Oathbringer (Shardblade)

Oathbringer (Shardblade)
by Steve Argyle
Type	Shardblade
Owners	Sunmaker (former), Tanalan's father (former), Torol Sadeas (former), Meridas Amaram (former), Dalinar Kholin (former & current)
World of Origin	Roshar
Universe	Cosmere

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For the third Stormlight Archive novel, see Oathbringer. For the in universe work, see Oathbringer (in-world)

“ Oathbringer. Passed from tyrant to tyrant to tyrant. ”

— Dalinar

Oathbringer is the name given to a deadeye peakspren Shardblade closely associated with Brightlord Dalinar Kholin. Other wielders include Sadees, Tanalan's father, Torol Sadeas, and Meridas Amaram.

Appearance and Character

by Xabi Gazte

Tanalan holding Oathbringer

For more images, see /Gallery.

The Blade is six feet long, slightly curved and a handspan wide, making it broader than most of its kind. It has wavelike serrations near the crossguard, and curves like a fisherman's hook near the tip. The hilt is long enough to allow the wielder to use both hands, even while wearing gauntlets. While in the possession of Brightlord Dalinar Kholin, Oathbringer has a heliodor set into its pommel, possibly after a previous gemstone was cracked in battle. This is notable as heliodor is the polestone of the Radiant Order of Bondsmiths, of which Dalinar is the first since the Recreance.

Unlike most other dead Shardblades, Oathbringer appears to have some degree of awareness of its surroundings. According to the Stormfather, it remembers the day Dalinar bonded it, as well as the day he discarded it, and his reasons for doing the latter. Because of this, it reacts to his touch far less violently than other dead Blades.

History

“Storms, didn't you listen to anything last night? That’s Sunmaker’s old sword. ”

—Gavilar to Dalinar

Prior to the Day of Recreance, Oathbringer belonged to a Knight Radiant of the Order of Stonewards.

Oathbringer was the Shardblade of the infamous Alethi king Sadees. After his death, it was passed down through various owners until eventually ending in the hands of the elder Highprince Tanalan. Brightlord Dalinar Kholin, aged twenty at the time, defeated the Highprince at the Rift; the younger Tanalan, who was only seven years old at the time, briefly attempted to defend his father with Oathbringer before Dalinar took for himself and bonded it.

by Marie Seeberger

Dalinar giving up Oathbringer

Dalinar wielded Oathbringer for many decades and in a number of battles, including the unification of Alethkar, the second conflict at the Rift, and the War of Reckoning. Following the Battle of the Tower, he traded it to Torol Sadeas for all of Sadeas' bridgemen in order to keep his promise to Kaladin and the rest of Bridge Four; that he would free them for saving the life of him and his men.

Sadeas held Oathbringer for a little over two months, until shortly after the Battle of Narak. When Adolin Kholin killed him for threatening his family one time too many, he dropped it, and Adolin tossed it to a balcony below while trying to hide the murder. It was later discovered by Bridge Four on a patrol and given to Dalinar, who kept it for a short while without bonding it before giving it to Ialai, Sadeas' widow. She bestowed the blade on Highprince Meridas Amaram, who bonded it despite already owning a different Shardblade.

Oathbringer was carried by Amaram until the Battle of Thaylen Field, where he wielded two blades simultaneously before being shot to death with a Grandbow by Lunamor. As the latter refused to take up Amaram's Shards, the Blade was once again reclaimed by Dalinar, who did not bond it again as per the Stormfather's wishes. Dalinar chose Oathbringer as the namesake for his book.

Trivia

• A drawing of a Shardblade with a hooked tip in Shallan's sketchbook is often mistaken for Oathbringer, but Ben McSweeney has confirmed that it is a different Shardblade.
• Throughout The Way of Kings, Oathbringer is referred to by name; however, when Dalinar summons it to give to Sadeas, it is simply "The Blade", perhaps implying that his perspective has changed and he no longer cares for fighting.

Notes

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