Editing Talenel

|titles={{tag+|herald}}, Herald of War,{{book ref|sa3|47}} Herald of Soldiers,{{book ref|sa3|59}} Bearer of Agonies, Patron of the [[Order of Stonewards|Stonewards]], Ancient of Stones,{{epigraph ref|sa2|83}} Great Prince{{book ref|sa1|6}}{{book ref|sa2|88}}

|world=Ashyn

|first appeared=[[The Way of Kings]]

'''Talenel''', known as '''Talenelat'Elin''' in [[Vorinism]] and '''Tuk''' in [[Tukar]] and nicknamed '''Taln''' or '''Talat''', is one of the ten [[Herald]]s of the [[Almighty]] and patron of the [[Order of Stonewards]].{{book ref|sa1|epilogue}}{{epigraph ref|sa2|37}} He is often titled the '''Herald of War''',{{book ref|sa3|47}} or the '''Herald of Soldiers'''.{{book ref|sa3|59}} At [[Aharietiam]], he was abandoned by the rest of the Heralds and forced to stay in [[Damnation]] alone.{{book ref|sa1|part=prelude}} He returned shortly before the arrival of the [[Everstorm]], his mind ruined by torture, to bring warning of the upcoming [[True Desolation]].{{book ref|sa1|epilogue}}

Serving as the Herald of War, Taln was one of the most skilled fighters on [[Roshar]].{{book ref|sa2|i|7}} He was the most formidable fighter among the Heralds without dispute.{{book ref|sa4|111}} His reflexes are inhumanly quick, and he is even stronger than his massive build would suggest, able to throw open the gates of Kholinar on his own.{{book ref|sa2|88}}{{book ref|sa1|epilogue}} He was once a capable commander, able to win battles thought to be unwinnable, even at the cost of his own life.{{book ref|sa1|part=prelude}} He also excelled at training soldiers, and helped prepare mankind's warriors for the Desolations.{{book ref|sa2|i|7}}

The Honorblade granted Taln access to the [[Surge]]s of [[Surgebinding#Cohesion|Cohesion]] and [[Surgebinding#Tension|Tension]]. Unlike the [[Knights Radiant]], he had no need for [[Stormlight]], as his Surgebinding was powered directly by Honor.{{wob ref|1572}} It's unknown if this has been impacted by Honor's death. What his Surges did is unclear at this point. In his prime, there was likely nobody in the [[cosmere]] who could defeat him in one-on-one combat.{{wob ref|16233}}

In the present day, what precisely has happened to Taln's Honorblade is unclear. The weapon he arrived with in [[Kholinar]] was shaped like an enormous spike, long, narrow, and straight.{{book ref|sa1|epilogue}} The weapon he arrived with on the Shattered Plains was wide and cleaver-like,{{book ref|sa2|76}} and screams when touched by a Radiant, marking it as a dead Shardblade.{{book ref|sa2|89}} As such, it's clear that somewhere on his journey from Kholinar to the Shattered Plains, someone swapped his Blade, but it is unknown who stole it and for what purpose.{{wob ref|1875}} The Stormfather confirms the Shardblade Taln had when he reached the Shattered Plains was not an Honorblade, but does not know what happened to it.{{book ref|sa3|38}}

=== Early Life ===

Talenel was born on [[Ashyn]] over seven-thousand years before the True Desolation,{{book ref|sa4|14}}{{book ref|sa4|76}}{{wob ref|11945}} and was a soldier and bodyguard.{{wob ref|11400}}

At some point during his life, Ashyn was scoured by uncontrolled Surgebinding, leaving most of the planet uninhabitable, and forcing him, along with much of the Ashynite population, to flee to Roshar.{{wob ref|9464}}{{wob ref|14434}}{{book ref|sa3|115}}{{au ref|Roshar}} Where they were accepted by the Singers and given the land that would come to be Shinovar.{{book ref|sa3|115}}

He was not initially intended to number among the Heralds and he was the only Herald who was not a king, scholar, or general.{{book ref|sa3|117}}{{wob ref|11400}}

As Herald, he and the others fought in a series of Desolations against the [[Voidbringer]]s and [[Odium]] in defense of mankind.{{book ref|sa1|45}} During each Desolation, Taln trained soldiers to fight the Voidbringers.{{book ref|sa2|i|7}} After each Desolation, Taln and the others returned to [[Braize]], where they were tortured.{{book ref|sa1|part=prelude}} Each time, if Taln himself was killed during the fighting, he automatically returned to Braize. After several Desolations, the [[Knights Radiant]] were founded by [[Surgebinding|Surgebinders]] with [[Ishar]]'s help{{epigraph ref|sa2|42}} and Taln became patron of the [[Order of Stonewards]], who shared access to the same Surges he possessed.{{epigraph ref|sa2|37}} It is possible that Hoid met Taln at some point during this time, as Hoid seems familiar with the man.{{book ref|sa1|epilogue}}

After around three-thousand years of Desolations,{{book ref|sa4|111}} during [[Aharietiam]], also known as the Last Desolation, Talenel chose to attempt to hold a passage by a northern waterway, a near impossible task.{{book ref|sa1|part=prelude}} While he managed to defend it successfully, he was killed in the fighting and returned to Damnation. However, Taln was the only Herald to die in this Desolation. All of the other surviving Heralds, wearied by millennia of torture, chose to abandon the [[Oathpact]], leaving only Taln bound to it. Ishar believed that as long as one Herald remained bound to the Oathpact, this could end the cycle of Desolations. Taln alone remained bound to the Oathpact and returned to Damnation to be tortured.

Around four and a half millennia later, on the {{rosharan date|1174|9}} of the Vorin Calendar, not long after the [[Battle of the Tower]], Talenel returned to Roshar from Damnation.{{book ref|sa1|epilogue}} The [[Oathpact]] was made in such a way that the only way for the Heralds to return to Roshar was for them to break at the torture. However, Talenel did not break this time, and it is currently unclear what caused his return or where exactly he ended up.{{wob ref|14869}} He was covered in condensation and had twigs and leaves stuck in his beard as he quickly rushed to [[Kholinar]], cutting through the city gate with his [[Honorblade]] to give warning to the [[Alethi]] that the [[True Desolation]] was upon them. [[Hoid]] knew when and where Taln would arrive and was waiting in Kholinar for him. After his proclamation, Taln promptly collapsed.{{book ref|sa1|epilogue}}

He is referred to as the '''Ancient of Stones''' in the [[Diagram (literature)|Diagram]]. It is unclear if this title is unique to the Diagram, or if it is in more general use amongst Vorins.{{epigraph ref|sa2|83}}

While his role in the western culture isn't well-known, he is counted among the lesser gods under [[Tashi]].{{book ref|sa2.5|8}} In [[Tashikk]], one of the traditional ten pancakes eaten during the [[Weeping]] are dedicated to him.{{book ref|sa2.5|20}}

* Taln will be the focus character of the ninth book of [[The Stormlight Archive]].{{wob ref|11620}}