Difference between revisions of "Ishar"

Ishar is a strong-looking man with the look of a warrior, outfitted in robes and wearing an ardent's beard.{{book ref|sa4|111}} Rosharan artwork typically presents him as looking much older than other Heralds, with a full beard and grey hair.{{file ref|Ishar Endsheet.jpg|Ishar Endsheet}}{{file ref|Ishar.jpg|Ishar capstone}} Modern Rosharans would consider him to look [[Shin]], suggesting he's pale-skinned and lacks the epicanthic fold common to most people on the planet.{{wob ref|11325}}{{book ref|sa4|111}}▼

He is known to be incredibly charismatic, capable of swaying entire nations to follow him, as well as to convince the other Heralds of his opinions and his sanity.{{book ref|sa3|106}}{{book ref|sa3|64}} He also seems to be scholarly, and deeply interested in the inner working of the [[Oathpact]] and the mechanics surrounding it.{{book ref|sa1|part=prelude}} In addition, Ishar is an excellent duelist by modern standards, easily defeating five Windrunners of the Third Ideal with minimal use of [[Surgebinding]], though the [[Stormfather]] notes that among the [[Heralds]] he was average in skill, though he was not a warrior at the beginning of the [[Oathpact]].{{book ref|sa4|111}}▼

In the present day Ishar is, like other Heralds, by and large insane. His particular brand of madness seems to reflect his nature as a spiritual leader. He alternately believes himself to be above all other men, and hates who he is and wishes to die.{{book ref|sa3|64}}{{book ref|sa3|24}} The latter does not stop him from presenting himself as the ultimate authority and demanding utter respect as the god-priest of [[Tukar]].{{book ref|sa3|24}} Ishar tells Dalinar that his insanity could be temporarily cured by a Radiant swearing an Ideal near him.{{book ref|sa4|111}}▼

Unlike other Heralds, Ishar is sometimes described as having powers even before he became known as a Herald, although whether this means he had them before ''becoming'' a Herald is uncertain. His particular powerset was seemingly tied to the [[cosmere]]-wide phenomenon of [[Connection]]. He is often described as the founder of the [[Oathpact]], and is believed to have been the founder of the [[Knights Radiant]], forcing them to organize and adopt precepts to live by, likely to prevent another [[Ashyn]]-like catastrophe.{{epigraph ref|sa2|42}}{{book ref|sa3|64}} Even among the other Heralds, the Radiant's were sometimes known as "Ishar's Knights".{{book ref|sa2|63}}▼

After the [[True Desolation]] began, [[Dalinar]] contacted Tukar, hoping for it to join the fledgling alliance. Ishar refused, and instead demanded ownership of [[Urithiru]] and fealty from the newly-refounded [[Knights Radiant]]. He was, understandably, denied.{{book ref|sa3|24}} Shortly after, [[Nale]] visited him again, hoping to gain some more understanding as to why the [[Everstorm]] still happened, despite his efforts. What they talked about is unknown, but Nale later decided to abandon humanity and side with the singers.{{book ref|sa3|121}}▼

During the [[coalition of monarchs]]' campaign in Emul, Dalinar had a crew of [[Windrunners]] fly himself, [[Szeth]], and [[Nightblood]] to Ishar's camp in an attempt to learn more about his own [[Bondsmith]] abilities. While still in the air, Dalinar noted that he already had a [[Connection]] to the Herald, allowing him to identify him on sight. Ishar accused Dalinar of being [[Odium]]'s champion, and refused his pleas for aid, though he did acknowledge that his "lies" were reasonable.{{book ref|sa4|111}} ▼

He summoned his own [[Honorblade]], which he claimed to have received from Szeth's father before he thanked Ishar for letting him die. Ishar attacked Dalinar, easily defeating the five Windrunners. As Dalinar opened a [[perpendicularity]], Ishar approached him and created a Connection with Dalinar, meaning to steal his bond with the [[Stormfather]] as well as Dalinar's Connection to Odium, in which he sensed Odium's and Dalinar's opposition to each other.{{book ref|sa4|111}} At the last moment, Szeth used Nightblood to sever Ishar's new Connection and then collapse the perpendicularity, which Ishar had been holding open against Dalinar's will. Nightblood was then able to chip a piece from Ishar's Honorblade. Shocked by the damage to his Blade, Ishar opened his own perpendicularity—which the Stormfather was unable to sense—and fled into [[Shadesmar]] with his men. Once Ishar was gone, Dalinar heard the Herald's voice through the perpendicularity. Sounding much more sane, he informed Dalinar that he could be restored temporarily if a Radiant swore an oath nearby him. Ishar claimed to know a way of resetting the Oathpact, and asked Dalinar to meet him in Shinovar, before reverting to madness.{{book ref|sa4|111}}▼

Ishar had been experimenting on Radiant spren, somehow bringing their cognitive forms into the physical realm and measuring how long they were able to survive—usually mere seconds—then performing autopsies. The Stormfather was extremely unsettled by the sight and called it an abomination.{{book ref|sa4|111}}▼