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Posting the Letters


Quothe

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So, I was just wondering something about the Letters in the Way of Kings book. How does Hoid send the letter to the dragon?

I very much doubt that there is a Cosmere-wide postal service at any worldhopper's convenience. Even if there was, something like that would probably be to blatant for Hoid. 

I'm not even sure if the Letter is an actual letter, maybe Hoid uses some sort of magical device that sends out messages. Just a random thought that occured to me while re-reading Way of Kings.

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Actually, I don't think we can rule out a Cosmere wide postal service. There are several worldhopper organizations that operate in a number of different locations, and they would need to have some way of communicating with the home front. Maybe the various organizations employ cognitive shadows for this, as cognitive shadows can't really work on the planet itself but could quite easily travel between silverlight and worldhopper teams.

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10 minutes ago, randuir said:

Actually, I don't think we can rule out a Cosmere wide postal service. There are several worldhopper organizations that operate in a number of different locations, and they would need to have some way of communicating with the home front. Maybe the various organizations employ cognitive shadows for this, as cognitive shadows can't really work on the planet itself but could quite easily travel between silverlight and worldhopper teams.

Hmm, now that I think about it, I suppose it could actually be possible. But I sortta still stand by my point in that Hoid would probably want to use a more discreet method, even if a postal service was available.

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2 minutes ago, CosmereAvair said:

Well Hoid could have left a letter in Silverlight or a place very much like it in Shadesmar that is designed for world hoppers, or people who work for them to go get their mail themselves. Kind of like a space station for time travelers.

I like the idea, and wouldn't be surprised if it was a thing. So have an upvote for that
The problem with these letters in particular is that I swear I remembered reading that Frost hasn't left Yolen, so he can't get it. Granted, he can form/run the Seventeenth Shard without leaving Yolen either...

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1 hour ago, The One Who Connects said:

I like the idea, and wouldn't be surprised if it was a thing. So have an upvote for that
The problem with these letters in particular is that I swear I remembered reading that Frost hasn't left Yolen, so he can't get it. Granted, he can form/run the Seventeenth Shard without leaving Yolen either...

He isn't a worldhopper so he hasn't been to another world, and I think there was something which says that he hasn't left either.

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Frost and Hoid could simply be using a neutral intermediary worldhopper to deliver the letters back and forth.  For the purpose of example, suppose Khriss doesn't take orders, give deference to, or work with either Hoid or Frost on a regular basis.  If Hoid knew she was going to Yolen eventually, he might stop by and ask her to drop a letter off; since the two don't work together much, he wouldn't have to fear her revealing much about his actions or whereabouts.  Presumably, Hoid could then find her and ask if she (or an agent working on her behalf) received a reply when she came back to Roshar.

I sort of doubt that this has a complicated answer.  I feel like ascending to enough power and knowledge to become a worldhopper automatically over-qualifies someone for being a dedicated mail carrier (no offense to mail carriers).  Additionally, there doesn't seem like there's enough worldhoppers corresponding and collaborating across the cosmere to make a centralized mail delivery and management system necessary or efficient IMO.

Alternatively, spren could carry letters, since they can travel outside the Rosharan system (I think we saw one in secret history?)

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1 hour ago, hwiles said:

since they can travel outside the Rosharan system (I think we saw one in secret history?)

What do you mean?

Anyway, as for the mail delivery: I think @hwiles is right. You ask somebody and if he's going in the right direction, you give them your letter.

Anybody read Name of the Wind? Remember how delivering letters works there? Let's say Alice on Sel wrote the letter to Quentineu on Roshar. Bob going in the general direction of Roshar buys the letter from Alice. Then, when Bob no longer goes in the right direction (makes a stop at Silverlight), Cecil buys the letter from Bob for sligthly more. Then, when Cecil ends his journey on Scadrial, he sells the letter to David, who is travelling from Scadrial to Nalthis. Then David sells the letter on Nalthis to Eugene who's going to Roshar. Then Eugene sells the letter to Quentin.

Each middleman makes some money off of this and the letter gets delivered.

Edited by Oversleep
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@Oversleep

Secret History Spoilers:

Spoiler

I believe we either have a WoB that a spren from Roshar appeared on Scadrial in the cognitive realm during secret history, or else Kelsier literally sees one on screen.  I don't think it's supposed to be a significant event, it's just used to show that the worlds really are connected by the cognitive realm. Checking now.  I don't know how you could get a spren to carry a letter, I just meant to propose it as an alternative explanation for a cognitive postal service.  I don't like this explanation, but included it for perceived completeness.

Additionally, Hoid states that there is some manner of economy and trade between shard worlds in secret history when he arrives on Scadrial and meets Kelsier, which could be used to support your proposed explanation.

 

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@hwiles I just don't remember anything like that from SH. That's why I'm so confused.

Also, IIRC it's hard for spren to move offworld.
SH

Spoiler

Just like Kelsier felt Scadrial pulling him back - there's a WoB that he didn't really leave Scadrial, Ire are somewhere around it so he could still make it.

 

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1 hour ago, hwiles said:

@Oversleep

Secret History Spoilers:

  Hide contents

I believe we either have a WoB that a spren from Roshar appeared on Scadrial in the cognitive realm during secret history, or else Kelsier literally sees one on screen.  I don't think it's supposed to be a significant event, it's just used to show that the worlds really are connected by the cognitive realm. Checking now.  I don't know how you could get a spren to carry a letter, I just meant to propose it as an alternative explanation for a cognitive postal service.  I don't like this explanation, but included it for perceived completeness.

Additionally, Hoid states that there is some manner of economy and trade between shard worlds in secret history when he arrives on Scadrial and meets Kelsier, which could be used to support your proposed explanation.

 

Can you quote the passage where this happened? I don't remember it happening either.

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18 minutes ago, hwiles said:

@Spoolofwhool @Oversleep

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Can a spren or Seon travel to another shardworld?

BRANDON SANDERSON

Yes they can, though are more bound to their world but they can travel else where.

Not exactly what I was looking for, but close enough for the purpose of discussion.

They can, but as Brandon's answer regarding cognitive entities shows, it's really difficult and requires some workarounds. It's not a matter of just wanting to. 

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