| Meridas Amaram | |
|---|---|
 Fan art by Botanicaxu[1] | |
| Biographical information | |
| Ethnicity | Alethi |
| Nationality | Alethi |
| Gender | Male |
| Status | Alive |
| Abilities | Shardbearer |
| Social Information | |
| Title(s) | Brightlord, Highmarshal, Son of Honor |
| Family | Brightlord Roshone (distant cousin) |
| Occupation | Soldier |
| Appears in | The Way of Kings, Words of Radiance |
Meridas Amaram is an Alethi Brightlord of the third dahn. He is a Highmarshal in service of Highprince Sadeas,[1] in command of defending the princedom borders, while the King and Sadeas are away fighting on the Shattered Plains to fulfill the Vengeance Pact. He is a close friend of Dalinar Kholin. His standard is a burgundy field blazoned with a dark green glyphpair shaped like a whitespine with tusks upraised. Merem and khakh, honor and determination.[2]
Amaram's war recruitment effort brought him to Hearthstone, where the citylord, Roshone - Amaram's distant cousin - conscripted several locals, among them young Tien and Kaladin. Amaram promised Tien's father, Lirin, to place his son in a position as a messenger until he grew older.[3] Amaram betrayed Lirin as Tien was killed in his only battle soon after his conscription.[4]
Amaram later betrayed Kaladin, after being saved by him from an enemy Shardbearer (i.e., Helaran Davar). He had the surviving members of Kaladin's squad killed, stole the Shardplate and Shardblade that Kaladin had won, then branded Kaladin's forehead and sold him into slavery.[5][6]
Amaram is viewed as different and more honorable than other lighteyes. His betrayal is a major factor in Kaladin's rage at all lighteyes.
After having become a Shardbearer, Amaram made his way to the Shattered Plains. He arrives shortly after the battle at the Tower, and is greeted by his old friend, Dalinar.[6] He rides a fine warhorse of Shin stock; the hulking breed used to pull heavy carts. It looks like a pony next to Dalinar's Ryshadium, Gallant.[7]
Appearance
He is tall with a square face and angular nose. He dresses fashionably, wearing lighteyed outfits of modern design.[8]
Personality
Sadeas claims that he knows Amaram for the ruthless bastard that he really is. Amaram agrees with Sadeas's assessment of him.[9] Amaram is a murderer, a liar, and a thief who’s willing to do very slimy things to accomplish his goals, but he also calmly sticks to what he believes in and is willing to take the consequences. When his duplicity is revealed, he acknowledges what he's done, he explains why he's done it, and he coolly bows out. Still, he thinks of himself as a hero.[7]
Characteristics
Amaram's citizenship level entitles him to his own domain within his liege's warcamp. He is a traditionalist, and even the uniforms of his forces reflect this. His manor flies his own banner, and he has his own military force occupying buildings near his warcamp. His colors - burgundy and forest green - delineate his sphere of influence.[8]
Shattered Plains
Amaram's Betrayal
Amaram's betrayal is revealed by Kaladin to Dalinar,[10] who says he'll look into the matter, needing proof. However, Dalinar believes Amaram to be the only general in Sadeas's princedom with any real leadership ability. He believes him to be one of the best men he knows, stating that his honor is spotless and that he'd never known him to take undue advantage of an opponent in a duel, despite cases when it would've been acceptable.[10]
Amaram's Manor
Amaram's manor is relatively small - two stories, with a handful of rooms on each floor. Perhaps, previously a tavern, and temporary; stacked piles of crembrick and stone nearby indicate that grander building is planned.[8]
Directed by the Ghostbloods to infiltrate Amaram's manor, Veil (i.e., Shallan) disguises herself, talks her way inside with a ruse, then gains access via Pattern to Amaram's secret room. There, she finds maps of the Shattered Plains, marked with notes about the Parshendi and their knowledge of the Voidbringers, along with references to Urithiru, which Amaram believes can be reached through Stormseat at the center of the Shattered Plains.[11] The notes are made using the Stormwarden script, a form of glyphs adapted by Stormwardens into a more complete writing system. Given the extent of her observation, Shallan determines that exposing Amaram as a Stormwarden would damage his reputation.[8]
Amaram's Personal Guard
Amaram's personal guard includes about 50 men. Most of these soldiers have been recruited from Sadeas's lands and are sworn to him.[8]
A Son without Honor
Though he does not have any Surgebinding abilities, Amaram is proclaimed by Dalinar to be the first new Knight Radiant[12], as Dalinar does not yet know about the existence of new Surgebinders. After Dalinar's proclamation, Amaram wears a cloak of yellow-gold with the symbol of the Knights Radiant on it's back.[13]
During Adolin's duel with Relis, Elit, Abrobadar, and Jakamav, Dalinar asks Amaram to step into the arena to help his son. Instead, Amaram does nothing, ignoring his friend's son in need.[13]
When Dalinar confronts Amaram about knowing Kaladin and taking Kaladin's rightfully-earned Blade and Plate, then killing his own men to cover up the crime, Amaram admits that Kaladin bears his army's slave brand, but denies the allegations. Dalinar then reveals that he'd set a trap for Amaram using the madman's Shardblade, to see what Amaram would do; Amaram had taken the Shard and lied about it.[7] Amaram tries to summon his Shardblade, but Dalinar was already summoning the madman's Shardblade (now bonded to Dalinar), and holds it at Amaram's throat.[7]
Amaram confesses, saying he would do it again. Believing that the Voidbringers will soon return, he says he wants to have practiced, accomplished Shardbearers to face them. He then turns and apologizes to Kaladin for the betrayal, and Kaladin realizes he sincerely believes his actions were necessary for the greater good. Dalinar then accuses Amaram: [7]
| “ | "You are guilty of murder - of killing men for personal wealth." [7] | ” |
He demands that Amaram remove his cloak, indicating that Amaram is no Radiant. Amaram does so, dropping it, then walks away, his reputation broken.[7]
Ultimately, Amaram is a murderer, a liar, and a thief who’s willing to do very slimy things to accomplish his goals, but he also calmly sticks to what he believes in and is willing to take the consequences. When his duplicity is revealed,[7] he acknowledges what he did, he explains why he did it, and he coolly gives up his position as leader of the Radiants. No desperate excuses, no further attempts to hide the truth, no empty promises to reform. He’s made a choice about what his goals are and what his principles will be, and now he is firmly and calmly sticking to that choice and accepting its painful consequences.
Sons of Honor
By the end of Words of Radiance, it has become known that Amaram is connected to a group known as the Sons of Honor, who, not knowing about the broken Oathpact, believe that if they can precipitate the return of the Voidbringers - a crisis - it will bring the Heralds back as well. Their primary motivation for this seems to be bringing power and political influence back to the Vorin church.[14]
Following the creation of the Everstorm, Amaram writes a letter in glyphs to Restares:
| “ | I can only conclude ... that we have been successful, Restares. The reports from Dalinar's army indicate that Voidbringers were not only spotted, but fought. Red eyes, ancient powers. They have apparently unleashed a new storm upon this world.
... I do not exult in this success ... . Lives will be lost. It has ever been our burden as Sons of Honor. To return the Heralds, to return the domination of the Church, we had to put the world into a crisis. That crisis we now have, a terrible one. The Heralds will return. How can they not, with the problems we now face? But many will die. So very many. Nalan send that it is worth the loss. Regardless, I will have more information soon. When I next write you, I hope to do so from Urithiru.[14] |
” |
Rescuing Heralds
In effort to "free" Taln from Dalinar's temple complex, Amaram sliced into the wall of the monastery with his appropriated Shardblade. He referred to Taln as "The Great One".[14]
Amaram assumed Taln was insane, that Dalinar thought him a murderer, and then regretted that he'd not killed Kaladin when he'd had the chance.[14]
Amaram also referred to Taln as "Great Prince". He foolishly expected that all Heralds would appear to be Alethi, rather than dark-skinned. He also assumed that Taln's dark eyes were a disguise.[14]
In his attempt to remove Taln from the temple complex, Amaram is attacked by Iyatil with her blow darts. Taln intercepts the darts by grabbing them from within their projection. Amaram was targeted by Iyatil because his maps and possible attempts to find lost Urithiru appear to be in conflict with the plans of the Ghostbloods.[14]
Amaram attempted to summon his Blade, but was too slow. He chased after the purpetrator, looked back toward the Herald for his safety, and was startled to find the Herald standing tall. He then brought Taln to his coach.[14]
References
- ↑ The Way of Kings, 10. Stories of Surgeons
- ↑ The Way of Kings, 47. Stormblessings
- ↑ The Way of Kings, 44. The Weeping
- ↑ The Way of Kings, 67. Words
- ↑ The Way of Kings, 51. Sas Nahn
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Words of Radiance, 12. Hero
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 7.6 7.7 Words of Radiance, 76. The Hidden Blade
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 Words of Radiance, 52. Into The Sky
- ↑ Words of Radiance, 29. Rule Of Blood
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Words of Radiance, 22. Lights In The Storm
- ↑ Words of Radiance, 60. Veil Walks
- ↑ Words of Radiance, 55. The Rules Of The Game
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 Words of Radiance, 56. Whitespine Uncaged
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3 14.4 14.5 14.6 Words of Radiance, 88. The Man Who Owned The Winds
| ||||||||