[OB] The danger of radients

[Passion]

The following caought my eye: 2 things are said to only have been possible after honor died. The stormfather implies what dalinar did when he united the realms and created a perpendicularity was only possible after honor is dead and his power is not held by anyone. The other is Ishar  believes the radients could have caused desolation now that honor is dead. Ishar is insane but I for one totally believe he couldn’t be completely off base. Nale at least accepted the possibility and I don’t think he’s so far gone himself(note we see nale acknowledge he’s losing it we see Szeth comment on Ishar madness and still nale in same conversation persists in presenting what Ishar told him)

i undarstand Ishar to have been worried about what a radients like dalinar can do to upset the affect taln had by being in braise. He was worried about something on the magnitude of what dalinar did by challenging odiums champion. He definitely could have undid the heralds barely held together oathpact

[Calderis]

Dalinar, bonded to the Stormfather and Tanavast's shadow, has the ability in himself to simply release Odium from the Oathpact. 

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“So do it. Leave us alone. Go away.”
Odium turned to him so sharply that Dalinar jumped. “Is that,” Odium said quietly, “an offer to release me from my bonds, coming from the man holding the remnants of Honor’s name and power?”
Dalinar stammered. Idiot. You’re not some raw recruit. Pull yourself together. “No,” he said firmly.
“Ah, all right then,” Odium said. He smiled, a twinkle in his eyes. “Oh, don’t fret so. These things must be done properly. I will go if you release me, but only if you do it by Intent.”

 

[goody153]

The title alone makes you sound like you are one of those Azier politicians at the end of OB screaming "RADIANTS ARE A DANGER" xD

Besides heralds are cray-cray , I mean surely they can say some relevant stuff but how much of their own delusion do they probably believe.

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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.

source

 

[Passion]

Yes I agree they r insane but nale is clearly not as far gone as say jezrien was. I always got the impression from nales own comments that he mostly has it together albeit with really flawed judgement and isolated moments were his tortured mind takes over for a bit. While Ishar really does seem to be cookoo that doesn’t mean his actions are completely nonsense just destructive and erratic. nale actually expresses awareness and understanding about the herelds descent into madness and yet seems fooled by what Ishar told him so that must tell u something about ishars ablity to hide his true state of mind

[+Sorana]

1 hour ago, Passion said:

Yes I agree they r insane but nale is clearly not as far gone as say jezrien was. I always got the impression from nales own comments that he mostly has it together albeit with really flawed judgement and isolated moments were his tortured mind takes over for a bit.

Imo that makes him one of the more dangerous heralds. He seems to be harmed, but not so insane that you instictly dismiss everything he says. Therefore you consider his words, maybe even believe him. For us that means a few stray theories, but for the characters in the book the consequences are more dire.

Insanity has man different forms, some people seem to be completely clear but can't understand/ lost their feeling for the world completely. I think he is as onsane as the others, it's only more hidden.

[Rhapsody]

I believe we see Nale's insanity in the way he clings to rules. I don't think that is only because of his Order but instead his order is being influenced by Nales coping with the insanity. Since Nale himself seems to know that he isn't as mentally stable it wouldn't be to far fetched to assume he clings to an outward source for his judgements because he himself can't make then anymore. (the oaths of his order were of course a strong motivation to develop in that direction)

So I don't think Nale is less insane than Jezrien or Ishar, he just found a way not to let it show so much by adherring to an outside force (law) for all his decisions. 

[Calderis]

I believe it was Argent's theory, but I hold to the idea that the Heralds insanity is an inversion of their Divine Attributes. It fits quite clearly with Nale. His are "Just" and "Confident." he has no confidence in his own ability, and his actions are pervertedly unjust. 

Jezrien - Protecting and leading, and he had abandoned everything. 

Shallash - Honest and Creative. Her compulsion makes her destructive and she's probably lying to herself about a lot of things. 

Ishar - Pious and Guiding. Instead of following a God, "pious," he's proclaimed himself as one. 

[Rhapsody]

@Calderis wow that is a neat theory and fits really well with what we know about the heralds.