Sja-anat

Sja-anat is one of the Unmade, a mysterious group of odious spren on Roshar. Also known as The Taker of Secrets, once she touches another spren, that spren acts strangely; it doesn't act like it should.
==Appearance==
She appears as a jet-black shadow of a person, only with white spots for eyes.
==Characteristics==
Sja-anat has a spy, a spren which appears as a shadowy face with red eyes which swims through the water of the Purelake like a fish. Apparently, it is unable to go far without a carrier, so it brings an escort ... a larger spren which reforms itself into a female knight with a Shardblade in her hands.
While a bonded spren could be Enlightened by Sja-anat, it would have dire, ramifications for the bond. It would be much better for this to happen before bonding, but it could happen.YouTube Live Fan Mail Opening 1, 10/30/21
==Abilities==
Sja-anat refers to her process of touching spren with whom she comes in contact - which has the ability to corrupt them - as Enlightening.
==Kholinar==
After Shallan (as Veil) was stabbed in the Kholinar palace, from a mirror rimmed in a fancy bronze frame, she glimpsed a guard with Lyn thrown over his shoulder. Beyond that, deeper within the mirror, she saw something turn and look toward her with a sudden and surprised motion. She then quickly closed her peeking eye.
Later, Sja-anat insists that she's not Shallan's enemy, but that the heart (who's voice Shallan has also just heard) is a trap.
After the fall of Kholinar and while within the Oathgate control building, Shallan walks toward the keyhole control device summoning Pattern as a Blade. She studies him, then looks up at herself in one of the mirrors hanging on the wall.
She sees that someone else stands within it: a woman with black hair that falls to her waist, wearing archaic clothing; a sleeveless, flowing gown that is more of a tunic, with a simple belted waist. Shallan touches her face and wonders why she'd put this illusion on. The reflection doesn't mimic her motions though, but presses forward, raising hands against the glass. The reflected room then fades and the figure distorts, becoming a jet-black shadow with white holes for eyes.
Shallan regards the figure in the mirror, noting that it had spoken, and asks it what it is. The figure says that it is called The Taker of Secrets, or that it once was ... to which Shallan replies that it is one of the Unmade, and her people's enemy.
Shallan then insists that Sja-anat is of Odium, to which the Unmade replies ...
Sja-anat then assists in the transportation of Shallan, Adolin, Kaladin, and Azure to Shadesmar, rather than someplace more dangerous, due to the Oathgate's corruption; Sja-anat was able to make the transportation safer with her touch on her own corrupted spren therein.
==Notes==
Brandon has confirmed that the Unmade are Splinters of Odium.I'm novelist Brandon Sanderson. AMA!, r/books, Reddit Odium splintered himself and created the Unmade to be his influence on Roshar. It is through the Unmade that Odium may be able to influence people in how they think or act.Book signing, Orem, UT, 12/6/14
When asked whether Sja-anat could heal a deadeye by changing them, Brandon said that's going to depend on one's definition of heal. But, that there are definitely some who would call what would occur healing. That they would be different from the way they had been before.YouTube Livestream 32, 6/3/21
==Speculation==
*Readers have surmised that Sja-anat's son is likely Renarin's spren, Glys.
==Q&A with Brandon==
Q. Did Sja-anat have to convince Glys to corrupt him then?
A. RAFO.Book signing, Stuttgart, Germany, 5/17/19
Q. Will there be Enlightened spren of other Radiant orders than Truthwatchers, and why does Sja-anat like Truthwatchers so much?
A. The reason Sja-anat likes Truthwatcher spren the most is because they are the most willing. And she considers what she's doing offering Enlightenment, not corrupting. And she considers their willingness to be a part of this. Outside observers might consider her methods less ... involving less volition on the parts of some of the spren that she touches. They might argue with her on that point. In this case, as it comes with the two Truthwatcher spren that you see in the books, they both went to what they are willingly. Fully willingly to become what they are. They are, you might say, participants in her plans. So that's why she wants them.YouTube Spoiler Stream 1, 12/17/20
==References==
Category:Spren
Category:Unmade
Category:Magical Creatures