alone. Neturo only breaks this pattern when Szeth is named Truthless. 
After becoming Truthless, Szeth feels too ashamed to associate himself with his father, and thus besmirch his name. This leads him to taking on the name of Szeth-son-son-Vallano, as a way to keep Neturo's name clean. He even goes so far as to try to stop thinking about him entirely.
Szeth and Neturo are separated for close to a decade. Even after so long apart, Szeth still loves him and is deeply shaken by news of his death.
During the cleansing of Shinovar, Szeth begins reclaiming his father's name for himself. He learns that Neturo has become a human Fused. He sees that Neturo is suffering, and uses Nightblood to free him from Ishar's control. Szeth chooses to keep living, and says that he cannot follow Neturo into death.
==== Elid-daughter-Zeenid ====
Elid is Szeth's sister. She resents Szeth for tearing their family apart, having kept his father's and mother's side in their times of sorrow. She wanted Szeth to refuse to change residences for fear of further familial separation. She trains to be the Dustbringer Honorbearer to prove that not all would refuse an Honorblade as Szeth did. She falls prey to Ishar's Voice and becomes a human Fused, dissolving in black smoke when killed by Honorblades or Shardblades. She is killed finally by Nightblood.
==== Zeenid-daughter-Beth ====
Zeenid is Szeth's mother.
She followed Szeth to the Stoneward monastery, where she had the option of being a washer woman or cleaning floors. She did not follow Szeth when he was transferred to the Elsecaller monastery as she believed Szeth to be an adult who could manage himself.
There is evidence, according to Neturo, that he and Zeenid were having disagreements, and their separation has led to Zeenid being happier.
==== Molli ====
Molli is Szeth's favorite sheep in his father's flock. He appreciates that she always stays close, and enjoys giving her hugs. He finds comfort in petting her wool when he's stressed or upset. He is devastated when he discovers that soldiers from the Stoneward monastery have killed and eaten her. Szeth's mother gives him a small toy made of Molli's wool, which he keeps for years. He eventually recovers it as an adult.
== Trivia ==
=== Continuity Change ===
Szeth's death was subject to a continuity change. In the original hardcover edition of Words of Radiance, Szeth was killed by Kaladin driving Syl as a Shardblade into his chest, severing his spine. Brandon felt this was out of character for Kaladin, and changed the text with the release of the paperback edition of the book. Szeth's death now occurred when he unbonded his Blade and fell through the Highstorm.
=== Other ===
* Brandon wrote Szeth's scenes in The Way of Kings while listening to Daft Punk.
* Brandon considers Nightblood and Szeth to be one of the more terrifying pairings in the cosmere.
* In The Way of Kings and Words of Radiance, every chapter written exclusively from Szeth's point of view begins with the phrase "Szeth-son-son-Vallano, Truthless of Shinovar..." In Oathbringer, the phrase is dropped for "Szeth of Shinovar" and then "Szeth of the Skybreakers". In Rhythm of War, this is changed to "Szeth-son-Honor".
*In The Way of Kings Prime, Szeth-son-son-Vallano, Truthless of Shinovar, was known as Jeksonsonvallano, Truthless of Shinavar, or Jek, before Brandon modified Shin linguistics and it no longer fit. Jeksonofnone was likely named as a nod to the original name.
== Notes ==
;Footnotes
;References
category: viewpoint characters