Difference between revisions of "Desolation"
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|effects=Destruction of [[Roshar]]
|world=Roshar
|universe=[[Cosmere]]
|books=[[The Stormlight Archive]]
}}
{{quote
|They were destruction made manifest, Brightlord. Each one was so profoundly devastating that humankind was left broken. Populations ruined, society crippled, scholars dead. Humankind was forced to spend generations rebuilding after each one.
|[[Kalami]] describing a Desolation{{book ref|sa3|2}}
}}
The '''Desolations''' are cataclysmic events on
== Participants ==
=== Heralds ===
:''Main article:'' [[Herald]]s
The [[Herald]]s were the leaders of Honor's forces during the Desolations. They were responsible for teaching mankind skills to help them prepare for the coming conflict. For example, [[Jezrien]] taught leadership, [[Vedel]] trained surgeons, and [[Kalak]] taught how to cast bronze.{{book ref|sa2|i|7}} They were also each the patron of a Radiant order and helped to guide and lead the Knights. They were involved in combat, with [[Taln]] in particular becoming known for his choice of impossible battles that he won.{{book ref|sa1|part=prelude}}In between Desolations, the Heralds were the ones on [[Braize]] holding back the [[Fused]]. They had made the [[Oathpact]] with Honor which gave them the [[honorblade]]s and the ability to hold back the Fused. However, a loophole in the Oathpact allowed them to bend and temporarily allow the Fused to Roshar, leading them to getting captured and tortured on Braize.{{book ref|sa3|38}}
=== Knights Radiant ===
:''Main article:'' [[Knights Radiant]]
{{sidequote
|They were a solution, a way to offset the destruction of the Desolations. Ten orders of knights, founded with the purpose of helping men fight, then rebuild.
|[[Dalinar's visions]]{{book ref|sa2|4}}|side=left|size=375px}}
The Knights Radiant were originally a surprise to Honor, as he had not shown it to the Heralds. Spren decided to mimic the Heralds and give men access to Surgebinding by forming [[Nahel bond]]s.{{book ref|sa2|4}} While the Knights Radiant as a whole helped in fighting the Voidbringers and rebuilding society, each order of Knights fulfilled a different role. The [[Windrunners]] acted as scouts, the [[Stonewards]] acted as front line soldiers,{{wob ref|12085}} and the [[Order of Lightweavers|Lightweavers]] gave spiritual sustenance to the troops.{{epigraph ref|sa2|47}} Many of the Radiants, particularly the Windrunners,{{book ref|sa3|61}} lived in cities in [[Alethela]] and crossed borders into other nations to fight.{{book ref|sa1|19}} The [[Shardblade]]s and [[Shardplate]] that Radiants could wield gave them a better chance when fighting the Voidbringers, particularly the [[Thunderclast]]s.{{book ref|sa3|120}} The Radiants invited any with the desire and ability to fight or lead to come get training and potentially join them.{{book ref|sa1|19}}{{book ref|sa3|34}}
=== Voidbringers ===
:''Main article:'' [[Voidbringer]]s
[[Voidbringer]]s is the collective term that refers to all the forces allied with the [[Shard]] [[Odium]] during a Desolation. Beings that count as Voidbringers include the [[Fused]], [[Regal]]s, [[singer]]s, [[Voidspren]], [[Unmade]], and [[Thunderclast]]s. The Voidbringers follow a strict hierarchy. The Fused are at the top, far above the Regals. The Regals, who have bonded voidspren and attained forms of power, are above common singers.{{book ref|sa3|i|7}} Where sapient Voidspren and Unmade fall in this hierarchy is currently unknown, though [[Ba-Ado-Mishram]] in particular has been described as a commander of Odium's forces, so she is likely near the top of the hierarchy.{{epigraph ref|sa3|106}} Some humans chose to fight for the Voidbringers as well.{{book ref|sa3|38}}
== History ==
=== The
The first Desolation occurred when mankind invaded [[Roshar]]. They had destroyed their previous home with surgebinding and came to Roshar seeking shelter.{{book ref|sa3|111}} The [[singer]]s granted them the land that would later become [[Shinovar]]. Dissatisfied with what they had been given, the humans decided to invade the rest of the continent.{{book ref|sa3|113}} This was the first military conflict between humans and singers. A singer who witnessed the invasion wrote the [[Eila Stele]] as a warning against trusting humans.{{book ref|sa3|111}}
=== The Oathpact ===
:''Main article:'' [[Oathpact]]
Some of the singers that were killed by the invading humans were infused with power by Odium before they passed [[Beyond]]. These singers became the [[Fused]], [[Cognitive Shadow]]s that possess living singers and could not be killed.{{book ref|sa3|38}}{{wob ref|8693}} [[Ishar]] founded the [[Oathpact]] as a solution.{{book ref|sa3|64}} He and the other nine people that would become Heralds made a pact with Honor to seal the Fused on [[Braize]]. [[Taln]] was not originally meant to join the Heralds, but somehow became part of the group. The Heralds thought the Oathpact would end the endless war, but because they are human, there was loophole. The Heralds had the ability to bend their oath and let the Fused return to Roshar, starting a Desolation. Knowing this loophole, the Fused captured and tortured the Heralds.{{book ref|sa3|38}}
=== Historical Desolations ===
[[File:Chasmfiend old.jpg|thumb|right|200px|An in-world artist's depiction of a Desolation by [[Greg Call]]]]
The coming of a Desolation was announced by the appearance of the Ten [[Herald|Heralds]].{{book ref|sa1|part=prelude}}{{book ref|sa1|60}}{{book ref|sa1|epilogue}} The appearance of [[Midnight Essence]] was also a sign of an upcoming Desolation.{{book ref|sa1|19}} A Desolation began when the Fused returned to Roshar, known as the '''Return'''.{{book ref|sa3|i|6}}{{book ref|sa2|i|7}} Each Return, Fused needed to find singers willing to give the Fused their bodies.{{book ref|sa3|i|7}} One of the Desolations lasted eleven years.{{book ref|sa1|60}} There were not many more than fifteen Desolations total.{{wob ref|10816}} A Desolation ended with the Heralds leaving Roshar and returning to Braize. The Heralds had a fixed period of time they could remain on Roshar. If they exceeded it, a new Desolation would start.{{wob ref|2893}}
=== Between Desolations ===
{{quote| In the aftermath of each one, mankind was broken. Great cities in ashes, industry smashed. Each time, knowledge and growth were reduced to an almost prehistoric state.| [[Jasnah]]{{book ref|
Mankind was devastated in the aftermath of each desolation. Around ninety percent of the population was destroyed each time. This level of cataclysmic event pushed men to a technology level equivalent to that of the stone age. Although society would sometimes progress beyond that before the next Desolation began, the Heralds would often be forced to push technology forward thousands of years in the single year after their return.{{wob ref|1430
Between Desolations, the Heralds returned to Braize. At first, the ten men and women hid from and fought the Fused. Inevitably, they would be caught and tortured. By the nature of their bond, the Heralds were able share their pain and withstand the torture together until someone broke. Early on, the Heralds were able to withstand torture for hundreds of years between Desolations. The torture slowly broke the Heralds, however, and the gaps were decreasing to less than ten years near the end. The last gap was less than a year long, with the Heralds breaking as soon as the Fused caught and began the torture. The only Herald to never break was Taln.{{book ref|sa3|38}} The torture the Heralds endured between Desolations included hooks digging into their skin, their skin getting seared off, and their fat burning. The torture began over again every day.{{book ref|sa1|part=prelude}}
=== The Last Desolation ===
:''Main article:'' [[Last Desolation]]
At the end of what is called the [[Last Desolation]], nine of ten Heralds managed to survive the fighting, which was an unusual occurrence. Fearful of the torture they would face on their return to Braize, the Heralds chose to break the Oathpact rather than return.{{book ref|sa3|38}} Although they had been warned that lingering on Roshar would lead to another Desolation, Ishar told the others that Taln alone would be enough to maintain the Oathpact. Whether or not this was true mattered little to the Heralds as they only wished to avoid torture. The heralds left their honorblades in a circle and all walked in a different direction, telling people that humanity had finally won the war for good.{{book ref|sa1|prologue}} Ishar's prediction turned out to be true, and Taln held back the Fused for 4500 years while mankind believed there would be no more Desolations.
=== The False Desolation ===
▲{{quote| In the aftermath of each one, mankind was broken. Great cities in ashes, industry smashed. Each time, knowledge and growth were reduced to an almost prehistoric state.| [[Jasnah]]{{book ref|wor|6}}}}
:''Main article:'' [[False Desolation]]
▲Mankind was devastated in the aftermath of each desolation. Around ninety percent of the population was destroyed each time. This level of cataclysmic event pushed men to a technology level equivalent to that of the stone age. Although society would sometimes progress beyond that before the next Desolation began, the Heralds would often be forced to push technology forward thousands of years in the single year after their return.{{wob ref|1430|Words of Radiance Portland signing|date=2014-03-07}}
{{sidequote
|Something must be done about the remnants of Odium’s forces. The parsh, as they are now called, continue their war with zeal, even without their masters from Damnation.
|Drawer 30-20, first emerald{{epigraph ref|sa3|77}}|side=left|size=350px}}
Unlike previous Desolations, the [[False Desolation]] did not involve the Heralds or Fused. The False Desolation began when [[Ba-Ado-Mishram]] learned how to [[Connection|Connect]] with the majority of the singers, giving them [[Regal|forms of power]] and access to [[Voidlight]].{{epigraph ref|sa3|80}} The Radiants, unaware of how she did this, sought a way to end the fighting for good, as the Heralds had promised them.{{epigraph ref|sa3|82}} The fighting became particularly intense at this time,{{epigraph ref|sa2|41}} as the singers made a push towards [[Feverstone Keep]], possibly as part of a plan to capture [[Rall Elorim]].{{epigraph ref|sa3|84}}
Working together, the scholars among the Radiants theorized that an [[Unmade]] could be imprisoned like a regular [[spren]].{{epigraph ref|sa3|79}} That devised a plan to trap Ba-Ado-Mishram and prevent her from Connecting with the singers and providing them with Voidlight.{{epigraph ref|sa3|78}} This plan would require [[Melishi]], the only [[Bondsmith]] of his generation,{{epigraph ref|sa3|67}} and a special prison, likely a [[perfect gemstone]].{{epigraph ref|sa3|79}} Although Melishi was confident the plan would succeed in destroying the Voidbringers, [[Naze-daughter-Kuzodo]] warned of unintended side effects.{{epigraph ref|sa3|81}} Although the plan seems to have succeeded, as Ba-Ado-Mishram has not been seen in modern times unlike other Unmade,{{epigraph ref|sa3|107}} Naze-daughter-Kuzodo's warning was correct. Because she had been Connected to all the singers, their Connection and [[Identity]] was torn out of them, creating slaveform or parshmen.{{book ref|sa3| 17}} The Radiants' horror for what happened likely contributed to the Recreance.
=== The True Desolation ===
:''Main article:'' [[True Desolation]]
When Talenel appears at the gates of [[Kholinar]], he announces the coming of the [[True Desolation]].{{book ref|wok|epilogue}} At the [[Battle of Narak]] [[stormform]] [[listeners]] summon the [[Everstorm]], which appears to be referenced as the True Desolation.{{book ref|sa2|83}}▼
The two thousand years of peace that began with the False Desolation ended with the [[True Desolation]].
▲When Talenel appears at the gates of [[Kholinar]], he announces the coming of the
== Warfare ==
|[[Jasnah]] about fabrials{{book ref|sa3|96}}
}}
During the ancient Desolations, mankind did not have access to the modern [[fabrial]]s and fabrial knowledge that is currently known on Roshar. The only fabrials they had access to were ancient fabrials.{{book ref|sa3|96}} These fabrials seem to work through a mutual agreement with a sentient spren rather than trapping a spren in a gemstone. The vast majority of fabrials seem to replicate surges and were used in a support position rather than actual combat. The [[Oathgate]]s utilizes the surge of Transportation to allow instantaneous travel across the continent. Healing fabrials use the surge of Progression to heal wounds and seem to have been carried often by Radiants on patrol.{{book ref|sa1|19}} Although it is not courrently known how these fabrials were created, [[Aimia]] could have been involved as that is where
=== Technology ===
|[[Jasnah]] to [[Dalinar]]{{book ref|sa3|38}}
}}
Humanity was stuck at an extremely low level of technology during the Desolations. Most soldiers fought with bronze and leather armor.{{book ref|sa1|52}} Because of the destruction, humanity often still had stone tools and weapons when the Heralds returned. The Heralds would attempt to push humanity forward several thousand years worth of technology in the year before the Desolation, which often included learning to cast bronze. Even when humanity had learned to cast bronze already, the Heralds tried to advance technology further.{{wob ref|1430}} Other areas they attempted to push technology forward include medicine, where Vedel would teach techniques such as keeping wounds clean.{{book ref|sa2|i|7}}
== Culture ==
:''See also:'' [[Vorinism]]
{{quote
| The Desolations had happened during the near-mythical shadowdays, before real history began. Before mankind had defeated the Voidbringers and taken the war to heaven.
{{partial}}
{{Stormlight}}
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