Summary:Words of Radiance/Chapter 2
| Chapter 2: Bridge Four | |
|---|---|
| |
| Words of Radiance Summary | |
| Follows | Chapter 1: Santhid |
| Precedes | Chapter 3: Pattern |
| Analytics | |
| Viewpoint | Kaladin |
| Word Count | 5,471 |
Epigraph[edit]
“Our first clue was the Parshendi. Even weeks before they abandoned their pursuit of the gemhearts, their pattern of fighting changed. They lingered on the plateaus after battles, as if waiting for something. ”
—From the personal journal of Navani Kholin, Jeseses 1174
Plot Summary[edit]
- Tanatashah 1173
Kaladin rides out the first highstorm since being freed in a small room attached to his mens' new barracks within Dalinar's war camp. Upon exiting the room he is greeting with cheers by his men who have shaving their beards in the riddens of the storm with Rock's razor. Kaladin contemplates the betrayals of both Sadeas and Amaram while speaking with Skar, Teft, and Moash about how to proceed training the newly freed bridgemen. There are some 1,000 men situated in 20 now empty buildings in Dalinar's camp; buildings recently emptied after the betrayal of Sadeas and the subsequent loss of soldiers. Kaladin decides they will find the most eager bridgemen and train them personally, sending them back to pass on their training to larger groups of bridgemen, all of whom have been given permission to leave as free men although the majority of them have not done so. Kaladin says his worst case scenario plan is to have all 1,000 men trained and able to leave the war camp as a cohesive band of mercenaries if it comes to that. Being named Captain by Dalinar, the highest rank Dalinar dared appoint a darkeyes. He plans to name Sigzil, Rock, Teft, Moash, and Skar lieutenants. Rock will be quartermaster with Lopen as his second, Teft will be in charge of training, Sigzil will be the clerk, and Moash, Skar, and Kaladin will be mainly in charge of guarding Dalinar, who they have mutually agreed after some discussion, is there best hope remaining free men.
Later, the men previously of Bridge Four visit a tattooist. The tattooist sets about covering the slave brands with tattoos of freedom, including some details of who freed them and when. First Hobber decides he wants a Bridge Four glyph added and after this decision, the rest demand the same. Not to indicate freedom from Bridge Four, but to embrace the unity they found there. Even those members of Bridge Four who were without slave brands opt to get the tattoo including Shen, most on their foreheads though Moash chooses to get it on his arm. Finally Kaladin sits for his tattoo but the ink will not take - his stormlight expelling it - even after banishing his stormlight until the tattoo is set the ink immediately melts away when he again sucks in stormlight.
After leaving, Kaladin and his men walk through the war camp noting the general mood. Kaladin decides the camp has an air of dread to it following Sadeas' betrayal. The men receive Bridge Four salutes from a few people they pass, Kaladin wondering where they even learned the salute. The men visit the head quartermaster, Rind, to discuss uniforms for the bridgemen. Rind hands out what's left of the old Cobalt Guard uniforms and the men try them on, eventually coming to admire how they look in them. After some discussion with Kaladin, explaining to him that they all identify as Bridge Four despite being free, Kaladin requests that Rind commission new Bridge Four glyph patches for the uniforms.
Characters[edit]
- Present
- Mentioned
Setting[edit]
Dalinar's Warcamp during and after a highstorm.
Chapter Header[edit]
- Flag and Spears
This icon is used in all of Kaladin's chapters.
- Talenel wedge
Talenel is associated with the divine attribute of "Dependability" and "Resourcefulness". He is the Herald of war, and Kaladin is training soldiers.