User:Ammcclain15/lyn

Lyn is a scout on Roshar. She has long black hair.

Appearance and Personality

Lyn is a solid-looking woman with long black hair and keen eyes.

History

Scouting

During the Battle of Narak, Lyn served as a messenger, scouting alongside Shim and Felt to help Shallan and the other scholars map the central plateaus. Lyn burst into the tent with news, offering to do a rough drawing of what she saw of the center plateau. Inadara asked her to do so and once finished, she handed the sketch over to Shallan, who then used it along with the other scouting reports to see the pattern in the plateaus.

A messenger

Once in Urithiru, Lyn continued to serve as a scout and messenger for Dalinar. She reported the murder of Vedekar Perel, a lighteyed officer in Sebarial's army, to Dalinar after Bridge Four found that it was very similar to Sadeas' murder.

Finding Oathbringer

Lyn ran to find Dalinar as he wandered the halls, explaining that Bridge Four needed him. Lyn led him to the same section of the tower where Sadeas had been murdered. She led him to a balcony where Leyten and Peet waited.

Encounter with the Unmade Re-Shephir

Lyn traveled with the rest of Bridge Four and Adolin to help Shallan after she chases the mysterious spren into a tunnel. During the discussion, Lyn piped in to say they had scouted near this spot at least a dozen times. After some discussion, Adolin delegated roles to Bridge Four before they entered the tunnel. He asked Lyn to draw maps so they would know the exact line of retreat should it become necessary. Some discussion later and with the marching orders finally set, the bridgemen proceeded along with Shallan and Adolin into the tunnel. After a lengthy walk, they finally reached the bottom of the shaft, causing several of the bridgemen to sigh.

Upon reaching the bottom, they entered a hall with bright mosaic tiles and gorgeous intricate pictures of the Heralds made of thousands of tiles adorning the ceiling. The walls contained depictions of the Almighty in his traditional form as well as a woman in the shape of a tree, hands spreading toward the sky and becoming branches. There were murals of shapes that depicted ten kinds of spren, possibly one for each order. Adolin sent a vanguard of bridgemen ahead and they soon returned.

At their return, Lyn relayed that there were metal doors ahead, one on each side. The group moved towards the doors and the bridgemen tried to open then with no success. Drehy wiped his brow and said they were locked. Adolin said he had a key, raising his Shardblade. Shallan objected, but Adolin reminded her they were chasing a murderer. Shallan waved all the bridgemen back while Adolin rammed his blade into the door. Teft tried the door and was able to shove it open.

The bridgemen ducked in first, spears in hand, taking point. Once they secured the room, an old library, Adolin led them to secure the second room. While they searched the rooms, Lyn followed Renarin down the corridor. She called for Adolin, Shallan, and the rest of Bridge Four. In front of Renarin, a large mass reflected the light like glistening tar. Renarin stumbled, crying they can't fight this. Seeing this, the bridgemen put themselves in front of Shallan, between her and Renarin. Teft barked orders to get the men in formation in two lines. Hearing the commotion, Adolin burst out of the second library room, joining the bridgemen.

The darkness seeped down the hall towards them, coating everything, becoming figures and creatures that rippled into existence. Renarin whispered that one of the Unmade was here, Re-Shephir, the Midnight Mother. Adolin shouted for Shallan and the men to run back up the hall as he charged the figures. Shallan noticed the creatures looked like them, particularly one that looked like Teft, one like Lopen, and two with the appearance of Shardplate.

Teft ordered the men to make a careful retreat, not allowing themselves to get boxed in. Renarin ignored Teft's orders, frozen until Adolin grabbed his arm and Teft shouted at him again. He fell in line and they began to retreat in line. Suddenly, the enemy moved causing the bridgemen to curse and turn their spears as the main mass of darkness swept up the sides of the corridor, covering the murals. The creatures surrounded Bridge Four who now formed a circle to keep from being attacked from the rear. The creatures thrust spears at the bridgemen, wounding one now and again. Lyn and Lopen bandaged the injured while Renarin used Stormlight to heal them so they could return to the line.

Shallan noticed the Unmade was imitating them and began to talk to it while the bridgemen continued to fight off the midnight creatures. Shallan breathed in Stormlight to create her own radiant force that spread out to surround and protect the bridgemen. The men of Bridge Four were able to momentarily relax while Adolin asked Shallan whether now would be the time to fight or retreat. They decided to fight and Adolin asked if the bridgemen were ready to give it another go. Lopen replied that they would last longer than him, even with his fancy armor.

Shallan asked Adolin for them to clear a path close enough for her to touch the Unmade. Adolin asked Renarin to guard his back and Bridge Four shouted, rushing in behind him forming a spear line on either side of Shallan. As the bridgemen along with Adolin and Renarin continued to struggle to hold back the midnight creatures, Shallan reached out with her safehand and touched the Unmade.

Shallan dropped backward into the room to find Renarin healing a bridgemen who ad been hurt. She quickly asked Adolin what happened to the Unmade. He said it fled like smoke farther down into the mountains. Eth asked if they should chase it. Shallan, feeling the change in the tower, told them not to chase it. She told him they could post guards, but she didn't think it would return. Teft agreed that guards sounded like a very good idea. She frowned at his comment but followed his gaze to what the Re-Shephir had been hiding - thousands upon thousands of cut gemstones.

Becoming a Windrunner

Recruitment

Lyn ran down the hallway towards the pair and she saluted Kaladin, saying he was just the man she was looking for. She informed him that the Quartermaster approved his unusual request. She fell into step with Sigzil and just shrugged, not knowing what the request was. Kaladin eyed Lyn and asked if she was the one helping his men, even going so far as the make excuses to see them and not being afraid of the 'Lost Radiants.' Lyn confessed that based on what she had seen on the battlefield, she would rather bet on his side than bet on the opposition. Kaladin nodded and asked her if she would like to join the Windrunners. Lyn stopped in place, her jaw dropping and then agreeing on the spot. Kaladin asked if Sigzil could get the accounts and ledgers for her and explained she could also help the men write letters to their families. He also suggested that they should probably write a history of Bridge Four.

Lyn deflated when she realized Kaladin meant for her to join as a scribe. She informed him that she didn't join the scouts to sit around looking at ledgers. She decided she would have to decline if that's what he was offering. Seeing her shoulders fall, Sigzil was surprised that he found he wanted to punch his captain, not hard, just a "wake up" punch. He hadn't felt that way since Kaladin first woke him that first morning in Sadeas' warcamp. Understanding, Kaladin extended an invitation to try out for the Windrunners. He admitted he wasn't sure what the test would be yet, but for her to speak with her superior for clearance to change battalions. She bounded off excited.

Another Chance, Another Way

They broke and Teft jogged off to train the recruits. Kaladin set Bridge Four to watch the skies and practice their flying. Skar observed the recruits doing formations alongside Kaladin. As Kaladin watched, he asked Skar how important formations might be going forward and should they change them when it comes to flying. Skar didn’t answer and instead went to get some water, getting some ribbing from the others. As he sipped Rock’s new refreshment, tea, he worried about whether the new recruits would take his place in Bridge Four. He hated feeling sorry for himself, so he tossed his cup aside and fished out some gemstones from his pocket.

As he did, he spotted Lyn nearby and he could sense the frustration in her posture. He shouldered his spear and joined her and asked why she wasn’t joining in. Lyn confessed she didn’t know the formations as she’d never done drills. She sighed and asked Skar if Kaladin had went to get more recruits because she failed. Skar told her not to be stupid, that she wasn’t being forced out, but rather Kaladin wanted to have as many potential recruits as possible. Lyn admitted that they are finally in a new world where rank and eye color didn’t matter and she just wanted to be a part of it. She realized that Skar shared her same look and apologized that it must be worst for him. He shrugged and asked her if she had ever heard the story of how Kaladin drew in Stormlight.

She asked if he meant what Teft said and he said no. She asked if he meant the healing and Skar once again said no. He held up the gemstone and said that it was on a bridge run. He recalled how they were charging a lot of Parshendi and most of the first row had been dropped except for Kaladin. Skar admitted that exposed him, who was right beside Kaladin. He told her that in those days, you didn’t have good odds, running near the front. He remembered how the arrows were coming right at him and then the arrows moved, swerving towards Kaladin. Skar told Lyn that’s the first time he knew something special was happening and back then, Kaladin didn’t even know he was doing it.

Skar said that maybe that meant they were just trying to hard. Lyn said it didn’t make sense, that you had to suck it in. Skar admitted that he didn’t really know what it meant either. Skar recalled how it was easier for Kaladin when he didn’t stress it. She wanted to string them all up for not explaining it better, but she focused on the gemstone instead, trying to breathe in Stormlight for a solid ten minutes. She began to complain again about being a woman and Skar stopped her.

He went on to ask her if she wanted to be a Windrunner and why. She said that she wanted to soar. Skar told her that wasn’t good enough. Kaladin wasn’t thinking about being left out or how great it would be to fly, but rather saving the others. He asked her again why she wanted to be a Windrunner. She admitted that she just wanted to help, not waiting for the enemy to come to them. Skar assured her that she had a chance then, but she had to seize it or leave and give up. He pressed the gemstone into her hand, saying that as long as she kept trying, there was a chance. If she gave up, then the dream died.

Lyn closed her eyes and breathed in, drawing in Stormlight for the first time. She yelped in surprise and opened her hand to find the gemstone dun. She asked Skar what he did and he told her nothing, fighting his own jealousy. He then realized that maybe his lot was simply helping the others become Radiants. A trainer of sorts. Teft saw Lyn glowing and started cursing in a good way. Teft grabbed her by the arm and escorted her over to see Kaladin.

Trivia

• Named after Lyndsey Luthor. She made a post in a Reddit thread asking what fictional world people would want to live in, she replied with The Way of Kings. Brandon asked her to send him her information so he could insert her as a character in the next book, Words of Radiance. She was also chosen to be a beta reader.