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Eshonai is a [[listener]]; her skin, covered partially in carapace, is a marbled red and black, and she is large of stature, standing seven feet tall in Shardplate. Her Plate is silver, and has a red cape attached.{{book ref|sa1|68}} She wears [[warform]] due to the conflict with Alethkar.{{book ref|wor|i|1}} When not wearing Shardplate, her uniform consists of a cap and a red cloth that stretches over her warform armor.{{book ref|sa2|i|4}}
Her preferred form is [[workform]] because it is more flexible{{book ref|sa3|prologue}}, limber, rugged, and because the form's aversion to violence forces her to think differently to solve problems. She finds it difficult to tolerate listeners who prefer [[mateform]] , and has trouble understanding why anyone would want to remain in that form for longer than necessary to produce offspring. Her confusion on this subject at one time extended to humans, when she was baffled by the fact that humans have only a single form that is easily distracted by sexual urges.{{book ref|sa2|i|1}}
Though she accepts her duties as a general for her people, she feels trapped and constrained by the role, and by living on the [[Shattered Plains]]. Even her uniform contributes to her emotional discomfort, and the repetitive tasks of military life numb her mind. She blames her uniform for her personal worries. However she never speaks of her discomfort in her role. She enjoys the feeling of strength she gets from wearing Shardplate, and it gives her something reliable in the world.{{book ref|sa2|i|1}}{{book ref|sa2|i|4}}
Eshonai's true passion is exploration, and she yearns to be free of her role as general so she can explore; even as a child, it was common for her to wander off in the middle of a task if something caught her attention.{{book ref|sa2|i|1}}{{book ref|sa3|prologue}} She even contemplates exploring human civilizations, though she has a preference for exploring the wilderness. However, she believes these feelings are meaningless in comparison to the importance of protecting her people. She holds that remembering the fallen is important, but of lesser concern than protecting the living. She goes so far as to accompany her strike forces even when she has an injured leg from the [[Battle of the Tower]], because she is the only Shardbearer among the listeners.{{book ref|sa2|i|1}}
She believes that she is personally responsible for the War of Reckoning because she was the first to make contact with the Alethi. Despite being fully aware of the dire predicament of her people, she does not blame the Alethi for their pursuit of vengeance. While she fights the Alethi out of necessity, she would prefer to negotiate a peace with them.{{book ref|sa2|i|1}}{{book ref|sa2|i|4}}
== Abilities and Attributes ==
[[File:Eshonai - XIII. Death.jpg|thumb|left|200px|<center><small>by {{a|taratjah}}</small></center>]]
Despite her misgivings about the role, Eshonai is a skilled combatant and military commander, having managed to keep her people alive for more than five years of a war in which they are severely disadvantaged.{{book ref|sa2|i|1}} She's fluent in [[Alethi]], and is the best at it of any listeners, though she speaks it with a thick accent.{{book ref|sa1|68}}{{book ref|sa3|prologue}}
Shortly before her death, Eshonai attracted the attention of a [[Reacher]] nicknamed [[Timbre]]; however, she took on the stormform before the bonding process could begin, and thus never became a [[Surgebinder]].{{book ref|sa2|i|11}}
=== Forms ===
Like all [[listener]]s, Eshonai can change her form by taking a [[spren]] into her gemheart during a [[highstorm]]. Out of preference, she spent most of her life in [[workform]], which, while durable and strong, made her averse to violence. During the [[War of Reckoning]], she uses [[warform]] instead, as its carapace and stockier build afford her greater strength and protection while allowing for fighting.{{book ref|sa2|i|1}} Eventually, she takes on [[stormform]], keeping her increased strength while also granting her the ability to cast red lightning and summon the [[Everstorm]], though the latter requires cooperation with more stormforms.{{book ref|sa2|i|8}}
=== Shardbearer ===
Eshonai is a full [[Shardbearer]], owning both a set of [[Shardplate]] and a dead [[Shardblade]].{{book ref|sa1|68}} It's unknown how she came about having them, though it's possible she only acquired them after the [[War of Reckoning]] began.{{book ref|sa1|68}} However that happened, she knows how to use them, and wearing Shardplate feels natural to her.{{book ref|sa2|i|1}} She's highly skilled with the Blade, being able to keep up and even win against [[Adolin Kholin]], though her fighting style is unlike what he's been taught, with no recognizable stances. However, she can get too focused on combat while ignoring her surroundings, which proves to be her downfall.{{book ref|sa2|84}}
== History ==
{{quote
|With enough of us bearing this form together, we could bring it. We could '''bend''' the storms to our will, and could bring bring them down upon our enemies.
|Eshonai in stormform{{book ref|sa2|i|
}}
Eshonai was the first to adopt [[singer#Forms|Stormform]] after it was rediscovered by her sister Venli, though did so reluctantly. The new form caused Eshonai to become more warlike and destructive, leading her to switch from seeking peace with the Alethi, to desiring their extermination. Her new aggressive personality made her more willing to kill disobedient listeners, including her comrades, friends, and family. Any who refused to obey her orders were rounded up by Eshonai, whose intent was to have them killed.{{book ref|sa2|i|11}}{{book ref|sa2|i|4}}{{book ref|sa2|i|5}}{{book ref|sa2|i|8}}
== Trivia ==
* The reason
* Eshonai was originally going to be the sole flashback character in ''[[Rhythm of War]]'';{{wob ref|8979}} eventually, Brandon decided on using a mix of her and Venli's flashbacks.{{wob ref|12848}}
* She's one of the people on the US cover for ''[[The Way of Kings]]''.{{wob ref|11422}}
* She's unnamed throughout ''The Way of Kings''; however, chapter 68 of the book -- the only one she appears and speaks in -- is named after her without explanation.{{book ref|sa1|68}}
== Notes ==
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