The Heralds

The Heralds are ten immortal champions of humanity on Roshar, chosen and empowered by the Shard Honor to lead the fight against Odium and the Voidbringers across the long cycle of Desolations. Bound by the Oathpact, the Heralds are among the most important figures in the deep history of The Stormlight Archive, revered as near-divine in the Vorin religion as the Heralds of the Almighty.

The Ten Heralds

There are ten Heralds, each associated with one of the ten orders of Knights Radiant and bearing certain divine attributes and an Honorblade. Among them are Jezrien, regarded as king of the Heralds; Shalash; Nale; Kalak; Vedeledev; Pailiah; Ishar; Taln; and others. Each lent their name and aspect to an order and an Essence in Rosharan lore.

The Oathpact

The Heralds were bound by the Oathpact, an agreement that tied them to the war against Odium. Between Desolations, the Heralds were drawn to Braize -- the place humans call Damnation -- where they endured torture at the hands of the enemy. So long as they held firm, the Voidbringers could not return to Roshar. When the Heralds could no longer bear the torment, a Desolation would come.

The Breaking of the Oathpact

After a particularly terrible Desolation, nine of the ten Heralds abandoned the Oathpact, leaving the field and laying down their burden -- believing, or hoping, that they had won a final victory. Only Taln remained behind to hold the pact alone. The nine, freed but unmoored, wandered Roshar for millennia, many descending into madness from the spiritual damage of their long ordeal.

Significance

The Heralds embody the terrible cost of the war against Odium and stand at the origin of the Knights Radiant, the Honorblades, and the Desolations. Their return and their broken state are central mysteries of The Stormlight Archive.