The Identity of Khriss

[imriel452]

Hi everyone, 

 

This is still a very raw theory that only emerged yesterday, so feel free to poke holes into it as you choose...

 

I was speaking to Peter Ahlstrom yesterday, and at one point, the conversation led to this:

Me:... an odd one maybe...but apart from White Sand (and the proposed argument that she is the author of the Ars Arcanum), has Khrissalla been in any other published books?

 

PA: Someone should ask Brandon that at a signing

 

Me: Hmm interesting - like my Baon=Blunt theory (something we discussed in May 2013) 

 

Me: Holy Christ...the Terriswoman world hopper...the nursemaid on Nalthis...would that be her?

 

PA: Hmm...

 

Now hear me out on this:

 

• It has been said that she is the most realmatically aware, although Hoid and Nazh come close.
• Nazh has been confirmed to be in Khriss' employ (and get's the worst of the bargain!) been to Threnody, Roshar and Scadrial
• Khriss is a scientist, and has been proposed as the author of the Ars Arcana
• This author is a member of the 17th Shard
• Khriss would be described as Makabaki if she were on Roshar. Makabaki are dark skinned, which both Khriss and Baon/Blunt/Vao are, as are the Terris (i believe - has been a while since i read the Mistborn series)

It seems and sounds as if Khriss has appearances in 'published' books (so not including White Sand), and if she is indeed the author of the Ars Arcana, she has visited Scadrial, Sel, Nalthis, Roshar, Taldain (as an inhabitant), and we can possibly assume Threnody (as she has Nazh in her employ)

 

It could also be suggested that she is Vathi in 'Sixth of the Dusk' - Vathi is also dark skinned, and has "the accent of one who is educated". She has curls, something that Khriss is described as having as well.

 

Vathi is also described as "babbling out words as she worked", something that Khriss often did, usually to Kenton's amusement.

 

She has a weapon that is almost like a musket with an explosive harpoon of sorts - the only cultures to have developed gunpowder to this extent are from Taldain and Scadrial. However, Scadrial has got ballistic technology down, while Vathi seems almost surprised at this working.

 

It has also been written in one of the book signings (can't remember which post on here it was) that Sixth of the Dusk is the farthest into the future of the Cosmere we have seen, suggesting that the 'Ones Above' maybe possibly be future Allomancy fueled starships from Scadrial circa Mistborn Trilogy 3.

 

So- I propose that she is not only Vathi, but the 'Terriswoman' in Nalthis as well.

 

Please pick holes, disprove, or add as you see fit!

 

 

 

 

 

 

[WeiryWriter]

Khriss isn't Terris she's a native Taldaini, so she isn't the Terriswoman worldhopper.

 

Also the skin color of the Terris is never described, and since they are a northern people it is more likely they are lighter-skinned.  Either way skin-color is not a defining trait because Rashek passes for "Noble", if the Terris were notably a different color than that wouldn't have been possible.

 

I just don't see Brandon describing someone as a "Terriswoman" if they aren't actually a Terriswoman?

[imriel452]

I agree that she isn't from Terris, but then, Hoid also disguised himself as a terrisman, so it is possible.

[WeiryWriter]

He disguised himself as a Terrisman yes, but that doesn't /make/ him a Terrisman.  Brandon specifically describes this worldhopper as a "Terriswoman" Khriss doesn't fit that description.

[imriel452]

It is a fair point - thank you - as I said this came out of a five minute brainwave when *slightly* intoxicated, so I expected holes to be picked.

[Shardlet]

If I recall, Khriss had notably lighter skin than Baon.  So, I'm not sure that Makabaki is necessarily an accurate description of her skin color. 

[WeiryWriter]

If I recall, Khriss had notably lighter skin than Baon.  So, I'm not sure that Makabaki is necessarily an accurate description of her skin color.

Peter is the one that said she would look Makabaki to people on Roshar.

[Shardlet]

Peter is the one that said she would look Makabaki to people on Roshar.

 

Sounds fairly reliable to me.

 

[DSC01]

I have a weird hypothesis that is probably wrong but does have some evidence to back it up. The only character to be described as looking Makabaki, but not exactly, in The Stormlight Archive is almost certainly Shalash (in one of the Way of Kings interludes).

I think Khriss might be Shalash. That would, by the way, be a good way to turn Khrissallah (sp? Haven't read White Sand in a year or so) into a palindrome, per the Rosharan ideal.

[Shardbearer]

So she isn't the Terriswoman. It's still possible that she is Vathi, though.

[PallonianFire]

So I actually asked a multi-part question about this at the Denver signing. Per Brandon, Khriss has a way to change her appearance. I was trying to lead him into the Vathi question, which he played into nicely...and then shot down. Khriss is not Vathi. I then asked if we've seen her before in a published book and he said:

 

"Khriss will show up in a soon to be published book."

 

That tells me either Bands of Mourning or Oathbringer, assuming he's not being obnoxious and means the White Sand graphic novel.

[ParadoxicalZen]

So I actually asked a multi-part question about this at the Denver signing. Per Brandon, Khriss has a way to change her appearance. I was trying to lead him into the Vathi question, which he played into nicely...and then shot down. Khriss is not Vathi. I then asked if we've seen her before in a published book and he said:

 

"Khriss will show up in a soon to be published book."

 

That tells me either Bands of Mourning or Oathbringer, assuming he's not being obnoxious and means the White Sand graphic novel.

 

He probably means White Sand, as Khriss is from Taldain

[PallonianFire]

Yeah, I know. But the way I asked it was explicitly in a worldhopping context, so if he means White Sand, he was screwing with me. My questions in this train were:

 

"Does Khriss have a way to alter her appearance?"

"Is Vathi Khriss?"

Upon getting a no on the second one, I continued with "Have we seen Khriss worldhop anywhere so far?"

 

And I had already asked him a couple White Sand specific questions, so he knew I knew she was a character in it.

[Khyrindor]

Minor SoS spoiler:

 

Wax noted that his grandmother (a Terriswoman) had darker skin, and that was likely why his skin was darker than most (probably a tan colour)

 

However, I don't agree that the Terriswoman in Warbreaker was Khriss, because of the reasoning above. However, Khriss could perhaps impersonate one at some point. I just don't see why she would go to Nealthis described as a Scadrian. 

[Moogle]

Please don't discuss information you've read from the unpublished White Sands on the forums. It doesn't matter how little you're spoiling, or if you're just obliquely discussing a few details from it. If it relates to it at all, you can't talk about things from the book publicly. (Details from WoBs and such are fine.)

 

Such material should go in the PM thread for now. PM me if you need an invite. Yeah, it's a disorganized mess, there's plans underway to get an entire board for discussion.

 

If you really want to discuss it, you can also join us on IRC on freenode. Join #cosmere, ask around for anyone who's read it and discuss it with them! There's a lot of us AFKing in there, so don't get discouraged if people don't respond to you instantly. If you've never used IRC, you can join us with one click by hitting 'Chat' at the top of this page.

 

I've gone and hidden a bunch of posts.