True Desolation
The coming of the True Desolation, the Everstorm, or the Night of Sorrows over Roshar is predicted a few times in The Way of Kings.
Lore
Mankind fears the Desolations, though the Last Desolation happened 4,500 years ago and very little knowledge about these events has survived.
Dalinar's visions
In Dalinar's visions, he is warned of its coming.
“Unite them. The sun approaches the horizon. The Everstorm comes. The True Desolation. The Night of Sorrows.”
“I have said I that cannot be of much help to you. The Night of Sorrows will come, and the True Desolation. The Everstorm.”
—Honor during one of Dalinar's visions[2]
Kaladin's ride on the storm
When Kaladin rides the storm, a voice tells him that the Oathpact is broken and Odium comes.[3]
Epigraph
The True Desolation is mentioned in the Epigraph to Chapter 5 in The Way of Kings.
“I have seen the end, and have heard it named. The Night of Sorrows, the True Desolation. The Everstorm.”
—Collected on the 1st of Palahes, 1172, 15 seconds pre-death. Subject was a darkeyed youth of unknown origin.[4]
Talenel'Elin
Talenel is the only Herald that dies during the Last Desolation, and is thus forced to go back to Damnation. The other nine Heralds think him enough to uphold the Oathpact and thus end the cycle of Desolations.
He appears in Kholinar and claims that he has failed to uphold the Oathpact. He then falls to the ground, unconscious.[5]
“Who am I? I ... I am Talenel'Elin, Stonesinew, Herald of the Almighty. The Desolation has come. Oh, God ... it has come. And I have failed.”
—Talenel's reappearance[5]
Everstorm
The Everstorm is similar to Highstorms, but has an opposite rotation and other possible differences. It appears to be referenced as being the same thing as the True Desolation by the Stormfather in Dalinar's visions, but it is possible the Everstorm is only a part of the True Desolation.
Notes
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