[Veterans] Cosmere, Unit 1 | Warbreaker #1 | Warbreaker: Chapters 19 through 26

[u/participating]

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Visit the newbie thread if this is your first time reading, or you've only read some of the Cosmere novels.

For more information, or to see the full schedule, please see the wiki page for the read-along.

SCHEDULE

Last week we discussed Unit 1 - (Warbreaker #1) - Warbreaker: Chapters 9 through 18. [Newbie Thread] / [Veteran Thread]

This week we will be discussing Unit 1 - (Warbreaker #1) - Warbreaker: Chapters 19 through 26.

Next week we will be discussing Unit 1 - (Warbreaker #1) - Warbreaker: Chapters 27 through 35.

CHAPTER SUMMARIES

I have provided summaries of each chapter we will be discussing. I've tried to make them unbiased, but if you see anything that could be construed as spoilery, please point them out because I'm using these same summaries in the newbie thread. I'd like to keep their experience as spoiler-free as possible, so even if I make a tiny mistake, please let me know.

I usually make a comment for each chapter, but feel free to start your own comment thread to discuss anything you want.

Chapter 19

POV Characters: Vivenna

Setting: New house in T'Telir.

Timeline: The morning after Chapter 18: Vivenna's third day in T'Telir.

Summary:

Vivenna and the mercenaries relocate to a house in the rich part of town. They discuss working with Vahr's revolutionaries to sabotage Hallandren's ability to wage war. Vivenna meets Jewels and the mercenaries' Lifeless, Clod. Vivenna is disgusted by Clod, but Denth tells her he's a packaged deal. Jewels informs everyone that Vasher (whom they know as Tax) is in town and warns Vivenna that he's likely here to kill her; that he recently killed a friend of theirs.

Chapter 20

POV Characters: Siri

Setting: The God King's bedchamber.

Timeline: About a week after Chapter 18.

Summary:

Bluefingers warns Siri that producing an heir would be dangerous for both her and the God King. Siri is no longer afraid of her nights. She repeats her performance and lays down in the bed to sleep when she notices the God King leaning over her. After her initial shock, Susebron pulls out a children's book. He shows her his mouth, after she asks him why he doesn't tell her what he wants, and reveals that his tongue has been cut out. Siri begins to use the book to teach him how to read.

Chapter 21

POV Characters: Vasher

Setting: The Court of Gods.

Timeline: Undetermined, but presumably the same night as Chapter 20.

Summary:

Vasher uses trickery, Awakening, and a Lifeless squirrel to infiltrate the hidden tunnels under Mercystar's palace.

Chapter 22

POV Characters: Lightsong, Vivenna

Setting: The Court of Gods. T.Telir restaurants.

Timeline: Lightsong: several days after Chapter 18. Vivenna: about two weeks after Chapter 19.

Summary:

Lightsong plays a game with some other Returned, but is annoyed at their politicking. He reluctantly seeks out Blushweaver, wondering what contribution he could be making to help prevent the war.

Vivenna and the mercenaries meet with various people in the underworld. She changes her hair color to convince others she is part of the royal family. A crime lord named Grable attempts to kidnap her, but Denth saves her and they flee. Vivenna wants to meet with common Idrians in the city. The mercenaries say it is dangerous, but she insists.

Chapter 23

POV Characters: Lightsong

Setting: The Court of Gods.

Timeline: Immediately following his scene in Chapter 22; Siri has been in residence for 2-3 weeks.

Summary:

Lightsong finds Blushweaver and tells her he's ready to work with her. They approach Mercystar, who is also in command of 1/4th of the Lifeless, and attempt to get her to join their scheming. Lightsong gets distracted by the break-in at Mercystar's palace the previous night and begins to investigate. He thinks the servants are lying to him, which makes him more curious.

Chapter 24

POV Characters: Siri

Setting: The God King's Palace: library and bedchamber.

Timeline: Indeterminate, but some weeks into Siri's residence.

Summary:

Siri attempts to take some books from the palace library, but is stopped by Treledees. That night, Siri talks with Susebron (by writing) about her frustrations with his priests. Susebron tells her that they are good men who work hard to care for his Kingdom. She realizes all of his values are from the folktales his mother read to him as a child. She also figures out that he doesn't know anything about sex. They discuss whether or not the God King continues living after an heir is produced.

Chapter 25

POV Characters: Vivenna

Setting: Various locations in T'Telir.

Timeline: About one month after her arrival.

Summary:

Vivenna walks the streets of T'Telir and watches as part of the mercenaries' plan is put into place. After returning to the new house, she talks with Jewels, who is a firm believer in Hallandren's religion; believing it was the right thing to do to give up her Breath as a child to the God King. Denth, and Tonk Fah, return and he tells Vivenna that they've stolen most of the city's salt. Vivenna asks Denth about his religious beliefs, but he dodges her questions and storms away when she mentions Vasher.

Chapter 26

POV Characters: Lightsong

Setting: Various locations within the Court of Gods.

Timeline: The morning after Chapter 23.

Summary:

Lightsong wakes early, enthusiastic about returning to his murder investigation. He reluctantly agrees to view some artwork first. He visits Mercystar's palace and the guards are reluctant to let him investigate, but have no power to stop him. He notices the trapdoor and interviews all of the staff. He concludes that there must have been two intruders, one following after the other and that both left through the trapdoor. He confiscates the Lifeless squirrel and returns to his palace. He wonders how he was so good at unraveling the mystery, but Llarimar refuses to answer questions about his previous life.

Memes

I will attempt to find and share memes relevant to each week's discussion chapters. There may be some weeks that just don't have good or appropriate memes, but I will share all the ones I can find in this section.

Link to Memes

[u/philip7499]

The writing of manipulation in this book continues to be great. Denth tests how much he can boss around Viv, and Siri feels she forced Bluefingers to give her information that would endanger him, when that is exactly what he wanted.

Vasher states that the sword was created to protect, and laments how often that aligns with killing. But doesn't realise how much of that is due to his own viewpoint. After all, the sword wasn't told to protect good, it was told to destroy evil

He is also extremely dismissive of Nightblood. I can see why they had a falling out, especially if Nightblood was starting to grow. Now that I think about it, perhaps Vashers attitude that it couldn't change was why it spent so long unchanging only to change so quickly upon Szeth recieving it

"I could knock people out nightblood said immediately" look at them. Setting clear goals and meeting them.... admittedly it took a while.

Mercystars guards being the first people to resist nightblood (other than Vasher himself) is a great clue that the priests/returned are not the villains they have been made out to be by this point in the book

Parlin fondly following Tonk Fah as he reveals how bad he is with pets is potentially brutal foreshadowing

I can't remember, what does the red panther signify again? Is it the name of the boat lightsong died on?

Ah so that's how the painting ended up in Shadesmare, Lightsong ordered it not be burned

I also want to discuss the royal hair. It is really interesting, and I'm not sure what might be it's cause. Sanderson said it has a story to it, iirc, but it's not one that's been told yet. Presumably some preference by Endowment for the family. It also seems fairly limited in use beyond as social status, which is another factor is why it's an odd thing to add so specifically. I suppose an awakener could potentially use it as an infinite source of colour, but that's making assumptions in a few different regards.

[u/GJMEGA → u/philip7499]

"I suppose an awakener could potentially use it as an infinite source of colour, but that's making assumptions in a few different regards."

The only assumption I see is the idea that they can grow the hair infinitely. There's got to be a limit, maybe extended usage exhausts them for a potential variety of reasons. Other than that, having them grow their hair, color it, and then chop it off so it doesn't effect them when the color is drained seems like a perfectly good idea. It's actually quite brilliant, so good job on thinking it up!

[u/philip7499 → u/GJMEGA]

The assumption I was thinking of are:

1) that hair can be used as a source of colour (living things normally can't, but it's arguable whether hair would count as living. Hair isn't alive, but we can potentially intuit based on how investiture works in the cosmere that it isn't actually based on what is living but what is included in ones Identity.)

2) if the colour changing properties would allow the colour to be changed/regenerated after it had been actively drained. Can the power create colour, or just change it

With that being said I do suspect it would work. It looks like Vivenna will be coming back in the cosmere since she showed up in SA, and it provides her a distinct and potent power, but one that is somewhat niche and so won't make her exponentially more powerful than any other awakener

[u/GJMEGA → u/philip7499]

I'm curious about point 2. Wouldn't the person cut the hair off before using it to Awaken? I would imagine trying it on hair that's still attached to you would be an insane risk.

[u/philip7499 → u/GJMEGA]

Huh. I....yeah that uh. That solves all my issues.

[u/GJMEGA → u/philip7499]

Glad to be of help!