[OB] Nightblood and Amaram / Moash

[+robardin he/him]

We've seen from Amaram's flinching when Kaladin brings it up, and Moash's occasional pang of guilt, that "giving one's pain" to Odium (surrendering one's "passion", in a sense) doesn't mean that person forgets about it completely.

Does that mean these people consider themselves "evil", in some way? What would happen if Szeth simply threw Nightblood at Moash, for example? (Maybe before he "converted"  into Vyre)

 

[AerionBFII he/him]

Amaram has always been a hypocrite - although he did feel real guilt for what he did to Kaladin he believed he was serving a higher purpose scorned by Dalinar and mocked by Jasnah. Then he discovered the Heralds had been there all a long and they were mad and the world was ending. I bet he felt awful then surrounded his 'passion' to Odium because he couldn't deal with it. With what he did for a Shardblade i bet he would do more for NB.

 

Moash just murdered Elhokar right in front for his for year old son after kicking him aside. Then murdered a Herald because he was told too. He seems pretty quick to complain about how hard life is to him but he's a snake.

 

 

[SmurfAquamarineBodies he/him]

They would probable be like the nameless mooks he was thrown at in warbreaker. Pick him up, wield him and die.

Unless they had Investiture currently in their 'body' to give him.

[Destinybladez]

On 11/20/2017 at 6:18 PM, SmurfAquamarineBodies said:

They would probable be like the nameless mooks he was thrown at in warbreaker. Pick him up, wield him and die.

Unless they had Investiture currently in their 'body' to give him.

i sincerely hope this how moash dies 

[Calderis he/him]

In both cases, the "giving their passion" away is a weak salve to their conscience. 

If they held Nightblood they'd fail the test. 

[CrazyRioter she/her]

Amaram definitely would have died. He did feel guilt for what he did.

Moash probably would too.

[Leuthie]

There is no real test with Nightblood.  If you hold him while he's not sheathed he steals you investiture (and your life should your investiture run out).  If someone he trusts says something is evil, he sucks it dry in an instant.  The evil test is...very pliable.

That said, Nightblood would actually like Moash and try not to kill him.  I see B.S. setting up that struggle pretty easily.

[Nymeros]

Amaram lusts for power and would likely fail Nightblood's test and kill himself.

Moash is no longer someone who desires power despite his past dreams. He even refrained from taking Elokhar's shardblade; he didn't seem tempted at all. I feel that he would likely pass Nightblood's test as he wouldnt have a desire to use him for any purposes. Moash doesnt seem to give enough of a crap to fail it.

Edited July 30, 2018 by Nymeros

[Calderis he/him]

35 minutes ago, Leuthie said:

There is no real test with Nightblood.  If you hold him while he's not sheathed he steals you investiture (and your life should your investiture run out).  If someone he trusts says something is evil, he sucks it dry in an instant.  The evil test is...very pliable.

There is. 

From the Warbreaker annotations. 

Quote

Brandon Sanderson

Chapter Thirty-Five

Vivenna Awakes, Bound by Vasher

This chapter—with what happens in the latter part of it—is the most dangerous in the book. Dangerous to me as an author, I mean. I love good plot twists, but I worry about leaving them without proper foreshadowing. I've never done something as drastic as I have in this book, having a group of sympathetic characters turn out to be working for the wrong side. I hope it succeeds, but I know that if it doesn't, readers will be very mad. Nothing is sloppier than a book with unearned changes in character motivation.

But we're not there quite yet. Before that we have the first real interaction between Vivenna and Vasher. He gives her what he likes to think of as the Nightblood test. One nice thing about having a sword that "cannot tempt the hearts of those who are pure" is that when someone like Vivenna touches it, she gets sick. I didn't want Nightblood to come across as a "one ring" knockoff. He doesn't turn people's hearts or corrupt them. However, in order to be able to do his job and fulfill his Command, he needs the ability to determine who is good and who is evil.

This, of course, isn't an easy thing to determine. In fact, I don't think it's a black or white issue for most people. When Nightblood was created, the Breaths infused in him did their best to interpret their Command. What they decided was evil was someone who would try to take the sword and use it for evil purposes, selling it, manipulating and extorting others, that sort of thing. Someone who wouldn't want the sword for those reasons was determined to be good. If they touch the weapon, they feel sick. If others touch the weapon, their desire to kill and destroy with it is enhanced greatly.

Nightblood himself, unfortunately, doesn't quite understand what good and evil are. (This is mentioned later in the text.) However, he knows that his master can determine who is good and who is evil—using the sword's power to make people sick, or through other means. So, he pretty much just lets whoever is holding him decide what is evil. And if the one holding the sword determines—deep within their heart—that they are evil themselves, then they will end up killing themselves with the sword.

Vivenna passes the test, which surprises Vasher. He thought that she'd be the type who would use Nightblood to kill and destroy. (He doesn't have a high opinion of her, obviously. Of course, that's partially because he's let his temper dictate what he thinks.)

source