Theoryland of the Wheel of Time

Steelheart Signing Report - Shardlet (Verbatim)

Was Odium able to Splinter Honor because the Heralds abandoned the Oathpact?

Good question. Um, their abandonment of the Oathpact is related... but mostly tangentially. If I was pinned down on that, I would say no.

Wetlander

Is there any of the Oathpact still functioning because of Taln's continued participation?

Brandon Sanderson

Yes, indeed.

heralds, honor, odium, oathpact,

Idaho Falls Signing Report - leiftinspace (Verbatim)

Can you tell me how long it was from the Sshattering of Adonalsium to the prelude of The Way of Kings when the Heralds abandoned the Oathpact?

Current timeline, which I have NOT canonized, is around 6,000 years... I have not finished with my outline document yet.

leiftinspace

'Cause I've looked at the current chronology and it's very, very spotty...

Brandon Sanderson

Yes it is... the real trick is... making sure that I fit in, for instance, White Sand and things with the proper amount... because I haven't released that book series yet, I have to make sure while we're doing the graphic novel, that it fits the chronology, which is why I can't quite canonize things yet.

leiftinspace

That one takes place before The Way of Kings doesn't it?

Brandon Sanderson

Yes.

leiftinspace

'Cause I know one of the worldhoppers from there shows up in The Way of Kings...

Brandon Sanderson

Yeah, White Sand is one of the very earliest.

chronology, adonalsium, white sand,

WoR Signing Report - darkanimereal1 and luke (Verbatim)

What caused a Desolation to end? Was it just the defeat of Odium's forces? Because the Desolations start when the Heralds break under torture.

Because the Heralds can no longer be in existence. There is a certain period of time that they can be there, and after that, if they're there, they will start a new one. So the Heralds do need to leave for a Desolation to end.

Question

Oh. So they've got a time limit.

Brandon Sanderson

They do. Otherwise the Desolation will start again. What they discovered is not all of them have to. As long as one remains, the Desolation will not start again.

Question

So, by the nine leaving, did that actually break the Oathpact for them? Did it change the cycle of Desolations?

Brandon Sanderson

They have not completely broken the Oathpact, despite what they may think.

desolations, heralds,

WoR Signing Report - darkanimereal1 and luke (Verbatim)

How many parties were there to the original Oathpact?

The Heralds and Honor. They thought that by walking away from their oaths, that it would break the Oathpact. They're going to find out that it's not quite as broken as they had previously thought (meaning the Heralds).

heralds, honor, oathpact,

WOR Signing Table Q&A (Verbatim)

And, how were the Radiants able to summon their Shardblades at the Recreance if they'd already decided to break their oaths?

Their Shardblades are part of what brought them to--part of the Oathpact--but breaking the Oathpact did not affect their ability to bond or unbond Shardblades.

knights radiant, oathpact, shardblades, recreance,

Shadows of Self-Oak Brook, IL

Is the fact that Odium can't leave Roshar a direct result of the Oathpact, or something else?

Not a direct result of the Oathpact, but the Oathpact was part of it.

Odium, oathpact,