Difference between revisions of "Summary:Oathbringer"

Shallan tries to draw the towers of Urithiru, but is having trouble comprehending the massive city. [[Pattern]] tells her that he understands why she would hate him, but she only hates the sword, which leaves both of them confused. A [[Lyn|scout]] comes and reports that the highprince wants to see her. She marvels at the drawings despite Shallan's frustration with them. As they walk, she notices the notoriety she has as a Radiant. She pretends to be an [[Elsecaller]] to hide her ability creating illusions. The scout asks her about her sword but seems disappointed that Shallan doesn't intend to use it. She arrives at a meeting room with Navani and Dalinar and his sons. Dalinar is struggling with uniting the various rulers of the continent. He asks Shallan for information, but she has little knowledge of the political world. Dalinar fetches a cup of wine and passes by Shallan, and she is drawn by him to the map on the wall. She draws her remaining Stormlight and creates a three-dimensional projection of the continent in the room. Dalinar believes that the Stormfather helped create the vision since he sees everything in the highstorm, meaning that their powers have somehow merged to do something new. The projection helps him decide to focus on securing the [[Oathgate]]s in [[Azir]], [[Jah Keved]], and [[Thaylenah]]. Lyn, the scout who fetched Shallan, knocks on the door and reports that another murder has been discovered.

Dalinar impatiently awaits for the battle to begin, wearing his new shardplate. Gavilar and Sadeas are with him. Their efforts at quelling the other princedoms hashave only resulted in most of them uniting against Gavilar's rule. Sadeas discusses a political marriage with Dalinar, but he is not interested. The only woman he loves (Navani) is already married, with a daughter. The fog finally rises from the city, and they discuss the lord of the city, [[Tanalan's father|Tanalan]], who has a shardblade, but not plate. Gavilar gallops off and Dalinar eagerly follows, determined to win the blade. They are pelted with arrows, rocks and netting, but they quickly reach the fortifications, wreaking havoc on the defending soldiers. When Dalinar jumps back down to destroy the catapults he misjudges his plate's weight and falls down, bending his hammer's handle. He then vows to never make a greenvine mistake like this again. After getting a new hammer from Sadeas he continues his barrage, causing the soldiers to flee. He glories in his power and the Thrill. The catapults neutralized, the army moves through the city gates. Dalinar looks down at the city and feels that something is wrong. Suddenly, the entire precipice collapses and falls into the Rift. Dalinar crashes through many layers of buildings. His shardplate is damaged, but he survives, unlike the elites that fell with him. Next comes a hail of arrows at him. He runs across a bridge as two soldiers attempt to collapse it, which would send Dalinar another hundred feet down. He is saved by Teleb, who shoots the soldiers. He meets Tanalan, who questions why he should submit to the "king." Dalinar's reasoning is that the strongest military commander should win the throne, and attacks. He manages to get within the reach of his blade and wounds Tanalan. More archers shoot at Dalinar, but he collapses the platform, mortally wounding the brightlord. When the guards carry him away, Dalinar finds he has more wounds from his duel with Tanalan, but the Thrill pushes him along, driving away pain. He sees Tanalan taken through a secret door in the rock and follows. He finds him lying in his blood, a beautiful woman at his side, crying. Their son, only a small boy, challenges Dalinar with his father's shardblade.

Dalinar ponders the ancient Knights Radiant and asks the Stormfather what caused their betrayal. He refuses to answer, as some things are better left forgotten. The emperor of Azir has contacted him by spanreed, and Dalinar invites him to visit Urithiru via the Oathgate. They answer vaguely, so Navani suggests an offer of aid to get them to come. They again demur, slightly changing the subject to talk about the new enemy. The Voidbringers did not attack them either, and they are in negotiations with them, ostensibly in order to stall so they can build up their fortifications. Dalinar urges that they allow him to come there through the portal, but they report that it no longer works. Navani and [[Teshav]] believe they are lying. Next, the [[Fen Rnamdi|queen]] of [[Thaylenah]] makes contact. Dalinar uses formal language, but she is more blunt and sarcastic. There, the Voidbringers stole most of their ships, and the city itself is in shambles from the Everstorm. Dalinar informs her that he intends to convene a council of monarchs around the world, but she is skeptical of his intentions and is not interested in attending. Dalinar feels like her responses are a bit out of character, as Thaylens seek political opportunities. He offers troops to help with rebuilding the city, but she is reluctant. He then tells her how to find Radiants among her own people and offers to help train them. She replies that she will consider his offer and signs off. He talks to other lesser monarchs but doesn't make much headway; he needs the endorsement of Azir for other surrounding kingdoms to follow along. Dalinar begins to leave the room and finds Elhokar standing without at the doorway. He suggests that maybe the others won't cooperate because they are afraid he'll usurp their thrones. Then he admits that isn't doing well as king and begins to abdicate the throne to Dalinar. Instead, they agree to let Dalinar be the king of Urithiru and the Shattered Plains, forfeiting his Alethkar lands to his heir. Elhokar wants to restore [[Kholinar]], which is rioting, and Dalinar agrees to send him in with the Windrunner, Kaladin, so they can activate the Oathgate and let in troops from Urithiru. A new message comes in from [[Taravangian]], king of [[Jah Keved]] and [[Kharbranth]]. He fully agrees with Dalinar's plan and has a Radiant at hand to try their Oathgate.

Kaladin has found some Parshmen and creeps up to the camp, past a single guard, expecting monstrous Voidbringers. Instead, he finds them trying to play cards. Their eyes are not red and they have only limited carapace armor. Some are attempting to light a fire under a tarp. Some eat soggy, raw grain from the stolen sacks. Kaladin realizes that their pathetic state is the humans' fault. Suddenly, one calls the alarm as a yellow ribbon of light streaks by. They grab various primitive weapons but are obviously not trained to use them. Kaladin decides to simply surrender.

Shallan discusses the murder investigation with Adolin. Adolin says that he thinks there are two culprits since the two victims are totally disconnected. Shallan thinks that he is being foolish and shouldn't focus on one theory too much. They decide that there isn't anything more to get from the reports, so Adolin changes the subject to her Shardblade. He convinces her that even though she's a woman, she needs to learn how to use it, and he can train her. She agrees, and he goes to fetch the Blade guards. Shallan freaks out, as she is still not over the fact that she killed her mother with her Blade. Pattern believes that she hates him and offers to die so another spren can take his place. She creates an alternate identity -- someone confident and poised, like [[Jasnah]]. She names her Brightness Radiant. With that persona she is able to overcome the history of the blade. Adolin returns and teaches her the importance of a proper stance and breathing. Shallan dismisses her Blade and sketches the proper stance to help her get it right. They practice some simple strikes together. Shallan sees the passion that Adolin has for swordsmanship and realizes that it parallels her passion for art, feeling a bond with him, even allowing herself to become Shallan occasionally. They practice long into the evening.

Dalinar examines the Honorblade that Kaladin obtained from Szeth. He tentatively touches the blade, which feels warm to the touch but doesn't scream. Dalinar probes the Stormfather for information about Honor and Odium and learns that Odium must follow certain rules since he's basically a force of nature. Dalinar asks if Honor's suggestion of asking Odium to provide a champion will work. The Stormfather says that it might work, and if man wins, it will buy them precious time. Dalinar reinserts the blade into the sewer and returns to his rooms, where Bridge Thirteen, his guard for the day, awaits. One member, [[Rial]], strikes up a conversation with Dalinar, hinting that he shouldn't have wandered off alone. He goes down to a level where his soldiers are training and offers to spar with [[Kelerand]], one of the ardent swordmasters. He stiffly refuses (due to Dalinar's heresy), and all the ardents but one leave. While Dalinar waits for a sparring partner, he converses with [[Zahel]], the only ardent to remain. He explains that they are torn between loyalty to their highprince and to God. Dalinar seeks out an opponent himself, too impatient to wait for Kelerand to return, and finds [[Aratin]]. They begin to wrestle, and the younger man easily gains the upper hand. Dalinar considers accessing the [[Thrill]] and even Stormlight, but eventually gives up when Navani shows up. He drinks some water and chastises himself for pushing the match too far, trying to come to grips with his age. Navani informs him that the Iriali queen is ready to talk now, and he insists on conversing with her there while he spars with the sword. He tosses a sword to [[Kadash]] and they spar while he dictates to Navani. They argue about religion. The queen says they are considering making a treaty with the Voidbringers. She also holds a grudge for Dalinar's stolen Shardplate. Kadash urges Dalinar to recant his claim that the Almighty is dead, appealing to tradition. Dalinar counters that just because something is tradition doesn't make it right. Dalinar ends the duel and Navani reports that the queen demands the Shardplate, even though her claim is tenuous because she isn't related to [[Evi]]. Dalinar realizes that he can now hear his former wife's name. More memories flood his mind, causing him to collapse.

The Parshmen argue about what to do with Kaladin, who is tied up nearby to a tree nearby. Khen wants to kill him, but the others dissuade her. Kaladin dozes for a while until night falls. The Parshman playing cards unties him from the tree, and they start out. Kaladin converses with his captor, who has been joined by his young daughter. He realizes that they are essentially runaway slaves, and points out that he was a slave once too. The Parshman does not identify with him, however, because their minds were taken from them, not just their freedom. They march on, and Kaladin tries to talk to Syl, who is flitting around like a windspren. He thinks that there is trouble with the bond again, but she tells him that she's just pretending because the voidspren might be able to see her. She explains to him that the Parshmen have had their Identity restored by the [[Everstorm]]. Kaladin wants to help them, so he starts giving them advice. He cuts his bands with Syl and starts to teach them how to obtain and preserve food. They decide to return his possessions, and he builds a fire for them.

Shallan becomes Veil. She sneaks out of her room and heads toward the market. On the way, Pattern tells Shallan that he likes Adolin. He doesn't mind that he wields a corpse because that's just how things work in the [[Physical Realm]]; you must destroy to survive. She arrives at the market in the [[Breakaway]] and just sits around for a while, listening to conversation. She then finds a low-end tavern in which to practice. She ignorantly orders some very strong "wine" and almost throws up. She continues to drink the stuff, and a [[Jor|bouncer]] nearby starts flirting with her. She becomes intoxicated but manages to ask him where any stabbings have taken place. She tries to leave but collapses on the floor. She uses some Stormlight to ease the pain, and she's suddenly not drunk. She heads out to [[All's Alley]], site of a recent stabbing. She asks for the strongest stuff they have and ends up with some Horneater white. She downs a few drinks, healing herself as she goes. She probes the barkeep about any recent murders, and he directs her to a group of thugs in the corner. She sits down in the seat of a [[Ur|Horneater]] and starts asking a woman named Betha about the murderer. Ur comes back from the restroom and throws her out of the seat. She comes back and places her safehand on his hand and stabs them both with a knife, getting the seat back from him. Veil threatens to do worse unless she starts getting answers, and idly scrapes the symbol of the Ghostbloods on the table. Intimidated, Betha reveals that a man named Ned had strangled his wife, and then the next night he had come back and killed a barmaid the same exact way, although he vehemently denied the second murder.

Dalinar sits at a feast while [[Toh]] talks with Gavilar. He's bored by politics and wishes that instead he could go and eat with his men. Dalinar starts to eat and realizes that he doesn't have his knife with him. He wants to just dig in with his hands, but everyone is using utensils, so he leaves the dining hall in the middle of the highstorm to go find his knife. He finds the bunker where Teleb is and pounds on the door. When no one answers, he summons his Shardblade and cuts his way in. Teleb tells him that he returned his knife, so Dalinar heads back. He dodges a boulder on the way and sees some sort of monster on glowing legs. He forces his way back into the feast hall, and everyone stares at him incredulously. Toh is disturbed and excuses himself. Gavilar is actually glad because Dalinar just demonstrated that he could protect them. Navani walks in, so Dalinar orders more strong wine. She and Ialai join the king, and they discuss Toh and his wife, who is deemed to be dense, but honest. Toh is bargaining with Shardplate that he has stolen from his native land, [[Rira]]. They discuss the possibility of Dalinar marrying Evi and gaining the Shardplate. A servant brings Dalinar a knife, but it's too small; Dalinar bends it cutting his steak. He spots Evi across the room and admires her blonde hair. Then he finally spots a good knife: in the hands of an assassin taking Gavilar's plates. Dalinar knocks the man down to the floor and stabs him repeatedly, killing him. Then he washes the blood off the knife with his wine and starts eating with it. He agrees to marry Evi to help forge an alliance. Gavilar is sure they'll accept after seeing Dalinar in action.