Difference between revisions of "Desolation"

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}}

|[[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 andgiveand 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}}

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 a 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}}

[[File:{{image|Chasmfiend old.jpg|thumb|side=right|width=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 DesolataionDesolation 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}}

{{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|sa2|6}}}}

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 heraldsHeralds left their honorbladesHonorblades 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.

|Drawer 30-20, first emerald{{epigraph ref|sa3|77}}|side=left|size=350px}}

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 ConnectedConnecting 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 Desolations had happened during the near-mythical shadowdays, before real history began. Before mankind had defeated the Voidbringers and taken the war to heaven.

| [[Dalinar]]'s thoughts{{book ref|wok|19}}