The Heralds
A company of ten ancient figures bound by oath to fight on behalf of mankind during each Desolation, returning anew each time they die. SA:WoK:Prelude
Known facts
- wielded-surges-before-becoming-heraldsTwo generations before the founding of the Oathpact, several of the future Heralds already wielded the Surges in something like the unchecked Ashyn-era form: Ishi alone holds the portal between worlds open with pure will, and Jezrien answers Dalinar's attempted Connection trick with a streaming Light of his own. The pattern matches what Dalinar and Navani had only inferred from Dawnchant fragments: before the bonds and oaths of later orders, humans could touch these powers raw, and it cost them their world.SA:WaT:Ch 46
- arrived-on-roshar-by-elsecallingNale explains that the Heralds crossed to Roshar from elsewhere by *following the sacred tones* of the world — reaching out via Elsecalling, an art Ishar had mastered and which Nale himself once practiced. He frames the Wind's voice now to Kaladin as nothing more than echoes of a long-dead god.SA:WaT:Ch 71
- how-a-new-herald-is-forgedSzeth's highspren explains the Heralds' working theory of how the Oathpact — slowly unravelling since Jezrien's death — might be patched. A piece of Honor would have to be taken and forged into a new Blade, and a candidate would speak *the most important Words a person can say* and join the Heralds. Ishar has foreseen that without such a replacement *millions will suffer.*SA:WaT:Ch 95
- heralds-plan-involves-soul-collecting-worldIshar's plan for the new bond Tanavast is offering involves the distant world that can collect souls — the mechanism by which the Heralds return after death. Tanavast accepts; the Heralds swear to obey his rules in exchange for restored access to their Surges.SA:WaT:Ch 115
- heralds-quietly-drew-on-rosharan-power-beyond-honors-surgesBy the midpoint of the long war, Tanavast privately notices that the Heralds are increasingly able to draw on the powers of Roshar itself, not only on his Surges. He does not understand how or why, and refuses to admit it openly for fear of seeming weak — an oversight he will later have to pay for.SA:WaT:Ch 120
- heralds-broke-under-honors-powerOn the battlefield where Taln had died but the other nine survived, Tanavast looks around at his Heralds and finally sees what immortality plus too much of his power has done to them: Chana falling apart, Nale rigid, Jezrien self-loathing, Vedel indifferent, Battar cruel. Ishar hides it best — beneath a sharpening need to control — and is the one who proposes the plan to stop going back at all.SA:WaT:Ch 122
- more-resilient-than-mortals-vedel-kalak-chana-weakeningThe Heralds do not die of age or accident the way mortals do; rebuilt from the essence of Honor each Return, they have endured millennia between Desolations. By the present day, however, several — Kalak, Chana, Vedel — were growing weaker, less able to reach their natures and blessings; it was that fragility, Nin tells Kaladin and Szeth, that drove Ishar to look for a permanent solution.SA:WaT:Ch 128
Relations
- member-ofKalak SA:WoK:Prelude
- member-ofJezrien SA:WoK:Prelude
- member-ofTalenel SA:WoK:Prelude
- member-ofIshar SA:WoK:Prelude
Backreferences
- factYaezir
- factKadasixes
- summarySA:ED:Ch 9
- summarySA:ED:Ch 10
- summarySA:ED:Ch 19
- factLift
- factWyndle
- factThird Ideal of the Edgedancers
- summarySA:OB:Prologue
- summarySA:OB:Ch 1
- summarySA:OB:Ch 2
- summarySA:OB:Ch 16
- factThe One
- summarySA:OB:Ch 29
- summarySA:OB:Ch 41
- factAharietiam
- summarySA:OB:Ch 42
- factNalan'Elin
- summarySA:OB:Ch 43
- summarySA:OB:Ch 45
- factThe Sunmaker
- factYanagawn the First
- summarySA:OB:Ch 47
- factVedel
- summarySA:OB:Ch 50
- summarySA:OB:Ch 53
- factJochi
- factEthid
- summarySA:OB:Ch 59
- factBattah
- factIshar
- factBinder of Gods
- summarySA:OB:Ch 66
- summarySA:OB:Ch 68
- summarySA:OB:Ch 71
- summarySA:OB:Ch 79
- factFused
- summarySA:OB:Ch 84
- factNightblood
- summarySA:OB:Ch 94
- summarySA:OB:Ch 106
- factFifth Ideal of the Skybreakers
- factThe Eila Stele
- summarySA:OB:Ch 116
- summarySA:OB:Ch 118
- summarySA:OB:Ch 119
- summarySA:OB:Ch 121
- summarySA:RoW:Ch 4
- factChanaranach'Elin
- factAsh
- summarySA:RoW:Ch 11
- factIsolation
- summarySA:RoW:Ch 15
- factInvested Entity
- summarySA:RoW:Ch 22
- summarySA:RoW:Ch 24
- summarySA:RoW:Ch 29
- summarySA:RoW:Ch 30
- summarySA:RoW:Ch 47
- summarySA:RoW:Ch 71
- summarySA:RoW:Ch 73
- summarySA:RoW:Ch 76
- summarySA:RoW:Ch 77
- factVenli
- summarySA:RoW:Ch 78
- summarySA:RoW:Ch 82
- factHerald-Soul Dagger
- summarySA:RoW:Ch 90
- summarySA:RoW:Ch 98
- summarySA:RoW:Ch 101
- factDieno enne Calah
- summarySA:RoW:Ch 107
- summarySA:WoK:Prelude
- summarySA:WoK:Prologue
- factTalenelat'Elin
- summarySA:WoK:Ch 10
- factThe Lost Radiants
- factDeathspren
- factKelek
- factThe Tranquiline Halls
- factBattar
- summarySA:WoK:Ch 28
- factThe Voidbringer Illustration
- summarySA:WoK:Ch 60
- summarySA:WaT:Prologue
- factKalak
- factGavilar Kholin
- factGavilar Kholin
- factThe Stormfather
- summarySA:WaT:Ch 1
- summarySA:WaT:Ch 2
- factKaladin
- summarySA:WaT:Ch 3
- summarySA:WaT:Ch 6
- summarySA:WaT:Ch 7
- summarySA:WaT:Ch 13
- summarySA:WaT:I-1
- factKalak
- summarySA:WaT:Ch 16
- factDalinar Kholin
- summarySA:WaT:Ch 22
- summarySA:WaT:Ch 29
- summarySA:WaT:I-3
- factEl
- factJezrien
- summarySA:WaT:Ch 33
- factIshar
- factThe Shin
- factStone Shamanism
- factTalmut's Monastery
- factthe Sacred Truth
- summarySA:WaT:Ch 45
- summarySA:WaT:I-6
- factBattah
- factBattah
- summarySA:WaT:Ch 46
- factThe Heralds
- summarySA:WaT:Ch 50
- summarySA:WaT:Ch 53
- factElodi
- summarySA:WaT:Ch 56
- summarySA:WaT:Ch 57
- factLifebrother
- summarySA:WaT:Ch 58
- summarySA:WaT:Ch 60
- factThe Shattered Plains
- summarySA:WaT:Ch 62
- factDalinar Kholin
- factPailiah
- factHonor Disc
- summarySA:WaT:Ch 63
- summarySA:WaT:Ch 64
- summarySA:WaT:Ch 65
- factHonorblade
- summarySA:WaT:Ch 66
- summarySA:WaT:Ch 71
- factNalan'Elin
- factThe Heralds
- summarySA:WaT:Ch 72
- summarySA:WaT:Ch 73
- summarySA:WaT:Ch 74
- factBattah
- summarySA:WaT:Ch 83
- factSzeth-son-son-Vallano
- summarySA:WaT:Ch 86
- factKaladin
- factDalinar Kholin
- summarySA:WaT:Ch 89
- summarySA:WaT:Ch 90
- factThe Oathpact
- factThe Oathpact
- factSzeth-son-son-Vallano
- summarySA:WaT:Ch 92
- summarySA:WaT:Ch 93
- factNalan'Elin
- factShallan Davar
- factDreder
- summarySA:WaT:Ch 94
- factTalenel
- factSheathing of Swords
- summarySA:WaT:Ch 95
- factThe Heralds
- factSzeth-son-son-Vallano
- summarySA:WaT:Ch 96
- summarySA:WaT:Ch 97
- summarySA:WaT:Ch 98
- summarySA:WaT:Ch 99
- summarySA:WaT:Ch 103
- factthe Wind
- factthe Wind
- factPralla
- factNalan'Elin
- summarySA:WaT:Ch 105
- factIshar
- summarySA:WaT:Ch 108
- factNalan'Elin
- factSzeth-son-son-Vallano
- summarySA:WaT:Ch 109
- factNalan'Elin
- summarySA:WaT:Ch 110
- factNalan'Elin
- factKaladin
- summarySA:WaT:Ch 115
- factThe Heralds
- factTanavast
- summarySA:WaT:Ch 117
- summarySA:WaT:Ch 120
- factThe Heralds
- factTanavast
- summarySA:WaT:Ch 122
- factThe Heralds
- factThe Oathpact
- factTanavast
- factTanavast
- summarySA:WaT:Ch 124
- summarySA:WaT:Ch 126
- summarySA:WaT:Ch 127
- summarySA:WaT:Ch 128
- factThe Heralds
- summarySA:WaT:Ch 129
- factAharietiam
- factIshar
- factIshar
- summarySA:WaT:Ch 137
- summarySA:WaT:Ch 138
- summarySA:WaT:Ch 139
- factKaladin
- factKaladin
- factNightblood
- factIshar
- summarySA:WaT:Ch 144
- summarySA:WaT:Ch 146
- summarySA:WaT:Ch 147
- summarySA:WaT:Postlude
- factTalenel
- factIshar
- factKaladin
- summarySA:WoR:Ch 4
- summarySA:WoR:Ch 6
- summarySA:WoR:Ch 14
- factShalash
- factRight of Challenge
- summarySA:WoR:Ch 59
- factFleet
- factChana-rach
- summarySA:WoR:Ch 60
- factEpoch Kingdoms
- summarySA:WoR:Ch 67
- factHoid
- factHoid
- summarySA:WoR:Ch 83
- summarySA:WoR:Ch 85
- summarySA:WoR:Ch 87
- factHonorblade
- factSzeth-son-son-Vallano
- summarySA:WoR:Ch 88
- factSzeth-son-son-Vallano
- factAmaram
- factAmaram
- factAmaram
- factTalenelat'Elin
- factThe Sons of Honor