+JesterLavorre she/they Posted January 14, 2021 Posted January 14, 2021 So, here’s a random thought I had. Warbreaker spoilers ahead! Spoiler What would happen if Vasher tried to erase herald memories of torture (with their help) in the same way he erases the girl’s memory in Warbreaker? The heralds are cognitive shadows. Would this still work on them? I assume he would need to get the heralds some breath, which shouldn’t be hard. If he could remove their memories of torture, how would that effect their madness? I doubt it would cure them, as their madnesses seem to be tied to their nature as cognitive shadows. However, maybe it could be a sort of bandage for them. A temporary fix for some of their madness. In Taln’s case, I think this could help a lot. He probably has a madness associated with him being a CS, but the madness we see most apparently in the books seems to be more about the torture he has received for 5000 years. If those memories were removed, could he become functional again? Anyway, that was just something I thought of now, without doing any research, so there could very well be something that makes this impossible. If not, though, this seems like it could be a way to get Taln functioning as a POV for the second arc of Stormlight. 1
The Unknown Medallion he/him Posted January 14, 2021 Posted January 14, 2021 28 minutes ago, JesterLavorre said: So, here’s a random thought I had. Warbreaker spoilers ahead! Hide contents What would happen if Vasher tried to erase herald memories of torture (with their help) in the same way he erases the girl’s memory in Warbreaker? The heralds are cognitive shadows. Would this still work on them? I assume he would need to get the heralds some breath, which shouldn’t be hard. If he could remove their memories of torture, how would that effect their madness? I doubt it would cure them, as their madnesses seem to be tied to their nature as cognitive shadows. However, maybe it could be a sort of bandage for them. A temporary fix for some of their madness. In Taln’s case, I think this could help a lot. He probably has a madness associated with him being a CS, but the madness we see most apparently in the books seems to be more about the torture he has received for 5000 years. If those memories were removed, could he become functional again? Anyway, that was just something I thought of now, without doing any research, so there could very well be something that makes this impossible. If not, though, this seems like it could be a way to get Taln functioning as a POV for the second arc of Stormlight. I like this idea a lot, I think if Shalash finds out this is possible it would be big for her character as well. I don't think Vasher would do that though, I doesn't feel like something he would do without prompting, Vivenna on the other hand...she might. 2
+JesterLavorre she/they Posted January 14, 2021 Author Posted January 14, 2021 4 hours ago, The Unknown Order said: I like this idea a lot, I think if Shalash finds out this is possible it would be big for her character as well. I don't think Vasher would do that though, I doesn't feel like something he would do without prompting, Vivenna on the other hand...she might. Oh, yeah! Imagine Vashe/Vivenna helping Taln after all the guilt Ash feels over him. I could definitely see that helping her state.
Serack he/him Posted January 14, 2021 Posted January 14, 2021 (edited) Although this might play a roll, there is some discussion that the reinstatement of Ba-Ado-Mishram may heal Roshar's deadeyes and I've furthered that theory to how it may also help with the Herald's magically afflicted mental maladies. Edit: Also, helping a malleable child with forgetting the trauma of a single event is probably not a big deal, but erasing the trauma of millennia of torture from a cognitive shadow may unweave the entire being. Edited January 14, 2021 by Serack 1
Leuthie Posted January 14, 2021 Posted January 14, 2021 I don't think the memories of torture are what is ailing the Heralds. They're temporarily cured by large amounts of Honor's Investiture in their proximity. They have a magical issues (Identity, Connection, Investiture), not mental health issues. Some combination of BAM, Dalinar/Stormfather/Tanavast Cognitive Shadow, and whatever Dalinar is having Kaladin do with Ishar in book 5 will cure them. Erasing memories won't be part of it. 1
KSub Posted January 14, 2021 Posted January 14, 2021 I think the Heralds affliction is magical in nature. Removing their memories might help a little, especially in Talns case, as you mention. It seems to me Vasher is removing some investiture when he takes the girls memory. To remove enough to forget thousands of years of torture from a cognitive shadow could destroy them, and if you were to replace it then it would probably change who they are. There is a WOB I recall, where Brandon says that if the Returned held enough Breaths from similar minded people it would change their personality. So, for example, if they were patrons of soldiers, scientists or the homeless they would become more warlike, curious, or desperate. 1
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