Chapter 89: Open Wound — Rlain's Isolation Deepens

Spoiler Notice: This page contains full spoilers for Chapter 89 of Rhythm of War. If you haven't yet read this chapter, proceed with caution or return later.

Summary

Rlain makes his way through Urithiru, picking up laundry for the Radiant infirmary. Everywhere he goes, he faces suspicion and hostility: human workers whisper that he poisoned the Windrunners, singer guards try to trip him, and even other singers view him with either contempt or unwanted reverence. He reflects on how only Bridge Four ever tried to see him as an individual. He spots a cremling spying on him, likely housing a Voidspren, but keeps walking.

Rlain reaches the infirmary, where he delivers bedding and joins Lirin and Hesina in their curtained-off quarters. They discuss the danger posed by the Pursuer and the puzzling protection offered by Leshwi. Hesina shows Rlain detailed maps of the tower and the Shattered Plains. Studying the full Plains map, Rlain is struck by the symmetry of the shattered plateaus and notices scout markings indicating a mysterious camp far to the east.

Their conversation is interrupted when Lirin spots Dabbid working among the volunteers. Rlain goes out to greet his fellow bridgeman, assuming Dabbid has been hiding in fear. Dabbid resists Rlain's pull, then speaks aloud for the first time in Rlain's memory, begging for help: Kaladin is asleep and won't wake up—and Dabbid thinks he is dying.

Key Events

  • Rlain endures whispered accusations and a tripping attempt while collecting laundry.
  • He recognizes a cremling spying on him, likely containing a Voidspren.
  • Rlain reaches the infirmary and confers with Lirin and Hesina about the Regals and the Pursuer.
  • Hesina shows Rlain maps of the tower and a detailed map of the Shattered Plains; Rlain notes the symmetrical pattern and a mysterious eastern camp.
  • Lirin identifies Dabbid in the infirmary.
  • Dabbid speaks, revealing that Kaladin is unconscious and possibly dying.

Character Development

Rlain: This chapter highlights his profound isolation. Neither fully singing nor human, he is treated as a traitor by the Regals and a feared symbol by the humans. His longing to be seen as an individual—simply "Rlain"—cuts deep. He hums forcibly to Peace and Confidence, demonstrating his ongoing struggle to regulate his emotions through rhythms. His reflection on Bridge Four as his only true home emphasizes what he has lost.

Lirin and Hesina: Lirin's suspicion of the Fused and even Venli reveals his cautious, protective nature. He openly admits Kaladin doesn't know him as well as he thinks. Hesina shows quiet defiance, determined to aid Kaladin despite Lirin’s pacifist leanings. Their willingness to trust Rlain, based solely on Kaladin's friendship, speaks to their character.

Dabbid: His sudden speech is a pivotal moment. Previously known as the silent, wounded mascot of Bridge Four, Dabbid's desperate plea for Kaladin signals a breakthrough—or a breaking point.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Isolation and Identity: Rlain’s internal monologue and external treatment revolve around the wound of being categorized by others. He is a "traitor" to the singers, a "gambler with foul powers" to the humans, and a "symbol" to both. His desire to be seen as a person echoes the chapter title, “Open Wound.”

The Creeping Surveillance: The cremling with a Voidspren represents the constant, quiet oppression of Odium’s forces. That Rlain notices it but cannot act deepens the tension.

Symmetry of Destruction: The Shattered Plains map reveals a deliberate, grand-scale pattern. This motif hints at the ancient catastrophe that shaped Roshar, tying the past to the present mystery.

Parental Defiance: Hesina’s map-making and Lirin’s guarded protection show a subtle but potent resistance within the occupied tower—small acts of defiance that mirror Kaladin’s larger fight.

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter serves as a crucial emotional grounding in the occupied tower storyline. Rlain's perspective reveals the daily cruelties and complexities of life under Odium's rule, while advancing the espionage subplot through the Voidspren cremling and the maps. The revelation of the Shattered Plains' symmetry and the unknown eastern camp plants a seed for future discovery. Most critically, Dabbid's appearance and shocking speech bridge this chapter directly to Kaladin’s fate, raising the stakes and pulling the quiet, marginalized characters into the heart of the crisis.

Study Questions and Answers

  1. How does Rlain's treatment by the tower's inhabitants illustrate his core internal conflict? Rlain is rejected by singers who see him as a traitor and revered by others who see him as a symbol of the listeners' sacrifice. Humans fear him as a spy. Neither group sees him. This underscores his desire to be known as an individual, not a representative of a people—a desire that only Bridge Four partially fulfilled.

  2. What significance does the map of the Shattered Plains hold in this chapter? The map lets Rlain see the full symmetrical pattern of the Plains' destruction, suggesting a deliberate ancient cataclysm. The scout note about an eastern camp hints at an unknown nomadic group, planting a potential plot thread about unexplored regions and peoples of Roshar.

  3. Why is Dabbid's speech such a critical moment? Dabbid has been portrayed as traumatized and mute for most of the series. His sudden ability to speak—driven by desperation over Kaladin's condition—shatters his established characterization and signals extreme urgency. It directly connects the infirmary storyline to Kaladin's survival, raising immediate narrative tension.

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