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{{character
|image= Eshonai portrait large.png
|parents=[[Eshonai's mother|MotherJaxlim]]
|siblings=[[Venli]]
|abilities=[[Regal|Forms of Power]], {{tag+|Shardbearer}}, {{tag+|willshaper}}{{book ref|sa4|117}}
|bonded=[[Timbre]]
|died=[[Battle of Narak]]{{book ref|sa3|i|3}}
|died=[[Battle of Narak]]{{book ref|sa3|i|3}}, {{Rosharan date|1173|10|10|3}}{{article ref|Words of Radiance/Timeline|Words of Radiance timeline}}
|titles=The Explorer
|groups={{tag|Council of Five}}
|species=singer
|nation=Listener
|world=Roshar
|universe=[[Cosmere]]
|nation=Arelon
|booksfirst appeared=[[The StormlightWay of ArchiveKings]]
}}
}}{{spoilers|book=sa3}}{{update|book=sa3}}
{{update|sa4}}
{{quote
|Progress is learning to control your world. Put up walls to stop the storms, choose when to become a mate.
| It is you. (...) I have found you at last.
| Eshonai to Dalinar at the Battle of the Tower.{{book ref|sa1sa2|i|684}}
}}
 
'''Eshonai''' (<small>Alethi pronunciation:</small> [[Wikipedia:Help:IPA|[ɛˈʃoːnaɪ̯]]] [[Wikipedia:Wikipedia: Pronunciation_respelling_key|''eh-'''<small>SHOW</small>'''-nigh'']]){{url ref |url=https://youtu.be/2VzSSSYKK6w?t=6m37s|text=Brandon saying “Eshonai” at a reading|site=YouTube|date=2017-11-25}} was a [[listener]] [[Shardbearer]]{{book ref|twok|68}} who lived in [[Narak]] on the [[Shattered Plains]] of [[Roshar]] during the [[War of Reckoning]]. She was one of the first Parshendi to come in contact with [[Gavilar Kholin]]'s soldiers in the [[Unclaimed Hills]].{{book ref|wor|i|1}}
'''Eshonai''' is a [[listener]] [[Shardbearer]]{{book ref|sa1|68}} who lives in [[Narak]] on the [[Shattered Plains]] of [[Roshar]] during the [[War of Reckoning]]. She was one of the first Parshendi to come in contact with [[Gavilar Kholin]]'s soldiers in the [[Unclaimed Hills]].{{book ref|sa2|i|1}}
 
== Appearance and Personality ==
{{image|Call to Adventure - Eshonai.jpg|side=right|width=300px}}
Her skin was a marbled red and black, and she was large of stature, standing seven feet tall in Shardplate. Her Shardplate is silver, and she wore a red cape with it. She spoke [[Alethi]] with a thick accent.{{book ref|twok|68}} She wore [[Listener#forms|warform]] due to the conflict with Alethkar.{{book ref|wor|i|1}} When not wearing Shardplate, her uniform consisted of a cap and a red cloth that stretched over her warform armor.{{book ref|sa2|i|4}}
 
{{for|/Gallery|more images}}
As a youth, people were used to Eshonai wandering off in the middle of a task. She had the best spoken Alethi of any of the Listeners{{book ref|sa3|prologue}}.
 
{{quote
Her preferred form is [[Listener#forms|workform]] because it is more flexible{{book ref|sa3|prologue}}, limber, rugged, and because the form's aversion to violence forces her to think differently to solve problems. She finds it difficult to tolerate Listeners who prefer [[Listener#forms|mateform]] , and has trouble understanding why anyone would want to remain in that form for longer than necessary to produce offspring. Her confusion on this subject at one time extended to humans, when she was baffled by the fact that humans have only a single form that is easily distracted by sexual urges.{{book ref|sa2|i|1}}
|Our people are crumbling. (...) We're being weathered away.
|Eshonai about the listeners{{book ref|sa2|i|4}}
}}
 
=== Appearance ===
Eshonai is a [[Singer]]; her skin, covered partially in carapace, is a marbled red and black, and she is large of stature, standing seven feet tall in Shardplate. Her Plate is silver, and has a red cape attached.{{book ref|sa1|68}} She wears [[warform]] due to the conflict with Alethkar.{{book ref|wor|i|1}} When not wearing Shardplate, her uniform consists of a cap and a red cloth that stretches over her warform armor.{{book ref|sa2|i|4}}
 
=== Personality ===
Her preferred form is [[workform]] because it is more flexible{{book ref|sa3|prologue}}, limber, rugged, and because the form's aversion to violence forces her to think differently to solve problems. She finds it difficult to tolerate listeners who prefer [[mateform]] , and has trouble understanding why anyone would want to remain in that form for longer than necessary to produce offspring. Her confusion on this subject at one time extended to humans, when she was baffled by the fact that humans have only a single form that is easily distracted by sexual urges.{{book ref|sa2|i|1}}
 
Though she accepts her duties as a general for her people, she feels trapped and constrained by the role, and by living on the [[Shattered Plains]]. Even her uniform contributes to her emotional discomfort, and the repetitive tasks of military life numb her mind. She blames her uniform for her personal worries. However she never speaks of her discomfort in her role. She enjoys the feeling of strength she gets from wearing Shardplate, and it gives her something reliable in the world.{{book ref|sa2|i|1}}{{book ref|sa2|i|4}}
 
Eshonai's true passion is exploration, and she yearns to be free of her role as general so she can explore; even as a child, it was common for her to wander off in the middle of a task if something caught her attention.{{book ref|sa2|i|1}}{{book ref|sa3|prologue}} She even contemplates exploring human civilizations, though she has a preference for exploring the wilderness. However, she believes these feelings aremeaninglessare meaningless in comparison to the importance of protecting her people. She holds that remembering the fallen is important, but of lesser concern than protecting the living. She goes so far as to accompany her strike forces even when she has an injured leg from the [[Battle of the Tower]]wounded, because she iswas the only Shardbearer left among the Listenerslisteners.{{book ref|sa2|i|1}}
 
She believes that she is personally responsible for the War of Reckoning because she was the first to make contact with the Alethi. Despite being fully aware of the dire predicament of her people, she does not blame the Alethi for their pursuit of vengeance. While she fights the Alethi out of necessity, she would prefer, and she even attempts, to negotiate a peace with them.{{book ref|sa2|i|1}}{{book ref|sa2|i|4}}
 
== Abilities and Attributes ==
<gallery caption="Images of Eshonai">
{{image|Eshonai - XIII. Death.jpg|side=left|width=200px}}
Eshonai portrait large.png | Portrait by [[User: Exmakina]]
 
Character sketch eshonai.jpg | Eshonai by [[User: Sheep]]
Despite her misgivings about the role, Eshonai is a skilled combatant and military commander, having managed to keep her people alive for more than five years of a war in which they are severely disadvantaged.{{book ref|sa2|i|1}} She's fluent in [[Alethi]], and is the best at it of any listeners, though she speaks it with a thick accent.{{book ref|sa1|68}}{{book ref|sa3|prologue}}
Eshonai color.jpg | With Plate and Blade by [[User: Sheep]]
 
TheWayOfKings.png | On ''The Way of Kings'' cover by [[Michael Whelan]]
Shortly before her death, Eshonai attracted the attention of a [[Reacher]] nicknamed [[Timbre]]; however, she took on the stormform before the bonding process could begin, and only became a [[Surgebinder]] moments before her death.{{book ref|sa4|117}}
Gemheart.jpg | Holding a gemheart by [[User: Sheep]]
 
Eshonai Chapters.svg | Eshonai chapters by [[Isaac Stewart]]
=== Forms ===
Eshonai of the Listeners.jpg | Leading the listener army by [[Coppermind: Artists/Petar Penev|Petar Penev]]
Like all [[Singer]]s, Eshonai can change her form by taking a [[spren]] into her gemheart during a [[highstorm]]. Out of preference, she spent most of her life in [[workform]], which, while durable and strong, made her averse to violence. During the [[War of Reckoning]], she uses [[warform]] instead, as its carapace and stockier build afford her greater strength and protection while allowing for fighting.{{book ref|sa2|i|1}} Eventually, she takes on [[stormform]], keeping her increased strength while also granting her the ability to cast red lightning and summon the [[Everstorm]], though the latter requires cooperation with more stormforms.{{book ref|sa2|i|8}}
Crem Burial.jpg | Eshonai dead after the Battle of Narak by [[Coppermind: Artists/Matthew_Johnson|Matthew Johnson]]
 
</gallery>
=== Shardbearer ===
Eshonai is a full [[Shardbearer]], owning both a set of [[Shardplate]] and a dead [[Shardblade]].{{book ref|sa1|68}} It's unknown how she came about having them, though it's possible she only acquired them after the [[War of Reckoning]] began.{{book ref|sa1|68}} However that happened, she knows how to use them, and wearing Shardplate feels natural to her.{{book ref|sa2|i|1}} She's highly skilled with the Blade, being able to keep up and even win against [[Adolin Kholin]], though her fighting style is unlike what he's been taught, with no recognizable stances. However, she can get too focused on combat while ignoring her surroundings, which proves to be her downfall.{{book ref|sa2|84}}
 
== History ==
=== Exploration ===
Eshonai was an explorer, andwho often traveledtravelled the wilderness of [[Natanatan]]. She started out exploring alone, creating maps and expanding the Listenerslisteners' understanding of the world, andthen endedbegan upleading excitingexpeditions and leadingduring her peopleteenage onyears, expeditionsafter asher earlyadventures assparked herinterest teenageamongst yearsher people. Her exploringexploration leadled to the Listenerslisteners' first contact with humans in {{Rosharan date|1165}}, encounteringwhen anshe Alethiencountered Gavilar's expedition to the south of the Shattered Plains lead by [[Gavilar Kholin]] in the year {{Rosharan date|1165}} of the [[Vorin]] calendar.{{book ref|sa2|i|4}}{{book ref|sa1|45}}
 
{{image|Eshonai Gavilar Shuravf.jpg|side=left|width=200px|Eshonai meeting with [[Gavilar]] on the night of his death}}
=== Assassination of Gavilar ===
On the day of his assassination, Gavilar speaks to Eshonai privately. She is the first Listener to learn Gavilar wants to bring back the Listeners' old gods. He gives her a dark spren trapped in a gemstone and tells her to give it to [[The Five]]. The trapped spren convinces Eshonai that Gavilar truly can bring the old gods back. She tells the Five of Gavilar's plans{{book ref|sa3|prologue}}.
 
=== Assassination of Gavilar ===
Eshonai helps the Five decide to assassinate Gavilar. Though she was at the time not yet on the Council of Five, the council gave her a vote and listened to her counsel due to her role as an interpreter. She voted in favor of killing him, in order to keep the Listeners free of their gods and to affirm the decision made by their ancestors—the [[Last Legion]]—centuries ago when they decided to embrace dullform in order to be free of their gods.{{book ref|sa2|i|4}}{{book ref|sa3|prologue}}
On the day of his [[Assassination of Gavilar|assassination]], [[Gavilar]] spoke to Eshonai privately. She was the first listener to learn that Gavilar wanted to bring back the listeners' old gods. He gave her a [[Black sphere|dark gemstone]] and told her to give it to [[The Five]]. Taking the gemstone, Eshonai went to the Five and told them of Gavilar's plans, and the group decided to assassinate the Alethi king. Though Eshonai was not yet on the Council of Five, the council gave her a vote and listened to her advice due to her role as an interpreter. She voted in favor of killing Gavilar, in order to keep the listeners free of their gods and to affirm the decision made by their [[Last Legion|ancestors]] centuries ago.{{book ref|sa2|i|4}}{{book ref|sa3|prologue}}
=== The War of Reckoning (1167-1173) ===
;==== Narak ====
Sometime between the assassination of Gavilar and the Battle of the Tower, Eshonai wasbecame placeda onmember of the Council of Five and was made the general of the Listenerlistener armiesarmy. SheAfter leadthe theirdeath strikeof forcesthe ontoking, the plainslisteners relocated to [[Narak]] in skirmishesthe withhopes that a war of attrition would deter the Alethi forfrom gemheartspursuing afterlongterm theyaction. hadUnfortunately, relocatedthe theirpresence populationof tochasmfiends [[Narak]]on andthe chosenShattered toPlains beginallowed athe war ofto attritioncontinue infor hopesmany ofyears, with the Alethi growingand listener forces clashing over the beast's gemhearts. Eshonai would sometimes join her troops in the skirmishes over these boredgems.{{book ref|sa2|i|1}}{{book ref|sa2|i|4}}
 
;==== The Battle of the Tower ====
During the battle, Eshonai duelsdueled [[Dalinar Kholin]] as the army is makingmade its retreat. She defeatsdefeated him in combat, and recognisesrecognised him as the Alethi Shardbearer she's had been searching for, but iswas stabbed in the leg by [[Kaladin Stormblessed]], who makesmade his escape with Dalinar before she hashad a chance to speak with him. As the army makesmade its retreat from the [[Tower (Roshar)|Tower]], she salutessaluted Dalinar as a gesture of respect. She allowsallowed the Alethi to escape the battle without attacking them once they clearcleared the Tower.{{book ref|twok|68}}
 
==== The Everstorm ====
;The Everstorm[[File:Eshonai by Casey Fallon.jpg|thumb|Eshonai bonding with a stormspren in the Everstorm, by [[Coppermind:Artists/Casey Fallon|Casey Fallon]]]]
{{image|Eshonai by Casey Fallon.jpg|side=right|height=250px|Eshonai bonding with a stormspren during a [[highstorm]]}}
In an attempt to test the newly rediscovered [[Parshendi#Forms|Stormform]], she is the first to adopt it, despite reluctance about using it -- and after doing so undergoes a major shift in personality, becoming more warlike and determined to wipe out the [[Alethi]], despite originally wanting peace; it is implied that the form exerts the change over her, and that she is trapped and unable to take control of herself.{{book ref|sa2|i|4}}{{book ref|sa2|i|5}}{{book ref|sa2|i|8}}{{book ref|sa2|i|11}}
{{quote
|With enough of us bearing this form together, we could bring it. We could '''bend''' the storms to our will, and could bring bring them down upon our enemies.
|Eshonai in stormform{{book ref|sa2|i|8}}
}}
Eshonai was the first to adopt [[singer#Forms|Stormform]] after it was rediscovered by her sister [[Venli]], although she did so reluctantly. The new form caused Eshonai to become more warlike and destructive, leading her to switch from seeking peace with the Alethi, to desiring their extermination. Her new aggressive personality made her more willing to kill disobedient listeners, including her comrades, friends, and family. Any who refused to obey her orders were rounded up by Eshonai, whose intent was to have them all killed.{{book ref|sa2|i|11}}{{book ref|sa2|i|4}}{{book ref|sa2|i|5}}{{book ref|sa2|i|8}}
 
In the [[Battle of Narak]], she led the listener army, who had all taken Stormform, to battle, with the intent to destroy the Alethi forces.{{book ref|sa2|i|13}} After [[Adolin]] pushed her into a chasm,{{book ref|wor|84}} she rammed her Shardblade into the ground, in an attempt to not be swept away by the floodwaters. Because of her efforts, Eshonai did not drown, instead she died shortly after from wounds inflicted during her fight for survival in the chasm.{{book ref|sa4|117}}
Her new, aggressive personality even makes her willing to kill Parshendi who do not obey her, including the soldiers in her own division, those she considered close friends, as well as her own family; [[Venli]] and her [[Eshonai's mother|mother]]. She goes so far as to have dissidents among the population of Narak rounded up to be killed.{{book ref|sa2|i|11}}
 
After her death, the [[Stormfather|Rider of Storms]] briefly stopped her soul from entering the [[Beyond]] in order to let her ride his winds across all of Roshar as the [[highstorm]] swept over the continent.{{book ref|sa4|117}}
In the [[Battle of Narak]], she leads a Parshendi population of stormforms to battle in an attempt to destroy the Alethi.{{book ref|sa2|i|13}} After [[Adolin]] pushes her into a chasm,{{book ref|wor|84}} she rams her Shardblade into the ground and hangs on to it to survive the flooding during the storms. She drowns in the water.{{book ref|sa3|i|3}}
 
Later, [[Ulim]] leads Venli and [[Demid]] to Eshonai's body to retrieve her Shards.{{book ref|sa3|i|3}}
<!--
Her original intent in her search for Dalinar Kholin was to broker a peace between the [[Listener]]s and the Alethi.{{book ref|sa2|i|1}} -->
 
== QuotesRelationships ==
=== Jaxlim ===
{{quote
Eshonai thinks little of [[Jaxlim]], her mother, due to her memory loss, though Eshonai still respects her.{{book ref|wor|i|4}} However, their bond is strong enough that Eshonai somewhat overcomes the singled-minded influence of stormform; when her mother refuses to change to stormform and is rounded her up with the other dissenters, Eshonai assigns her old squad members to guard them, seemingly aware they would assist them. She does not give chase when they escape, either.{{book ref|wor|i|8}}
| This is progress. (...) Progress is learning to control your world. Put up walls to stop the storms, choose when to become a mate.
| Eshonai convincing herself of the necessity for capturing spren.{{book ref|sa2|i|4}}
}}
 
===Venli===
{{quote
Eshonai has a difficult relationship with her younger sister and her views.{{book ref|sa4|88}}{{expand}}
| Our people are crumbling. (...) We're being weathered away. We moved to Narak and chose a war of attrition. That has meant six years with steady losses. People are giving up.
| Eshonai trying to decide what to do about Venli's discovery of stormform.{{book ref|sa2|i|4}}
}}
 
{{quote
| I will agree to this test. However, (...) I must be the one who tries the new form first.
| Eshonai offering herself as a test for stormform in case something goes wrong.{{book ref|sa2|i|4}}
}}
 
{{quote
| With enough of us bearing this form together, we could bring it. We could '''bend''' the storms to our will, and could bring bring them down upon our enemies.
| Eshonai upon returning to Narak in stormform.{{book ref|sa2|i|1}}
}}
 
{{quote
| The humans will leave their warcamp together, in one large army that intends to reach Narak during the lull. They will be completely exposed on the plains, with no shelter. A highstorm at that time would '''destroy''' them.
| Eshonai's plan for winning the War of Reckoning, in stormform.{{book ref|sa2|i|1}}
}}
 
== Trivia ==
* The reason sheEshonai was killed off and Venlireplaced usedby in[[Venli]] heras viewpointthe main role[[singer]] insteadcharacter was due to there already being other characters inthat the series whoalready washad aoverabundance "paragonof soldierparagon who'ssoldiers trying to do the right thing", making her feel superfluous to Brandon.{{wob ref|11666}}
* Eshonai was originally going to be the sole flashback character in ''[[Rhythm of War]]'';{{wob ref|8979}} eventually, Brandon decided on using a mix of her and Venli's flashbacks.{{wob ref|12848}}
*Eshonai is the Shardbearer on the cover art of the Way of Kings. She is described as wearing silver Shardplate and a red cloak — both traits shared by the figure in the forefront of the painting.{{wob ref|11422}}
* While [[Michael Whelan]] has said that the US cover of ''The Way of Kings'' isn't meant to depict specific characters,{{tweet ref|user=whelanmichael|1295741147877441539|text=Michael Whelan commenting on ''The Way of Kings'' cover art|date=2020-08-18}} [[Brandon Sanderson|Brandon]] has indicated that she is one of the people on that cover.{{wob ref|11422}}
* She's unnamed throughout ''The Way of Kings''; however, chapter 68 of the book -- the only one she appears and speaks in -- is named after her without explanation.{{book ref|sa1|68}}
 
== Notes ==
{{Stormlight}}
[[category: viewpoint characters]]
[[es:Eshonai]]
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