Chanarach

Chanarach, known as Chanaranach'Elin in Vorinism and nicknamed Chana, is one of the ten Heralds of the Almighty on Roshar, and the patron of the Order of Dustbringers. In more recent times, she married Lin Davar and lived with him on the Davar Estate with their four children and Lin's eldest son whom he had with another woman.
== Appearance and Personality ==
Chana was born on Ashyn, and left it for Roshar when the planet was razed by human Surgebinding, making her likely of similar age to the other Heralds. Vorin artwork tends to present her as a young woman. Vorin depictions also show her wearing blue armor and holding a straight sword with a bifurcated blade. Chana's safehand is not covered in these depictions, while other female Heralds do have their safehand covered.
During the early years of their time on Roshar, Chana had the disposition of a soldier. In the present, Shallan's memories of Chana describe her as being sweet and overtly feminine. The reality was that Chana was an erratic individual, often getting into shouting arguments with her husband Lin and was delusional that her daughter Shallan had inherited the Oathpact from her, freeing her from immortality. Despite being severely mentally unwell, she genuinely cares for her children; calling herself selfish for wanting a family despite Ishar warning her she would ultimately hurt them.
== Attributes and Abilities ==
As a Herald, Chanaranach is immortal and capable of returning from death, though at the cost of a Desolation. She was a capable fighter, and wielded an Honorblade that made her a Surgebinder, granting her the use of the Surges of Division and Abrasion. She has discarded her Blade, however, leaving her without Surgebinding.
Perhaps due to her power over Abrasion, Chanarach is known for being incredibly fast, as Fleet beating her in a foot race is considered a noteworthy achievement.
== History ==
She lived in Shinovar for a period, before humanity began to expand outward, inciting a war between the humans and the singers. She was Jezrien's bodyguard during the early years of their time on Roshar and perhaps when they lived on Ashyn as well. She and Ishar were among Jezrien's inner circle, even among the other Heralds.
=== Herald of the Almighty ===
When humans and singers went to war, she and nine other people were made Heralds by Honor, forming the Oathpact. Following every Desolation, she would travel to Braize and be tortured there until either she or one of the other Heralds broke, sending them back to Roshar and starting a new Desolation. This cycle went on for thousands of years, gradually wearing on her sanity, along with that of all the other Heralds.
At Aharietiam, the Last Desolation, Chanarach, like the rest, abandoned the Oathpact, leaving her Honorblade at the location of the final battle and departing for parts unknown. What happened to her afterwards is unknown, though she has been seen alive.
=== Homemaker ===
At some point, Chana married Lin Davar and took his last name. She had four children with him: Balat, Wikim, Jushu and Shallan, the oldest Davar son Helaran having been a bastard of Lin's with another woman. Despite this, it seems Chana raised Helaran as her own, as he called her mother and was upset at her passing.
During this time, Chana had frequent visits from a man named Dreder. The servants gossiped that Chana was having a secret affair with him, but in reality he was a Skybreaker acolyte in the service of the Herald Nale.
=== The Night of King Gavilar's Assassination ===
Nale contacted Chana and Dreder at the Davar estate while at the Kholinar Palace via a seon, requesting that she join him and Kalak to assist them with their work. When Chana didn't reply, Nale continued to chastise Chana about her desire for a family. He was aware that her daughter Shallan had bonded a spren, and threatened that if Chana herself didn't kill Shallan then he would have Dreder kill her instead.
Chana was convinced that if she killed Shallan, Shallan would take her place in the Oathpact, ending her immortality and freeing her. Dreder recognized this as a delusion of Chana's and asked her to prove it by killing Shallan.
Shallan, who had overheard the conversation, attempted to flee, but was found by her father. He brought her into his chamber where he was confronted by Chana and Dreder. Lin was subdued by Dreder, who handed a knife to Chana. Pinning Shallan down, Chana raised the knife up high but hesitated, and in that moment Shallan summoned her shardblade and killed both her mother and Dreder. Chana was sent to Braize, where she was tortured until she broke around the year 1174.
=== Shallan's Wedding ===
Wanting to see her daughter again, Chana went to Urithiru after hearing that the Radiants had returned and that Shallan had become one. She found her way to Shallan and Adolin's wedding, but did not confront Shallan.
=== Spiritual Realm ===
Some months prior to The Contest of champions, Chana had once more died and returned to Braize. Upon Shallan's trip into the Spiritual Realm three days away from The Contest, Shallan decided it was time to recover memories she had suppressed about her mother's true identity and what her death meant. By doing this, Chana felt Shallan calling to her from the Spiritual Realm, allowing part of herself to be pulled into a vision with Shallan. There, she admitted she was the one who broke, starting a new Desolation. She apologized to Shallan, who forgave her and told her the Desolation wasn't her fault. Chana thought she didn't deserve her daughter’s forgiveness, but Shallan forgave her anyway.
Not long after mother and daughter reconciled, Chana was found by the Fused due to part of her still being in the Cognitive Realm. She embraced Shallan and promised she would try not to break so easily this time, before disappearing from the vision in a puff of smoke.
== Culture ==
In Vorinism, Chanarach is known under the symmetrical name Chanaranach, though the diminutive Chana is also used. Chan-a-rach is a far rarer spelling, only seen used in a song. She is associated with the number 3 (chach), the Essence ‘Spark’, and the divine attributes of ‘Brave’ and ‘Obedient’. Her body focus is the soul. Phrases such as "Chana knows..." and "Chana help (somebody)" are common, and typically related to threat or protectiveness. The name Chanada is likely derived from Chana. And the name Chanasha definitely is.
As with the other Heralds, there is a temple to her in every modern city. This tradition appears to go back to the Desolations, as there was once a temple of Chanaranach in Stormseat.
She is thought of as the Herald of the Common Man and is believed to be "fine and reputable".
== Trivia ==
* Chanarach's portrait used in the chapter arches is called the Guard by the Dragonsteel Entertainment staff.
== Notes ==
es:Chanarach