Editing Ishnah

{{character
|image=Ishnah portrait by Dragontrill.png
|abilities={{tag+|lightweaver}}, {{tag+|Shardbearer}}
|bonded=[[Motif]]{{book ref|sa4|26}}
|groups={{tag|Knights Radiant}} <small>([[Order of Lightweavers|Lightweavers]])</small>, {{tag|Unseen Court}}{{book ref|sa4|20}}
|residence=Urithiru
|nation=Alethkar
|world=Roshar
|universe=[[Cosmere]]
|books=[[The Stormlight Archive]]
}}

{{quote
|Please. The world is wrong now. Nothing makes sense. But you . . . your group . . . you know things. I don't want to be blind anymore.
|Ishnah requesting recruitment into the Ghostbloods{{book ref|sa3|25}}
}}
'''Ishnah''' is a [[Order of Lightweavers|Lightweaver]] and a member of the [[Unseen Court]] on [[Roshar]].{{book ref|sa4|20}} She is bonded to the [[Cryptic]] [[Motif]].{{book ref|sa4|26}}

== Appearance & Personality ==
Ishnah is a short woman{{book ref|sa3|18}} with straight, black hair and dark brown eyes. She usually wears makeup, including red lipstick and penciled eyebrows,{{book ref|sa3|25}} and an Alethi [[havah]] with a gloved hand instead of a sleeve typical of a high ranking [[darkeyed]] woman.{{book ref|sa3|44}} Her cryptic, Motif, rides on the ornament at the end of the central hair spike  used to keep her braids in place.{{book ref|sa4|20}} She is slightly older than [[Shallan]].{{book ref|sa4|26}}

Her tenacity and determination are shown in the persistence she uses to earn Shallan's consideration.{{book ref|sa3|24}}{{book ref|sa3|40}} She exudes a great deal of self-assurance, between her comfort in [[Urithiru]]'s underground and her willingness to take on the difficult task of training Shallan's men in espionage, and she portrays that confidence while keeping calm during high-pressure operations while in Shallan's employ.{{book ref|sa3|72}} She suffers little nonsense and is usually fixated on her work.{{book ref|sa3|44}}

She is pragmatic but ambitious. She is always finding opportunities.{{book ref|sa4|20}} Because of her past, she is unsure if she "belongs in the light".{{book ref|sa4|26}}

== Attributes & Abilities ==
{{quote
|Espionage is about the careful gathering of information. Your task is to observe, but to not be observed. You must be likable enough that people talk to you, but not so interesting that they remember you.
|Ishnah's first lessons to Veil's men{{book ref|sa3|44}}
}}
{{image|Ishnah by Dragontrill.jpg|side=left|width=250px|}}
Ishnah became somewhat skilled in the art of espionage while in the employ of Brightlady Hamaradin. She asserts that she is an excellent writer, able to take dictations, and has experience with message coding.{{book ref|sa3|25}}{{book ref|sa3|40}} While [[Mraize]] claims that her position was only that of an assistant, Ishnah proves to know many practical field techniques. Most notably is her experience with observation and information gathering. Ishnah has a very good memory (using a "mind museum") and the ability to notice and track details on par with Shallan.{{book ref|sa3|44}} She also knows how to search rooms and manage infiltration operations.{{book ref|sa3|40}}{{book ref|sa3|62}}{{book ref|sa3|77}} Ishnah is comfortable in Urithiru's underground networks and claims to know contacts who are "expert" spies.{{book ref|sa3|40}}

As a [[Order of Lightweavers|Lightweaver]], Ishnah can use the Surges of '''Illumination''' and '''Transformation'''. She has progressed in her oaths far enough to have earned a [[Shardblade]].{{book ref|sa4|20}} She could gather her own squires, but chooses to remain with the [[Unseen Court]].{{book ref|sa4|20}}

=== Soulcasting ===
The [[Soulcaster]] enters (or partially enters) the [[Cognitive Realm]] to convince the sentience of an object to change materials, transforming it into something else if successful. Some transformations are more basic than others, with more complicated transformations requiring a more skilled Surgebinder and more [[Stormlight]].

=== Lightweaving ===
[[Surgebinding#Illumination|Lightweaving]] deals in illusions. It involves the manipulation of waves of sound or light and has a strong [[Spiritual Realm|Spiritual]] component requiring a certain measure of [[Connection]] and a full mental picture of the desired illusion. 

== History ==
Ishnah worked as an assistant{{book ref|sa3|51}} in House [[Hamaradin]]'s spy network, where she was trained in several useful espionage techniques. Brightlady Hamaradin was eventually assassinated after vexing the [[Ghostbloods]], and when her spies were named suspects Ishnah fled. She eventually came to work for a gang of petty thieves in Urithiru's underground.{{book ref|sa3|40}} Her gang used [[Blackbane]].{{book ref|sa4|7}} She crossed paths with Veil, in a tavern in [[All's Alley]], where Shallan revealed herself to be a member of the Ghostbloods.{{book ref|sa3|18}} With a desire to use her training for something greater, Ishnah sought out Veil in hopes of joining the secret society herself.{{book ref|sa3|25}} After being initially turned her away, Ishnah began spying on Veil, hoping to impress the woman with her skills. Shallan eventually caught her spying and the two spoke at greater length of Ishnah's past experience and motivations. Seeing the several uses for the woman, Shallan offered her the opportunity to train her men, and Ishnah accepted.{{book ref|sa3|40}}

{{sidequote
|All right. We'll see. Just don't blame me if the pigs don't end up talking.
|Ishnah agreeing to train Shallan's guards{{book ref|sa3|40}}
|side=right|size=300px
}}

Ishnah began her instruction by taking Veil, [[Vathah]], [[Gaz]], and [[Red (Roshar)|Red]] to a tavern where she explained the importance of learning to make observations without being noticed, pointing out an informant actively doing this, whom even Shallan had failed to notice. After the initial lesson she explained some practical observation and memorization techniques and insisted that they should learn [[glyphs]] for note taking purposes.{{book ref|sa3|44}}

A few weeks later, Shallan selected Ishnah, along with Vathah and Red, to travel with her on [[Elhokar]]'s mission to retake [[Kholinar]], under the pretense that she was Shallan's maidservant.{{book ref|sa3|60}} Upon the groups arrival in the city, Shallan confirmed Ishnah's growing suspicions that she and Veil were the same person.{{book ref|sa3|62}} In Kholinar, Ishnah supported Shallan's efforts to earn the notice of the [[Cult of Moments]] by helping her steal and redistribute food. Their first job occurred at [[Rockfall]], where Ishnah, disguised as a rug merchant, distracted the Brightlady [[Nananav]] while Shallan and her men committed the burglary.{{book ref|sa3|72}} Ishnah often looked for opportunities to continue Vathah and Red's education during their time in Kholinar, going so far as to train Vathah to plan their operations.{{book ref|sa3|77}} She also acted as Shallan's assistant, taking care of minor tasks such as cleaning blood out of Veil's clothing{{book ref|sa3|67}} and tracking down a copy of ''[[Mythica]]''.{{book ref|sa3|72}}{{book ref|sa3|77}} Shallan later attached illusions of Veil to Ishnah and Vathah in order to increase her visibility. On one such outing, someone finally made contact with Ishnah, giving Veil instructions to join the revel.{{book ref|sa3|74}}

After Shallan's abrupt departure from Kholinar via the corrupted [[Oathgate]], Ishnah, Vathah, and Red worked together with [[Skar]] and [[Drehy]] to rescue [[Gavinor Kholin]] and escape the city unharmed. They traveled south, where they were able to make contact with [[Dalinar Kholin]], who sent [[Kaladin]] to extract the group.{{book ref|sa3|121}}{{book ref|sa3|122}}

Ishnah was amongst the first members of the [[Unseen Court]]. She was part of the group that captured [[Ialai]] and the [[Sons of Honor]] in the warcamps. {{book ref|sa4|7}}

Ishnah was selected by [[Shallan]] for the mission to [[Lasting Integrity]].{{book ref|sa4|20}} She suspected her as a spy for the [[Ghostbloods]], given her interest in the group.{{book ref|sa4|20}} [[Shallan]] dug for information and uncovered that Ishnah had been funneling her stipend to her previous gangs. She'd hoped they'd use the money to pull themselves up, but ultimately, they used them to start a new racket.{{book ref|sa4|26}} This group sailed from Nohadon's Stairway to [[Nameless]], then caravanned to [[Lasting Integrity]].


== Relationships ==
Ishnah respects Shallan's position among the Ghostbloods, and though she risks much to join Shallan, the extent of her loyalties are unknown. She is somewhat of a mentor figure for Vathah, having taken him under her wing more so than any of Shallan's other guards.

[[Shallan]] considers her to be one of the most trustworthy members of the [[Unseen Court]] and considers Ishnah her right hand woman.{{book ref|sa4|7}}{{book ref|sa4|26}}

== Notes ==
<references /><!-- sa3: 18, 25, 40, 44, 51, 62, 67, 72, 74, 77, 80, 89 -->
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