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{{event
|image=Plateau Battle by Miguel Sastre.jpg
|participants=[[
|effects=Summoning of the [[Everstorm]]
|world=Roshar
|universe=[[Cosmere]]
|books=[[The Stormlight Archive]]
}}
The '''War of Reckoning''' was a conflict on [[Roshar]] between [[Alethkar]] and the [[
== Background ==
While exploring a forest south of the [[Shattered Plains]], King Gavilar's brother [[Dalinar Kholin]] encountered a society of non-[[slaveform]] [[singers]] who called themselves '''listeners'''.{{book ref|sa1|28}} Not knowing what they are, and seeing their similarity to [[parshmen]], Gavilar's [[stormwarden]]s coined the term '''Parshendi''',{{book ref|sa1|45}} meaning roughly ''parshmen who can think''. "Parshendi" became the official Alethi term for the listeners, and it also spread to other countries on Roshar. The listeners did not show any offense for the term.{{book ref|sa1|prologue}}
Diplomatic relations were established, and eventually a treaty was made between the Alethi and the so-called Parshendi. The king invited a Parshendi delegation to celebrate the signing of the treaty in [[Kholinar]].{{book ref|sa1|prologue}} That night, Gavilar revealed to [[Eshonai]], a
After hearing the news from Eshonai and fearing Gavilar's plans, the
While the rest of the
During Gavilar's funeral service, his son and successor King [[Elhokar]] made the Alethi highprinces vow to avenge his father's death. This '''Vengeance Pact'''
== Participants ==
=== Alethkar ===
[[File: {{map|Alethi warcamps}}|700px|center]]
The majority of the Alethi armies were composed of [[darkeyed]] spearmen organized into battalions and led by [[lighteyed]] officers. Darkeyed soldiers were only allowed spears{{book ref|sa1|prologue}}, so Alethi archers and swordsmen were all lighteyes.{{book ref|sa2|76}}
=== Parshendi ===▼
The Parshendi were a single army. Ever since the start of the war, their camp had been on the ruins of [[Stormseat]], at the center of the Shattered Plains. They called this central place Narak, which in their language meant ''Exile''.▼
Aside from regular weapons, the Alethi also had around twenty [[Shardblade]]s.{{book ref|sa1|52}} It is uncertain exactly how many of these were used in the war and how many remained in Alethkar, but there were more than thirty official [[Shardbearer]]s in the warcamps, a few of whom had both Plate and Blade.{{book ref|sa2|5}}
== History ==▼
=== Beginning of the Siege ===▼
In order to fulfill the Vengeance Pact as quickly as possible, the Alethi highprinces initially planned a full-scale attack on the Parshendi. However, they were unable to immediately locate the Parshendi center of operation, and upon arriving at the Shattered Plains, the highprinces realize that a full-scale attack on the plateau in the center of the Plains would present huge risks because of [[highstorm]]s.▼
The Alethi also had [[fabrial]]s, some of which, like [[grandbow]]s, had military applications.
The Shattered Plains{{map ref|Shattered Plains}} are an enormous area and armies must cross chasms to get between plateaus making a campaign to the Shattered Planes center vulnerable to a highstorm while exposed on the plateaus devastating the armies.{{book ref|sa1|43}}▼
Unlike the Alethi, the listeners had a single unified army. Their society was governed by the [[Council of Five]], whose members each represented one of the five [[Singer#Forms|singer forms]] that the listeners used. The Council member who used [[warform]], which is the singer form used by listener warriors, served as the general of the army.{{book ref|sa2|i|4}}
At some point during the war, Eshonai became the warform member among the Five and started leading the fight for survival against the Alethi. She also possessed the listeners' only remaining set of Shardblade and Shardplate, and used these in addition to warform during battle.{{book ref|sa1|68}}{{book ref|sa2|i|4}}
=== The Impact of Gemhearts ===▼
Once the Alethi settled on the border of the Shattered Plains, they discovered that [[chasmfiend]]s live in the chasms between plateaus. Chasmfiends contain gemhearts which hold enormous amounts of [[stormlight]] for use in [[soulcasting]]. This enabled the armies to Soulcast metal for weapons, wood for bridges, barracks of stone and food for troops.{{book ref|sa1|15}}▼
Warform gave listener warriors a carapace armor as well as increased strength.{{book ref|sa2|i|1}} Though not as strong or resilient as someone with Shardplate, warform listeners were a real threat to regular human soldiers. Their strength allowed them to use heavy weapons like battleaxes, hammers, and sometimes clubs and swords.{{book ref|sa1|40}} They were also capable of jumping far enough to cross chasms{{book ref|sa1|27}}, something that only those with Shardplate could do on the Alethi side.{{book ref|sa1|55}}
While they also used archers just like the Alethi, the listeners' combat strategy also involved using '''warpairs'''{{book ref|sa1|26}}, or pairs of warriors who fought side by side as partners. These listener warpairs would jump around the battlefield in coordinated maneuvers and attack enemy troops with heavy weapons from multiple directions.{{book ref|sa1|28}}
=== Rivalry Between Highprinces ===▼
▲
The safest way to win a gemheart of a chasmfiend would be to wait for a chasmfiend to climb on a plateau, where it would pupate.{{book ref|sa1|15}} Once this happens, the chrysalis could be opened with a [[Shardblade]]{{book ref|sa1|26}} or more slowly with hammers and chisels.{{book ref|sa1|40}}▼
▲== History ==
Whenever a chrysalis is spotted on a plateau, a race between the Parshendi and Alethi highprinces would occur.{{book ref|sa1|15}} Whoever arrived first--Alethi army or Parshendi--was usually attacked by the other. Since every highprince worked on his own, depending on where the chasmfiend was pupating, several Alethi armies could attempt to get to the chasmfiend first. Whenever an army arrived and another Alethi army was already there, the second army turned back home.{{book ref|sa1|17}} This led to rivalry between the highprinces because success in gaining gemhearts meant wealth and appreciation from King Elhokar.{{book ref|sa1|12}}▼
▲=== Beginning of the Siege ===
▲In order to fulfill the Vengeance Pact as quickly as possible, the Alethi highprinces initially planned a full-scale attack on the Parshendi. However, they were unable to immediately locate the
▲The Shattered Plains{{map ref|Shattered Plains}}
Over the years the result was that the Alethi army lost its original purpose—to fulfil the Vengeance Pact—and their unity. The ten armies fought on their own instead of fighting united against the Parshendi.▼
=== The
▲Once the Alethi settled on the border of the Shattered Plains, they
[[File:Battle of the Tower.jpg|thumb|right|200px|A map of the Battle of the Tower by [[Isaac Stewart]]]]▼
The [[Tower|Tower Plateau]] is a very large plateau not far from the center of the Shattered Plains. Because of this, the Parshendi always arrived first whenever a chasmfiend pupated on the Tower Plateau, and they usually had enough time to arrange themselves into battle formation and prepare their defense. Consequently, no Alethi army had ever won a battle at the Tower during the first six years of the war.▼
▲The safest way to win a gemheart of a chasmfiend would be to wait for a chasmfiend to climb on a plateau, where it would pupate.{{book ref|sa1|15}} Once this happens, the chrysalis could be opened with a [[Shardblade]]{{book ref|sa1|26}} or more slowly with hammers and chisels.{{book ref|sa1|40}}
When Dalinar worked together with Sadeas, a chasmfied was spotted on the Tower.{{book ref|sa1|64}} According to their plan, Sadeas, whose armies were faster than Dalinar's, had to clear a space on the Tower for Dalinar's troops, who were better trained, to engage the Parshendi.{{book ref|sa1|64}} This worked as planned until Sadeas abandoned Dalinar, leaving no way to retreat for Dalinar.{{book ref|sa1|65}}▼
Both the Alethi and the listeners used these gems to sustain their armies, prolonging the siege and greatly extending the duration of the war. Whenever a chrysalis is spotted on a plateau, a race between the listeners and Alethi highprinces would occur.{{book ref|sa1|15}} Whoever arrived first would have to retrieve the gemheart from the chrysalis before the opposing army arrives, otherwise a battle would occur.
Dalinar and the remnants of his army were saved by [[Bridge Four]] led by [[Kaladin]]. In the aftermath, Dalinar made his nephew, King Elhokar, declare him Highprince of War. It was Dalinar's goal to re-purpose the Alethi armies into to fulfilling the Vengeance Pact and to unite them again.{{book ref|sa1|69}}▼
For five years, the war was fought mostly through these skirmishes over gemhearts.
▲
▲Over the years the result was that the Alethi army lost its original purpose—to fulfil the Vengeance Pact—and their unity. The ten armies fought on their own instead of fighting united against the Parshendi.
▲
:''Main article:'' [[Battle of the Tower]]
▲The [[Tower (Roshar)|Tower Plateau]] is a very large plateau not far from the center of the Shattered Plains. Because of this, the
▲When Dalinar worked together with Sadeas, a
▲Dalinar and the remnants of his army were saved by [[Bridge Four]] led by [[Kaladin]]. In the aftermath, Dalinar made his nephew, King [[Elhokar]], declare him Highprince of War. It was Dalinar's goal to re-
=== Stormform and the Failed Peace Talks ===
Secretly guided by the voidspren [[Ulim]],{{book ref|sa3|i|3}}
Prior to bonding the stormspren, and with the help of Dalinar's son [[Adolin]]{{book ref|sa2|26}} and the
Stormform gave Eshonai a different kind of armor and the ability to jump chasms more easily. She started attuning to a new set of [[Singer#Rhythms|Rhythms]] that were more aggressive.{{book ref|sa2|i|8}} More importantly, the new form changed Eshonai's personality, making her more arrogant and belligerent. She abandoned her plan to negotiate. Instead, she challenged the Alethi to try and destroy
Along with Venli, Eshonai organized the adoption of
=== The Battle of Narak ===
After negotiations with Eshonai fell through, Dalinar proposed a joint assault on the Parshendi camp in order to end the war and fulfill the Vengeance Pact once and for all.{{book ref|sa2|51}} Out of all the Alethi highprinces, only [[Aladar]], [[Roion]], and [[Sebarial]] joined him in the end. They set out near the start of the [[Weeping]], expecting no highstorm to impede their attack.{{book ref|sa2|76}} Along the way they met up with Rlain, who reported to Dalinar what had happened to his people.{{book ref|sa2|78}}
Upon the arrival of the Alethi armies in Narak, a large number of the
The battle was fought on three plateaus. Aladar, Roion, Adolin each led soldiers on their own designated plateau while Dalinar gave orders from the command tent on another plateau. Sebarial's army reinforced Aladar's and Roion's, as Sebarial himself did not fight.{{book ref|sa2|81}}
The
Having been warned by Rlain that the
The surviving remnants of the
The non stormform listeners who escaped into the chasms survived with the help of a chasmfiend.{{book ref|row|115}}
== Warfare ==
=== The Use of Bridges Between Plateaus ===
While
During a race for a gemheart, mobile bridges were used by the Alethi armies. There were two main types of bridges.
:Bridges that functioned like siege-towers. Those were very heavy and needed to be pulled by chulls and thus were very slow. Their advantage was that they offered cover for the Alethi army until the bridge was lowered over the chasm.{{book ref|sa1|55}}{{book ref|sa1|28}}
;Light Portable Bridges
:These were only light in comparison to the bridge-towers. At least
Sadeas was the first one to use the light bridges <!--- he was first? ---> and had much success with them because of their mobility. He also used the exposed bridgemen on purpose to attract enemy fire that would otherwise have centered on his own soldiers.{{book ref|sa1|6}}{{book ref|sa1|15}}{{book ref|sa1|32}} That is also why bridgemen were neither armored nor trained.{{book ref|sa1|15}}▼
▲Sadeas
Dalinar did not use those because he was convinced that officers shouldn't demand anything from their soldiers that they would not do themselves.{{book ref|sa1|15}}{{book ref|sa1|65}} He reproached Sadeas for wasting lives. Later Sadeas and Dalinar worked together. Sadeas could reach a plateau faster than anyone else, because he used the light bridges and left his main army with Dalinar<!--- main army with Dalinar? --->. Dalinar followed with the slow bridges, using the light bridges to cross the chasms. At the final plateau, Dalinar put his own bridges forward, not to waste bridgemen's lives. <!--- not in the Tower Battle? --->▼
▲Dalinar did not use those bridges because he was convinced that officers shouldn't demand anything from their soldiers that they would not do themselves and reproached Sadeas for wasting lives.{{book ref|sa1|15}}{{book ref|sa1|65}}
Kaladin was the first to train a bridgecrew of a light bridge{{book ref|sa1|14}} and had considerable success with it.{{book ref|sa1|59}} Not only did he manage to make them faster than other crews, he also devised the method of "side carrying" the bridge so that it could shield arrows from bridgemen.{{book ref|sa1|32}} Although this method significantly protected the bridgemen, it was a strategical failure to Sadeas' army. The [[Parshendi]] archers realized [[Bridge Four]] were too well protected and focused their arrows on the bulk of soldiers instead, causing heavy loss of trained soldiers instead of expendable bridgemen. Other bridgecrew who awkwardly tried to imitate them failed to deliver the bridges and this resulted in a lost battle. As punishment, [[Lamaril]] was executed and Kaladin was left out for the [[highstorm]].
=== The use of Shardbearers ===▼
<!--- fits passage about the parshmen bone shield in here? --->
When an army arrived at a plateau and the enemy army was already formed up for battle, the only way for the attackers often was to send in [[Shardbearer]]s who could jump over the chasm and clear a space for the bridges to land.{{book ref|sa1|26}}▼
▲When an army arrived at a plateau and the enemy army was already formed up for battle, a great slaughter would ensue; the only way for the attackers
The Alethi Shardbearers were the only ones who could stand up to the Shardbearers among the listeners. As such, the highprinces without a full set of Plate and Blade were at a disadvantage during the times they faced such an enemy and often had to retreat.{{book ref|sa1|24}}{{book ref|sa1|54}} Shardblades were also a very effective way to cut open the chasmfiend chrysalis in order to get the gemheart.{{book ref|sa1|26}} Apart from that, Shardbearers had the same use as in every other battle during that time on Roshar.
=== Chasm Duty ===
During battles on the plateaus, falling into chasms was a real risk for both Alethi soldiers and
== Notes ==
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