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|image=Taln Endsheet.jpg
|abilities={{tag+|Cognitive Shadow}}, {{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}}
|aliases=Talenelat'Elin, Taln, Talat, Stonesinew, Tuk
|residence=Urithiru
|world=
|universe=[[Cosmere]]
|
}}
{{update|sa4}}
}}
'''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
== Appearance and Personality ==
As one of the [[Herald]]s of the [[Almighty]], Taln is a [[Cognitive Shadow]] capable of resurrection.{{wob ref|1537}} Upon death, he returns to [[Damnation]] to be tortured unceasingly,{{book ref|sa1|part=prelude}} and returns to [[Roshar]] when he or any other Herald breaks. He is ageless, like the other Heralds.{{book ref|sa3|121}} He is the only Herald who has never broken.{{book ref|sa3|38}}{{wob ref|14869}}
Serving as
=== Shardwielding and Surgebinding ===
As a Herald, Talenel has access to his [[Honorblade]], a magical sword given to him by the [[Shard]] [[Honor]]. Like all [[Shardblade]]s, it's able to cut through any material effortlessly. This increased his already great potency on the battlefield, particularly against [[thunderclast]]s, as his Blade can cut their stone bodies easily. Having spent centuries using the Honorblade in the fight against the [[Voidbringers]], Taln was highly experienced in its use. The Stormfather considers him to be indisputably the greatest duelist among all the Heralds.{{book ref|sa4|111}}
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}}
== History ==
{{image|Taln by Elisgardor.jpg|side=left|width=200px}}
=== Early Life ===
Talenel was born on [[Ashyn]] over seven-thousand years before the True Desolation,{{book ref|sa4|14}}{{book ref|sa4|76}}{{wob ref|11945}} and was a soldier and bodyguard.{{wob ref|11400}}
At some point during his life, Ashyn was scoured by uncontrolled Surgebinding, leaving most of the planet uninhabitable, and forcing him, along with much of the Ashynite population, to flee to Roshar.{{wob ref|9464}}{{wob ref|14434}}{{book ref|sa3|115}}{{au ref|Roshar}} Where they were accepted by the Singers and given the land that would come to be Shinovar.{{book ref|sa3|115}}
He was not initially intended to number among the Heralds and he was the only Herald who was not a king, scholar, or general.{{book ref|sa3|117}}{{wob ref|11400}}
=== Herald of the Almighty ===
=== Aharietiam ===
After
=== Return to Kholinar ===
|Talenel{{book ref|sa1|epilogue}}
}}
Around four and a half millennia later, on the {{rosharan date|1174|9}} of the Vorin Calendar, not long after the [[Battle of the Tower]], Talenel returned to Roshar from Damnation.{{book ref|sa1|epilogue}} The [[Oathpact]] was made in such a way that the only way for the Heralds to return to Roshar was for them to break at the torture. However, Talenel did not break this time, and it is currently unclear what caused his return or where exactly he ended up.{{wob ref|14869}} He was covered in condensation and had twigs and leaves stuck in his beard as he 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. [[Hoid]] knew when and where Taln would arrive and was waiting in Kholinar for him. After his proclamation, Taln promptly collapsed.{{book ref|sa1|epilogue}}
=== Travel to the Shattered Plains ===
Some people refer to Taln as the '''Bearer of Agonies''', and swear by his name, while the [[Sons of Honor]] call him the '''Great Prince'''.{{book ref|sa1|6}}{{book ref|sa2|88}} "Taln's palms" and "Taln's nails" are both rarely-used exclamations.{{book ref|sa3|100}}{{book ref|sa3|116}} "Talat's hand" appears to be a related one.{{book ref|sa2|54}}
He is referred to as the '''Ancient of Stones''' in the [[Diagram (literature)|Diagram]]. It is unclear if this title is unique to the Diagram, or if it is in more general use amongst Vorins.{{epigraph ref|sa2|83}}
While his role in the western culture isn't well-known, he is counted among the lesser gods under [[Tashi]].{{book ref|sa2.5|8}} In [[Yeddaw]], one of the traditional ten pancakes eaten during the [[Weeping]] are dedicated to him.{{book ref|sa2.5|20}}▼
▲While his role in the western culture isn't well-known, he is counted among the lesser gods under [[Tashi]].{{book ref|sa2.5|8}} In [[
== Taln's Mantra ==
== Trivia ==
* Taln will be the focus character of
* Taln's portrait used in the chapter arches is called the Soldier by the [[Dragonsteel Entertainment]] staff.{{wob ref|14097}}
* Taln was a major viewpoint character in ''[[The Way of Kings Prime]]''.
<references />
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[[category: viewpoint characters]]
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