Aryanath Posted March 6, 2014 Posted March 6, 2014 So I looked throughout the books and couldn't find this information and it puzzled me. Sadeas is 50 years old. He has a wife he's clearly intimate with and maybe he is not beyond mistresses. It would seem as though he would want someone to bequeath his legacy, his conquests, etc. whatever he's planning to after he's gone. So doesn't it strike you odd that he has no kids, no heir? It is just him and his wife. Or am I missing something. It seems like a lot of the other Highprinces don't really have kids either. There seem to be distinct lack of heirs. I don't recall hearing anything about the situation for lighteyes being like the nobility in Mistborn, where they're set up to have fewer kids. But really, I find the lack of children among great families to be a very prominent oddity. Can someone comment on this? Perhaps I've missed something? 2
king of nowhere Posted March 6, 2014 Posted March 6, 2014 (edited) I think kids just aren't mentioned. probably sadeas has sons, but they are not important to the story. or maybe they remained in the capital or family land to care for day to day business. EDIT: after all, we see the military leadership of alethkar on the shattered plains cause they're fighing a war, but there i9s still a nation to be cared for. it is mentioned the queen remained behind to take care of civilian business, for example. Edited March 6, 2014 by king of nowhere
Aryanath Posted March 6, 2014 Author Posted March 6, 2014 (edited) It would be natural in a warlike society to bring your sons to the battlefield with you. Adolin and Renarin both show up with Dalinar after all. And I don't think that's a special exception. Edited March 7, 2014 by Aryanath
king of nowhere Posted March 6, 2014 Posted March 6, 2014 anyway, one problem of the wheel of time is that too many characters were introduced. I think brandon is specifically trying to avoid setting up too many characters, especially in the form of secondary nobles who will make little plots that will never be devoted enough time and will leave most readers confused. we don't even know the names of all the highprinces.
Aryanath Posted March 7, 2014 Author Posted March 7, 2014 I agree with the above, but the problem can be avoided if he were to just set them up and not create side plots for them, sort of how GRRM mentions but doesn't follow most nobles. I guess what I'm trying to say is that giving Sadeas a son doesn't necessitate creating a new side plot just for that. But I agree, it doesn't take away from the story or anything. I'm relatively new to Sanderson and I like the way he puts so much depth and effort into his worlds and magical systems so this seemed like an omission to that rule. 1
Cromptj he/him Posted March 7, 2014 Posted March 7, 2014 But Sadeas doesn't need a son so why give him one unless you wanted to add a subplot?
Aryanath Posted March 7, 2014 Author Posted March 7, 2014 I'd assume that most Highprinces need/want heirs to pass on their lands, titles, and shards to after their deaths?
Swimmingly he/him Posted March 7, 2014 Posted March 7, 2014 His wife or himself could be... Challenged in that area.
Aryanath Posted March 7, 2014 Author Posted March 7, 2014 See that's the thing! Definitely something is not normal here!
king of nowhere Posted March 7, 2014 Posted March 7, 2014 Someone could ask sanderson in the next signing maybe
WeiryWriter he/him Posted March 8, 2014 Posted March 8, 2014 we don't even know the names of all the highprinces. Actually they were all named in WoK.
Windrunner he/him Posted March 8, 2014 Posted March 8, 2014 They are Dalinar, Sadeas, Valam, Roion, Sebarial, Ruthar, Aladar, Hatham, Thanadal, and Bethab. I remembered eight of those from memory too.
Awesomeness Summoned he/him Posted March 9, 2014 Posted March 9, 2014 Verily, this vichyssoise of verbiage veers most verbose 1
Lorna Posted March 14, 2014 Posted March 14, 2014 (edited) WoR spoilers Speaking to Shallan about the causal in WoR ch.1, Jasnah indicates there are at least a few highprince daughters around. “Well, yes. The daughter of another highprince might have been preferable for Adolin. However, it seems that he has managed to offend each and every one of the eligible women of that rank..."Sanderson, Brandon (2014-03-04). Words of Radiance (Stormlight Archive, The) (p. 46). Tom Doherty Associates. Kindle Edition. Edited March 14, 2014 by WeiryWriter counts as spoilers
Arook he/him Posted March 14, 2014 Posted March 14, 2014 As far as i could tell they just don't talk about the children of high princes in fact they don't talk about in both books we only see 3 high princes in any detail. So unaccounted sons is not impossible, not talked about is not the same as not having any. Heck we only see a tiny bit of sadeas' wife.
Carlos Stormblessed he/him Posted March 14, 2014 Posted March 14, 2014 Like has been said before most likely he has children that were not mentioned that are in the camp or that are back at his kingdom. Also, maybe they couldn't have kids. Maybe they didn't want kids. Sadeas really wasn't in the book much anyways. So I don't see much of a need for mentioning his heirs.
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