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[OB] So how long has this God-King gig been going on, anyway?


Necessary Eagle

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Until Dalinar's talk with the Stormfather, no one (outside of Mraize) seems to think Tezim is anything other than an ordinary human who just happens to be ten shades of bonkers. Which implies that Tezim's rule hasn't been longer than a normal human lifetime.

So what has Ishar been up to in the past few generations, before he took over Tukar? Or do you think everyone just assumed "Tezim" was a Dread Pirate Roberts situation?

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If he's been ruling for longer than a human lifetime, I think the people in Tukar wouldn't mind because they believe he's a god. People outside Tukar probably believe that there have been several Tezims, and his assistants do a quick shuffle when the old Tezim dies, after which the new God-king promptly imitates the same type of crazy as his 'predecessor'. I think most of Tezim's outside contact is limited to those charming messages he sends, so none of the foreign nations would notice that the Tukari leader never actually changes or grows older like they thought he was.

As another option, it could be that Ishar has been doing his Tezim-routine for a while, but that he only recently managed to gain enough support to ascend to the throne. Though by now he's certainly established enough that at least the Alethi believe all the Tukari are crazy.

 

Edited by Willow
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4 hours ago, Wandering Investor said:

I assumed Ishar only began taking over stuff and attempting to become king where he sensed the desolation approaching.

I think this is supported by a WoB:

Quote

CCQ

I just read Edgedancer. I was just wondering... Did Ishar deceive Nalan on purpose or was he just wrong-- he had wrong information?

Brandon Sanderson

All the Heralds are insane.

CCQ

Okay.

Brandon Sanderson

It manifests in different ways. Do not trust anything any Herald says. Ever.

CCQ

Okay.

Brandon Sanderson

Nale trusts Ishar too much.

CCQ

Okay, but so did he do it on purpose, or...?

Brandon Sanderson

Um... So "on purpose" is a difficult thing when you're referring to someone with the psychology that Ishar has.

CCQ

Did he know what it was-- that it was a lie?

Brandon Sanderson

*sighs* Alright, I'll RAFO that until I get to him, but the answer is kind of a yes and a no. Okay? So there is part of him that knows and there is part of him that doesn't want to believe it. And yet the things he's been doing lately in Roshar are done because he knows what's coming.

The last part implies to me that Ishar only became the god-king and started trying to conquer Emul once he realized another desolation might occur.

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37 minutes ago, Ryder said:

I think this is supported by a WoB:

The last part implies to me that Ishar only became the god-king and started trying to conquer Emul once he realized another desolation might occur.

So are we to take that we cannot trust Ishar either? Shallash in her inner monologue says that Ishar is the only one that has not gone insane.

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14 minutes ago, Cenanin said:

So are we to take that we cannot trust Ishar either? Shallash in her inner monologue says that Ishar is the only one that has not gone insane.

She says that, but considering that Shalash has been compulsively destroying every picture of her own face she can find for however long, we probably shouldn't trust her judgement overly much either. The WoB says we can't trust any of them, or their judgement of anything.

Edited by Willow
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I remember seeing somewhere that the war between Emul and Tukar has been going on for some time,but not extremely long. In fact, from Words of Radiance, we have: 

Quote

Do you realize that the Eighty's War between Emul and Tukar has lasted six years, and hasn't produced nearly this level of desolation? (WoR, p.905, UK Kindle ed)

This is a very specific time for a lot of agents on Roshar to get active: around that time Szeth got sold into slavery for suspecting a desolation is at hand (or that is my understanding), the Parshendi met humans, Gavilar was thinking of bringing old Parshendi gods back, lots of Heralds were there at Gavilar's killing, Venli is likely associating with Ulim, both Taravangian and Dalinar seek the Nightwatcher... and Ishar goes to war.

I assume Nale starts or escalates the murders of proto-Radiants at this stage as well. 

Edited by KOOZ
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