What did Relis Ruthar hear when Kaldin touched his shardblade?

[Fish613]

Very curious about this - thanks in advance for anything anyone can suggest.

When Radiants wield a dead shardblade, they hear the deadeyes spren screaming.

When Kaladin touches Relis' blade during the duel in Words of Radiance chapter 47, Relis hears something that makes him shout "What is it? What is it! No, I didn't kill you!"

I don't understand what Relis heard - his response suggests it was something more specific than screaming. I also don't understand why he heard it given he seems to not be a Radiant, and I can't think of other examples of non-Radiants hearing shardblades. I can't find anything on the Coppermind, Arcanum or this forum. Is anything known or speculated about this?

Edited November 22, 2022 by Fish613
Clarifying question; removing a silly typo

[Frustration]

I've just always assumed that he heard his blade screaming. 

[Dunkum he/him]

11 hours ago, Frustration said:

I've just always assumed that he heard his blade screaming. 

but it clearly wasn't purely incoherent, which is the impression I got from Dalinar's experience with his blade. that "I didn't kill you" response suggests that he heard actual words.

[Fish613]

8 hours ago, Dunkum said:

that "I didn't kill you" response suggests that he heard actual words.

That's exactly what I was thinking and why I asked the question. Add that to the fact that AFAIK only Radiants hear their shardblades screaming, and AFAIK Relis is not a Radiant. I guess the follow-up question is whether there are any other instances in the books where a Radiant and a Shardbearer are touching the same dead shardblade at the same time - it could be that this would happen every time in that situation (though I still don't know what the Shardbearer would actually be hearing).

[The Sovereign]

Something to consider; In Oathbringer there is a reference to Relis Ruthar being one of the only people leading any meaningful resistance against the Singers in Alethkar. I think that combined with him hearing the screams when Kaladin touches his blade is a decent indication he may have indeed attracted a Spren and sworn oaths. With that said, I would guess he was in the pre-Oath(s) proto-Radiant phase during the duel with Adolin.

[Scott Beckman]

Given that he prefers Vinestance, I'd wonder if he would become a Truthwatcher. Going off these:

https://coppermind.net/wiki/Polestone#Emerald

https://coppermind.net/wiki/Stances#Vinestance

[therunner he/him]

Possibly because he bonded the Blade, the increased Connection allowed him to gain some understanding of what the screaming 'meant'.

Adolin shows that Bonding deadblade does grant measure of mutual Connection and possibility of understanding.

[Sky Breaker]

I think the more connected you are to a dead spren the more you can differentiate its screams from other communications and considering that he was bonded to the blade and kaladin only briefly clapped it not forming  much of a connection but dalinar can recognize that oathbringer has a more quit scream like “a man trapped in a corner” rather than what he hears when he summons his shard cleaver at the end of words o’ radiance . Also when a blade is summoned it has more sapience syl says that it takes ten heartbeats to summon a shard blade because “they are coming alive” so relies’ blade might be actually accusing him of killing her.

Edited March 7, 2023 by Sky Breaker

[Immortal Platypus]

From the Coppermind:

Quote

This caused Kaladin and Relis to hear the deadeye spren of the Blade screaming in their minds; Relis fled the arena in terror, forfeiting the duel.

So, it seems like he just heard the blade. Good question!