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  1. Listen to us develop this theory live, in real-time, in the first episode of the Shardkeepers Podcast! [A link will go here when it's available. For now, use your imagination.] So, while recording the Shardkeepers Podcast, I was hit with a sudden lightbulb about magic on Sel. A lot of credit goes to Chaos here, since talking about his theory is what caused me to think of it this way, so a big shoutout to him. Anyways, I think I've figured out a feasible way to explain what's going on on Sel, and specifically, what's up with these "region-locked" magics, so to speak. First, we need to take a good look at the nature of the Shards on Sel. For that, I want to turn to the dictionary definitions of their names, so I went ahead and grabbed them from dictionary.com. You can see them right here: For Devotion, my interpretation of current theorizing trends is that we tend to focus on the first two definitions primarily, but I want to invite you guys to make sure and include the third as a possible interpretation. Devotion, however, is pretty straightforward. Meanwhile, Dominion -- well, Dominion is interesting. I've read a lot of things associating Dominion with Definition #2 - control, domination - probably in part by whom we tend to associate with that particular Shard. However, I'm beginning to think that we're not looking at Dominion in the right light. I think we need to view Dominion primarily as it is portrayed in Definition #3 (though #1 and #4 are pretty applicable as well, so include those if you like). Bearing with me so far? Okay? Good. Okay. So. We've got Devotion, which like I said before, is pretty self-explanatory and not that hard to expand a definition on. We've also got Dominion, thinking of it in the sense of a territory or domain instead of the commonly perceived role of domination. That covers the nature of the two Shards we're dealing with here. In order to continue, let's talk about what we know about the Dor. First, I have a quote from Brandon on our very own forum Q&A. I pulled this from Windy's archive, which is much easier to sort through than the actual thread, so I can't link to the exact post, but I'll offer free rep to anyone who can find it for me. Anyways, here's the quote: So. This is interesting. Obviously a lot hinges on this, but for the sake of this theory, I will be operating under the assumption that yes, the Dor is powered by both of them. Moving on to this reddit post (formatting mine): Okay. So. Pretty self explanatory here; I don't need to expand on it any more. Moving on to the next post: Interesting. We've seen the bit about being born in a particular region on Sel before, very clearly spelled out in Elantris, but the idea of rewriting a connection is new. That, however, is for a different theory. Right now, I want to focus on that affinity. What is it, exactly? The answer, I believe, lies in this post (emphasis/formatting mine): Okay, so obviously we're not dealing with Odium or Scadrial here, but look at that italicized sentence again. "People born on Scadrial have an Identity tied to it and its magic." Note the capital I here. Is the Identity of the people of Scadrial that ties them to its magic in particular the same as the affinity that ties people on Sel to their local region's magic? It certainly seems that way. So, how are we looking so far? To sum it up, here's what we have so far: The Dor is (assumedly) fueled by both Devotion (presumed to be: dedication, attachment, assignment) and Dominion (presumed to be: domain, territory, nation). All regional magics on Sel are different manifestations of what is, essentially, the same magic. Everyone on Sel is born with an affinity for their region's magic. This affinity, for the sake of this theory, is assumed to be Identity. Now, I'm sure a lot of you already know where I'm going with this. Sel is a very special instance of magic in the Cosmere: not only are the magics region-based, everything seems to arrange very neatly along cultural and political borders. Why is this? What separates these region-based magics from one another, and what causes this almost-too-tidy separation? The answer, I believe, is the Shards themselves, Dominion and Devotion, and how they interact with the Identity of the people of Sel. This is where my interpretation of the name Dominion is key. Look at the people in our own world. If you were born and raised in America, you tend to view yourself as American. Those from England tend to think of themselves as being English. Sure, we're all citizens of Planet Earth, but when asked what country we're from, we're probably not going to tell people that we're Earthlings. We're going to say English, American, Australian, Canadian, whatever. Now, apply that to the people of Sel. Here we have the Arelish, the Jindo, the MaiPon, and all the rest. All of the peoples on Sel have their own cultural and national Identity, and why shouldn't they? It's a perfectly normal thing to do. The Emperor's Soul taught us a lot about how Identity works. How we view ourselves has a huge impact on who and what we are, and on a very fundamental level at that. Particularly in a setting where Identity has profound cosmological implications, is it really so hard to believe that it would affect the manifestation of a magic system powered by Shards named Dominion and Devotion? And so you have this vast array of magics, each varying manifestations of the same magic, each tied to a certain part of the world. A culture, a way of life, a country. A Dominion. What would the citizens of a country usually feel towards their people, their way of life? Some measure of loyalty, patriotism, or maybe just an association with their cultural identity and who they are. Devotion, so to speak. Of course, we have the unusual cases. Those living close to the Arelish border have sometimes been taken by the Shaod, but that's really not so strange when you come to think of it. Living on the border between two nations, it is only natural for some people to associate somewhat with both of them. Galladon, despite being a Dula, spent much of his life in Elantris, quite possibly giving him the Identity needed to be chosen by the Shaod. The Jindoeese have a very strong cultural Identity, giving them a tie to their region's magic no matter where they live. To sum it up in a very cheesy way, the magic you have access to if you're from Sel depends on which Dominion to which you owe your Devotion. And that, my friends, is how I propose magic on Sel works.
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  2. You know, I think we kind of take it for granted how much we know about the cosmere. I remember not so long ago that Sel and Elantris was a complete mystery. We all argued over what Aona's Shard was, mostly to no avail. We had no idea about how the Shaod happened, and virtually no clue to how the Dor worked. These two mysteries have made theorizing about Sel pretty hard, to say the least. With the knowledge of Aona's Shard being Devotion, the theory that people who are particularly devoted to something get taken by the Shaod makes perfect sense, and matches with the Principle of Intent. Though a new mystery arose with Forgery and Bloodsealing: why are Selish magics so region locked, and what's so important about the land? Well, Kerry has pretty much answered this here: http://www.17thshard.com/forum/topic/3363-devotion-dominion-and-magic-on-sel/ So really, the prime theoretical difficulty with Sel is the Dor. That's what this theory will hope to explain. Sel is very unique in its magic. Scadrial makes sense having three distinct magic systems, but Sel is way different, despite having just two powers. Even discounting the fact that there are way more than three magics on Sel, they are odd: they all channel the Dor, not Devotion or Dominion independently. They all focus the same power. And that's very bizarre, considering Scadrial's magics. Why does the Dor appear to act some homogenous thing? Any way you slice and dice it, it's odd. Is the Dor Devotion's power? No, because the Dakhor magic isn't really accessed in a way in line with Devotion--it really feels a lot more Dominion-like. Dakhor channels the Dor just as AonDor and Forgery do. So, clearly the Dor is some bizarre combination of Devotion and Dominion, for some reason. And no one has (to my knowledge) really given a complete treatise on why that might be. Any reasoning on the Dor's nature would need to explain how it is related to both Devotion and Dominion, and why it is this homogenous entity. It's certainly homogenous enough that Brandon has no qualms saying that virtually every Selish magic channels the Dor. First of all, I'm kind of assuming you've already read the Letter, which says Devotion and Dominion have Splintered. Additionally, much of the power left there is not under anything's control: Why does Brandon say "much" of the power on Sel? Well, the Seons and Skaze are related to Splinters, so those are the things controlling part of the power. But the rest? Presumably the Dor. So what is the Dor? The answer, I believe, comes straight from this quote: This blew me away. But, considering how important I find a Shard's intent, it's not exactly surprising that a way of altering the Shards is really fascinating to me. There's a discussion on this particular quote over here, and Windrunner and Senor Feesh suggested that this may have happened to Devotion and Dominion--that they are intermingled as well. If you'll allow me, I'd like to name this "intermingling" effect as convergence, as something this important--Shards beginning to merge--certainly would warrant an in-world term, I think. It also has a nice parallel with "conflux," which is what Brandon named a book that has to do with multiple worlds in a very direct fashion (instead of in the background, as things are now in the books). So, Ruin and Preservation are currently converging. This is because a common mind is holding them. I propose that Devotion and Dominion are also converging as well. But, the obvious question next is, why the heck would they be converging? Presumably, Sazed holding both Ruin and Preservation--one mind holding two powers--imposes some Cognitive change on the Shards. In the Realmatic terms like Shai, they are like two bricks in a wall, and they begin to think of themselves as a wall, not two separate bricks. This is, I think, the most intuitive way to explain Ruin and Preservation converging: the powers themselves are beginning to think of themselves as part of a greater whole, thus intermingling them to be considered Harmony. I would only assume that the longer Sazed holds these two power, the more Ruin and Preservation will see themselves as Harmony instead, perhaps eventually literally becoming one Shard permanently. As of now, they can still be split, so that indicates to me that this process definitely hasn't finished yet. Though, I suppose you could say that even a Shard isn't permanent, as Odium certainly Splintered Devotion and Dominion. The exact specifics on Ruin and Preservation's convergence to Harmony is certainly worth discussing, but let's switch back to Devotion and Dominion. Obviously whatever happened with Sazed didn't at all happen with Devotion and Dominion; no common mind holds them both. In fact, they are both more broken than ever. But that may be exactly the key. Whereas Ruin and Preservation in the order that Sazed's control of them imposes, Devotion and Dominion and both similar in that they are both without holders and pretty broken. I propose that this also makes Devotion and Dominion converge, and this combined power is exactly what the Dor is. Think of two vases, one white, and one black--Devotion and Dominion. Now throw them on the ground, so hard that they break into tiny pieces. Collect that pile, mix them up, and zoom out. If the pieces are small enough, the pile no longer looks like black or white; it looks grey instead. When two things are broken, they can combine in new ways, like two liquids forming a completely new mixture. Now I imagine this is a little different in Devotion and Dominion's case, as their pieces would be still tied to their respective intent, but I think eventually, this dramatic change from Odium Splintering them would mean that the leftover fragments would see themselves as a part of a new whole. After all, they both aren't being held, and are both broken. I think this makes a lot of sense as for why the Dor is the way that it is. (Now, you may wonder why I didn't use the word "Splinter" to describe these pieces of Devotion and Dominion, considering Odium Splintered them. Well, we know the Aons at the heart of the Seons are Splinters, and to no one's surprise Brandon hinted that Skaze are similar: The Seons and Skaze--presumably Devotion and Dominion's Splinters--are not enough of a release valve. So this means that there is a lot of power that isn't under anything's control. Duh, since there was no indication the Dor acted any other way. In lieu of a cosmere term to call the pieces of Devotion and Dominion's power, that's why I stayed with vague words like "fragments." We just can't really say they are Splinters, or anything about them.) I totally understand if the analogy I made isn't particularly compelling, but it certainly matches with our conception with the Dor being a unified, mindless whole. It fits with those quotes above. But, maybe you want a little more persuading, so let's talk about some consequences of Devotion and Dominion's convergence, especially on magic. Before Devotion and Dominion's Splintering, magic worked differently on Sel (though I can't find that quote right now). It isn't a big leap to say that perhaps the regionalizing of Selish magic happened due to the Splintering of the Shard. Maybe before the Splintering, there were three magics on Sel, like Scadrial. Kerry's theory about Identity, people have an Identity tied their nationality, culture, and heritage. Her theory basically explains in how magic can be tied to the land, and how it lines up with Devotion and Dominion's intents. But why might have Devotion and Dominion's Splintering even had this effect of tying the magic to the land? Well, Allomancy requires a connection to Preservation, and on a less magical level, people that are freaking ruinous would use Hemalurgy. Perhaps, due to Devotion and Dominion's Splintering and this convergence, people can't use magic with a connection to Devotion or Dominion directly, because they don't exist in the same way. Instead, the "largest" thing that people have a connection or Identity to--instead these all-powerful Shards--is their culture and nationality. People with a strong Devotion or Dominion with that, as Kerry's theory suggests, would now be able to use magic. It's all because Devotion and Dominion are Splintered, and their power doesn't have as strong of identity, so it is shaped by the identity of manmade, regional borders. If anything, the Reod and the Chasm teaches us that these magics are actually very fluid. Aons that worked a thousand years ago may need to be refined. Perhaps as regions and countries change, or as ethnicities converge (see what I did there?) entirely different magics can form. Now, I'll admit, I'm not entirely sure if each regional magic is of Devotion or Dominion explicitly. After all, that's been the standing assumption with AonDor: it's of Devotion, not Dominion, and likewise Dakhor is of Dominion, not Devotion. But, it's a lot harder with ChayShan, Forgery, and Bloodsealing to decide. I am leaning to the idea that each magic can be in line with any sort of combination of Devotion and Dominion. Kerry connects all regional magics with both Devotion and Dominion, so I don't find this hard to believe. So, maybe presently on Sel, a magic is a certain percentage Devotion and Dominion. Unlike Scadrial where magics are 100% Preservation, 100% Ruin, or a 50/50 split, on Sel you could have 73%/27%. Who knows. It's entirely possible that we think of AonDor and Dakhor as Devotion and Dominion-heavy magics because the Seons and Skaze, which are related to Splinters of Devotion and Dominion, exist in these two regions, and so tilt the region's balance toward one Shard or the other. In fact, though I totally riffed that just now, it seems to make sense with the Identity idea. A region's Identity would be related to a ton of different factors, and maybe the nature of a given culture tilts the way a region's magic accesses Devotion and Dominion. Here's an interesting quote on that note: So it's the exact nature of the Dor which makes it regionalized. I don't think the Dor has an intent, like Harmony does. The Dor is a product of chaos and brokenness. When something changes in the Physical and Cognitive, this can have a reflection in the Dor, so these distinct cultural Identities have an effect on the Dor. What do you think? Admittedly, while this works really well for Sel, I'm not sure what is different on Roshar, which despite having Honor Splintered, has a non-regionalized magic in Surgebinding. It could just be that the nature of Honor and Cultivation don't result in regionalization. But, it would explain how some spren are of Honor and Cultivation. It's hard to say at this point, and while there can be more to this than I'm catching here, it seems very theoretically solid for Sel.
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  3. After re-reading TWoK, I'd like to propose the following theory on the origin of Shardplates and shardblades. During Dalinar's vision, it is shown that the world wasn't very advanced when de shard* were created. It is specifically noted that there are no fabrials at all, and it seems that there is not enough metalurgical technology to build someting like the shard*. My theory: shardplate and blade is not build. Is is a consequence of the Nahel bond, on swearing the fifth oath. Moreover, I would propose that the shard* is the linked spren, acquiring a physical form. This would be in line with how the original shardplate appeared and disappeared almost at will (shown during the visions) of its wielder. Moreover, this is also suggested by several scenes we are shown: the effect of Dalinar jumping down with his shardplate is very similar to when Kaladin jumps down while light-infused, also we have a couple of scenes where Syl was "protecting" Kaladin. This would also explain (or be foreshadowed?) by Kaladin's reluctance to take the shards when fighting for Alamar... those are not *his* true shards, and in fact, as they were abandoned by the original wielders, they probably have lost not only some of their powers, but the connection with the ideals and spren that gave rise to them. Another note: we have that fabrials are built by somehow "trapping" a spren into them. If the shards are built according to this theory, they already have a built-in spren... What do you think? Might this work?
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  4. I think you're misreading the quote. and To me, this says the order of events was Odium visits Sel, shattering Devotion and Dominon ---> The Seons are created ---> The Earthquake reshapes Arelon, temporarily making Aons non-functional, until the events of Elantris.
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  5. That is perfectly fair, and perfectly understandable 17th Shard is a home for non-theorizers too. But, theories are an important part of why people come here as well, which is why this topic exists. It gets people excited. It doesn't have to get you excited, but if you aren't excited about the topic at hand, no need to say so Let it by and comment in posts you are passionate about and have something to add.
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  6. I have a theory on what Gavilar meant by his last comment to his brother. He told Dalinar to "Find the most important words a man can say". I believe that Gavilar is referring to the Ideals of the Knights Radiant. It is stated several times that Gavilar had begun acting strangely before he died. Sadeas attributes this to "The Way of Kings", which Gavilar had been reading. I think that, perhaps, Dalinar was not the first to receive those visions. Perhaps Gavilar was getting them first. If this is the case, then Gavilar would have gotten the same command from Tanavast to reforge the Knights Radiant. I don't think it is a stretch that a King with the power that Gavilar had would have been able to discover information about the Radiants, especially the Ideals. In addition, the primary command of the visions was to "unite them". Now, Dalinar took this to mean the Highprinces, but perhaps Gavilar took it to mean a grander scale than that. Many comment that it was odd that Gavilar sought a treaty with the newly discovered Parshendi rather than conquering them. I also seem to recall somewhere in the book someone mentioning that Gavilar had sought treaties with other nations surrounding Alethkhar, like Jah Keved. Also, I think it is worth noting that he explicitly says "most important words a man can say". Not tell or read, but say. This fits with our experience with Kaladin saying aloud the Ideal and further awakening his power as a radiant. Any thoughts?
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  7. So now that I've now made 10 posts or so, it's probably time for an introduction. Who am I?: Freelance journalist and fairly prominent blogger (at least on the topic that I specialize in). Have wanted to write fantasy and sci-fi novels since I was about 8. How I discovered BS: When I discovered he'd be finishing WoT. I don't think he did a great job on that, BTW, but to be fair, I think the series was beyond salvation by that point and he did as well as could reasonably be expected. To the contrary, the Mistborn series was one of the very best speculative fiction works I've ever read, and The Stormlight Chronicles look very promising too. What I think of BS: The very best magic systems period. Some of the very best plotting too, I really cannot think of any other fantasy work with a Gambit Pileup that is as credible and comprehensive as in the Mistborn trilogy. Characterization, however, is a hit and miss affair. In my opinion, he is awesome at writing humorous interactions between male companions (e.g. Wax n' Wayne, Rand and Mat, Breeze and Ham), but quite bad at interactions between men and women. Most other characterizations are somewhere in between, i.e. they are solid, but not great. My writing plans: I am currently writing not a fantasy but a cyberpunk sci-fi novel in which consciousnesses are simulated, mostly against their will. What would you do if you found yourself within a computer simulation whose programmers exploit you - that is, observe your responses to the environment, and other agents - with no obvious way out? I have the characters, themes, and world (that is, simulation) all worked out to a large extent, but still need to finalize my plot so as to make the timeline consistent and the actions of all the characters plausible and understandable. My long-term goal is to write a multi-book fantasy series set in 3000AD, after peak oil, resource shortages, and global warming have regressed technology to c.1900 levels, and the surviving states are all concentrated around the Arctic Circle (the only climatically habitable area of the world). It will feature a dark lord type enemy (the precise nature of which is central to the very core of the series, so I'm afraid I can't reveal it) with a Horde in the southern deserts, and an original magic system. I am not happy with the characters or plot (which are basically non-existent, pretty much, beyond the barest archetypal outlines). I am however happy with the world-building, on which I have 100 pages of notes, and extremely happy with the magic system, which is as detailed, logical, and internally consistent as any one of BS' (even if I say so myself). This magic is loosely based on the Buddhist concept of the "Three Realms" and Gnosticism. (I suppose Realmatic Theory too is in that general "three worlds" category, but I came up with that magic system well before I came across BS' work; and for that matter, I strongly suspect that BS too delved into those philosophies when he was constructing the metaphysics of the cosmere). It's an extremely long-term project. I don't see myself starting on it for at least the next 5 years. For a start, my writing skills (as relates to plot, characters, dialog, etc) isn't anywhere near good enough yet.
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  8. Whilst I do agree with this sentiment, I'm not sure that it constitutes negative rep (at least not for a first offence). A poke in the right direction I think is more productive than anonymous and unexplained downvoting. However, as I mentioned previously, I do believe downvotes have their place.
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  9. I would like to announce that I totally gave Chaos that 512th rep point I didn't want to, but he was soooooo close XD
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  10. Negative rep won't tell them anything except that people don't like their post, they still need to actually know where the topic is so they'll still need to be redirected, and there aren't too many who don't learn to look after the first time, with or without negative rep. sometimes people just don't know what to look for when they first arrive so I don't like to downvote people if they just don't know how to navigate the forum yet.
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  11. Well, splinters have a blend of cognitive and spiritual presence. I don't see why a shard would be any different
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  12. Theoretically, yes. A lot of Identity that's talked about in Emperor's Soul has to do with how one perceives oneself, but there's nothing to say the only influence in play here is the self. How others see us can also be a very important part of our identity, so I have no problem saying it might be part of our Identity as well. RE: Dakhor magic and Dominion - despite the fact that we used the Dakhor monks to guess Dominion's name, I don't think it's so difficult to imagine that their magic is of both. They are fiercely dedicated (devotion) to their particular Dominion (their god and their faith). None of that invalidates anything you've said, of course; I just wanted to put that out there. RE: My theory and yours working of each other - According for my theory to work, the regional magics would have to have existed before the Splintering, and from what I've read, that seems to be the case. However, as I said later on in the other thread, Brandon specifically states that something about the magics works differently after the Splintering, so perhaps the convergence of the two powers is causing for greater interplay between Devotion and Dominion - resulting in, well, we're not sure what. More strict region-locking on the magics, perhaps? Good theory. I like it.
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  13. I think Vin's example of defeating Atium is a pretty solid counter-argument. Vin found a way to see into the future even though she wasn't burning anything, and that defeated Atium, in a seriously awesome way. I don't see why another metal that gives you a little look into the future can't do a similar thing. By the way, I think if it was a Seer versus Electrum misting, the Seer would win, all else being equal. The other benefits are quite nice. So no, I don't think Electrum is overpowered.
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  14. There, have another rep point for your good deed. Also, your signature is out of date.
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  15. Great correlation CabbageHead, this ties in Allomancy in new ways we haven't discussed before. Using the spectra works perfectly with PaperClip's Filter-Theory. Since I'm quite biased by wave-theory I like to think of it more as a Surgepattern being represented by the quantum waveform of the atom. They really are the same thing though, just with different viewpoints. Wave-Theory:
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  16. Meg, my apologies for not being clear! You have my admiration for your persistence in wading through to page 7. There is another directly relevant post by me as #285 on page 15, if you're interested. I hope an upvote helps mitigate the pain. While I hope some of my posts are somewhat interesting, I wouldn't suggest reading a thread for my posts. There are so many brilliant thoughts by so many here that I try to make my references to threads that are of general interest. Of course, I tend to post in the threads I find most interesting, so ... Given the lead in and direct applicability of my post, I guess I do deserve to be chastised. But no spikes, please. I faint at the sight of my own SDNA.
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  17. Both Pennsylvania and Nigeria were colonized by England, so they both had significant influences from the same source. So if you think of the "crab" symbol that way, maybe Shivertongue and KChan have the best interpretation of how the symbols are similar but not the same. Same influence, different people with different cultural preferences putting pen to paper, so to speak.
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  18. I would like to announce that my family is going on a cruise! I would also like to announce that I'm not going, since part of why they took it was to get away from me And I would announce that I honestly would be bored to death on a cruise and don't mind at all.
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  19. Hoser, you need some spanking . Though that linked thread is interesting to read your posting is no 125 on page 7 (if it's the only one, I gave up reading around post no 220 then).
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  20. This. All of this. I have no words. This thread is made of win. This also neatly ties in with Dominion and Devotion being shattered and mixed together, as the interplay of the intents directly influences the magic system(s). Edit: Unrelated, but Shiv, are you by any chance a WH:40K fan?
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  21. I think both of you have valid points, and both pro-downvote and anti-downvote sides have some good points, but we will definitely be keeping downvotes for the foreseeable future. It is possible this can change, but not for a long time, I should think. I would say that everyone should use both up and downvotes as methods of promoting good discussion and providing learning experiences for... well, less thoughtful discussion. We'll see if I can get a rep reason system in. I do encourage you to respectfully state your issues with a post that you've downvoted in order to continue to foster discussion, but there are also reasons why you would not wish to do that (for example, you are worried about someone blaming you and possible retaliation, or perhaps you simply don't want to feed the troll, but want to send a message that wasn't cool). As always we will ensure the reputation system is not abused. I'm not trying to shut down this topic, because I do really like hearing feedback on the rep system, and I encourage people to say there mind on the issue. However, we will be keeping downvotes for the foreseeable future. Carry on XD I have not forgotten about making that neutral zone from -5 to 5 rep, but I know how to do it now and I will do it tomorrow. I will also try and make that red color a bit more muted.
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  22. On that note of 17th Shard being awesome (and I am always up for giving ourselves a pat on the back ) I would like to announce two things! You may have obviously noted how crazy activity the board it's been this month. Indeed, those hit statistics I mentioned before certainly support that, but now forum data says so as well. April 2013 has been the most active month since March 2012. This month, as I post this, has had 2,594 posts, which surpasses September 2012 (2528 posts) which was previous most active month since March 2012. That March had our most posts ever actually, with 3472. So uh, yeah we're not going to be able to surpass that March this month, but dang guys, I can only imagine how crazy things are going to be after Words of Radiance comes out. Also, this month had the second most new topics per month, with 182, shortly before the record holder of 185, which was November 2011. There, with the actually worthwhile announcements out of the way, we can talk about what is really important: my reputation count! Hey, check it out, a new Reputation level! The first member to achieve it! Well... besides Brandon, but hush
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  23. I like it. Now, you know me. I'm not big on theories. It says so in my signature, after all. But the absence of math and high-level physics kept me reading, and it feels very well-thought out. I have long been a proponent of the idea that people were considering Dominion in the wrong light - there doesn't need to be a 'good shard' and a 'bad shard' (and really, I don't think there is such a thing). I have my own theory on how Dominion and Devotion interacted in a different way, but that's a tangent I'm not going to go on right now. Anyway, I like this idea because it feels very cohesive. But even more so, I really like the implication that magic on Sel comes from a mix of Dominion and Devotion, rather than one or the other. It's a fresh take that I'd been thinking of myself, but you actually put in the effort to gather information and stuff to back it up. If I espoused theories, I'd consider espousing this one. This theory gets the approval of the High Anti-Theorist.
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  24. Okay, okay, okay ... please allow me to apologize if I come off as niggly (my word). Seriously, I'm just not a theorist and neither a gamer nor an individual interested in gaming. I just want to enjoy the books because I'm an avid reader and appreciate the works of Brandon Sanderson and his theories and systems of magic. I'm not interested in attempting to "figure things out"; I want to be surprised when revelations are revealed. I don't want to contemplate or theorize on what might be ahead of it. Enough said this night.
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  25. It's secondhand signing info that I located on a different forum. Lemme dig it up...
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  26. This is the type of stuff that really intrigues me when reading Fantasy...I love the lore to the point of obsession sometimes. I find the history of the nation sometimes the most compelling reason to continue on with the stories. Just reading Hero of Ages as we speak and although I think I know the final outcome, the mini blurbs at the beginning of each chapter has hooked me almost as much as the actual story. BS has officially become my new favorite fantasy author followed extremely close with Guy Gavriel Kay.
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  27. Hey there, Iredomi/Joshua, and welcome!
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  28. I think electrum just makes more conscious the process of choosing a future. Normally, in a fight, you chose according to your instincts. Your instincts have some automation, so they can be predicted by atium. electrum, by letting you see what you're going to do, makes easier to pick a different path. I think you could fool atium without burning electrum. Vin did it. if you concentrate enough on all the possible moves you can make, and make sure to pick random, then you'd probably be immune to atium anyway. But it would be a very expensive thought process, difficult to achieve and maintain. electrum just allows you to do it easily. at least that's my personal idea.
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  29. I guess you could tie in the different emission spectra of allomantic alloys to the different effects that are produced by them as well.
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  30. Just letting you guys know that 17th Shard now has our very own tumblr! Which currently has 17 followers. This amuses me.
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  31. Taravangian, no question. I liked him, Jasnah respected him, he cared for his people. And then it turns out he's a mass murderer... It was like being hit by a train.
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  32. Provided the battlefield has the proper setup for this sort of thing, maneuverability can arguably be a Lurcher's biggest strength in combat. Pulling yourself out of the way of an incoming blow, Pulling yourself over to assist a teammate, or even Pulling yourself at your target with a knife in your hand all spring to mind. Not to mention, double-iron Twinborn could basically function human wrecking balls by crashing into people, knocking them over and likely momentarily stunning them as well.
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  33. I'm glad I'm not the only one who thought that it's Dalinar on the cover. So whatever symbol is shown on his cape there, that could be a clue as to what Order he'll be in if he is, in fact, a future Radiant (though does that really need to be debated at this point?) Re: the crab symbol - it very easily could have evolved over time. Also, PM, details being different is sort of the point of stylization. When an artist wants to put their own twist on a symbol or image, it's not uncommon for the artist to create a stylized version of it by adding/removing/changing details. For example, looking at the crab images, IF that's what going on here, we have a couple options: The window image is a stylized version of the banner image - In this case, the window artist would have simplified the more detailed crab design into a bolder, more streamlined version that fits stylistically with the rest of the window. The banner image is a stylized version of the window image - In this case, whoever made/designed that banner may have felt that the clean, almost simplistic lines of the window image weren't fitting with what they were trying to convey. Bold graphical elements are cool, but for a Highprince, something more regal and, well, fancy was desired. So the artist added details to enhance the original design and bring out the desired tone. Cosplayers do this all the time; google "Fancystuck" for examples. Both the banner and the window images are stylized versions of an unknown base symbol - In this instance, there exists somewhere a happy medium between "bold and streamlined" and "fancy and regal", from which both artists derived their own interpretations. I hope that clears things up as to what I meant by artistic stylization. Of course the details are going to be different; that's sort of the point of stylization in the first place. What I'm seeing is that the core elements are similar enough that I think making a connection between the two is definitely a plausible thought process to have.
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  34. I lack the ability to not be awesome. You know how some people can sometimes be totally boring and lame? I'm simply incapable of that; I'm always awesome, no matter what I may try. I've even managed to be awesome at not being awesome, and that doesn't even make sense. But, I'm a Discordian, so not making sense makes me awesome. By not making sense in such an awesome way, my awesomeness itself makes no sense - which just makes me more awesome. It's tough, I tell ya.
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  35. Well, sometimes one may require alcohol in order to recover from theorizing
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  36. 1 like
  37. So, Chaos asked Brandon if a seeker burning bronze could sense a feruchemist. Brandon's answer, as I understood it was yes, on the condition that they trained and knew what they were doing/what to look for. Now, here's the things. From the Ars Arcanum, we know all three magic systems are instances of investiture (whatever that is). We also know that Vin had to be a (powerful) seeker in order to sense the pulses of the well of ascension (initially). So, me and KChan were talking, and were thinking it would make sense if what Seekers are really sensing when they hear allomantic pulses is investiture. So far, they've only sensed allomantic pulses because that's all they've been trained to look for. If Seekers really do sense investiture, that could mean that, with proper training and instruction, a world-hopping bronze burner could sense the use of other cosmere magic systems.
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  38. I would just like to apologize for my huge brain fart (it's fixed now). I know Marsh is a seeker, what I meant to say is I'm not sure if he is a savant, or that he had to be a savant to do those things. As for what else has been said, I'm not sure if Ruin and Preservation can mimic specific allomantic pulses. When Vin describes them as bronze pulses, I took that to mean pulses that could be heard by a bronze burner. As for the copper cloud, I think it is a logical thing for Vin to think. She knows she can pierce copper clouds, and these pulses feel fainter than normal. That doesn't mean there is actually a copper cloud hiding them. I think this is more in line with the other times she sense Ruin, Preservation, or the well, when she is unable to pick out which specific metal it sounds like. I wonder if Preservation and Ruin give off pulses similar to Atium and Lerasium. I don't think we're ever shown a seeker sensing those pulses, and we are never given their pulse length/tempo/etc. Anyways, specifics aside, my main point is that when Vin is sensing Ruin/Preservation/the well she is not sensing allomancy. Now, I take this to mean she is sensing cases of investiture. When it comes to feruchemy and hemalurgy, I'm not sure what would be required to sense them. Inquisitors give off normal bronze pulses when using allomancy, so I don't know how one would sense hemalurgy without just sensing the powers the hemalurgist is using. Here's a thought: what if a properly trained seeker could sense a charged metalmind or spike? The other implication of this theory is how seekers can interact with magic systems on other worlds. If a seeker could detect the use of breath, aons, or stormlight (they can detect how much metal an allomancer has left, perhaps they can do the same for other magic systems), they could be an invaluable member of the 17th shard (especially if a could somehow sense Hoid (Again if trained properly). That last bit, however, is just my imagination running away from me. Not sure if it's really grounded in anything.
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  39. I disagree. I went into Hero of Ages and did some research. Vin could definitely sense when Ruin manifest via bronze. That's not entirely surprising when you think about it. Allomancy sends ripples through (presumably) the Spiritual Realm. The specifics aren't important, but Allomancy just focuses a divine power in a very defined way. Ruin would be extremely obvious to any Seeker nearby. It is just sending a crapton of pulses out by simply existing. It's that divine form, similar to Allomancy, only vaster. But, at the same time, his "bronzepulses" aren't specific. Vin was sort of confused by this when Ruin was acting as a Mistborn. It's not too surprising, considering a Shard could influence a lot more than Allomancy could. So, I like this theory. I worry about the definition of Investiture, because does this mean a Seeker detects the metalminds by themselves, or Hemalurgic spikes, or just the act of a Feruchemist storing or tapping? Huh. Now that I think about it, maybe the difficulty of detecting Feruchemy is that the Investiture aren't obvious, like Allomancy. Its the metals which are Invested. So you'd need to try and detect some weird frequency to see the pulses of the Invested metalminds. Anyways, besides that, I like the general idea.
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