Desolation

Desolations are cataclysmic events in the history of Roshar (i.e., cyclical wars) when the forces of Odium - including the mysterious Voidbringers - supposedly attack Roshar in order to exile humankind to Damnation.
==Vorinism==
Vorinism teaches that there were a hundred Desolations before the Voidbringers were driven back and defeated. However, in the Prelude to The Way of Kings, it is revealed that the Heralds had lost their resolve to fight, lied to humanity and the Knights Radiant, and broken the Oathpact to free themselves. As a result, they abandoned one of their ten (i.e., Taln).
Having done scholarly work on Vorin theory, Kalami relates to Dalinar that the Desolations were destruction made manifest. That each one was so profoundly devastating that humankind was left broken; populations ruined, society crippled, scholars dead. Further, she states that humankind was forced to spend generations rebuilding after each one. She elaborates by saying that songs tell of how the losses compounded upon one another, causing humankind to to slide farther each time, until the Heralds left a people with swords and fabrials and returned to find them wielding sticks and stone axes.
In truth, Desolations are an eternal war between humanity and the vengeful souls of the Dawnsingers; ancient singers who were slaughtered by humans when they first came to Roshar. These souls were empowered by Odium to reincarnate by possessing and empowering bodies of parshmen, thereby creating what are called the Fused. When these Fused would descend to Roshar (i.e., Return), humans called these Desolations.
The ten Heralds empowered by Honor spent centuries containing these souls in what is called Damnation, where they were tortured by them until one broke and they all returned to Roshar to begin the war all over again.
==Aftermath==
==Known Desolations==
* The first Desolation was the invasion of mankind on Roshar. The Dawnsingers (or singers) spoke of this time in their Dawnchants, naming humans as the Voidbringers because they had brought Odium with them.
* The Desolation that presumably occurred sometime after the Eighth Epoch, three thirty-seven; revealed in Dalinar's visions.
* The Desolation known as Aharietiam in Vorin teachings and believed to be the Last Desolation. It took place 4500 years before the events within The Way of Kings.Date
* The True Desolation that was announced by the returning Herald, Talenel, at the end of The Way of Kings.
==Jasnah's Notes==
The following notes are from the epigraphs in chapters 29 to 51, written by Jasnah Kholin.
==Dalinar's Thoughts==
In awakening the Desolation, the enemy had rekindled a millennia-old conflict of ancient creatures with inscrutable motivations and unknown powers. Heralds were supposed to appear and lead the charge against the Voidbringers. The Knights Radiant should have already been in place, prepared and trained, ready to face the enemy. They were supposed to be able to trust in the guidance of the Almighty. Instead, Dalinar had only a handful of new Radiants, and there was no sign of help from the Heralds. And, the Almighty - God himself - was dead. Somehow, Dalinar was supposed to save the world anyway.
==Notes==
According to Brandon, the number 99 in the stories was made up, and there were actually far fewer Desolations.99 Desolations
==References==
Category:Events and Eras
Category:Epigraphs