#nazh

We've seen two characters who have been Nightblood's bearer: Vasher and Szeth. Vasher was always tossing Nightblood at people as a sort of morality test, and then letting Nightblood eat them if they dared to draw the sword. Szeth has more of a "gentle parent" vibe, treating Nightblood as more misguided than dangerous. But how would other characters be with Nightblood?

1. Tress

Tress would get the nausea effect from Nightblood, seeing as she's a "good" person who doesn't desire to kill. But on the other hand, seeing as Nightblood is sentient and friendly, Tress would take this nausea as a personal failing and fight through it to become Nightblood's friend. And eventually, she'd forge enough of a connection to no longer feel sick in Nightblood's presence, and then their friendship would REALLY take off.

Nightblood: Tress! I think that seagull is evil! Tress: Well...yeah. All seagulls are inherently evil. Nightblood: Then...! Tress: But we're still not going to slaughter them. Nightblood: Awwww!

2. Vin

I think Vin could wield Nightblood--both resisting the impulse toward senseless slaughter and also not feeling sickened by it. Vin would recognize Nightblood as a powerful weapon and, well, Vin sure does slaughter some evil in her time. Together they'd be even more unstoppable than Vin already is...if that's possible.

Nightblood: WOW! You're, like, the best wielder EVER! Nightblood: We did good, right?? I think we destroyed lots of evil that time!! Vin: [completely surrounded by corpses] Yeah, I think we did good.

3. Elend

Given Elend's deep love and admiration for his mass-murdering girlfriend, I don't think he'd have any issues with Nightblood. But I also don't think Elend would wield Nightblood himself. Nightblood is Vin's. Elend and Nightblood just like to chat.

Elend: Well...but how do you know what's evil? Nightblood: I just recognize it! It's my purpose 'n' stuff! Elend: But what if one group of people defines evil one way and another group defines it the opposite way, but they both have their reasons? Nightblood: Vin: Stop torturing my sword, Elend. Elend: It's not torture! It's conversation! Nightblood: (muttering) It's a little bit torture.

4. Sarene

I think Sarene would, like Vasher and Vivenna, figure out the obvious Nightblood Strategy and employ it immediately.

Sarene: [tossing Nightblood hopefully toward Hrathen] Nightblood: You could at least draw me ONCE!

5. Silence

I don't think Silence would even try to wield Nightblood--I think she's far too sensible. Nightblood is going into a locked closet like Silence's grandma.

Nightblood: I'm bored. Silence: [ignoring Nightblood] Nightblood: Your grandma is nice 'n' all, but she can't even pick me up. Silence: [ignoring Nightblood] Nightblood: I think we both need enrichment. Silence: [ignoring Nightblood] Nightblood: The enrichment........of slaying evil!!!! Silence: [ignoring Nightblood] Nightblood: Hello? Anyone there?

6. Dilaf

Dilaf would kill everyone and then himself. He's, like, a prime candidate for Nightblood madness.

Hrathen: Well that...sort of solved a problem for me. Hrathen: ... Hrathen: Definitely not ideal.

7. Nazh [CONTAINS ISLES OF EMBERDARK SPOILERS!]

Since, as of Isles of Emberdark at least, Nazh is a ghost, he's not able to actually wield Nightblood. But I think they're creepy besties.

Nightblood: Do you sleep? Nazh: Seeing as I'm dead...no. Nightblood: You can't let people control you like that! People always say I don't sleep, but I totally do! Nightblood: Pretty sure I conked out last night. Nazh: Do you mean when you projected "snore" into my head for three hours straight? Nightblood: Sleeping is fun!

8. Painter

Nikaro would LOVE the idea of an evil black sword that eats souls. Unfortunately, I do not think Nikaro would be able to wield Nightblood. But he'd still keep Nightblood just in case, you know, he can wield the cool sword ONE day.

Yumi: Ow! What's this hard thing underneath all of these blankets? Nightblood: [very muffled] Hello it's me! Nightblood: [very muffled] Nikaro keeps me underneath all of these blankets so I don't make him sick! Yumi: ...Why does the voice sound muffled when it's going directly into my brain? Nikaro: ...One of many mysteries.

9. Kelsier

A cold sweat just broke out all over my body. Kelsier SHOULD be the sort of person who'd go off the rails while wielding Nightblood and yet, I think he's too stubborn. I think he and Nightblood would be terrifying together.

Nightblood: So...all nobles are evil? Kelsier: Yes. Yes they are. Nightblood: Wow! That's great intel! Nightblood: Can we...kill them all? Kelsier: Oh, yes. Nightblood: Yay!

10. Wax

I think Wax could wield Nightblood--he is, after all, Harmony's sword. I think that's a pretty good alignment with Nightblood's Intent. Now, as a cowboy, I don't know if Wax would WANT to use Nightblood at first, but in the end, I think Wax would come to think of Nightblood as almost another Wayne.

Not just Stormlight, but all of the Cosmere books.

So if there's a map, or (particularly in the Stormlight books) ephemera, Isaac has had his hands in those, and he likes to add little easter eggs, and he came up with this persona of this character who was doing this. And we knew we wanted these to be in-world artifacts, but we also knew that we needed somebody who was kind of recovering these for some thing, and I'm like, "Well, this works very well with Khriss, probably compiling these and finding artifacts from planets and bringing them back to Silverlight."

And so, that's kind of where Nazh was born. I borrowed him once before for Secret History; he makes a small appearance in Secret History. Larger appearance here. Isaac and I have talked through his history and his future, and as early as years and years ago (probably seven, eight years ago), I'm like, "What about this?"

And that's when Nazh joined Starling's crew in his current incarnation.

Isaac Stewart: I think it was with Alloy of Law where we realized we need somebody annotating some of these, now and then. One of the reasons was, when you're doing a map of a city the size of Elendel, we couldn't really put these tiny street names, and things like that.

Notes from Nazh on the new Final Empire puzzle

Nazh: Yeah, remember when you told me, “there’s been no progress made on this planet for four thousand years, Nazirlof, you should go and get maps of this planet for me, Nazirlof!”? Well, I get there, and guess what happens?

The little bitch from Scadrial gets there and starts moving his little agents through the planet, now all of the sudden Yolen's Cuntiest is there thirsting over some local-

KHRISSALLA ARE YOU EVEN LISTENING TO ME?

It was, as it was always, a busy day. Customers, most of them world hoppers, entering and exiting the shop at a rush, picking up supplies, stopping by for obscure items, or simply to catch up. Khriss, who only wanted to focus on her research, found it terribly annoying. At the fifteen ring of the doorbell (Yes, she was counting). She stood up, crossing to the door of her study in a billowing rush of midnight robes, her braided hair tied back.

Nazh stood at the counter, admiring a rifle someone had brought in.

“Close the shop, Nazh.” “Cl-close the shop? We just bloody opened!” “I said what I said. Close it.” Nazh eyed her, as if trying to understand why she would want to close the shop after only being open for three hours. She waved a dismissive hand, settling back down in her plush chair, listening for Nazh’s footsteps to cross to the front and flip the card. She smirked as he grumbled about lost business before her she regained her focus.

It was perhaps and hour later when the doorbell rang again. It snapped her out of her focus with such alarm that she felt herself hit the proverbial ceiling, and she turned around with a snarl. Nazh began to blabber.

“You-we’re not open! You’re not welcome here, sir!” “Oh, I think you’ll be able to make time for me. I’m here on an important visit, after all.” “Appointment?” “Do I need one?” She recognized that voice. “You most certainly do!” Nazh snapped. She heard the cocking of a shotgun. Khriss flew into the showroom, hanging on the doorframe.

“Who the hell-.” A blond man with a winning smile and an eyepatch turned to her, grinning. “Aren’t I welcome, Khriss? I mean our relationship…” “We don’t have a relationship.” She curled her lip in a half snarl, unable to quash the most unwelcome feelings of attraction that rose from her. Scadrians. The lot of them were too confident for their own good, and this one fathered that entire characteristic.

“Survivor. We are closed.” He shrugged, leaning against a far wall. It was lined with bookshelves that held tomes from various worlds. The one he currently leaned on held ancient tomes that were salvaged from pre-catecendre Scadrial.

“Oh, I think you can make time for me. I’m here on a very particular visit, after all.” He stood up straight, approaching her. “Those robes look lovely on you, by the way. Taldain fashion has never really suited me, though you make it look fetching.” She felt heat rise to her face.

“Flattery, Survivor?” He stopped his approach, glancing at the windows. He crossed to them, closing the drapes, before removing the hat and eyepatch her wore. Nazh sucked in a breath.

“I wondered how you did it…” He breathed. “Still have the same man-servant, I see.” He smiled, looking at Nazh. “I’m afraid I lost your knife. Ascending to god-hood doesn’t allow you to take possessions with you.” “I found it, you insufferable blackguard. That knife was priceless.” “You found it?” Kelsier raised his eyebrows. “Prey, do tell.” “Enough with the theatrics, Kelsier.” Khriss finally snapped. She approached him. “What do you want?” “A moment of your time, Khriss.”

“My time is in short supply these days.” “Preparing for another venture off Scadrial? Tell me, why did you make my planet your base of operations?” “Is this our base of operations, Survivor?” She spoke, her voice cool. Inwardly she danced, hating every sensation. “It sure looks to be it.” He perused the shelves. “Books on Hemalurgy. Naughty. Our Shard won’t like you having those.” He turned, smirking, before resuming his examination. “Feruchemy, allomancy, ah!” He pulled a book out. “Written by yourself, Khriss. Wonderful.” His single eye danced. “A book on Mistborn. I see I am mentioned.”

“Can it, Kelsier. Enough with the theatrics.” She approached him. He had lovely blond hair, and his remaining eye, when it caught the light, shone in a dazzling array of soft colors. She had always admired hazel eyes on men.” “Shadows, yes! Make him leave, Khriss.” She raised a finger at Nazh, who quieted, cowed. “What. Do. You. Want?” She punctuated every word, hand out for the book. He didn’t give it to her.

“As I said, a moment of your time. And this book I plan to purchase.” “Purchase? It’s a book for offworlders on the history of this planet! Why would you want it?” “I collect things such as this.” He shrugged. He set it on the counter, along with a note that more than doubled it’s price. She eyed it.

“Fine. Follow me. Nazh, wrap his purchase, please.” “But-.” She shot him a look, and he grumbled but did as he was told.

“It is very strange you’d come without any warning, Survivor.” She spoke, her voice cool. “You keep flip flopping my various names. Just call me Kelsier.” He took a seat without being asked. She leaned against her study wall, eying him.

“What do you need?” “Information. On your planet, specifically. Autonomy has its fingers in many honey pots, and I plan to stop it before it notices Scadrial.” “Autonomy? The shard is held by a woman, Kelsier. Her name is Bavadin. You are correct, regardless. She has visited many worlds, including this one.” He raised a brow, cocking his head. Why was he so beautiful? She sucked in a breath, irritated, sitting down.

“She’s already visited?” “Are you familiar with old world religions?” She dug through a stack of books on her desk, somewhat embarrassed at the state of her messy study. “Sazed used to preach them to me. I remember…some of them.” She smiled, finally finding the tome she was looking for. A notebook, compiled and expanded on in book form, of every single religion to have graced Scadrial’s surface. She flipped through it, noting Kelsier looking around, smiling to himself.

“What amuses you, Kelsier?” She asked, flipping through pages to find the entry she needed. “The state of my study?” “It doesn’t amuse me, it’s just nice that mine resembles yours so much.” She looked up at him. “That…isn’t a complement.” “It isn’t?” He asked, glancing at her. “Your study resembling the Survivors own would be a high complement to those on Scadrial.” “I’m not a Survivorist…” She responded, dryly. “You could always convert. We have great benefits.” He winked at her. She paused in her searching, finger placed on her entry for Trellism.

“Is it winking, when you only have one eye?” He paused, taken aback. “Or is it blinking?” “I…” He trailed off, raising a brow. She smirked, resuming her search, determined to badger him into silence.

“I have wondered how you regained your body. Your traces are all over this planet; Nazh and I knew you must have regained your place in the physical realm, but we had no idea how. Hemalurgy, then.” “I-.” “Is it an old Inquistior spike? Or did you craft it? Perhaps an old Kandra blessing? A few I believe chose not to continue living after the Catecendre. Whom did you kill, Kelsier?” “For my particular spike, no one.” He spoke with clipped formality. Teasing out his secrets was delicious. She was getting under her skin. Khriss was determined to burrow just as deeply as he had her. “It’s as you said formerly. An old Inquisitor spike.” “Does it bother you, to have a piece of those monsters pinning your soul to your bones? Are they your bones?” He set his jaw.

“This isn’t relevant. Tell me about Autonomy.” He stood up, crossing to the window. She admired his body for a moment before realizing what she was doing, chastising herself internally. He dressed himself well; an a well tailored three piece suit with vest and cravat. High laced boots and trousers. She remembered him in the cognitive realm, dressed in a white shirt and tan trousers, a man way over his head, a man whom she had told there was no hope.

He had proved her wrong. She hated that.

“Autonomy, or Bavadin, has traces on several planets, including your own, as I said. The seed she planeted on Scadrial is known as Trellism, a religion practices thousands of years ago.” Kelsier turned back towards her, his previous irritation gone.

“I remember Sazed speaking of that. It’s real?” “They all are, Kelsier.” “You know what I mean.” He smirked. “It’s based on a Shard.” “I suppose you could said it’s “real”, though I dislike using that term for religions. It was a trace she left. Her home planet, at least the planet I believe is her home planet, is Taldain.”

“Your own planet.” She looked at him for a moment, before nodding. “Yes. My home planet. The one I am exiled from.” His smile faltered. He resumed his seat across from her.

“How does she run things? What powers does she give to her people?”

“You have many questions, I see. This is taking far longer than “a moment.” His smile returned, broader than before. “I’ve…never been good with time. Especially when among beautiful women.” “Charming.” She resisted the urge to suck in a breath, grateful for her dark skin to hide the blush in her face.

“Please, Khriss. Anything I can know about Autonomy will help me fight her.” He’d leaned forward, fingers laced together, almost pleading. “Why do you feel the need too?” He leaned back.

“The Shards I have studied…they mostly stick to their own system. Endowment stays near Nalthis. Cultivation and Honor; they stick to the Rosharan system. Ambition, I believe, stuck to the Threnodite system.” He glanced at her, meeting her eyes. “Need I continue?” “Yes. I’m curious as to where you’re going with this.”

“Those that don’t stay in their system cause trouble.” Khriss inhaled. “Odium.” Kelsier gave her a grave nod. “The Shard that slaughtered three others.”

“Autonomy doesn’t kill Shards. At least, she hasn’t showed a pattern of that behavior. Not yet.” She pushed her open book on Trellism away, fishing for another. “She does however, have a history of pushing them out.”

“So if she showed up on Scadrial?” Kelsier began. “She may try and force Harmony out. I’ve collected some information that Harmony unnerves the other shards. A vessel, holding two opposing powers…” She shook her head.

“What does she do?” Khriss studied him. “The secrets of Taldain are not something I like to speak of, Kelsier.” “Then don’t tell me about Taldain. I know the Aviar of her creation.” “The Aviar are birds native to a specific planter, who gain power by residing close to her perpendicularity. They gain power that is similar to that given by Allomancy and Feruchemy.” “Such as?” “Mental shielding. Similar to Copper, is one I can think of off the top of my head. The planet is very poorly developed. The Aviar aren’t greatly understood, and getting there is difficult. We’ve never made the crossing.”

“Tell me of Sand Mastery.” Khriss eyed him.

“Sand Mastery is a difficult art. It can easily kill those who wield it.” She pursed her lips, closing the book. “I already told you I won’t be giving up Taldain’s secrets.” “I understand.” She raised a brow.

“I didn’t think you’d be cowed so easily.” “Oh, I’m not cowed. I’ll be back.” He replaced his hat, obscuring the spike that punctured the back of his skull. “You will be?” “Of course!” He smirked. “I’ve a mind to tease your secrets out of you, one way or another.” She met his smirk with droll eyes. “A secret for a secret, Kelsier. You tell me yours, and I’ll tell you mine.” “Oh, I don’t think I have to do that.” He pulled on his eyepatch. She watched as the sun, rising to it’s noon apex, shone through the window, illuminating his hair. “Oh?”

“Khriss, the Cosmere is growing smaller. My agents are fanning to every corner, teasing out its secrets. Sooner or later I’ll get someone on Taldain. Sand Mastery is an art I can’t afford to be ignorant about.” He smirked suddenly, leaning on the table. He was close. Too close. “And when they reach Taldain, I’ll find out about Starmarks too.” He winked, or blinked, as it were, and stood up.

“You seem to already know everything you need.” “Oh, not at all. I had no idea Autonomy was held by a woman, nor how many planets she had visited. Nor that she had indeed visited Scadrial.” “You were a god for a time, Survivor.” She resumed using his title, his name too intimate for her liking. He gave her a look, but said nothing of it. “How did you not know that?” “My mind had expanded, but much of the information was lost to me. I only remember fragments, Khriss. Much of those fragments I placed into copperminds. The various religions and those behind them? That wasn’t priority information.” She pursed her lips.

“Visit me again, and you can tell me about it. In return, I’ll tell you of Sand Mastery.” He raised a brow, then smiled. A winning smile. “Do warn me before you come, though. Most of my guests are rather plain, and I need to prepare for someone so handsome.” He grinned broadly.

“All my flirting, and that was the first time you’ve reciprocated.” “Don’t get used to it. It’s not my fault you’re cute.” She crossed to the door. “Now get out. You’ve interrupted some quality research, and I want to finish it before I lose my light.”

“Fine, fine.” He stopped as he meant to exit, looking at her with authentic gratitude. “Thank you, Khriss. I appreciate it.” “You’re welcome, Survivor. You are welcome here, as long as you come during business hours and do not ignore the sign.” He winked again, slipping out of the room. She followed, watching as he spoke to Nazh.

“May I see the knife you recovered?” “No! It’s safe. I can’t believe you lost it.” “It wasn’t my fault. As I said, you don’t exactly get to take possessions with you when you ascend.” “You could have gone back for it!” “Nazh. The world was ending, and then it was completely reshaped. You are lucky you found it again and it wasn’t buried under ten tons of earth and rock.” Khriss chuckled softly, unheard by the two.

“Aluminum is hard to find. Not that you would know of such things.” Nazh looked down at the shotgun he’d been cleaning. “With your agents making the majority of the worlds supply.” “Survivor.” Khriss spoke up, realizing something. “We require Aluminum for our travels. If you could sell us some, that would be another bargaining chip in your favor.” “Aluminum for information…” He made a show of thinking about it. “I’ll consider it.” He smiled at the both of them, tucking the wrapped book under his arm and ignoring the change proffered by Nazh.

“Thank you both for your hospitality. I must be going.” He slipped out of the shop without another word, leaving behind a grumbling Nazh and a curious, and somewhat flustered, Khriss.