Editing Dawnshard (novella)

{{book|title=''Dawnshard''|display-title=''Dawnshard'' (novella)

|released=November 5, 2020 (ebook), February 15, 2022 (print)

|'publisher=[[Dragonsteel Entertainment]], [[Tor|Tor Books]]

|ISBN=978-1-250850-55-3

|page-count=269

|word-count=[[/Statistical_analysis|55,096]]

'''''Dawnshard''''' is a novella featuring [[Rysn]] and the crew of the ship ''[[Wandersail_(1174 ship)|Wandersail]]'' travelling to [[Aimia]].{{wob ref|13638}}{{url ref|url=https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/dragonsteel/the-way-of-kings-10th-anniversary-leatherbound-edition/posts/2893136 |text=TWoK Leatherbound Kickstarter Update #6|site=Kickstarter|date=2020-07-14}} Part of [[The Stormlight Archive]] series, it is set between ''[[Oathbringer]]'' and ''[[Rhythm of War]]'',{{wob ref|13986}} and takes place three months after the end of ''Oathbringer''.{{url ref|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MOrPI9f7c2E&t=2557s|text=Live Signing Session #17 — Rhythm of War|site=Youtube|date=2020-08-27}}{{wob ref|14257}} The ebook was released on November 5th, 2020 for backers of the Kickstarter for ''[[The Way of Kings]]'' leatherbound and on November 10th to the general public. A print edition was released on February 15th, 2022 and an audio version was released on August 16th, 2022.

== Synopsis==

''When a ghost ship is discovered, its crew presumed dead after trying to reach the storm-shrouded island [[Akinah]], [[Navani Kholin]] must send an expedition to make sure the island hasn’t fallen into enemy hands. [[Knights Radiant]] who fly too near find their [[Stormlight]] suddenly drained, so the voyage must be by sea.''

''Shipowner [[Rysn Ftori]] lost the use of her legs but gained the companionship of [[Chiri-Chiri]], a Stormlight-ingesting winged [[larkin]], a species once thought extinct. Now Rysn’s pet is ill, and any hope for Chiri-Chiri’s recovery can be found only at the ancestral home of the larkin: Akinah. With the help of [[Lopen]], the formerly one-armed [[Windrunner]], Rysn must accept Navani’s quest and sail into the perilous storm from which no one has returned alive. If the crew cannot uncover the secrets of the hidden island city before the wrath of its ancient guardians falls upon them, the fate of [[Roshar]] and the entire [[Cosmere]] hangs in the balance.''{{url ref|url=https://www.brandonsanderson.com/the-stormlight-archive-series/#DAWNSHARD|text=Brandon's website|site=brandonsanderson.com}}

== Summary ==

{{for|/Summary|a chapter by chapter summary}}

[[Yalb]] serves aboard a Thaylen ship at sea as it discovers the ''[[First Dreams]]'' returning from [[Aimia]] without its crew.

[[Rysn]] decides to travel to [[Urithiru]] with her porter [[Nikli]] to meet with [[Navani]] to discuss the terms of an expedition to [[Aimia]] - she seeks a cure for [[Chiri-Chiri]] who has taken ill, [[Queen Fen]] seeks an answer to the disappearance of the ''[[First Dreams]]'' crew, and [[Navani]] seeks information about the [[Oathgate]] on [[Akinah]]. Agreeable terms are met, including the addition of [[Lopen]], [[Huio]], and [[Rushu]] to the expedition and the [[Wandersail_(1174 ship)|Wandersail]] departs.

During the voyage, several "omens" manifest which unnerve the crew and threaten [[Rysn|Rysn's]] position as [[rebsk]]. She manages to take charge and keep the mission afloat. During downtime, [[Huio]] stumbles upon a discovery regarding the behavior of [[fabrial|fabrials]] in the presence of [[aluminum]], which leads [[Rushu]] to create a fabrial assisted mobility device for [[Rysn]].

The omens are revealed to have been caused by [[Nikli]], one of the [[Sleepless]], in an attempt to keep humanity from discovering the secrets of [[Akinah]]. [[Nikli]] is removed from the ship by [[Lopen]] and [[Huio]], and the [[Wandersail_(1174 ship)|Wandersail]] breaches a strange storm around [[Akinah]] to make landfall. Once ashore, [[Lopen]] and [[Rushu]] set off to find the [[Oathgate]] while the crew goes ashore to collect a hoard of [[gemheart|gemhearts]] that have seemingly been left on the shore by dying [[greatshell|greatshells]].

The [[Sleepless]]'s final trap is realized by [[Lopen]] and [[Rushu]], but they are too late to stop [[Nikli]] from reappearing aboard and a large [[Sleepless#hordeling|hordeling]] from appearing to attack the crew. [[Cord]] and [[Rysn]] jump overboard and find their way to caves beneath [[Akinah]]. In the cave is a number of soulcasters, a set of shardplate, and a mural depicting the shattering of [[Adonalsium]]. The mural contains a [[Dawnshard]], which leaves to bond with [[Rysn]] as [[Nikli]] appears with two other [[Sleepless]].

Negotiations in the cave commence while [[Huio]] and [[Lopen]] fight the [[Sleepless#hordeling|hordeling]] above. [[Huio]] swears the Third Ideal to protect [[Lopen]] when the latter's stormlight is drained by another hordeling. [[Rysn]] bargains for the crew's lives and safe passage home in exchange for a promise to keep the secret of Aimia's treasure of soulcasters and shardplate. [[Nikli]] reveals that Rysn has become a Dawnshard, and the trade talks take a turn. The Sleepless permit the ''Wandersail'' to leave and Rysn to remain bonded to the Dawnshard. In exchange, an elaborate cover story is created to mask the true contents of the Aimia cave and the Dawnshard's location, while the Sleepless get to stay at Rysn's side as protectors of the Dawnshard.

As the ''Wandersail'' returns to [[Thaylenah]], [[Rysn]] begins to notice the passive effects of the [[Dawnshard]]'s power and [[Lopen]] swears his own Third Ideal.

Brandon decided to write and publish ''Dawnshard'' prior to the release of ''Rhythm of War'' because Aimia has relevance to the story and Rysn was the character best able to go there, presumably because of her newly acquired ship.{{wob ref|13638}}

Brandon had planned to use [[Lopen]] as a secondary viewpoint character.{{wob ref|13974}} Lopen and [[Huio]] will both have character arcs in the novella.{{url ref|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRj8aPl2ESI|text=Live Signing Session #19|site=Youtube|date=2020-10-01}}

== Cover Gallery ==

{{for|/Covers|a cover gallery of Dawnshard}}

== Interior Art ==

{{for|/Interior art|a gallery of the book's interior art}}

*The cover of the novella depicts the exoskeleton of a [[larkin]].{{wob ref|13828}}

*The prologue from the first draft was sent in Brandon's newsletter on August 6, 2020.

== Statistical Analysis ==

{{for|/Statistical analysis|a full statistical analysis}}

''Dawnshard'' consists of nineteen chapters, a prologue and epilogue. Across these, there are 17 sections from [[Rysn]]'s point of view, 10 from [[Lopen]]'s, 1 from [[Nikli]]'s, and 1 from [[Yalb]]'s with a total of 55,096 words. Unlike Edgedancer, each chapter may have more than one character's point of view.

{|class="wikitable"

|-

! Word Count

| style="text-align:center" | 55,096

| e-book PDF release

|-

! Page Count

| style="text-align:center" | 277

| Dragonsteel mini hardcover

|-

! Chapter Count

| style="text-align:center" | 21

| Including Prologue and Epilogue

|-

! PoV Characters

| style="text-align:center" | 4

|

|-

! PoV Count

| style="text-align:center" | 29

|

|}