Rhythm of War (9781429952040)
87. Trial By Witness
by Sanderson, BrandonAdolin Kholin approaches his trial with palpable nervousness, feeling unprepared despite his political training. The atmosphere in Lasting Integrity is charged, with honorspren appearing more energetic and chatty, though Adolin remains unable to perceive their mood. Blended, his inkspren companion, notes the upbeat energy, but Adolin’s focus is on the daunting crowd of honorspren, many dressed formally or in flowing attire. The stakes are high: failure could mean imprisonment or exile, with dire consequences for the war effort, as Radiants depend on spren support.
The trial begins under the unpredictable judgment of Kelek, the ancient and imposing High Judge. Kelek’s erratic behavior offers Adolin a slim hope, as the honorspren are uniformly opposed to him. The proceedings start with a clash over the trial’s terms—Adolin insists he should be judged as an individual, not for the sins of his ancestors, while the honorspren argue he must answer for all humankind. Kelek reluctantly sides with the honorspren but promises to consider Adolin’s perspective, setting the stage for a contentious trial by witness.
The first witness, Amuna, steps forward—a graceful honorspren tasked with caring for the “deadeyes,” spren scarred by past human betrayals. Her presence underscores the honorspren’s deep mistrust of humans, rooted in the historical Recreance. Adolin recognizes her as the spren who took custody of his own deadeye, Maya, heightening the personal stakes. The scratched-out eyes of the deadeyes beside her serve as a stark visual reminder of the trauma Adolin must overcome to prove his worthiness.
As the trial unfolds, Adolin resolves to stand confident despite the overwhelming odds. The crowd’s subdued reaction—hushing rather than booing—hints at their decorum but also their disapproval. Shallan, seated nearby, offers silent encouragement, reminding Adolin of the broader mission. With three witnesses set to testify against him today, Adolin braces for the toughest day of the trial, knowing his ability to sway Kelek and the crowd will determine not just his fate, but the future of human-spren alliances.
FAQs
1. What is the significance of the weather and spren behavior as Adolin approaches his trial, and what does this reveal about the world’s mechanics?
Answer:
The chapter notes that the weather has turned “energetic” as Adolin’s trial begins, with honorspren appearing more lively and chatty. Blended describes this as “a faint drumming in the back of her mind,” suggesting a direct connection between environmental conditions and spren emotions. This detail reinforces the symbiotic relationship between spren and their surroundings in this universe—a key worldbuilding element. The upbeat atmosphere contrasts with Adolin’s nervousness, creating dramatic irony while demonstrating how spren are deeply affected by natural forces beyond human perception.2. Analyze how Kelek’s judicial approach differs from traditional honorspren expectations, and what strategic advantage this might give Adolin.
Answer:
Kelek demonstrates impatience with formalities, cutting off Sekeir’s planned lengthy speech and making darkly humorous remarks about execution. This contrasts sharply with the honorspren’s emphasis on decorum, as seen when they “hushed” instead of booing Adolin. Blended notes that Kelek is swayed by crowd mood—an erratic trait Adolin can potentially exploit. The High Judge’s bluntness (e.g., “until this show finishes”) suggests he may be less bound by rigid honorspren traditions, giving Adolin a chance to appeal through emotional persuasion rather than strict legal arguments. This aligns with Shallan’s visible support, which may influence Kelek’s crowd-reading tendency.3. How does the dispute over trial terms reflect the core ideological conflict between Adolin and the honorspren?
Answer:
Sekeir insists Adolin must stand trial for all humankind’s sins during the Recreance, while Adolin argues he should only be judged for his personal actions. This encapsulates the central conflict: collective punishment versus individual accountability. The honorspren view humans as inherently untrustworthy due to ancestral crimes (“the Recreance is a large portion of why we cannot trust his kind”), while Adolin claims it’s dishonorable to generalize. Kelek’s compromise—allowing the honorspren’s terms but considering Adolin’s perspective—mirrors the chapter’s tension between rigid tradition and pragmatic fairness. The stakes are heightened by Adolin’s realization that failure means doom for human troops relying on spren bonds.4. Evaluate Amuna’s introduction as the first witness—what symbolic weight does her role carry given prior interactions with Adolin?
Answer:
Amuna, who confiscated Adolin’s sword Maya, now testifies while flanked by deadeyes (spren scarred by broken Radiant bonds). Her role as caretaker for these wounded spren makes her a potent symbolic witness—she literally tends to the consequences of human betrayal. The description of the deadeyes’ “scratched-out eyes” viscerally represents honorspren trauma. That Adolin recognizes her creates dramatic tension: their prior encounter establishes her authority on human-spren relations, while her graceful demeanor (“as graceful as a leaf”) contrasts with the brutality she represents. Her testimony is framed as educational for Adolin, emphasizing how honorspren see themselves as protectors of painful history.
Quotes
1. “Maybe if I remembered my life, I’d be capable of being confident like I once was. Maybe I’d stop vacillating when even the most simple of decisions is presented to me.”
This introspective opening sets the tone for Adolin’s internal struggle with confidence and identity as he faces his trial. It highlights his vulnerability and self-doubt despite needing to project strength.
2. “The consequences of failure, however, had always been far bigger than his own life. The war needed Radiants, and Radiants needed spren.”
This quote captures the immense stakes of Adolin’s trial - it’s not just about his personal fate, but about the survival of his people in the war. It shows his awareness of the larger implications.
3. “I did not agree to be tried for my ancestors. I agreed to be tried for myself. I told the honorspren I personally bear no blame for what humans did in the past.”
Adolin’s key argument in the trial - that collective punishment is unjust and he should be judged as an individual. This represents the central conflict between human and spren perspectives.
4. “We take their care very seriously.”
Amuna’s simple but loaded statement about deadeye spren care introduces the honorspren perspective and foreshadows their arguments about human betrayal. The understatement carries significant weight in context.