Missing Honorblade

[TheBrian]

On a reread of WoR, I found something very interesting.  When Szeth confronts Taravangian after meeting Kaladin, we see that one of the Honorblades is unaccounted for:

 

 

     "No, no," Taravangian said.  "I have learned this only recently.  Yes, it makes sense now.  One of the Honorblades has vanished."

     Szeth blinked, and he focused on Taravangian, as if returning from a distant place.  "One of the other seven?"

 

-Words of Radiance, Interlude 14 (Taravangian), page 912 hardback

 

 

     Kalak watched Jezrien depart across the burned landscape.  Finally, he summoned his own Blade and slammed it into the stone beside the other eight.  He turned and walked in the direction opposite from Jezrien.

     And yet, he could not help glancing back at the ring of swords and the single open spot.  The place where the tenth sword should have gone.

 

-The Way of Kings, Prelude, page 18

 

One of the Honorblades is with Taln (in Damnation or somewhere in Roshar, whatever is really happening there), but the other 9 should be together, minus the one Szeth is using.  So why is it "one of the other seven"????  Did one of the Heralds take back his/her Honorblade before the stone shamans found the blades?  Or is some other party in possession of it?

 

It seems most likely that Nale has his Honorblade hidden away somewhere:

1. For some reason, Nale dislikes the stone shamans enough to send Szeth after them.  Them having the Honorblades seems like it could be a big deal to him.
2. Nale is obviously using a normal shard blade during his pursuit of Lift.  Otherwise, it would have been a much shorter chase if he had the powers of the skybreakers at his command.
3. We know that Nale is a letter of the law kind of guy, so I don't think he would ever use the Honorblade after Jezrien said not to.  But that doesn't mean he is going to let common people get their hands on the blade that is his responsibility.

However, an argument could be made for any of the other Heralds (except Jezrien, since Szeth has that blade, and Taln, because you know...) returning to reclaim their blade before the stone shamans made their discovery.

 

It doesn't make sense for someone to find a cache of magic swords and only take one.  Witness the insanity at Feverstone keep over the less powerful shard blades.

 

Anyway, there is definitely an Honorblade missing from the collection.  The question is, who has it?

[Fifth of Daybreak]

WoB says one was retrieved by a herald, who is widely assumed to be Nalan.

[Moogle]

Nale is obviously using a normal shard blade during his pursuit of Lift.  Otherwise, it would have been a much shorter chase if he had the powers of the skybreakers at his command.

 

Nalan takes in Stormlight during his chase of Lift. He probably has his Honorblade, since we know the Heralds couldn't Surgebind without their Blades.

[Indigo]

Nale is obviously using a normal shard blade during his pursuit of Lift.  Otherwise, it would have been a much shorter chase if he had the powers of the skybreakers at his command.

 

Nalan most likely does not use Gravitation or Division when chasing Lift because he believes Surgebinding causes the Desolation.

Edited July 6, 2014 by Indigo

[Aleksiel]

Nalan most likely does not use Gravitation or Division when chasing Lift because he believes Surgebinding causes the Desolation.

 

Nalan didn't seem to think Szeth using Honorblade to surgebind and kill contributed to Desolation, so I'd say he's ok with Honorblade surgebinding and against spren-related surgebinding. He probably didn't want to openly use a surge when everybody could see.

 

 

.....

 

Vargo lied to Szeth to protect himself and make Szeth continue to believe there were no Voidbringers and Radiants. And as it was pointed out, a Herald went back for his/her Honorblade.

Edited July 6, 2014 by Aleksiel

[Theorymaker]

Wait, doesn't Taravangian say another one of the seven is gone? Meaning only six of the honorblades are still with the Shin. Because Taln, Jezrien, and Nalan are only three...

[WeiryWriter]

Wait, doesn't Taravangian say another one of the seven is gone? Meaning only six of the honorblades are still with the Shin. Because Taln, Jezrien, and Nalan are only three...

 

As Aleksiel said, he was lying. Here is the list:

 

1 - Taln's - disappeared when he died in the Last Desolation, whereabouts currently unknonw

1 - Jezrien's - formerly in the possession of Szeth, now in the possession of Kaladin and co.

1- in the possession of one of the Heralds, who went back after they were first abandoned

7 - in the possession of the Stone Shamanate

[Left]

Mr. T's lie there is going to be confusing people for decades..................

[Fifth of Daybreak]

Mr. T's lie there is going to be confusing people for decades..................

I pity the fool who falls for Mr. T's tricks.

[NutiketAiel]

I pity the fool who falls for Mr. T's tricks.

 

I didn't think anyone fell for that one.

[.S.A.M.K.M]

 I am wonderinf if the honor blades can be used to restore the spren blades to their living state. SOme types were wiped out when the oaths were broken, so it could allow all the orders to be resotred. We know the alethi can one honor blade for certain, another potentially, and that there is a third free in the world.

 If they think about finding the other honor blades, they would consider going to shin to find where the assasin got his.