Difference between revisions of "Shardblade"

Radiant Shardblades are granted to people who are on the path to becoming a full Radiant and have sworn a particular oath of the [[Immortal Words]]{{book ref|sa2|84}} which varies from order to order.{{wob ref|date=2014-03-14|7873|Words of Radiance Omaha signing}} At that point, the spren belonging to the Radiant will gain the ability to become a Shardblade unique to that particular Knight Radiant.{{book ref|sa2|84}} Prior to a Radiant gaining their Blade, their Nahel spren are forbidden from telling them anything about where they get their Blade, although they are not above dropping hints.{{book ref|edgedancer|2}} As long as the spren is with the Radiant the spren can transform into a Blade instantaneously.{{book ref|sa2|86}} The spren becomes mist and coalesces into the Blade when it is desired,{{book ref|sa2|84}} and then reappears out of the mist when the Blade is dismissed.{{book ref|sa2|86}} If the Radiant is a darkeyes, their eyes are lightened,{{book ref|sa2|85}} though this effect is temporary and lasts only for about 8 hours after each time they summon the blade, at least initially. It is probable that the effect will eventually become permanent. Each Radiant's eyes also change to the specific color that corresponds with their order.{{qawob ref|1088date=2014-03-22|566736|Will a Surgebinder's eye color change when they Surgebind or have a Blade... Is the colorWords of theirRadiance eyesChicago corresponding to their Order?|date=22 March 2014signing}} This effect may not occur or be less noticeable if the person is already lighteyed.{{qawob ref|1133date=2015-02-20|81|‘CauseFirefight theyChicago were already light? So it only affects lightness or darkness in the eyes, not necessarily any other color?|date=20 February 2015signing}}

The spren still is capable of speaking with their Radiant while in Blade form.{{book ref|sa2|86}} 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 apparently 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 become solid, but it must be metal.{{book ref|edgedancer|20}} 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}} When the Radiant who owns the Blade dies, the spren is freed and may bond again with another person one day.{{17swob ref|postdate=2014-03-22|1168186688|2014Words Chicagoof Signing|date=22Radiance MarchChicago 2014signing}}

Radiant Shardblades are, in a way, more fragile than other Shardblades. A Radiant must remain faithful to their oaths or they risk damaging the Nahel bond with the spren. If their oaths are continually disobeyed, the bond will weaken{{book ref|sa2|68}} and then break, killing the spren and trapping them in the form of a dead Shardblade.{{book ref|sa2|87}} As Shardblades were originally patterned off of Honorblades, when their spren is killed they revert to the form of a sword, even if their Radiant preferred a different form.{{qawob ref|1069date=2014-03-11|125619|WhyWords wereof allRadiance theHouston shardblades swords when they can take on any weapon form they want?|date=11 March 2014signing}} It is potentially possible for that same person to reestablish the bond and return the dead Shardblade to its previous state.{{book ref|sa2|86}}

Dead Shardblades 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 have lost some of the functionality that they once had. The Blades have lost most of their ability to change into different weapons, although the shape of the Blade may change slightly to accomodate its owner after being used for a long time.{{qawob ref|1052date=2014-03-21|257728|ThoughWords aof Shardblade,Radiance usedPhiladelphia for a long time, will change shape slightly.|date=March 21, 2014signing}} 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 hilt, whereas the the Shardblades wielded by Radiants do not.{{book ref|sa2|67}} Dead Shardblades also lack the subtle glow possessed by the Blades of active Radiants.{{book ref|sa1|52}} Another difference between the two is that dead Shardblades do not automatically remain summoned when dropped or placed somewhere by their owner.{{book ref|sa1|13}} If a Shardbearer does not intentionally command their Blade mentally to remain, the Blade will automatically be dismissed and will have to be summoned all over again.{{book ref|sa2|8}}

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 in close quarters to it for five days before the bond is set.{{book ref|sa2|5}} At that point they can summon and dismiss it. 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 [[Ten Essences|essence]]. It takes ten heartbeats for a dead spren to be revived and summoned as a Shardblade. 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 until the gemstone is replaced.{{urlwob ref|urldate=https://www.reddit.com2017-02-10|1844|/r/Fantasy/comments/5t9nyy/iamonce_againa_novelist_named_brandon_sanderson/ddmou0a/|text=Peterfantasy AhlstromAMA reddit response|site=reddit: r/fantasy2017}}