Difference between revisions of "Shallan Davar"

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; Transformation:
The Surge of Transformation allows Shallan to use [[Soulcasting]]. She discovered that she could soulcast without the need of a fabrial after visiting [[Shadesmar]] and changing a goblet into blood. She then learned that the soulcaster she had been determined to steal was a nonfunctional fake, and that Jasnah could also soulcast without one. She used this ability to sink the ''[[Wind's Pleasure]]'' by turning the ship into water during an assassination attempt on Jasnah by the Ghostbloods.{{book ref|wor|7}} While stranded in Shadesmar with Kaladin, Adolin, Azure, and their spren, Shallan showed the ability to influence the [[Cognitive Realm]] as seen when she used the spheres found in the world to create structures such as bridges and walls.{{book ref|sa3|116}}
 
; Illumination:
 
==== The Plan ====
Though House Davar was effectively wealthy at the time of Lin's death, the man had extended himself with aggressive business deals, which the Davar children were unable to make good on.{{book ref|sa1|3}} Their finances had depended heavily upon the use of a [[Davar Soulcaster|secret Soulcaster]] to create a stream of steady income by means of marble deposits "discovered" on their lands.{{book ref|sa1|7}}{{book ref|sa1|29}}{{book ref|sa2|73}} During the fight that ended in Lin's death, Balat accidentally damaged the Soulcaster.{{book ref|sa2|73}} They took the Soulcaster to a jeweler to have it superficially repaired, but their father's adviser who was trained to use the [[fabrial]], a Ghostbloods member named [[Luesh]], claimed that it still would not work.{{book ref|sa1|7}}{{book ref|sa1|29}} With their source of income gone and their father unable to reassure creditors, the family's financial state was in peril. The siblings considered their options and determined that the only means by which they could settle their debts was with a working Soulcaster. Unable to repair the device in secret, Shallan devised a plan to become the ward of Jasnah Kholin--ostensibly a heretic with a [[Jasnah's Soulcaster|Soulcaster of her own]]--and covertly exchange the fabrials.{{book ref|sa2|5}} The request to Jasnah was written in desperation, but when the princess replied Shallan and her brothers believed that the plan was worth the risk. Shallan was to meet Jasnah in [[Dumadari]] in two weeks time, however Jasnah's constant travels left Shallan chasing the woman for nearly six months. For most of this journey, Shallan traveled with Captain [[Tozbek]], a longtime business partner of the Davar family, who offered a generous discount, aboard the ''[[Wind's Pleasure]]''. Shallan finally caught up with Jasnah Kholin in the city of [[Kharbranth]].{{book ref|sa1|3}}
 
=== Kharbranth ({{Rosharan date|1173}})===
{{sidequote
|Power is an illusion of perception... On an individual basis, in most interactions, this thing we call power—authority—exists only as it is perceived... I can create that illusion for them, as can you.
|Jasnah to Shallan, aboard the ''Wind's Pleasure''{{book ref|sa2|1}}
|side=right|size=400px
}}
Jasnah and Shallan took passage towards the Shattered Plains aboard the ''Wind's Pleasure''. Several days into the journey, as they sailed through Longbrow's Straits, Shallan was sketching from her memory of Shadesmar while on the ship's deck when she noticed a new Cryptic, Pattern. As she considered the strange sight, the crew began calling attention to a [[santhid]] which was spotted following the ship. Desiring to sketch the nearly mythological creature, Shallan attempted to have Captain Tozbek stop the ship, but the man refused her requests leaving Shallan deflated. Jasnah emerged from her cabin shortly afterwards and, seeing that Shallan was distracted by her visit to the strange realm of Shadesmar, explained the basic nature of the Cognitive Realm and spren to satiate Shallan's curiosity. When Shallan expressed concern for her brothers' situation, Jasnah explained that she had taken some actions to alleviate their problems. She had corresponded earlier in the day with her mother, [[Navani Kholin]], making plans both to repair the broken Soulcaster and to establish a causal betrothal between Shallan and [[Adolin Kholin]]. This would solve the Davars' financial problems and satiate the Ghostbloods while also tying Shallan closer to Jasnah. Humbled by Jasnah's opinion of her potential, their conversation turned towards Shallan's self-doubt, to which Jasnah explained that power and influence is often nothing more than an illusion. Encouraged and emboldened by Jasnah, Shallan commanded Tozbek to stop the ship and lower her into the sea, where she was able to capture a Memory of the santhid for later sketching.{{book ref|sa2|1}}
 
Pattern appeared again a few days later as Shallan was studying in her cabin. By taking a Memory and sketching the spren she was seemingly able to help cement his presence in the Physical Realm. Jasnah appeared at her door a moment later and the women discussed the nature of their nahel bonds and the spren associated with the Knights Radiant, including the Cryptics. Jasnah then charged Shallan with devoting her full time to the study of Pattern over the next several days. Pattern's intelligence and understanding seemed to be increasing notably as Shallan observed and conversed with him, though the crew took his presence as a bad omen. In one instance, as Pattern recalled his earliest memory, Shallan began to instinctively Lightweave--but it lasted only briefly once she realized the memories that it was unearthing. One evening, after a long but satisfying day of study, Shallan visited Jasnah's cabin to borrow infused spheres for light. She found Jasnah in an exhausted, troubled state which left a strong impression on Shallan--both of Jasnah's humanity and of the importance and urgency of their task. Upon hearing Shallan's desire to help bear the weight of their task, Jasnah explained more of what she understood about the Voidbringers and the Desolations. She also gave Shallan the requested spheres and explained the importance of [[Stormlight]], along with what little she knew of Shallan's ability to Lightweave. She also gave Shallan a copy of ''[[Words of Radiance (in-world)|Words of Radiance]]'' to study the Knights Radiant further. Shallan then retired to her room but slept only for a while before she was awoken by shouts and smoke. Shallan quickly surmised that the ship was under attack. Upon peeking out of her cabin she saw several men throw Jasnah's body to the floor and stab her through the chest. The men spotted Shallan who retreated into her room, leaving her trapped. As the men began to break through her door, Shallan was able to conjure a basic Lightweaving of a form dashing from the room and out onto the deck. The men chased, giving Shallan time to move to Jasnah's room. With the crew captured and no other means of escape Shallan entered Shadesmar and managed to Soulcast the entire ship into water. Shallan lost consciousness as she sank into the dark, icy ocean.{{book ref|sa2|3}}{{book ref|sa2|6}}{{book ref|sa2|7}}
Shallan easily earned the respect of most of her new mercenaries, including [[Gaz]] and [[Red (Roshar)|Red]], but struggled with the threatening pessimism of the band's leader, [[Vathah]], who was vocal in his doubt that she would keep her promises to them. On the fourth day of travel after the attack, Shallan was invited to dine with Tyn. They ate in private as Tyn revealed her belief that Shallan was actually another woman assuming the identity of "Shallan Davar" in order to pull off a scam. Though Shallan tried to convince Tyn of the truth at first, she eventually relented and invited Tyn to be part of a pretend scheme to blackmail Dalinar Kholin. Tyn took the younger Shallan under her wing and began teaching several skills, including acting and forgery, that would be useful to the girl she believed was a young, inexperienced con artist. Several days later, while the two women were practicing various accents, their caravan encountered four men on horseback. Tyn ordered Macob to halt, deciding that she and Shallan would confront the men alone in order to give Shallan a chance to practice some of the techniques they had spoken of. Prodded by Tyn, Shallan assumed the role of a [[Horneater]] princess as the men, including [[Kaladin]] and some members of [[Bridge Four]], approached. As Kaladin began to question them, Shallan began to tease the captain and ultimately demanded his boots in payment for a feigned offense.{{book ref|sa2|24}}{{book ref|sa2|28}}
 
Two days later, just shy of the warcamps, Shallan had the caravan pause for a break as they passed a [[lait]]. She found a quiet place and took time to think and relax as she sketched, despite brief disturbances by Gaz and Vathah. As she moved from drawing the local plant life, Shallan drew two strange images--one of [[Shalash|a woman]] kneeling over a broken statue and one of the crew of the ''Wind's Pleasure'' on a rocky beach. Tyn eventually interrupted and Shallan finally revealed that her supposed scheme was to assume the role of Adolin Kholin's betrothed. As she considered everything she would have to balance when arriving at the Shattered Plains--her actual betrothal along with Tyn's plans, all amidst Jasnah's research--she grew anxious but also excited.{{book ref|sa2|30}}
 
{{image|In Control by Marie Seeberger.jpg|width=300px|side=left|Pretending to be [[Tyn]] in communication with [[Ghostbloods]]}}
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