Difference between revisions of "Nightblood"

|world=Nalthis

|universe=[[Cosmere]]

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{{for|pre=This page is about the sword|Nightblood (book)|the eventual sequel to [[Warbreaker]]}}

{{quote

|Hello! Would you like to destroy some evil today?

As an Awakened object, Nightblood's goal is to fulfill its Command, "Destroy evil".{{book ref|wb|51}} It often tries to convince its wielders that they should draw it and is often bored or frustrated when sheathed.{{book ref|wb|51}}{{book ref|sa3|90}} Though it thinks otherwise, Nightblood doesn't need to sleep.{{wob ref|3021}}

 

 

== Attributes and Abilities ==

Once drawn, Nightblood becomes incredibly powerful. Its voice becomes overpowering and liquid smoke pours from the length of the blade. The sword becomes barely sentient as its Command takes over, and it does not usually recall what happens while it is drawn.{{wob ref|7474}} The wielder feels extreme pain in the arm holding Nightblood and the hand, arm, and eventually the whole body turns black as the sword consumes Investiture.{{book ref|wb|56}}{{book ref|sa3|119}} The black veins or tendrils that appear in the wielder usually leave the skin gray after Nightblood is sheathed or otherwise satiated. This can be seen in [[Lolan]]'s hand, Lift's arms, and Szeth's face.{{book ref|wb|26}}{{book ref|sa3|119}} So long as Nightblood is unsheathed, it drains Investiture from its wielder, drawing it faster the longer it is held, until it is all gone in a way very similar to both [[larkin]] and [[chromium|chromium Mistings]].{{book ref|wb|56}}{{wob ref|5023}}{{book ref|sa4|i|12}} If held until all available Breath (or other [[Investiture]]) is consumed, Nightblood will feed on the spark of life, killing the wielder.{{book ref|sa3|119}}{{wob ref|5813}} This will also happen to non-Returned that wield Nightblood.{{wob ref|4068}} Some of Nightblood's negative effects can be negated by an aluminum gauntlet, though this would also negate some positive effects; however, these positive effects are not used by many of Nightblood's wielders in the first place.

 

Nightblood was created on Nalthis and initially consumed BioChromatic Breaths, but it can also consume other forms of Investiture, such as [[Stormlight]].{{wob ref|661}}{{book ref|sa3|92}} On [[Scadrial]], a person would need to be actively [[Allomancy|burning a metal]] or tapping a [[Feruchemy|metalmind]] to avoid being consumed very quickly.{{wob ref|8683}} Nightblood can also feed on the [[mist]]s but would not be able to pick up the Shard [[Preservation]].{{wob ref|4590}} 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 an opening.{{wob ref|8746}} Notably, it can draw Stormlight from other sources directly--not just from the wielder.{{book ref|sa3|92}} Nightblood is strong enough that an Awakener of the tenth Heightening cannot break its command.{{wob ref|13095}}

 

Much like a Shardblade, Nightblood is its own being, and even more powerful [[Awakener]]s like [[Shashara]] and [[Susebron]] would not be able to retrieve Breaths from it or break its command.{{wob ref|13094}}{{wob ref|13095}} Trying to use [[Allomancy]] to burn it would be similar to an attempt to burn someone else's metalmind.{{wob ref|2901}} [[Surgebinding#Illumination|Lightweaving]] does not stick to Nightblood.{{book ref|sa4|29}} Unlike a Shardblade, however, it could attract spren.{{wob ref|13372}} It can also be pulled into [[visions]], while at least dead Shardblades cannot.{{book ref|sa4|i|9}}{{book ref|sa4|113}}{{book ref|sa1|18}}

 

 

== History ==

{{image|DESTROY EVIL!!!.jpeg|side=right|width=200px|Wielded by Vasher}}

 

 

 

Nightblood was wielded by Shashara at the Battle of Twilight Falls during the [[Manywar]], with devastating effects.{{wob ref|6954}} Vasher decided that the knowledge of how to Awaken [[BioChromatic_Breath#Type_IV|Type IV Entities]] was extremely dangerous and had a falling out with Shashara, ultimately using Nightblood to kill her in order to keep her from spreading this information; she had previously leaked knowledge of how to make [[Lifeless]] from a single Breath.{{book ref|wb|53}} Another of the [[Five Scholars]], [[Yesteel]], somehow learned the secret of creating Type IV Entities but is not known to have actually done so.{{wob ref|7407}}

 

The sword had another name when it was created, but Vasher renames it "Nightblood" after killing Shashara.{{wob ref|7374}} Nightblood knows that Shashara is his creator, but has no recollection of killing her.{{book ref|wb|29}}

 

 

=== Roshar ===

}}

 

 

 

{{image|Szeth Enters The Battle by Marie Seeberger.jpg|side=right|width=400px|After slaying a [[thunderclast]] with Szeth}}

 

 

 

Szeth chooses to leave Nightblood a distance away when interacting with [[Szeth's highspren|his highspren]].{{book ref|sa4|i|7}}

 

 

 

== Cosmere Significance ==

Both Shashara and Vasher had been to other planets before creating Nightblood and have relatively significant amounts of knowledge regarding the cosmere and Investiture.{{wob ref|1548}} Nightblood is one of the most heavily Invested things in the [[cosmere]].{{wob ref|5170}}{{wob ref|8662}} It is far more Invested than other powerful magical objects like Shardblades or the [[Bands of Mourning]],{{wob ref|7668}} and the only things more Invested than it are [[Shards]].{{wob ref|10833}} Nightblood didn't start off that strong but grew in power over time.{{wob ref|10833}} Nightblood cannot destroy an entire Shard but the Vessel can be killed by it.{{wob ref|13379}}{{book ref|sa4|113}}

 

* It is theoretically possible for Nightblood to bond a [[spren]], but the circumstances required are so bizarre it would probably never happen.{{wob ref|2862}}

* Nightblood has some similarities to Tzai blows, a technique in the non-canonical work ''[[Dragonsteel Prime]]'' that can directly attack something in the [[Spiritual Realm]].{{wob ref|8404}}{{bws ref|dragonsteel-prime-chapter-37-bridge-four-7|''Dragonsteel Prime'' chapter 37|date=2017-10-23}}

* Different forms of Investiture taste different to Nightblood. However, since he eats Investiture while unsheathed, he doesn't pay attention to the taste and doesn't remember it afterwards.{{wob ref|15669}}

 

== Notes ==

{{partial}}

{{Warbreaker}}