Editors
1,759
edits
Difference between revisions of "Shardblade"
m
→Politics
Reinhartmax (talk | contribs) |
m (→Politics) Tags: Mobile web edit Mobile edit Advanced mobile edit |
||
| (8 intermediate revisions by 4 users not shown) | |||
|
{{image|The Blackthorn by Harry Shea-Pelletier.jpg|side=right|width=300px|[[Dalinar]] wielding [[Oathbringer (Shardblade)|Oathbringer]]}}
While there are a few differences between the various types of Shardblades, they all share a few common traits. All are larger but lighter than any normal sword,{{book ref|sa2|44}} often at or approaching six feet in length,{{book ref|sa1|prologue}} while simultaneously extremely light.{{book ref|sa1|18}}{{wob ref|7134}} All Shardblades that are bound to a specific owner can be summoned{{book ref|sa1|prologue}} and dismissed at will.{{book ref|sa2|8}} When summoned, they appear in one's hand,{{book ref|sa1|prologue}} coalescing out of mist, with the shape the mist takes depending on the type of spren from which it was formed. For example, [[Mayalaran]] manifests as small vines before appearing as a Blade.{{book ref|sa2|50}} Additionally, water condenses along the length of the Blade when it appears.{{book ref|sa1|13}} They can appear inside liquid, shoving it out of the way, but cannot be summoned inside of a solid object.{{wob ref|14108}} When a Blade is dismissed{{book ref|sa2|5}} it also vanishes into mist.{{book ref|sa1|13}}
Shardblades can cut through non-living objects, such as wood or stone, as if they are passing through water.{{book ref|sa1|prologue}} Even though they can cut through nearly any material, there is still a slight bit of resistance even when cutting through inanimate objects.{{book ref|sa2|44}} When cutting through an object, Shardblades leave behind distinctive perfectly clean cuts.{{book ref|sa3|50}} However, when swung at a person or other living object, the edge of the Shardblade will fuzz, leaving the physical body unharmed, and cutting the being's soul. It is still possible to Soulcast a person killed by a Shardblade.{{book ref|sa4|104}}{{book ref|sa4|114}} The wielder of the Blade feels a small tug of resistance as the Blade passes through living material.{{book ref|sa1|13}} If the Blade cuts the core of a person's limb, the person feels a flash of incredible pain and then the limb turns gray and becomes limp and numb.{{book ref|sa2|32}} If an internal organ is pierced by a Shardblade, it may be killed or cease to function.{{book ref|sa1|13}} If the Blade strikes the spine or head, the eyes of the person blacken and burn out with a dark smoke rising from them.{{book ref|sa1|prologue}} When a person is killed this way by a Shardblade, death is not instantaneous; it often takes a few moments for the person to be completely dead.{{book ref|edgedancer|8}} Once a person or other living thing has been killed, its remains can be cut like any other inanimate object.{{book ref|sa2|72}} This applies to plants as well; it takes two swings of a Shardblade to sever a plant, one to kill the soul and another to cut it. Non-living portions of a living thing, such as hair or nails can be cut with a Shardblade before the creature itself is killed.{{book ref|sa1|13}} Parts of a body that have been damaged by a Shardblade are typically referred to as Blade-dead.{{book ref|sa2|56}} Blood continues to flow through them, and they do not rot.{{wob ref|12881}}
|side=right|size=300px
}}
The spren is still capable of speaking with their Radiant while in Blade form.{{book ref|sa2|86}}{{book ref|tsm|25}} In addition to that, the spren need not take the shape of a Blade. They can become a spear, a shield, a knife, an axe, a hammer, or a large variety of weapons. In the past they may have even taken the form of bows, although it is uncertain what was used for a string.{{book ref|edgedancer|20}} A spren may take many forms when it becomes solid, but it must be metal.{{book ref|edgedancer|20}}
If given extra Investiture through their bond, Radiant Blades can grow much larger and heavier than normal.{{book ref|tsm|17}}{{book ref|tsm|3}}{{book ref|tsm|47}} They could also protect against heat that could burn a person alive in seconds.{{book ref|tsm|39}}
Radiant Blades are able to be dulled with a mental command, but can still cut through things like a normal sword.{{book ref|sa4|15}} Radiant Blades may be lent to others, just like their dead counterparts, and may even change form in order to aid the borrower.{{book ref|sa2|72}}{{book ref|tsm|42}} When the Radiant who owns the Blade dies, the spren is freed and may bond again with another person one day.{{wob ref|6688}} A Radiant's living Shardblade can be used to activate [[Oathgates]].{{book ref|sa3|8}} They can also harm spren in the Physical Realm.{{book ref|sa3|84}}{{book ref|sa4|2}}
Each default form that Radiant Shardblades take is unique, typically around six feet in length and a handspan in width.{{book ref|sa2|18}} They can be edged on one{{book ref|sa2|16}} or both sides,{{book ref|sa2|66}} and are often ornamented with [[glyphs]],{{book ref|sa2|86}} as well as patterns along the edges,{{book ref|sa2|84}} which may correspond with the [[Ten Essences|essence]] of that particular Radiant's order. The Blades also glow slightly along its lines with the [[Polestone]] color that corresponds to their Radiant's order.{{book ref|sa2|84}}{{book ref|sa2|72}}
{{image|Shardblades by Marianne Eie.jpg|width=300px|side=right|Blade designs}}
Dead Shardblades are blades that were once owned by members of the Knights Radiant.{{book ref|sa2|87}} If a Radiant that has a Shardblade betrays their oaths, their spren is killed and its body is trapped in the shape of the Blade. Dead Shardblades lose some of the functionality that they once had. The Blades lose most of their ability to change into different weapons, although the shape of the Blade may change slightly to accommodate its owner after being used for a long time.{{wob ref|7728}} The dead Shardblades are nearly identical to how they appeared while still wielded by the Radiants, but there are two small differences. Each dead Shardblade has a [[Polestone]] attached to its pommel or crossguard,{{book ref|sa3|73}} whereas
As the [[Nahel bond]] with the original Radiant seems to have been severed, a new bond has to be formed in order for a Blade to be summoned and dismissed. When a new owner touches a Shardblade for the first time, the gemstone on the pommel flashes.{{book ref|sa1|51}}{{book ref|sa2|66}} The person who wishes to bond with the Blade must keep it in close quarters to their self for five days before the bond is set.{{book ref|sa2|5}} At that point they can summon and dismiss it.{{book ref|sa3|16}} The spren inside the Blades are not completely dead, just mostly.{{book ref|sa2|87}} As they are a little alive, they can sync a heartbeat to their essence. It takes ten heartbeats for a dead spren to be revived and summoned as a Shardblade, and while being summoned the Shardbearer will always be able to hear their heartbeat.{{book ref|sa1|26}} A dead spren can choose to summon earlier than ten heartbeats, though how they do this is unknown.{{book ref|sa3|120}} If a person attempts to summon a dead Blade while in Shadesmar, the deadeye will turn their head to them in an unnatural way and begin screaming.{{book ref|sa3|89}} Once a person is bonded to a dead Shardblade, their eyes do lighten if they are not already lighteyes.{{book ref|sa2|68}} Since the gemstone on the pommel is the basis for the bond between a Blade and its owner, if the gemstone is removed or damaged, its owner will be unable to summon or dismiss the Blade{{book ref|sa3|75}} until the gemstone is replaced.{{book ref|sa3|76}}{{wob ref|1844}}
Even within the Vorin kingdoms themselves, those with Shardblades were usually seen as more powerful. Highprinces of Alethkar and Jah Keved jostle with one another for position and influence,{{book ref|sa1|15}} and Shardblades are just another tool and indication of power and authority.{{book ref|sa2|5}} Duels for Shards can be used to embarrass political enemies as well as to weaken their military strength. For instance, Highprince Dalinar Kholin had his son duel Shardbearers that supported Torol Sadeas politically,{{book ref|sa2|51}} in order to disarm and shame them.{{book ref|sa2|5}} As most Blades are won by those who already have their own Shards, not all Blades are kept by the person that wins them. Oftentimes they are bestowed upon an heir or relative,{{book ref|sa1|18}} a worthy warrior,{{book ref|sa2|16}} a loyal officer,{{book ref|sa1|18}}{{book ref|sa2|66}} or even sometimes promised to an ally.{{book ref|sa1|24}} It is worth noting though that even if a person is said to own a Shardblade, it is considered treasonous to sell the Blade or defect to another kingdom.{{book ref|sa2|66}} However other than this exception, when a person is able to claim and bond a Blade without having it taken from them, no one will question their ownership of the weapon.{{book ref|sa3|7}}
Outside of Vorin Roshar, other regions usually have far fewer Blades and they deal with them quite differently. The [[Thaylenah|Thaylens]] have only five Blades, which they keep in the hands of their Royal Guards.{{book ref|sa1|23}} The [[Herdaz|Herdazians]] have but a single Blade, which is kept in the royal line, passed from each king to his heir. In the Makabaki regions, the [[Prime Aqasix]] of [[Azir]] controls the Imperial Shardblades which he rents to the smaller kingdoms.{{book ref|edgedancer|2}} The Selay have several Blades of their own as well.{{book ref|sa1|23}} Even the [[listener]]s
A less common use for Shardblades was in assassination. Shardbearer assassins were by no means commonplace, but the [[Weeper]]{{book ref|sa2|prologue}} and [[Szeth|Szeth-son-son-Vallano]] used Shardblades in assassinations.{{book ref|sa1|prologue}} A potential strategy made use of by Shardbearer assassins is to give the Blade to a woman.{{book ref|sa2|36}} Centuries after the last female Radiants, Shardblades are rarely carried by women, so no one would expect to have to defend against, for instance, a washerwoman wielding a Shardblade. Other Shardbearer assassins, such as the Weeper, remove the burned out eyes of their victims, to hide the fact that they make use of a Shardblade.{{book ref|sa2|prologue}}
=== King's Blades ===
One of the strongest traditions in Alethkar is the loaning of the King's Blade.{{book ref|sa2|58}} In Alethkar, both the king's Blade and his Plate are available to be used in a duel by those who have the favor of the king and are without Shards of their own. Borrowing the Blade does cost a hefty amount of [[sphere]]s, but it is not uncommon. Oftentimes kings dislike or are uncomfortable with this tradition, but they still follow the tradition. Kings will also make their Blades available for trainee Shardbearers to practice wielding an actual Blade.{{book ref|sa2|16}} This tradition is one of the reasons the Alethi have the best trained Shardbearers on Roshar. Whenever a Shardbearer is killed or dies, there is always someone prepared to bond their Blade and use it right away. On some occasions, a king will even allow their Blade to be used in actual combat, but it is uncertain how commonly this occurs.{{wob ref|8849}} If a king has multiple Blades, he will sometimes bestow one of the King's Blades on someone who he thinks is deserving of a Blade of their own.{{book ref|sa2|16}} Before the monarchy was restored in Alethkar, the highprinces carried on the tradition of the King's Blade by lending their own Blades.{{book ref|sa1|58}}
=== Space age Cosmere ===
In the space age of the cosmere many planets have a universal fascination with Shardblades, and attribute Shardbearers with signs of divinity.{{book ref|tsm|11}} The wielders of dead Shardblades have a reputation for doing mercenary work, to the point of people assuming someone is a mercenary when they have a Blade.{{book ref|tsm|44}}
== Battle Tactics ==
| ''Unknown''
| Edged on both sides, flame patterns
|
| {{book ref|sa2|14}}
|-
| |||