Midnight Mother question

[Little_Dagger]

Hello, can someone explain why only Shallan and Renarin out of all radiants could sense Re-Shepir's presence at the Urithiru tower?

[Treamayne]

On 5/30/2022 at 10:07 AM, Yuliya said:

In Chapter 29 of Oathbringer, Shallan and Renarin agree that Dalinar doesn't seem to be able tp feel the wrongness. Can you please refer me to the moments where Adolin and Kaladin "sense" it?

I don't know that they agree that Dalinar can't feel it, since we never get Renarin's reply to Shallan's statement (Ch 29)

Spoiler

“Pattern doesn’t know,” Shallan said. “He calls it ancient. Says it’s of the enemy.”

Renarin nodded.

“Your father doesn’t seem to be able to feel it,” Shallan said. “Why can we?”

“I … I don’t know. Maybe—”

But it's important to note that Dalinar's chapters up to the confrontation are very focused on the politics, with far less rumination on his surroundings. Also, note that Kaladin wasn't in the tower for any of this, but definitely senses the unmade in Kholinar.

Ch 4 Dalinar senses the feelings

Spoiler

“Is that you, Stormfather?” Dalinar whispered. “This feeling of dread?”

This thing is not natural, the Stormfather said. It is unknown.

Ch 12 Dalinar in Urithiru

Spoiler

He’d spent too many days inside the twisting stone corridors of Urithiru

Ch 22 Mraize sensing the Unmade:

Spoiler

“So quick to insist, yet you acknowledge your debt. One Soulcaster lost, destroyed. But we forgive these things, for missions undertaken. And before you object again, know that the task we require of you is one you’re already undertaking. Surely you have sensed the darkness in this place. The … wrongness.”

Shallan looked about the small room, flickering with shadows from a few candles on the counter.

“Your task,” Mraize said, “is to secure this location. Urithiru must remain strong if we are to properly use the advent of the Voidbringers.”

Ch 33 - Shallan Aftermath

Spoiler

In fact … the oppressive feelings she’d felt since they’d arrived at the tower seemed to have evaporated. No more fear, no more formless sense of wrongness. The thing she’d chased away had been its cause. 

Ch 60 -  Kaladin at Kholinar

Spoiler

And something was very, very wrong with it.

A cloud hung over the palace, a darkness that—at first glance—seemed like nothing more than a trick of the light. Yet the feeling of wrongness persisted, and seemed strongest around a portion at the east of the palace complex. This flat, raised plaza was filled with small buildings. The palace monastery.

The Oathgate platform.

 

Edited June 1, 2022 by Treamayne
SPAG

[Treamayne]

I would posit they could all "sense" her, as viewpoints from Kaladin, Adolin, and Dalinar also mention the "wrongness" and gloomy feeling in the tower. As for linking those feelings to the deduction that an Unmade is behid them, I would suspect that it has to do with Connection (like Dalinar and Nerghaoul [the Thrill]) but I don't think a canon "reason" has been released.

[Little_Dagger]

31 minutes ago, Treamayne said:

I would posit they could all "sense" her, as viewpoints from Kaladin, Adolin, and Dalinar mention the "wrongness" and gloomy feeling in the tower. As for linking those to that an Unmade is behid them, I would suspect that it has to do with (like Dalinar and Nerghaoul [the Thrill]) but I don't think a canon "reason" has been released.

In Chapter 29 of Oathbringer, Shallan and Renarin agree that Dalinar doesn't seem to be able tp feel the wrongness. Can you please refer me to the moments where Adolin and Kaladin "sense" it?

[Little_Dagger]

@Treamayne Thank you, this is awesome!

[Onironte]

Because they are the only ones with access to the surge of the Illumination.

[Little_Dagger]

11 hours ago, Onironte said:

Because they are the only ones with access to the surge of the Illumination.

That is what I thought initially too, but there is a quote by Teft in chapter 41 of Oathbringer: 

Spoiler

"He'd functioned, only mossing an evening here, an evening there. But then Kaladin had left, and this tower, where everything had felt so wrong..."

So I guess, other orders of radiants, even budding ones can feel the darkness. 

[Elegy]

On 30.5.2022 at 3:34 PM, Treamayne said:

I would suspect that it has to do with Connection (like Dalinar and Nerghaoul [the Thrill]) but I don't think a canon "reason" has been released.

I would guess that this is the best explanation. Just like Dalinar had once understood the nature of the Thrill, Shallan and Renarin understand the nature of the Midnight Mother. She is, after all, called the Mother of Lies. Maybe they are more sensible to her influence/aura since they are both extremely secretive. Shallan is the obvious one, being refered to as "the Liar" by the Sleepless on at least one occasion, and Renarin also has had a lot of secrets over the course of the books - he didn't tell anyone that he was a Radiant in WoR, and when it was out, he didn't tell them that there was something wrong with his spren. Come to think of it, he and Shallan are probably the two main characters in Stormlight who have lied the most. (In contrast to, say, Dalinar, who didn't know the truth about his past, so he couldn't lie because he didn't know better.)

Edited June 7, 2022 by Elegy