Editing Battle of Thaylen Field

{{event
|partof=[[True Desolation]]
|image=Thaylen City.jpg
|participants=[[Dalinar]], [[Adolin]], [[Kaladin]], [[Shallan Davar]], [[Szeth]], [[Nightblood]], [[Lift]], [[Renarin]], [[Jasnah]], [[Teft]], [[Rock]], [[Amaram]], [[Odium]], The [[Fused]], [[Nergaoul]], [[Yelig-nar]]
|date={{Rosharan date|1174|2|10|5}}{{ref|name=timeline}}
|city=Thaylen City
|world=Roshar
|universe=[[Cosmere]]
|books=[[The Stormlight Archive]]
}}
{{update|sa4}}
The '''Battle of Thaylen Field''' is one of the first major engagements in the [[True Desolation]]. It's fought between the human armies, led by [[Dalinar Kholin]], and the [[Voidbringer]]s, mainly [[Fused]], under direct command of [[Odium]].{{book ref|sa3|115}}

== History ==
=== Background ===
After the [[Battle of Narak]] in {{Rosharan date|1173|10|10|3}}, the Alethi discovered and inhabited the lost city of Urithiru, right as the True Desolation began. This gave them access to Oathgates, therefore giving them potential links to the various Dawncities across Roshar. However, they were incapable of using the Oathgates without first activating them on the opposite side, thus they  did not receive an immediate strategic benefit. This motivated them to try and ally with nations that contained Oathgates, due to the strategic value they possess, as they allowed for travel to major Rosharan cities far faster than could be done by foot.{{book ref|sa3|12}}{{book ref|sa3|28}} 

A major nation that they attempted to negotiate with was [[Thaylenah]], whose capital, Thaylen City, possessed the Thalath Oathgate. The leader of Thaylenah, Queen [[Fen Rnamdi]], was suspicious of the Alethi forces and didn't want to give them free access into the center of their capital city.{{book ref|sa3|12}}{{book ref|sa3|28}} She eventually came to agree to join the coalition, and allowed them access to her Oathgate, therefore giving them the ability to quickly travel to and mobilize in Thaylenah.{{book ref|sa3|50}}{{book ref|sa3|59}}

Shortly before the battle, [[Taravangian]], who was working for [[Odium]], manipulated the government in order to motivate them to send off a large portion of the city's defense force, greatly reducing their military prowess and defensive capabilities. This left them reliant upon military aide from the Alethi in order to protect themselves from the Fused offensive.{{book ref|sa3|111}}

After intel arose concerning a Fused offensive on Thaylen City, the Alethi forces moved in to protect their allies and the strategic advantage they possessed via their control of the Thaylen Oathgate. They were further motivated by the threat that the Fused would pose to the human resistance if they managed to take control of the Oathgate. 

=== Preparations ===
{{image|Taking Stock by Marie Seeberger.jpg|side=right|width=200px|Human and singer forces facing off}}

Several thousand [[Singer]]s arrived at the shores of [[Thaylen City]] under the protection of an [[Everstorm]], spawned by [[Odium]] to mask their invasion and hasten their ships.{{book ref|sa3|115}} As sailing during a storm was considered impossible, the human defenders of the city were caught unaware; furthermore, due to Taravangian's manipulations,{{book ref|sa3|111}} much of the city's defense force had departed it shortly before, leaving only the [[Thaylen]]s and a portion of Alethi army under [[Meridas Amaram]]. The Everstorm covering the advance of the enemy stalled over the city instead of continuing on,{{book ref|sa3|115}} something never seen before.{{book ref|sa3|115}}

At the same time, the souls of approximately ten thousand [[singer]]s gathered outside the [[Thaylen City]] [[Oathgate]] in [[Shadesmar]].{{book ref|sa3|112}} Due to the stalled Everstorm, the Voidbringer souls were able to pass into the [[Physical Realm]], with two going into the ground and ripping themselves free to become [[thunderclast]]s. In addition, clad in a body made of golden carapace and clutching a regal scepter, Odium himself stepped onto the shore to personally lead the battle.{{book ref|sa3|115}}

Even with such might backing them, some of the [[Fused]] expressed doubt over their chances of victory, largely due to the inexperience of their army of freed [[Parshmen]], many of whom did not want to fight at all.{{book ref|sa3|115}} With Amaram's forces being veterans of the [[Shattered Plains]] campaigns, the battle was believed to be winnable or even favorable to the humans. Odium, however, had different plans.

{{image|Lift and Szeth by Damako Art.jpg|[[Lift]] and [[Szeth]] on the battlefield|side=left|width=250px}}

=== Nergaoul arrives ===
In the form of blood red mist, occasionally manifesting into images of combat, the [[Unmade]] [[Nergaoul]] took to the battlefield and filled Sadeas troops with the [[Thrill]], imbuing them with bloodlust and the urge to fight above all else. It was then that the voidspren that had come through the Oathgate into the physical realm seized new hosts, possessing humans as they could normally do to singers; something that had never happened in previous desolations. With this, the Alethi army turned against the city they were supposed to protect.{{book ref|sa3|115}} 

At the same time, Odium ordered one of the thunderclasts, [[Yushah]], to assault the [[Thaylen Gemstone Reserve]] to deny the enemy the [[King's Drop]], a [[perfect gemstone]] capable of capturing an [[Unmade]]. Yushah breached the wall and broke apart the entire building, scattering all the gemstones onto the battlefield.{{book ref|sa3|i|13}}{{book ref|sa3|116}}

Taking his copy of ''[[The Way of Kings (in-world)|The Way of Kings]]'' under his arm, [[Dalinar Kholin]] went alone to meet the enemy.{{book ref|sa3|116}} Before the [[Azish]] forces left the city, sailing to [[Vtlar Cove]] to wait out the storm, [[Lift]] attacked her [[Vono|guard]] and snuck back to the city, since she was unwilling to abandon the others. When she reached Dalinar he instructed her to track down and recover the King's Drop from the Fused who had taken it.{{book ref|sa3|117}} At the same time, [[Szeth]], hovering above the city along with [[Nale]], chose to swear the Third Ideal of the [[Skybreaker]]s, picking Dalinar as the ideal to follow. With this, he joined the battle, unsheathing [[Nightblood]] to bring its full might onto the enemy and aid Lift.{{book ref|sa3|117}}{{book ref|sa3|118}}
{{image|Dalinar Perpendicularity.png|side=right|height=300px|Dalinar summoning [[Honor's Perpendicularity]]}}

=== Unity ===
Despite the powerful combatants involved on the human side, Odium's forces were winning. Odium and Dalinar met in the midsts of the battlefield, with [[Venli]] observing as Dalinar challenged Odium to the contest of champions to have a chance at saving the city. Odium agreed, then explained how he had been grooming Dalinar for years to become Odium's own champion.{{book ref|sa3|118}}

With this, Odium unleashed the full might of the Thrill upon Dalinar, bombarding him with pain of his past actions and promising reprieve if Dalinar gives in.{{book ref|sa3|118}} Dalinar, however, refuses, accepting the responsibility instead. With this, he managed to attain the next [[Bondsmith]] ideal, declaring "I am Unity" and summoning [[Honor's Perpendicularity]].{{book ref|sa3|119}} All three realms, physical, cognitive, and spiritual were united in an outpouring of [[gloryspren]] and [[Stormlight]], infusing every gem in the city and forming a passage to [[Shadesmar]]. His allies trapped there -- [[Adolin]], [[Shallan]], and [[Kaladin]] -- use to return to the Physical Realm and join the fight. By contrast, seeing Dalinar's feat, Odium fled, leaving his armies to fend for themselves.{{book ref|sa3|119}}

{{image|Radiant by Petar Penev.jpg|[[Shallan]]'s illusory army|side=left|width=200px}}

=== The tide turns ===
Shallan, using [[Illumination|Lightweaving]], created an illusory army  to distract the Sadeas forces, even managing to give the phantoms some substance. Meanwhile, [[Jasnah]] used the near-infinite Stormlight to annihilate the enemy forces with [[Surgebinding]], while [[Renarin]], having revealed his [[Glys|corrupted spren]], rushed to join the fight.{{book ref|sa3|119}} 

In the center, with Dalinar no longer a possible ally, the sphere containing [[Yelig-Nar]] went to Amaram, who attacked Dalinar, only to be rebuffed by Kaladin.{{book ref|sa3|119}} Amaram then chose to bond [[Yelig-nar]] by swallowing a gem, growing grotesque carapace under his [[Shardplate]] and gaining access to all ten [[Surge]]s.{{book ref|sa3|120}} 

With Kaladin handling all threats to Dalinar, the latter made his way into the center of the red mists that made up Nergaoul. In the sky, Szeth, with the help of Lift, had finally acquired the King's Drop, but was immediately tailed by numerous flying [[Fused]]. Unable to escape them, he and Lift devised a strategy to fool them, and, with Shallan's help, created a fake King's Drop, which they then allowed the Fused to "steal" back. With the perfect gemstone thus secured, Lift entered the mits to bring it to Dalinar.{{book ref|sa3|120}}

Meanwhile, Adolin, with the help of his [[Shardblade]] [[Mayalaran]] and Thaylen highguard [[Hrdalm]], engaged [[Kai-garnis]], the other thunderclast, near the city's [[Oathgate]].{{book ref|sa3|120}} Though Adolin managed to seriously wound the creature, he eventually sustained too many injuries to fight effectively. It's then that Renarin arrived with healing and his own Blade. He and Hrdalm, the latter armed with Mayalaran, finally managed to bring the beast down, reducing it to inanimate stone. Renarin then made for the Oathgate, only to see it guarded by a dozen flying Fused.{{book ref|sa3|120}} 

=== Confronting the Thrill ===
{{image|Thrill.png|Dalinar confronts Nergaoul|side=right|width=300px}}

Over in [[Urithiru]], a surprise attack aimed at distracting the Alethi from sending reinforcements had been underway until [[Teft]] managed to speak his Third Ideal and manifest a [[Shardblade]], allowing him to open the Oathgate to Thaylen City and bring in much-needed reinforcements. There, the light of the activated gate momentarily scattered the Fused giving the new arrivals an advantage of surprise.{{book ref|sa3|120}} At the same time, back at the ships the singers had arrived upon, [[Venli]] bonded [[Timbre]], becoming the first singer [[Surgebinder]].{{book ref|sa3|120}}

Within Nergaoul's  mists, Lift reached Dalinar and delivered the King's Drop. Embracing the Thrill, Dalinar lured Nergaoul in, and used the Drop to trap him, removing him from the battlefield. With this, the soldiers of Sadeas' army returned to normal, either fleeing or collapsing in place.{{book ref|sa3|120}}

Outside, Kaladin's battle with Amaram was still underway. He's almost killed after he runs out of Stormlight, but is saved by [[Rock]], who killed Amaram with two shots from a Shardbow. With their last major fighter gone, [[Odium]]'s army retreated, while Kholin forces and the [[Windrunners]] swept the city of the last invaders. The day was won.{{book ref|sa3|120}}

== Notes ==
{{history
|title=History of [[Roshar]]
|prev=[[Siege of Kholinar]]
|next='''Emuli Offensive'''</br>'''Occupation of Urithiru'''
}}
<references><!-- chapters
sa3: 111-122
-->
{{bws ref|date=2017-10-27|name=timeline|oathbringers-timeline|text=Oathbringer's Timeline}}
</references>
{{partial}}
{{Stormlight}}
[[es:Batalla de la Explanada Thayleña]]