Vindicator

I was right then, about Wax not having any special kind of Resonance and that his 'perk' was the steel bubble. Would have felt somewhat cheap had he gotten some other special ability.

So Gavilar WAS a potential Bondsmith! That is news to me. I wonder just how much he knew...

Sebarial will in charge of commerce (the man is a great businessman) and logistics, I believe. He's got a knack for it. As for Aladar, scouting perhaps? He's a decent general in his own right, albeit not on the Blackthorn's level, and seems to enjoy a challenge. Makes sense he'd want to face the enemy first.

Emotion spren likely react to a person's emotions being affected. I don't think spren necessarily can be Rioted or Soothed, since they're fragments of a Shard's power. If a normal spren has roughly the same amount of Investiture as a Radiant spren, I would say it's a definite no, given that Shardblades (which are living or dead Radiant spren) are hard to physically manipulate. So the question should really be 'how much Investiture does a normal spren have, compared to other Invested things in the cosmere?'

I don't think there is anything on the subject of a Shardic force being held by more than one intelligence. However, the original Shattering only created 16 Shards (and Hoid was there), so it seems to cast doubt on such a thing. Personally, I think it can be done, but it would require a very strong Connection between the potential Vessels (like twins, perhaps?). Otherwise it just goes to the most worthy recipient. Autonomy seems to be a bit of a trickster god, so I'm not surprised she has a ton of alternate identities.

Pretty much. On another tangent, Shinovar could have ruled the world with those Honorblades. Their restraint is amazing.

Nine. Nalan initially discarded his too. There is a WoB that states one of the Honorblades was retrieved after the Oathpact was (partially) broken.

That city looks like the Shattered Plains, coincidentally. There's even a Stormseat analogue in the very middle. I'm not sure the Aimian we saw was the one who wrote it; he did say the other Sleepless were more interested in Kaladin, Shallan, Szeth and Dalinar instead of Lift, while he thought differently. Tashi sounds like a name for a Herald.

I think it's because Ishar lied to him; of all the Heralds it seems he understands the Oathpact the best. Consider this from TWoK: Since he was patron of the Bondsmiths, it would make sense that he knew far more of it than the other Heralds ever did. This would explain why Nale was keeping his own Surgebinders around while killing others; if he thinks it's tied to the amount of Radiants around, then it would be sensible to keep the ones he's the leader of alive, while cutting down the others that aren't, as Skybreakers follow the law. I will concede this then, although it is strange that Shallan is a step above. But yes, the regression could explain it... I did, and yes that could explain it - when Kaladin swears the second oath in TWoK, he does not have an explosion of Stormlight: The Stormlight that comes out of him is implied to be the one he sucked out from the gemstones the Parshendi had. So yes, it does seem to be a more subtle initiation than WoR's scene.

Given that Nale would have hunted down any Surgebinder - Skybreaker or not - that were not under him, I highly doubt it can be any but the Skybreakers. There's also the Honorblade a Herald recovered; since Nale Surgebinds, and can fly it's likely he who recovered his own Blade. I do not see it being any other Radiant order. The original Skybreakers likely died out over the years, and I think Nale is simply the sort who prefers to have as little Surgebinders as possible. He wouldn't have killed the ones after the Desolation, but I figure he has no interest in swelling their numbers overmuch. And even if that is not true I think we have yet to see all the Skybreakers. There may well be full-fledged Radiants under Nale. Given that the Stormfather mentions not wanting to be killed, I don't think this is likely. You say the Bondsmiths would not break their oaths. What about the Skybreakers, whose Second Words are literally 'I will uphold the law before all else' according to WoB? Seems a lot more likely. Is this WoB pre or post-WoR? Because in the novels she has only given two 'truths', the same amount as Kaladin's oaths. I don't think it's likely she's progressed beyond that, even if she can summon Pattern. As for Helaran, agreed. Like I said, I have my doubts as to whether he really was a Radiant, given the lack of glowing from either Blade or Plate. Which means I have further doubts about him meeting the Skybreakers.

Given that the initiates are capable of using Surgebinding, I think it's safe to say this was the order that remained; the Stormfather seemed rather miffed about being bonded again so I doubt the Bondsmiths did not break their oaths. The relevant quote regarding Radiant rank is here: And Shallan is on her third oath (or truth, the way the Lightweavers do it). She has said the 'life before death' part which isn't binding, and two truths: That she killed her father and that the Davar family was in part, destroyed by her. So, three. We haven't seen anyone with four, unless Helaran managed to get there. But I have my doubts, given that his Shardblade or Plate wasn't noted to have glown...

I've just finished Edgedancer, and my thoughts are: 1. We finally know who are the ones writing the blurbs for each book -- and a hint of their power is shown. It's enough to kill two initiate Radiants, so whoever they are they are not pushovers. 2. The Skybreakers are indeed the Order that remained. I was so sure it'd be in name only, but they are actual Surgebinders. This brings further questions. What about Helaran? Did he progress enough to obtain his own Shardblade and Shardplate? Were they dead ones, granted for usage? Did he meet the Skybreakers or someone else? 3. There's a rank for Radiants. Initiate seems to be for those who have sworn the first 'binding' oath, Shardbearer for those who have gone to the second binding one (and third overall). This would make Kaladin and Shallan Shardbearer-rank, and Dalinar (possibly Renarin as well) initiates to their respective orders. What are the last two ranks, then? 4. The Heralds aren't working together. Ishar is implied to have lied to Nale. Now that he knows... I wonder what the implications are? If Szeth still goes after the Stone Shamans, will it be because they are tied directly to the Heralds? Perhaps Ishar told them to stow the Honorblades? 5. And Szeth himself. He has an... afterimage. Is it a Radiant ability, or due to his bond with Nightblood? What we know is that he seems to be considered 'worthy' to hold it, at least. Beyond that, I thought Edgedancer wasn't quite something you'd expect of Brandon; it lacks the Sanderson avalanche we all know and love (The Emperor's Soul did it pretty well). Nale being so unstable is oddly like Szeth and incredibly weird, but I can chalk that up to several millennia of pent-up guilt. Lift hugging him is odd too, for the climax of a story, but I guess Lift has always been an odd one? Arcanum Unbounded-wise, looks like Bavadin is a she, which is something I was not expecting, and Ambition's power + Adonalsium(?) is behind the shades on Threnody. Nice to get a name on another Shard Odium has splintered, though, and it seems like this is the first one that happened. Also implies that Splintering is a process Odium refined over time, although we need a more definite timeline to place the Shattering, the Last Desolation and Selish prehistory with each other. Also... Sel is a sentient planet. That one is... wow.

Time to take bets! I'm betting Threnody or a previously-undiscovered planet.

So Brandon has finally awoken and answered. "Silverlight is mentioned in the Cosmere collection, I believe, in one of the essays. It's a city somewhere in the Cosmere*, with some relevance you will discover eventually." I guess this means one month until we find out. *edited his typo for the Cosmere

You do realize creating Godzilla from random bones you picked up is less 'for the art' and more 'for the nightmare-inducing memories' right?