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Difference between revisions of "Talenel"

Talenel (edit)

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=== Travel to the Shattered Plains ===
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.{{url ref|urlname=http://faq.brandonsanderson.com/node/461|text=Why didn’t Dalinar get the powers of a Stoneward when he bonded Taln’s honorblade?|brandonsanderson.com|date=31 May 2017faq1}} 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}}
 
The ardents placed Taln in a small, dimly lit cell in their monastery where he remained nonresponsive despite their care.{{book ref|sa2|63}} Once Taln was placed in the monastery, several groups became aware of his presence on the Shattered Plains. The [[Ghostbloods]] became aware of him somehow and were interested in him because he had drawn the attention of the king and Dalinar.{{book ref|sa2|63}} Their source provided them with sketches of Taln. The Sons of Honor became aware when Dalinar ordered Bordin go drinking with some Amaram's men and talk about Taln.{{book ref|sa2|76}} As part of his investigation into Amaram, Dalinar wished Bordin to spread the lie that Taln had mentioned a cache of Shardblades on the Plains. This news spread to Amaram, who contacted Bordin and had him bring him to see Taln in the monastery.{{book ref|sa2|64}} At this same time, Shallan Davar visited Taln on the behalf of the Ghostbloods.{{book ref|sa2|63}} Shallan recorded his mantra but was unable to get a reaction out of him until she drew in some [[Stormlight]], provoking a sudden and violent reaction from Taln, who shoved her into a wall. Appearing semi-lucid, Taln identified her as a Radiant, but quickly lapsed back into his mantra shortly afterwards. Shallan decided that she believed him to be a simple madman. While Shallan was still in the room with Taln, Amaram and Bordin arrived to see Taln, so she concealed herself in the cell with Lightweaving.{{book ref|sa2|64}} Upon seeing Taln, Amaram determined that he believed the man to be a Herald, but was unable to get him to speak or interact at all. Wishing to recover the fictitious Blades, Amaram left Taln in the cell.
 
=== The Battle of Thaylen Field ===
{{quote
{{quote| What a gift you gave them! Time to recover, for once, between Desolations. Time to progress. They never had a chance before. But this time . . . yes, maybe they do|Taln to Ash{{book ref|sa3|119}}}}
| Taln to Ash{{book ref|sa3|119}}
}}
During the [[Battle of Thaylen Field]], Ash sneaked into Taln's tent, which was left unguarded when Sadeas's solders were corrupted by Odium.{{book ref|sa3|117}} She attempted to rouse Taln with no success.{{book ref|sa3|118}} When Dalinar Ascended, swearing the Third Ideal of the Bondsmiths and summoning [[Honor's Perpendicularity]], this seemed to awaken Taln.{{book ref|sa3|119}} Ash explained that the Heralds had abandoned them, but he expressed only joy at the opportunity their betrayal had given mankind. He felt Dalinar waiting for them, although he did not know who was calling to him. He and Ash walked onto the battlefield, where they were recognized as Heralds by the Stormfather and Dalinar. Shortly thereafter, Taln's lucidity faded again, and he hid cowering from the fighting.{{book ref|sa3|121}} After the battle was over, Ash tried to get Taln through the Oathgate, hoping to bring him to Ishar, who she believed could help him. However as they waited in line, they felt the true death of Jezrien and Taln began to whimper and collapse. As they inadvertently caused a commotion, they were recognized by [[Jasnah Kholin]], who compared their faces to drawings she had received from Hoid.
 
== Powers and Abilities ==
=== Herald of War ===
As one of the Heralds of the Almighty, Taln is unable to truly be killed. In actuality, the Taln is now a [[Cognitive Shadow]].{{qa ref|1182|52|Have we seen cameos of Heralds on other Shardworlds?|date=6 December 2016}} 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 Taln served as the the Herald of War,{{book ref|sa2|i|7}} it is likely that Taln was one of the most skilled fighters of [[Roshar]]. His reflexes certainly are inhumanly fast,{{book ref|sa2|88}} and he is even stronger than his massive build would suggest, able to throw open the gates of Kholinar on his own.{{book ref|sa1|epilogue}} He is also a capable commander, able to win fights thought to be unwinnable, even at the cost of his own life.{{book ref|sa1|part=prelude}} Taln also excels at training soldiers as well, he helps ready humanity's warriors for the Desolations.{{book ref|sa2|i|7}}
 
=== Shardwielding and Surgebinding ===
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.{{17s ref|post|511614|Boskone 54 Signing Line|date=17 February 2017}} 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,{{url ref|urlname=http://faq.brandonsanderson.com/node/461|text=Why didn’t Dalinar get the powers of a Stoneward when he bonded Taln’s honorblade?|brandonsanderson.com|date=31 May 2017faq1}} but it is unknown who stole it, for what purpose, and whether this impacts Taln's status as a Herald.
 
== Culture ==
== Taln's Mantra ==
Below is the full text of Taln's mantra that he repeats when he is in his stupor. There is some variation to it, but this is the typical form it takes.
{{quote
{{quote| I am Talenel'Elin, Herald of War. The time of the Return, the Desolation, is near at hand. We must prepare. You will have forgotten much, following the destruction of the times past. Kalak will teach you to cast bronze, if you have forgotten this. We will Soulcast blocks of metal directly for you. I wish we could teach you steel, but casting is so much easier than forging, and you must have something we can produce quickly. Your stone tools will not serve against what is to come. Vedel can train your surgeons, and Jezrien . . . he will teach you leadership. So much is lost between Returns . . . I will train your soldiers. We should have time. Ishar keeps talking about a way to keep information from being lost following Desolations. And you have discovered something unexpected. We will use that. Surgebinders to act as guardians . . . Knights . . . The coming days will be difficult, but with training, humanity will survive. You must bring me to your leaders. The other Heralds should join us soon.”|Talenel'Elin{{book ref|sa2|i|7}}}}
| Talenel'Elin{{book ref|sa2|i|7}}
}}
 
== Trivia ==
* Taln will have an expanded role in future books of [[The Stormlight Archive]],{{qa ref|590|22|Which minor Stormlight characters might get points of view?|date=Jan 10th, 2011}} and will have a flashback book at some point in the future.{{qa ref|622|67|How do you plan to structure the points of view in Stormlight Archive?|date=Aug 31st, 2011}}
* Taln has the pigmentation of a black person on Earth.{{reddit ref|Stormlight_Archive|4shyds|d5a9ib8|textname=Taln has the pigmentation of a black person.|date=Jul 12th, 2016pigment}}
 
== Notes ==
<references>
 
{{qa ref|date=2011-01-10|590|22|Which minor Stormlight characters might get points of view?}}
{{qa ref|date=2011-08-31|622|67|How do you plan to structure the points of view in Stormlight Archive?}}
{{wob ref|date=2014-03-22|6737|''Words of Radiance'' signing Chicago}}
{{reddit ref|date=2016-17-12|Stormlight_Archive|4shyds|d5a9ib8|text=Taln has the pigmentation of a black person|name=pigment}}
{{qa ref|date=2016-12-06|1182|52|Have we seen cameos of Heralds on other Shardworlds?}}
{{17s ref|date=2017-02-17|post|511614|Boskone 54 Signing Line}}
{{url ref|date=2017-05-31|name=faq1|url=http://faq.brandonsanderson.com/node/461|text=Why didn't Dalinar get the powers of a Stoneward when he bonded Taln's honorblade?|site=brandonsanderson.com}}
 
</references>
{{complete|[[User:Windrunner|Windrunner]] ([[User talk:Windrunner|talk]]) 02:30, 15 November 2017 (MST)}}
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