Difference between revisions of "Nightblood"

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 ==

Some time later, Vasher traveled to Roshar but was eventually separated from Nightblood{{wob ref|1714}} after some kind of falling out a few generations after the Pahn Khal Rebellion.{{wob ref|651}}{{wob ref|14099}} Some time before this, Nightblood was brought to one or more planets other than Nalthis or Roshar, but when or to what planets is unknown.{{wob ref|12594}}

 

 

Szeth, who calls Nightblood 'sword-nimi', carried it during and after his training with Nale and the [[Order of Skybreakers|Skybreakers]]. He was warned not to draw it except in case of extreme emergency and only if he carries much Stormlight, lest it feed upon his soul.{{book ref|sa3|90}} Notably, Szeth made no mention of any sensation of either nausea or lust for Nightblood upon encountering it because of his compatibility with Nightblood.{{wob ref|15920}}

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

 

 

During their campaign to free [[Emul]], Nightblood accompanied Szeth, Dalinar, and several Windrunners to parley with [[Ishar]]. Crazed, Ishar attempts to form a [[Connection]] with Dalinar to steal his bond to the [[Stormfather]]. Inside of Dalinar's [[perpendicularity]], Szeth uses Nightblood to sever this Connection, thereby saving Dalinar. While Szeth duels [[Ishar]], Nightblood manages to chip off a piece of Ishar's [[Honorblade]], shocking Ishar and causing him to flee.{{book ref|sa4|111}}

 

Nightblood later accompanied Szeth when the Skybreaker invades [[Taravangian]]'s prison and murdered him with a normal knife. Just before Taravangian perished, [[Odium]] arrived to question him, but Taravangian grabbed the cognitive manifestation of Nightblood and used it to attack the Shard. Taravangian then perished, but, before he could pass into the [[Beyond]], Nightblood killed Odium's Vessel, [[Rayse]], but was sated by the Investiture required to do so and left the [[Shard]] itself intact, which allowed Taravangian to Ascend as the new Vessel of Odium.{{book ref|sa4|113}}

 

== Cosmere Significance ==

* 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}}