Jasnah Kholin – Stormlight Archive Character Biography & Information

Jasnah Kholin is a major character in Brandon Sanderson’s Stormlight Archive series. A Knight Radiant, the Queen of Alethkar, and point-of-view character, Jasnah is often at the center of events on Roshar, throughout the first five books of the series. She served as teacher and mentor to Shallan Davar, and is the niece of Dalinar Kholin — two of the series’ main point-of-view characters. She also serves as the means by which one can tell if someone read the books or listened to them: by noting if the person in question pronounces it “jaw-snah” or “yah-snah” (the latter being the official pronunciation).

In this article, we’ll summarize the key events of Jasnah’s life, discuss her powers as a Knight Radiant, and describe her personality and appearance. We’ll also go over the key relationships of the Queen of Alethkar.

Biography

This section only covers the most important events in Jasnah’s life — subplots or minor events will not be included here, unless they meaningfully impact either Jasnah or the overarching narrative of the series.

WARNING: This section contains major spoilers for all published Stormlight Archive books.

Early Life

• Born the eldest child of Gavilar and Navani Kholin, one of Alethkar’s most powerful families. Became a princess of Alethkar after her father united the Alethi princedoms into one kingdom.
• Experiences a traumatic event in childhood, sometime before age 12. She remembers being locked in a dark room during an episode of “lunacy.”
• Refuses her father’s wishes for her to marry Brightlord Meridas Amaram.

Heresy & the Death of Gavilar

• Declares her atheism and refusal to join Vorin devotaries, earning her the label of “heretic,” unprecedented for a royal in Vorin society. Instead, she dedicates herself to scholarly pursuits, joining the Veristitalians, a group focused on uncovering factual accounts of Roshar’s history.
• Witnessed her father’s secret dealings with the Sons of Honor and realized the potential dangers of his plans. That evening, Jasnah encounters Ivory, an inkspren, marking the beginning of her Nahel bond. Later the same evening, witnesses her father Gavilar’s assassination at the hands of the Assassin in White, who was sent by the Parshendi.
• Visits the Alethi warcamps at the Shattered Plains, but does not remain there, instead traveling to research the Voidbringers and their possible connection to the Parshendi.
• At some point, bonds with the inkspren Ivory and begins learning how to use her Elsecaller powers.
• Acquires a fake Soulcaster to disguise her ability to Surgebind.

Kharbranth & Ghostblood Attack (The Way of Kings)

• Travels to Kharbranth to gain access to the Palanaeum, one of the largest libraries in Roshar, to continue her research into the Desolations and the Voidbringers.
• Accepts Shallan Davar as a ward, impressed by the young woman’s persistence (despite initially rejecting her for her incomplete formal education). Begins mentoring Shallan, unaware of Shallan’s intent to steal her fake Soulcaster.
• Discovers ancient information that suggests the Parshmen/Parshendi are the Voidbringers.
• Sails for the Shattered Plains aboard the Wind’s Pleasure with Shallan, but is attacked by Ghostblood assassins. Stabbed through the heart, Jasnah uses the Surge of Transportation to escape into Shadesmar.

Urithiru & The Battle of Thaylen Field (Oathbringer)

• Finally returns to the Physical Realm after being stuck in Shadesmar throughout the events of book 2 (Words of Radiance). Reunited with her family and allies at Urithiru, she takes an active role in the coalition against Odium and helps Shallan complete her wardship.
• Works with Dalinar to recruit world leaders to the Urithiru coalition.
• Plays a pivotal role in the Battle of Thaylen Field, using her Soulcasting powers as an Elsecaller to defend a breach in the city’s walls single-handedly.
• After the death of her brother Elhokar, is crowned Queen of Alethkar, albeit in absentia (due to the failed mission to Kholinar, which left the capital of Alethkar in enemy hands).

Emul (Rhythm of War)

• Enters a romantic relationship with the Queen’s Wit, Hoid.
• Goes to Emul with Dalinar and coalition forces, fighting on the frontlines as a Radiant.

Defense of Thaylena (Wind and Truth)

• Travels to Thaylen City to lead the armies there against Odium’s forces, which are on their way via ship.
• Realizes Odium may have tricked them, and sends Windrunner scouts to confirm her theory — her scouts confirm that Odium has deceived the coalition — the invasion fleet is mostly empty.
• Speaks with Odium, who reveals that Odium’s new Vessel is Taravangian. He tells her to prepare for a debate.
• Loses the debate against Odium, who convinces Queen Fen that she should side with Odium’s forces.

Physical Appearance

Jasnah is a striking and statuesque woman with an aura of regal confidence. She is tall, slender, and tan-skinned, with deep black hair that typically reaches the middle of her back but is often styled in intricate braids or elegantly pinned. She has pale violet eyes with an epicanthic fold typical of Roshar. Despite finding societal expectations foolish, Jasnah always dresses immaculately. Shallan describes her as “lush of figure.”

Personality, Strengths & Weaknesses

Jasnah is intelligent, confident, and independent. While primarily a scholar, as Queen of Alethkar and one of the first Radiants to appear during this Desolation, she has strove to become a better leader, battlefield commander, and warrior. She is driven by a relentless pursuit of knowledge, which she applies with logical precision to her actions. Despite being labeled as “heartless,” she possesses deep loyalty to her family and cares about the wellbeing of those she trusts, even if she struggles to show it.

Perhaps her greatest strength is her willpower and determination: she is unwavering in her search for truth. She worked tirelessly to protect Roshar from Odium’s influence, often pushing herself to the limit physically. Jasnah does well under pressure, able to make tough decisions in the moment without hesitation. She also has a strong moral compass, perhaps most visible in her refusal to renounce her atheism despite serious societal pressure to do so. Despite her lifelong scholarly pursuits, Jasnah believes that knowledge is only useful if it is actually used — what one learns should inform their decisions, rather than knowledge being a pursuit unto itself.

Jasnah often has trouble getting along with others thanks to her aloofness and sometimes brusque demeanor. She has a temper, and a tendency to shoulder burdens alone, leading to isolation. Her distrust, stemming from childhood trauma, contributes to this self-imposed isolation.

Radiant Powers

Jasnah is bonded to an Inkspren, making her an Elsecaller. This Radiant order follows a philosphy of personal growth, and its members seek to reach their potential. Elsecallers tend to be reserved — quiet, careful people. Jasnah has sworn the Fourth Ideal, and therefore has access to both Shardblade and Shardplate.

Jasnah’s Shardblade (which is actually her spren Ivory manifesting in the Physical Realm) can cut through any substance besides aluminum or living beings — they can still pass through living beings, severing their soul, but not cut their flesh. A Shardblade can transform into any style of weapon or tool the Radiant and Spren can imagine.

Her Shardplate is made of some kind of lesser spren (possibly logicspren), and can be summoned or dismissed at will. Shardplate is unparalleled armor, allowing Jasnah incredible protection from conventional weapons, and even protection from Shardblades.

As an Elsecaller, Jasnah has access to two Surges:

• Transformation – Jasnah is able to use Stormlight to Soulcast, altering the substance of an object and causing it to become one of the ten essences. This is done by convincing the object or objects in question to change. As a skilled Radiant, Jasnah can Soulcast objects at a distance, though it is easier when touching the object. In practice, being able to change an object into one of the ten essences means the object can become basically any non-complex, homogeneous material: any liquid, oil, stone, plant material, water, flesh, etc.
• Transportation – Elsecallers can use this Surge to transport themselves (and possibly others nearby) to and from Shadesmar. This is a very difficult Surge to learn and utilize — Jasnah has yet to master it, and seems to have an easier time getting into Shadesmar than Elsecalling back into the Physical Realm.

We haven’t seen any of Jasnah’s Oaths sworn. While we know she is of the Fourth Ideal due to her having access to Shardplate, only the First Ideal (which is shared between all the Orders) is known. Here’s what we do know about Jasnah’s Elsecaller oaths:

• First Ideal – “Life before death, strength before weakness, journey before destination.”
  • Grants some access to the surges and Stormlight
• Second Ideal – Unknown
  • Grants greater access to the surges and Stormlight
• Third Ideal – Unknown
  • Allows the Knight to summon their spren as a Shardblade, and to have squires
• Fourth Ideal – Unknown
  • Grants the Knight access to Shardplate
• Fifth Ideal – Unknown
  • Unknown effects, but almost certainly decreases Stormlight consumption/leakage and increases the Radiants overall power level

Important Relationships

Jasnah has a complex relationship with her mother Navani. While she loves her mother, Jasnah resists being “mothered,” preferring independence. Their shared scholarly pursuits provide a bond, though Jasnah often feels stifled by Navani’s overwhelming personality.

Jasnah saw her brother Elhokar as rash and insecure, but still cared for him. She disapproved of his marriage to Aesudan, monitoring her due to concerns about her influence and motivations. Elhokar was always a bit jealous of Jasnah, but they shared a common bond based on their similar responsibilities and pressures. Brandon Sanderson has described their adult relationship as “fond-but-unyielding sister and an earnest-but-insecure brother”.

Her relationship with Shallan plays an important role in the series’ first book, and is sorely tested multiple times. Jasnah almost rejected Shallan’s wardship, she relented due to the young woman’s determination and talent. Jasnah mentors Shallan in scholarship and Radiant abilities, though their dynamic becomes strained as Shallan seeks independence. While Jasnah often views Shallan as childish (which she sometimes can be), she also learns to better appreciate art after seeing the value Shallan’s skills end up having.

Jasnah respects her uncle Dalinar for his leadership and moral fortitude. Their shared commitment to saving Roshar strengthens their bond, and Jasnah often provides him with strategic advice. Dalinar, in turn, trusts her judgment implicitly, and often involves her in important meetings and decisions.

Jasnah’s relationship with Hoid was marked by intellectual compatibility and mutual respect. Despite her asexuality, she valued his companionship and appreciates his understanding of her need for personal space. However, However, his unwillingness to be honest with her, combined with his inability to fully accept her asexuality, caused her to break off their romantic involvement.

Jasnah and Renarin share a quiet understanding, with Jasnah often defending him against criticism. Her discovery of his corrupted Truthwatcher bond initially alarms her — and she is close to killing him — but she decides to support him instead.

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