[OB] Taln is my man

[Steeldancer he/him]

This is my Public Service Announcement- Taln is now my adopted character. He's the most honorable person on Roshar. Storms, he was still gracious to Ash. 

So if you have beef with Taln, you'll be going through the Steeldancer first. 

*cracks knuckles*

on a slightly related topic, who else thinks it's dope that Naln bonded a Highspren? That's pretty cool. What is his surge binding efficiency like? 

Edited November 15, 2017 by Steeldancer

[Aminar]

1 hour ago, Steeldancer said:

This is my Public Service Announcement- Taln is now my adopted character. He's the most honorable person on Roshar. Storms, he was still gracious to Ash. 

So if you have beef with Taln, you'll be going through the Steeldancer first. 

*cracks knuckles*

on a slightly related topic, who else thinks it's dope that Naln bonded a Highspren? That's pretty cool. What is his surge binding efficiency like? 

My favorite part is how he wasn't supposed to be a Herald. He's just a dude that kind of wandered in, decided to help, and was a freaking boss about it while all the royal scholar general types broke under the strain and got millions killed. Not that they didn't do good mind you. The heralds are all epic for doing what they did. But Taln is awesome. 

[lastofus]

I heard that one of flashbacks would be Talenel'Elin.. I cannot wait to know more. But man, how did he do that..

10 Heralds sharing the pain through their bonds, they could've taken much torture than a normal human. I don't know how much... But through sheer will for 4.5 thousand years he stood, alone. I am speechless. And what does he do when he finds out? Check outside to see the world... you helped them progress you saved them, thank you for sacrificing me... I mean the storm! 

[nicocoberru she/her]

Talanel Fan Club?? Where do I sign up?? 

He's just so amazing. That scene with Ash made me tear up. He doesn't blame them. He was the last to break. And it took them four thousand years to break him. Will somebody give this man a storming medal?

[Salkara]

5 hours ago, lastofus said:

I heard that one of flashbacks would be Talenel'Elin.. I cannot wait to know more. But man, how did he do that..

10 Heralds sharing the pain through their bonds, they could've taken much torture than a normal human. I don't know how much... But through sheer will for 4.5 thousand years he stood, alone. I am speechless. And what does he do when he finds out? Check outside to see the world... you helped them progress you saved them, thank you for sacrificing me... I mean the storm! 

I get the feeling they should have done something similar from the start. SF says that they could share the burdens of Damnation with each other because of their bond to the Oathpact, but if all the Heralds are being tortured, I don't think it works well. A single Herald would be sharing their pain with the other nine, but also receiving some of the pain of the other nine. They're essentially playing a zero-still game.

If, however, only one Herald (Taln) goes to Damnation, he gets to offload much of his pain to the others without receiving any in return. This would also explain why the other 9 Heralds went insane. They've each been receiving a portion of Taln's pain. Only a fraction of the pain they'd receive on Braize, but over 4,500 years, it was enough to drive then all mad. Of course, it didn't matter if they broke anyway because they were already on Roshar.

[lastofus]

14 minutes ago, Salkara said:

I get the feeling they should have done something similar from the start. SF says that they could share the burdens of Damnation with each other because of their bond to the Oathpact, but if all the Heralds are being tortured, I don't think it works well. A single Herald would be sharing their pain with the other nine, but also receiving some of the pain of the other nine. They're essentially playing a zero-still game.

 

I don't think you can add it to each other. For me it looks exponential. 1 person can have 10 torture points. 2 persons have 20 (separately). But if they join in they resist 10^2 = 100, etc.... .

[Chasm Climber]

But what if the reason he doesn't hate Ash is because Odium has stripped away his pain... What if Talanel is Odium's now? That's what is making me nervous about this whole thing.

[Steeldancer he/him]

5 minutes ago, Chasm Climber said:

But what if the reason he doesn't hate Ash is because Odium has stripped away his pain... What if Talanel is Odium's now? That's what is making me nervous about this whole thing.

liieeesss

Taln is pure and beautiful

[Samaldin he/him]

I don´t remember the last time (if ever) i was as moved when i read something, as when Taln was so happy humanity had had time to actually heal, grow and progress. He didn´t even seem to actually forgive the other Heralds, it seems it never really crossed his mind he was betrayed, all he thought of were the people he was protecting never of what was done to him...I just don´t know how to express how i think about Taln, i was actually nearly moved to tears...

[Tarion]

8 hours ago, Samaldin said:

I don´t remember the last time (if ever) i was as moved when i read something, as when Taln was so happy humanity had had time to actually heal, grow and progress. He didn´t even seem to actually forgive the other Heralds, it seems it never really crossed his mind he was betrayed, all he thought of were the people he was protecting never of what was done to him...I just don´t know how to express how i think about Taln, i was actually nearly moved to tears...

I legitimately had tears in my eyes. It was just beautiful. 

[Argent he/him]

Yo, get off my turf, I've been a Taln fanboy since this epigraph exactly:

Quote

Obviously they are fools The Desolation needs no usher It can and will sit where it wishes and the signs are obvious that the spren anticipate it doing so soon The Ancient of Stones must finally begin to crack It is a wonder that upon his will rested the prosperity and peace of a world for over four millennia.

 

[Ryshadium she/her]

Anyone know why all the subterfuge from Brandon regarding Taln being Taln? 

[CaptainRyan he/him]

14 hours ago, Salkara said:

I get the feeling they should have done something similar from the start. SF says that they could share the burdens of Damnation with each other because of their bond to the Oathpact, but if all the Heralds are being tortured, I don't think it works well. A single Herald would be sharing their pain with the other nine, but also receiving some of the pain of the other nine. They're essentially playing a zero-still game.

If, however, only one Herald (Taln) goes to Damnation, he gets to offload much of his pain to the others without receiving any in return. This would also explain why the other 9 Heralds went insane. They've each been receiving a portion of Taln's pain. Only a fraction of the pain they'd receive on Braize, but over 4,500 years, it was enough to drive then all mad. Of course, it didn't matter if they broke anyway because they were already on Roshar.

I assumed they other Heralds had to be on Braize to share the pain. I'm not sure if we are sure how the mechanics work but it is possible Taln suffered alone and the other 9 did not experience any of it. 

[Leyrann]

49 minutes ago, Ryshadium said:

Anyone know why all the subterfuge from Brandon regarding Taln being Taln? 

Probably because he likes seeing us squirm.

[Shards of Mist he/him]

Talenelat is a BOSS.   Seriously.  If they defeat Odium, then no one deserves more credit than Taln.  Who endures endless torture for 4 1/2 millennia!  Taln.   That's who.   

[Ryshadium she/her]

1 hour ago, Leyrann said:

Probably because he likes seeing us squirm.

Likely. Maybe it’s still not Taln. You know, just for kicks. 

[Argent he/him]

3 hours ago, Ryshadium said:

Anyone know why all the subterfuge from Brandon regarding Taln being Taln? 

Some believe it's an accident, leftover from The Way of Kings Prime, where Taln had a different story arc (in which he wasn't sure who he is, if I recall correctly).

[Ari he/him]

That's definitely what Brandon said about WoK prime. I think he just wanted to preserve the mystery a bit to confirm it for Book 3 and also so he could shut down questions about the heralds for longer by not even being able to talk about the only one who'd been "exposed" to the other main characters.

[JPark317]

So everyone now accepts that this is Taln for real even though Brandon has been referring to this character, for years, as “the man who calls himself Taln?” I have a hard time with that. I think there still may be more at play here than OB suggests. Also, Ash makes it clear she is still “getting worse,” as the Heralds all say, so I think she may be seeing what she expects to see, so to speak; there could still be something going on with “Taln.”

[Aleksiel]

It broke my heart how happy he was to have given millennia for people to progress in peace. Humanity doesn't deserve Taln.

[Leyrann]

58 minutes ago, JPark317 said:

So everyone now accepts that this is Taln for real even though Brandon has been referring to this character, for years, as “the man who calls himself Taln?” I have a hard time with that. I think there still may be more at play here than OB suggests. Also, Ash makes it clear she is still “getting worse,” as the Heralds all say, so I think she may be seeing what she expects to see, so to speak; there could still be something going on with “Taln.”

Jasnah recognized them from pictures she had. Someone else here mentioned that they were from Hoid, so if we assume that is the case they're probably accurate.

Also you shouldn't read much into what Brandon is implying. If he doesn't outright say something, it could go either way.

Edited November 17, 2017 by Leyrann

[lastofus]

1 hour ago, JPark317 said:

So everyone now accepts that this is Taln for real even though Brandon has been referring to this character, for years, as “the man who calls himself Taln?” I have a hard time with that. I think there still may be more at play here than OB suggests. Also, Ash makes it clear she is still “getting worse,” as the Heralds all say, so I think she may be seeing what she expects to see, so to speak; there could still be something going on with “Taln.”

Stormfather, a picture from Hoid, and Ash all confirmed that he's Talenelat'Elin. Plus he himself recognizes Ash, tells her what a wonderful gift they have given to humanity. I think we can accept that he is what he claims to be.

Plus, didn't he feel the same as Ash when Jezrien died? Both felt unconscious. I am probably wrong but cannot check the book right now.

Edited November 17, 2017 by lastofus

[WhiteLeeopard she/her]

On 15/11/2017 at 5:51 PM, Chasm Climber said:

But what if the reason he doesn't hate Ash is because Odium has stripped away his pain... What if Talanel is Odium's now? That's what is making me nervous about this whole thing.

Thats what has me holding my breath. Taln seems ready to permanently steal the spot of strongest, most wonderful, most selfless character ever written or imagined. But...what if he has been so damaged in 4500 years that he is partly of Odium now? That would break all our hearts after what we know of him so far. 

I don't think I've seen it elsewhere, and don't want to clog shard with more threads so will ask here. What do you all think of Jasnah having Shallash and Taln now? The shock when they wake up and the first thing they say is "Jezrien is dead" will be like an earthquake. At the same time I suspect that the Heralds (some at least) may change their tune really fast after his death. Ironically it may be what brings them out fully to fight. After all their current options seem to be to run, hide and die or to fight and maybe die. Poor Heralds, their options always are bad and worse. Although I cannot help but wonder if some of them may want to die permanently to end the pain and insanity.

Edited November 17, 2017 by WhiteLeeopard

[yurisses]

On 16/11/2017 at 9:42 AM, Argent said:

Some believe it's an accident, leftover from The Way of Kings Prime, where Taln had a different story arc (in which he wasn't sure who he is, if I recall correctly).

I believe it's both a leftover from the Prime story arc and possibly an indication that there is a Fused-like business going on with the Heralds.

[Nashan’Elin he/him]

I already had to suffer angst during the Tor chapters thinking that Dalinar might forget Navani because he married her, but I refuse to deal in this Taln is Odium-ish angst. Taln is amazing and selfless and strong and he was so happy that humanity had been able to come so far.

Edited November 17, 2017 by Nashan'Elin