Shallan’s Sketchbook: Reachers

This chapter is Shallan's sketchbook entry depicting a scene from eight and a half years before the present timeline. It follows young Venli as she notices her mother Jaxlim beginning to forget songs, a troubling sign. While Venli grapples with family concerns, her sister Eshonai scouts and confirms the humans have returned. A mysterious human woman named Axindweth approaches Venli on the plateaus, reveals she speaks the listener language fluently, and offers her a glowing red gemstone, hinting at forbidden forms of power that could heal Venli's ailing mother.

The chapter opens eight and a half years in the past, showing young Venli working with written language while her mother Jaxlim performs daily recitations. Jaxlim forgets a stanza mid-song—an unprecedented occurrence that deeply disturbs Venli. After helping her mother to bed, Venli searches for her sister Eshonai, finding her at a scouting tower watching for the humans who had visited months earlier. Eshonai announces her intention to scout the smoke in the distance and potentially travel with the humans, dismissing Venli's pleas for her to stay and learn songs. When the humans return the next day, Venli is tasked with demonstrating songs to them repeatedly, finding the work frustrating since they cannot hear rhythms and constantly interrupt with questions. Observing parshmen among the city crowds makes her uncomfortable. Later, when Venli retreats to the plateaus seeking solitude and peace, a human female approaches her. Introducing herself as Axindweth, the woman speaks flawless listener language and claims to have been sent to find someone like Venli—someone who remembers her people's former glory. Axindweth challenges Venli's reverence for her ancestors and subtly references knowledge of healing forms of power. When Venli tries to leave, Axindweth mentions forms that could heal someone, causing Venli to freeze, realizing the woman somehow knows about her mother's deteriorating condition. Axindweth produces a glowing red gemstone and tells Venli that breaking it within a storm will reveal a path to saving those she loves, then departs, leaving the gem behind.