Nalma
| Nalma | |
|---|---|
| Died | c. 1173[1] |
| Profession | Slave |
| Homeworld | Roshar |
| Universe | Cosmere |
Nalma was a slave on Roshar.[2]
Appearance and Personality
She is an older woman, and has rough, callused hands.[2][3] She is selfless.[1]
Her nationality is not known, but Kaladin implies that she is not Alethi.[1]
History
Nalma was among a group of branded slaves that belonged to Tasinar.[3] Her husband was sold to a different slaver, which was illegal although common in practice, and she wanted to find him.[1] Kaladin, who was also one of Tasinar's slaves during the period between his expulsion from Amaram's army and his arrival at the Shattered Plains, promised to help her find her husband.[3] He helped Nalma and some other slaves escape, and they survived for five days in the wilderness.[3][2] However, a hunting party that Tasinar sent to look for them began closing in, forcing the slaves to try and move.[1] As Kaladin and Nalma moved through the underbrush, her leg was caught in a powerful steel trap, breaking it and causing it to bleed profusely. Nalma urged Kaladin to run, but he ineffectively tried to bandage her wound. Nalma bled to death while Kaladin held her hand.[1] Nalma's screams alerted the hunters, and they killed the rest of the escaped slaves except Kaladin, likely sparing him so that he could warn other slaves against any escape attempts.[1]
Kaladin often thought of Nalma later in life as one of the people that he had failed to protect.[4] Hers was one of the names that came to his mind when he was attempting to say the Fourth Ideal of the Windrunners.[5] He also thought of her when he was posing as a captive of the singers who were freed by the Everstorm, since he also considered them runaway slaves.[3]