Difference between revisions of "Talenel"

|abilities={{tag+|Cognitive Shadow}}, {{tag+|worldhopping}}, {{tag+|Shardbearer}} <small>(formerly)</small>

|titles={{tag+|herald}}, Herald of War,{{book ref|sa3|47}} Herald of Soldiers,{{book ref|sa3|59}} Bearer of Agonies, Patron of the [[Order of Stonewards|Stonewards]], Ancient of Stones,{{epigraph ref|sa2|83}} Great Prince{{book ref|sa1|6}}{{book ref|sa2|88}}

|world=RosharAshyn

'''Talenel''', known as '''Talenelat'Elin''' in [[Vorinism]] and '''Tuk''' in [[Tukar]] and nicknamed '''Taln''' or '''Talat''', is one of the ten [[Herald]]s of the [[Almighty]] and patron of the [[Order of Stonewards]].{{book ref|sa1|epilogue}}{{epigraph ref|sa2|37}} He's is often titled the '''Herald of War''',{{book ref|sa3|47}} or the '''Herald of Soldiers'''.{{book ref|sa3|59}} At [[Aharietiam]], he was abandoned by the rest of the Heralds and forced to return to [[Damnation]] alone.{{book ref|sa1|part=prelude}} He returned shortly before the arrival of the [[Everstorm]], his mind ruined by torture, to bring warning of the upcoming [[True Desolation]].{{book ref|sa1|epilogue}}

Serving as the the Herald of War, Taln was one of the most skilled fighters on [[Roshar]].{{book ref|sa2|i|7}} He was the most formidable fighter among the Heralds without dispute.{{book ref|sa4|111}} His reflexes are inhumanly quick, and he is even stronger than his massive build would suggest, able to throw open the gates of Kholinar on his own.{{book ref|sa2|88}}{{book ref|sa1|epilogue}} He was once a capable commander, able to win battles thought to be unwinnable, even at the cost of his own life.{{book ref|sa1|part=prelude}} He also excelled at training soldiers, and helped prepare mankind's warriors for the Desolations.{{book ref|sa2|i|7}}

The Honorblade granted Taln access to the [[Surge]]s of [[Surgebinding#Cohesion|Cohesion]] and [[Surgebinding#Tension|Tension]]. Unlike the [[Knights Radiant]], he had no need for [[Stormlight]], as his Surgebinding was powered directly by Honor.{{wob ref|1572}} It's unknown if this has been impacted by Honor's death. What his Surges did is unclear at this point. In his prime, there was likely nobody in the [[cosmere]] who could defeat him in one-on-one combat.{{wob ref|16233}}

In the present day, what precisely has happened to Taln's Honorblade is unclear. The weapon he arrived with in [[Kholinar]] was shaped like an enormous spike, long, narrow, and straight.{{book ref|sa1|epilogue}} The weapon he arrived with on the Shattered Plains was wide and cleaver-like,{{book ref|sa2|76}} and screams when touched by a Radiant, marking it as a dead Shardblade.{{book ref|sa2|89}} As such, it's clear that somewhere on his journey from Kholinar to the Shattered Plains, someone swapped his Blade, but it is unknown who stole it and for what purpose.{{wob ref|1875}} The Stormfather confirms the Shardblade Taln had when he reached the Shattered Plains was not an Honorblade, but does not know what happened to it.{{book ref|sa3|38}}

Not much is known about Taln's life before he became a Herald, but he was not initially intended to number among them and he was the only Herald who was not a king, scholar, or notable individualgeneral.{{book ref|sa3|117}} As Herald, he and the others fought in a series of Desolations against the [[Voidbringer]]s and [[Odium]] in defense of mankind.{{book ref|sa1|45}} Prior to each Desolation, Taln trained soldiers to fight the Voidbringers.{{book ref|sa2|i|7}} After each Desolation, Taln and the others returned to [[DamnationBraize]], where they were tortured.{{book ref|sa1|part=prelude}} Each time, if Taln himself was killed during the fighting, he automatically returned to DamnationBraize. After several Desolations, the [[Knights Radiant]] were founded by [[Surgebinding|Surgebinders]] with [[Ishar]]'s help{{epigraph ref|sa2|42}} and Taln became patron of the [[Order of Stonewards]], who shared access to the same Surges he possessed.{{epigraph ref|sa2|37}} It is possible that Hoid met Taln at some point during this time, as Hoid seems familiar with the man.{{book ref|sa1|epilogue}}

* Taln will be the focus character of one of the books in the secondninth arcbook of [[The Stormlight Archive]].{{wob ref|371511620}}

{{demoted|sa4|exemplary=yes}}