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| Sylphrena speaks to [[Kaladin]] about her nature{{book ref|sa1|67}}
}}
'''Sylphrena''' (<small>Alethi pronunciation:</small> [[Wikipedia:Help:IPA|[sɪlˈfɹɛ·nə]]] [[Wikipedia:Wikipedia:Pronunciation_respelling_key|''sil-'''<small>FREN</small>'''-na'']]), or '''Syl''', is an [[honorspren]] on [[Roshar]] that's bonded with [[Kaladin]], making him a [[Windrunner]].{{book ref|sa1|67}} She's a [[splinter]] of [[Honor]]{{wob ref|3017}} and one of the last eleven remaining honorspren created directly by the [[Stormfather]]. Among her kinsmen, she's known as the '''Ancient Daughter'''.{{book ref|sa3|108}} At first, [[Kaladin]] believes her to be a [[windspren]]; she only reveals her true nature several months after the two first met.{{book ref|sa1|67}}
 
== Appearance and Personality ==
 
[[File:Kaladin and Syl by Audrey Hotte.jpeg|thumb|left|300px|<center><small>by {{a|Audrey Hotte}}</small></center> ]]
=== Appearance ===
[[File:Kaladin and Syl by Audrey Hotte.jpeg|thumb|right|300px|<center><small>by {{a|Audrey Hotte}}</small></center> ]]
{{for|/Gallery|more images}}
 
 
== History ==
=== Creation &and Early Life ===
{{quote
Sometime before the [[Day of Recreance]], [[Honor]] passed on the responsibility of creating [[honorspren]] to the [[Stormfather]], who only created a handful of spren at first, among whom was Sylphrena. Sylphrena formed a [[Nahel Bond]] with a human who died before the Recreance, saving her from the fate of her brothers and sisters, who were all destroyed and turned into [[deadeye]]s by the [[Knights Radiant]] abandoning their oaths. The loss of her human sent Syl into a deep slumber that lasted thousands of years, during which time the Stormfather only created ten other honorspren, who in turn created the next generation and so on, making Syl one of only eleven living spren created by the Stormfather. Sylphrena was found asleep by the other honorspren, who gave her the moniker of The Ancient Daughter. Some time after awaking, around 1770, she felt drawn to Kaladin because of the protective way he treated children while he was a squad leader in [[Amaram]]'s army and, though the other honorspren told her not to go, ran away to the [[Physical Realm]]. This escape caused the honorspren to put a sizeable bounty on bringing Syl back to their capital, [[Lasting Integrity]].{{book ref|sa3|102}}{{book ref|sa3|108}}
| Sylphrena is both old and young. Old of form, but young of mind.
| [[Notum]]{{book ref|sa3|108}}
}}
 
Sylphrena was born some time before the [[Day of Recreance]]. She was one of the first [[honorspren]] to be created by [[Stormfather]] rather than [[Honor]].{{book ref|sa3|108}} Although she was too young to form a [[Nahel Bond]], she did so anyway with an middle-aged man.{{book ref|sa3|95}} He took part in only one battle before dying, which sent Syl into a state of deep slumber. This led to everyone assuming she had passed away, but it also saved her from becoming a [[deadeye]] during the Recreance, as befell with so many of her siblings.{{book ref|sa3|108}}
 
Over a thousand years later, she was found and reawakened. Stormfather, not willing to let her come to any more harm, tasked [[Notum]] with keeping her safe in one of honorspren cities.{{book ref|sa3|108}}{{book ref|sa3|110}} However, she wasn't happy with staying put. Sometime around the year 1170, she felt drawn to [[Kaladin]], a soldier in [[Amaram]]'s army, and the way he treated children as a squad leader. Against the wishes of other honorspren, she ran away to bond with him. This led to her kinsmen posting a huge bounty for bringing her back to their capital, [[Lasting Integrity]].{{book ref|sa3|102}}{{book ref|sa3|108}}
 
=== Meeting Kaladin & Bridge Four ===
[[File:Honor is Dead by ThomasW.jpg|thumb|right|250px|<center><small>by {{a|ThomasW}}</small></center> Syl speaking with Kaladin for the first time]]
 
{{quote
Leaving [[Shadesmar]] made Sylphrena lose most of her cognitive ability, becoming a mostly mindless spren and acting like most [[windspren]], which are considered a sort of cousin to honorspren.{{wob ref|4071}} During this time, Syl closely followed Kaladin from his time at Amaram's army, during his battle with [[Helaran Davar]] and during his eight months as a slave. Syl especially took note of the time when Kal found the leaves of [[blackbane]] and kept them. At first, she just played pranks on him, as a regular windspren would, like sticking things to his hand, however, proximity to Kaladin slowly returned her memory and intelligence. Kaladin started to notice her presence while he was enslaved, thinking of her as a common windspren, but finding it strange that she had followed him for so long. Right before Kal was sold to Sadeas' warcamp, Syl was able to talk to him, at first just calling his name, but later being able to carry a conversation. At the start, Kaladin was unwilling to talk to her and thought he was going insane, but eventually gave in.{{book ref|sa1|4}}{{book ref|sa1|43}}
| It seems that if you're worried about hurting people, you shouldn’t be afraid to help the bridgemen. What more could you do to them?
| Encouraging [[Kaladin]]{{book ref|sa1|11}}
}}
 
Leaving [[Shadesmar]] made Syl lose most of her cognitive ability. She became mostly mindless, acting much like her cousins, [[windspren]].{{book ref|sa1|2}}{{wob ref|4071}} However, she didn't forget her desire to accompany Kaladin, and followed him closly throughout his time in Amaram's army, during his battle with [[Helaran Davar]], and, later, as he was a slave. Initially, she only played pranks on him, but in time his proximity began to return her mind and intelligence.{{book ref|sa1|2}}{{book ref|sa1|57}}
When Kal was sold as a slave to Sadeas' army he was sent to [[Bridge Four]] to be a bridgeman under [[Gaz]] due to his ''shash'' brand. He was then immediatelly sent to his first bridge run, without any preparation or equipment and forced to assault the [[Parshendi]] while carrying a bridge. When the run is over Kaladin tried to help the other bridgemen but was too tired and just collapsed unconscious, when the other bridgemen left, he was almost left behind, but Syl called his name and urged him to get up and move.{{book ref|sa1|6}} During his time in Bridge Four Sylphrena becomes increasingly more aware and intelligent and recovers some of her memory from her life in Shadesmar. Kaladin, however, got more and more depressed at his situation and eventually, Syl was unable to bear seeing Kal in this state and told him she would leave, but would come back soon. Sylphrena, reminded of how Kaladin had felt hope when he kept the blackbane, went to look for more of the plant. However, her absence made Kal get even more depressed and drove him to go take his life at the [[Honor Chasm]], where Syl finally came back, carrying a leave of blackbane and explained to him that she thought it would make him feel better. This innocent gesture ironically gives Kaladin the will to live again and he leaves the chasm resolved to become bridge leader and save all the other men of Bridge Four.{{expand}}
 
She did not speak to Kaladin until he found and kept the leaves of [[blackbane]], a strong poison. Kaladin was initally unwilling to respond, thinking he was going insane, but eventually gave in.{{book ref|sa1|2}}{{book ref|sa1|4}} From then on out, she would accompany him everywhere. During his first bridge run, she urged him to get up and move, and as he spiraled further down, beaten by the constant battles, she tried to keep up his spirits.{{book ref|sa1|6}} Eventually, however, she stated that she was unable to see him in this state any longer, and departed.{{book ref|sa1|9}}
 
Reminded of how Kaladin felt hope when he found blackbane, and unaware of its purpose, Syl left to look for more of the plant. By the time she returned, Kaladin was on the verge of suicide, and she found him standing on the edge of the [[Honor Chasm]]. When she finally managed, with significant difficulty, to bring him the leaf, Kaladin was initally amused that she'd thought a poison would make him feel better. In the ensuing conversation, she managed to convince him to give life another try.{{book ref|sa1|11}}
 
=== Bridge Four ===
[[File:Deathspren by Ashley Coad.png|thumb|left|250px|<center><small>by {{a|Ashley Coad}}</small></center> Keeping Kaladin safe from the [[deathspren]] ]]
 
{{quote
| Soon you'll hardly be a spren at all. You’ll be a little translucent philosopher. We’ll have to send you off to a monastery to spend your time in deep, important thoughts.
| [[Kaladin]] to Syl{{book ref|sa1|30}}
}}
 
Though Kaladin's initial attempts to sway over [[Bridge Four]] weren't very successful, Syl continued to support him. He started using her as a spy -- initially, to keep an eye on [[Gaz]], though she eventually began looking after the other bridgemen as well.{{book ref|sa1|14}}{{book ref|sa1|21}} She continued to discuss various topics with Kaladin in hopes of understanding humans. It was during that time that she first noticed [[Dalinar]], and immediately believed him to be an honorable man, despite her partner's misgivings.{{book ref|sa1|21}}
 
Shortly afterwards, Syl and Kaladin discovered that [[Rock]], one of the other bridgemen, could see her.{{book ref|sa1|21}} From then on out, when Bridge Four was given chasm duty, she assisted both him and Kaladin in searching for valuable items.{{book ref|sa1|23}}{{book ref|sa1|27}} She also continued spying on [[Gaz]].{{book ref|sa1|30}}
 
After the catastrophe brought about by Bridge Four's side carry, Syl stayed with Kaladin when he was left out in the [[highstorm]] as a punishment, and protected him, first by trying to hold back the storm, then by fighitng off the [[deathspren]] with a sword.{{book ref|sa1|35}}{{book ref|sa1|38}} Afterwards, she begins to remember a little of her past, and though they were only vague memories, they were enough for her to be happy at hearing the [[Immortal Words#First Ideal]] of the [[Knights Radiant]], and to react with hissing at the mention of [[Odium]].{{book ref|sa1|43}}{{book ref|sa1|46}}
 
As Bridge Four continued with the chasm duty, Syl eventually revealed herself to all of them at Kaladin's urging, and continued to assist them all.{{book ref|sa1|49}} As Kaladin began to notice his budding [[Surgebinding]], she admitted that she was no ordinary windspren, and although she still didn't remember too much, she knew her and Kaladin's bond was responsible for what was happening to them both.{{book ref|sa1|57}} From then on out, she encouraged Kaladin to train his abilities.{{book ref|sa1|59}}
 
Things came to a head during the [[Battle of the Tower]]. There, Syl manifested as a full-sized figure, and remembered her true nature. She encouraged Kaladin to say the [[Immortal Words]], and accompanied him during the battle.{{book ref|sa1|67}} Afterwards, she pushed Kaladin further to trust Dalinar, leading to Bridge Four becoming the Kholin bodyguards.{{book ref|sa1|73}}
 
=== Training a Windrunner ===
{{quote
| Something dangerous is coming.
| Upon seeing [[stormspren]]{{book ref|sa2|9}}
}}
 
Syl's respect for Dalinar only grew after he discarded [[Oathbringer (Shardblade)|Oathbringer]] to free the bridge companies, and she continued to push Kaladin to trust him more.{{book ref|sa2|9}} She also told Kaladin about the possibility of other Surgebinders being out there, and insisted that he become what Dalinar needs, as she began to notice [[stormspren]], Odium's servants, out and about.{{book ref|sa2|9}} When [[Amaram]] arrived, causing Kaladin's opinion of Dalinar to drop by association, Syl insisted that he speak with Dalinar and be frank with him, although to no avail.{{book ref|sa2|16}}
 
It was around this time that Kaladin began backsliding on his oaths, causing Syl to worry about him.{{book ref|sa2|22}} Nonetheless, she stuck by him, and gave him a warning when [[Szeth]] was coming to assassinate Dalinar. She also immediately recognized Szeth as not a Surgebinder, despite his abilities.{{book ref|sa2|32}} Despite her increasing knowledge, though, she was still surprised at finding out that Kaladin could heal Shardblade wounds.{{book ref|sa2|33}}
 
Even as Kaladin's mental state continued to deteriorate, Syl still insisted that Dalinar could be trusted, and that Kaladin should open up to him, especially after learning about [[Moash]]'s plot to kill [[Elhokar]].{{book ref|sa2|41}}{{book ref|sa2|44}} Eventually, after a successful training in the chasms that saw Kaladin learn how to fly, and her sharing more information about Surgebinding, he was almost convinced, but his motivation evaporated when he saw that Dalinar made Amaram the head of the new Knights Radiant.{{book ref|sa2|52}}{{book ref|sa2|55}} Syl still managed to convince him that things would be different during Adolin's four-on-one duel.{{book ref|sa2|57}} Unfortunately, she was wrong, and when Kaladin asked to challenge Amaram as a boon he was arrested.{{book ref|sa2|57}}
 
=== Death and Rebirth ===
[[File:Kaladin in WoR.jpg|thumb|right|200px|<center><small>by {{a|botanicaxu}}</small></center> Kaladin summoning Syl as a [[Shardblade]] ]]
When Kaladin began to break his oaths after becoming [[Dalinar]]'s bodyguard, Syl started losing sentience, reverting back to a mindless windspren. She became more childlike, easily distracted, and lost her bond with Kaladin to the point where he could no longer draw upon Stormlight to Surgebind. When Kaladin fell into the chasm, he was able to draw one breath of Stormlight to save himself, though he heard Syl scream in his head. She did not reappear after that, and during the next highstorm, Kaladin received a vision from the Stormfather, saying that he had killed her. He was no longer able to use any Surgebinding powers, and Syl vanished.
 
After Kaladin was arrested, Syl was disappointed and subdued.{{book ref|sa2|57}} Soon, Kaladin began to abandon his Oaths in his mind, causing her to begin losing her sapience.{{book ref|sa2|64}} She became more childlike and easily distracted, losing her bond with Kaladin to the point where he could not draw upon [[Stormlight]]. Nonetheless, she retained enough presence of mind to remind him to say the words, and to provide him with one last breath of Stormlight when he fell into the chasms.{{book ref|sa2|68}}{{book ref|sa2|69}} It was then that she died, the strain on her bond too great to continue.{{book ref|sa2|74}}
 
{{sidequote
|Kaladin! Stretch forth thy hand!
|Just before becoming a [[Shardblade]]{{book ref|sa2|84}}
|side=left|size=250px
}}
 
Still, death is more of a spectrum than a state to a spren. As Kaladin began to slowly return to his Oaths, growing wary of Moash's plan, his connection to her deepened again.{{book ref|sa2|77}} Finally, he took a stand to protect [[Elhokar]] from the would-be assassins. This seems to be what reawakened Syl, as she managed to go to him.{{book ref|sa2|83}} Reappearing as a ribbon of light, she encouraged him to say the words, defying Stormfather, and commanded him to stretch out his hand. This, along with Kaladin swearing the Third Oath, allowed her to manifest as a [[Shardblade]].{{book ref|sa2|84}}
 
After scaring off Moash and [[Graves]], the two set out to protect [[Dalinar]] from [[Szeth]], who was attacking in the chaos of the [[Battle of Narak]].{{book ref|sa2|85}} In the ensuing fight, she showcased her ability to transform into many different weapons, culminating with Kaladin using her to slice through Szeth's wrist, breaking his tie to the [[Honorblade]]. After making sure that Kaladin took the Blade with him, Syl demanded -- and received -- a smile from him.{{book ref|sa2|87}}
 
=== The True Desolation ===
[[File:Thepathtohearthstone.png|thumb|left|250px|<center><small>by {{a|Ashley Coad}}</small></center> Syl coming to [[Hearthstone]] with Kaladin]]
{{quote
| The bond isn't about what’s right and wrong, is it, Syl. It’s about what '''you see''' as right and wrong.
| [[Kaladin]] speaking about fighting [[singer]]s{{book ref|sa3|31}}
}}
 
Immediately after the Battle of Narak, Syl explained to Kaladin that other [[Shardblade]]s were dead spren, and that [[Honorblade]]s were something different.{{book ref|sa2|87}} A few days later, the two left for [[Hearthstone]], Kaladin's hometown, to make sure that his family was safe.{{book ref|sa3|89}} After they confirmed that [[Lirin]] and [[Hesina]] -- along with the newest addition to the family, [[Oroden]] -- were fine, the journey turned into a hunt for the [[Parshmen]] who departed in the [[Everstorm]].{{book ref|sa3|7}}{{book ref|sa3|10}}
 
During that time, Syl began to worry about Kaladin's happiness, eventually growing to believe that he needed to find himself a romantic partner. Though she lightly teased him about some girls and [[ardent]]s met on the way, and revealed that she had been spying on people in their intimate moments, her true goal was to get Kaladin together with [[Shallan]], as she believed that the [[Order of Lightweavers|Lightweaver]] was making him happy.{{book ref|sa3|10}}
 
This fun ended when Syl and Kaladin came across a group of former [[Parshmen]], and Kaladin willingly gave himself up to see where this would go.{{book ref|sa3|14}} Noticing that there was a [[voidspren]] accompanying the group, Syl began to act like a windspren again in order to fool her.{{book ref|sa3|17}} This being said, as [[Yixli]] wasn't always present with the newly-minted [[singer]]s, she did have the time to discuss matters with Kaladin. During one such conversation, she admitted that she didn't know why killing singers didn't feel wrong to her when killing humans did.{{book ref|sa3|20}}
 
[[File:Kaladin vs a Voidbringer.jpg|thumb|right|250px|<center><small>by {{a|Jules Aguimatang}}</small></center> Killing a [[Fused]] as a [[Shardblade]] ]]
 
The two eventually departed in a [[highstorm]] after seeing a [[Fused]] in [[Rathalas]].{{book ref|sa3|31}} Once back in [[Urithiru]], Kaladin focused on training his squires, with Syl accompanying him. At one point, she noticed some of her old [[honorspren]] acquaintances, and noted that they were not very fond of her, even though they had also began searching for bondmates.{{book ref|sa3|37}}
 
After briefly going to [[Thaylen City]] to open its [[Oathgate]], she and Kaladin departed for the besieged [[Kholinar]], accompanying [[Elhokar]], [[Adolin]], [[Shallan]] and a few squires and guards.{{book ref|sa3|58}} Once in the city, Syl was the first to notice the [[Sja-Anat]]-corrupted spren.{{book ref|sa3|61}} While Kaladin was working with the [[Kholinar Wall Guard]], Syl assisted him in various minor ways.{{book ref|sa3|77}} During one battle in particular, she managed to point him towards destroying a Fused [[gemheart]], which was the quickest way to kill it.{{book ref|sa3|79}}
 
During the battle for [[Kholinar Palace]], Syl accompanied Kaladin as a weapon. There, he managed to kill the voidspren toying with [[Gavinor]], which left her shaken by the impossibility of the deed.{{book ref|sa3|84}} Still, she continued to fight, although despite everyone's best efforts, she, along with Adolin, Kaladin, Shallan, [[Pattern]] and the Wall Guard commander, [[Azure]], ended up dropped into [[Shadesmar]] after trying to unlock the [[Oathgate]].{{book ref|sa3|87}}
 
=== Journey Through Shadesmar ===
{{quote
| You'd better catch me before I scamper away! Wow! I’m feeling capricious today. I might just vanish again, off to where nobody can find me!
| Talking to the crew of ''[[Honor's Path]]''{{book ref|sa3|102}}
}}
 
Once in Shadesmar, Syl had a humanoid, and human-sized form, and began acting more like a physical creature.{{book ref|sa3|87}} Early on, her focus was on keeping Kaladin functioning in the face of his ongoing mental breakdown caused by the events of the palace battle.{{book ref|sa3|89}} Eventually, he felt good enough to ask her if she could carry a message to Dalinar, and she explained that she would lose her mind if she strayed too far from him in the [[Physical Realm]].{{book ref|sa3|91}}
 
[[File:Kaladin and Syl by cccrystalclear.jpg|thumb|left|250px|<center><small>by {{a|cccrystalclear}}</small></center> Trying to comfort Kaladin]]
 
During the journey south, towards a ship that could take them to [[Cultivation's Perpendicularity]], Syl shared some of the story of her past with Kaladin.{{book ref|sa3|95}} After they got aboard the [[Reacher]]s ship, she also mentioned that honorspren like her were not well-liked among other sapient spren, though she played it off by trying to get Kaladin and Shallan together.{{book ref|sa3|99}} It wasn't until the group began exploring the city of [[Celebrant]] that she finally revealed that there was a bounty on her head placed by her kin.{{book ref|sa3|102}}
 
Nonetheless, the group was able to use this to their advantage. As they had to escape the Fused scouring the city, Syl noticed a honorspren ships called ''[[Honor's Path]]'' and captained by her old minder, [[Notum]]. By calling the crew's attention to herself, she was able to convince them to take the group aboard and depart, although she was also taken prisoner.{{book ref|sa3|102}}
 
During the journey, Kaladin attempted to have Syl released, while getting closer to the Fourth Ideal, which allowed her to briefly speak directly into his mind despite not being in [[Shardblade]] form. Seeing Kaladin's progress as a Radiant and hearing about a Stormfather Bondsmith, Notum agreed to let them go.{{book ref|sa3|108}} The entire group, save for Azure, departed at the shores of [[Longbrow's Straits]] -- a sliver of land in [[Shadesmar]] -- and Kaladin flew them to [[Thaylen City]].{{book ref|sa3|110}}
 
Syl didn't participate directly in the fight for the [[Thaylenah]] Oathgate, although she did participate in Shallan's illusory distraction.{{book ref|sa3|116}} When things turned bad, she pulled Kaladin out of the sea of beads and encouraged him to say the Fourth Ideal.{{book ref|sa3|117}} When he couldn't, she embraced and comforted him -- just in time to see [[Honor's Perpendicularity]] open.{{book ref|sa3|118}}{{book ref|sa3|119}}
 
Crossing the Perpendicularity, Syl returned to her semi-corporeal form, and accompanied Kaladin as a weapon in the [[Battle of Thaylen Field]].{{book ref|sa3|120}} After the battle, the two discussed once more the righteousness of fighting [[singer]]s, who were only trying to regain their home, with Kaladin deciding that he would still fight for humanity's survival and reassuring Syl that he would not kill her, or other sapient spren, ever again.{{book ref|sa3|121}} Eventually, the two went to rescue [[Skar]] and [[Drehy]], two of Kaladin's squires, who had managed to get Gavinor out of Kholinar.{{book ref|sa3|122}}
When Kaladin tried to save Elhokar from the assassination attempt, he thought the words of the First Ideal, and began to hear shouting. It resolved into Syl arguing with the Stormfather and being forbidden to return to Kaladin. Syl then told Kaladin to speak the words, and he spoke the Third Ideal of the Windrunners. Syl then reappeared and spun around Kaladin, telling him to hold out his hand. He did so, blocking Moash's Shardblade as Syl formed into a Shardblade in his hand. His Surgebinding abilities came back, and Syl was able to speak in his mind and tell him that she was "only as dead as his oaths".{{expand}}
 
== Abilities and Attributes ==
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