Why couldn’t the Stormfather see kholinar?

[Terrisman]

I’m currently in middle of my pre-Wind and Truth reread and I just noticed that the stormfather says Kholinar has “gone dark” to him. We had a good explanation why the spanreads shut down but why couldn’t the stormfather see?

[Treamayne]

45 minutes ago, Terrisman said:

I’m currently in middle of my pre-Wind and Truth reread and I just noticed that the stormfather says Kholinar has “gone dark” to him. We had a good explanation why the spanreads shut down but why couldn’t the stormfather see?

We have no definitive WoB on this, but it is presumably because Odium parked three Unmade in the city (Ashertmarn, Sja-Anat, Yelig-Nar) to help block off the city from influence and support, just as he sent the SecretSpren and Fused to enforce a prohibition on Fabrials.

Spoiler

Argent

When the Everstorm passes over Kholinar in Oathbringer. That is when Ashertmarn appears, that's when they start reporting, "Hey there's a darkness around the palace." Did the Everstorm bring Ashertmarn there? Or did it kind of awaken or unleash it?

Brandon Sanderson

A little of both.

Skyward Chicago signing (Nov. 16, 2018)

Note: Ashertmarn's influence was seen before the Everstorm - in WoR Interlude 12, but more subtly and without a physical realm presence.

Edited March 2, 2025 by Treamayne
SPAG

[Terrisman]

Thanks. It doesn’t really explain why he couldn’t see though even if he couldn’t influence people

[JohnnyKaizen he/him]

On 3/1/2025 at 10:07 PM, Terrisman said:

Thanks. It doesn’t really explain why he couldn’t see though even if he couldn’t influence people

There is precedence for a high investiture being, not being able to see past certain objects in Mistborn:

Spoiler

Ruin couldn't read or interact with things written on metal because of the investiture involved. I would imagine that the Stormfather, who is a being essentially of pure investiture much like a Shard (just smaller), wouldn't be able to see Kholinar if it was covered completely in Odium's investiture. Basically for the Stormather, there was an opaque (or maybe bright?) dome over Kholinar that he couldn't see through.