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Difference between revisions of "Nightwatcher"
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Added much from Oathbringer and removed theory section I felt that information was covered in Oathbringer. Some of this needs rewriting still, blessings in particular.
(Added much from Oathbringer and removed theory section I felt that information was covered in Oathbringer. Some of this needs rewriting still, blessings in particular.) |
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The Nightwatcher would bless those who sought her out with one blessing of her choosing. In exchange for this blessing, she also bestows a single curse, although this curse very rarely has any obvious relation to the blessing that was gained.{{book ref|twok|i|7}} Because of the Nightwatcher's ethereal nature and ties to a single location, the [[Valley]], she is considered by many to be a powerful [[spren]].{{book ref|sa2|3}}{{book ref|sa2|6}}{{book ref|sa2|24}}{{book ref|sa2|41}} It is surprisingly common for devoutly Vorin [[lighteyes]] go to the Nightwatcher at one point or another over the course of their lives.{{book ref|twok|61}}
== Description ==
The Nightwatcher manifests in the physical realm as a dark green and vaguely person shaped. Described as crawling on the ground with too-long arms reaching out and pulling her along as she floats above the ground. She appears to leave a trail of her essence behind her, like a river of twisting vapor curling though the trees. The only part of her that has any detail is her smooth distinctly feminine face with silken black eyes. She seems to be able to create extra limbs like smaller hands to interact with people.{{book ref|sa3|114}}
== Origin ==
Called child by [[Cultivation]] it is likely that the Nightwatcher was created by [[Cultivation]] for a specific purpose from a different Spren much like the [[Stormfather]] was by [[Honor]]. Though as that Spren was almost certainly created by [[Cultivation]] before that it may be a frivolous distinction. The Nightwatcher is implied to be one of three [[Spren]] on [[Roshar]] that are [[Cognitive Shadow|shadows of a god]].{{book ref|sa3|111}}
== Blessing ==
The Nightwatcher claims to have the ability to grant almost any physical request one might ask of her, though just because she can does not mean she will give what is asked for. She claims to be able to give many things such as renown, wealth, skill, the ability to swing a sword and never tire, or beauty, followers, even glory. Even claiming to be able to give a person physical possessions such as spheres, gemstones, shards, or A Blade that bleeds darkness and cannot be defeated ( [[Nightblood]]? ). The Nightwatcher does have trouble with extremely nebulous requests relating to human emotion.{{book ref|sa3|114}}
Anyone is allowed to seek a single boon from the Nightwatcher. To do this, the supplicant must first travel to the [[Valley]] in the west, where the Nightwatcher resides. After finding the Nightwatcher, the supplicant may request a boon. There are no clear restrictions on what the Nightwatcher has the power to grant--like most things regarding the Old Magic, the few known facts are surrounded by a web of myths and legends. The precise phrasing of the request does not appear to make a difference, however, since the Nightwatcher bestows a boon that she feels the supplicant deserves. In most cases, the continued pain of the curse appears to outweigh the blessing of the boon, even if the supplicant receives the boon they desired. A notable exception was [[Av]]'s father, who received enough cloth to keep his family from starving during a famine. His curse, seeing the world upside down, apparently stopped troubling him after he acclimated to the situation.{{book ref|sa1|i|7}}▼
▲Anyone is allowed to seek a single boon from the Nightwatcher. To do this, the supplicant must first travel to the [[Valley]] in the west, where the Nightwatcher resides. After finding the Nightwatcher, the supplicant may request a boon. There are no clear restrictions on what the Nightwatcher has the power to grant--like most things regarding the Old Magic, the few known facts are surrounded by a web of myths and legends. The precise phrasing of the request does not appear to make a difference, however, since the Nightwatcher bestows a boon that she feels the supplicant deserves. In most cases, the continued pain of the curse appears to outweigh the blessing of the boon, even if the supplicant receives the boon they desired. A notable exception was [[Av]]'s father, who received enough cloth to keep his family from starving during a famine. His curse, seeing the world upside down, apparently stopped troubling him after he acclimated to the situation.{{book ref|sa1|i|7}}
== Curse ==
Contrary to popular belief, it is not possible to avoid the curse by carefully phrasing a request--or even to predict the curse that the Nightwatcher will bestow.{{cite}} Interestingly, it does not appear that balance is carefully maintained through an individual blessing and curse--often, highly visible curses are the result of relatively minor boons. The curses can be quite thorough, however--in one case, a man lost all feeling in both of his hands until the day he died. Whether these curses follow some cosmic justice, or are merely the result of a capricious spren, is unknown
== Known Visitors ==
: The precise wording of her request is unknown, but Lift believes that "she was supposed to stay the same, and the world was supposed to change around her."{{book ref|edgedancer|1}} Lift interprets this to mean that she shouldn't age, which does not appear to be the case. The boon and curse are unknown, but Lift's abilities to physically touch [[Wyndle]] and to digest food into [[Stormlight]] are apparently related to one or both of these.{{book ref|wor|i|9}} Wyndle supposes that she is partially stuck in the Cognitive Realm.{{book ref|edgedancer|4}}
== Notes ==
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