Rhythm of War (9781429952040)
19. Garnets
by Sanderson, BrandonNavani Kholin, a scholar and leader, opens the chapter by advocating for transparency among the coalition of monarchs, urging Thaylenah to share their secret fabrial techniques for the greater good. Her plea underscores the escalating dangers their world faces and the need for collective knowledge. Meanwhile, Navani and her team, including the ardent Rushu, study a crystalline pillar in Urithiru, focusing on four garnets that resemble the suppression fabrial’s design. Despite initial excitement, their research hits a dead end, leaving Navani frustrated but determined to uncover the pillar’s secrets.
Rushu reveals a troubling discovery: the spren powering the suppression fabrial in Shadesmar is corrupted, akin to Renarin’s enigmatic spren, Glys. This raises concerns about the spren’s loyalty and whether it willingly aids the enemy. Navani argues that spren, like humans, have individual allegiances, though she privately questions Glys’s nature. The discussion highlights the ethical dilemma of imprisoning sapient spren for fabrials, a practice condemned by an anonymous spanreed message accusing Navani of monstrous behavior. Navani ponders whether ancient fabrials, like the Oathgates, treated spren more humanely.
Navani redirects her team’s efforts toward activating the garnet cluster in the pillar, theorizing it once protected Urithiru from the Fused. She also tasks Rushu with resetting the suppression fabrial to reverse its effects, potentially disabling the Fused’s powers. As she contemplates the tower’s vulnerabilities, Navani grows uneasy about the possibility of Masked Ones—Fused with Lightweaving abilities—infiltrating Urithiru undetected. She orders Rushu to assemble a team to devise protocols for identifying hidden enemies, emphasizing the need for vigilance against the Fused’s unpredictable capabilities.
The chapter closes with Navani entering an ancient library room, once filled with Radiant messages encoded in gemstones. This space, now repurposed for ongoing research, symbolizes her relentless pursuit of knowledge amid mounting threats. Her reflections on the tower’s defenses, the ethics of fabrial creation, and the enemy’s cunning strategies underscore the chapter’s themes of innovation, trust, and survival in a world teetering on the brink of chaos.
FAQs
1. What key discovery does Navani make about the garnets in the crystalline pillar, and why is this significant?
Answer:
Navani observes that four garnets in the crystalline pillar match the exact construction used in the suppression fabrial, suggesting these specific garnets may be part of an ancient defense mechanism against the Fused. This discovery is significant because it implies the pillar contains dormant fabrial technology that once protected Urithiru from incursions. The precision of the layout indicates intentional design rather than coincidence, offering a potential breakthrough in reactivating the tower’s defenses. However, the team hits a dead end when they fail to find other matching fabrial patterns in the pillar, highlighting the complexity of ancient Radiant technology.2. How does the behavior of the suppression fabrial’s spren in Shadesmar challenge Navani’s theories, and what ethical dilemma does this raise?
Answer:
The suppression fabrial’s spren in Shadesmar is corrupted, resembling Renarin’s spren and refusing to communicate, which suggests it may be collaborating with the enemy. This challenges Navani’s assumption that spren operate independently with individual loyalties. The ethical dilemma arises from the revelation that ancient fabrials may have imprisoned sapient spren in the Cognitive Realm, akin to Soulcasters. This raises questions about the morality of fabrial creation—whether modern methods are more humane or if all spren captivity is inherently exploitative. Navani grapples with balancing technological necessity against ethical responsibility.3. What strategic concerns does Navani raise about the Fused, and what countermeasures does she propose?
Answer:
Navani worries that the Fused, particularly Masked Ones with Lightweaving abilities, could infiltrate Urithiru undetected, as the tower’s ancient protections are no longer fully operational. She notes that while current Oathgate protocols mitigate some risks, the enemy’s unknown capabilities remain a threat. Her countermeasures include two-pronged action: (1) focusing research on reactivating the garnet-based pillar defenses and (2) assembling a team of abstract thinkers to develop protocols for identifying hidden Fused. This reflects her proactive approach to security, emphasizing both technological restoration and innovative problem-solving.4. Analyze the significance of the epigraph’s plea for transparency in the context of Navani’s research challenges.
Answer:
The epigraph, a lecture by Navani, underscores her belief that collective survival depends on sharing knowledge—specifically Thaylen fabrial techniques for manipulating Stormlight. This plea mirrors her current struggle: her team’s dead ends highlight the limitations of isolated research. The chapter shows her practicing this philosophy by openly sharing findings (e.g., Rushu’s reports) and seeking collaborative solutions (e.g., assigning teams to study the pillar and Fused detection). The tension between secrecy and cooperation becomes a thematic undercurrent, as Navani weighs the risks of exposing vulnerabilities against the benefits of shared innovation.5. How does the chapter portray the relationship between spren agency and fabrial functionality, and what implications does this have for future fabrial development?
Answer:
The chapter contrasts two models: ancient fabrials that imprison sapient spren (like the suppression fabrial’s corrupted spren) and modern fabrials that may use non-sapient spren. The Oathgate spren, which seem content, suggest some spren willingly cooperate, while the corrupted spren implies forced servitude can backfire. This duality forces Navani to reconsider fabrial ethics—whether future designs should prioritize spren consent or if efficiency justifies coercion. The unresolved tension hints at a potential paradigm shift: fabrial advancement may depend on forging partnerships with spren rather than subjugating them, aligning with Radiant ideals of symbiosis.
Quotes
1. “The world becomes an increasingly dangerous place, and so I come to the crux of my argument. We cannot afford to keep secrets from one another any longer.”
This opening epigraph by Navani Kholin sets the chapter’s central theme—the urgent need for collaboration in the face of growing threats. It frames her plea for shared knowledge among nations and scholars as a matter of survival.
2. “The spren that runs the suppression device… has been corrupted, very similar to Renarin’s spren… It seems to be working with the enemy deliberately.”
This revelation about corrupted spren introduces a critical mystery—some spren are actively aiding the enemy, raising questions about their nature and loyalties. It challenges assumptions about spren-human relationships and foreshadows deeper conflicts.
3. “We should assume they each have individual loyalties, like humans.”
Navani’s insight about spren individuality counters simplistic categorizations, emphasizing their complex personhood. This perspective informs her approach to fabrial science and reflects the chapter’s recurring theme of understanding rather than dominating spren.
4. “You capture spren… You imprison them. Hundreds of them. You are a monster. You must stop.”
This haunting accusation (received via spanreed) presents the moral dilemma at the heart of fabrial technology. It forces Navani to confront the ethical implications of her research and consider alternative methods of working with spren.
5. “Masked Ones could be among us and we’d never know it. You or I could be one of them right now.”
This chilling realization underscores the chapter’s tension between security and paranoia. Navani’s warning about shape-shifting Fused infiltrators drives her urgency to reactivate Urithiru’s defenses and creates palpable suspense about unseen threats.