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'''Nale''', also known as '''Nalan'Elin''', '''Nin''', or '''Nakku''', is one of the ten [[Herald]]s of [[The Almighty]] on [[Roshar]], who served as a protector of humanity against the Desolations from 7000 to 4500 Rosharan years before the [[True Desolation]].{{book ref|sa1|part=prelude}}{{book ref|sa4|14}}{{book ref|sa4|
== Appearance and Personality ==
=== Personality ===
Nale is obsessed with order and law, and will go to extreme lengths to ensure he doesn't break any laws of the land he's in. This is because he's lost his confidence in his own sense of justice and morality, and as such, he believes that the only way for him to act correctly is to obey a code of conduct created by others.{{book ref|sa3|121}} He is, however, capable of bending the rules to his advantage, such as by appointing himself a lawman to enable him to kill, or pressuring local authorities to change the law.{{book ref|sa2|i|9}}{{book ref|sa2.5|16}} This being said, Nale's still focused on obeying the rules, and will punish even his own underlings for breaking them, regardless of whether doing so is to his advantage.{{book ref|sa2|i|9}} Perhaps because of this, [[Nightblood]] wouldn't consider him to be evil.{{wob ref|12567}}
In his actions, he seems utterly devoid of mercy, and will execute the maximum penalty available to him without a shred of compassion or leniency, regardless of who his victim is.{{book ref|sa2.5|8}} He respects those who share his own blind obedience, and will target them as recruits for the Skybreakers.{{book ref|sa2|88}} While understanding that people are fallible, he expects higher standards from those he chooses.{{wob ref|3850}} He thinks the world of [[Ishar]], and will do anything the man commands, to the point of self-delusion, in all but most dire of circumstances.{{book ref|sa2.5|19}}
Along with his lack of confidence in his own justice and morality, he has also lost confidence in his own decision-making, and believes life cannot be lived by making decisions at every juncture.{{book ref|sa3|120}}
Most of Nale's current-day behavior is the result of his experiences during the [[Desolation]]s. Back then, he was capable of emotions and compassion; in fact, he was highly aware that law was, by itself, inflexible and immoral, and that it fell on lawmakers to make sure that law protected the weak from the strong.{{book ref|sa4|47}} However, this empathy was tortured out of him on [[Braize]].{{book ref|sa3|121}} Making the matters worse are the [[highspren]], which encourage the unyielding, literalist interpretation of the law in him.{{wob ref|13999}} In his better moments, Nale is aware of what he's lost, and can be horrified by his own behavior, but his current coping patterns quickly reassert themselves.{{book ref|sa2.5|19}}{{book ref|sa3|90}}
He considers the singers to have the law of the land, thus he sided with them during the True Desolation, even though it meant turning against humanity.{{book ref|sa3|121}}
He seems to have some problems correctly perceiving the passage of time, expressing surprise that food he'd left behind decades prior had gone bad.{{book ref|sa3|106}} He is also unfazed by any wounds or pain; he takes an arrow to the face with little more than mild annoyance at being interrupted.{{book ref|sa4|47}}
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A year into the [[True Desolation]], in early {{rosharan date|1175}}, Nale and his Skybreakers were sent to [[Emul]] to fight on the side of the [[Voidbringers]]. During one particular battle, he approached the army leader, Dalinar, and tried to persuade him to submit to the law of the singers; however, before he could go too far into his speech, [[Cord]] shot him in the face, to which he barely responded. After pulling the arrow out and healing his face, he descended to the deck of the floating platform the others were on.{{book ref|sa4|47}}
Nale approached Dalinar, incredulous that the man such as him would be made a [[Bondsmith]]. He tried to amend this and launched himself at Dalinar, but before he could attack, Dalinar, prompted by [[Stormfather]], used his abilities on the Herald, and saw a number of visions from Nale's memory. Starting from Nale abandoning the [[Oathpact]], they went back in time, showing Nale fighting dark forces while protecting a small child, Nale establishing the [[Vorin]] Right of Travel, Nale kneeling before a [[highspren]], and endless fighting he partook in. Last was the vision of Nale agreeing to join the Oathpact with [[Jezrien]].{{book ref|sa4|47}}
Nale and Jezrien once strongly opposed one another on an unclear issue, considering one another enemies.{{book ref|sa4|47}} Jezrien eventually came to consider Nale correct, and offered him to join in a pact, and considered him a very honorable man.{{book ref|sa4|47}} Nale considered working alongside Jezrien to be an honor.{{book ref|sa4|47}}
Over time, his respect for Jezrien eroded, and he came consider him to be little more than a drooling idiot.{{book ref|sa2|i|9}}{{book ref|sa4|47}}
=== Ishar ===
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