Parshendi

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The Parshendi were a race of creatures on the world of Roshar.

They lived in the area of Roshar known as the Shattered Plains and are more advanced forms of the Parshmen. The Parshendi were mentally much more intelligent than the Parshmen. Male Parshendi grew beards, which they threaded through beads infused with Stormlight. Most Parshendi which have interacted with the Alethi were in war form. The Parshendi could communicate their emotions through certain rhythms to each other and could perfectly keep in time with these rhythms even when apart, although the Parshmen did not have this ability.

Forms

By staying out in a highstorm with a spren the Parshendi were capable of bonding with said spren which had the effect of changing their appearance, physical abilities and mental capabilities. These changes were known as forms. There are six known forms. They also make reference to "slave form," which is not a true form, but the lack of a bond with a spren.

War Form

War form gave the Parshendi an armour like carapace, it also seemed to give them advanced physical capabilities although it severely hampered artistic ability and was not equipped to handle abstractions

Work Form

Work form also endowed significant physical strength, although without the armour of war form and they have thinner fingers. While in worker form Parshendi find it difficult to commit violence and do not like confrontation.

Mating Form

Mating form was used for reproductive purposes, a few Parshendi maintained mating form constantly although most entered it only briefly in order to reproduce with a partner, if these partners later entered war form they became a war pair. it was a distracting form which made productive work difficult.

Dull Form

Dull form was an older form which was rarely used after the discovery of the newer forms. Those in dull form are not very intelligent.

Nimble Form

Nimble form used by Parshendi scholars as they did not know the correct spren to bond for a scholar form, it did not impede the mind and the fingers were delicate enough for recording their findings. It grew long hair without any carapace to block it and had delicate swirling patterns in their skin along with a thinner facial structure.

Storm Form

Storm form was a newer form discovered during the war at the shattered plains, little is known about it.

History

At some point in the past, the Parshendi were much less unified than they are when seen in The Way of Kings. They were once split into a number of separate tribes, with raids and assassinations as a relatively frequent occurrence. This is reflected in the Parshendi having enough cultural experience with assassination to have norms as to how an assassinations ought to be carried out.

The Parshendi were originally discovered by King Gavilar's brother Dalinar during a hunting trip. They hired Szeth to assassinate the King of Alethkar, Gavilar, on the eve of a treaty with the Alethkar people in order to stop the Parshendi gods from returning. They instructed him to wear white because it was a Parshendi tradition for assassinations.

They had affection for the drum and other rhythmic instruments and sing while fighting.

Jasnah believed that the Parshendi and Parshmen are the descendants of the voidbringers which caused the Desolations.

Notable Parshendi

For a full list of Parshendi, see Category: Parshendi.

• Eshonai
• Klade