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== Background ==
While exploring a forest south of the [[Shattered Plains]], King Gavilar's brother [[Dalinar Kholin]] encountered a nationsociety of non-[[slaveform]] [[singers]] who called themselves [[Listenerslisteners]].{{book ref|sa1|28}} Not knowing what they are, and seeing their similarity to [[parshmen]], Gavilar's [[stormwarden]]s coined the term '''Parshendi'''{{book ref|sa1|45}}, which roughly meant ''parshmen who can think''.{{book ref|sa1|prologue}}"Parshendi" Diplomaticbecame relationsthe wereofficial establishedAlethi term for the Listeners, and eventuallyit aalso treatyspread betweento theother Alethicountries andon theRoshar. The Listeners (thedid so-callednot Parshendi)show wasany madeoffense for the term.{{book ref|sa1|prologue}}
Diplomatic relations were established, and eventually a treaty was made between the Alethi and the so-called Parshendi. The king invited a Parshendi delegation to celebrate the signing of the treaty in [[Kholinar]].{{book ref|sa1|prologue}} That night, Gavilar revealed to [[Eshonai]], a Listenermember of the delegation who could speak interpreterAlethi, his secret intention to bring back the [[Fused|old singer gods]] in order to also bring about the return of the [[Herald]]s. He mistakenly believed that the Parshendi would welcome this idea. In reality, the ancestors of the Listeners had abandoned their gods in favor of freedom, and they did not want their gods to return.{{book ref|sa3|prologue}}
After hearing the news from Eshonai and fearing Gavilar's plans, the Listener [[Council of Five]] decided to have the humanAlethi king assassinated that very night.{{book ref|sa3|prologue}} They assigned this task to their newly-acquired slave, a [[Shin]] [[Truthless]] named [[Szeth]] who possessed [[Jezrien]]'s [[Honorblade]]. After an intense fight, the man who would later be called the '''Assassin in White''' succeeded in killing Gavilar.{{book ref|sa1|prologue}}
While the rest of the Parshendi delegation fled from Kholinar, three members of theirthe Council of Five—[[Gangnah]], [[Klade]], leadersand remained[[Varnali]]—remained to take credit for the assassination. The Alethi had the three hanged.{{book ref|sa2|prologue}}
During Gavilar's funeral service, his son and successor King [[Elhokar]] made the Alethi highprinces vow to avenge his father's death. This '''Vengeance Pact''' broughtbecame Alethkar's todeclaration of war against the Parshendi.{{book ref|sa3|105}}
== Participants ==
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