Brandon Sanderson’s epic Stormlight Archive fantasy series will continue with Wind and Truth, the concluding volume of the first major arc of this ten-book series. A defining pillar of Sanderson’s “Cosmere” fantasy book universe, this newest installment of The Stormlight Archive promises huge developments for the world of Roshar, the struggles of the Knights Radiant (and friends!), and for the Cosmere at large.
Reactor is serializing the new book from now until its release date on December 6, 2024. A new installment will go live every Monday at 11 AM ET, along with read-along commentary from Stormlight beta readers and Cosmere experts Lyndsey Luther, Drew McCaffrey, and Paige Vest. You can find every chapter and commentary post published so far in the Wind and Truth index.
We’re thrilled to also include chapters from the audiobook edition of Wind and Truth, read by Michael Kramer and Kate Reading. Click here to jump straight to the audio excerpt!
Note: Title art is not final and will be updated as soon as the final cover is revealed.
Dedication
For Adam Horne
Who is a champion of books, and deserves his own Shardblade.
Preface
Welcome to Wind and Truth, Book Five of the Stormlight Archive. This is the midpoint in the series, and the ending of the first major arc. As such, I have wrestled with this book more than most, giving it a great portion of my thoughts, passion, and effort over the last four years. This is, to date, the longest book I’ve ever written—and this is among the longest amounts of time I’ve ever spent on a book. (Probably the longest, if you don’t count projects I set down and came back to years later.) I hope you’ll find the result worth the effort!
Please sit back and enjoy the show. A highstorm is brewing.
Prologue: To Live
Seven and a half years ago
Gavilar Kholin was on the verge of immortality.
He merely had to find the right Words.
He walked a circle around the nine Honorblades, driven point-first into the stone ground. The air stank of burned flesh; he’d attended enough funeral pyres to know that scent intimately, though these bodies hadn’t been burned after the fighting but during it.
“They call it Aharietiam,” he said, trailing around the Blades, letting his hand linger on each one. When he became a Herald, would his Blade become like these, imbued with power and lore? “The end of the world. Was it a lie?”
Many who name it such believed what they said, the Stormfather replied.
“And the owners of these?” he said, gesturing to the Blades. “What did the Heralds believe?”
If they had been entirely truthful, the Stormfather said, then I would not be seeking a new champion.
Gavilar nodded. “I swear to serve Honor and Roshar as its Herald. Better than these did.”
These words are not accepted, the Stormfather said. You will never find them at random, Gavilar.
He would try nonetheless. In becoming the most powerful man in the world, Gavilar had often accomplished what others thought impossible. He rounded the ring of Blades again, alone with them in the shadow of monolithic stones. After dozens of visits to this vision, he could name each and every Blade by its associated Herald. The Stormfather, however, continued to be reticent to share information.
No matter. He would have his prize. He ripped Jezrien’s long, curved Blade from the stone and swung it, cutting the air. “Nohadon met and grew to know the Heralds.”
Yes, the Stormfather admitted.
“They are in there, aren’t they?” he said. “The correct Words are somewhere in The Way of Kings?”
Yes.
Gavilar had the entire book memorized—he’d taught himself to read years ago so he could search for secrets without revealing them to the women in his life. He tossed the Herald’s Blade aside, letting it clang against the stone—which made the Stormfather hiss.
Gavilar mentally chided himself. This was just a vision, and these fake Blades were nothing to him, but he needed the Stormfather to think him pious and worthy at least for now. He took up Chana’s Blade. He was fond of this one, as its ornamentation bifurcated the blade with a slit down the center. That long gap would be highly impractical for a normal sword. Here it was a symbol that this Blade was something incredible.
“Chanaranach was a soldier,” he said, “and this is a soldier’s Blade. Solid and straight, but with that little impossibility missing from the center.” He held the Blade in front of him, examining its edge. “I feel I know them each so well. They are my colleagues, yet I could not pick them out of a crowd.”
Your colleagues? Do not get ahead of yourself, Gavilar. Find the Words.
Those storming Words. The most important ones Gavilar would ever say. With them, he would become the Stormfather’s champion—and, he had deduced, something more. Gavilar suspected he would be accepted into the Oathpact and ascend beyond mortality. He had not asked which Herald he would replace; it felt crass, and he did not want to appear crass before the Stormfather. He suspected, though, that he would replace Talenelat, the one who had not left his Blade.
Gavilar stabbed the sword back into the stone. “Let us return.”
The vision ended immediately, and he was in the palace’s second-floor study. Bookshelves, a quiet desk for reading, tapestries and carpets to dampen voices. Gavilar wore finery for the upcoming feast: regal robes more archaic than fashionable. Like his beard, the clothing stood out among the Alethi lighteyes. He wanted them to think of him as something ancient, beyond their petty games.
This room was technically Navani’s, but it was his palace. People rarely looked for him here, and he needed a reprieve from little people with little problems. As he had time before his meetings, Gavilar selected a small book that listed the latest surveys of the region around the Shattered Plains. He was increasingly certain that place held an ancient unlocked Oathgate. Through it, Gavilar could find the mythical Urithiru, and there, ancient records.
He would find the right Words. He was close. So tantalizingly close to what all men secretly desired, but only ten had ever achieved. Eternal life, and a legacy that spanned millennia—because you could live to shape it.
It is not so grand as you think, the spren said. Which gave Gavilar pause. The Stormfather couldn’t read his mind, could it? No. No, he’d tested that. It didn’t know his deepest thoughts, his deepest plans. For if it did know his heart, it wouldn’t be working with him.
“What isn’t?” Gavilar asked, slipping the book back.
Immortality, the Stormfather said. It wears on men and women, weathering souls and minds. The Heralds are insane—afflicted with unnatural ailments unique to their ancient natures.
“How long did it take?” Gavilar asked. “For the symptoms to appear?”
Difficult to say. A thousand years, perhaps two.
“Then I will have that long to find a solution,” Gavilar said. “A much more reasonable timeline than the mere century—with luck—afforded a mortal. Wouldn’t you say?”
I have not promised you this boon. You guess it is what I offer, but I seek only a champion. Still, tell me, would you accept the cost of becoming a Herald? Everyone you know would be dust by the time you returned.
And here, the lie. “A king’s duty is to his people,” he said. “By becoming a Herald, I can safeguard Alethkar in a way that no previous monarch ever has. I can endure personal pain to accomplish this. If I should die,” Gavilar added, quoting The Way of Kings, “then I would do so having lived my life right. It is not the destination that matters, but how one arrives there.”
These words are not accepted, the spren said. Guessing will not bring you to the Words, Gavilar.
Yes, well, the Words were in that volume somewhere. Sheltered among the self-righteous moralizing like a whitespine in the brambles. Gavilar Kholin was not a man accustomed to losing. People got what they expected. And he expected not just victory, but divinity.
The guard knocked softly. Was it time already? Gavilar called for Tearim to come in, and he did. The guard was wearing Gavilar’s own Plate tonight.
“Sire,” Tearim said, “your brother is here.”
“What? Not Restares? How did Dalinar find me?”
“Spotted us standing watch, I suspect, Your Majesty.”
Bother. “Let him in.”
The guard withdrew. A second later Dalinar burst in, graceful as a three-legged chull. He slammed the door and bellowed, “Gavilar! I want to go talk to the Parshendi.”
Gavilar took a long, deep breath. “Brother, this is a very delicate situation, and we don’t want to offend them.”
“I won’t offend them,” Dalinar grumbled. He wore his takama, the robe of the old-fashioned warrior’s garb open to show his powerful chest—with some grey hairs. He pushed past Gavilar and threw himself into the seat by the desk.
That poor chair.
“Why do you even care about them, Dalinar?” Gavilar said, right hand to his forehead.
“Why do you?” Dalinar demanded. “This treaty, this sudden interest in their lands. What are you planning? Tell me.”
Dear, blunt Dalinar. As subtle as a jug of Horneater white. And equally smart.
“Tell me straight,” Dalinar continued. “Are you planning to conquer them?”
“Why would I be signing a treaty if that were my intent?”
“I don’t know,” Dalinar said. “I just… I don’t want to see anything happen to them. I like them.”
“They’re parshmen.”
“I like parshmen.”
“You’ve never noticed a parshman unless he was too slow to bring your drink.”
“There’s something about these ones,” Dalinar said. “I feel a… a kinship.”
“That’s foolish.” Gavilar walked to the desk and leaned down beside his brother. “Dalinar, what’s happening to you? Where is the Blackthorn?”
“Maybe he’s tired,” Dalinar said. “Or blinded. By the soot and ashes of the dead, constantly in his face…”
Again Dalinar whined about the Rift? What an enormous hassle. Restares would be here soon, and then… there was Thaidakar. So many knives to keep balanced perfectly on their tips, lest they slide and cut Gavilar. He couldn’t deal with Dalinar having a crisis of conscience right now.
“Brother,” Gavilar said, “what would Evi say if she saw you like this?”
It was a carefully sharpened spear, slipped expertly into Dalinar’s gut. The man’s fingers gripped the table, and he recoiled at her name.
“She would want you to stand as a warrior,” Gavilar said softly. “And protect Alethkar.”
“I…” Dalinar whispered. “She…”
Gavilar offered a hand and heaved his brother to his feet, then led him to the door. “Stand up straight.”
Dalinar nodded, hand on the doorknob.
“Oh,” Gavilar said. “And Brother? Follow the Codes tonight. There is something strange upon the winds.”
The Codes said not to drink when battle might be imminent. Just a nudge to remind Dalinar that it was a feast, and that there was plenty of wine on hand. Though Dalinar still thought no one knew he’d killed Evi, Gavilar had found the truth, which let him use these subtle manipulations.
Dalinar was out the door a moment later, his lumbering, pliable brain likely focused on two things. First, what he’d done to Evi. Second, how to find something strong enough to make him forget about the first.
When Dalinar was off down the hallway, Gavilar waved Tearim close. The guard was one of the Sons of Honor, a group that was yet another knife Gavilar kept balanced, for they could never know he had outgrown their plans.
“Follow my brother,” Gavilar said. “Subtly ensure that he gets something to drink; maybe lead him to my wife’s secret stores.”
“You had me do that a few months ago, sire,” Tearim whispered back. “There’s not much left, I’m afraid. He likes to share with his soldiers.”
“Well, find him something,” Gavilar replied. “I can let Restares and the others in when they arrive. Go.”
The soldier bowed and followed Dalinar, Shardplate thumping. Gavilar shut the door firmly. When the Stormfather’s voice pushed into his mind, he was not surprised.
He has potential you do not see, that one.
“Dalinar? Of course he does. If I can keep him pointed the right direction, he will burn down entire nations.” Gavilar simply had to ply him with alcohol the rest of the time, so that he didn’t burn down this nation.
He could be more than you think.
“Dalinar is a big, dumb, blunt instrument you apply to problems until they break,” Gavilar said, then shivered, remembering seeing his brother approach across a battlefield. Soaked in blood. Eyes appearing to glow red within his helm, hungry for the life Gavilar lived…
That ghost haunted him. Fortunately, both Dalinar’s pain and his addiction made him easy enough to control.
Gavilar was soon interrupted by another knock. He answered the door and found nothing outside, until the Stormfather hissed a warning in his mind and he felt a sudden chill.
When he turned around, old Thaidakar was there. The Lord of Scars himself, a figure in an enveloping hooded cloak, tattered at the bottom. Storms.
“I was made promises,” Thaidakar said, hood shadowing his face. “I’ve given you information, Gavilar, of the most valuable nature. In payment I requested a single man. When will you deliver Restares to me?”
“Soon,” Gavilar said. “I am gaining his confidence first.”
“It seems to me,” Thaidakar said, “that you’re less interested in our bargain, and more interested in your own motives. It seems to me that I directed you toward something valuable you’ve decided to keep. It seems to me that you play games.”
“It seems to me,” Gavilar said, stepping closer to the cloaked figure, “that you’re not in a position to make demands. You need me. So why don’t we just… keep playing.”
Thaidakar remained still for a moment. Then, with a sigh, he reached up with gloved hands and took down his hood. Gavilar froze—for despite their several interactions, he’d never before seen the man’s face.
Thaidakar was made entirely of softly glowing, white-blue light. He was younger than Gavilar had imagined—in his middle years, not the wizened elder he’d seemed. He had a large spike, also blue, through one eye. The point jutted out the back of his skull. Was he some kind of spren?
“Gavilar,” Thaidakar said, “take care. You’re not immortal yet, but you’ve begun to play with forces that rip mortals apart by their very axi.”
“Do you know what they are?” Gavilar demanded, hungry. “The most important Words I’ll ever speak?”
“No,” Thaidakar said. “But listen: none of this is what you think it is. Deliver Restares to my agents, and I will help you recover the ancient powers.”
“I’ve grown beyond that,” Gavilar said.
“You can’t ‘grow beyond’ the tide, Gavilar,” Thaidakar replied. “You swim with it or get swept away. Our plans are already in motion. Though to be honest, I don’t know that we did much. That tide was coming regardless.”
Gavilar grunted. “Well, I intend to—”
He was cut off as Thaidakar transformed. His face melted into a simple floating sphere with some kind of arcane rune at the center. The cloak, body, and gloves vanished into wisps of smoke that evaporated away.
Gavilar stared. That… that looked a lot like what he’d read of the powers of Lightweavers. Knights Radiant. Was Thaidakar—?
“I know you’re meeting Restares today,” the sphere said, vibrating—it had no mouth. “Prepare him, then deliver him to my agents for questioning. Or else. That is my ultimatum, Gavilar. You would not like to be my enemy.”
The sphere of light shrank and turned nearly transparent as it moved to the door, then bobbed down and vanished through the crack underneath.
“What was that?” Gavilar demanded of the Stormfather, unnerved.
Something dangerous, the spren replied in his mind.
“Radiant?”
No. Similar, but no.
Gavilar found himself trembling. Which was stupid. He was a storming king, soon to be a demigod. He had a destiny; he would not be unsettled by cheap tricks and vague threats. Still, he rested his hand against the desk and breathed deeply, his fingers disturbing scattered notes and diagrams from his wife’s latest mechanical obsession. Not for the first time he wondered if Navani could crack this problem. He missed the way they’d once schemed. How long had it been since they’d all laughed together? He, Ialai, Navani, and Torol?
Unfortunately, this wasn’t the kind of secret you shared. Ialai or Sadeas would seize the prize from him if they could—and Gavilar wouldn’t blame them. Navani though… would she try to take immortality for herself? Would she even see its value? She was so clever, so crafty in some ways. Yet when he spoke of his goals for a greater legacy, she got lost in the details. Refusing to think of the mountain because she worried about the placement of the foothills.
He regretted the distance between them. That coldness growing over—well, grown over—their relationship. Thinking of her sent a stab of pain into his heart. He should…
Everyone you know will be dust by the time you return…
Perhaps this way was best.
He had plans to mitigate the length of his absence from this world, but they might take several tries to perfect. So… fewer attachments seemed better. To allow for a cleaner cut. Like one made with a Shardblade.
He bent his mind to his plans, and was well prepared by the time Restares arrived. The balding man didn’t knock. He peeked in, nervously checking each corner before he slipped through the door. He was followed by a shadow: a tall, imperious Makabaki man with a birthmark on one cheek. Gavilar had instructed the servants to treat them as ambassadors, but he hadn’t yet had a chance to speak with this second man, whom he didn’t know.
The newcomer walked with a certain… firmness. Rigidity. He wasn’t a man who gave way. Not to wind, not to storm, and most certainly not to other people.
“Gavilar Kholin,” the man said, offering neither a hand nor a bow. They locked stares. Impressive. Gavilar had expected… well, someone more like Restares.
“Have a drink,” Gavilar said, gesturing toward the bar.
“No,” the man said. Without a thank-you or compliment. Interesting. Intriguing.
Restares scuttled over like a child offered sweets. Even now—after joining this newest incarnation of the Sons of Honor—Gavilar found Restares… odd. The short, balding man sniffed at each of the wines. He had never trusted a drink in Gavilar’s presence, but always tested them anyway. As if he wanted to find poison, to prove his paranoia was justified.
“Sorry,” Restares said, wringing his hands as he hovered over the drinks. “Sorry. Not… not thirsty today, Gavilar. Sorry.”
Gavilar was close to tossing him aside and seizing control of the Sons of Honor. Except some of the others, like Amaram, respected him. Plus… why was Thaidakar so interested in Restares? Surely he couldn’t actually be someone important. Perhaps his tall friend was the true power. Could Gavilar have been kept in the dark for two years about something that vital?
“I’m glad you were willing to meet,” Restares said. “Yes, um. Because, um. So… Announcement. I have an announcement.”
Gavilar frowned. “What is this?”
“I hear,” Restares said, “that you’re looking to, um, restore the Voidbringers?”
“You founded the Sons of Honor, Restares,” Gavilar said, “to recover the ancient oaths and restore the Knights Radiant. Well, they vanished when the Voidbringers did. So if we bring back the Voidbringers, the powers should return.”
More importantly, he thought, the Heralds will return from the land of the dead to lead us again.
Letting me usurp the position of one of them.
“No, no, no,” Restares said, uncharacteristically firm. “I wanted the honor of men to return! I wanted us to explore what made those Radiants so grand. Before things went wrong.” He ran his hand through his thinning hair. “Before… I made them… go wrong…”
Restares wouldn’t meet Gavilar’s eyes. “We… we should stop trying to restore the powers,” Restares said, his voice wilting, and glanced to his stern friend—as if for support. “We can’t… afford another Return…”
“Restares,” Gavilar said, advancing on the little man. “What is wrong with you? You’re talking about betraying everything we believe?” Or at least pretend to believe. Gavilar subtly placed himself so he loomed over Restares. “Have you heard of a man named Thaidakar?”
Restares looked up, his eyes widening.
“He wants to find you,” Gavilar said. “I have protected you thus far. What is it he wants from you, Restares?”
“Secrets,” Restares whispered. “The man… can’t abide… anyone having secrets.”
“What secrets?” Gavilar said firmly, making Restares cringe. “I’ve put up with your lies long enough. What is going on? What does Thaidakar want?”
“I know where she is hidden,” Restares whispered. “Where her soul is. Ba-Ado-Mishram. Granter of Forms. The one who could rival Him. The one… we betrayed.”
Ba-Ado-Mishram? Why would Thaidakar care about an Unmade? It seemed such an oddly shaped piece of the puzzle. Gavilar opened his mouth to speak, but a hand squeezed his shoulder, fingers like a vise. Gavilar turned to see Restares’s Makabaki friend standing behind him.
“What have you done?” the man asked, his voice icy. “Gavilar Kholin. What actions have you taken to achieve this goal of yours, the one that my friend mistakenly set you upon?”
“You have no idea,” Gavilar said, meeting the stranger’s eyes until the man finally released his grip.
Gavilar took a pouch from his pocket, then casually spilled a selection of spheres and gemstones onto the table. “I’m close. Restares, you must not lose your nerve now!”
The stranger stared, his lips parting. He reached toward one of the spheres that glowed with a dark, almost inverted violet light. Impossible light; a color that should not exist. As soon as the stranger’s fingers drew close, he yanked them away, then turned wide eyes on Gavilar.
“You are a fool,” the man said. “A terrible fool charging toward the highstorm with a stick, thinking to fight it. What have you done? Where did you get Voidlight?”
Gavilar smiled. None of them knew of the secret scholar he kept in reserve. A master of all things scientific. A man who was neither Ghostblood nor Son of Honor.
A man from another world.
“It is set in motion,” Gavilar said, glancing at Restares. “And the project was a success.”
Restares perked up. “It… it was? Is that LFight…” He turned to his friend. “This could work, Nale! We could bring them back, then destroy them. It could work.”
Nale. Oh, storms. Gavilar knew—but tried to ignore—that Restares pretended to be a Herald to impress the others. The little man didn’t know Gavilar had become familiar with the Stormfather, who had told him the truth: that the Heralds had all long since died and gone to Braize.
So was this stranger pretending to be Nalan, Herald of Justice? He… had the right look. Many of the depictions were of an imperious Makabaki man. And that birthmark… it was strikingly similar to one on several of the older paintings.
But no. That was ridiculous. To believe that, one would have to believe that Restares—of all people—was a Herald.
The stranger tried to stare Gavilar down. Motionless, his expression cold. A monolith instead of a man. “This is far too dangerous.”
Gavilar continued to hold his gaze. The world would bend to his desires. It always had before.
“But you are,” the man eventually said, stepping back, “the king. Your will… is law… in this land.”
“Yes,” Gavilar said. “That is correct. Restares, I have more good news. We can move Voidlight from the storm to the Physical Realm. We can even carry it between here and Damnation, as you wanted.”
“That’s a way,” Restares said, looking to Nale. “A way… maybe to escape…”
Nale waved to the spheres. “Being able to bring them back and forth from Braize doesn’t mean anything. It’s too close to be a relevant distance.”
“It was impossible only a few short years ago,” Gavilar said. “This is proof. The Connection is not severed, and the box allows for travel. Not yet as far as you’d like, but we must start the journey somewhere.”
He wasn’t certain why Restares was so eager to move Light around in Shadesmar. Thaidakar wanted this information as well. A way to transport Stormlight, and this new Voidlight, long distances. As he was contemplating that, Gavilar saw something. The door was cracked. An eye was peeking through.
Damnation. It was Navani. How much had she heard?
“Husband,” she said, immediately pushing into the room. “There are guests missing you at the gathering. You seem to have lost track of time.”
He smothered his anger at her spying, turning to Restares and his friend. “Gentlemen, I will need to excuse myself.”
Restares again ran his hand through his wispy hair. “I want to know more of the project, Gavilar. Plus, you need to know that another of us is here tonight. I spotted her handiwork earlier.”
Another one? Another Son of Honor.
No, he meant another Herald. Restares was growing more delusional.
“I have a meeting shortly with Meridas and the others,” Gavilar said, calmly soothing Restares. “They should have more information for me. We can speak again after that.”
“No,” the Makabaki man growled. “I doubt we shall.”
“There’s more here, Nale!” Restares said, though he followed as Gavilar ushered the two of them from the room. “This is important! I want out. This is the only way…”
Gavilar shut the door. Then turned to his wife. Damnation, she should know better than to interrupt him. She…
Storms. The dress was beautiful, her face more so, even when angry. Staring at him with brilliant eyes, a fiery halo almost seeming to spread around her.
Once more, he considered.
Once more he rejected the idea.
If he was going to be a god, best to sever attachments. The sun could love the stars. But never as an equal.
* * *
Some time later, after he’d seen to Navani, Gavilar slipped away again. To his chambers this time, where he could confront what he’d learned.
“Tell me,” he said, walking across the springy carpet to regard the tabletop map of Roshar. “Why is Thaidakar so interested in Ba-Ado-Mishram?”
The Stormfather formed a rippling beside Gavilar, vaguely in the shape of a person, but indistinct. Like the wavering in the air made by great heat on the stones.
She created your parshmen by accident, he said. Long ago, just before the Recreance, Mishram tried to rise up and replace Odium, giving the Voidbringers powers.
“Curious,” Gavilar said. “And then?”
And then… she fell. She was too small a being to uphold an entire people. It all came crashing down, and so some brave Radiants trapped Mishram in a gemstone to prevent her from destroying all of Roshar. A side effect created the parshmen.
Simple parshmen. They were Voidbringers. A delicious secret he’d pried out of the Stormfather some weeks ago. Gavilar strolled to the bookcase, where one of the new heating fabrials had been delivered to him by the scholar Rushur Kris. He took it from its cloth casing, weighing it.
He had found a way to ferry Voidspren through Shadesmar to this world using gemstones and aluminum boxes. Who would have thought Navani’s pet area of study would be so useful? And if that conniving Axindweth eluded his grasp, he’d have to do the next part without her. He had his scholar, though in truth Gavilar was baffled by the Light he was creating… Light that could somehow kill the Voidbringers? How had Vasher made—
He thought he heard a faint crackling sound from the Stormfather. Lightning? How cute.
“You’ve never challenged what I’m doing,” Gavilar said. “I would have thought that returning the Voidbringers would be opposed to your very nature.”
Opposition is sometimes needed, the Stormfather said. You will need someone to fight, should you become champion.
“Give it to me,” Gavilar said. “Now. Make me a Herald. I need it.”
The Stormfather turned a shimmering head in his direction. That was almost them.
“What, those?” Gavilar said. “A demand?”
So close. And so far.
Gavilar smiled, hefting the fabrial and thinking of the flamespren trapped inside. The Stormfather seemed increasingly suspicious, hostile. If things did go poorly… could he trap the Stormfather himself in one of these?
Soon Amaram arrived with a small collection of people: two men, two women. One man was Amaram’s lieutenant. The other three would be new important Sons of Honor recruits, invited to the feast and given exclusive time with the king after. It was an annoyance, but a worthy one. Gavilar identified the two women from the notes, but not the older man in robes. Who was he? A stormwarden? Amaram liked to keep them around, to teach him their script, which preserved some semblance of Vorin devotion. That was important to him.
Gavilar met each guest in turn, and as he reached the older man, something clicked. This was Taravangian, the king of Kharbranth. Famously a man of little consequence or aptitude. Gavilar glanced at Amaram. Surely they weren’t going to invite him into their confidence—they should find the power who secretly ruled Kharbranth. Likely to be one of two women, per Gavilar’s spy reports.
Amaram nodded. So, Gavilar gave his speech about ancient oaths and Radiants—of glories past and futures bright. It was a good speech, but beginning to grate on him. Once his words had inspired troops; now he spent his entire life in meetings. After finishing, he let everyone get something to drink.
“Meridas,” Gavilar whispered, pulling Amaram aside. “These meetings are growing onerous. My experiment was a success. I have the weapon.”
Amaram started, then spoke softly. “You mean…”
“Yes, once we bring back the Voidbringers, we will have a new way to fight them.”
“Or a new way to control them,” Amaram whispered.
Well, that was new. Gavilar considered his friend, and the ambition those words implied. Good for you, Amaram.
“We must restore the Desolations,” Gavilar said. “Whatever the cost. It’s the only way.”
“I agree,” Amaram said. “Now more than ever.” He hesitated. “My efforts with your daughter did not go well earlier. I thought we had an understanding.”
“You simply need more time, my friend. To win her over.”
Amaram hungered for the throne like Gavilar hungered for immortality. And perhaps Gavilar would reward Amaram with it. Elhokar certainly did not deserve to be king. He was exactly the opposite of the legacy Gavilar wanted.
He sent Amaram to talk to the others. Once they had enjoyed their drinks, Gavilar would give another short speech. Then he could be on to… He frowned, noticing that one of the new recruits wasn’t conversing with the others. The elderly man, Taravangian, was staring at the map of Roshar. The others laughed at something Amaram said. Taravangian didn’t even look toward the sound.
Gavilar strode over, but before he could speak, Taravangian whispered, “Do you ever wonder about the lives we’re giving them? The people we rule?”
Gavilar was unaccustomed to people—let alone strangers—addressing him with such familiarity. But then, this Taravangian saw himself as a king, and perhaps as Gavilar’s equal. Laughable, when Taravangian ruled only one small city.
“I worry less about their lives now,” Gavilar said, “and more about what is to come.”
Taravangian nodded, appearing thoughtful. “That was an inspiring speech. Do you actually believe it?”
“Would I say it if I didn’t?”
“Of course you would; a king will say whatever needs to be said. Wouldn’t it be grand if that were always what he believed?” He looked to Gavilar, smiling. “Do you truly believe the Radiants can return?”
“Yes,” Gavilar said. “I do.”
“And you are not a fool,” Taravangian said, musing. “So you must have good reasons.”
Gavilar found himself revising his earlier opinion. A little king was still a king. Perhaps, among all of the dignitaries in the city tonight, here was one who might… in the smallest way… understand the demands placed on the man pressed between crown and throne.
“A danger is coming,” Gavilar said softly, shocked at his own sincerity. “To this land. This world. An ancient danger.”
Taravangian narrowed his eyes.
“It’s not just a Desolation we must fear,” Gavilar said. “They come. The Everstorm. The Night of Sorrows.”
Taravangian, remarkably, grew pale.
He believed. Gavilar usually felt foolish when he tried to explain the true dangers that the Stormfather had shown him—the contest of champions for the fate of Roshar. He worried people would think him mad. Yet this man… believed him?
“Where,” Taravangian asked, “did you hear those words?”
“I don’t know that you’d believe me if I told you.”
“Will you believe me?” Taravangian asked. “Ten years ago, my mother died of her tumors. Frail, lying on her bed, with too many perfumes struggling to smother the stench of death. She gazed at me in her last moments…” He met Gavilar’s eyes. “And she whispered: ‘I stand before him, above the world itself, and he speaks the truth. The Desolation is near… The Everstorm. The Night of Sorrows.’ Then she was gone.”
“I’ve… heard of this,” Gavilar admitted. “The prophetic words of the dying…”
“Where did you hear those words?” Taravangian asked, practically begging. “Please.”
“I see visions,” Gavilar said, frank. “Given me by the Almighty. So that we may prepare.” He looked toward the map. “Heralds send that I may become the person I need to be to stop what is coming…”
Let the Stormfather see sincerity in Gavilar. Storms… suddenly Gavilar felt it. Standing there with this little king, he felt it. Never before—in all of this—had Gavilar ever suspected he might be inadequate to the task.
Perhaps, he thought, I should encourage Dalinar to resume his training. Remind him that he is a soldier. Gavilar had the distinct impression that before too long, he would need the Blackthorn again.
Someone is approaching your door outside, the Stormfather warned. One of the listeners. Eshonai. There is something about this one…
One of the Parshendi? Gavilar shook himself. He dismissed Taravangian, Amaram, and the others—happy to be rid of that strange old man and his questioning eyes. The fellow was supposed to be unremarkable. Why did he unnerve Gavilar?
Eshonai entered as Amaram passed along his invitation. The conversation with the parshwoman went smoothly, with him manipulating her—and therefore her people. To prepare them for the role they would play.
* * *
After Gavilar grew weary at the feast once the treaty was signed, he retired to his rooms. He sank into a deep plush chair by his balcony, releasing a long sigh. Early in his career as a warlord, he’d never allowed himself the luxury of softness. He had mistakenly assumed that liking something soft would make him soft.
A common failing among men who wished to appear strong. It was not weakness to relax. By being so afraid of it, they gave simple things power over them.
The air shimmered in front of him.
“A full day,” Gavilar said.
Yes.
“The first of many such,” Gavilar continued. “I will be mounting an expedition back to the Shattered Plains soon. We can leverage my new treaty to obtain guides, have them lead us inward to the center. Toward Urithiru.”
The Stormfather did not reply. Gavilar wasn’t certain the spren could be said to have human mannerisms. Today though… that turned-away posture, hinted at in the warping of the air… that silence…
“Do you regret choosing me?” Gavilar asked.
I regret the way I have treated you, the Stormfather said. I should not have been so accommodating. It has made you lazy.
“This is lazy?” Gavilar said, forcing amusement into his voice to hide his annoyance.
You do not reverence the position you seek, the Stormfather said. I feel… you are not the champion I need. Maybe… I’ve been wrong all this time.
“You said that you were charged with this task of finding a champion,” Gavilar said. “By Honor.”
That is true. I do not speak in human ways. But still, if you become a Herald, you will be tortured between Returns. Why is it this doesn’t bother you?
Gavilar shrugged. “I will just give in.”
What?
“Give in,” Gavilar said, heaving himself out of his seat. “Why stay to be tortured and potentially lose my mind? I will give up each time and return immediately.”
The Heralds stay in Damnation to seal the Voidbringers away. To prevent them from overrunning the world. They—
“The Heralds are the ten fools for that,” Gavilar explained, pouring a drink from the carafe near his balcony. “If I cannot die, I will be the greatest king this world has ever known. Why lock away my knowledge and leadership?”
To stop the war.
“Why would I care to stop a war?” Gavilar asked, genuinely amused. “War is the path to glory, to training our soldiers to recover the Tranquiline Halls. My troops should be experienced, don’t you think?” He turned back toward the shimmer, taking a sip of orange wine. “I don’t fear these Voidbringers. Let them stay and fight. If they are reborn, then we will never run out of enemies to kill.”
The Stormfather did not respond. And again Gavilar tried to read into the thing’s posture. Was the Stormfather proud of him? Gavilar considered this an elegant solution; he was puzzled why the Heralds had never thought of it. Perhaps they were cowards.
Ah, Gavilar, the Stormfather said. I see my miscalculation. Your entire religious upbringing… created from the lies of Aharietiam and Honor’s own failings… it pointed you toward this conclusion.
Damnation. The Stormfather wasn’t pleased. It suddenly felt terribly unfair. Here he was drinking this awful excuse for wine to follow the ridiculous Codes—he gave every possible outward show of piety—yet it wasn’t enough?
“What should I do to serve?” Gavilar said.
You don’t understand, the Stormfather said. Those aren’t the Words, Gavilar.
“Then what are the storming Words!” he said, slamming the cup down on the table—shattering it, splashing wine across the wall. “You want me to save this planet? Then help me! Tell me what I’m saying wrong!”
It’s not about what you are saying.
“But—”
Suddenly the Stormfather wavered. Lightning pulsed through his shimmering form, filling Gavilar’s room with an electric glow. Blue frosted the rugs, pure light reflecting in the glass balcony doors.
Then the Stormfather cried out. A sound like a peal of thunder, agonized.
“What?” Gavilar said, backing up. “What happened?”
A Herald… a Herald has died… No. I am not ready… The Oathpact… No! They mustn’t see. They mustn’t know…
“Died?” Gavilar said. “Died. You said they were already dead! You said they were in Damnation!”
The Stormfather rippled, then a face emerged in the shimmering. Two eyes, like holes in a storm, clouds spiraling around them and leading into the depths.
“You lied,” Gavilar said. “You lied?”
Oh, Gavilar. There is so much you do not know. So much you assume. And the two never do meet. Like paths to opposing cities.
Those eyes seemed to pull Gavilar forward, to overwhelm him, to consume him. He… he saw storms, endless storms, and the world was so frail. A tiny speck of blue against an infinite canvas of black.
The Stormfather could lie?
“Restares,” Gavilar whispered. “Is he… actually a Herald?”
Yes.
Gavilar felt cold, as if he were standing in the highstorm, ice seeping in through his skin. Seeking his heart. Those eyes…
“What are you?” Gavilar whispered, hoarse.
The biggest fool of them all, the Stormfather said. Goodbye, Gavilar. I have seen a glimpse of what is coming. I will not prevent it.
“What?” Gavilar demanded. “What is coming?”
Your legacy.
The door slammed open. Sadeas, his face red from exertion. “Assassin,” he said, waving Tearim—in Plate—to tromp in. “Coming this way, killing guards. We need you to put on your armor. Tearim, get it off. We must protect the king.”
Gavilar looked at him, stunned.
Then one word cut through.
Assassin.
I’ve been betrayed, he thought, and found that he was not surprised. One of them had been bound to come for him.
But which one?
“Gavilar!” Sadeas shouted. “We need you in armor! Assassin on the way.”
“Tearim can fight him, Torol,” Gavilar said. “What is one assassin?”
“This one has killed dozens already,” Sadeas said. “I think we should have you in Plate just in case. You could wear mine, but my armorers are still bringing it.”
“You brought your armor to the feast?”
“Of course I did,” Sadeas said. “I don’t trust those Parshendi. You’d do well to emulate me. Trusting too much could get you killed someday.”
Screams sounded in the distance. Tearim, loyal as always, began removing the Plate for Gavilar to don.
“Too slow,” Sadeas said. “We need to buy time. Give me your robe.”
Gavilar hesitated, then met his friend’s eyes. “You’d do that?”
“I worked too hard to put you on that throne, Gavilar,” Sadeas said, grim. “I’m not going to let that go to waste.”
“Thank you,” Gavilar said.
Sadeas shrugged, pulling on the robe as Tearim helped Gavilar suit up. Whoever this assassin was, he’d find himself outmatched by a Shardbearer.
Gavilar glanced toward where the Stormfather had been—but the shimmer was gone.
Spren couldn’t lie. They couldn’t. He’d learned that… from the Stormfather.
Blood of my fathers, Gavilar thought as the Plate locked onto his legs. What else did it lie to me about?
* * *
Gavilar fell.
And he knew, as he fell, that this was it. His ending.
A legacy interrupted. An assassin who moved with an otherworldly grace, stepping on wall and ceiling, commanding Light that bled from the very storms.
Gavilar hit the ground—surrounded by the wreckage of his balcony—and he saw white in a flash. His body didn’t hurt. That was an extremely bad sign.
Thaidakar, he thought as a figure rose before him, shadowed in the night air. Only Thaidakar could send an assassin who could do such things.
Gavilar coughed as the figure loomed over him. “I… expected you… to come.”
The assassin knelt before him, though Gavilar couldn’t see anything more than shadows. Then… the assassin—doing something Gavilar couldn’t make out—again glowed like a sphere.
“You can tell… Thaidakar,” Gavilar whispered, “that he’s too late…”
“I don’t know who that is,” the assassin said, the words barely intelligible. The man held his hand to the side. Summoning a Blade.
This was it. Behind the assassin a halo, a corona of shimmering light. The Stormfather.
I did not cause this, the Stormfather said in his head. I do not know whether that brings you peace in your last moments, Gavilar.
But…
“Then who…?” Gavilar forced out. “Restares? Sadeas? I never thought…”
“My masters are the Parshendi,” the assassin said.
Gavilar blinked, focusing on the man once more as his Blade formed. Storms… that was Jezrien’s Honorblade, wasn’t it? What was happening?
“The Parshendi? That makes no sense.”
This is my failure as much as yours, the Stormfather said. If I try again, I will do it differently. I thought… your family…
His family. In that moment, Gavilar saw his legacy crumbling. He was dying.
Storms. He was dying. What did anything matter? He couldn’t. He couldn’t…
He was supposed to be eternal…
I’ve invited the enemy back, he realized. The end is coming. And my family, my kingdom, will be destroyed, without a way to fight. Unless…
Hand quivering, he pulled a sphere out of his pocket. The weapon. They needed this. His son… No, his son could not handle such power… They needed a warrior. A true warrior. One that Gavilar had been doing his best to suppress, out of a fear he barely dared acknowledge, even as he drew his last ragged breaths.
Dalinar. Storms help them, it came down to Dalinar.
He held the sphere out toward the Stormfather, his vision fuzzing. Thinking… was… difficult.
“You must take this,” Gavilar whispered to the Stormfather. “They must not get it. Tell… tell my brother… he must find the most important words a man can say…”
No, the Stormfather said, though a hand took the sphere. Not him. I’m sorry, Gavilar. I made that mistake once. I will never trust your family again.
Gavilar gave a whine of pain, not from his body but from his soul. He had failed. He had brought them all to ruin. That, he realized with horror, would be his legacy.
In the end, Gavilar Kholin, heir to the Heralds, died. As all men, ultimately, must.
Alone.
Excerpted from Wind and Truth, copyright © 2024 Dragonsteel Entertainment.
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I think Vasher connection was not made known in the previous version of prologue. But yeah, it makes sense that Vasher got involved with Gavilar.
The Vasher we see in the series seems to have just given up on being involved, perhaps thats not as true as we previously thought or perhaps Vasher thought Gavilars assassination and everything that followed is in someway his own fault and decided to keep distance .
Yup, that wasn’t in it, or him recognizing Jezriens blade. Pretty big reveal haha, nightblood and anti void light, wow.. yeah he wasn’t around during the occupation but I’m hoping he comes back and helps Navani with her new discovery, his convo with Kaladin about realmatics and CS’s was awesome.
Still seems really clear this is a stormfaker, maybe Ishar or the Tanavast CS, too many inconsistencies with the stormfather we know, and “the biggest fool of them all” right after talking about heralds..the original prologue discussion on 17th went into it in depth.
Chana was definitely the herald killed since Shallan killed mum the same exact month haha, now we know the same day, that’s basically confirmed with the mention of her.
I’m thinking we didn’t get his meeting with Jasnah since it would reveal too much before her book about her past
Noticed a typo: You do not reverence the position you seek, the Stormfather said. I feel… you are not the champion I need. Maybe… I’ve been wrong all this time.
This is not a typo. “Reverence” can be a verb, too. It’s just more commonly used as a noun.
The verb form is revere.
“Reverence” can definitely be used as a verb according to Merriam-Webster; one of the examples cited reads:
The four core Franciscan values are: showing compassion, making peace, creating a caring community, and reverencing all of creation.
—Journal Sentinel, 10 Apr. 2023
You can read the full entry here, if you’re interested!: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reverence#:~:text=reverenced%3B%20reverencing,regard%20or%20treat%20with%20reverence
Thanks. I wasn’t familiar with that usage.
@1, yeah, the line about the off-worlder is the one change from the previous version that goes beyond edits. Didn’t connect the dots to think it refers to Vasher – it would make sense, though.
Also, possibly hot take – but I don’t really think that’s the Stormfather Gavilar is talking to…
It mentioned Vasher by name explicitly haha, they aren’t just theorizing. But yeah that wasn’t in it before
The “Stormfaker” theory seems to be gaining a lot of traction lately. The repeated emphasis that the Stormfather can lie does make it feel like it’s something we are meant to pay attention to, however I’m personally not sure what the point would be for the misdirection as this chapter gives a lot more perspective/context as to why the Stormfather had been so reluctant to go along with Dalinar at every step.
Stormfaker was the main takeaway two years ago when this was first released, if you look at the 17rh shard discussion about it they break down all the evidence of it being Ishar or just not SF.
Chana being the dead herald since Shallan killed her mom that month
To me it’s more the “voice” of the Stormfather. Not only its not in upper case all the way through, it seems wrong for all we seen from him so far. I’m betting that’s actually Ishar pretending to be the Stormfather.
Well he also removed the mention of Chana’s red hair, not sure what that means for the Chana Davar theory.
We know she is redheaded, though. It’s in her official illustration.
I think it means he wants it to be less obvious, and he wants to improve characterization. He’s not going to change something major like that in revision – you see that in the prologue, between edits most of the facts of what happened stayed the same – but he changed emphasis. I think he realized that the comment on red hair was too out of place – Gavilar would never pay that much attention to Chana’s hair, so not having it has stronger characterization for him. And since it’s so out of place, it’s a big flag for “hey here’s a hint”, which isn’t needed.
Vocalnerd. I agree with you. The tone and characteristic of the Stormfather’s voice when he talks to Gavilar sounds different than he is in Books 1-4 (when he talks to Dalinar and others (Syl, Kaladin, Eshonai, etc.). In the Prologue it sounds closer to Odium’s voice. The Stormfather talks about things with Gavilar that he refuses to discuss when Dalinar asks him (primarily, anything to do with the Day of Recreance.
Further. Stormfather blames the Herald’s breaking of the Oathpact on the death of Honor. Stormfather says that had they not abandoned the Oathpact, he would not have to choose a new champion. Yet in Books 1-4, the Stormfather does not ever tell Dalinar that he is showing Dalinar these visions to choose a new champion.
My theory is that Gavilar has been talking to Odium. Odium has been pretending to be the Stormfather. The other option is that Cultivation is pretending to be the Stormfather.
I think It is indeed the Stormfather, we later in the prologue seemed him concerned about the way that he approached Gavilar. My theory is that the Stormfather forced the bond between them like the spren can bond humans one way sided even before they swear the first ideal, like happened to Kaladin or Rlain. And like we see now with Dalinar, the bond made the Stormfather change and adopt Gavilar’s mannerisms and humanity, leading him to be able to tell a lie.
While I like what I came up with, I still can not explain how the Stormfather felt an Herald dying if it was actually him.
The main red flags are, they don’t have a bond but he’s seeing the visions without a highstorm, he’s manifesting in a visible form which we only ever saw him do in visions (besides the highstorm face)
He’s able to see things inside the castle, when he can’t see indoors, he is sympathetic to the heralds (which true, could be part of the con) which he never was until bonding Dalinar, he says the heralds were fools and he’s the biggest fool of them all (heavily implying Ishar) he senses Chanas death, and can foresee Szeth appearing to kill him, when stormfather doesn’t have Fortune or future sight.
There’s like ten other things. Some you can brush off with he’s trying a different method with Dalinar, but it’s too many. He doesn’t quite seem malevolent
I like the idea it’s Honors CS
But it definitely could be both SF and the other entity just hacking into the VR call, sticking up for Dalinar is really cool for the real SF.
With the newer chapter it would be cool if it was the Wind but it was mute until tOdium. Since he’s establishing that nightwatcher/stormfather/Wind are proto -shard spren from Adonalsium could be tied to that plot somehow, but being Ishar just makes the most sense since he’s a main plot point of the book, and his experiments with spren line up to these experiments with investiture using Kelek and Kelsier. He went off to be God King of Tukar right after this too, we just don’t know when he recovers his bondsmith honorblade.
But yeah, removed the red hair line but still calls attention to her honorblade and the fact Shallan killed her mom the same month is just wayyyy too close to not be the case. Plus “the world ended and Shallan was to blame”, the opening of WoR haha. And WoB said she’d appeared on screen in the first two books. It explains a lot about the davar household, and we know Taln never broke.
I”m thinking it’s Odium. Stormfather was rather pissed that Dalinar did try to bond with him at first, and the talk of a champion is specfically something Odium would do. There is also the hints that Stormfather does not lie,. We can chalk up the “I should have approach you differently” as Odium thinking he can do the more grandfatherly “honest Odium” trick he tries with Dalinar. As for him feeling the bond falling apart, he does say it’s too soon, that he wasn’t ready, which is much more different than the visions and “The everstorm comes” warnings. Stormfather also never shows up as a shimmering afterimage, but always a booming voice.
Need for a champion is presented in in one of Honor’s visions as possibly the ony chance to stop Odium. The Stormfather appears as vague impression of a figure in chapter 107 of RoW, when Dalinar is being flown to Ishar. He also speaks in italics a bit in the same chapter.
Theres also the possibility of Ishar, though i don’t know how he would communicate with gavilar that way, but many of the power of a bondsmith are unknown, let alone the power of a bondsmith unchained. Ishar also claimed he was going to be a champion to save the world. Ishar would also directly feel one of the heralds die, I don’t think odium would because the heralds are of Honor and not odium. It’s interesting speculation. I think im going to enjoy this weekly chapter format.
Ishar couldn’t feel normal deaths of other Heralds even when he had his Honorblade, as per prelude to WoK.
Also, consider that all of the Heralds feel one another through Connection within the Oathpact. In contrast, Kaladin was assaulted with nightmares in RoW by Odium through Moash’s Connection to Kaladin, not directly Odium to Kaladin. Odium informs Moash that he can only invade Kaladin’s dreams if he has a Connection to him. Hence Moash. However, each Herald has a direct Connection with every other Herald within the Oathpact because each Herald is Connected to each other. Each Herald has ten Connections with the Oathpact, not one to one to one, etc.
Here’s something else to consider. In OB, Dalinar resisted giving up to Odium all his pain. To me, he also refused a Connection to Odium. Since Odium can only invade dreams, bring someone into a vision, etc. if he has a Connection (I think?), then Odium invading Dalinar’s visions from the Stormfather/Honor has to be through Odium’s Connection to Honor because both are/were Shards.
Yeah, the dialogue between Gavilar and the “Stormfather” in this Prologue seems a bit…. off. Although some of the voicing of the Stormfather speaks to others is sometimes in capitals, as with Kaladin while within the storm itself, most of it is in italics when he converses, usually mentally, say, with Dalinar. Similarly, as with Navani and the Sibling. We can’t make a conclusion that the dialogues with Gavilar are definitively either Ishar or Odium, instead of the Stormfather, however, the phrasing and terms used are…again off. They don’t really sound like a spren of the Storm…more like a human.
So, my money is on Odium, rather than Ishar. It seems to me that Odium could have formed a Connection with Gavilar because Gavilar shows off the Voidlight spheres that were in that pouch he threw onto the table in Navani’s library. IF Odium had formed a Connection, all kinds of shenanigans could have happened. We do know Odium likes to consider ALL possibilities and create contingencies for them… he is after all, a Shard.
I agree. The stormfather is oout of character entirely, and I don’t see how people can say this sounds like him.Eveyr character has a specfic voice to them, and from what we have seen of Stormfather, that voice is a loud stubborn commanding voice that always says he is part of the storm and that humans cannot control him. Whatever he says is final, even when it turns out to be a lie. This fakefather is too sly, making Galivar assume what he is saying is the truth, even when he says things like ” you assume i’m going to make you a hearld, this is not the boon i promise sounds like him but it isn’t. Stormfather doesn’t promise boons, Odium and culivation do. There is also the slight disrespect he says about Honor., I”m guessing what happened that Stormfather DID send the visons to Galivar first, but never spoke to him. Odium or Ishar noticed, and started to talk to him, either through bondpowers or through Sja-anat. When the Fakefather shows his face through the shimmering heat and there was a focus on the white void eyes. The only character we have seen that has that description is Sja-anat. In fact, this might have convinced her to go to Shallan to be HER “champion” if it is her.
I’m thinking maybe dear ol’ Tanavast might not be as gone as Honor is. And the Stormfather might have inherited a bit more than just some power when Honor was splintered .
I think it’s sometimes the Stormfather and sometimes Ishar pretending to be the Stormfather. As in, Ishar wants someone to replace him as a herald so he’s goading Gavilar in that direction. Meanwhile, the Stormfather is fulfilling his duty to Honor and looking for a Bondsmith.
It’s been a while since I listened to the reading of the prologue but part of me feels like the Stormfather (or Stormfaker) didn’t use the term “champion” so often in relation to Gavilar.
Also….Vasher???
I thought he outright said he wanted to make Gavilar a herald. Here he calls him a champion and says he doesn’t promise gavilar will become a herald.
Vasher?! Vasher discovered anti void light? Guess the guy can’t help but keep making world ending weapons.
I guess thats why Brandon had him dip from Urithiru. He could have just told Navani to hold his beer and fix the Sibling.
To be fair he made night blood a very long time ago… He has known how to make God killing weapons for a long time. As one of the 5 scholars I’m not shocked at all, this makes way more sense and is a fun tidbit!
He didn’t make Nightblood. His wife Shashara did.
I really appreciate all the other cosmere works brought to the conversation. It is all so much for me to keep track of, especially things like Words if Brandon. Way out of my league. I am excited that this format will allow me to enter at a deeper level than I could do on my own.
My question is: If it is not the Stormfather, what level of character would be able to actually get Gavilar to bond? Is that what is happening? It seems to be the setup that leads to Dalinar’s oaths. Are there other reasons to be having the conversation about speaking the words?
I like that characters and their roles are already being made clearer in the 1st chapter. I have been so looking forward to this.
This version seems much more likely to be the actual storm father imo
My biggest clue to it being Odium is this: “Give it to me,” Gavilar said. “Now. Make me a Herald. I need it.”
The Stormfather turned a shimmering head in his direction. That was almost them.
The “Stormfather” (if it is Odium) could be referring to Gavilar giving him Gavilar’s pain like Moash does later on. I’m probably wrong but its a fun theory.
I was just thinking about that in the dialogue. I mentioned above in another reply that Odium said he could only invade Kaladin’s dreams if he had a Connection to him….so he proceeded to do that through Moash, instead of directly to Kaladin. Also, when Navani was eavesdropping on Gavilar, Restares, and Nale, she noticed the Voidlight spheres dropped from the pouch on the table. And, the anti-Voidlight one. How did Gavilar get Voidlight in spheres? He was on Braise or in the Everstorm in Shadesmar. With either one, Odium could have made a Connection with Gavilar then. With a Connection…. visions, invading dreams, conversing mentally…. the whole nine yards. Something else to consider or ask. If the dialogue with the “Stormfather” occurs because of Connection, then when did Gavilar form a Connection with Ishar? I don’t seem to remember in any dialogues or any of the books describing this with Gavilar and Ishar, under any alias either.
I’m just here to give Kudos to the awesome dedication to Adam – he seems like a really good guy! Deserved.
Now to take a deep breaths and wait another 7 days….
The Stormfather’s font change: what did it mean? The bold text was firmer, darker. The italicized font was the same as Gavilar’s thoughts. Curious.
I imagined that based on the text changes with the Stormfather in the previous books that the change in text style meant that the Stormfather was no longer bound to Gavilar as he was before. When he realized Gavilar was the wrong man, the bond started to break.
The second larger font type is how The Stormfather talks to Dalinar in the previous books
I’m still of the opinion that it’s the left over Honor/Tanavast persona that the Stormfather took up after the splintering that’s taking center stage when that happens. Is Tanavast less dead than everyone thinks or is it more like pieces still linger, such as the convulsion that makes the Stormfather share the visions? I’m not sure yet.
Yes, I noticed that as well.
Was not sure if it was a formatting issue or an actual specific change in font for contextual / notation of a change.
Could it be possible there were 2 distinct entities – a Stormfather and a Fake!Stormfather – conversing with Galiver at the same time? One in his head, one the actual Stormfather? Is this a decent into madness or the work of someone trying to isolate and push Galivar into a different direction?
I wonder…
I wonder if the death of a herald triggered a change in the Stormfather. He said he wasn’t ready. The all-caps text is the way the stormfather talks to Dalinar. Maybe he changed from the more personable spren to the current version and we are seeing the moment of that change.
Noticed a typo:
The short, balding man sniffed at each of the wines. He had never trusted a drink in Gavilar’s presence, but always tested them anyway. As if he wanted to find poison, to prove his paranoia was justified.
seem like the line should be never taken, otherwise the “but always tested them anyway” doesn’t make sense.
I think the sentence would make sense if the word used was ‘tasted’ instead of ‘tested’
to me the “testing” refers to him smelling the wines, to smell poison?
He drank the wine anyway to “test” for poison.
Was Kelsier using a seon? or was he Radiant? how did he appear and disappear? I’m a Cosmere casual!
When was Kelsier mentioned? Is kelsier Thaidakar?
Yes, if the Lord of Scares didn’t give it away. If you read Secret History, he is stuck in the cognitive realm and does steal the Elantrian’s investiture. It seems he is using a combination of hemalurgy and Dor to project himself in the physical realm
Seon
He was using a Seon, similar to what he did in The Lost Metal
I like how originally through the eyes of others, we see Gavilar as someone who is noble; almost Jezrien reincarnated. Yet when we get to see Gavilar up close (beginning in Navani’s viewpoint of the prologue and then hear Gavilar’s own thoughts in his viewpoint of the prologue), we realize that Gavilar is what Sadeas only hopes he can be (to steal Wit’s comparison of Amaram and Sadeas) .
I wonder what present day Dalinar would think if he knew how Gavilar thought truly viewed Dalinar. I suspect it would not change how Dalinar views Gavilar. I suspect Dalinar would be more upset that Gavilar held a low opinion of Navani. Dalinar would think the pre Cultivation trimmed Dalinar deserved to be held in such low esteem.
Interesting that Gavilar knows Vasher/Zahel. At this time, he was using his Zahel identity. He would have already have trained Adolin. I am guessing that Gavilar somehow found out that Vasher was not from Roshar and he tired to blackmail Vasher into working for him. I have not read Warbreaker. But from what I have seen of Vasjer/Zahel in SA, Vasher does not seem to be the type to agree to be blackmailed. He would just move to somewhere else.
yeah, makes me wonder why Vasher helped – he doesn’t pressure worth a damn. So…if he was responsible for some of Gavilar’s issues hw has very little remorse showing in the small POVs he has been allowed so far in SA
Theory: he was searching for a way to destroy Nightblood
Seems fully Stormfather to me, and he’s taken a different approach with Dalinar. Unless there’s a whole lot of retconning here, which seems unlikely given Brando’s penchant for outlining.
The Stormfather can’t take a different approach, though. The Stormfather does not possess that sort of human guile or cunning or strategy, the Stormfather is. He remains consistent to a fault, like a platonic form of identity that a human can’t ever fully embody or understand. We see he changes only in response to colossal amounts of time and unprecedented influence–like a weather pattern itself. That’s his whole deal. The Stormfather will only ever appear to people as himself, and this is not the Stormfather we’ve seen. Barring some sort of unprecedented influence between this and the Stormfather we know, it can’t be him. If it was, and he simply chose a different approach, it would thematically destroy everything he represents.
On first blush I feel this is Odium, but I don’t have any stake in who it actually is, except that it can’t be the Stormfather–not without some profound twist.
Now I’ve read the prologue again I can see how this experience in itself could constitute ‘unprecedented influence’, and the text seems to be telling us this is what caused the change in behaviour between this Stormfather and the one we know. I’m still on the fence, but I can see it.
The thing is, he wasn’t actaully bonded with Galivar yet, so I don’t see how this would constitue a change. he comes off too sly and he does things that Stormfather as we know him wouldn’t do, like imply that Honor had failings, or able to see into the future to see Galivar’s death. THose things are very out of character for him, no matter a change.
Absolutely
So interested in this supposed stormfather. I have a feeling its ishar or even odium. Really curious if it is the stormfather – how did he change so drastically from this form to his appearances in the past 4 books? Brandon keeping us on our toes!
Who is the Herald that the Stormfather felt die? Taln was already “dead” at this point and Jezrien was the first to truly die when Moash killed him
I believe it was Shallan killing her mother.
How about this:
Shallan killed her mother who was one of the heralds Chanarach.
Chanarach upon appearing on Braize decided to give up immediately and return to Roshar to her beloved daughter, willing to ease her pain after accidentally killing her. (It would also coincide with Gavilar’s words about giving up). After returning, Chanarach saw that her daughter blocked her memories and decided to stay hidden no to cause another shock in her.
While briefly on Braize, she contacted Taln and made him aware the surges are back and that her daughter Shallan bonded a spren.
Taln decided to return thinking that the Recreance wasn’t apparently an ultimate solution to the risk of repeating Ashyn’s fate (that former radiants wished to prevent together with their spren by breking their bonds).
I know this sounds like a bunch of brave theories…but what if ;) !?
“Shallan killed her mother who was one of the heralds Chanarach. Chanarach upon appearing on Braize decided to give up immediately and return to Roshar”
Interesting theory, but it has some problems. I doubt this is the first time in the last 4,000 years that one of the 9 Heralds has been killed. When Moash threatened to kill Jezrean, Jezrean was completely unconcerned. Basically just let himself be stabbed. And for giving up on Braize: the oathpact is pinned on Taln, so Chanarach giving up and leaving Braize (assuming she even went there in the first place) wouldn’t trigger a desolation.
Let me propose an alternate theory with a little more context:
Shallan’s family is consorting with the Ghostbloods.
The Ghostbloods and the Heralds are interested in finding ways to take souls bound to a world and transport them off-world. They have technology where they can stab someone with a knife and draw their soul into a gemstone.
There’s a strange man in young Shallan’s house with a knife, trying to stab Shallan.
Theory: Shallan’s mom, Chanarach, and the Ghostbloods have turned Shallan into a Radient so they can test the knife on her.
When Shallan’s dad grapples with the man who’s trying to stab Shallan, Chanarach takes the knife and tries to stab Shallan herself.
Shallan surprises Chanarach by manifesting her shard blade and killing her. Chanarach dies while holding the soul-sucking knife, and her soul gets sucked into the gemstone.
Shallan’s father takes the gemstone knife and puts it in his safe. This makes way more sense than her father taking the shard blade and putting it in the safe. (Why would the shard blade stay manifested anyway, and how would a shard blade fit in a normal sized safe?) This would also explain why Shallan became so convinced that her mother’s soul was inside the safe.
Continuing with the “stormfaker” theory, I would suspect that Ishar somehow found some way of pinning Chanarach’s soul on Shallan, making her a substitute Herald. That might explain some of her extra powers, and why Wit was so surprised to see her that one day when she was a girl. (She wasn’t radiant at that time AFAIK, and Wit would have definitely been surprised to see something like a Herald walking around in the body of a girl.)
Anyway, I’m probably wrong on most of this, but that’s where my brain went.
Taln? Not sure how long is the gap from dying on Braize and showing up on Roshar.
If you believe the theory that Chanarach is Shallan’s mother, the timeline works quite well for this prologue occuring around the same time when Shallan kills her mom with Testament.
Could also be Vedel if that theory is false, I think the rest of them are accounted for
Can I download this somehow? I hate reading on my pc. :(
Read it on your phone o.O
I did kind of wish we got Gavilar’s conversations with Navani and Eshonai and his fight with Szeth again but from his perspective. But that would make this way too long.
I don’t think this Stormfather, whether real or imposter, lied to Gavilar. I think it’s much more likely that he said something vague that Gavilar interpreted one way and then ran with without ever checking to see if it was true. The Stormfather straight up tells Gavilar that he’s wrong about most of the things he thinks.
I am so ready for this.
Looking forward to every Monday now.
After reading this, I realised why I loved the Series so much.
After reading this, I also realise the Gavilar is annoying as h.
Beautifully written, as always. This maybe my favourite prologue amongst the five. Especially when Gavilar dies “alone” after being such a prick.
Many mysteries seem to be revealed and yet, I didn’t grasp many due to not being in touch for long
Expecting to get in touch with those soon.
Good start, though I feel like the parts where the other prologues are summed up are somewhat awkward. Obviously, we don’t need to see these events again, but it just kind of makes it a little clunky.
I am glad we did finalllly get the context of Galivar’s final words to Dalinar
Right? And to know that he was actually talking to the Stormfather and not to Szeth.
Oh and you though Sadeas was annoying? Gavilar is on another level.
Gavilar was simply unconscionable. Truly vile.
It’s funny that galivar is surprised that sadeas actually meant to sacrifice himself to protect gavilar
I found that amusing, as well. Like, I didn’t know you had it in you, old boy! Especially after knowing he left Dalinar and Adolin and all their troops to die.
Sorry for posting a new comment rather than editing one of my prior comments. Unfortunately, I cannot figure out how to edit one’s comment in the new format.
I am part of team Fake Stornfather. I had thought it was Odium with a looney theory that it was Cultivation. After reading others’ comments to the Prologue, I agree with those who think it is Ishar. It sounds a little more like Ishar than Odium. And the line about knowing that one of the Heralds has died, makes me believe it is Ishar.
I don’t know… Ishar is so far gone I kind of doubt he’d be lucid enough to carry on a conversation without ranting.
When Gavilar keeps guessing the Words and the one time Stormfather says he was close I don’t get that. Can someone explain it to me please?
My theory is when Gavilar said “Give it to me” he was close to the words to give Odium his pain. (I dont think this is the Stormfather, I think its Odium in disguise)
I read the difference in the Stormfather’s characterization as something of the nature of spren. They’re not quite sapient in the physical world until they form a bond, and I think what they then become is shaped by their knight. The bond is frequently described as the spren “filling the cracks in a human’s soul”, why wouldn’t the shape of those cracks affect them? In essence they become what the person needs. I suspect Syl was not necessarily such a ball of sunshine when playing off a knight who didn’t need that in their life as much as Kaladin.
So Gavilar gets a fellow schemer to match wits with, someone who can play the yes man long enough to point him in the right direction–but realizes here that he himself is as much anathema to his own baser nature as Gavilar is. And Dalinar gets another brute he can butt heads against.
If Gavilar had met Dalinar’s Stormfather, neither of them would have gotten anywhere with each other, and Dalinar and Gavilar’s Stormfather would have despised one another. The spren has to become something to form a bond at all, and maybe what that something is is individual to the radiant.
The problem with that theory is that the Stormfather was more of the stubborn brute before he bonded with Dalinar, we see that with Kaladin and Eshonai.
I don’t know of im on board with that actually being the storm father communicating with Gavilar.
Theres also the possibility of it being the herald Ishar, though i don’t know how he would communicate with gavilar that way, but many of the powers/capabilities of a bondsmith are unknown, let alone the power of a bondsmith unchained. Ishar also claimed he was going to be a champion to save the world. Ishar would also directly feel one of the heralds die, I don’t think odium would because the heralds are of Honor and not odium. It’s interesting speculation. I think im going to enjoy this weekly chapter format.
I don’t think that’s Stomfather but Honor himself. That’s why he vowed not to use kohlin family and storm father later changed. I think the real storm father is still non sentient at the time.
I like how it was Gavilar’s own actions (making sure Dalinar was drunk) that led him to not have his brother’s help at the end. It both kept him alone and kept Dalinar alive.
Assuming that it is the real Stormfather, why would he say he wouldn’t try again with another member of Gavilar’s family and then end up with Dalinar anyway? I hadn’t heard of the Fakefather theory until reading these comments, but this interaction is another piece of possible proof, I think.
Some belated thoughts:
I have been torn between Tanavast’s Cognitive Shadow and Ishar as candidates for the Stormfaker since the draft reading a couple of years back, and now in this final version, I am convinced that it is the former. It never sat well with me that unlike all the other examples, a series of pre-recorded messages was supposed to constitute a CS. It makes much more sense IMHO, if there was a hidden personality within the Stormfather that occasionally took over. I also think that Tanavast was maskerading as Nahadon in the changed vision and sent Dalinar the dreams/visions that the SF was unaware of. Though, admittedly, this could also have been Cultivation.
Oh, and we have known since WoK prelude that Ishar can’t feel a normal death of a Herald, since he was unsure of Kalak’s survival after Aharietam. The Oathpact, however, was between the Heralds and Honor and Honor directly fuelled them, so there was a Connection that should have let him feel their deaths. I guess that Tanavast’s CS still has it.
This being out of the way and apart from Vasher!!! that has been mentioned enough already, there are a few very intriguing tidbits:
Kholin family was, for some reason, particularly attractive to SF/Tanavast’s CS, there is something special about them. Which may address the frequent complaint about so many of them becoming Radiants, which I somewhat share.
It is very odd that Gavilar doesn’t consider Jasnah as anything other than Amaram’s path to the throne. I mean, he inwardly aknowledges Navani’s worth and thinks about involving her. But about his genius daughter and how she might be a valuable resource to exploit? Nothing.
I was also surprised by the complete absence of Aesudan. In OB and RoW prologue it looked like she was working with Gavilar fairly closely and was aware of things which he seems to be keeping secret here. Though her impression that he was searching for an ancient spren appears to be false? Apparently, he wasn’t on the looking for BAM train.
Is there something ominous that a Herald would learn by dying and going to Braize? Or would they even be drawn there, with the Oathpact as it is? Is it just the Everstorm, or is there something more?
But seriously, what’s the deal with Vasher working for Gavilar, but then not giving anti-Voidlight to Our Protagonists once the Desolation actually started? I guess that he might have needed to figure out how to change stormlight into something that he could consume, rather than getting this ability via a deal with the Nightwatcher/Cultivation as thought previously? So, he would have needed resources for his research and approached the king? Hm… not sure about this.
As an aside, I wish that the comment window on this site had been bigger. It is hard to edit longer posts.
Hm, I am not seeing an option to edit my prior message, so I’ll just add this:
P.S. but potentially very impactful – bad things were happening with BAM _before_ her imprisonment! This is huge. So apparently it wasn’t _just_ about de-fanging the parsh. She was already crashing, with potentially dire consequences. And Kalak thinks that the Heralds(?) if that’s who “we” applies to, betrayed her somehow?
I nearly choked on my own spit when I read “Vasher”. Holy smokes WTF. I thought the “scientist” was going to turn out to be Ishar or some crackpot. You know, Gavilar is nearly always wrong about everything. It will be VERY intriguing to find out what Vasher contributed to this whole mess.
If Shallan’s mom is a herald, and Shallan killed her, would she just go to Braize? Doesn’t that mean she can come back like Taln did?
95% the same as when it was released two years ago..with two big additions, he recognizes Jezriens blade, and holy crap VASHER discovered the anti void light. Holy crap, being one of the scholars again, it’s nightblade all over again hahah.
Still seems blatantly to be Stormfaker, most likely Ishar, way too many red flags that this isn’t our stormfather or at least someone is hacking in to the call. Chana is absolutely the herald that died when Shallan killed her, since Taln never broke it had to be her + the everstorm. We always thought he knew all the secrets but I love how clueless he really was. Also Kelsier as a Seon in a trenchcoat will never not be awesome
Okay, I’m finally reactivating account again, since I need something new to read, so here I am.
Man the comments font is so rough to read, ugh.
I’m still always so impressed by what people remember (and what I don’t), haha. I thought the Stormfather seemed off here but it didn”t occur to me to think it was a fake, and Gavilar is definitely in way over his head.
What I would like to know is at what point did he start getting interested in all of this and why – before his conquest of Alethkar? What clued him in that any of this stuff was even a possibility. When did Vasher/Thadaikar even make contact and why? I wonder if they sought HIM out instead for their own purposes. I haven’t read any other chapters so that’s just my rambling. :)