Difference between revisions of "War of Reckoning"

The '''War of Reckoning''' was a conflict on [[Roshar]] between [[Alethkar]] and the [[Listenerslisteners]]. This name for the conflict was used by Brightness [[Hashal]]{{book ref|sa1|43}} in reference to the Alethi's goal of delivering justice upon the Listenerslisteners for their role in the [[Assassination of Gavilar|assassination]] of the Alethi King [[Gavilar Kholin]].

While exploring a forest south of the [[Shattered Plains]], King Gavilar's brother [[Dalinar Kholin]] encountered a nationsociety of non-[[slaveform]] [[singers]] who called themselves [[Listeners]]'''listeners'''.{{book ref|sa1|28}} Not knowing what they are, and seeing their similarity to [[parshmen]], Gavilar's [[stormwarden]]s coined the term '''Parshendi''',{{book ref|sa1|45}}, whichmeaning roughly meant ''parshmen who can think''.{{book ref|sa1|prologue}}"Parshendi" Diplomaticbecame relationsthe wereofficial Alethi term for the establishedlisteners, and eventuallyit aalso treatyspread betweento theother Alethicountries andon theRoshar. ListenersThe (thelisteners so-calleddid Parshendi)not wasshow madeany offense for the term.{{book ref|sa1|prologue}}

Diplomatic relations were established, and eventually a treaty was made between the Alethi and the so-called Parshendi. The king invited a Parshendi delegation to celebrate the signing of the treaty in [[Kholinar]].{{book ref|sa1|prologue}} That night, Gavilar revealed to [[Eshonai]], a Listenermember of the delegation who could speak interpreterAlethi, his secret intention to bring back the [[Fused|old singer gods]] in order to also bring about the return of the [[Herald]]s. He mistakenly believed that the Parshendi would welcome this idea. In reality, the ancestors of the Listenerslisteners had abandoned their gods in favor of freedom, and they did not want their gods to return.{{book ref|sa3|prologue}}

After hearing the news from Eshonai and fearing Gavilar's plans, the Listener [[Council of Five]] decided to have the humanAlethi king assassinated that very night.{{book ref|sa3|prologue}} They assigned this task to their newly-acquired slave, a [[Shin]] [[Truthless]] named [[Szeth]] who possessed [[Jezrien]]'s [[Honorblade]]. After an intense fight, the man who would later be called the '''Assassin in White''' succeeded in killing Gavilar.{{book ref|sa1|prologue}}

While the rest of the Parshendi delegationlisteners fled from Kholinar, three members of theirthe Council of Five—[[Gangnah]], [[Klade]], leadersand remained[[Varnali]]—remained to take credit for the assassination. The Alethi had the three hanged.{{book ref|sa2|prologue}}

During Gavilar's funeral service, his son and successor King [[Elhokar]] made the Alethi highprinces vow to avenge his father's death. This '''Vengeance Pact''' broughtbetween the highprinces and the new king became Alethkar's todeclaration of war against the Parshendi.{{book ref|sa3|105}}

Each princedom in Alethkar hashad its own army. TenThere were ten [[highprince]]s, namely [[Roion]], [[Torol Sadeas|Sadeas]], [[Aladar]], [[Dalinar Kholin|Kholin]], [[Loradar Vamah|Vamah]], [[Ruthar]], [[Thanadal]], [[Hatham]], [[Bethab]], and [[Turinad Sebarial|Sebarial]],. Each committed part of their armies into fulfilling their Vengeance Pact with [[Elhokar|King Elhokar]], and havehad set up warcamps on the leeward side of the [[Shattered Plains]]. Each highprince had his own warcamp built on one of ten crater-like rock formations that were once inhabited by the Listenerslisteners.{{map ref|Alethi warcamps}}{{book ref|sa1|45}}{{book ref|sa2|i|1}}

Unlike the Alethi, the Listenerslisteners had a single unified army. Their society was governed by the [[Council of Five]], whose members each represented one of the five [[Singer#Forms|singer forms]] that the Listenerslisteners used. The Council member who used [[Warformwarform]], which is the singer form used by Listenerlistener warriors, served as the general of the army.{{book At some point during the war, Eshonai became the Warform of the Council of Five.ref|sa2|i|4}}

When the war started, the Listenerslisteners moved to the ruins of [[Stormseat]], located at the center of the Shattered Plains. They called this central place [[Narak]], which in their language meant ''Exile''. It served as the base of operations for their army as well as refuge for the rest of their people.{{book ref|sa2|i|1}}

Once the Alethi settled on the border of the Shattered Plains, they discoveredbegan that [[chasmfiend]]s live inharvesting the chasmschasmfiends betweenfor plateaus. Chasmfiends containtheir gemhearts, which hold enormous amounts of [[Stormlight]] and are excellent for use in [[Soulcasting]]. This enabled the armies to Soulcast metal for weapons, wood for bridges, barracks of stone and food for troops.{{book ref|sa1|15}}

Both the Alethi and Listenersthe listeners used these gems to sustain their armies, prolonging the siege and greatly extending the duration of the war. Whenever a chrysalis is spotted on a plateau, a race between the Listenerslisteners and Alethi highprinces would occur.{{book ref|sa1|15}} Whoever arrived first would have to retrieve the gemheart from the chrysalis before the opposing army arrives, otherwise a battle would occur.

The [[Tower (Roshar)|Tower Plateau]] is a very large plateau not far from the center of the Shattered Plains. Because of this, the Listenerslisteners always arrived first whenever a chasmfiend pupated on the Tower Plateau, and they usually had enough time to arrange themselves into battle formation and prepare their defense. Consequently, no Alethi army had ever won a battle at the Tower during the first six years of the war.

Secretly guided by the voidspren [[Ulim]],{{book ref|sa3|i|3}}, Venli had previously captured a [[stormspren]], a spren that granted [[Stormformstormform]]. This Form of Power was believed to allow the summoning and control of storms.{{book ref|sa2|i|1}} Eshonai initially protested the idea due to the form's connection to [[Fused|their hated gods]]. However, after the other leaders sided with Venli, Eshonai ended up volunteering to experiment with Stormformstormform to see what it does.{{book ref|sa2|i|4}}

Prior to bonding the stormspren, and with the help of Dalinar's son [[Adolin]]{{book ref|sa2|26}} and the Listenerlistener warrior [[Thude]], Eshonai was finally able to arrange a meeting with Dalinar to discuss a possible end to the war. The plan was for the meeting to happen in seven days. Having received confirmation of the arrangement, Eshonai went out to experiment with Stormformstormform.{{book ref|sa2|i|5}}

Stormform gave Eshonai a different kind of armor and the ability to jump chasms more easily. She started attuning to a new set of [[Singer#Rhythms|Rhythms]] that were more aggressive.{{book ref|sa2|i|8}} More importantly, the new form changed Eshonai's personality, making her more arrogant and belligerent. She abandoned her plan to negotiate. Instead, she challenged the Alethi to try and destroy theher Listenerspeople if they could.{{book ref|sa2|51}} She planned to lure the whole Alethi army out far away from their warcamps and destroy them with a summoned highstorm.{{book ref|sa2|i|11}}

Along with Venli, Eshonai organized the adoption of Stormformstormform for all of their people. A few of the Listenerslisteners did not agree to this plan and managed to escape.{{book ref|sa2|i|11}} [[Rlain]], a Listenerlistener spy who infiltrated the Alethi army and joined [[Bridge Four]], returned from his espionage mission, and discovered the new Stormformstormform army. He decided not to join them.{{book ref|sa2|78}}

After negotiations with Eshonai fell through, Dalinar proposed a joint assault on the enemyParshendi camp in order to end the war and fulfill the Vengeance Pact once and for all.{{book ref|sa2|51}} Out of all the Alethi highprinces, only [[Aladar]], [[Roion]], and [[Sebarial]] joined him in the end. They set out near the start of the [[Weeping]], expecting no highstorm to impede their attack.{{book ref|sa2|76}} Along the way they met up with Rlain, who reported to Dalinar what had happened to his people.{{book ref|sa2|78}}

Upon the arrival of the Alethi armies in Narak, a large number of the Stormformstormform Listenerslisteners initiated the ritual song to summon a storm, while the rest prepared to fight the invaders.{{book ref|sa2|81}}

The Stormformstormform Listenerslisteners showed the ability to shoot red lightning, which they successfully weaponized against the Alethi. Adolin and Aladar managed well enough on their plateaus, but Roion's army was eventually defeated{{book ref|sa2|82}}, andbut RoionAdolin himselfand wasAladar killedmanaged bywell later in the battle by -[[Szeth]], who was thereenough on atheir mission to assassinate Dalinarplateaus.{{book ref|sa2|8582}}

Having been warned by Rlain that the Stormformsstormforms' song will bring destruction, Dalinar instructed Adolin to stop the singers.{{book ref|sa2|81}} Adolin found a way to get to the singers and killed many of them, but Eshonai attacked before he could finish the task.{{book ref|sa2|83}} In the end, even though he defeated Eshonai, he was unable to prevent the song from being completed. The summoned storm turned out to be the [[Everstorm]], and it came towards them from the west, bringing red lightning.{{book ref|sa2|84}} In addition, the [[Stormfather]] sent an unexpected highstorm, coming from the east as highstorms usually do.{{book ref|sa2|86}}

[[Kaladin]]Szeth arrived inon timethe tobattlefield saveon Dalinara mission from Szeth,[[Taravangian]] whoto hadassassinate beenDalinar, sentbut therewas tothwarted assassinateby the highprince[[Kaladin]].{{book ref|sa2|86}} [[Shallan Davar]] managed to find and activate the ancient [[Oathgate]] within the city, and the surviving Alethi army was safely transported to [[Urithiru]] before the combined Everstorm and highstorm destroyed the whole city of Narak.{{book ref|sa2|84}}{{book ref|sa2|86}}

The surviving remnants of the Stormformstormform army eventually ended up as vessels or subjects offor the [[Fused]], the immortal commanders of [[Odium]]'s army that returned through the Everstorm. The exception was Venli, whom Odium spared for his own purposes.{{book ref|sa3|i|6}} Aside from Rlain, it is currently unknown whether any of the Listeners who did not join the Stormform army survived.

While Warformwarform Listenerslisteners were able to jump the distance between plateaus, an Alethi army could only cross a chasm with a wooden bridge from an adjacent plateau. There was no way to climb a plateau from a chasm. The bridges were made of wood.{{book ref|sa1|6}} Permanent bridges could only be constructed next to the warcamps because any permanent bridgebridges built further on the plains were destroyed by Listenerlistener raids.{{book ref|sa1|17}}

:These were only light in comparison to the bridge-towers. At least 25twenty five men were needed to carry a bridge, though the bridges were constructed with spaces for forty men.{{book ref|sa1|6}}. Their advantage was that they could be carried even while running, so they were much faster than the bridge-towers. Instead of offering cover, the bridgemen were exposed to the Listenerlistener archers during the approach of the final plateau.

Sadeas waspioneered the firsttechnique{{book oneref|sa2|8}} toof useusing the light bridges, <!---advantageous hefor wastheir first?mobility, --->manned andby hadbridgemen muchwho successwere withleft themexposed because of their mobility. He also usedfor the exposed bridgemen on purpose toof attractattracting enemy fire that would otherwise have centered on his own soldiers.{{book ref|sa1|6}}{{book ref|sa1|15}}{{book ref|sa1|32}} That is also why bridgemen were neither armored nor trained.{{book ref|sa1|15}} When others of the highprinces saw Sadeas' success, they began using his system as well.{{book ref|sa2|8}}

Dalinar did not use those bridges because he was convinced that officers shouldn't demand anything from their soldiers that they would not do themselves and reproached Sadeas for wasting lives.{{book ref|sa1|15}}{{book ref|sa1|65}} HeLater, reproached Sadeas for wasting lives. Laterthough, Sadeas and Dalinar worked together. Sadeas, who could reach a plateau faster than anyone else, becausewith he used thehis light bridges, andwent leftahead hiswith mainmost armyof withhis Dalinar<!---force mainand armysecured witha Dalinar? --->.foothold; Dalinar followed withat the slowpace of his chull-drawn bridges, usingalthough he could reach the lightcontested plateau twice as quickly because he crossed on some mobile bridges Sadeas had lent him so he didn't need to crossstop theand lower his own bridges at each chasmschasm. At the final plateau, Dalinar would put his own bridges forward, so as not to waste bridgemen's lives.{{book <!--- not in the Tower Battle? --->ref|sa1|58}}

Kaladin was the first to train a bridgecrew of a light bridge{{book ref|sa1|14}} and had considerable success with it.{{book ref|sa1|59}} Not only hedid managedhe manage to make them faster than other crews, he also manageddevised tothe figuremethod out aof way of"side carrying" the bridge so that it could offershield protectionarrows forfrom the crewbridgemen.{{book ref|sa1|32}} <!---Although fitsthis passagemethod aboutsignificantly Kaladinprotected the bridgemen, it was a strategical failure to Sadeas' army. The [[Parshendi]] archers realized [[Bridge Four]] were too well protected (and Sidefocused Carry)their arrows on the bulk of soldiers instead, causing heavy loss of trained soldiers instead of expendable bridgemen. Other bridgecrew who awkwardly tried to imitate them failed to deliver the bridges and this resulted in here?a --->lost battle. As punishment, [[Lamaril]] was executed and Kaladin was left out for the [[highstorm]].

When an army arrived at a plateau and the enemy army was already formed up for battle, a great slaughter would ensue; the only way for the attackers oftento prevent this was to send in [[Shardbearer]]s, who could jump over the chasm and clear a space for the bridges to land. This was a terrible risk, however, and not all highprinces did this.{{book ref|sa1|26}}

During battles on the plateaus, falling into chasms was a real risk for both Alethi soldiers and Listener warriors, oftenand fellmany intodied thein chasmsthis manner. The dead who were left after a battle were also blown into the chasms during highstorms. At the bottom of the chasmsThere, the dead were flooded to the leeward end of the chasms, where they stayed until another flood pulled them elsewhere.{{book ref|sa1|27}}

SoldiersSearch teams consisting of soldiers or bridgemen were periodically sent down into the chasms to gather weapons, armor, spheres, or anything other of value from the dead. Chasm duty was dangerous because of the risk of another highstorm flooding the chasms and because of chasmfiends who could come upon a search- team.{{book ref|sa1|27}}

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