[OB] Talenel and Honor

[Sylisajunkie]

In ch. 119 of OB Taln became lucid as soon as Dalinar released Honor's Perpendicularity, and in ch. 121 we find out that he regressed before the fighting started i.e. when the Perpendicularity disappeared.

Could there be a connection between Honor's power and Taln's soul? Is Tanavast's madness related to this?

[fievelgoespostal]

I never realized this until you mentioned it.  It makes sense.  It would explain the rest of the Herald's madness as well, although Nin was watching and I'm not sure he had any kind of lucidity. I'm not sure, but has it been agreed that the Heralds were Invested with Honors power?  Maybe Honor's death had the side effect of driving the Heralds insane, much like Tanavast was going mad as he died.

[Leuthie]

Couple of WOB I need to find, but the following do have WOB support:

1. The Heralds could be reborn because Honor made them Cognitive Shadows and would graft their CS back into their bodies upon return.

2. CS are created when the Cognitive aspect is preserved after death via Investiture.

Speculation:

If Tanavast had to maintain the Heralds CS, he has not been able to do so since he died.  As such, the living Heralds Cognitive aspects are breaking down, leading to madness.  The ones that actively use Investiture probably slow this process, but can't stop it. Hence why Nale is still somewhat within his right mind, but Jezrien was damnation near gone.

With the direct usage of so much of  Honor's power in close proximity, Taln's CS was probably pulling some of it in and reversing or filling in the degeneration.  When the power subsided, he reverted back.

There's a good chance that Dalinar can use his new power to bring sanity back to all the Heralds in the same way Tanavast did when he was alive.

As for Honor's madness, it follows a similar path that was saw with Preservation in Mistborn.  As the Vessel is destroyed, the cast power of the Shard holds the mind together as best it can, though not perfectly.