Difference between revisions of "Listener"

The listeners used to live in the [[Unclaimed Hills]], very close to the [[Shattered Plains]]. Some listener [[Listener#Families|families]] occupied the circular craters near the western edge of the plains, while others spent their lives living in the wilderness around these craters. Many listeners believe that the wilderniswilderness should remain uncharted, left to [[greatshell]]s and [[spren]], although others strongly disagree with this.{{book ref|Sa4|45}} It is likely because of this attitude that the listeners know very little about the world and the wildernis beyond their cities.

The listeners have a very rockyhostile relationship with the [[Alethkar|Alethi]], though their relationship was originally more amicable. The Alethi were the first humans to be discovered by the listeners.{{book ref|sa4|45}} After a couple of expeditions the Alethi wished to formaliseformalize their relationship. The listeners agreed and a treaty was signed.{{book ref|sa1|prologue}} This treaty contained clauses to simplify trade between the peoples and for mutual border crossing. The treaty also prevented the listeners from trading their Shards to other kingdoms without first coming to Alethkar. Besides these clauses the treaty also allowed for one party to legally attack the other party.{{book ref|sa4|77}}

Listener soldiers use Warform, this grants them strong carapace armor as well as increased strength.{{book ref|sa2|i|1}} Though not as strong or resilient as someone with Shardplate, warform listeners are a real threat to regular human soldiers. Their strength allows them to use heavy weapons like battleaxes, hammers, spears and sometimes clubs or swords.{{book ref|sa1|40}}{{book ref|Sa4|45}} They are also capable of jumping far enough to cross the chasms on the [[Shattered Plains]].{{book ref|sa1|27}} Most of the steel weapons owned by the listeners are either of [[Alethkar|Alethi]] origin or have been passed down from parent to child starting at the abandonment of the old gods.{{book ref|Sa4|81}} The listeners are also fond of bows, which are made from horn,{{book ref|sa1|55}} and two-handed slings,{{book ref|sa1|65}} although bows were viewed as to deadly to wield against other listeners.{{book ref|sa4|68}} Some listeners carry large shields called [[stormshield]]s when going out into a highstorm, however it is unknown if this type of shield is also used in combat.{{book ref|Sa4|88}} It is considered the duty of each warrior to care for his ancient weapon and make his own arrows.{{book ref|Sa4|45}}

The listeners have their own unique way of making paper. They make the paper from dried [[rockbud]] pulp following a harvest.{{book ref|sa2|i|1}} These rockbuds are native to the unclaimedUnclaimed hillsHills and shattered plains. Their paper is much rougher then human paper and varies in Colorcolor. Their paper is also textured and full instead of neat and sterile.{{book ref|WoR|i|4}} They also have a [[Song of Making Paper|song]] describing the process. This ensures that the listeners never forget how to make it.{{book ref|sa4|45}}

The listeners make music using drums. These drums are considered crude thingsby the Alethi, made of hogshide leather and wood. The sides of these drums are stamped with crude hand prints.{{book ref|sa1|45}} The listeners often play their drums in a quick rhythm.{{book ref|sa1|prologue}} It is likely that the listeners beat the drums to one of the [[Rhythm]]s.

Later, near the time of the [[Recreance]] and the [[False Desolation]],{{book ref|sa3|56}} the [[Unmade]] [[Ba-Ado-Mishram]] Connected to most singers, providing the singers with [[Regal|forms of power]] and [[Voidlight]].{{epigraph ref|sa3|80}} The [[Knights Radiant]] sought to stop this threat by imprisoning Ba-Ado-Mishram. They succeeded but in doing so, stole part of singers' souls, turning them into slaveform.{{epigraph ref|sa3|81}} The listeners were spared from this event, and so it seems that they were not involved with the False Desolation. Due to this they became the only singers on Roshar with their minds still intact. The listeners inhabited the broken kingdom of Natanatan and the Unclaimed Hills in eastern Roshar for long time, unknown to most humans.{{book ref|sa2|i|4}} During this time they also acquired eight sets of [[Shardplate]] and eight [[ShardbladesShardblade]]s.{{book ref|sa4|68}} For much of this time, they knew only dullform and mateform, but eventually rediscovered more forms.

To modern humans, the listeners were originally discovered by Alethi [[Gavilar|King Gavilar]]'s brother [[Dalinar Kholin]] during a hunting trip in {{rosharan date|1166}}.{{book ref|sa1|28}}{{book ref|sa1|45}}{{book ref|sa4|45}} Dalinar was scouting in a forest that wasn't on any maps, in a valley south of the [[Shattered Plains]] and about two weeks' march from the [[Drying Sea]]. There, he found Eshonai, exploring.{{book ref|sa3|prologue}}{{book ref|sa4|45}} She led the humans to her family's camp. In that same day, [[Venli]] had discovered that [[painspren]] may be the key to discovering warform, but her discovery was overshadowed by her sister's.{{book ref|sa1sa4|2868}}

However, upon visiting the human cities, the listeners weren't intimidated; they liked the city, and enjoyed themselves there.{{book ref|sa4|77}} They signed a treaty with the humans in {{rosharan date|1167|9}}, and there was a party to celebrate it.{{book ref|sa1|prologue}} That day, [[Nale]] approached Venli, saying Gavilar was going to betray the listeners and that Venli had to assassinate the king to stop him. That gave Ulim the idea of killing the king to drive the humans to attack the listeners, to intimidate them.{{book ref|sa4|77}} At the same time, Gavilar indicated to Eshonai that he wanted to bring back the listener gods. Since the Council of Five feared their gods' return, they voted and decided to kill the king to stop him. Ulim had guided [[Klade]] to buy [[Szeth]], so they sent Szeth and he killed Gavilar.{{book ref|sa3|prologue}} The assassination led to the formation of the Alethi [[Vengeance Pact]] and caused the [[War of Reckoning]], a prolonged war between the listeners and the Alethi on the Shattered Plains.

At the [[Battle of Narak]] on {{Rosharan date|1173|10|10|3}},{{book ref|sa2|79}} the final confrontation between the listeners and the Alethi Highprinces, the listeners in stormform sung a terrible song. It formed the [[Everstorm]] and with it, the [[True Desolation]] began.{{book ref|sa2|84}}