Summary:Words of Radiance/Chapter 77
One danger in deploying such a potent weapon will be the potential encouragement of those exploring the Nahel bond. Care must be taken to avoid placing these subjects in situations of powerful stress unless you accept the consequences of their potential Investiture.
—From the Diagram, Floorboard 27: paragraph 6
- Characters
- Kaladin (Point of View)
- Shallan (Point of View)
- Adolin
- Amaram (Mentioned only)
- Dabbid (Mentioned only)
- Dalinar
- Gavilar (Mentioned only)
- Gaz
- Graves (Mentioned only)
- Hobber (Mentioned only)
- Jasnah (Mentioned only)
- Lopen (Mentioned only)
- Marri
- Moash
- Navani
- Pattern
- Torol Sadeas (Mentioned only)
- Sebarial (Mentioned only)
- Sylphrena (Mentioned only)
- Vathah
- Plot Summary
- Ishakah 1173
Shallan is excited as the armies begin their march across the Plains. Adolin and Shallan banter as they ride. Shallan is briefly distracted by thoughts of Kaladin. Adolin suggests that Shallan ride in Sebarial's carraige and she says that if she could walk through a highstorm that she could ride but he warns her of saddle soreness which is a different hazard of riding than from walking. Gaz appears and delivers a copy of Words of Radiance as she requested and she thanks him.
Shallan rides in a private coach, with Pattern, reading her new book, which tells of the orders of the Knights Radiant and their traditions, abilities and attitudes, though some of it is based on hearsay since it was written two hundred years after the Recreance. Shallan wonders about the different Orders, and if surgebinders would start appearing. Navani joins her in her coach and apologizes for neglecting Shallan and asks to help with her research. The two bond over their shared feelings of inadequacy around Jasnah. Shallan and Navani discuss plans to narrow down where Stormseat is located and how to open the Oathgate. Shallan says that Jasnah expected Urithiru to have information about the Knights Radiant and Voidbringers, and Navani replies that she was, like Dalinar, trying to bring back powers that should be left alone. Shallan reveals that Jasnah actually succeeded and that Jasnah could soulcast on her own, and that her fabrial was a fake. Navani is alarmed by this since the Radiants are linked to the return of the Voidbringers, and leaves to make preparations.
Kaladin feels gloomy as he is stuck in a sickbed during the dreary Weeping period. Moash visits Kal and explains the plan to kill Elhokar and make Dalinar the new king, and that Kaladin won't need to do anything. Kal tells him that he lost his abilities and that he thinks Sylphrena left him because of the assassination plot. Moash says he visited to deliver a message for Kaladin to visit the drunk king, but will tell Elhokar that Kaladin isn't up for it, and leaves after making sure Kaladin isn't having second thoughts. Kaladin feels helpless at this point to stop the plot, being wounded and powerless.'