Welcome to my liveblog of Rhythm of War! Index post here. Beware of spoilers.

Chapter 82 (Knife)
Icons: Back to two heralds, following the usual pattern. Kalak and Nale. Hmm.

Epigraph: Why was the previous one so long, and the rest of these relatively short? This one would be impactful if we hadn’t already had the 7000 year figure floated twice in the story recently.

Quote

Gavilar may have known, but no others in the Sons of Honor had an inkling that they served one of the very beings they were seeking–in their naive ignorance–to restore to Roshar.

Yes, irony and all that, but the important information here is that Gavilar was a member of the Sons of Honor, not just their inspiration. The organization (and its name, presumably) predates his death. I had previously been under the impression that the Sons of Honor and the Diagrammists arose from Gavilar’s influence but not following directly in his path. While that may be true if he was keeping all these ridiculous secrets from everybody, it’s now seeming likely that the Sons were just continuing the work he’d already explicitly started them on.

“First, open the cube.” This is not a good instruction to follow, Veil. This is obviously a specific countermeasure prepared against you. Best guess: a piece of jewelry that belonged to her mother, or a memento of Helaran. You do not need to be emotionally devastated right now.

Oh, I was wrong. It was the gemstone knife to trap heralds in. I guess my paranoia about Mraize (and Iyatil! Don’t forget Iyatil!) may be a little oversensitive.

Thaidakar has an “affliction similar to that of the Heralds.” Is that talking about their growing insanity from acting counter to the Intent of their nature under the oathpact? Is it talking about the oathpact that dragged them off to Braize and back to Roshar? Something else entirely? The vagueness is expected, but unhelpful.

Hm. Kelek, whose primary virtue is Resolute, is manifesting insanity in the form of crippling indecision. This makes a lot of sense. It also explains why he would be easily manipulable compared to other heralds, but not really why it wasn’t worth attempting to capture the others in this way. In addition, it suggests that Adolin’s trial may not go the way anyone expects.

It’s pretty clear to the reader that Mraize is leaving things out of his explanation and framing it in a pretty twisted angle, but going by what Shallan knows of the situation he’s being remarkably convincing. I hope She, Veil, and Radiant (and maybe Formless?) can see around his obfuscations.

Becoming a Ghostblood is attractive because…it will bring her closer to reliving her lost memories? Because she’s always wanted a tattoo? What’s the end goal, Shallan?

Ah, did I understand that correctly? Did Mraize just intimate that he’s aware of Formless and that he thinks she should give over control to that part of herself? Or was he talking about Veil?

***

Bondsmiths must have pretty awesome potential, given how Kelek recoils from Adolin by the mere association with Dalinar.

Kinda defeatist there, aren’t you. “Only thing to do is find a way off the sinking ship.” “Honor is dead. The world belongs to Odium now.” Not the attitude one would hope for from their divine protectors.

Kelek seems to enjoy contradicting people. This trial might partially hinge on trying to get the opposite party to request something that Kelek can overturn with great pettiness. I’m hoping for a Kafka-style scene at least once in this Trial. 

As fun as that sort of resolution would be, the winning move is still going to be Maya appearing to overturn expectations. I’m looking forward to that, while also being concerned about how Shallan’s knife is going to poke things in the background.