Difference between revisions of "Herald"

The '''Heralds''' are servants of [[the Almighty]] worshipped across the whole of [[Roshar]]. There are ten of them, with each associated with one of the [[Ten Essences]] and one of the ten orders of the [[Knights Radiant]]. They are known by different names in different cultures -- in [[Azir]], they are known as the '''Kadasixes''',{{book ref|sa2|I|9}} and in [[Vorin]] countries, the suffix "'Elin" is often appended to their names, presumably as aan honorific.{{book ref|sa1|6}}{{book ref|sa1|18}}{{book ref|sa1|55}}{{book ref|sa1|epilogue}}{{book ref|sa2|prologue}}

| 1=<span style='font-variant: small-caps'>Humans could never win when the creatures they killed were reborn each time they were slain. And so, the Oathpact.</span>

| 2=The Stormfather on the creation of the Heralds{{book ref|sa3|38}}

Most of the Heralds were born on [[Ashyn]], with [[Shalash]] as possibly the only possible exception. After humanity destroyed that planet's ecosystem, they traveled along with the rest of the refugees to [[Roshar]], although they weren't the Heralds yet at that point.{{wob ref|11945}}{{book ref|sa3|111}}

| Almighty above. You’re broken too, aren’t you? They all were.

| [[Kalak]] after centuries of Desolations{{book ref|sa1|part=prelude}}

Eventually, the pattern of continuous resurrections and torture led to the Heralds growing increasingly stressed and psychologically damaged, making each [[Heraldic Epochs|Heraldic Epoch]] -- the period between the Desolations -- shorter as they broke faster and faster.{{book ref|sa3|38}} Things came to a head in the [[Aharietiam]], a Desolation where only one Herald, [[Taln]], died in battle. Those who survived were supposed to return voluntarily; however, Ishar theorized that one Herald remaining in Braize was sufficient to keep the Oathpact going. And so, the Heralds decided to abandon Taln to his fate, leaving their Honorblades -- and the Oathpact -- behind.{{book ref|sasa1|part=prelude}} To hide this fact, they told the ordinary people that the Desolations were over, and that they would take the fight to the [[Tranquiline Halls]]. This event marked the end of the [[Heraldic Epochs|Heraldic Epoch]] {{book ref|sa3|42}}

[[File:{{image|Baxil's Mistress by Shuravf.jpg|thumb|left|150px|<center><small>By [[Coppermind:Artists/Shuravf|Shuravf]]</small></center>[[Shalash]] the vandal]]|side=left|width=150px}}

| Taln to Shalash{{book ref|sa3|119}}

Over time, the mental state of the Heralds deteriorated. Nale grew compassionless;{{book ref|sa3|115}} [[Kalak]] became paranoid;{{book ref|sa1|prologue}} [[Jezrien]] started to drink heavily;{{book ref|sa3|88}} [[Shalash]] began to track down and destroy her own artwork.{{book ref|sa3|117}} While Shalash and Nale both believed that Ishar remained unaffected, he, too, went mad.{{book ref|sa3|121}} He took over the country of [[Tukar]], becoming its god-priest, and started to swing wildly between megalomania and the desire to end his own existence.{{book ref|sa3|24}}{{book ref|sa3|64}} When Nale came to him with questions about the possibility of a new Desolation arriving, Ishar told him that the return of [[Knights Radiant]] could prompt it, causing Nale to travel the world killing any potential Surgebinders.{{book ref|sa2.5|9}} At some point, perhaps in pursuit of this goal, he and Kalak found themselves in the [[Kholinar palace]] on the night of king [[Gavilar]]'s assassination.{{bookwob ref|sa1|prelude13634}}

[[File:{{image|Taln Neirr.png|thumb|right|150px|<center><small>By [[Coppermind:Artists/Neirr|Neirr]]</small></center>[[Taln]] announcing the [[True Desolation]] ]]|side=right|width=150px}}

Sometime around the year 1173, Taln was finally broke, and returned to Roshar to proclaim a new Desolation, although he did not break.{{book ref|sa1|epilogue}}{{wob ref|14869}} He was initially disbelieved by Rosharans, who assumed him to be some random madman, which was further confirmed, in their eyes, by his deranged, near-catatonic behavior.{{book ref|sa2|i|7}} Some of the Heralds, such as Nale, initially refused to believe a new Desolation has arrived, though he was convinced upon seeing the awakening of the [[Parshmen]].{{book ref|sa2.5|19}}

[[File:{{image|Jezrien Endpage.jpg|thumb|right|250px|[[Jezrien]] ]]|side=right|width=250px}}

| The Heralds glow like the sun, wield the [[Honorblade]]s, and speak with the voices of a thousand trumpets. They could cast down buildings with a command, force the storms to obey, and heal with a touch.

| [[Shallan]]'s recollection on what she was taught about the Heralds.{{book ref|sa2|63}}

The Heralds are [[cognitiveCognitive shadowShadow]]s capable of repeatedly returning back to life and have become so heavily Invested they are no longer human.{{wob ref|4024}}{{wob ref|8468}} While alive, they do not age, allowing them to live for millennia.{{book ref|sa3|117}} Upon death, they are transported to [[Braize]], where they are tortured until one of them breaks. When that happens, they are returned back to life on [[Roshar]].{{book ref|sa3|38}} This process isn't well-understood, though one thing that is certain about it is that unlike the [[Fused]], the Heralds do not hijack human bodies to resurrect.{{wob ref|12029}} Unlike similar resurrected entities, like the [[Nalthis|Nalthian]] [[Returned]], the Heralds don't have to consume [[Investiture]] in order to remain alive.{{wob ref|10581}}

This ability to resurrect makes the Heralds essentially immortal. UntilIt verywas recentlynot until seven thousand years after the Oathpact that singers figured out they can be trapped in gemstones, theremuch waslike nospren waycan. toThe killmethod involves stabbing them permanently;with asa ofspecially rightconstructed now,[[raysium]] dagger.{{book ref|sa3|121}} The dagger would trap the onlyHerald's weaponsoul knowninto the gemstone at its hilt. The trapped Herald's bond to the Oathpact would be ablesevered, causing the soul to putdisintegrate themback downto fora goodnormal issoul, then go on to the [[Vyre's knifeBeyond]], permanently killing the Herald.{{bookepigraph ref|sa3sa4|12192}}

Each Herald wields an [[Honorblade]], a sword similar in function to a [[Shardblade]], albeit far more powerful.{{book ref|sasa1|part=prelude}} Honorblades can be bonded like regular Shardblades, and are similarly sharp, but unlike Shardblades, they allow their wielders to utilize two [[Surge]]s each. As such, while wielding their Blades, each of the Heralds is a [[Surgebinder]].{{book ref|sa3|16}} While they each have an Honorblade assigned to them, in the past, they would occassionallyoccasionally swap their Honorblades between each other, allowing them to use the Surges of others.{{wob ref|3564}}

[[Spren]] would later copy the Heralds' [[Surgebinding]], thus creating the [[Knights Radiant]], with each order matching the powers of one of the Heralds.{{book ref|sa2|87}} The Radiants have some powers that the Heralds lack -- for example, the Heralds did not have [[squire]]s.{{wob ref|3958}} However, unlike the Knights, the Heralds were powered directly by [[Honor]], and had access to raw levels of Investiture that no Radiant could possibly match.{{wob ref|1572}}{{wob ref|10331}} Additionally, they didn't need to draw Stormlight from gems, which implies they could get it directly from their bond with Honor.{{wob ref|2549}} This ability appears to be inherent to the Heralds and not tied to their Honorblades as it is not replicable by other users. How this manifests after Honor's death and Splintering is unknown.

Apart from the Surges, Heralds get a number of other advantages, although what precisely they are is uncertain.{{wob ref|3623}}{{wob ref|6898}} It's possible that those include superhuman speed and reflexes.{{book ref|sa2|88}} However, they are also said to have no innate powers, suggesting that whatever they can do is the result of either their connection to Honor or their own experience.{{wob ref|1050}} Although not all the Heralds were originally soldiers, they have mastered their fighting skills throughout the ages, and are now capable of fighting multiple Shardbearers with ease. Moreover, each Herald had their own field of expertise, such as leadership, medicine or smithing, and the knowledge of how to teach those skills to others.{{book ref|sa3|47}} Heralds are able to share pain with each other through their bondprocreate, butthough itnot isnecessarily unknownin ifthe theytraditional can do this outside of Braizeway.{{bookwob ref|sa3|38}} They are also able to sense when another Herald has permanently died, which can cause them enough shock to render them temporally unconscious.{{book ref|sa3|12114507}}

[[File:{{image|Jezrien.jpg|thumb|side=left|width=100px]]}}

Known as the Herald of Kings in the East, Kadasix of Kings in [[Azir]] and the Prime Kadasix in [[Emul]].{{book ref|sa2|i|9}}{{book ref|sa1|i|7}} At some point prior to becoming a Herald, he ruled as a king.{{book ref|sasa1|part=prelude}} He is associated with the number Jes (1), the essence Zephyr, and the attributes Protecting and Leading. He is patron of the [[Order of Windrunners]].

[[File:{{image|Nale.jpg|thumb|side=left|width=100px]]}}

The Herald of Justice.{{book ref|sa2|88}} He is associated with the number Nan (2), the essence Vapor, and the attributes Just and Confident. He is patron of the [[Order of Skybreakers]]. Unlike the other Heralds who abandoned the Oathpact, he eventually recovered his [[Honorblade]].{{book ref|sa3|106}} While he was the last to accept his own Order, he was also the only Herald to join it.{{epigraph ref|sa2|43}}{{wob ref|8426}}

:''Surges'': [[Gravitation]], [[Division]]

:''Status'': alive; swornfighting tofor Odium[[singer]]s along with most other members ofon the Order[[Emul]] offrontline.{{book Skybreakers.ref|sa4|47}}

[[File:{{image|Chanarach.jpg|thumb|side=left|width=100px]]}}

[[File:{{image|Vedel.jpg|thumb|side=left|width=100px]]}}

:''Status'': alive, current location unknown.

[[File:{{image|Pailiah.jpg|thumb|side=left|width=100px]]}}

:''Status'': alive; last seen in [[Kharbranth]], in the [[Palanaeum]].{{book ref|sa1|33}}{{wob ref|4419}}

[[File:{{image|Shalash.jpg|thumb|side=left|width=100px]]}}

Known as the Herald of Beauty or Lady of Dreams.{{book ref|sa2|30}}{{book ref|sa1|i|7}} Daughter of Jezrien. She is associated with the number Shash (6), the essence Blood, and the attributes Creativity and Honesty. She is patron of the [[Order of Lightweavers]]. For the past several centuries, she has been tracking down and destroying any depictions of herself she could find.{{book ref|sa3|117}}

:''Status'': alive; likely in [[UrithiruEmul]] with Talenel, held by [[Jasnah Kholin]].{{book ref|sa4|50}}

[[File:{{image|Battar.jpg|thumb|side=left|width=100px]]}}

:''Other names'': Battah'Elin (Vorinism)

:''Status'': alive; likelyliving in [[Kharbranth]] under the name Dova.{{book ref|sa4|i|3}}

[[File:{{image|Kalak.jpg|thumb|side=left|width=100px]]}}

:''Other names'': Kelek'Elin (Vorinism), Kellai (Iri and Rira){{book ref|sa3|36}}, Restares{{book ref|sa4|78}}

[[File:{{image|Talenel.jpg|thumb|side=left|width=100px]]}}

KnownOften called the Herald of War,{{book ref|sa2|i|7}} and sometimes also known as the Herald of Soldiers and the Bearer of Agonies.{{book ref|sa3|59}}{{book ref|sa3|38}} Associated with the number Tanat (9), the essence Talus, and the attributes Dependable and Resourceful. He is patron of the [[Order of Stonewards]]. Unlike the others, he wasn't a king, general or famous scholar prior to becoming a Herald. He's also the only Herald not to abandon the Oathpact at the Aharietiam, as he was dead at the time; as a result, he'd spent the past four and a half thousand years being tortured in Braize.{{book ref|sa3|38}}

:''Status'': alive; likely in [[UrithiruEmul]] with Shalash, held by [[Jasnah Kholin]].{{book ref|sa4|50}}

[[File:{{image|Ishar.jpg|thumb|side=left|width=100px]]}}

Unlike most other characters, the Heralds have official depictions of them in the [[Stormlight Archive]]. Those are said to be in-universe artwork, and as such, they're not entirely accurate.{{wob ref|10772}} Four of them can be found at the beginning and end of ''[[Oathbringer]]'', while four more will beare present in ''[[Rhythm of War]]''.