Bridge Four Tattoos
Contains spoilersOverview
Dalinar’s proclamation to rotate gemheart collection enrages the other highprinces, while Sadeas plots to fracture Alethkar and hints at assassins. In a high council, Dalinar unveils a two-pronged plan: Adolin will duel to seize enemy Shards, and Dalinar will court alliances. He publicly commits to refounding the Knights Radiant and tasks Kaladin to merge the King’s Guard with Bridge Four, protecting the royal family and training bridgemen for external patrols.
Summary
A crier announces Dalinar’s proclamation: gemhearts will be hunted in rotating pairs of highprinces, with spoils distributed by the king. Bridge Four anticipates backlash as Kaladin organizes logistics, food, and training for the expanded bridgemen force. Sigzil requests controlled tests of Kaladin’s powers, and Syl voices unease about ominous portents and forbidden foresight.
Elsewhere, Sadeas broods over Oathbringer with Ialai. He vows to inflame outrage against Dalinar, dreams of true conquest beyond plateau skirmishes, and plans to rally allies, even contemplating assassins if Dalinar’s politics succeed. Ialai expands her covert placements within Dalinar’s staff.
At the Pinnacle, Kaladin secures the king’s conference chamber, positioning Bridge Four despite assurances the balcony is inaccessible. In council with Elhokar, Navani, Adolin, Renarin, General Khal, and Teshav, outrage over the proclamation is confirmed. Kaladin suggests the military tactic of disarming troublemakers, prompting Dalinar’s plan: allow Adolin to duel camp Shardbearers for their Shards while Dalinar and Navani court political allies. Elhokar warns assassins will strike families; Dalinar accepts the risk and declares his intent to refound the Knights Radiant, drawing skepticism.
Afterward, Dalinar assigns Kaladin to guard Navani, Adolin, Renarin, and Elhokar, and to merge Bridge Four with the King’s Guard, citing a past suspected sabotage of the king’s Plate. Kaladin proposes training bridgemen through large, deterrent patrols beyond the warcamps; Dalinar agrees and tasks him with broader scouting and policing. Kaladin shoulders the expanded mandate and ponders Dalinar’s kinglike resolve and audacious goal.
Who Appears
- Kaladin
Bridge Four leader turned captain; secures the king’s chamber, advises disarming strategy, and is tasked to merge guards and train bridgemen.
- Dalinar Kholin
Highprince of War; issues gemheart rotation, plans Adolin’s duels, seeks alliances, vows to refound the Knights Radiant, expands Kaladin’s duties.
- Elhokar Kholin
King; anxious about civil war and assassins, questions Dalinar’s plans, and accepts changes to royal protection.
- Navani Kholin
King’s mother; partners with Dalinar on political persuasion, present at strategy session, epigraph author warning against foresight.
- Adolin Kholin
Dalinar’s son; authorized to resume serious duels to seize Shards from rival Shardbearers.
- Torol Sadeas
Highprince plotting to inflame opposition to Dalinar; yearns for conquest, contemplates assassins, and wields Oathbringer.
- Syl
Honorspren; questions ominous signs and warns that seeing the future is not of Honor.
- Ialai Sadeas
Master spy and Sadeas’s wife; embeds agents in Dalinar’s staff and supports a hardline response.
- Moash
Bridge Four soldier; bristles at lighteyes, helps secure the balcony, recommits to discipline.
- Brightness Teshav
Political advisor; reports highprinces’ outrage, doubts dueling plan, calls the Radiants traitors.
- General Khal
Senior commander; warns of civil fracture, yields patrol command as he’s needed elsewhere.
- Renarin Kholin
Dalinar’s younger son; quiet presence in the council, skeptical of Radiant rhetoric.
- Sigzil
Bridgeman and scholar; seeks to design experiments to quantify Kaladin’s abilities.