The Interludes present glimpses from various places in Roshar that are not central to the plot. The first one is from Purelake, an enormous shallow lake. Ishikk is a local fisherman hired by three mysterious foreigners to look for another stranger named Hoid with white hair, a clever tongue, and an arrow-like face. Through Ishikk’s eyes, the reader learns about the worldview and customs of the local people. Purelake is in a warm part of Roshar and the water is tepid. People walk through the water from one place to another as if on land, and subsist on the fish and plants found in the lake. An unusual custom is that their feet should always be submerged, meaning that their houses are also flooded.

Nan Balat, one of Shallan’s brothers, is the second oldest son and designated the heir, or Nan, after their oldest brother was killed. He suffers from a traumatic leg injury that has not healed well, as well as from mental health issues. In order to alleviate his anxiety and emotional suffering, he slowly kills and dismembers small animals and insects.