Dalinar Kholin is one of the main protagonists in The Stormlight Archive. He is a Highprince of Alethkar and was a famous Shardbearer. During his youth, he helped his brother, King Gavilar, to unite Alethkar, then a country of ten individual princedoms. His prowess in battle was enough to earn him the singular title of The Blackthorn.While he was a Shardbearer, his Shardblade was named Oathbringer. Unlike most Alethi Shardbearers, he chose to wear his plate without decorations, leaving it its original slate grey color. Like his son, Adolin, he rides a Ryshadium: a black horse named Gallant.
In the present time, he is much more infrequently that warrior that inspired awe and terror, but instead a thoughtful leader, seeking the unification of Alethkar above all else, even at the expense of his reputation. By the end of Words of Radiance, he has discovered his Surgebinding capacity and has spoken the second Ideal of the Bondsmiths. His spren is the Stormfather.
Appearance
Dalinar is described as having a square face, the face of a warrior. He is not notably handsome, especially when compared to his deceased brother. He has blue eyes, like his sons.
Shallan observes him to be a man with blunted features, and short black hair silvering at the sides. To her, his stiff uniform makes him seem the only one about her who knows anything about combat.
She also finds him to be distinguished, his eyes to be scarily discerning, but notices that his nose had been broken at some point, and his face was a tad unfortunate due to bruising.
Personality
In his youth, Dalinar was known for his ferocity and skill, both as a soldier and commander. He was commonly known as the Blackthorn, and was well respected. However, he'd never felt young, regardless of his age.After his brother's assassination, Dalinar started reading The Way of Kings, and following the Alethi Codes of War. He became less fierce, and even began to momentarily lose his experience of the Thrill. He eventually admitted to his desire for a more peaceful existence, causing him to lose a lot of respect amongst his peers and encourage rumors that he had become weak, which even his son, Adolin, seemed to believe.[citation needed]
Still, over the years, he's learned to trust his instincts as a soldier and general.
He likes when others are direct with him.
In his mind, he always seemed so ... large. Bigger than any room he was in, brow perpetually furrowed by the deepest of thoughts. He could make choosing what to have for breakfast look like the most important decision in all of Roshar.
Character
In his past, Dalinar hated it when someone implied that he was insecure. Back then, his displeasure often ended with a head or two rolling across the stones.
Dalinar is a rock, a boulder too big for even storms to move.
Malata believes that the " ... old axehound is tough."
According to Taravangian, Dalinar would be the first to tell another that when one's opponent is getting back up, one must act quickly to crush his knees. Then the opponent will bow, and present his skull.
Beliefs
Loyalty is the first lesson of a soldier’s life.
A man should not fear losing his head because he took one too many sips of wine.
A man's emotions are what define him, and control is the hallmark of true strength. To lack feeling is to be dead, but to act on every feeling is to be a child.
Dalinar credits as his Devotary the Order of Talenelat, yet, he'd never had much to do with ardents. His Devotary, to him, is simple and straightforward. He got his fill of politics with the court; he hadn't the desire to find more in religion.
He believes that God isn't dead, saying that if the Almighty died, then he was never God.
Dalinar loves tradition and has fought for tradition. He makes his men follow the Alethi Codes of War. He upholds Vorin virtues, but believes that merely being tradition does not make something worthy.
Tactics
As a young soldier, Dalinar's favorite kind of tactic was the type that didn't allow his enemies to get away from him. Hammer and anvil. He didn't need Shards to intimidate.
He believed that a good fight was about momentum: don't stop, don't think. Drive forward and convince your enemies that they're as good as dead already. This way, he believed, they would fight you less as you sent them to their pyres.
History
As a young soldier, Dalinar needed a challenge to invigorate him. With the pulse of battle, the rhythm of killing and dying - the Thrill - humming within him, he engaged his enemies, attacking with swift brutality.
In so doing, he was directed by his brother, and didn't know why a particular enemy had been chosen, much to the astonishment of his enemies who yet lived.
He directed his soldiers to raid the buildings of those enemies - knowing they would want to loot - yet, knowing he needed hostages, directed those same soldiers to also find them.
Impressed with the prowess of a particular archer who had shot him, after having further witnessing the man's skills at his command, Dalinar conscripted the man into his own army.
Particularly when he was in his youth, Dalinar had been out in his share of highstorms.
During negotiations, he wished that he didn't feel so useless. Gavilar made alliances; Sadeas dealt with problems. He knew that those two could treat a feast hall like a battlefield.
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