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Restares and the Sons of Honor


Toaster Retribution

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Okay, seriously, one of the most shocking things for me was learning that Restares is Kalak, the Herald. This raises a bucnh of questions which didn't really get discussed in the book at all:

*Why? Why would Kalak decide to lead an organisation looking to bring back Odium and the Voidbringers? Sure, he is insane, but his insanity seems to manifest as fear and paranoia. Kalak isn't Ishar, and doesnt believe himself to be a god, nor is he Nale, who trusts blindly in said false deity. He just wants to get away from Roshar and stay alive, so why is he leading an organization that wants a new Desolation?

*Was the Sons of Honor founded by Kalak? Or did he take over at some point. We know that he was a powerful figure before Gavilars death, since Gavilar suspected him for the assassination. So did Kalak actually found the Sons of Honor? If not, then who did?

*Also, side-question, is Kalak in need of money or something? He seems to take any job that comes his way. Herald of Mankind? Check. Leader of a secret society? Check. High Judge at Lasting Integrity? Check. Unofficial provider of infodumps for Shallan and Adolin? Check. 

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15 minutes ago, Toaster Retribution said:

*Also, side-question, is Kalak in need of money or something? He seems to take any job that comes his way. Herald of Mankind? Check. Leader of a secret society? Check. High Judge at Lasting Integrity? Check. Unofficial provider of infodumps for Shallan and Adolin? Check. 

HA!  Given his particular madness he probably can't hold down a steady job or look after money any more so I think the answer might actually be yes.

16 minutes ago, Toaster Retribution said:

*Why? Why would Kalak decide to lead an organisation looking to bring back Odium and the Voidbringers? Sure, he is insane, but his insanity seems to manifest as fear and paranoia. Kalak isn't Ishar, and doesnt believe himself to be a god, nor is he Nale, who trusts blindly in said false deity. He just wants to get away from Roshar and stay alive, so why is he leading an organization that wants a new Desolation?

Perhaps he wants to keep an eye on them?  Foiling the plans of everyone who follows you is a good way to make sure your followers accomplish nothing while also knowing what other similar groups are doing.

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55 minutes ago, Toaster Retribution said:

*Also, side-question, is Kalak in need of money or something? He seems to take any job that comes his way. Herald of Mankind? Check. Leader of a secret society? Check. High Judge at Lasting Integrity? Check. Unofficial provider of infodumps for Shallan and Adolin? Check. 

*snerk*

Imagining him explain his resume at an interview now. "So I see you used to be a Herald of Mankind. What were your reasons for leaving?" "Oh, the hours they made me put in were just torture."

Edited by Necessary Eagle
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38 minutes ago, Karger said:

Perhaps he wants to keep an eye on them?  Foiling the plans of everyone who follows you is a good way to make sure your followers accomplish nothing while also knowing what other similar groups are doing.

I don't feel like that's likely, though, because Gavilar was foiled by Ulim and Nale more than anyone in the Son's of Honor. He'd already acquired voidlight (I think) and anti-voidlight, and made contact with off-world scholars, whether he was aware of that or not. I have to guess that Kalak believes for whatever reason that the secret to escaping Roshar lies in manipulating the Son's of Honor to return Odium.

Either he believes that something in their process would coincidentally give him what he thinks he needs - perhaps one of the anti-lights? - or he thinks that only by bringing Odium back can he escape. In that second case, Kelek must believe that whatever Odium does to escape the system might pave the way for him.

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1 hour ago, Toaster Retribution said:

*Why? Why would Kalak decide to lead an organisation looking to bring back Odium and the Voidbringers? Sure, he is insane, but his insanity seems to manifest as fear and paranoia. Kalak isn't Ishar, and doesnt believe himself to be a god, nor is he Nale, who trusts blindly in said false deity. He just wants to get away from Roshar and stay alive, so why is he leading an organization that wants a new Desolation?

 

My assumption from what we heard of his discussion with Gavilar in the prologue, and what he tells Shallan later, is that he and Gavilar were working on a way to transport him offworld—he mentions wanting to escape Roshar, and merely being able to go to Braize is definitely not enough. I know that's not the same goal that the Sons of Honor have as a whole, and there also has to be some reason why Kalak continued advising them even after Gavilar died.

(also, this is something I just remembered but Kalak must have advised Amaram to kill Kaladin's squad and take the shards... I feel like we might see the consequences of this)

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17 minutes ago, Lightspine said:

(also, this is something I just remembered but Kalak must have advised Amaram to kill Kaladin's squad and take the shards... I feel like we might see the consequences of this)

Moreover, unless I'm wrong, Amaram uses the name Restares in front of Kaladin, implying he suggested Amaram's actions

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I imagine Kelek's relations with the Sons of Honor are a lot like his relations with the conservative Honorspren.  A purely symbolic figurehead used for organizational prestige, but the moment he steps out of line, the powers that be intervene and give him a "time out".  Kelek himself seems way too indecisive and neurotic to lead any sort of large organization or make any long term plans. 

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