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{{character
|image=Ishar Endsheet.jpg
|abilities={{tag+|Cognitive Shadow}}, {{tag+|Shardbearer}}
|titles={{tag+|herald}}, Herald of Luck, Herald of Mysteries, Binder of Gods, Patron of the [[Order of Bondsmiths|Bondsmiths]], Creator of the [[Oathpact]], Tezim the Great, Herald of Heralds
|aliases= Ishi, Tashi, Tezim, Ishu-son-God
|world=Ashyn
|universe=[[Cosmere]]
|first appeared=[[Rhythm of War]]
}}
{{update|sa4}}
{{quote
|I… have seen Ishar. He curses me at night, even as he names himself a god. He seeks death. His own. Perhaps that of every man.
|The [[Stormfather]]{{book ref|sa3|64}}
}}
'''Ishar''', also known as '''Ishi'Elin''', '''Tashi''', '''Tezim''' and '''Ishu-son-God''', 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|111}} and as a leader of [[Tukar]] starting circa {{rosharan date|1167}} in the [[Vorin]] calendar under the guise of Tezim.{{book ref|sa3|64}} He serves as a major religious figure in many world religions.{{book ref|sa3|64}}{{book ref|sa3|106}} He's known as the Herald of Luck, and serves as the patron of the [[Order of Bondsmiths]].
He is the current bearer of his own [[Honorblade]].{{book ref|sa4|111}}
== Appearance and Personality ==
{{image|Ishar by Shuravf.jpg|side=left|width=250px}}
{{for|/Gallery|more images}}
{{quote
|None are Radiant but him. His fury is ignited by your pitiful claims, and your unlawful capture of his holy city is an act of rebellion, depravity, and wickedness.
|Ishar, writing as Tezim{{book ref|sa3|24}}
}}
=== Appearance ===
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 folds common to most people on the planet.{{wob ref|11325}}{{book ref|sa4|98}}{{book ref|sa4|111}}
=== Personality ===
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, easily defeating five Windrunners of the Third Ideal with minimal use of [[Surgebinding]]. The [[Stormfather]] notes that among the [[Heralds]] he was only average in skill, though he was not a warrior at the beginning of the [[Oathpact]].{{book ref|sa4|111}}
In the present day Ishar, like other Heralds, is 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}}
This megalomania and charisma together make for a highly dangerous combination, as even now the other Heralds hold Ishar in particularly high esteem. [[Nale]] claims that Ishar has always been the wisest of them all, and [[Shalash]] believes that he would know how to cure [[Taln]]'s madness.{{book ref|sa3|121}} Additionally, Shalash presents him as a confident, eager man; energetic, and more of a battlefield commander than a wise scholar. He is bold rather than crafty, a man who pulled others after him on seemingly crazed ideas that ended up working.{{book ref|sa4|111}}
He wishes to combine together the Shards and become [[Adonalsium]] reborn.{{book ref|sa4|111}} He sees himself as an aspect of the Almighty.{{book ref|sa3|8}}{{book ref|sa4|111}}
== Attributes and Abilities ==
{{image|Herald Glyph Ishi.svg|Ishar's [[glyph]]|side=right|width=200px}}
=== Herald of the Almighty ===
{{for|Herald#Abilities|a general description of Heraldic powers}}
As a [[Herald]], Ishar is immortal. When he dies, he travels to [[Braize]] and can return to Roshar, though at the cost of triggering a [[Desolation]].{{book ref|sa3|64}} He wields an [[Honorblade]], having retrieved it from the Shin after abandoning it at the [[Aharietiam]].{{book ref|sa4|111}} It grants him [[Surgebinding]] of the [[Bondsmiths]], namely the [[Surge]]s of [[Adhesion]] and [[Tension]].
Ishar has mastered his fighting skills throughout the ages, and is capable of fighting multiple Shardbearers with ease.{{book ref|sa4|111}} He is capable of summoning Honor's perpendicularity, draining Stormlight from Radiants by bonding them to the earth and even stealing away a Radiant bond. The Stormfather implies that without Honor to restrict him, the extent of his abilities is unknown.{{book ref|sa4|111}}
=== Binder of Gods ===
{{quote
|But take care; Ishar’s skill as a duelist is a lesser danger. He has recovered his Honorblade. He is a Bondsmith unchained.
|The Stormfather to Dalinar{{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 powers are 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 Radiants were sometimes known as "Ishar's Knights".{{book ref|sa2|63}}
Perhaps due to his abilities, he appears to have been the Heralds' expert on Connection and bonds. He studied the Oathpact, and was the one who realized that one Herald was enough to keep it working.{{book ref|sa1|part=prelude}} He also sought a way to preserve information between the [[Desolation]]s, and in the present day, convinced Nale to hunt down budding [[Surgebinder]]s, claiming it would prevent a new invasion.{{book ref|sa3|47}}{{book ref|sa3|106}}
When he was visited by Dalinar after the end of the Emuli campaign, in his duel against five Windrunners, he used his powers to Connect them to the ground, causing their Stormlight to drain away. He also demonstrated the ability to steal Dalinar's bond with the Stormfather, against both Dalinar's and the Stormfather's wills, as well as take Dalinar's Connection as Odium's opponent in the contest of champions, although neither taking was completed.{{book ref|sa4|111}}
=== God-Priest Tezim ===
{{quote
|Tezim the Great, last and first man, Herald of Heralds and bearer of the Oathpact. His grandness, immortality, and power be praised.
|Ishar's letter to [[Dalinar]]{{book ref|sa3|24}}
}}
In the current era, Ishar acts as the leader of [[Tukar]], calling himself the god-priest Tezim. The Tukari are zealously religious, and indeed seem to believe him to be a god.{{book ref|sa3|24}} For the past six years, they've been at war with the neighboring [[Emul]] over the port city of [[Sesemalex Dar]], in the conflict known as [[Eighty's War]].{{book ref|sa3|12}} Ishar's reasons for leading the Tukari on Sesemalex Dar are unclear, though the two countries have always been embroiled in conflict.{{book ref|sa2.5|2}} It's also uncertain how long Ishar's been influencing Tukari politics, though his official rise to power occurred somewhere around the start of Eighty's War.{{book ref|sa2.5|3}}
As Tezim, Ishar refuses to participate in [[Dalinar]]'s alliance and demands that the [[Alethi]] turn [[Urithiru]] over to him.{{book ref|sa3|24}} Whether he has the power to back up his claim remains to be seen.
== History ==
{{image|Ending the Oathpact by Katie Payne.jpg|side=right|width=400px|Abandoning the [[Oathpact]] with the other [[Herald]]s}}
=== Life on Ashyn and the Expulsion ===
Like most of the Heralds, Ishar was born on [[Ashyn]] prior to mankind's arrival on [[Roshar]], over seven-thousand Rosharan years before the [[True Desolation]].{{book ref|sa4|14}}{{book ref|sa4|76}} He was either a king, scholar, or general.{{book ref|sa3|38}}
Ishar was the first to be tricked by Odium into experimenting with the Surges that eventually left Ashyn uninhabitable and desolate outside of a few hospitable areas, and forced the population to flee to Roshar, and forcing those that remained on Ashyn into floating cities.{{book ref|sa4|111}}{{book ref|tsm|2}}{{au ref|Roshar}} He was also the first human on Ashyn to discover how to [[worldhop]], enabling humanity to leave the planet when they needed to flee.{{wob ref|9464}}{{wob ref|14434}}{{book ref|sa3|115}}{{wob ref|11945}}
=== Herald of the Almighty ===
{{quote
|Before he was Herald of Luck, they called him Binder of Gods.
|The [[Stormfather]]{{book ref|sa3|64}}
}}
He, along with the rest of humanity, were granted modern-day [[Shinovar]] as territory by the native [[singer]] population. When relations with the singers broke down and the [[Fused]] started to appear, Ishar, along with nine other people, was raised to a Herald by [[Honor]], creating the [[Oathpact]].{{book ref|sa3|38}} Ishar's part in the Oathpact appears to have been larger than that of the other Heralds, as he is called its founder.{{book ref|sa3|64}}
The Oathpact demanded that to stop the [[Desolation]]s, the Heralds had to travel to [[Braize]] after each one ended. This led to them being tortured until at least one broke, sending them all -- and a Desolation -- back to Roshar.{{book ref|sa3|38}} It was during one of those cycles that [[Surgebinder]]s began appearing. Ishar was instrumental in transforming this scattered group into the [[Knights Radiant]], although what precisely he used, other than threats of death and destruction upon those who wouldn't obey, is unknown.{{epigraph ref|sa2|42}} During that time, he also sought a way to preserve information between the Desolations.{{book ref|sa3|47}}
After around three-thousand years,{{book ref|sa4|111}} however, the Heralds had had enough of their endless torture. After a Desolation in which only [[Taln]] died in battle, Ishar suggested that one person may be enough to keep the following Desolations at bay. And so, the nine agreed to abandon the Oathpact, leaving Taln to suffer alone for over four and a half thousand years.{{book ref|sa1|prelude}} This Desolation came to be known as the [[Last Desolation]], or Aharietiam.
=== The Era of Solitude ===
{{quote
|Tashi doesn't care much for what you do here. In fact, I’d pray that he doesn’t reach your city, as I doubt you’d like the consequences.
|[[Nale]]{{book ref|sa2.5|8}}
}}
Ishar's activities after the Aharietiam are largely unknown. At some point, he met with Nale and convinced him to hunt down and destroy all nascent [[Surgebinder]]s, believing that the return of the [[Knights Radiant]] would unleash a new Desolation.{{book ref|sa2.5|9}} During that time, he also insinuated himself into the politics of [[Tukar]] and became its leader, the god-priest, under the assumed identity of Tezim.{{book ref|sa3|64}} As Tezim, he waged [[Eighty's War]] against [[Emul]].{{book ref|sa3|12}}
=== The True Desolation ===
{{image|Ishar's Cryptic by Nozomi.png|side=left|width=350px|One of the spren, a [[Cryptic]], Ishar has experimented on}}
After the [[True Desolation]] began near the end of {{rosharan date|1173}}, [[Dalinar]] contacted Tukar around the middle of {{rosharan date|1174|1}}, 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 denied.{{book ref|sa3|24}} Shortly after, [[Nale]] visited him again, hoping to gain more understanding as to why the [[Everstorm]] still happened, despite his efforts. What they talked about is unknown, but Nale later decided to abandon mankind and side with the singers.{{book ref|sa3|121}}
{{image|Map of Eastern Makabak.jpg|side=right|width=250px|Map of the war in Emul}}
==== Campaign in Emul ====
During the [[coalition of monarchs]]' campaign in Emul in {{rosharan date|1175|4}}, 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 near 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—and then performing autopsies. The Stormfather was extremely distraught at this revelation and called it an abomination.{{book ref|sa4|111}}
== Relationships ==
=== Nale ===
Ishar is greatly respected by Nale, who believes him to be the only one who hasn't succumbed to madness. It was likely at Ishar's suggestion that Nale began his crusade against [[Surgebinder]]s, and when the [[Everstorm]] comes, Nale goes to Ishar for comfort and advice.{{book ref|sa3|106}}
=== The Stormfather ===
Ishar has a negative view of the Stormfather, cursing him at night.{{book ref|sa3|64}}
== Culture ==
{{image|Ishar.jpg|Ishar's chapter capstone|side=right|width=200px}}
As one of the Heralds, Ishar is venerated throughout [[Roshar]]. In the [[Vorin]] tradition, he is known as '''Ishi'Elin''', and associated with number 10 (Ishi), the [[Ten Essences|Essence]] of Sinew, and the divine attributes of Pious and Guiding.{{book ref|sa3|part=ars}} He is often listed alongside [[Jezrien]] and [[Kelek]] as one of the most important Heralds.{{book ref|sa1|52}}
"Ishi be praised" is a common phrase.{{book ref|sa1|23}} However, unlike with most Heralds, Ishar's true name remained in use among the Vorins, with places like [[Ishar's Field]], and the curse of "Ishar's soul".{{book ref|sa3|48}}{{book ref|sa2|5}} Names such as [[Ishal]], [[Ishnah]] and [[Ishikk]] are likely derived from his.
Unlike in the East, where Jezrien is placed as the most important, in the West Ishar is often considered the leader of the Heralds.{{book ref|sa2.5|8}} In [[Makabak]]i nations, he's called '''Tashi''', and is titled the God of Gods and the Binder of the World.{{book ref|sa2.5|13}} The people of [[Tashikk]] in particular -- which itself may be named after Tashi -- place him as equal, though opposed to [[Odium]], or Nun Raylisi, and believe that as long as they stay in their homeland, Tashi protects them from evil.{{book ref|sa2.5|3}} In [[Yeddaw]], the tenth of the traditional ten pancakes of the [[Weeping]] is dedicated to Tashi, and is imagined rather than actually made.{{book ref|sa2.5|20}} [[Tashi's Light Orphanage]] is named after him, and "Tashi above" is a commonly-used phrase.{{book ref|sa2.5|3}}{{book ref|sa2.5|6}}
Further west, in [[Shinovar]], he's known as '''Ishu-son-God'''.{{book ref|sa3|106}}
== Quotes ==
{{quote
|A warning, from Tezim the Great, last and first man, Herald of Heralds and bearer of the Oathpact. His grandness, immortality, and power be praised. Lift up your heads and hear, men of the east, of your God’s proclamation.
None are Radiant but him. His fury is ignited by your pitiful claims, and your unlawful capture of his holy city is an act of rebellion, depravity, and wickedness. Open your gates, men of the east, to his righteous soldiers and deliver unto him your spoils.
Renounce your foolish claims and swear yourselves to him. The judgment of the final storm has come to destroy all men, and only his path will lead to deliverance. He deigns to send you this single mandate, and will not speak it again. Even this is far above what your carnal natures deserve.
|Ishar's reply to Dalinar's request for a coalition.{{book ref|sa3|24}}
}}
== Trivia ==
* Ishar is featured as one of the ''[[Oathbringer]]'' endpapers.{{file ref|Ishar Endsheet.jpg|Ishar Endsheet}}
* The phrase "Ishar's soul" has so far only been used by [[Adolin Kholin]].{{book ref|sa2|5}}{{book ref|sa3|93}}{{book ref|sa3|102}}
* Ishar's portrait used in the chapter arches is called the Priest by the [[Dragonsteel Entertainment]] staff.{{wob ref|14097}}
== Notes ==
<references />
{{
{{stormlight}}
[[es:Ishar]]
| |||