Line #43 Literature/Warbreaker


1	[[quoteright:265:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Warbreaker_6973.jpg]]
2	[[caption-width-right:265:"Not everything is what it seems."]]
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4	A standalone (for now) fantasy novel by Creator/BrandonSanderson, author of ''Literature/{{Elantris}}'', ''Literature/TheStormlightArchive'' and the ''Franchise/{{Mistborn}}'' series, ''Warbreaker'' once again demonstrates Sanderson's fondness for cool new systems of FunctionalMagic, [[PrincessProtagonist strong female leads of royal derivation]], religious quandaries, and shocking plot twists.
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6	In a world where magic is ruled by three aspects (color, voice, and Breath, [[SoulPower the essential power of one's soul]]), where those who die nobly can return to life and [[AGodAmI be worshipped as gods]], the minor kingdom of Idris wants to stay as far away from such things as possible. They wear muted colors, usually a simple gray or white, and look upon the use of Breath magic as an abomination. But in the neighboring kingdom of Hallandren, where the immortal [[GodEmperor God King]] rules over [[OurVampiresAreDifferent a court of deities returned from the dead]], sinister plots are stirring and many are calling for war against the "rebels" in Idris.
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8	The only way to avert it is for the king of Idris to honor an old treaty and send his daughter to the God King's court [[ArrangedMarriage to be his bride]]. He has trained up his beloved daughter [[PrincessClassic Vivenna]] to do this, but when the time comes he pulls a switcheroo and sends his youngest daughter [[RebelliousPrincess Sisirina]] instead. When Siri arrives, she's immediately pulled into [[DecadentCourt a tangled web of plots and betrayals within the court of the Gods]]. Meanwhile, Vivenna, at loose ends now that the husband she went through a lifetime of WifeHusbandry for has married someone else, sneaks away to Hallandren to save her little sister from the ruthless God King and take her place. It doesn't quite work out that way, especially when the mysterious Vasher, a fighter with a [[ArtifactOfDoom black sword that speaks to him and enjoys killing people]], takes notice of her...
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10	The entire work can be found for free on [[http://brandonsanderson.com/portal/Warbreaker Brandon Sanderson's website]], as Sanderson performed a brave experiment with this novel: as he wrote and re-wrote it, he published each draft on his site, so that aspiring authors and/or curious readers could watch the story evolve artistically and technically. (For obvious reasons, he also kept a changelog.) As a result, spoilers abound; you know where to go if you want to get the story first. (Alternately, buy it on Amazon, where it has been officially published.)
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12	For more works in TheVerse in which this takes place, see Literature/TheCosmere.
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14	----
15	!!This book provides examples of:
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17	* AchievementsInIgnorance: Lightsong sometimes plays a kind of highly complex ball-game with the other gods. He makes a point of never learning the rules, but keeps managing impossible moves (and winning) on sheer force of dumb luck.
18	** Also, how he rediscovers the skills he had in life. Entirely by accident, he learns halfway through the book that he is good at interrogation and finding hidden details, and is pretty good at juggling fruit. He has no experience like that in his life as a god, so he reasons that they must be skills from his previous life and wonders if he was a police detective or something similar. [[spoiler: Later, he gets a sword, turns out to be dangerously incompetent with it, and is informed that in his previous life he was a forensic accountant.]] We never do find out why he can juggle fruit or, for that matter, if for some reason he was actually a master of a game specific to the gods when he was alive.
19	%%Administrivia/ZeroContextExample* ActionGirl: [[spoiler: Vivenna]] [[CharacterDevelopment becomes one by the end of the story.]]
20	* AffablyEvil:
21	** [[spoiler:Denth]] is genuinely funny, witty, and charming. He's also [[spoiler: completely amoral, obsessed with revenge, and willing to do whatever it takes to accomplish either his vengeance or his current job as a mercenary.]]
22	** Also [[spoiler:Bluefingers]] who is benevolent, fatherly, humble, [[spoiler: and busily plotting a war]].
23	* AgainstMyReligion: PlayedForLaughs. Lightsong, who is worshipped as a PhysicalGod like the rest of [[PhysicalReligion the Returned in the Court]], says this about [[BrilliantButLazy taking effort]], and Blushweaver momentarily takes him [[NotHyperbole literally]].
24	-->'''Lightsong:''' Well I can’t get subtext either. Far too subtle for me. It takes effort to understand, and effort is—unfortunately—against my religion.\
25	'''Blushweaver:''' A new tenet for those who worship you?\
26	'''Lightsong:''' Oh, not that religion.
27	* TheAgeless:
28	** The Returned can continue to live indefinitely if they are supplied with Breath once per week but are otherwise as vulnerable to injury as anybody else, [[spoiler: as poor Blushweaver discovered.]]
29	** Anyone can live indefinitely if they have the Fifth Heightening or above (People with less than that age more slowly, but the Fifth Heightening is when it stops completely). It's actually better than being a Returned since such people don't need a constant supply of Breath to live.
30	* AllThereInTheManual: That the planet is called "Nalthis" never comes up in the text.
31	* AmbiguouslyBrown: In-universe, the Pahn Kahl are considered this. Siri only notices they're different by the brown robes they wear, and those who don't wear them often pass as Hallandren. Only people of the Third Heightening or higher generally notice their skin color. [[spoiler: This makes it all the easier for them to infiltrate the Royal Priesthood and almost start a war.]]
32	* AmnesiacResonance: At one point, Lightsong realizes he has some detective skills he never learned, and concludes (correctly) that they must have been retained from his old life as a human. This gets him in trouble later, as he assumes [[spoiler: that a former private eye would know his way around a fight, and then finds out the hard way that investigative accountants have no combat skills at all.]] He also learns that, among other things, he had no knowledge of pottery, could juggle and knew a lot of sailor jargon.
33	* AndCallHimGeorge: Tonk Fah and his pets. [[spoiler:Interestingly, this is at least ''implied'' early on, yet it's still a dark twist when we learn that he's not killing them by accident a la [[Literature/OfMiceAndMen Lennie]], but to satiate his psychopathic tendencies]].
34	* AnimateInanimateObject: This is basically what Awakening ''is''.
35	%%Administrivia/ZeroContextExample* AntiVillain: [[spoiler:Bluefingers]] and [[spoiler:Denth]] are arguable examples.
36	* ArentYouGoingToRavishMe: Lampshaded when [[spoiler:Siri feels disappointed after nothing happens on her wedding night, then realizes how ridiculous it is to feel that way.]]
37	* ArrangedMarriage: Siri and the God King Susebron. [[spoiler:Becomes a PerfectlyArrangedMarriage once he is revealed to not be the evil dictator she thought.]]
38	* ArsonMurderAndJaywalking: Blushweaver to Lightsong, about [[LaserguidedAmnesia his former life:]] "What if you were a murderer, or a rapist? Worse, what if you had bad fashion sense?"
39	* ArtifactOfDeath: Nightblood has a distressing tendancy to try and kill whoever draws it, or make nearby people kill each other (but only if they're evil; good people get violently ill when they get too close), something Vasher was clever enough to weaponize- see ThrowingYourSwordAlwaysWorks below for details.
40	%%Administrivia/ZeroContextExample* TheAtoner: [[spoiler: Vasher]]
41	* AudienceSurrogate: Per usual for Sanderson, the magic system is explained by an experienced user tutoring a novice. Unusually, we don't get the full InfoDump until the final quarter of the novel.
42	%%Administrivia/ZeroContextExample* BaitTheDog: [[spoiler:Denth and Tonk Fah]], especially with the latter.
43	* BatheHerAndBringHerToMe: Siri goes through this every night before she is sent into Susebron's bedchamber. [[spoiler:Ultimately a subversion, as Susebron is not a villain and doesn't even understand sex for most of the book.]]
44	* BeautifulAllAlong: Or at least handsome. [[spoiler: Vasher's true form is far more majestic than the unkempt image he has of himself.]]
45	* BeenThereShapedHistory: [[spoiler: Vasher and Denth]] are secretly Returned who had significant parts in the Many War, 300 years ago.
46	* BeginnersLuck: Maintained by Lightsong as his "strategy" for Terachin. See AchievementsInIgnorance above.
47	* BeleagueredAssistant: Llarimar, Lightsong's high priest, who does his best to keep his religion running despite its god's total lack of interest in it.
48	%%Administrivia/ZeroContextExample* BeneathSuspicion: [[spoiler: The Pahn Kahl]]
49	* BewareTheNiceOnes: [[spoiler: Susebron is an incredibly gentle soul. Don't presume that to save you if you try to hurt Siri or either of their homelands when he regains the use of his powers. The high priests feared the power of the God King for good reason.]]
50	* BigBad: Teased constantly. At first it looks like [[spoiler:Susebron]], but he turns out to be harmless. Then it looks like [[spoiler:Denth]], but it quickly becomes apparent that someone else is paying him. All the characters' suspicion then falls on [[spoiler:High Priest Treledees of the God King]], but it turns out he's a deliberate red herring for [[spoiler:Bluefingers.]]
51	%%Administrivia/ZeroContextExample* BigDamnHeroes: Subverted towards the end when [[spoiler: Lightsong]] tries to rescue [[spoiler: Blushweaver]]. See WhatTheFuAreYouDoing, below.
52	%%Administrivia/ZeroContextExample* BreakTheHaughty: [[spoiler:Vivenna]]
53	* BoundAndGagged: Awakened powers make restraining people with rope or cloth very efficient. Muffling voice is imperative to keep an awakened from using their powers.
54	* ButIWouldReallyEnjoyIt: Siri is told from the start that she must not risk getting pregnant by the God King. [[spoiler:That's easy enough while she's still afraid of him, but then they start getting to know each other and turn out to have chemistry... ]]
55	* BuxomBeautyStandard: All the gods, upon Returning, are transformed into their own idea of [[HotGod physical perfection]]. As a result, almost all the goddesses have enormous breasts.
56	* CastFromHitPoints: How Returned magic works--it can accomplish things far beyond ordinary Awakening, but only at the cost of the Returned in question's life. [[spoiler:Nightblood works like this too, drawing on its wielder's Breath to fuel its powers when fully drawn. Running out of Breath while trying to wield Nightblood is fatal—even for a non-Returned, as explicitly confirmed by WordOfGod. ]]
57	* ChekhovsGun:
58	** [[spoiler:Vasher]] reveals in the prologue that he is able to [[spoiler:instantly achieve the Fifth Heightening, the same as all of the Returned.]] It turns out in the end that [[spoiler:he is indeed a Returned, and has been living in hiding for 300 years.]]
59	** Also, the D'Denir statues are [[spoiler:Kalad's phantoms, the army of uber-Lifeless which ended the Manywar]].
60	** [[spoiler:The Breath wasted in Tonk Fah's clothes ends not being wasted at all.]]
61	** It's a good thing the [[spoiler:sixth]] heightening provides [[spoiler:instinctive awakening abilities]].
62	* ChekhovsSkill: ''Subverted''. [[spoiler:While he's trying to work out who he was pre-Return, Lightsong figures he was probably some sort of detective or soldier and guesses he'd probably be a really good swordsman if he ever tried. So later, when he picks up a sword and tries to go all BigDamnHeroes to rescue Blushweaver... he promptly gets his ass handed to him. While he was indeed an investigator, he wasn't a city guard officer, he was an ''accountant''.]]
63	* TheChessmaster:
64	** [[spoiler:Bluefingers]] plotted out almost all the events of the novel like clockwork. Ultimately, it was only two factors he couldn't possibly have foreseen [[spoiler:(Lightsong's HeroicSacrifice and Vasher really being Kalad and Peacegiver)]] that stopped him.
65	** [[spoiler:Vasher]] and [[spoiler:Blushweaver]] are more well-intentioned Chessmasters.
66	* CombatPragmatist: Vasher. First with his technique of throwing Nightblood into groups of people, and then [[spoiler: in his fight with Denth, giving up his Breath for one chance to kill him.]]
67	%%Administrivia/ZeroContextExample* CoolSword: Again, Nightblood.
68	* CorruptChurch: The priests of the various Gods are some of the main plotters in the intrigues at court.
69	** Also subverted with [[spoiler:the God King's priests. While bound by tradition and rather more ruthless than is good for them, they're not actually the den of evil schemers Siri and Lightsong think they are.]]
70	* DangerousForbiddenTechnique:
71	** Fully drawing Nightblood turns the wielder into a OneManArmy but burns through Breath faster and faster, eventually killing the wielder if they don't stop in time.
72	** Vasher knows a particularly deadly trick in which he [[spoiler: gives away his breath to a foe, then kills them while they're reeling from the sensory overload]], a technique that costs incalculable wealth to use.
73	** Peacegiver went to such great lengths to prevent the God Kings from using their breath out of fear for what more awakeners capable of awakening steel might create.
74	** Peacegiver also kept the security phrase for [[spoiler: Kalad's phantoms]] well hidden to keep them from being used offensively.
75	* DangerouslyGarishEnvironment: T'telir is a DeadlyDecadentCourt where the people virtually worship colour, so everything is vibrantly coloured, from the building to people's clothes.
76	* DarkIsNotEvil: [[spoiler:Vasher is a ManipulativeBastard with PermaStubble, a GuileHero or ScienceHero but particularly ruthless about it, whose preferred tactic when fighting groups is throwing an ArtifactOfDoom at them and ''making them kill each other and themselves''. We're introduced to him when he deliberately gets himself arrested so he can break into a deeper jail and extort a stockpile of magic power from another prisoner. However, he's a good guy and the ArtifactOfDoom in question was created specifically to destroy evil.]]
77	* DecadentCourt: Subverted--the Returned might be decadent, but really, nothing they do has a great deal of long-term relevance, and most of them simply can't muster enough interest to do anything important anyway. [[spoiler:Moreover, the FemmeFatale who seemed to be plotting the most ends up being manipulated by the Pahn Kahl scribes pretty thoroughly. And then murdered by them.]]
78	%%Administrivia/ZeroContextExample* DeadpanSnarker: Pretty much everyone has their moments, but Lightsong unquestionably earns the grand prize.
79	* DeliberatelyMonochrome: Idris has tried to exclude color from their country as a defense mechanism against Awakeners. It doesn't actually work though—while not as effective as bright colors, the black and brown they use freely can work for Awakening.
80	* DemBones: According to Siri and Vivenna, stories about Lifeless in Idris describe them as skeletal beings. Vasher states that while animating a skeleton in this manner is theoretically possible, it is much more practical to simply animate a whole, intact corpse. [[spoiler: The D'denir statues are revealed to be these, as they are actually skeletal Lifeless encased in stone]].
81	* DeterminedExpression: Clod gets one briefly while protecting Vivenna. It's the only time he or any other Lifeless shows expression.
82	* DidntThinkThisThrough: Much more serious example than usual, where they ''did'' think it through and got it wrong anyway. When Vasher and Shashara were forging Nightblood, they knew that whatever Command they gave would define the sword's personality and purpose. Given the fact that Nightblood contains a ''thousand'' Breaths and is thus one of the most powerful objects in the Cosmere, choosing the right command was obviously very important. After much thought, they selected "Destroy evil." Only later would they realize the problem with this command: How is a piece of metal supposed to know what "evil" is?
83	* DistaffCounterpart: WordOfGod has it that [[spoiler:Llarimar and Lightsong's]] relationship is supposed to be a parallel of [[spoiler:Vivenna and Siri's. Lightsong (or Stennimar as he used to be called) liked traveling and enjoying his bachelor lifestyle whereas Llarimar was the one who always did what he should, but Llarimar also always admired his brother for his sense of adventure, his proactiveness, and his simple kindness toward other people.]]
84	* DragonWithAnAgenda: [[spoiler: Denth]] is hired to act as TheDragon for [[spoiler: the Pahn Kahl conspiracy]]. While he does loyally fulfill this role, his primary motive remains [[spoiler:revenge on Vasher.]]
85	* EasyLogistics: The chief advantage of Lifeless over regular soldiers. They don't have any need to eat or drink and don't rot or decay when properly embalmed, which allows Hallendren to sustain a standing army of forty thousand of the things with barely the slightest impact on their luxurious economy.
86	** Also Played With. While Lifeless require less logistical support than human soldiers, the amount they ''do'' require is not zero. We briefly see a storage room for the Lifeless where they are exercised, their equipment maintained, and their preservatives regularly changed out. We also see some of the security protocols for handling their passwords and issuing orders.
87	* EverythingsBetterWithRainbows: The Tenth Heightening causes anything white to burst out with rainbows. It also makes it so that Awakening drains things to white rather than gray. This isn't a purely cosmetic effect: awakening requires color as fuel in addition to Breath, while the tenth heightening removes this restriction.
88	* EvilChancellor:
89	** [[spoiler:Bluefingers.]] This appears to be a subversion at the start, however, so it's not played 100% straight.
90	** [[spoiler:High Priest Treledees]] is a complete subversion--he's a bit of a [[{{Jerkass}} jerk]] and is quite hidebound, but he's doing no more than what he believes [[spoiler:is his duty to his nation and his God King.]] Indeed, he's the RedHerring [[spoiler:Bluefingers]] uses to keep from being spotted.
91	* EvilCounterpart: [[spoiler: Denth, by WordOfGod, was written as a echo of Kelsier. Only this time, he's on the wrong side.]]
92	* EvilOverlord: Subverted. [[spoiler:Susebron the God King]] has a reputation as being this, especially in Idris, [[spoiler: but he's really a figurehead and a very nice (if naive) guy.]]
93	* EvilWeapon: Subverted with Nightblood. It's a black sword with magical powers that continually goads its wielder to kill people [[spoiler:but was actually created to ''destroy'' evil. Pity a sword can't tell the difference.]]
94	* ExoticDetective: Lightsong when he tries to solve the mystery of the murdered servant in Mercystar's palace--he uses his Fifth Heightening powers to see clues that no one else could.
95	* {{Expy}}: WordOfGod says that Siri and Vivenna were exported from a novel he never got around to completing. While he never was really satisfied with the book and shelved it half-finished, he and his alpha readers liked subplot with the two princesses, so he wrote a book about them instead. He also mentions that Denth is more or less the same concept as [[Franchise/{{Mistborn}} Kelsier]], [[spoiler:except that he's on the villain's side.]]
96	* FakeOrgasm: Sisirinah is betrothed to the God King Susebron, and is expected to bear him a child. Alas, Susebron is a {{Manchild}} with no concept of how babies are made, so Siri keeps loudly faking orgasms while in his chambers so that [[RightThroughTheWall the priests listening outside]] think she's at least trying.
97	* FallenPrincess: [[spoiler:Vivenna.]]
98	* FalseReassurance: [[spoiler: Denth]] is a master at this, as well as ExactWords. [[spoiler: Denth repeatedly tells Vivenna that he can be relied on to faithfully carry out the task he's been hired to do. He just doesn't tell her that she's not the one that he's been working for.]]
99	* FantasyCounterpartReligion: The religion of Austre has some strong similarities to real world Christianity.
100	* FieryRedhead: The hair colours tend to play it straight, with red hair representing passion, temper, ''fire''. Brown hair is described as [[BrainyBrunette pensive]] and is usually the colour that comes out when Siri/Vivenna are thinking intensely about something. Blonde is the colour of happiness. The ones that might subvert or avert the tropes are black (neutral) and white (afraid).
101	* FishOutOfWater: The primary conceit of the story. Vivenna is a PrincessClassic who was trained to take part in a RomanceNovel; Sisirina is the RebelliousPrincess suited for adventure and subterfuge. Naturally, each finds heself in the other's plotline.
102	* FlatEarthAtheist: Lightsong describes himself as the only god who doesn't believe in his own religion.
103	* ForgedByTheGods: Nightblood. While those who created him may or may not be gods ''per se'', at the least they were/would be worshipped as such.
104	* FunctionalMagic: [=BioChroma=].
105	* TheFundamentalist: Vivenna starts out as a mild version of this--she's not violent, but she is arrogant, judgmental, and closed-minded. CharacterDevelopment helps her get over it.
106	* GambitPileup: It becomes obvious almost as soon as Siri arrives at the court of the God King that everyone's plotting against everyone else in one way or another. But you won't believe how many people end up being involved, or how bad things get when the plots finally start to collide.
107	* GetIntoJailFree: Vasher gets arrested in order to get Breath from a captured rebel.
108	* GloriousDeath: The [[CameBackStrong Returned]] are worshipped as gods, but are constantly petitioned for the one true miracle they can grant -- sacrificing their life to [[HealingHands heal another]]. Lightsong has refused for years, instinctively knowing it's not the right time, and finally [[GoOutWithASmile Goes Out With A Smile]] in the climax to heal [[spoiler:[[OneManArmy Susebron]] so that Susebron can pull a BigDamnHeroes.]]
109	* AGodAmI: [[spoiler: Susebron is an oddly humble version of this. He firmly believes he's a god, having been raised almost entirely by his own priests, but he doesn't make a big deal out of it. It's just part of who he is.]]
110	** The Returned. Except Lightsong, who tends towards AGodIAmNot.
111	* GodEmperor: Susebron, [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin the God King]]. Although [[spoiler:he has little actual power until the end.]]
112	* AGodIAmNot: Lightsong, who constantly denies his godhood, though he does acknowledge the powers that come with it. [[spoiler: Until, right at the end, he regains his memory and decides he is a god after all. And that [[HeroicSacrifice with great power comes great responsibility]].]]
113	* GodsNeedPrayerBadly: Variation--the Returned gods need a Breath given to them once a week in order to survive.
114	* GodWasMyCopilot: [[spoiler:Vasher is Talaxin, one of the Five Scholars who pioneered [=BioChromatic=] research. In a subversion, TheDragon Denth is [=VaraTreledees=], another of the Five.]]
115	* GoneHorriblyRight: Nightblood. Creating a sentient sword with the Command to destroy evil seems like a good idea. Trouble is, an Awakened sword doesn't even have a [[{{Pun}} clear-cut]] concept of life, let alone something as abstract as evil. So you end up with a weapon [[MurderIsTheBestSolution eager to kill]] anyone it considers [[BlackAndWhiteInsanity evil]]. Doesn't take all that much to make Nightblood think you're evil...
116	-->''I'm figuring it out,'' Nightblood said. ''I've had a lot of practice.''
117	* GoodIsNotNice: [[spoiler:Vasher]]; {{lampshade\| hanging}}d several times when he points out that he knows full well he's got a bad temper and terrible people skills.
118	* GoodIsNotSoft: Susebron is a genuinely good person who learned his morality from a book of children's fairy tales. Now remember just how many of those fairy tales end with the evildoers getting eaten by monsters, or losing their heads, or turned into horrible things...
119	* GovernmentConspiracy: It's obvious from early on that one exists. It turns out to be [[spoiler:the Pahn Kahl]]. Though they were hardly the only ones using conspiracy to keep secrets.
120	* GuileHero: [[spoiler:Vasher]] and Denth have elements of this. See the Character page.
121	* HardWorkHardlyWorks: The towering bodies of the gods do not change from their diet or physical activity, so many of the gods possess herculean builds and peak athletic ability despite sitting on their asses eating all days.
122	* HeroicSacrifice:
123	** The Returned are each able to perform a single healing miracle at the cost of their own lives. [[spoiler: The only one we actually witness is Lightsong's.]]
124	** [[spoiler: Also the way Lightsong became a god: he died saving his brother's child.]]
125	** [[spoiler: A newly empowered Susebron is willing to face an army of 40,000 Lifeless soldiers head on to save Siri's homeland from destruction, even though that meant certain death. Fortunately they find another solution.]]
126	* HeroicComedicSociopath: Played with concerning the mercenaries Denth and Tonk Fah. They're killers for hire, but they're good guys because they're funny and helpful to Vivenna. Maybe Sanderson's doing a {{homage}} to his good friend [[Webcomic/SchlockMercenary Howard Tayler]].
127	** Subverted when [[spoiler:they're revealed to be evil, and Tonk Fah is just as sociopathic as he acts]]
128	* HiddenInPlainSight:
129	** [[spoiler:Denth ''constantly'' told Vivenna what he was capable of, and she didn't take it seriously because he said it with a grin and likeable banter.]]
130	** [[spoiler:Kalad's Phantoms are the statues all over Hallendren, made Lifeless by the human bones inside.]]
131	* HiddenVillain: [[spoiler:Bluefingers.]]
132	* HugeGuyTinyGirl: Susebron and Siri.
133	* HumanSacrifice:
134	** Idrians have some quite exaggerated conceptions about how bad sacrificing breath to the gods in Hallandren. Losing your breath ''does'' have some negative physical and mental side effects, but not ones people would be unwilling to live with.
135	** [[spoiler: Pahn Kahl agents plan to enrage the Idrians into war against Hallandra by making it look like they murdered Siri in a TargetedHumanSacrifice.]]
136	* IdiotHero: Played with in interesting ways with Lightsong.
137	* IgnoredEpiphany: Played for laughs with Siri. Right before [[spoiler: having sex with Susebron for the first time]] she notes to herself that this is a really bad idea, and she's got an unfortunate habit of following her impulses without thinking things through, and she really needs to become more sensible and responsible… ''some other time.''
138	* IHaveManyNames: [[spoiler:Vasher. Also known as Kalad The Usurper, Peacegiver The Merciful, Talaxin The Sage, and [[TitleDrop Warbreaker]] The Peaceful]].
139	-->''They used to call him other things, too,'' Nightblood said.
140	* ILoveTheDead: [[spoiler:In the author annotations, Sanderson states that Jewel still slept with Clod, whom she was in a relationship with prior to his death and subsequent "rebirth" as a Lifeless.]]
141	* ImplacableMan: The chief advantage of the Lifeless. They aren't any stronger or more skilled than living soldiers, but they make up for it by not needing food or rest and being able to shrug off any wound that doesn't directly impair functioning. [[spoiler: Kalad's Phantoms are Lifeless encased in stone, making them both implacable and NighInvulnerable.]]
142	* ImpossiblyCoolClothes: Lampshaded by Lightsong: he muses that his clothes are ''so'' impossibly cool that, were it not for the horde of servants in his employ, he ''would not be able to dress himself.''
143	* InsaneTrollLogic: Used constantly and [[LampshadeHanging lampshaded]] by Lightsong.
144	-->'''Blushweaver:''' And are you going to explain why you consider competing with me to be the most sincere form of compliment?\
145	'''Lightsong:''' Of course I am. My dear, have you ever known me to make an inflammatorily ridiculous statement without providing an equally ridiculous explanation to substantiate it?\
146	'''Blushweaver:''' Of course not. You are nothing if not exhaustive in your self-congratulatory made-up logic.
147	* JerkassGods: Most of the court. {{Justified\| Trope}} and explained during Lightsong's philosophizing: When each god can only perform one miracle to help their people, and that at the cost of their own life, the truly good and noble ones die off quickly, and those who stick around are the less compassionate.
148	* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: Lightsong's stated goal in life is to tick off as many people as possible in the most spectacular manner possible. When the chips are down, though, he turns out to be perhaps the most basically decent god left in the pantheon, with the possible exception of [[spoiler:Susebron.]]
149	** Blushweaver points out to him that, despite appearances to the contrary, his decency and sense of responsibility has actually earned him a great deal of respect among the other gods. This implies they themselves may have a HiddenHeartOfGold.
150	* KaleidoscopeHair: The Royal Locks, the sign of Idrian royalty, change color according to the owner's mood. It also can be grown out at will.
151	* KingBobTheNth: The current God King is Susebron V.
152	* LampshadedDoubleEntendre: Blushweaver, ''constantly''. It's in her ''name'' for crying out loud.
153	-->"When all else fails, use sexual innuendo," she said lightly.
154	* LargeAndInCharge: The gods who rule Hallandren are a foot taller than mortal men.
155	* LaserGuidedAmnesia: The one major downside to coming back to life as a god is forgetting the entirety of your past life. Memories are lost, but not skills or talents.
156	* LetsYouAndHimFight:
157	** Triggering this between {{Mooks}} is the main way that Nightblood is used.
158	** [[spoiler:The BigBad's plot is to pit Idris against Hallandren in a massive war.]]
159	* LighterAndSofter: Though the central storyline is still serious, the setting and characters are notably not as dark as in the ''[[Literature/MistbornTheOriginalTrilogy Mistborn]]'' trilogy or even ''Literature/{{Elantris}}''.
160	* LiteralGenie: The key limitation of the magic system is that ''everything'' you try to Awaken behaves like this, though not out of a sense of malice; becoming a better Awakener means learning how to phrase commands so that they actually work and don't backfire on you.
161	* LivingMoodRing: The Idrian royals have hair that changes colour depending on their emotions, turning black for neutral, red for passion, embarrassment or anger, white for fear and golden-blonde for happy or content. They can control it to some extent, along with the length of their hair, which becomes a minor plot point when one of the princesses is trying to conceal her emotions.
162	* LockedIntoStrangeness: The Royal Locks turn white to show fear. After Vivenna discovers [[spoiler: Denth's true colors]], her hair stays white for two weeks straight.
163	* LongLostRelative: [[spoiler:Technically, they were never really ''lost'', but Lightsong's head priest, Llarimar, is actually his younger brother. Lightsong (formerly Stenimar)'s Return came to be when he saved Llarimar's daughter from a sinking ship.]]
164	* LukeIAmYourFather: [[spoiler:Before he Returned, Lightsong was Llarimar's brother.]]
165	* LukeNounVerber: Many of the Returned have very NounVerber names, although not all. Gods like Peacegiver, Warbreaker, and Blushweaver fit the trope, but there are others, like Lightsong, Mercystar, and Weatherlove, who do not. Allmother kind of looks like she works, but not quite.
166	* MachineBlood: Modern Lifeless are animated with the aid of ichor-alcohol, an artificial fluid that isn't itself supernatural but drastically reduces the Breath cost to awaken them and extends their functional lifespan. Its discovery was a major factor in the start of the Manywar.
167	* MagicalSensoryEffect: People who hold a large number of Breaths gain an aura that makes nearby colours more vibrant. The GodEmperor's is so powerful that it causes a strong prismatic effect, requiring him to live in a black palace for comfort.
168	** This is actually even a minor plot point, as Awakening consumes color for fuel. Higher Heightenings let you drain color to white, not grey, and make white glow in rainbows. Which gives you infinite color for fuel.
169	* TheMagocracy: Inverted. Being a powerful Awakener isn't a guarantee of social status, but most of the wealthy and powerful buy lots of breaths so that they have the power available if they need it. In other words, magic is a sign of status, rather than the other way around.
170	* ManChild: WordOfGod is that Sanderson felt he had to walk a very fine line with [[spoiler:Susebron]], to make him childlike enough to be believable as someone who's been largely isolated his whole life, without being so much that his [[spoiler:relationship with Siri]] was [[{{Squick}} squicky]].
171	* MarriageToAGod: Siri. An ''arranged'' marriage, at that.
172	* AMatchMadeInStockholm: Somewhat. Siri was delivered to be the subservient captive bride of the God King under the threat of violence against herself and her homeland, and was promptly shoved into a GildedCage. [[spoiler: The captor/captive dynamic is averted. Susebron is just as much a prisoner as Siri in the palace, and their relationship evolves along those grounds.]]
173	* MayDecemberRomance: [[spoiler: Siri and Susebron]] are a... complicated example. Chronologically, he's in his fifties and she's in her late teens. ''Mentally'', she's an adult [[spoiler:while he starts out almost childlike]]. ''Physically'', they're about the same age because of how [[spoiler:a Returned's powers keeps them ageless as long as they have a steady supply of Breath]].
174	* MeaningfulName: Austre, the name the people of Idris give to {{God}}, evokes "austerity", which is a hallmark of their religion.
175	* MinionsCustomizedAtCreation: Awakeners imbue Breath into a chosen object, along with a Command, to make it carry out that Command until the Awakener reclaims the Breath.
176	* MistakenForCheating: Blushweaver does ''not'' react well when she sees Siri and [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold Lightsong]] talking at court.
177	-->-“You don’t fool me with your false naïveté. Lightsong is a good person—one of the last ones we have left in this court. [[HypocriticalHeartwarming If you taint him, I will destroy you]]. Do you understand?” Blushweaver turned and moved away, muttering, “Find someone else’s bed to climb into, you little slut.”
178	-->-Siri watched her go, shocked. When she finally regained her composure, she blushed furiously, then fled.
179	* MistakenForGranite: [[spoiler:The D'denir statues.]]
180	* MrExposition: Hoid the storyteller.
181	* MySpeciesDothProtestTooMuch: Lightsong, who works hard to appear un-godlike.
182	* NayTheist: Lightsong remarks early on that he must be the only God ever to not believe in his own religion.
183	* NiceJobFixingItVillain: Two characters mess up in a big way, when [[spoiler:Vasher kidnaps Vivenna. Denth and Tonk Fah wrongly assume she caught on to their schemes and escaped, and tortures Parlin for information, though Tonk Fah goes too far and kills him in the process. When Vivenna returns, Denth assumes she came to rescue Parlin, only to give himself away before realizing she had no idea that they were manipulating her for their own ends. This causes Vivenna to switch sides and eventually help Vasher and help foil the Pahn Kahl conspiracy. Had Parlin survived, it would've been much easier for Denth to play dumb and try to figure out what Vivenna knows without giving himself away, and even if Tonk Fah did kill Parlin, he could've had a shot at it anyway. But by jumping to conclusions, he robbed himself of a pawn who didn't realize he was manipulating her.]]
184	* NoPlaceForMeThere: [[spoiler:Vivenna]] decides this about both of the nations involved in the book, hence the WalkingTheEarth choice.
185	* NoOneCouldSurviveThat: Hilariously lampshaded by [[DeadpanSnarker Denth]].
186	-->'''Tonk Fah:''' You think he'll live?
187	-->'''Denth:''' He just fell out the third-story window, plummeting toward certain doom. Of course he'll live!
188	* NotSoHarmlessVillain: [[spoiler:Bluefingers, and the Pahn Kahl in general.]]
189	* ObfuscatingStupidity: Not used as heavily here as in Sanderson's [[Franchise/{{Mistborn}} earlier]] [[Literature/{{Elantris}} books]], but it shows up. Notably, Lightsong advises Siri to "be average"—not too cunning, but not too innocent either.
190	* OneHitKill: Nightblood, when fully drawn, will [[spoiler: completely obliterate its victims, [[SoulCuttingBlade soul and all]], in a single strike, leaving nothing but a [[NotEnoughToBury brief cloud of black smoke]] where they were standing.]]
191	* OneSteveLimit: Averted as a [[spoiler: RedHerring: Denth's real name is revealed to be [=VaraTreledees=], which implies a connection to the suspicious high priest Treledees, but they're entirely unrelated.]]
192	* OverTheShoulderCarry: Vivenna finds herself subjected to this twice by [[spoiler: Vasher]].
193	* OurZombiesAreDifferent: The Lifeless are reanimated corpses. They don't rot if they've been properly preserved, they don't eat brains (or anything else) and they're intelligent enough to take orders. They're also given passwords so only people with authorization can use them for the military.
194	** Arguably the Hallandren gods themselves, as they're people who've died and been Returned; supposedly the Iridescent Tones (or to the Idrians, Austre, God of Colors) Return those individuals who die exemplifying one of the "great virtues of human existence." They require at least one Breath a week to continue living, and whether or not they're actually gods is up for debate. [[spoiler:As Lightsong finds out once he remembers how he died and came back, they really ''are'' gods in a sense.[[Literature/TheStormlightArchive Very tiny pieces of one.]]]]
195	** Considering the way the Returned feed off Breath, they might also be considered a (relatively harmless) variation of OurVampiresAreDifferent, and are in fact treated as such in certain countries of Nalthis, by WordOfGod.
196	* PainlessDeathForAPrice: Breath is a precious magical resource that can only be voluntarily transferred. [[spoiler:Vasher infiltrates a dungeon just to offer the imprisoned rebel leader Vahr a quick death in exchange for his Breaths, since the Empire would be guaranteed to torture them out of Vahr eventually. They both follow through with the bargain.]]
197	* PhysicalGod: The Gods of Hallandren, for a loose definition of god.
198	** Anyone with enough Breath to reach one of the upper Heightenings would probably qualify as well under most definitions, even if they aren't actually Returned. The Tenth Heightening, so far seen only as a product of the God King's tens of thousands of Breaths, gives one the ability to Awaken perfectly by pure instinct, bypassing the need to learn the phrases that will make the Awakened object do what they want. There is a ''reason'' the God King is such a powerful figure.
199	* PhysicalReligion: The Iridescent Tomes of Hallandren. People literally talk to their gods to ask favors, though they rarely receive aid.
200	* PoseOfSupplication: Rather humiliatingly, Siri is made to adopt this pose in the nude on her wedding night.
201	* PrincessInRags: Happens to [[spoiler:Vivenna]] at one point.
202	* PsychoForHire: [[spoiler: Tonk Fah.]] Literally, as he's a mercenary.
203	* PsychopathicManchild: Nightblood comes off like this at times. [[spoiler:Tonk Fah also has elements of this, with emphasis on the "psychopathic".]]
204	* RageBreakingPoint: [[spoiler:Llarimar suffered Lightsong's antics for five years, watched him try and fail at things just to see what skills he retained from his previous life. When Lightsong tries to pick a lock, Llarimar screams at him, telling him he was an ''accountant'', not a detective or a thief.]]
205	* RapeIsASpecialKindOfEvil: [[spoiler: Discovering how gentle Susebron is led Siri to believe this was the reason he did not force her into sex on their wedding night. He actually had no idea what sex was, but even if he had, he almost certainly would have been too considerate to take Siri by force.]]
206	* RealLifeWritesThePlot: Minor example, but WordOfGod confirms that Brandon's own wedding, first time, and honeymoon took place during the writing of this book. This definitely had an effect on [[spoiler:the Siri/Susebron romance]].
207	* ReallySevenHundredYearsOld: [[spoiler:Vasher and Denth.]]
208	* RebelliousPrincess: Siri is a free spirit living in a very conservative culture, though she's able to get away with being somewhat rebellious because she's the youngest of four children and thus not very important in the grand scheme of things. Ironically, this independence is what helps her adjust to Hallandren, and she comments in the narrative that Vivenna, who was ''trained'' to go, would have been hindered by that very training.
209	** Of course, Vivenna similarly comments that she is much better suited for Hallandren than poor Siri. This book is full of characters misjudging each other, and contains several occurrences of the literary equivalent of a [[DescriptionCut description cut]].
210	** Vivenna herself is a subversion--even when she does go against her father's wishes, it's only out of what she sees as her royal duty.
211	* RoaringRampageOfRescue: [[spoiler: Susebron only has moments to reach the top floor of his palace from the dungeons, to prevent his beloved Siri from being murdered. Dozens, if not hundreds, of enemies stand in his way. [[CurbStompBattle They didn't stand a chance.]]]]
212	* RousseauWasRight: Pretty much every character in the story has good (or at least sympathetic) motivations for their actions. In the end, the only truly evil person in the novel is [[spoiler:[[AxCrazy Tonk Fah]]]], who is ultimately just TheDragon's hired help.
213	* RoyalsWhoActuallyDoSomething: The hallmark of Idris royalty, who consider it paramount to actively serve the kingdom. Contrasted by the returned deities who are much more lethargic.
214	* SarcasticConfession: [[spoiler:Denth and Tonk Fah]] pull this several times with regards to [[spoiler:the ruthlessness and sociopathy of mercenaries]], but the truth doesn't get realized until it's too late.
215	* ScrewballSquirrel: Turns out using squirrels as Lifeless minions, as shown by the likes of Vasher and Lightsong, can be an ''excellent'' tool for either distraction or annoying the absolute hell out of someone.
216	* [[ScrewTheRulesIHaveMoney Screw The Rules, I Have The Possibility Of Getting Money]]: It's mentioned that the priests of the Iridescent Tones keeping Vahr alive and torturing him to try and make him give up his Breath, instead of just exectuting him, was in violation of Hallendren's laws regarding the sale and transfer of Breath. But his stockpile was so insanely valuable (one Breath is worth enough money to feed a good-sized family for a year, and Vahr had enough breath to reach the Fourth Heightening, meaning he had at least ''twelve hundred'' Breaths) that they couldn't simply let it be lost.
217	* SequelHook: In the epilogue, Vasher tells Vivenna that [[spoiler:Yesteel, another of his and Denth's old colleagues, has resurfaced with improved Lifeless, which he's sold to an ambitious warlord. They then head off to investigate together.]] WordOfGod is that ''Warbreaker'' was always intended to be a two-book series, but the release of volume two, ''Nightblood'', was delayed by working on the final three volumes of ''Literature/TheWheelOfTime''. As ''Warbreaker'' stands fine on its own, however, this wasn't a serious issue. On his blog, Sanderson revealed that he felt it would be better to get his extremely ambitious ''Stormlight Archive'' series established before the release of what he admits will be a tonally different follow-up to the first book.
218	** SavedForTheSequel: Many of the developments and some pieces of the magic of [=BioChroma=] are being saved for this upcoming book "when he gets around to writing it".
219	* ShapeShifterBaggage: Averted. Siri can make her hair grow from short to very long in a matter of moments, but it makes her very, very hungry.
220	* SheathStrike: Nightblood, in most of its fights. Even as a blunt instrument, it is more effective than it has any right to be. On top of this, it can stab its own wielder through the heart ''while still sheathed''...and often does.
221	* ShoutOut: Early in the book, Parlin acquires a green hat, described as being "like a sock, though much larger." [[Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda Remind you of anyone?]]
222	* ShroudedInMyth: Kalad and Peacegiver, to the point that [[spoiler: people have forgotten they were the same person]].
223	* TheSociopath: [[spoiler:Tonk Fah]] is heavily implied to be this in the novel; WordOfGod confirms it.
224	* SoulPower: The Idrians believe Breath is a person's soul, and thus hold Awakening to be the worst sort of heresy. The people of Hallandren are less convinced of this, and don't revile Awakeners or believe losing one's Breath is so terrible, as long as they're paid well for it (or do it for a good cause, like [[GodsNeedPrayerBadly sustaining the Returned]]). They are both somewhat right and wrong: according to WordOfGod, giving away your soul ''is'' quite unpleasant, giving you worse health and depression, but tons of people have empirically lived through it and continued to be happy, functional members of society afterwards.
225	* SpannerInTheWorks: Almost everyone at the Court of Gods was prepared for Idris to sent Princess Vivenna to marry/be the hostage of the God King. When the King of Idris exploits a loophole in the contract to send Princess Siri instead, they're all convinced that she must be part of an elaborate plot against them and are thrown into a frenzy trying to [[GambitPileup adjust their webs of schemes]]. But actually, the king just [[TheUnfavorite doesn't love Siri as much as he loves Vivenna]] and figures he'll have an easier time sending her to be raped and killed instead.
226	** In fairness to King Dedelin, that "easier time" involved lying to himself pretty heavily (and obviously) about the political benefits of sending the wrong princess. If he'd been more honest to himself, [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone the guilt]] would have paralyzed him, and [[TheChainsOfCommanding the nation would never recover in time]].
227	* SpareToTheThrone: The oldest princess was groomed from birth to become the God King's wife. The second-oldest princess was the "spare," trained in case something happened to her sister. Their father sent the youngest princess instead, mostly because she was a wild card that no one had ever bothered to spy on. WordOfGod and a bit of his narration also indicate that despite being basically a decent man, the King really didn't love Siri as much as he loved the others, so found it less painful to sacrifice her.
228	* StandardFantasySetting: [[PlayingWithATrope Played with]]. As one of the annotations puts it:
229	-->'''Sanderson:''' A lot of fantasy novels like to make their setting someplace akin to rural England, and they’ll talk of distant countries that have exotic spices, dyes, and trade goods. Well, in this world, Hallandren is that place. It’s at the other end of the silk road, so to speak.
230	* StealthSequel: [[spoiler: Actually a stealth prequel to ''Literature/WordsOfRadiance''. Vasher and Nightblood both appear in Words of Radiance, the latter being set up for a major role in the coming sequels. This raises the question of how the pair got from Nalthis, the world that Warbreaker takes place on, to Roshar, the world of ''Literature/TheStormlightArchive''. To sum up, Sanderson wrote a prequel to the second book in a series, a year before the first book in said series had yet to be released.]]
231	** [[spoiler: And in Oathbringer, Vivenna shows up during the siege of Kholinar disguised as a character known as Azure, meeting and fighting alongside Kaladin. Sporting a few scars and armed with a unique shardblade, she worldhopped to Roshar to search for Vasher/Zahel and Nightblood, in the process becoming Highmarshall for the Wall Guard in Kholinar.]]
232	* TalkingWeapon: Nightblood speaks with Vasher, and is quite sweet in a horrifically bloodthirsty way.
233	* TerseTalker: Parlin.
234	* ThrowingYourSwordAlwaysWorks: [[ArtifactOfDoom Nightblood]]'s powers make him more useful as a grenade than a sword. He possesses the power to tempt people with impure souls, and gets them all to kill each other. It doesn't ''always'' work because he can't do anything to sinless men, though those tend to run away from the blade.
235	* TitleDrop: [[spoiler:Vasher]]'s real name (well, oldest known name, whether or not it's his ''real'' name is debatable) is Warbreaker the Peaceful.
236	* TomboyAndGirlyGirl: Played with--Siri and Vivenna are set up as the two roles, and then Siri ends up in an ArrangedMarriage dealing with social intrigue while Vivenna has to be a RebelliousPrincess.
237	* TraumaCongaLine: [[spoiler:Vivenna]] goes through a massive one after [[spoiler:she discovers the mercenaries' true colours]].
238	* TreacherousAdvisor: [[spoiler:Denth]] and [[spoiler:Bluefingers.]]
239	* UncannyValley: Invoked with the Lifeless. The most disturbing part of them is that they ''don't'' look dead... or alive, really.
240	* UnskilledButStrong: Most of the returned/gods, due to their pampered life style but innate size and strength. [[spoiler: Lightsong thinking he might be an exception to this turns out disastrously for him. He'd have been better off resorting to hulk smash.]]
241	* TheUnfavorite: WordOfGod confirms that, as much as he may rationalize to himself otherwise, King Dedelin does in fact love Vivenna more than Siri, and that most of the political and tactical reasons he gives for sending off Siri instead of Vivenna are largely efforts to delude himself. This is also hinted at in the narrative.
242	* UnwittingPawn: Vivenna to [[spoiler: Denth.]] Blushweaver to the BigBad.
243	* TheVamp: Blushweaver comes across like this at first--CharacterDevelopment gradually moves her more into FemmeFatale. Possibly more into MyGirlIsASlut. She's flirtatious, sure, but legitimately means well for both the country and the targets of her affections.
244	* VirginityMakesYouStupid: [[spoiler:Susebron and Vivenna]].
245	* VoluntaryShapeshifting: All of the Returned can do this, though most don't know it (hence subconsciously shapeshifting into idealized versions of what they looked like as humans, but not showing the ability any other way). [[spoiler: Vasher and Denth do more with it, taking the appearance of a scruffy vagrant and a sellsword respectively, even though they're actually Returned. WordOfGod is that Siri and Vivenna, who have Returned blood in them, could potentially ''learn'' to do this, but at the moment are limited to their hair]].
246	* WalkingTheEarth: Vasher [[spoiler:and Vivenna at the end.]]
247	* WellIntentionedExtremist:
248	** [[spoiler:Susebron's priests truly do care about him. But their sacred vow to protect the God King's [=BioChroma=] gift from abuse means some terrible things are done to him. All in the name of keeping it safe.]]
249	** [[spoiler:Also Bluefingers and his conspiracy. All they want is independence and freedom from opression for their homeland--and they're willing to start a world war if that's what it takes to make that happen.]]
250	* WhatTheFuAreYouDoing: [[spoiler:PlayedForDrama. Near the climax, Lightsong wonders and tests whether his PastLifeMemories include MasterSwordsman skills. They don't.]]
251	* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: After the fight in the slums, we see Jewels repairing Clod with stitching and fresh ichor alcohol. This is the last time either of them appear onscreen.
252	* WideEyedIdealist: Several, at least at the beginning.
253	** [[spoiler:Susebron,]] whose entire experience of the world consists of a book of fairy tales his mother read him as a child.
254	** Vivenna has a real tendency to view everything in terms of absolute black and white. She gets better.
255	** Siri also starts out quite naive and idealistic.
256	* WrongContextMagic: Magic in ''Warbreaker'' involves commanding objects to come to life and perform a specific task. At one point [[spoiler:Vasher gets a girl to erase her own memory with a Command.]]
257	* WrongGenreSavvy: Vivenna, pre-CharacterDevelopment
258	* YouKilledMyFather: [[spoiler:Denth hates Vasher because Vasher killed Denth's sister]].
259	* YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness: Poor [[spoiler:Blushweaver]].
260	----
261	-> Howl of the sun. [[AntiPoopSocking Go outside and get some fresh air.]] Howl of the sun.

Context Literature / Warbreaker