User:LadyLameness/Hearthstone

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{/{settlement |princedom=Sadeas |nation=Alethkar |world=Roshar |universe=Cosmere |books=The Stormlight Archive }} Hearthstone is a large but remote town[1] near the eastern boarder of the Sadeas princedom in Alethkar.[2] The town serves as a focal point for the various farming communities in the region.[3] The northern section of Sadeas princedom, including Hearthstone, is overseen by Highmarshal Meridas Amaram prior to his departure to the Shattered Plains.[1]

It is the home of Kaladin's family.[1]

Geography[edit]

Hearthstone is built along side a steep hill known as the breakwall, that protects the town from the highstorms.[4] In the centre of town is the breakwater, a large hole cut in rock to catch rainwater.[4] The buildings in the town are built in rows and are wedge shaped with a sloped eastern side.[5] Windows are rarely found on the northern or southern sides of buildings, but are often built on the sheltered western side.[5] There are around 100 structures in Hearthstone and it is large enough to have a bakery and several taverns, as well as a central town hall.[5][6] Kaladin’s home can be found on the outskirts of the town and is larger than most homes as it also contains Lirin’s surgery.[5]

Hearthstone is about two hours away from Hobble's Brook and the fields belonging to Hobbleken.[3] The town of Stringken, is about half a days walk from Hearthstone,[7] while the city of Revolar would take several weeks to reach by foot.[8]

Hearthstone is a farming town and the surrounding hillsides are covered with lavis polyps.[5] The lands are less fertile than they have been in the past[4] and the farmers of Hearthstone are always wary of the worms that can infest their crops. During worming season, the fields of lavis are checked multiple times, a process that takes weeks to complete.[5] Local flora includes thickets of snarlbrush, stout markel trees and stumpweight trees. Whitespine's live in the area near Hearthstone and occasionally causes problems for travellers.[9] Crimes such as theft, rarely occur in the town,[9] however, banditry has sometimes been an issue.[9]

The members of Hearthstone live simple lives, fairly free of ostentation.[6] Most of the dark eyed inhabitants of the town are of the fourth or fifth nahn.[5] Kaladin’s family are the exception, being the only darkeyed family of a higher rank. They are of the second nahn.[5] Hesina, is also the only darkeyed women in Hearthstone to be able to read and write in the Alethi Women's script.[9]


Hearthstone can get foggy in the mornings.[10] Nearby there are lumpish rockbuds on hills. Hearthstone is humid.[11]

Hearthstone is a highly fertile landscape.[12] Rockbuds everywhere except land that has specifically been cleared for living or farming.[12] Fields of wild grass, trees forming bulwards against the storms.[12]

Citylord’s Manor[edit]

The citylord's manor is two storeys and is situated to the north-west of the town.[3] It is constructed from thick white stone with pillars on its leeward side and like the other buildings in Hearthstone, it is sloped on its eastern side.[4] A garden containing exotic and colorful plants reside in the mansion's front grounds and is better cared for by Brightlord Roshone than his predecessor, Wistiow.[4] The inside of the mansion is decorated with ceramics and lit by a combination of oil lamps and spheres.[4] The parshman and servant quarters can be found on the northern side of the manor.[3]



Citylord’s manor stands on top of the hilltop at the far edge of town and overlooks the village. It has a stormcellar that the singer leaders kept prisoners in[12] manicled to the walls.[13] Many of the residents were forced to give up their houses to the singers and live in close quarters with their neighbors.[14] There are lots of lurgs in the area.[14] On the leeward side of some hills rock has been carved out to form caverns that can be used for things like storing equipment.[14] The manor is set on fire during the escape of the residents and destroyed.[14] Waber is the mano’rs gardener.[15] The house is full of wood instead of stone.[13] The cellar is accessible through the kitchen and is built directly into the hillside and sloping downwards.[13] It contains a watercatch to prevent the tunnel from flooding during the storms.[13] Stormcellars are where ligtheyed families retreat to in the highstorm for safety.[13] The stormcellar is underground.[13] Kaladin and Laral played there as a child.[13] In the stormceller there is a alcove cut into the side of the room.[13] The room is roughly cut from stone and slopes back to the left of the doorway forming a small alcove that is not visible from the entrance.[13]

From a distance the houses resemble groups of discarded crab shells.[16] The rockbuds grown at Urithiru would be too small to be considered worth much in Hearthstone.[17] Medical herbs can be found growing in cultivated patches outside the city.[18]


Urithiru The strata lines on the walls turn downward fanning out like lapping waves. The section of Urithiru for Hearthstone is along the edge of the sixth floor. There is a balcony that extends along the whole rim. Laral’s room is in one corner and is the largest with a private balcony. There are ten rooms in the center that Kaladin suggests turning into a meeting area. The rooms are connected. He suggests a communal kitchen due to the ease of combined cooking than people trying to cook on their own due to the restrictions on firewood. There’s a functioning well nearby the residences. On the inward hall are rooms that are large enough to house a family each. They don’t have natural light. There are 200 of them, which is enough for the entire rescued town. The space Kaladin found is the lowest he could get that had natural light.[18]

At the other end of the connected balcony chambers lies a suite of six rooms that include their own washrooms and private balcony that mirrors Laral’s chambers. It took Kaladin a week to full get the suite ready for his parents and outfit part of it as a surgery. There is a hallway that leads into a sitting room. In the hall there are two closed doors. The sitting room has a set of stone shelves full of books that Kaladin spent most of his monthly stipend on. One of the rooms is a nursery in a small side room off the main sitting area. Across the mainhallway is a fully stocked surgery room for Lirin. It is full of the finest instruments including equipment and medicine Lirin had never been able to afford or used - a stethoscope, scalpels, a magnificent fabrial clock, fabrial heating plate for cleansing bandages and surgical tools, as well as ointments, powerders, and medication on shelves[18] The tools and medicines were ordered in from Kharbranth.[18]

History[edit]

Brightlord Roshone took over management of the town several months after the death of Brightlord Wistiow. Roshone resented being relocated from Kholinar to Hearthstone, treating the townsfolk with distain and contempt.[6][9] He had a particular dislike to Kaladin's father, Lirin, whom he clashed with from the moment he was relocated to the town.[6] After settling in the town, Roshone began making life hard for Lirin and his family, suggesting that he did not deserve the town's donations for his work and fuelling the rumors surrounding Lirin's inheritance of Wistiow's wealth.[9]

The townspeople reacted to Roshone with a mixture of fear and awe, resulting in them often trying to appease him.[9] An arranged marriage between Roshone's son, Rillir and Wistiow's orphaned daughter, Laral, was initially proposed,[7] however, Rillir was killed by a whitespine before the finalisation of their union.[19] Roshone was injured in the same hunt which claimed the life of his son, losing one of his legs.[19] The townspeople become more cautious around Roshone after his son's death, wary to provoke a negative response from the Brightlord.[20] Unwilling to lose the chance to access Laral's wealth, Roshone married the young woman in the place of his son.[20]

When Brightlord Amaram's army passes through Hearthstone to recruit soldier's, Roshone forcibly conscripts other eligible citizens, including Tien, son of Lirin.[20] In the hopes of protecting his brother, Kaladin also joined the army, despite his immunity due to his position as surgeon's assistant.[20] The feud between Lirin and Roshone settles to a degree after the departure of Lirin's sons.[21]

After the town was largely destroyed by the Everstorm, the townsfolk relocate to Laral and Roshone's mansion.[21] Kaladin finds the townsfolk, including his family, gathered here after he returns home, following the Battle of Narak. Kaladin's return caused quite a stir amongst the villagers, due to a combination of his slave markings, his possession of a Shardblade and his position as a Knight Radiant.[21][7] After gaining information regarding the whereabouts of the towns missing parshmen, Kaladin departed the town, which he left in the care of Roshone and Laral.[7] Kaladin's parents, as well as his infant brother, Oroden, also remained behind in Heartstone when Kaladin departed.




A large majority of the town is destroyed after the Everstorm is summoned and begins to roam across Roshar.[3] The manor house, while battered, withstands the storm enough to allow the people of Hearthstone and refugees from surrounding villages to relocate there.[21] Four of the towns silos are destroyed by the storm, crippling their ability to feed the townspeople.[7] 

After the town becomes a refugee shelter, temporary shelters are created by stringing tarps between buildings, which can be taken down prior to a Highstorm.[10] This takes over entire streets.[10] Without the temporary structures there is not enough housing to accomodate all the refugees that have made their way to Hearthstone.[10]  Those who want entry to the town have to first be medically inspected by Lirin. Although the singers wish this done to prevent the spreading of diseases, Lirin does it to intercept those who might need treatment.[10] The old guards of Roshone’s now man the line and are forbidden weapons.[10] Over a hundred refugees arrive at the town per day.[10] Tent 14 is set up specifically to watch over people who may be suicidal.[10]

It is rare to have an entire family present at Hearthstone.[10] some details of the Purelake plague have reached Hearthstone.[10]

Several months after the arrival of the Everstorm, the singers returned to Hearthstone led by Abiajan, who had brought singers from all across the region with her. She was the only singer from Hearthstone that returned following the Everstorm.[10]

Following the fighting between Odium’s forces and the humans in Herdaz, eight months after Kaladin’s visit, an increased number of refugees made their way to Hearthstone in sought of safety.[10] \

Kaladin visited the village some number of times in the intervening year, which made his father nervous..[11]

A year after Kaladin departed Hearthstone Lirin found himself medically checking new refugees who wished for entry into Hearthstone. During this time he hatched a plot with his wife, Laral, and Roshone to sneak the Mink into the town so that he could be retrieved by Kaladin on behalf of Dalinar.[10] At some point prior to this moment he sent word to Kaladin to say the general would be at Hearthstone if he was to come and fetch him.[10]Kaladin convinced Dalinar to send the Fourth Bridge to Hearthstone on its long journey test run to, rescue the Mink, and steal a town.[11][12] Part of Kaladin’s argument was that Urithiru was severely lacking farmers.[18] He also, at some point, sent a letter to the Mink giving him some details about what he should expect when he got to Hearthstone (eg only bring low level guards who would not be recognised. This letter was returned to Lirin by a scout when they sought refuge in Hearthstone.[10] After subtly examining the Mink and his guards, Lirin pretended that one of the guards had a wounded leg that required immediate surgery and set the other guards, and the Mink, to be stretcher bearers, to get them all through the checkpoint.[10] Roshone, drunk or pretending to be drunk, provided a distraction so that the guards would not look too closely when comparing the faces of the passing stretcher with the pictures they had.[10] Just after the Mink makes it through the checkpoint, Abiajan comanded that everyone halt then dragged Lirin away to outside of the town where the Pursuer had arrived seeking Kaladin. He ordered the refugees waiting searched and found him hiding in line.[10]

After Kaladin flew off to fight the Pursuer, order started to be restored, with the refugees reforming their line and the singers waiting to see the outcome of the duel.[11] After returning to the town, Kaladin convinced the remaining singers to leave.[11] after kaladin starts fighting the Pursuer, Hesina takes the Mink and his guards and hide them in a nearby house.[11] Kaladin tasked Hesina with gathering the towsnpeoples for the arrival of the Fourth Bridge, she goes to speak with Laral and Roshone.[11]

Lirin went to check on the dead singer that Kaladin killed after returning from fighitng the Pursuer, then tried to attend to the refugees that were still waiting for entry to the town. .[11] Kaladin ordered the town to pack their things as the Fourth Bridge arrived to whisk them away to Urithiru..[11][12]

Roshone offers to rescue the prisoners in his manor while the refugees get onto the Fourth Bridge,[12] taking Godeke with him.[15] Some residents (fifteen or so) refused to leave and would rather continue living under oppression than abandon their homeland.[14]

The citylord’s manor was set on fire during the escape by the Pursuer or his minions,[14] to draw Kaladin’s attention and set a trap.[15] The fire was started on the upper floors and a hole was torn into the wall of the dining room from the outside.[15] Inside the dining room, Kaladin fought several singers and the Pursuer after they activated the suppression fabrial, managing to kill him.[15] Going through the kitchen, Kaladin entered the stormcellar to rescue those who might be trapped only to find Jeber and a refugee manicled to a wall and dead.[13] He also finds Moash holding Roshone prisoner, with Moash quickly killing the man.[13] Renarian came to rescue Kaladin, who Moash had tried to break by preying on Kaladin’s depression and fear of losing people, driving Moash away.[13] During Kaladin’s time in the cellar, the Fused retreated and the remainder of the refugees and townspeople boarded the Fourth Bridge.[13] The ship left, ferrying away the townspeople from the abandoned village.[16]

Because of this she is formally greeted by Jasnah after the arrival of the Hearthstone villages at Urithiru.[18] The people were given an orientation of the tower by Navani’s scribes. Kaladin took his parents to show them were Hearthstone would be housed.[18]

Politics[edit]

Brightlord Wistiow is the lord of the town until his untimely death,[5] after which he is succeeded by Brightlord Roshone, who is relocated from Kholinar to Hearthstone.[6] Brightlord Wistiow governed Hearthstone lightly, more often than not allowing the townsfolk to do as they pleased.[9] By contrast, Brightlord Roshone's distain for the people of the town lead its inhabitants to try inanely hard to please him.[9]

An arranged marriage is set up between Roshone's son, Rillir, and Wistiow's daughter, Laral, for the purpose of an alliance between their houses.[4] After Rillir's death following a whitespine hunt, Roshone marries Laral in his place. Despite her younger age, Laral holds more authority over the people of Hearthstone than her husband.[7]


The Mink was on the top of the list of dangerous refugees.[10] After the singers returned they took over goverance of the town, cutting Roshone down for size by forcing him to do menail jobs like scrape crem. They find him hilarous to watch when he’s stumbling around drunk.[10]

The singers set up a checkpoint to let people into town so they can keep watch for any unwanted individuals. The guards have a habit of not checking the faces of people carrying a stretcher, instead only focusing on the person in the stretcher.[10]

Abiajan is the new citylady.[10]

Due to Jasnah’s changes to inheritance laws, Laral inherited the position of citylady upon her husband’s death.[18]

Military[edit]

Armies occasionally pass through Hearthstone, particularly during the Weeping,[20] looking for new recruits and to replenish their supplies.[20] The frequency of their passing increased after the beginning of the War of Reckoning.[20] The permission of the citylord must first be given before any of the townsfolk depart with the army,[5] and volunteers must be of at least fifteen years of age.[4] The citylord can also allow for the impressment of their citizens into passing armies.[20]

Notable Residents[edit]

For a full list, see here.

Notes[edit]

  1. ↑ a b c The Way of Kings chapter 10#
  2. ↑ Map of Alethkar
  3. ↑ a b c d e Oathbringer chapter 5#
  4. ↑ a b c d e f g h The Way of Kings chapter 37#
  5. ↑ a b c d e f g h i j The Way of Kings chapter 16#
  6. ↑ a b c d e The Way of Kings chapter 25#
  7. ↑ a b c d e f Oathbringer chapter 7#
  8. ↑ Oathbringer chapter 31#
  9. ↑ a b c d e f g h i The Way of Kings chapter 31#
  10. ↑ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v Rhythm of War chapter 1#
  11. ↑ a b c d e f g h i Rhythm of War chapter 2#
  12. ↑ a b c d e f g Rhythm of War chapter 3#
  13. ↑ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Rhythm of War chapter 8#
  14. ↑ a b c d e f Rhythm of War chapter 6#
  15. ↑ a b c d e Rhythm of War chapter 7#
  16. ↑ a b Rhythm of War chapter 9#
  17. ↑ Rhythm of War chapter 15#
  18. ↑ a b c d e f g h Rhythm of War chapter 18#
  19. ↑ a b The Way of Kings chapter 41#
  20. ↑ a b c d e f g h The Way of Kings chapter 44#
  21. ↑ a b c d Oathbringer chapter 6#

{/{complete}} {/{Stormlight}}

“The one we seek is not on those lists,” the interpreter said. “He is a young man, a spy of the most dangerous kind. He would be fit and strong compared to these refugees, though he might have feigned weakness.” 1

“Grab Laral and gather the townspeople. Something big is coming today, and I don’t want them to panic.”2

“You’ve made it quite clear,” Kaladin said, “that you and Mother won’t abandon the people of Hearthstone. So I arranged to bring them with us.” 2

Here—as opposed to the Shattered Plains or Urithiru—things grew. 3

Roshone was the same petty lighteyes he’d always been. But during this last year, Kaladin had seen another side to the former citylord. He seemed to legitimately care. As if realizing, only now, his responsibility. 3

Otherwise the evacuation is going faster than I’d estimated. The refugees, obviously, were already prepared to move—and most of the normal townspeople had already been forced into close quarters with their neighbors to give parshmen their dwellings.”6

This is obviously a trap, Syl said in Kaladin’s mind. That Fused knows exactly what to do in order to draw the attention of a Windrunner: attack innocents.8

This large room had once been the dining chamber, where Kaladin’s father had eaten with Roshone and talked of thieves and compromises. 7

“I will fight you inside where you cannot fly away, little Windrunner. Come, face me.”7

“I told you to leave the city,” Kaladin growled softly. “I’m memorizing your face, your pattern, your stench. If I see you again, ever, I will send you hurtling upward with so much Stormlight that you will have a long, long time to think during the fall back down. Understood?7

But no, they needed to be set apart, own a home full of delicate wood instead of sturdy stone. The hungry flames seemed excited as they played with the dying manor. There was a glee to the sounds of the fire: its roars and hisses8 

He had played down here with Laral as a child, and it seemed smaller to him now. He remembered a deep, endless tunnel.8

“But I won’t fight you, Kal,” Moash whispered. “There is no fight to be won. We lost the moment we were born into this cursed life of suffering. The sole victory left to us is to choose to end it. I found my way. There is one open to you.”8

Light exploded into the room. Clean and white,8

Moash shied away from the light—but a version of him, transparent and filmy, broke off and stepped toward the light instead. Like an afterimage. In it, Kaladin saw the same Moash—but somehow standing taller, wearing a brilliant blue uniform. This one raised a hand, confident, and although Kaladin couldn’t see them, he knew people gathered behind this Moash. Protected. Safe.8

Once, he’d imagined returning to this place triumphant. Instead, that return had eventually brought the town’s end. 9

“I didn’t know there were so many books in the world,” Syl said. “Won’t they use up all the words? Seems like eventually you’d say everything that could be said!”18

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