Difference between revisions of "Nightblood"

'''Nightblood''' is a sentient sword and [[Shardblade]]{{wob ref|date=2014-03-06|6892|Words of Radiance San Francisco signing}}{{wob ref|date=2016-02-17|5152|Calamity Seattle signing}} from [[Nalthis]]. It was created through the experiments of [[Vasher]] and his associates, the [[Five Scholars]].

Nightblood is sentient but lacks a human context for its intelligence (sapience). Time has no meaning for it, nor can it well understand the dynamic aspect of human personalities. It can speak into Vasher's mind as well as Vivenna's, and it reads their surface thoughts whether they want it to or not. Though he thinks otherwise, Nightblood doesn't need to sleep.{{17swob ref|post|667033021}} Nightblood can more easily influence and is better able to communicate with people who are mentally unhinged.{{annotation ref|wb|chapter=53}}

A "good" person, someone who wouldn't want to use Nightblood for evil purposes, feels sick while looking at Nightblood and touching it can induce vomiting. This sensation of nausea is suppressed if the user has drawn Nightblood and had his or her breath drained. Anyone who is able to wield Nightblood and survive, Bonds with the blade to a greater degree and is no longer repelled by or abnormally drawn to use it.{{annotation ref|wb|chapter=55}} Nightblood's compulsion/revulsion magic has some parallels with [[Zinc#Allomantic_Use|Rioting]].{{wob ref|date=2018-3-10|9424|Orem signing}} This bond does not allow for access to [[Stormlight]] directly.

Once drawn, Nightblood becomes incredibly powerful. Its voice becomes overpowering. Lifeless that it touches disappear in a puff of smoke and stone also disappears when struck. Living humans disappear as well,{{book ref|sa3|92}} but other creatures are not confirmed to do so yet. So long as Nightblood is unsheathed, it drains Breath from its wielder, drawing it faster the longer it is held until it is all gone. If held until all available [[Investiture]] (i.e. Breath) is consumed, Nightblood will feed on the spark of life, killing the wielder.{{qawob ref|1086|165813}} This will also happen to non-Returned that wield Nightblood.{{qawob ref|979|694068}} Nightblood can also feed on other forms of investiture, such as [[Stormlight]]{{wob ref|661}}{{book ref|sa3|92}}, and on Scadrial, a person would need to be actively burning a metal or tapping a metalmind.{{wob ref|date=2017-11-28|8683|Oathbringer London signing}} Nightblood can also feed on the mists but not be able to pick up the Shard.{{wob ref|date=2016-6-11|4590|Barnes & Noble B-Fest 2016}} On Sel, Nightblood would be able to draw power from the Dor. For instance, if an Elantrian drew an Aon above the sword, it would be able to draw on Investiture, but the Aon would quickly be consumed due to too much energy being pulled through too small of an opening.{{wob ref|date=2017-12-6|8746|Oathbringer Leeds signing}} Notably, it can draw Stormlight from other sources directly--not just from the wielder.{{book ref|sa3|92}}

Nightblood is similar to a [[Shardblade]] (and is described as being something akin to a "robot spren"{{wob ref|3586}}), but differs in that when the blade inflicts a wound, it vaporizes and destroys on all three realms, Cognitive, Physical, and Spiritual.{{redditwob ref|books|2ytg2h|crco2mv3393}}. The similarity with Shardblades is intentional - Nightblood was created with knowledge of Shardblades.{{redditwob ref|books|2ytg2h|ct6ccoe3586}} So far, everything Nightblood touches can be destroyed (we don't know if Nightblood can vaporize other shardblades) except for its own sheath, which was used by a Fused to block a blow from Nightblood during the [[Battle of Thaylen Field]].

Nightblood is completely black, both blade and hilt. The blade is thin,{{book ref|wb|prologue}} long, and straight, with cutting edges on both sides.{{redditwob ref|books|2ytg2h|cs2den39065}} The cross guard is referred to as being hooked. Its overall size is noted as large; most likely, Nightblood was made to fit the proportions of a [[Returned]]. It has an aluminum sheath{{wob ref|8162|Nightblood's sheath is aluminum.|date=2017-11-13|event=Oathbringer release party}} with a clasp on it to prevent easy release of Nightblood. The sword itself is made of a material different from that of the sheath, meaning that Nightblood is not made of aluminum.{{wob ref|date=2017-11-28|8706|Oathbringer London signing}}

[[Vivenna]] appears on [[Roshar]] under the identity of [[Azure]], searching for Vasher and Nightblood.{{wob ref |1892 |Warsaw signing |date=2017-03-18}}

*Nightblood has no sense of gender assigned to itself. Vasher is responsible for originally assigning it male pronouns. It is fascinated by gender, and is still attempting to figure it out.{{redditwob ref|books|2ytg2h|cpdfni33372}}

* Assuming that Nightblood is not Allomantically inert, an attempt to burn it would be similar to an attempt to burn someone else's metalmind.{{17swob ref|post|353058|Firstly, you're assuming Nightblood is not allomantically inert (...) but if it was, it would be like trying to burn someone else's metalmind.|date=Nov 5th, 20152901}}

* Nightblood was not black-colored before being Awakened.{{wob ref|date=2017-11-13|8245|Oathbringer release party}}

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