[OB] Endowment and the 17th Shard

[+ILuvHats]

So I found this WoB about the 17th Shard:

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No, they aren't really able to prevent these sorts of things. They're more like the-- Oh what do they call them in DC? The Watchers? ...But those guys are super powerful and stuff, so it's not like that. But you can imagine it's something like that. "We're watching, we're studying' we're investigating, and we're trying to prevent-- ...They're like Starfleet, right? They've got some Starfleet stuff rihgt? "We're gonna go research and study these people, but we shouldn't be involved." It's less about Prime Directive, and more about "What if something we do causes-- esacerbates the conflict between the Shards." the Shards split up for a reason, is what they think, right? Shards split up for a reason, they should continue to be split up, we should not dabble in bringing them together.

And then I thought “hmmmmmm, doesn’t that look familiar to a certain letter?”

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Dearest Cephandrius,

I received your communication, of course. I noticed its arrival immediately, just as I noticed your many intrusions into my land. You think yourself so clever, but my eyes are not those of some petty noble, to be clouded by a false nose and some dirt on the cheeks. You mustn't worry yourself about Rayse. It is a pity about Aona and Skai, but they were foolish--violating our pact from the very beginning. Your skills are admirable, but you are merely a man. You had your chance to be more, and refused it. No good can come of two Shards settling in one location. It was agreed that we would not interfere with one another, and it disappoints me that so few of the Shards have kept to this original agreement. As for Uli Da, it was obvious from the outset that she was going to be a problem. Good riddance. Regardless, this is not your concern. You turned your back on divinity. If Rayse becomes an issue, he will be dealt with. 

And so will you.

So obviously this is a bit of a crackpot theory, but what if Endowment were actually part of the 17th Shard?  They both seem to share a similar non-interference policy.  And I see no reason why the 17th shard wouldn’t allow a Shard to join them, as long as their goals align.  Feel free to tear this idea to shreds

[RShara]

I guess there's nothing preventing a Shard being behind/with the Seventeenth Shard, but I don't think Endowment would be a good candidate.  The fact that she doesn't think that there should be any interference would mean that sending people to other Shardworlds would be against her non-interference, if that makes sense?

[Toaster Retribution]

I don't think it is very likely, mostly because I don't like the idea of a Shard being behind 17th Shard. I don't think that the 17th Shard would go against Endowments principles though. They are observants, and doesn't actually interfere, other than to stop Hoid, which Endowment probably would accept.

[RShara]

You can't observe without interfering.  Also, as you said, the Seventeenth Shard is actively looking for Hoid, which I don't actually think Endowment would be interested in.  She'd want to stop him messing with her planet, but wouldn't care what he did off of it.

[TheHeadHancho]

I could see Bavadin being a better candidate for this.

[Strifelover]

On 2/3/2018 at 5:14 AM, RShara said:

You can't observe without interfering.  Also, as you said, the Seventeenth Shard is actively looking for Hoid, which I don't actually think Endowment would be interested in.  She'd want to stop him messing with her planet, but wouldn't care what he did off of it.

But we know from that WOB that the 17th Shard believes in not interfering, and yet there are 17th Sharders on Roshar doing stuff. So clearly they think it's possible to observe without interfering, or they're comfortable with messing around a little but not a lot. If they can come to terms with this logic, I don't see why Endowment couldn't.

On the other hand, I also don't think that Endowment (or any Shard) is directly involved with or leading the 17th Shard. Firstly, Brandon makes it sound like they're almost a force of oversight for the Shards. Not like they could directly compel a Shard to do anything, but that they're working behind the scenes to nudge things in the right direction. Seems like a big conflict of interest to have a Shard involved in policing the Shards. Second, the letter from Hoid to Frost makes it sound (in my opinion) like Frost is in charge to some degree. As an immortal dragon I assume Frost is pretty awesome. It would be disappointing if he was just working for a Shard, but it doesn't seem likely that a Shard would be a part of an organization and not at the top. Purely my speculation on that though.

[Stark]

On 2/4/2018 at 8:03 PM, TheHeadHancho said:

I could see Bavadin being a better candidate for this.

I'd honestly be surprised if Bavadin does not have an agent or agents hidden in the 17th Shard to manipulate and keep tabs on them.  I mean, they blocked off access to Taldain, ostensibly to keep the 17th Shard from keeping tabs on them, as well as any other worldhopping society.  I don't think Bavadin would be an overt member, but I definitely see Bavadin having covert membership to these societies.

 

Especially if another Shard is involved in the 17th directly.  I don't think it would be any of the shards we know, but it may be one of the ones whose intent we do not yet know.  One that has to do with the gathering and keeping of Knowledge.