How desolations work.

[KitKat]

Hello lovelies! So I'm currently reading rhythm of War for the first time (I'm on chapter 15) and was wondering. If Taln returns to Roshar during the epilogue of Way of Kings.. Why didn't the new desolation start then? As the fused would now be free. My apologies if this is something that has already been asked and answered here! And ofc if its something that comes up during Rhythm of war absolutely feel free To RAFO me! Thank you!! 

Edited May 24, 2023 by KitKat

[Dunkum he/him]

presumably because, while the voidspren and fused were free, they didn't have any hosts to take. the normal method of taking a new form requires intent from the host, and most of them wouldn't give that. heck, most parshmen might not have been able to at all until the everstorm rolled in and unlocked the ability for them.

[Treamayne]

1 hour ago, KitKat said:

Hello lovelies! So I'm currently reading rhythm of War for the first time (I'm on chapter 15) and was wondering. If Taln returns to Roshar during the prologue of Way of Kings.. Why didn't the new desolation start then? As the fused would now be free. My apologies if this is something that has already been asked and answered here! And ofc if its something that comes up during Rhythm of war absolutely feel free To RAFO me! Thank you!! 

Talenel didn't return in the Prologue, he returned in the Epilogue of WoK. Hearsay (as in what modern Rosharans beleived, but not confirmed by a Herald) was that once a Herald broke to torture, the Heralds would return "about a year" before the "Voidbringers" (which is why they had time to, as Taln says at the Kholinar Gates, "teach you casting bronze, leadership, healing and warfare").

So, a Herald returning indicated that the Desolation was a year (or less) away - and in this case it was about half-of-a-year until the Everstorm (since he returned near mid-year and the Everstorm was summoned during the weeping).

Here's the closest WoB I found (where the "year" came from IIRC)

Spoiler

Kogiopsis

Finally, what point, usually, is society at when a Desolation comes? Because Taln was prepared to introduce them to bronze...

Brandon Sanderson

Yes.

Kogiopsis

...and Alethi society is so far beyond that.

Brandon Sanderson

Yes. Historically a lot of the-- What would happen with the Desolations would destroy all civilization and then the Heralds would leave, and leave people basically in the Stone Age again. And they came back numerous times and found humankind still in the Stone Age, after having left. And so they are prepared-- Sometimes they would come back and they would already be in the Bronze Age or-- and things like that and get them beyond that but frequently they had to be ready, the Heralds learned they had to be ready to try and bring humankind forward several thousand years worth of technology in a year.

 

Edited May 24, 2023 by Treamayne
WoB

[alder24]

9 hours ago, KitKat said:

Hello lovelies! So I'm currently reading rhythm of War for the first time (I'm on chapter 15) and was wondering. If Taln returns to Roshar during the prologue of Way of Kings.. Why didn't the new desolation start then? As the fused would now be free. My apologies if this is something that has already been asked and answered here! And ofc if its something that comes up during Rhythm of war absolutely feel free To RAFO me! Thank you!! 

Well, adding one thing to Treamayne's post, Taln didn't break. On Braize they torture Heralds until on of them breaks allowing Fused and Voidspren to return to Roshar. After Aharietiam, the Last Desolation which you saw at the very beginning of WoK, Heralds abandoned the Oathpact, leaving Taln alone on Braize, because they realized he didn't break even once. Taln was left alone being tortured for 4500 years, but he didn't break. He didn't allow them to return. Odium eventually found a way to go around Taln, that was the Everstorm. This likely sent Taln back to Roshar for unknown reasons.

Spoiler

Questioner

Taln. Did he actually ever give up? Or was it... Did he just get released when...?

Brandon Sanderson

You will find out, but Taln did not break. You'll find out how it happened, but Taln did not break.

JordanCon 2021 (July 16, 2021)

[KitKat]

6 hours ago, Treamayne said:

Talenel didn't return in the Prologue, he returned in the Epilogue of WoK. Hearsay (as in what modern Rosharans beleived, but not confirmed by a Herald) was that once a Herald broke to torture, the Heralds would return "about a year" before the "Voidbringers" (which is why they had time to, as Taln says at the Kholinar Gates, "teach you casting bronze, leadership, healing and warfare").

So, a Herald returning indicated that the Desolation was a year (or less) away - and in this case it was about half-of-a-year until the Everstorm (since he returned near mid-year and the Everstorm was summoned during the weeping).

Here's the closest WoB I found (where the "year" came from IIRC)

  Reveal hidden contents

Kogiopsis

Finally, what point, usually, is society at when a Desolation comes? Because Taln was prepared to introduce them to bronze...

Brandon Sanderson

Yes.

Kogiopsis

...and Alethi society is so far beyond that.

Brandon Sanderson

Yes. Historically a lot of the-- What would happen with the Desolations would destroy all civilization and then the Heralds would leave, and leave people basically in the Stone Age again. And they came back numerous times and found humankind still in the Stone Age, after having left. And so they are prepared-- Sometimes they would come back and they would already be in the Bronze Age or-- and things like that and get them beyond that but frequently they had to be ready, the Heralds learned they had to be ready to try and bring humankind forward several thousand years worth of technology in a year.

 

Thank you very much! That clears it up now ur a star! (i promise i meant epilogue I'm juts bad at words). Have a lovely day!