Talenel

Talenel
by botanicaxu
Titles	Herald of the Almighty, Herald of War, Patron of the Stonewards
Homeworld	Roshar

Talenel, nicknamed Taln, and called Talenelat or Stonesinew in Vorinism was one of the Ten Heralds of the Almighty. Taln was also referred to as a the bearer of all agonies.

Talenel fought the Voidbringers in a series of Desolations. He typically chose fights believed to be impossible to win and came away victorious, although Taln himself usually lost his life in the process. Due to Talnel's title of Stonesinew, it is likely that his order of Radiants was the the Stonewards. He is somehow related to the Order of Talenelat, a devotary whose membership included Dalinar Kholin. On Roshar, there was also a constellation of stars referred to as Taln's Scar, so likely Taln has a scar of some sort. Taln was bearded with dark brown eyes, and his Honorblade was narrow, long, and shaped like a spike.

Talenel was the patron of the Order of Stonewards, which followed his lead in attempting to embody the traits of "resolve, strength, and dependability".

Aharietiam

“The burdens of nine become mine. Why must I carry the madness of them all? Oh, Almighty, release me.”

—Dated Naneses 1173, unknown seconds pre-death. Subject: a wealthy lighteyes. Sample collected second-hand.

During Aharietiam, also known as the Last Desolation, Talenel chose to attempt to hold a passage by a northern waterway, a near impossible task. While he was successful, he also was killed. Taln was the only Herald to die in the Last Desolation. All of the other surviving Heralds chose to abandon the Oathpact, leaving only Taln bound to it, in hopes of ending the cycle of Desolations without breaking the Oathpact. Talenel alone returned to Damnation, due to his death he had no choice, but the rest of the Heralds walked free. Unfortunately, the Oathpact was shattered, so their efforts to end the Desolations failed.

Return to Kholinar

“Who am I? I . . . I am Talenel’Elin, Stonesinew, Herald of the Almighty. The Desolation has come. Oh, God . . . it has come. And I have failed.”

—Talenel

Not long after the Battle of the Tower, Talenel returned to Roshar from Damnation. It is uncertain where precisely he returned to, but he was covered in condensation, much like a Shardblade, and had twigs and leaves stuck in his beard. Taln quickly rushed to Kholinar, cutting through the city gate with his Honorblade to give warning to the Alethi that the True Desolation was upon them. Oddly, Hoid knew when and where Taln would arrive, and was waiting in Kholinar for him. After his proclamation, Taln promptly collapsed. However, he did not die. Unlike Shardblades, which remain when their holder dies, Honorblades vanish when their owner dies, so as Taln's Blade did not vanish, he was still alive.

Words of Radiance

Taln spent the vast amount of time in Words of Radiance in a mental asylum. His Honorblade had been hidden and swapped (possibly by Hoid). At one point, Shallan Davar visited him while acting as Veil, on orders from the Ghostbloods. He was repeatedly mumbling the same phrases over and over again, predicting the Everstorm.

Future Books

Taln will have an expanded role in future books of The Stormlight Archive He will have a flashback book at some point in the future. Taln will also have a viewpoint in one of the Words of Radiance interludes.

Notes

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