Oathbringer
by Brandon Sanderson
Contents
115. The Wrong Passion
Overview
Under the Everstorm, the enemy lands at Thaylen City as thunderclasts awaken and Odium personally arrives. He weaponizes the Thrill, corrupting Amaram’s Alethi into attackers, while Urithiru is breached via the Kholinar Oathgate. Jasnah confronts Renarin’s corrupted spren, and in Shadesmar the enemy spren withdraw, offering Kaladin’s team a slim chance.
Summary
Dalinar watches the Everstorm halt over Thaylen Bay as enemy ships sail within its shadow and Fused launch into the sky. Recognizing how thoroughly the enemy has planned, he reflects on Cultivation’s pruning and asks himself the most important step a man can take before taking up The Way of Kings and heading into the city.
In Shadesmar near the Thaylen Oathgate, Kaladin, Shallan, Adolin, Syl, and Pattern find the platform guarded by six Fused and a host of uncanny spren. Low on Stormlight and options, they debate using distractions and illusions, though Shallan doubts the plan and Adolin worries they cannot return or find another route.
Jasnah, concluding Thaylen City is effectively lost, prioritizes saving Dalinar and organizing evacuations. She pursues a suspected traitor and discovers Renarin kneeling in a temple with a red, crystalline spren unlike a Truthwatcher’s; she summons Ivory as a Shardblade.
Venli disembarks with frightened, untrained singers and interprets for the Fused Turash, who urges vengeance and strength. Ghostly Fused spirits gather; Odium manifests an impression of himself, and thunderclasts awaken—stone colossi tearing free of the ground. On Thaylen’s wall, Navani and Queen Fen witness the first thunderclast rise amid Amaram’s forming lines.
Teft, hiding in shame at Urithiru, stumbles onto a balcony and sees marbled-skinned enemies flooding in through the Kholinar Oathgate, revealing the tower is under attack. Meanwhile, in Shadesmar, the largest red spren and many others vanish, prompting Kaladin to propose a risky distraction while Shallan rushes the Oathgate.
Odium tells Turash the singers are only here to watch; his true army is human. He draws forth the Thrill as a red mist, which drives Amaram’s Alethi into bloodlust and invites bonding by dark spren—turning eyes red and turning the army against Thaylen City, led by a Shardbearer in gleaming Plate.
Who Appears
- OdiumManifests to oversee the battle, awakens thunderclasts, and weaponizes the Thrill to turn Amaram’s army.
- VenliInterpreter among frightened singers; works with the Fused, senses Timbre, witnesses Odium and thunderclasts.
- Dalinar KholinObserves the enemy’s arrival, reflects on Cultivation’s pruning, resolves to act with The Way of Kings.
- TurashA Fused who directs Venli to translate and reports singer weakness; addressed by Odium.
- Navani KholinCoordinates with Queen Fen on Thaylen’s wall; assesses tactics; sees a thunderclast rise.
- AmaramLeads Sadeas’s Alethi; his troops succumb to the Thrill and turn against Thaylen City.
- The ThrillA red, mistlike spren Odium unleashes to inflame bloodlust and enable corrupt spren bonds.
- Kaladin StormblessedIn Shadesmar, scouts the guarded Oathgate; proposes a distraction when enemy spren withdraw.
- Shallan DavarExhausted in Shadesmar; doubts their options; may use illusions to reach the Oathgate.
- Adolin KholinStands with Kaladin and Shallan; worries about the vanished spren army’s destination.
- Jasnah KholinDeems Thaylen lost, arranges evacuations, confronts Renarin’s strange spren, and summons Ivory.
- Renarin KholinFound kneeling in a temple with a red, crystalline spren unlike a Truthwatcher’s.
- TeftRacked by shame in Urithiru; witnesses enemies pouring in through the Kholinar Oathgate.
- Queen FenThaylen ruler on the wall; oversees defenses as the thunderclast emerges.
- SylphrenaAdvises Kaladin in Shadesmar, urging perseverance despite dwindling Stormlight.
- PatternComforts Shallan and accompanies the team near the Thaylen Oathgate.
- IvoryJasnah’s spren; affirms a traitor exists and becomes a Shardblade.
- General KhalAlethi officer in Thaylen City, calling for reinforcements from Urithiru.
- KmaklQueen Fen’s consort; supports Navani’s tactical assessment of the battle.