Codes of War
The Codes of War, often simply called the Codes, are an ancient set of standards of conduct for Alethi soldiers and officers in Brandon Sanderson's The Stormlight Archive. Though largely abandoned in practice by the time of the series, they are upheld by Dalinar Kholin as a personal discipline.
Content
The Codes govern the behavior expected of a commander and his troops on campaign. They include requirements such as an officer remaining sober and ready while his men are in the field, being properly armed and prepared for battle at all times, sharing in the hardships of one's soldiers rather than indulging in luxury while they suffer, and conducting oneself with honor and responsibility toward those under one's command.
Decline and revival
In the generations before the events of The Stormlight Archive, the Codes had fallen out of common use among the Alethi, whose highprinces and officers often treated war on the Shattered Plains as a contest for glory and gemhearts rather than a disciplined campaign. Dalinar Kholin, however, chooses to follow the Codes strictly, a decision that initially marks him as eccentric or weak in the eyes of his peers.
Significance
Dalinar's insistence on the Codes reflects his broader turn toward honor and self-discipline, themes tied to the legacy of Honor and the ideals of the Knights Radiant. His adherence to the Codes, mocked at first, becomes part of his transformation into a unifying leader and a foundation for the revived Vorin martial ethic he comes to embody.