Oathbringer (in-world)

Oathbringer
by botanicaxu
Related to	Knights Radiant
World of Origin	Roshar
Universe	Cosmere

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This article deals with the in-world text. For the novel, see Oathbringer. For the Shardblade, see Oathbringer (Shardblade)

Oathbringer, My Glory and My Shame is a book written by Dalinar Kholin in the year 1174 during the True Desolation. It is a record of Dalinar's life and journey, written by his own hand in the Vorin women's script, rather than having a female relative scribe it for him, as would be the cultural norm.

Creation

Inspired by The Way of Kings and his encounters with Nohadon in his visions, Dalinar Kholin felt he should make a record of his life and journey and about how he had changed. The final decision to write the account was made during the Battle of Thaylen Field, when Dalinar united the three Realms and created a perpendicularity, during which time he could see into Shadesmar. After the battle, Dalinar asked Navani to teach him to read, and later write, in the Alethi women's script, breaking with Vorin tradition where a man would typically dictate his writings to a female relative instead of writing it by his own hand. Three weeks later, after Adolin's and Shallan's wedding, he started to write the book and titled it Oathbringer, My Glory and My Shame. Dalinar continued to write and revise the text over the next year. The unpracticed writing done by his large fingers took up more room than usual on the page, leading to a much larger original manuscript than versions done by scribes. After having scribes make some copies of his final version, which he completed during the offensive in Emul, he gave the completed original to Jasnah and asked her to write the undertext for the book. Despite Jasnah's warnings that she would be both lengthy and thorough in rebutting the arguments in his primarily religious writing, Dalinar insisted that his decision to ask her was part of his oath to unite instead of divide.

Reception

Although the book has not yet been published, Dalinar released portions of the early drafts to be read throughout the coalition. These were met to varied reception; some people were shocked by Dalinar's actions in the past, while others were disgusted at the thought of a man writing. Still others respected Dalinar for his accomplishment and realized that a man writing was the beginning of many changes.

Preface

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“The most important words a man can say are, “I will do better.” These are not the most important words any man can say. I am a man, and they are what I needed to say. The ancient code of the Knights Radiant says “journey before destination.” Some may call it a simple platitude, but it is far more. A journey will have pain and failure. It is not only the steps forward that we must accept. It is the stumbles. The trials. The knowledge that we will fail. That we will hurt those around us. But if we stop, if we accept the person we are when we fall, the journey ends. That failure becomes our destination. To love the journey is to accept no such end. I have found, through painful experience, that the most important step a person can take is always the next one. I'm certain some will feel threatened by this record. Some few may feel liberated. Most will simply feel that it should not exist. I needed to write it anyway. I know that many women who read this will see it only as further proof that I am the godless heretic everyone claims. I can point to the moment when I decided for certain this record had to be written. I hung between realms, seeing into Shadesmar—the realm of the spren—and beyond. I thought that I was surely dead. Certainly, some who saw further than I did thought I had fallen. I did not die. I experienced something worse. That moment notwithstanding, I can honestly say this book has been brewing in me since my youth. The sum of my experiences has pointed at this moment. This decision. Perhaps my heresy stretches back to those days in my childhood, where these ideas began. I ask not that you forgive me. Nor that you even understand. I ask only that you read or listen to these words. In this record, I hold nothing back. I will try not to shy away from difficult topics, or paint myself in a dishonestly heroic light. I will express only direct, even brutal, truth. You must know what I have done, and what those actions cost me. For in this comes the lesson. It is not a lesson I claim to be able to teach. Experience herself is the great teacher, and you must seek her directly. You cannot have a spice described to you, but must taste it for yourself. However, with a dangerous spice, you can be warned to taste lightly. I would that your lesson may not be as painful as my own. I am no storyteller, to entertain you with whimsical yarns. I am no philosopher, to intrigue you with piercing questions. I am no poet, to delight you with clever allusions. I have no doubt that you are smarter than I am. I can only relate what happened, what I have done, and then let you draw conclusions. I will confess my murders before you. Most painfully, I have killed someone who loved me dearly. I will confess my heresy. I do not back down from the things I have said, regardless of what the ardents demand. Finally, I will confess my humanity. I have been named a monster, and do not deny those claims. I am the monster that I fear we all can become. So sit back. Read, or listen, to someone who has passed between realms. Listen to the words of a fool. If they cannot make you less foolish, at least let them give you hope. For I, of all people, have changed.”

—Preface to "Oathbringer"

Trivia

• Oathbringer is the namesake of the third book in The Stormlight Archive series, following with the trend of naming them for in-world books.

Notes

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