Hello and welcome all to our first discussion! So, here we are, in Urithiru, after exiting the Shattered Plains via the Oathgate. The Everstorm has come, the Voidbringers are back, and our favorite frenemy is very dead. Let's just jump right in!

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Summary:

Prologue-To Weep (set 6 years ago)

We see the assassination of Gavilar from the Parshedi point of view.

• Eshonai, as she was before the war, is the best interpreter between the Parshedi and the Alethi.
• Her impression of the Parshmen, slavery, humans and how the initial meeting was exciting. She is in awe of Kholinar's palace.
• She walks in on King Gavilar, who wants to talk to her. She is confused by the offer of a favorable treaty to her people, who are weak post-battle with the gods.
• King Gavilar says he is being watched but wants Eshonai to pass on a message to her leadership that he figured out how to bring the gods back. He mentions capturing a crucial spren that helped to enslave the Parshmen. He wants to reverse this and bring on a storm that will uncover the Heralds and create a new war to "Unite them".
• Eshonai thinks this is insane and tries to dissuade him. He shows her a map of Roshar that awes her and gives her a dark, sphere-like object to bring back to her people.
• The Five take action, through Klade's slave. Klade had been spoken to by "a voice", with Venli, Eshonai's sister, in attendance, and the slave had confessed his abilities---yes, it's Szeth! Eshonai weeps as she thinks of what is to follow if the Parshedi strive to keep their freedom.

Location of the Ten Oathgates

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Consolidated Oathbringer preface from Chapters 1-9:

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"I'm certain some will feel threatened by this record. Some few may feel liberated. Most will simple feely that it should not exist. I need to write it anyway. I know that many women who read this will see it only as further proof that I am the godless heretic everyone claims. I can point to the moment when I decided for certain this record had to be written. I hung between realms, seeing into Shadesmar-the realm of the spren-and beyond. I thought that I was surely dead. Certainly, some who saw further than I did thought I had fallen. I did not die. I experienced something worse. That moment notwithstanding, I can honestly say this book has been brewing in me since youth. The sum of my experiences has pointed at this moment. This decision".

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Part One: United

Chapter 1: Broken and Divided

• Dalinar et al. are in Urithiru, the holy headquarters of the Knights Radiant, following the travel through the Radiant-activated portals, that saved them from the new Everstorm after the battle with the Parshedi. It's been 6 days.
• The Stormfather, his bonded spren, showed him Kholinar destroyed in a vision he is now re-playing. He requests to see a part of the vision he wasn't shown. Kholinar wasn't destroyed by the Everstorm but by the Voidbringers. The war was coming-the Desolation!
• Dalinar knows the Everstorm will continue through the land, activating the Parshmen into Parshedi Voidbringers and causing untold devastation by blowing from the wrong direction with red lightning. He has tried to warn all the leaders via spanreed. He has a handful of Radiants, no Heralds, and the Alethi- never mind everyone else-is far from getting on the same page.
• At the end of the vision, the storm hits, and he sees the enemy's champion: a dark figure wearing Shardplate with nine shadows and red eyes in the golden light of Odium.
• Navani comforts him as he returns from his visit. However, their gemstones are running out and they need basic supplies for the troops.
• A scout announces they found a body...Highprince Sadeas has been murdered! (Okay-we are not surprised...lol)

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Chapter 2: One Problem Solved

• Adolin is organizing the supplies and people coming through from four war camps. He tries to avoid thinking about what he did until a runner announces the discovery.
• Dalinar breaks up a potential conflict between Bridge Four and Sadeas's soldiers. Bridge Four was being accused of murdering him but they only found the body. Dalinar takes charge and points out the pool of blood indicates he hadn't been moved.
• Navani points out the method, a blade through the eye, is the work of an assassin-or a Shardbearer on a battlefield ...
• Whoever is left of the command structure shows up. Palona, helpfully points out his death is one problem solved. Everyone agrees. Sadeas's Shardblade is missing, possibly taken by the killer.
• Dalinar thinks back on his memories of Sadeas with his actions lately. Bridge Four are "squires", like apprentice Radiants, tied to Kaladin.
• Dalinar shows them the landscape and points out their duty to take leadership as the rest of the world will be subject to the Everstorm. Aladar is named the new Highprince of Information, and Sebarial the Highprince of Commerce. Adolin is in charge of training the armies. Dalinar wants Urithiru to be a functioning city. Dalinar vows to unite all of Roshar.
• Renarin is still trying to figure out his powers. Dalinar gives him a pep talk. Renarin and Shallan will need to lead the Knights Radiant when they come.

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Chapter 3: Momentum (34 years ago)

• Flashback to Dalinar's fighting days. Before Shardplate, etc., we see him and his troops cornering an enemy force.
• He is intimidating, ruthless and fearless. We see him in The Thrill with loyal troops around him. He easily takes down a Brightlord. But he doesn't know exactly why. He's just following Gavilar's orders.
• He gets shot a couple of times with arrows but manages to recruit the archer, who is trying to assassinate him?!
• A young Sadeas is leading the second set of troops. He has already decapitated the highprince and his officers and put their heads on spears. Dalinar informs him of his promise to the archer not to sack the city. Sadeas already has Shardplate and wants to get Shardplates for Dalinar, too.

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Chapter 4: Oaths

• The Everstorm comes back two days post-body. Dalinar talks with the Stormfather about the nature of the storm and the feeling of dread. Urithiru towers above the dark clouds. Something new is happening to the last Desolation. This storm is vengeful! It gives Dalinar a view of Roshar's destruction as the Everstorm passes through.
• Navani updates him on the monarchs from the other regions. She tries to comfort him from taking the responsibility of the entire world on his shoulders and relax him, but he won't be seduced without a ceremony of oaths.
• We learn the ardents have refused to marry them, on account of Navani being married to his brother, which is forbidden, as they are siblings.
• Dalinar thinks back on his first wife, who he can't remember at all. We learn he married her for her Shardplate from Navani. He confesses his lack of memory to Navani, and she knows it's the Old Magic, for which he got a boon and curse- (was forgetting her the boon or the curse?) We get a brief detail of his wife being taken hostage by a city in rebellion against Gavilar and Dalinar on a mission of vengeance-possibly for her treatment.
• He wants to make things right this time with Navani, making it official with an oath. His idea is to get the Stormfather to accept their vows to one another, which is highly irregular and irreligious. He proposes to Navani.
• A small gathering, mostly family and close friends, meet in the tower to witness Dalinar and Navani's marriage. Dalinar is nervous but excited. In his convo with the Stormfather, he is told that "There are no foolish oaths. All are the mark of men and true spren over beasts and subspren. The mark of intelligence, free will and choice", Navani finds a wedding dress and Elhokar, still recovering from the attack, gives his tactic approval. The Stormfather appears, scares everyone, and they take their vows. Just a reminder, Dalinar is a Bondsmith.
• The ardent, Kadesh, is the only one who is not happy. He plans to report Dalinar's actions to the ardentia. We get a glimpse of some history between the two of them. Something about "The Rift" and "Rathalas" and Dalinar not being infallible.

Map of Alethkar: Annotated for your convenience

Chapter 5: Hearthstone

• Kaladin is hurrying to warn his hometown about the events occurring and save his parents. Flew most of the way until he ran out of Stormlight. It's been 4 days since the big battle. Syl notices his eyes have returned to brown. Once he summons his Shardblade, his eyes turn glassy, glowing, light blue. Also, the Everstorm doesn't re-charge spheres.
• The town looks empty and dead at first glance. Kaladin thinks of Moash's claim against Roshone and their unfinished business. There are gloomspren around! Syl's Honorspren aunt use to hunt them. She reminds him of killing her and Kal apologizes again.
• He finds everyone in the village at the manor and is "taken prisoner" by a solider.

Chapter 6: Four Lifetimes

• Kaladin recognizes people from his past, but he is not recognized. His slave brand speaks loudest.
• This isn't the homecoming he was imagining but now he sees the villagers more clearly and lots of memories wash over him as he's taken through the manor to Roshone. He hears the sound of the wounded and goes to see his father. He is there taking care of people, looking older and greyer, but beloved. They have a happy reunion, and his mother arrives quickly, too!
• Kaladin's first words are to apologize for not keeping Tien safe. His parents thought he was dead, having been told a year ago! Everyone cries.
• Kal left home five years ago and lived through four lifetimes, as a soldier, a slave, a bodyguard to the King, and now Skyblessed.
• The soldier is arguing with his father, who wants to buy Kaladin's slave writ, but Kaladin takes stock. His mother says Roshone isn't so bad, and they can rebuild a family.
• Syl says she remembers his parents, from the winds. And all things are connected. Honorspren come from the winds of Honor.
• Roshone-and everyone-looks smaller and older than Kal remembers. His first action is to punch Roshone perfectly, dropping him to the floor, for "my friend Moash".

Chapter 7: A Watcher at the Rim

• Pandamonium ensues and Kal feels embarrassed for his actions. He is a protecter! Syl agrees.
• Kal gets ahold of his emotions and asks about the Parshmen, and demands a quiet room. People aren't sure about his authority until he brings out his Shardblade.
• It turns out their Parshmen only escaped after transforming. Kal tries to get a sense of their direction so he would have something to report back to Dalinar.
• Kal demands maps, a spanreed and horses and offers payment, but the soldiers say they have to ask the lady's permission. That's right- a blast from the past, his old flame, Laral. Kal announces the Desolation is here and Voidbringers are back. Syl informs him spren are about half male and half female and he has been using female weapons for half the time. And actually, that's a projection of their personification, actually the old spren have four genders.
• Laral makes her entrance and takes command. Kal makes a plea and Laral tells him to stop insulting her husband, old man Roshone, who she married when his son died while they were betrothed. Kal discovers he has bigger fish to fry than reexamining the past. Sy likes Laral. Kal considers how casually he gave away a handful of expensive jewels without thinking about it.
• Kal returns to his father with a new perspective on medicine. His father, Lirin, still is sad Kal is a fighter instead of a healer. Kal reminds him he is "a watcher at the rim" and has a duty to hunt down Voidbringers. Lirin tells him to see his mother before he leaves. Meanwhile, Laral got a connection to Navani via Tashikk so Kal can talk to Dalinar, who instructs him to get close but not take any unnecessary risks. Laral packs up the spanreed for him to take. Hesina, his mother, has an infant in her arms---Kaladin's new brother, Oroden, meaning "child of peace". Kal cries some more. He collects any infused spheres and trades dun ones for them two to one. Kal wants to take his parents to the tower, but his father says he will stay. In this discussion, the whole village overhears its the Desolation. Kal gives them a speech to reassure them, using a little Stormlight to impress and leaves via flying.

Shallan's Sketchbook- The Tower

Chapter 8: A Powerful Lie

• Shallan is trying to draw the tower. She is still upset over the revelation that Pattern was her Shardblade, with which she killed her mother. And she needs to use him constantly to open the Oathgate for new troops. There is also the problem of recharging spheres with Stormlight.
• A scout comes to get her for Dalinar. He is helping to maintain the illusion that she is an Elsecaller instead, so her powers are safe and secret.
• She notices the pattern of the strata in the wall is actually a guide.
• The brain trust is having a strategic meeting on how to convince the other kingdoms of what is happening. Things are unclear until Dalinar walks by Shallan and, somehow, they are linked together with Stormlight and she ends up drawing a map of the world from the perspective of the Stormfather. Something is indeed brewing!
• The map inspires Dalinar to focus on the Oathgates that can be used. Although Voidbringers are everywhere, the Alethi can move troops across the land easily. Azir, Jah Keved and Thaylenah are the first locations they seek to secure.
• The meeting is interrupted with another murder!

Chapter 9: The Threads of a Screw

• The group heads over to where the body was found. Adolin tries to play it cool.
• Shallan again notices the strata in the room. It's a bathing chamber.
• Like dear, departed Sadeas, he has been stabbed through the eye and it looked like there had been an extended fight. His body is positioned in the same way. Creepy!
• Renarin freaks Shallan out by accident.
• Dalinar tasks Adolin with solving the murders based on his work with Elthokar's investigation and liaising with Aladar, new Highprince of Information. Dalinar sees this as dangerous politically. Pattern buzzes on her skirt but Shallan can't believe Adolin is capable of guile.

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Discussion questions down below! See you next Sunday, October 8, for Chapters 10-15, when the plot thickens!

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