Honorblade
| Honorblade | |
|---|---|
 by taratjah
| |
| Related to | Heralds, Oathpact |
| World of Origin | Roshar |
| Universe | Cosmere |
The Honorblades are the magical swords carried by the Heralds to fight the Voidbringers during the Desolations. They were pieces of Honor's soul that gave their wielders access to his essence.[1]
There are ten Honorblades total, one for each Herald. Every Honorblade is unique, covered in various glyphs and patterns.[2] The respective hilts of each of the Heralds's Honorblades appear to be the same as the glyph that represents the order of Knights Radiant that that same Herald leads. Honorblades are technically a type of Shardblade[3][4] but are likely more powerful.The honorblades were once able to operate Oathgates, but it is "debatable" whether they still can.[5] Honorblades can also be summoned and dismissed like a Shardblade.[2] However, if the Herald holding the blade dies, the weapon itself vanishes too. It also doesn't automatically vanish when the holder accidentally lets go of it.[6] One does not need to be a Herald in order to use an Honorblade either.[7]
The Shin have somehow gained possession of the Honorblades. One is given to Szeth when he becomes Truthless, but Truthless do not usually have Honorblades.[8] However, the Shin do allow people who are not Truthless to use them, for currently unknown situations and reasons.[9]
It seems apparent that the Honorblades are related to the Oathpact somehow. The Heralds all left them behind when they broke the Oathpact, so it is possible that they may have been what bound the Heralds to the Oathpact in the first place. Nine of the Honorblades were left stabbed into the rock at the location where the final battle of Aharietiam occured.[2]
Honorblades are not the same thing as the Dawnshards: Shallan refers to them as distinct things.[10]
Surgebinding
Honorblades inherently grant the ability to Surgebind[11][12]. This ability is similar to that of unsealed metalminds, though they rely on different magic systems. [13]Presumably, each Herald's Honorblade grants access to the same two Surges as the order of Knights Radiant associated with that Herald. Using an Honorblade, Szeth-son-son-Vallano is able to use the powers of a Windrunner, even though he does not have a spren bonded to him in the same way Kaladin does. In addition Szeth mentions that his connection to the Honorblade will not let him heal from a Shardblade wound unlike Kaladin's Surgebinding.[14] However, Szeth does heal from a Shardblade wound in his final fight with Kaladin at the Battle of Narak.
Syl is aware that the Honorblades grant access to Surges. Honorblades create a shallower bond with their wielders than Nahel bonds, making them less efficient, and more dangerous, to use as they require dangerous amounts of Stormlight.[15] Heralds also require large amounts of Stormlight when using their Honorblades.[16]
If a Surgebinder use an Honorblade that matches the power they already have, their powers will be slightly enhanced.[17]
Blades & Locations
| Herald | Surgebinding | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Jezrien | Adhesion & Gravitation | Initially with Szeth, then Bridge Four, before it was stolen and given to the Voidbringers. Currently with Moash, renamed Vyre.[18] |
| Nale | Gravitation & Division | In Nale's possession.[19] |
| Chanarach | Division & Abrasion | With the Shin.[20][21] |
| Vedel | Abrasion & Progression | With the Shin.[20][21] |
| Pailiah | Progression & Illumination | With the Shin.[20][21] |
| Shalash | Illumination & Transformation | With the Shin.[20][21] |
| Battar | Transformation & Transportation | With the Shin.[20][21] |
| Kalak | Transportation & Cohesion | With the Shin.[20][21] |
| Talenel | Cohesion & Tension | Unknown. Talenel had it when he returned to Roshar,[6] but it has since gone missing.[22] |
| Ishar | Tension & Adhesion | With the Shin.[20][21] |
The Parshendi "... left one in Alethkar on that night." (when they assassinated Gavilar Kholin), most likely referring to Jezrien's Blade.[23]
Trivia
In the original draft, called The Way of Kings Prime, Honorblades allowed their wielders to locate other Honorblades.[24] This has since been removed.
Notes
- ↑ Boskone 54
— Arcanum - 2017-02-17# - ↑ a b c Prelude to the Stormlight Archive#
- ↑ Three types of shardblade
— 17th Shard forums - 26 September 2012# - ↑ Honorblades are shardblades
— 17th Shard forums - 31 October 2012# - ↑ /r/books AMA 2015
— Arcanum - 2015-06-21# - ↑ a b The Way of Kings epilogue#
- ↑ Goodreads WoK Fantasy Book Club Q&A
— Arcanum - 2010-12-01# - ↑ Salt Lake City ComicCon 2017
— Arcanum - 2017-09-21# - ↑ Salt Lake City ComicCon 2017
— Arcanum - 2017-09-21# - ↑ The Way of Kings chapter 29#
- ↑ A Memory of Light Milford Signing
— Arcanum - 2013-02-16# - ↑ Words of Radiance interlude I-1#
- ↑ Orem signing
— Arcanum - 2018-03-10# - ↑ The Way of Kings prologue#
- ↑ General Reddit 2017
— Arcanum - 2017-09-08# - ↑ /r/books AMA 2015
— Arcanum - 2015-08-04# - ↑ Words of Radiance Houston signing
— Arcanum - 2014-03-11# - ↑ Oathbringer chapter 122#
- ↑ Arcanum Unbounded signing Fort Collins
— Arcanum - 2016-11-29# - ↑ a b c d e f g Words of Radiance interlude I-14#
- ↑ a b c d e f g Words of Radiance chapter 88#
- ↑ Words of Radiance chapter 76#
- ↑ Words of Radiance interlude I-4#
- ↑ Skyward San Diego signing
— Arcanum - 2018-11-07#