Lets talk about Team Nalthis

[Toaster Retribution he/him]

So, we have three people from Nalthis (Vivenna, Vasher and Nightblood) on Roshar, and they are all engaging in the current events. What I wonder is what their stories will be like, and how they will contribute to the main narrative. I have two major guesses:

-Regarding Vivenna: She was last seen heading toward the Horneater Peaks. I suspect that Rock will go there as well to gather the Horneaters for Dalinars cause. They will probably team up. 

-Regarding Nightblood: I think Szeth will use him to kill Nale, eventually. 

Any other thoughts at what these characters might accomplish? And how will Vasher react when he sees that Szeth is carrying Nightblood?

Edit: Inserted a random poll for fun. 

Edited December 24, 2018 by Toaster Retribution

[NoiseSpren he/him]

I am excited to see more of Vasher. He is most mysterious and cool and funny (I am offended by everyones presence) of them...

[Rasarr she/her]

I'm curious to see more of Vivienna, and find out what she's up to, other than getting Nightblood back.

[What's a Seawolf?]

I'm curious to see more of Nightblood, and not just because of all the obvious story potentials (and humor) Nightblood brings.

The main characters now know of two not-shardblade Shardblades (Nightblood and Azure's,) and Moash's mystery knife seems to have some not-shardblade properties as well ('Moash pulled the yellow-white knife free, it trailed dark smoke and left a blackened wound.)  Not to mention it either destroyed or captured Jez's soul.

These pseudo (super?) 'Shardblades' are clearly going to play a major role in the future of SA, and I'm very curious to see the direction Brandon takes it.  (Nightblood's first ever 'real' Shardblade encounter better not be against a Spren we know and love.)

[StrikerEZ he/him]

I’m most excited to see more of Vivenna because I really liked her in Warbreaker and she seems even more interesting as of OB. I think it’d be really cool if, like @Toaster Retribution said, Rock meets up with her in the Horneater Peaks. It’d be funny if she did the kata thing and Rock did it with her (assuming Kaladin taught Rock, which I do think he did). Besides for that, I’m sure Rock will mention Kaladin at some point, and Vivenna will probably freak out a little at that.

[Solant he/him]

It's the meeting between Vasher and Vivenna I an most interested in with this. I'm hoping we can get some hints as to how they parted ways before, assuming there is anything interesting there to tell. 

[Use the Falchion]

Vasher, but not because I want to see him do anything cool. I think Vasher's interactions with the main cast so far has been really interesting and great to see, and I want more of it. 

[Rainier]

So is Vivenna hunting Vasher, or Nightblood, or both? Why doesn't Vasher have Nightblood? Who did he give it to, or who managed to take it from him? What could get Vasher, the man who killed his own wife over the secrets of this sword, to cede control? I figure a threat to Vivenna's life wouldn't be enough, and neither would any other similar forced choice. Vasher already thinks Nightblood is his own personal everlasting shame, so I can't see how he would give it up.

These are the questions I want answered, and I don't think we're going to get them until after Nightblood (the book) is published sometime after Stormlight 5.

Hopefully before we get our answers, we at least get to see Vasher unmasked as a world-hopper, realmatic theoretician, and functionally immortal demi-god. Imagine what Navani would do if she knew what Vasher had done with investiture on his own planet.

[Dalakaar he/him]

Pretty much ditto @What's a Seawolf?’s post. I’m curious about Vasher but not to the extent that Nightblood has me wondering. Vivenna wasn’t my favourite character so I’m a bit less enthused ‘bout her.

[Solant he/him]

@Rainier I'm excited about all of that, too. I get sort of a retirement vibe from Vasher in the SA books. I wonder if he didn't just get tired of shouldering the responsibility, and found a person he trusted with Nightblood in Cultivation... or Nale, maybe?

Hmm, Nightblood.... Nightwatcher...  it would be interesting if her purpose was literally to guard Nightblood for the right person, Lady of the Lake style.

[Toaster Retribution he/him]

Also, I wonder if Vivenna has turned into some kind of Cosmere-Boba Fett. I recall her mentioning a bounty on Vasher...

[Rainier]

17 minutes ago, Solant said:

I get sort of a retirement vibe from Vasher in the SA books. I wonder if he didn't just get tired of shouldering the responsibility, and found a person he trusted with Nightblood in Cultivation... or Nale, maybe?

I could see this, maybe, but again, the problem is that this sword has consumed Vasher's (after)life for centuries by this point. He might be tired of it, but I doubt he would put the burden down unless, as you say, he found a worthy steward. I wouldn't call Nale or the Nightwatcher a worthy steward, since the former is insane, though not so insane as to protest his own insanity, and the latter offered up the sword to a bloodthirsty warlord when the opportunity arose.

He could be retired from leading people, but I don't think he would ever retire from guarding Nightblood from the world, and guarding the Cosmere from Nightblood.

[Solant he/him]

@Rainier that's true. The only reason the Nightwatcher came to mind is because she implied to Dalinar that she could gift him a sword which leaked black smoke.

@Toaster Retribution have a +1 for using "Cosmere Boba Fett" in a sentence.

Edited December 24, 2018 by Solant
+1

[Dalakaar he/him]

19 minutes ago, Rainier said:

I could see this, maybe, but again, the problem is that this sword has consumed Vasher's (after)life for centuries by this point. He might be tired of it, but I doubt he would put the burden down unless, as you say, he found a worthy steward. I wouldn't call Nale or the Nightwatcher a worthy steward, since the former is insane, though not so insane as to protest his own insanity, and the latter offered up the sword to a bloodthirsty warlord when the opportunity arose.

He could be retired from leading people, but I don't think he would ever retire from guarding Nightblood from the world, and guarding the Cosmere from Nightblood.

 

5 minutes ago, Solant said:

@Rainier that's true. The only reason the Nightwatcher came to mind is because she implied to Dalinar that she could gift him a sword which leaked black smoke.

Couple ideas springing to mind on reading the Vasher-talk.

Vasher isn't the most, er, lawful of people. I could see him trying to pull the "toss the sword on the ground and let god sort it out" method on Nale, Nale just sort of looks up in surprise, grabs the sword, and walks off "smh" with a "thanks-wave-of-the-hand". (Or more realistically he continues to try and bring Vasher to heel but Vasher is long gone.) My 2c interpretation of how Nale got Nightblood. >.<

 

On the Nightwatcher comment, I can't remember the exact phrasing but did she say "sword" or something different like "blade"? Even if she did say sword though, well the big question I have is... what if it wasn't Nightblood?

Swords leaking black smoke doesn't seem quite as unique as it did before. For instance, it could've been the dagger Moash uses instead of Nightblood if her terminology was "blade" as opposed to "sword".

 

[StrikerEZ he/him]

37 minutes ago, Dalakaar said:

On the Nightwatcher comment, I can't remember the exact phrasing but did she say "sword" or something different like "blade"? Even if she did say sword though, well the big question I have is... what if it wasn't Nightblood?

Swords leaking black smoke doesn't seem quite as unique as it did before. For instance, it could've been the dagger Moash uses instead of Nightblood if her terminology was "blade" as opposed to "sword".

You might be onto something. Here’s the relevant part from the book:

Quote

Dalinar blinked tears, listening to the sounds of the children dying in the distance, and whispered a single word.
“Forgiveness.”
The Nightwatcher’s tendrils dodged away from his face, like splayed fingers. She leaned back, pursing her lips.
Perhaps it is possessions you wish, she said. Spheres, gemstones. Shards. A Blade that bleeds darkness and cannot be defeated. I can give it to you.

So, she doesn’t specifically say sword, so it could theoretically be not Nightblood. I think it’s most likely Nightblood though, considering Blade is capitalized, which usually implies a Shardblade or similar sword.

Edited December 24, 2018 by StrikerEZ

[Toaster Retribution he/him]

2 hours ago, Solant said:

@Toaster Retribution have a +1 for using "Cosmere Boba Fett" in a sentence.

Thank you. I will try to use it more often. And Vivenna totally needs a jetpack. 

[Wyndlerunner he/him]

The true answer for me is Lightsong. But other than that, Nightblood, as the irony of his character amuses me.

[A Traveler]

Definitely nightblood. Nightblood and Szeth make a great pairing. I’m interested in what the sword is going do in the next two books. 

I’m also very interested in the inevitable meeting between Zahel and Szeth/Nightblood, given that they are both in Urithiru. 

I don’t think Azure is gonna have much more effect on the story. 

[StrikerEZ he/him]

22 hours ago, A Traveler said:

I don’t think Azure is gonna have much more effect on the story.

I don’t know how you can think she won’t have more effects on the story. To me, while reading OB I felt she was being set up to be important in later books. Probably not as important as, say, Kaladin or Dalinar, but probably as important as someone like Teft or Lopen, at least. Especially considering she was last seen heading towards the Horneater Peaks, which we know are gonna be important for multiple reasons. One, Rock is now the King of the Horneater Peaks. And two, the Horneater Peaks are the location of Cultivation’s Perpendicularity, which is really important for Shadesmar travel/warfare. I’m already imagining Rock heading to the Horneater Peaks to take his rightful place as King, and then teaming up with Vivenna and his people to fight off the Fused, assuming those decide to enter the Physical Realm.

[Toaster Retribution he/him]

I agree with Striker regarding Vivenna. I wonder for how long she has been a part of Stormlight though. We know that Vasher always has, but it is more unclear with Vivenna and Nightblood.

[TousenShadowForged he/him]

I wanna know what happened after WB and how did they end up here

[TequilaJack]

Vasher was one if the 5 scholars....but how did Vivenna worldhop? Presume Vasher bought her along, but how did the trio separate? Did he give it to Vivenna who lost it and subsequently searching for it? 

[+Invocation]

3 minutes ago, TequilaJack said:

Vasher was one if the 5 scholars....but how did Vivenna worldhop? Presume Vasher bought her along, but how did the trio separate? Did he give it to Vivenna who lost it and subsequently searching for it? 

Vasher probably taught her the basics, but the rest we won't know until the book Nightblood releases.

[TequilaJack]

28 minutes ago, Invocation said:

Vasher probably taught her the basics, but the rest we won't know until the book Nightblood releases.

I doubt worldhop is a basic. But yeah, would love to know more on Vivienna and why she wants Nightblood. 

[Solant he/him]

Regarding Viv worldhopping

Questioner [PENDING REVIEW]

For the worldhopping that happens with Vasher and Vivenna. Are they the humans that came over...?

Brandon Sanderson [PENDING REVIEW]

No, they're not.

Questioner [PENDING REVIEW]

They're just completely independent people who hopped...?

Brandon Sanderson [PENDING REVIEW]

They're moving with the hidden cosmere economy that has grown up moving between planets. Between Nalthis and Roshar, you can actually catch a caravan. There's actual movement and travel between them. That's been in place on Roshar for quite a while at this point.

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