Editing Shalash

{{character
|image=Shalash Endsheet.jpg
|merge-family=y
|parents=[[Jezrien]]
|abilities={{tag+|Cognitive Shadow}}, {{tag+|Shardbearer}} <small>(formerly)</small>
|titles={{tag+|herald}}, Herald of Beauty, Lady of Dreams, Patron of the [[Lightweavers]]
|aliases=Shush-daughter-God{{book ref|sa3|92}}, Ash, Epan, Pom
|residence=Urithiru
|'world=Unknown
|universe=[[Cosmere]]
|first appeared=[[The Way of Kings]]
}}
{{quote
|A woman sits and scratches out her own eyes. Daughter of kings and winds, the vandal.
|A [[Death Rattle]]{{epigraph ref|sa1|55}}
}}

'''Shalash''', also known as '''Ash''', is one of the ten [[Herald]]s of [[The Almighty]] on [[Roshar]].{{book ref|sa1|prologue}} She's commonly titled the '''Herald of Beauty''';{{book ref|sa2|30}} she's the patron of the [[Order of Lightweavers]] and the daughter of another Herald, [[Jezrien]].{{wob ref|10414}} Prior to the [[True Desolation]], she was traveling the world destroying any depiction of herself she could find.{{book ref|sa3|117}} Currently, she resides with the [[Knights Radiant]] in [[Urithiru]].{{book ref|sa3|121}}

== Appearance and Personality ==
{{image|Baxil's Mistress by Shuravf.jpg|side=left|width=200px}}
{{quote
|You have to hate me! Hate me, '''please'''.
|Shalash to [[Taln]]{{book ref|sa3|119}}
}}
{{for|/Gallery|more images}}

=== Appearance ===
Shalash has dark skin and long black hair. Her eyes are a faint violet, so faint as to be almost white, and lack epicanthic folds. She is also described as being tall and lean as well as exceptionally beautiful.{{book ref|sa1|i|7}} [[Rosharan]]s who see her think she's [[Makabak]]i with some [[Shin]] heritage.{{book ref|sa4|17}} In recent years, she tends to wear practical clothing over anything particularly feminine. She carries around a thin-bladed sword, though it's not a [[Shardblade]].{{book ref|sa1|i|7}}

=== Personality ===
She dislikes thievery, though she has no issues with breaking into the dwellings of the rich to destroy art, even if she doesn't want the destruction to be too easy. This appears to be a perversion of her divine attribute of Creative, and may be a symptom of her forsaking of the [[Oathpact]].{{book ref|sa1|i|7}} It's focused on depictions of herself - whenever she sees her own face, whether as a painting, statue or tapestry, she is compelled to destroy it. She seems unable to resist the urge even when pressed for time. She is, however, aware of this, and when doing something important, she actively avoids looking anywhere one may find artwork of the [[Herald]]s.{{book ref|sa3|117}} She hates people worshipping her at all, and sneers at those who consider her divine.{{book ref|sa4|17}} She thinks that all people should stop worshipping, talking about, and painting Heralds.{{book ref|sa4|71}}

She isn't interested much in scholarly matters, such as the [[Realmatic Theory]], which implies that she wasn't a scholar.{{book ref|sa4|17}}

Shalash is very private and does not appreciate being asked prying questions.{{book ref|sa1|i|7}} She seems to be highly regretful of abandoning the [[Oathpact]]. Upon meeting [[Taln]] again, she's extremely apologetic for leaving him behind, and expresses dismay that he doesn't hate her for it.{{book ref|sa3|119}} Despite that, she no longer cares about the fate of [[Roshar]] and its people.{{book ref|sa3|117}} She also seems to have periods of losing touch with reality, as she mentions missing decades, if not centuries of memories.{{book ref|sa3|119}}

== Abilities and Attributes ==
{{image|Shalash by Gar leyva.jpg|side=right|width=300px|Shalash}}
{{for|Herald#Abilities|more information about Heralds' powers}}

=== Immortality ===
Shalash is a [[Cognitive Shadow]] capable of returning to life, though the exact mechanics of how are unclear. Following every death, she travels to [[Braize]]; whenever she or another [[Herald]] gives in, she returns to life on [[Roshar]].{{book ref|sa3|38}} While alive, she's ageless, and will likely live forever unless killed.{{book ref|sa3|117}} She also appears to have no need of sleep; at the very least, it seems she cannot easily lose consciousness.{{book ref|sa3|121}}

=== Surgebinding ===
As part of the [[Oathpact]], she was given one of the [[Honorblade]]s, granting her access to [[Surgebinding]]. Her Blade allowed her to use the [[Surge]]s of [[Illumination]] and [[Transformation]]. However, she has left her [[Honorblade|Blade]] behind at [[Aharietiam]], and hasn't recovered it since.{{book ref|sa1|part=prelude}}{{book ref|sa1|i|7}}

=== Other ===
Considering her well-known attributes, it's likely Shalash was once an artist of some sort, or at least artistically inclined.{{book ref|sa1|part=ars}} Her hearing is noted as exceptionally good.{{book ref|sa1|i|7}} She's also fairly capable of spying and infiltration, as she has no problems mixing herself into a new city or finding her way into a military camp.{{book ref|sa3|i|8}}{{book ref|sa3|117}} Though her obsession with depictions of herself is compulsive, she is very covert about it, breaking into houses and leaving without any trace of her presence other than missing or destroyed art.{{book ref|sa1|i|7}}{{book ref|sa2|i|9}}

== History ==
=== Heraldic Epochs ===
{{image|Ending the Oathpact by Katie Payne.jpg|side=right|height=300px|End of the Oathpact}}
Unlike with the other [[Herald]]s, it's uncertain whether Shalash was born on [[Ashyn]] or after its people travelled to [[Roshar]], though the former is more likely.{{wob ref|11945}} When the [[Desolation]]s started, she was chosen by [[Honor]] to be one of his Heralds. This formed the [[Oathpact]], which included Shalash receiving one of the [[Honorblade]]s to aid her in her duties.{{book ref|sa3|38}} The precise circumstances of how this came to be are unknown, but there are stories about [[Proving Day]], during which the would-be Heralds faced difficult, if not impossible, tasks to prove themselves.{{book ref|sa1|5}}

Following the formation of the Oathpact, Shalash and the other Heralds spent several thousand years helping the people of [[Roshar]] fight the [[Voidbringer]]s in subsequent Desolations. Preceding each Desolation, the Heralds would return to Roshar and have a short time to prepare them for said Desolation, teaching them any necessary technology they may have lost in the intervening time. The level of technology the Heralds returned to varied with each Desolation, in some cases the Rosharans had not progressed past the Stone Age.{{book ref|sa2|i|7}}{{wob ref|1430}} At the end of each Desolation, if Shalash did not "die", she, along with any other surviving Heralds, was required to leave Roshar and return to [[Braize]]. There, she and the others would be tortured to get them to give in and return, whereupon a new Desolation would begin.{{book ref|sa3|38}}

At [[Aharietiam]], Shalash and all Heralds other than [[Taln]] -- who was dead at the time -- decided to forsake the Oathpact and abandon their Honorblades. They lied to the people of Roshar, telling them they had "won" and went their separate ways.{{book ref|sa|part=prelude}} They were, however, not as successful in their breaking as they'd thought.{{wob ref|2898}}

{{image|Shalash by Esther Schrader.jpg|side=left|width=200px|Shalash destroying a painting of herself}}

=== Era of Solitude ===
{{quote
|I'm worried about Ash. She’s getting worse.
|[[Kalak]] {{book ref|sa2|prologue}}
}}

At an unknown point in time during the [[Era of Solitude]] she lived in [[Shinovar]], where the Shin tried to kill her, which she wasn't particularly against. She only left after they started worshipping her.{{book ref|sa4|17}}

Shalash was present during the [[Challenge of Stormhold]], which she recounts to [[Jasnah Kholin]] that King [[Iyalid]] had been drunk during the Challenge, settling a debate between her and [[Jochi]].{{book ref|sa4|99}}

Roughly four and a half thousand years after Aharietiam, Shalash was traveling the world destroying any depictions of herself. Sometime prior to the [[Assassination of Gavilar|assassination]] of King [[Gavilar Kholin]] of [[Alethkar]] she infiltrated the royal palace in [[Kholinar]] and destroyed her own statue.{{wob ref|2968}}{{book ref|sa1|prologue}} This pattern of behavior seemed to have gotten much worse at the time, as her fellow Heralds noted that she was getting worse.{{book ref|sa2|prologue}}

Five years later, in 1173, Shalash, alongside with hired help [[Baxil]] and [[Av]], infiltrated the palace of [[Ashno of Sages]], the Prime of [[Emul]], and destroyed a great deal of artwork depicting herself, including a canvas painting and a statue.{{book ref|sa1|i|7}} Either during or prior to that time, she also infiltrated the [[Bronze Palace]] in [[Azimir]], where she defaced the mural of the Heralds, scratching out her own face, along with destroying many of the statues in her temple in [[Thaylenah]].{{book ref|sa2|i|9}}{{book ref|sa3|59}}

=== True Desolation ===
Following the [[Jah Keved]] civil war, at the start of the [[True Desolation]], Ash became a washerwoman under the assumed name Pom to track down a painting of herself by [[Dandos|Dandos the Oilsworn]]. This turned out to be a trap set up by [[Mraize]], who wished to tell her where [[Taln]] was.{{book ref|sa3|i|8}} This set her on the path to [[Thaylen City]], where she arrived just in time for the [[Battle of Thaylen Field]]. There, she found Taln.{{book ref|sa3|117}}

During the battle, Taln was next to catatonic, requiring Ash to pull him along until [[Dalinar Kholin]] managed to open [[Honor's Perpendicularity]], whereupon the two Heralds managed to have a short conversation.{{book ref|sa3|119}} After the battle, with Taln once more uncommunicative, Ash decided to take him to [[Ishar]]. This was, however, not to be, as at the same time, [[Vyre]] managed to kill [[Jezrien]], sending her into deep shock. The resulting commotion made Jasnah, who was watching the line to the [[Oathgates]] looking for the two Heralds with their paintings in her hands, notice them and come to confront them, but Shalash fell unconscious before the two could talk.{{book ref|sa3|121}}

After being discovered at the Battle of Thaylen Field, Ash and Taln moved to [[Urithiru]], where they were often interviewed by Jasnah. Ash provided some information about [[Bondsmiths]] and the Oathpact to Dalinar, but claimed that Ishar was the real expert on the subject.{{book ref|sa4|17}} The two Heralds were brought along to the offensive in Emul, and Ash was eventually again questioned by Dalinar about Ishar.{{book ref|sa4|71}}

{{image|Ash-and-taln.jpeg|side=right|width=180px|With [[Taln]]}}

== Relationships ==
=== Other Heralds ===
Shalash is the daughter of [[Jezrien]], a fellow [[Herald]]. It doesn't seem as though the two are very close; the only time she's seen thinking about him is when she feels the pain of his death.{{book ref|sa3|121}}

She considers all the Heralds --except herself and maybe [[Ishar]] -- to be mad from thousands years of torture.{{book ref|sa4|87}} She also considers the Herald of Mysteries a man willing to risk his life, soul, and work for the better of humankind.{{book ref|sa4|111}}

She and [[Taln]] were likely romantically involved, or at least very close; she finds herself drawn to his hands, and remembers the sensation of them even after four thousand years. He's also the only person to whom she's apologetic about abandoning the [[Oathpact]], and she nearly breaks down when he refuses to hate her for it.{{book ref|sa3|119}} She treats Taln very gently and leads him like a disabled man when they walk together.{{book ref|sa4|17}}

Other Heralds -- [[Nale]] and possibly [[Kalak]] -- appear to have been keeping tabs on her activities, though it's unknown whether they've met with her directly in recent years.{{book ref|sa2|prologue}}

=== Hoid ===
She has met [[Hoid]], and knows him well enough to be able to recognize his art style, though she refers to him as Midius.{{book ref|sa3|121}} Hoid is particularly tender and reverent when he deals with her and Taln.{{book ref|sa4|17}}

== Culture ==
{{quote
|Ash's eyes!
|[[Shallan]]{{book ref|sa3|30}}
}}

In [[Vorinism]], Shalash is known as '''Shalash'Elin''', the Herald of Beauty, though the nickname Ash is also used.{{book ref|sa2|30}} Tradition associates her with the number 6 (shash), the [[Ten Essences|Essence]] of Blood, and the divine attributes of Creative and Honest.{{book ref|sa1|part=ars}} Like all other Heralds, she has temples to herself in all major cities.{{book ref|sa3|59}}{{map ref|Kholinar}} There are numerous pieces of artwork devoted to her, and depictions of her can be found decorating even utilitarian items like braziers.{{book ref|sa3|117}} 

"Ash's eyes" and "Ash's mask" are extremely common phrases, often used to express shock or surprise.{{book ref|sa1|30}}{{book ref|sa3|38}}{{book ref|sa4|28}} "Scholarship temperament" is an idiom with uncertain meaning, though it may refer to being honest or impulsive.{{book ref|sa2|50}} The name [[Shallan]] is derived from Shalash.{{book ref|sa1|30}} "Ash's brush of endless paint" is a phrase likely said by artists when they see something beautiful and astonishing.{{book ref|sa4|34}}

Further west, in [[Emul]] and, likely, other [[Makabak]]i countries, Shalash is known as '''Epan''' and titled the '''Lady of Dreams'''.{{book ref|sa1|i|7}} In [[Shinovar]], she is called '''Shush-daughter-God'''.{{book ref|sa3|92}}

== Trivia ==
{{image|Shalash.jpg|side=right|width=200px|Ash's chapter icon}}
{{image|Herald Glyph Shalash.svg|side=left|width=150px|Shalash's [[glyph]]}}
* Shalash will be the flashback character in the seventh book of the Stormlight Archive.{{wob ref|11620}} 
* She's one of only three Heralds, alongside [[Kalak]] and [[Pailiah]], whose names are naturally symmetric under [[Vorin]] rules. {{wob ref|6737}}
* "Shalash" bears a certain resemblance to [[Aon]]s Shao (Transformation), Ala (Beauty), and Ashe (Light). While this isn't coincidental, Shalash herself may be unaware of the linguistics of her name.{{wob ref|12021}}
* Her name and [[Shashara]]'s are similar, but this isn't significant.{{wob ref|3717}}
* Shalash's portrait used in the chapter arches is called the Artist by the [[Dragonsteel Entertainment]] staff.{{wob ref|14097}}
* In Syrian mythology, Shalash was the wife of the god Dagon.{{wp ref|Shalash}}

== Notes ==
<references />
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{{Stormlight}}
[[category: viewpoint characters]]