Difference between revisions of "Talenel"

After his arrival in Kholinar, Taln was apprehended by the men of [[House Kholin]]. Taln displayed no awareness following his collapse, repeating his mantra with no regard for his surroundings.{{book ref|sa1|i|7}} Due to the odd circumstances of his arrival and his possession of a Shardblade, Taln was brought to the Shattered Plains by Bordin, one of Dalinar Kholin's most trusted servants. Hoid accompanied them for a portion of the journey, but along the way ran off into the hills. At some point between Taln's arrival in Kholinar and his arrival at the Shattered Plains, someone swapped Taln's Blade with another.{{wob ref|name=faq11875}} Bordin brought Taln to Dalinar and Elhokar Kholin, who tried to question him on his past and the origin of his Blade, but they determined nothing.{{book ref|sa2|i|7}} Dalinar and Elhokar did not put any thought into his claims that he was a Herald, believing him a simple madman. Dalinar sent Taln to a monastery in his warcamps in the care of his ardents, hoping they could do something to alleviate his madness. Dalinar also took Taln's Shardblade, bonding it himself as a part of his investigation into Kaladin's claims that Amaram was a murderer and a thief.{{book ref|sa2|76}}

As one of the Heralds of the Almighty, Taln is unable to truly be killed. In actuality, the Taln is now a [[Cognitive Shadow]].{{qawob ref|1182|521537}} Upon being killed, he is returned to Damnation to be tortured,{{book ref|sa1|part=prelude}} although it is uncertain how he gains a new body when he returns to Roshar. It is likely that he is also ageless, like the other Heralds seem to be.{{book ref|sa3|121}}

As a Herald, Talenel has access to his Honorblade, a variety of Shardblade given to him by the Shard Honor. This Shardblade is able to cut through any material, stone, steel, or even living things effortlessly. This allowed Taln to be a formiddable foe on the battlefield, particularly against thunderclasts, as his Blade can cut their stone flesh easier than anything else. As he had spent an enormous amount of time using the Honorblade in the fight against the Voidbringers, Taln was likely very experienced in using his Blade. Unlike most Shardblades, this Honorblade also granted Taln access to the [[Surge]]s of [[Surgebinding#Cohesion|Cohesion]] and [[Surgebinding#Tension|Tension]]. As he was not sworn to a spren, he was able to do with his Blade what he liked, without regard for any oaths. Taln also had no need for [[Stormlight]], his Surgebinding was powered directly by Honor.{{17swob ref|post|5116141572}} It is unknown if this has been impacted by Honor's death. It is unknown precisely what the Surges he had access to did, but they likely were also helpful in the fight against the Voidbringers in some way. In the present day it is uncertain what precisely has happened to Taln's Honorblade. 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, so it must be a dead Shardblade.{{book ref|sa2|89}} Some time between his arrival at Kholinar and his arrival at the Shattered Plains, someone swapped his Blade,{{wob ref|name=faq11875}} but it is unknown who stole it, for what purpose, and whether this impacts Taln's status as a Herald.

* Taln will have an expanded role in future books of [[The Stormlight Archive]],{{qa ref|590|22}} and will have a flashback book at some point in the future.{{qawob ref|622|673715}}

* Taln has the pigmentation of a black person on Earth.{{wob ref|name=pigment3933}}

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