Rhythm of War (9781429952040)
75. The Middle Step
by Sanderson, BrandonAdolin, accompanied by his honorspren guards, explores the surreal landscape of Shadesmar from the towering walls of Lasting Integrity. The fortress defies physical laws, allowing him to walk vertically up its interior before stepping onto the battlements with a disorienting shift in gravity. From this vantage, he observes the unique “weather” of Shadesmar—crystalline hazes and spren behaviors—rather than traditional climatic patterns. The view reveals a breathtaking seascape of shimmering beads and distant lights reflecting the Physical Realm, alongside glass forests with synchronized lifespren blinking in rhythmic waves.
Despite the mesmerizing scenery, Adolin’s focus remains on his imprisoned circumstances and his team camped nearby. His allies, including Godeke and Felt, await the outcome of his delayed trial while trading supplies with passing caravans. The honorspren’s meticulous nature has prolonged proceedings, though Adolin hopes to use the extra time to sway them. Meanwhile, an unsettling gathering of deadeyes—hundreds of silent, motionless spren—has formed on the coast, puzzling the honorspren who traditionally care for such beings.
Adolin’s primary jailer, Vaiu, expresses disbelief at the deadeyes’ unprecedented behavior, as they typically wander aimlessly rather than congregate. The honorspren, though stubborn, show compassion by housing and tending to fallen spren like Maya, whom Adolin is permitted to visit daily. However, the sheer number of arriving deadeyes has strained their resources, forcing them to close the fortress gates to newcomers. The phenomenon raises unanswered questions about what has drawn them to Lasting Integrity.
The chapter underscores the tension between Adolin’s diplomatic mission and the honorspren’s rigid traditions, set against the eerie backdrop of the gathering deadeyes. Their silent presence hints at deeper mysteries in Shadesmar, while Adolin’s perseverance and adaptability shine through his captivity. The juxtaposition of Lasting Integrity’s grandeur and the haunting deadeye assembly creates a vivid contrast, emphasizing the Cognitive Realm’s uncanny beauty and unresolved enigmas.
FAQs
1. How does the weather in Shadesmar differ from weather in the Physical Realm, and what effects does it have on the environment?
Answer:
In Shadesmar, weather patterns are fundamentally different from those in the Physical Realm. Instead of temperature or precipitation changes, weather manifests as shifts in spren behavior and environmental responses. For example, on “crystalline” days, a violet-pink haze appears, and plants grow rapidly enough to observe the change visibly. Other weather types include spren feeling invigorated or dreary, or smaller spren becoming more agitated. These phenomena affect the Cognitive Realm’s ecosystem, such as lifespren blinking in coordinated waves among glass forests, rather than causing physical changes like storms or seasons.2. Analyze the architectural design of Lasting Integrity. How does it defy human expectations of a fortress, and what does this reveal about honorspren culture?
Answer:
Lasting Integrity is a massive, hollow fortress with sheer, windowless walls and no roof, defying human architectural norms. Its most striking feature is its gravity-defying structure: individuals can walk vertically on interior walls as if they were the ground, with gravity shifting when they reach the top. This design reflects the honorspren’s detachment from human practicality (e.g., no need for windows or fields) and their adherence to their own laws of nature. The fortress’s imposing, rigid form mirrors the honorspren’s inflexibility and their prioritization of their own principles over comfort or human-like functionality.3. What is significant about the gathering of deadeyes outside Lasting Integrity, and how does this event challenge the honorspren’s understanding of these spren?
Answer:
The deadeyes’ unexplained congregation—over 200 strong—outside Lasting Integrity is highly unusual, as they typically wander aimlessly in Shadesmar’s oceans. Their silent, coordinated presence suggests a collective purpose or awakening, which unsettles the honorspren. Vaiu admits this behavior “doesn’t make any sense,” highlighting their limited understanding of deadeyes. The honorspren, who traditionally care for deadeyes as a duty, are now overwhelmed and forced to close their gates, revealing a gap in their knowledge and hinting at deeper, unexplored mysteries about spren consciousness and the Recreance’s aftermath.4. How does Adolin’s perspective on his imprisonment and the honorspren evolve in this chapter, and what strategies does he employ to navigate his situation?
Answer:
Adolin initially expected a quick trial but adapts to the delays, recognizing the value of time to persuade the honorspren. Though frustrated by their stubbornness, he acknowledges their honorable treatment of deadeyes like Maya. He maintains agency by communicating with his team via letters, trading swords for supplies, and regularly exercising with Maya. His observations of the honorspren (e.g., their rigid care for deadeyes) reveal a nuanced view: while critical of their inflexibility, he respects certain traits. His patience and adaptability contrast with the honorspren’s immovability, suggesting a strategic, diplomatic approach.5. What symbolic or thematic significance might the lifespren’s synchronized blinking hold in the context of Shadesmar’s ecosystem?
Answer:
The lifespren’s rhythmic, coordinated blinking—seemingly “to a beat”—hints at a deeper interconnectedness in Shadesmar’s Cognitive Realm. Unlike the Physical Realm’s chaotic natural processes, this phenomenon suggests order and harmony among spren, possibly reflecting the Realm’s spiritual underpinnings. The synchronization may symbolize the hidden logic governing spren behavior or the influence of unseen forces (e.g., Roshar’s rhythms). It also contrasts with the deadeyes’ silent gathering, juxtaposing vitality (lifespren) with stagnation (deadeyes), reinforcing themes of consciousness, loss, and the potential for renewal in the narrative.
Quotes
1. “There was a time when others would approach me for help with a problem. A time when I was decisive. Capable. Even authoritative.”
This introspective opening line establishes Adolin’s internal conflict and sense of lost identity, framing his emotional state as he navigates his imprisonment in Lasting Integrity. The contrast between past confidence and current uncertainty sets the tone for his character arc in the chapter.
2. “Lasting Integrity was enormous, several hundred feet tall. It was also hollow, and had no roof… No human city would ever have been built this way; even Urithiru needed fields at its base and windows to keep the people from going mad.”
This description highlights the alien nature of the honorspren fortress, emphasizing how its architecture defies human logic and needs. The passage underscores the cultural divide between spren and humans that becomes central to Adolin’s diplomatic challenges.
3. “It was mesmerizing, made all the more interesting by the lights that congregated and moved in the near distance. Tukar and the people who lived there, reflected in the Cognitive Realm.”
This vivid depiction of Shadesmar’s beauty serves as a moment of respite in Adolin’s tense situation, while also subtly reminding readers of the interconnected nature of the Physical and Cognitive Realms - a key theme in the Stormlight Archive.
4. “The longer he spent among the honorspren, the more chance he had to persuade them. Theoretically. So far, the spren of this fortress seemed about as easy to persuade as rocks.”
This wry observation captures Adolin’s growing frustration with his diplomatic mission while demonstrating his characteristic humor in adversity. The comparison to rocks perfectly illustrates the honorspren’s stubbornness that drives the chapter’s central conflict.
5. “Deadeyes… They stood on the coast all hours of the day, motionless, speechless… What provoked this behavior?”
This haunting image of gathering deadeyes represents one of the chapter’s most mysterious and significant developments. The unanswered question foreshadows major revelations about spren nature and sets up future plot developments involving Maya and other deadeyes.