Difference between revisions of "Jasnah Kholin"

== Attributes and Abilities ==▼

=== Surgebinding ===▼

Jasnah has a [[Nahel bond]] with the [[spren]] [[Ivory]] which gives her the ability to Surgebind.{{book ref|sa2|3}} She has access to the Surges of [[Transformation]] and [[Transportation]].{{book ref|sa1|72}} As with all Surgebinders, she has superhuman speed, strength and healing when she holds Stormlight. She has demonstrated her ability to Soulcast multiple times, as well as the power to enter and leave Shadesmar (the [[Cognitive Realm]]). She is in the process of becoming a [[Knights Radiant|Knight Radiant]] of the [[Order of Elsecallers]].▼

;==== Transformation: ====▼

The Surge of Transformation allows Jasnah to use [[Soulcasting]]. Jasnah can use Soulcasting in various ways with great precision, ranging from burning letters into a page,{{book ref|sa1|33}} to transforming boulders into smoke,{{book ref|sa1|5}} and even purifying Shallan's blood from a poison called backbreaker powder.{{book ref|sa1|50}} She also used Soulcasting as a very deadly weapon when she and Shallan were attacked by four footpads in Kharbranth and she Soulcast their assailants into fire, crystal and smoke. They were even more dramatically demonstrated when she fought Odium's forces in the [[Battle of Thaylen Field]]. {{book ref|sa1|36}}{{book ref|sa3|118}} She has expressed that she is not very capable of Soulcasting organics and she was, indeed, unable to successfully Soulcast the strawberry jam that Kabsal brought to Shallan's hospital room.{{book ref|sa1|48}} Though to be fair, she had never tasted strawberry in her life before, which, without a doubt, contributed to her failure.{{book ref|sa1|72}}▼

She has also shown the ability to Soulcast multiple targets from a distance. In this method of Soulcasting, bolts of Stormlight can be seen traveling towards the intended target. When Jasnah used this ability to transform two men into smoke, it caused the [[Polestone#Smokestone|smokestone]] she used to shatter, indicating that this method may use more Stormlight than regular Soulcasting.{{book ref|sa1|36}} This ability may be a specialized version of Soulcasting or a distinct ability resulting from manipulating a combination of the Surges of transformation and transportation.▼

Initially Jasnah pretends to use a fake Soulcaster fabrial to disguise her Surgebinding abilities from the public.{{book ref|sa1|70}}▼

;==== Transportation: ====▼

Jasnah can transport herself into and out of the Realm of Shadesmar, along with at least her clothing and small physical objects. As of [[Words of Radiance]] it has not yet been revealed whether she can transport others into Shadesmar, or what the limits of her ability to transport objects is. She did retrieve Shallan from Shadesmar after her ward entered with not enough Stormlight available to return.{{book ref|sa1|70}}▼

;==== Resonance: ====▼

{{theory}}▼

As a Knight Radiant who has access to two Surges she also has a [[resonance]].{{wob ref|1296}} When she met [[Hoid]] after returning from the [[Cognitive Realm]], she immediately starts walking towards the nearest town, which prompts Hoid to think she has "a good sense of direction."{{book ref|sa2|epilogue}} Some suspect this indicates that the Elsecaller resonance is some sort of internal GPS that, at least, allows them to determine their exact location and the direction to the nearest settlement. Brandon has not clearly confirmed or denied this.{{wob ref|6740}}▼

=== Scholarship ===▼

Jasnah is one of the leading scholars of her time, and is widely known for her brilliance. Despite her young age, many feel she would have obtained the cap of a master scholar if it weren't for her vocal denunciation of the Vorin religion.{{book ref|sa1|3}} Her focus and area of expertise is history. As a Veristitalian, she looks to create a factual and unbiased account of the past events that she feels are misrepresented, in order to better understand the present.{{book ref|sa1|45}}▼

While researching, Jasnah prefers to collect various passages related to her subject from various sources in a single annotated, and cited notebook. Once she fills the notebook, she evaluates each item for reliability and usefulness, then copies them into different, more specific notebooks.{{book ref|sa1|42}}▼

''';Parshendi-Voidbringer Theory''':▼

Jasnah believes that the Parshendi are the Voidbringers. The theory heavily relies on metaphorical texts thousands of years old and folk tales. Her most substantial proofs are shadow, ash and flame references in her sources that she believes refer to the red and black skin color of the Parshendi, and the reported sudden appearance of Voidbringers which she thinks similar to how the Parshendi assassinated her father, King Gavilar, apparently out of nowhere.{{book ref|sa1|72}} She also believes a Desolation is coming.{{book ref|sa1|74}}▼