Nohadon (The Stormlight Archive)

"You must find the most important words a man can say.

Those words came to me from one who claimed to have seen the future. 'How is this possible?’ I asked in return. ‘Have you been touched by the void?’

The reply was laughter. 'No, sweet king. The past is the future, and as each man has lived, so must you.’

‘So I can but repeat what has been done before?’

‘In some things, yes. You will love. You will hurt. You will dream. And you will die. Each man’s past is your future.’

‘Then what is the point?’ I asked. ‘If all has been seen and done?’

‘The question,’ she replied, ‘is not whether you will love, hurt, dream, and die. It is what you will love, why you will hurt, when you will dream, and how you will die. This is your choice. You cannot pick the destination, only the path.’

This started my journey. And this begins my writings. I cannot call this book a story, for it fails at its most fundamental to be a story. It is not one narrative, but many. And though it has a beginning, here on this page, my quest can never truly end.

I wasn’t seeking answers. I felt that I had those already. Plenty, in multitude, from a thousand different sources. I wasn’t seeking ‘myself.’ This is a platitude that people have ascribed to me, and I find the phrase lacks meaning.

In truth, by leaving, I was seeking only one thing.

A journey."

"As I began my journey, I was challenged to defend why I insisted on traveling alone. They called it irresponsible. An avoidance of duty and obligation.

Those who said this made an enormous mistake of assumption.

If the journey itself is indeed the most important piece, rather than the destination itself, then I traveled not to avoid duty—but to seek it.

It becomes the responsibility of every man, upon realizing he lacks the truth, to seek it out.

Yes, I began my journey alone, and I ended it alone.

But that does not mean that I walked alone."

Summary
Nohadon, also known as Bajerden or Behardan, is the title given to a historic Rosharan king and Surgebinder who lived during the Heraldic Epochs, along with the author of The Way of Kings, a philosophical treatise in the form of a collection of stories. The names given to him are only titles, his true name has been lost to time.

Life
Nohadon was a king of Alethela, the country that would eventually become Alethkar. Early in his life he became a Surgebinder of an unknown Order and eventually took the throne of Alethela during a Desolation that lasted for eleven years, killing nine out of ten of his subjects. This was furthered by a conflict with another Surgebinder named Alakavish, which left his kingdom in ruins and pushed him to the point he considered abdicating.

Regardless he stayed, and worked in order to restore the nation, until eventually it became a bustling, colourful place. Displaying his great administrative skill and gaining love from the peoples. At some point, he went to war over access to trade routes of Makabakam, which took him near the border of Shin Kak Nish. He would stay at this border for a while. It was here that he learned to bake Shin bread, a habit he enjoyed during later years of his life.

He eventually started a family and went on a journey from Abamabar to Urithiru. A journey of which he took alone and without any money. He took to singing and, when need be, doing manual labour such as the cleaning of hogpens. It was during this journey where he had the myriad experiences in which he described in The Way of Kings. It took a long period of time, around 60 days, but he eventually made his way to Urithiru.

In his old age, Nohadon remained in his capital in the city which came to be known as Kholinar. Where he spent the rest of his life in leisure, and wrote the Way of Kings about his experiences, made into parables concerning different aspects of kingship.

Visions
He appeared to Dalinar in two visions, the first of which he was talking to Karm (Who Dalinar was taking the Role of) about his anxieties about ruling, and his frustration with other Surgebinders.

The second, ocurring without Stormfather's input while Dalinar was asleep. In it, Dalinar spoke with older Nohadon, and walked through the city with him. Unlike the regular visions, here Nohadon was keenly aware who he was speaking to, and referenced things that had happened to Dalinar before. The exact nature of this vision is not fully understood.

Personality
In his youth he was short tempered and rife with anxiety, his kingdom in chaos and ruin due to the Desolation and various other factors. He was uncertain of himself and his goals, and sought advice on statecraft from his advisors. At times he considered abdicating his throne. He wanted Surgebinders to serve people, rather than the other way around, and he truly believed in this, so much so he believed that he had to enforce this, even if he had to go to war to do so.

In his older age, Nohadon became significantly more whimsical and better-natured, having greatly matured over the decades. He had a wry, somewhat sarcastic sense of humor, and a charitable nature, often talking with common citizens and giving food out to the poor.

He enjoyed the simple pleasures of life, like chatting with his people or shopping. He didn't hesitate to use his powers for the most banal things, like jumping several stories out the window rather than climbing down the stairs. He was, in fact, very cavalier with his safety, never taking guards with him even when going out of the palace. Nonetheless, he was sombre when recalling the dark events of the past, and had no problem dispensing wisdom he had gathered over the years.

He had a very unique few of leadership compared to most kings, caring deeply for his people and believing to be a good king he had to truly understand the experiences of his people, and the hardships of their lives. He also greatly respects the struggle they go through to make it by, while still pushing forward. He happily takes on various burdens even at the chagrin of his family and guards. He also truly understands the weight of responsibility on his shoulders, and how easily he can hurt so many.

Powers and Stats
Name: Nohadon, Bajerden, Behardan

Age: Unknown

Gender: Male

Classification: King of Alethala, Surgebinder

Powers and Stats: Regeneration and Superhuman Physical Characteristics via Stormlight, others via Surgebinding

Surgebinding
He is known to have been a Surgebinder, but the exact Order of which he was is unknown. Various factors imply that he was of the order of Bondsmiths, though this is unconfirmed.

Kingship
He was a great king with great administrative skill, able to help to have his entire kingdom restored from a Desolation within mere decades.

Realmatic Knowledge
In one of Dalinar's visions he displayed an irregularly deep knowledge of and understanding of Realmatics. Having knowledge of the Three Realms and their nature.