Braize

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Braize
Braize.png
Shards Odium
Investitures Unknown
System Rosharan system[1]
Universe Cosmere
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The place is barren, devoid of life, merely a dark sky, endless windswept crags, and a broken landscape. And a lot of souls, a lot of not particularly sane souls.

Raboniel to Navani about Braize.[2]

Braize is a planet in the Rosharan system.[3] It is the third planet from the sun, after Ashyn and Roshar, and the current home of Odium.[1]

Ecology and Geography[edit]

This is another planet, or it looks like one - and not a pleasant one, mind you. The kind without lights. No Stormlight ones, gaseous ones, or even electric ones. Damn place barely has an atmosphere.

—Hoid discussing Braize[4]

Braize is a cold, barren and inhospitable world that is farther out from the sun than Roshar. It contains no life on its surface.[2] Instead the planet is full of nothing more than a broken rocky landscape full of crags and chasms with no sources of light available, even the sky is described as being dark at all times.[4][2] During Kaladin's vision of the planet he experiences strong winds as well as flashes of light, potentially lightning strikes, but it is unclear how much of this was accurate and how much was added by Odium to frighten him.[4] The planet does contain an atmosphere, albeit a weak one.[4][2] Due to the extreme nature of its landscape the only life on the planet is that of self-aware spren, as well as the Fused.[5][2] Despite this however only Odium's spren are welcomed; for those not aligned with him visiting is both difficult and dangerous.[6][5] One such danger that Raboniel spoke of while discouraging Navani of ever visiting was that of a "storm" that apparently surrounds the planet in Shadesmar, it is unclear however what she meant by this.[2]

History[edit]

Prior to the Shattering, Braize was formed in the Rosharan system by Adonalsium.[7][8] For the majority of its history the planet was inhospitable and uninhabited.

It was during the initial clashes between Honor and Odium on its closest neighbour, Roshar, that its first inhabitants would arrive to Braize. As part of an effort to halt Odium, Honor deliberately bound him to the planet in order to stop his conquest of the Cosmere.[9][10][11] As part of this the Oathpact was formed which also bound the Heralds and Fused to the planet. As per the pact so long as the Heralds did not choose to leave the planet the Fused would also be unable to escape, however, once even a single Herald broke and chose to return to Roshar the Fused would follow suit causing a Desolation on Roshar.[10][11] After many years of torture the Heralds began losing their sanity and decided to abandon the Oathpact at the Last Desolation leaving only Taln behind.[12] This exile from Roshar lasted 4500 years[13] before the True Desolation began allowing the Fused to permanently live on Roshar.

Braize primarily served as a prison planet for the Fused and holds no inhabitants besides them,[14] [5] this makes it the third of the three planets in the Rosharan system to hold sentient life.[15] The only type of spren that are welcomed on world are Voidspren.[6] Because of its inhabitants and the presence of Odium the world is considered unsafe by outsiders.[5] Despite the native population being bound on Braize they can still influence Roshar and Ashyn due to their proximity and the way Connection and Identity works between the three worlds.[16] [17]

Prison[edit]

Braize's most important function is that of a prison.[14] Odium has been trapped there following his battle with Honor, and after every Desolation, the Fused are forced to return to Braize. While Odium is kept bound by Shardic power, they are kept sealed by the presence of the Heralds.[18] As long as the Heralds remain on Braize, Odium's forces cannot travel to Roshar. To counteract this, Fused hunt them down and torture them until at least one gives up, restarting the cycle. Because of this, Taln has spent the past four and a half thousand years there.[10] Dead Knights Radiant, on the other hand, do not go to Braize.[19]

Even following a Herald breaking, departing from Braize is difficult, and grows more so the more powerful the prisoner is. Some smaller voidspren, like Ulim, are capable of sneaking out even while the torture remains ongoing; the Fused and thunderclasts can only come out once the Heralds leave; and Odium's most powerful servants take a long time to cross over even after a Desolation is already in full swing.[20][21]

Odium himself cannot be released quite so easily - only someone holding the majority of Honor's power can set him free, and only by Intention. To be freed is something Odium seeks above all else, and he is convinced that it will eventually happen.[22]

Culture[edit]

In the Vorin religion, Braize is known as Damnation, although it is referred to by its proper name in older songs.[23] Those who have committed particularly grave sins are supposed to go there after death.[24] It's unclear how much it figures into other Rosharan cultures - the Shin know about it, but the Iriali Long Trail does not include it.[25][26]

Unlike the rest of Rosharan system, Braize is based around the number nine rather than ten.[27] Like all other planets in the cosmere, it has a representation in Shadesmar, although its nature is unknown.[28]

Trivia[edit]

  • Some people on Roshar believe that Braize is inhabited with people.[29]
  • The Iriali never visited Braize.[26]

Notes[edit]

  1. a b Map of Roshar system
  2. a b c d e f Rhythm of War chapter 89#
  3. SpoCon 2013
    Arcanum - 2013-07-10#
  4. a b c d Rhythm of War chapter 80#
  5. a b c d Arcanum Unbounded - The Rosharan System#
  6. a b Arcanum Unbounded Fort Collins signing
    Arcanum - 2016-11-29#
  7. Words of Radiance chapter 66 epigraph#
  8. Emerald City Comic Con 2018
    Arcanum - 2018-03-01#
  9. Oathbringer San Diego signing
    Arcanum - 2017-11-14#
  10. a b c Oathbringer chapter 38#
  11. a b Rhythm of War chapter 14#
  12. Prelude to the Stormlight Archive#
  13. Rhythm of War Preview Q&As
    Arcanum - 2020-10-06#
  14. a b Minicon 2015
    Arcanum - 2015-04-02#
  15. Words of Radiance Philadelphia signing
    Arcanum - 2014-03-21#
  16. Salt Lake City Comic-Con 2014
    Arcanum - 2014-09-04#
  17. Rhythm of War Preview Q&As
    Arcanum - 2020-10-07#
  18. Shadows of Self Lansing signing
    Arcanum - 2015-10-13#
  19. Orem signing
    Arcanum - 2017-12-21#
  20. Oathbringer interlude I-3#
  21. Oathbringer interlude I-12#
  22. Oathbringer chapter 57#
  23. Words of Radiance chapter 32#
  24. Words of Radiance chapter 41#
  25. Oathbringer chapter 121#
  26. a b Words of Radiance Philadelphia signing
    Arcanum - 2014-03-21#
  27. Arcanum Unbounded San Francisco signing
    Arcanum - 2016-11-30#
  28. Arcanum Unbounded Fort Collins signing
    Arcanum - 2016-11-29#
  29. MisCon 2018
    Arcanum - 2018-05-26#
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