Govika

Sorry for the repition post hoser, I didn't see you posted similar stuff until after I posted. (All quotes are in Hardcover version.) I wondered this as well. We know from Rysn's interlude in TWoK that Highstorms break apart before they reach Shinovar (last sentence pg 432). Since Shinovar comprises most of the Western coast of Roshar, we can guess that Aimia receives little to no Highstorm weather and therefore nothing further West. Unfortunately Chapter 46 does not say when Kaladin arrives in Shinovar as the storm or if he does at all. It merely says "he neared the western ocean" (pg. 648). I believe something as strange as grass would be mentioned if he flew over Shinovar. So, the story must have either taken place when the mountains of Shinovar did not exist, or he sailed from Iri, Alm, Liafor, Steen, Tukar, or even Aimia. (Interesting to note on pg. 803, Derethil's mission was "to seek the origin of the Voidbringers, the place where they had spawned." Is that speculation?) DocHoliday brings up a good point on the shape of the world. We don't know if this is the only continent. Maybe voidbringers existed on other continents and Derethil sailed West towards the Origin as opposed to away from it. Hoid does not give us clear details.

Phantom I can't tell if that's sarcasm or some info we don't have... I'm going with sarcasm

That would make me happy

This is way too broad, but do you think Sanderson will connect all his stories eventually with some sort of Great Cosmere battle between the shards? It seems like it could happen, but I don't know (it may be several years before any evidence of this comes out too, since Stormlight is 10 books long... ) I know it may seem too daunting, but Hoid is very prevalent and seems to be setting things into motion for some kind of something (Sorry for the distinct details). I dunno, that's how it seems to me. Thoughts?

I thought Adolin got blade and plate from Dalinar winning it from Parshendi ( I know he got some for Elohkar but also for Adolin )?

That would mean that Syl has an "Honorblade" of sorts. She only uses it to defend, which is what they were meant to do. But when people use shards for offensive killing, the honor (perhaps the glow at the Day of Recreance?) fades or becomes too terrible for Syl, someone of Honor, to handle. So basically unless it's an honorblade or held for honor's sake, it is terrible.

Maybe the Parshendi knew of the Radiants. Perhaps Gavilar was told. When Dalinar is sent in his vision to fight Midnight Essence, he describes a place similar to the Western Shattered Plains. I think maybe the Parshendi are a key to the Radiants, but I don't know how. However, they must know something given their ambiguity and power.

On a sidenote, it sounds like from the conversation above that Honor used to rule the Spiritual Realm, Cultivation rules the cognitive and Odium used to rule the physical. However, the lowest desire the best so there was a war and Honor was cast down, probably splintered or dead (depending on timeframe and whatnot; the point is that Odium and Honor switched places) and started the desolations. That's why they fight for the Tranquiline Halls.

Interesting to note that 1000 days is two years, especially since during the last, I believe, two years of Gavilar's life were the visions and Elhokar has a foreboding tone when talking of Dalinar's visions. So Dalinar has less than 2 years. Also note that symmetry is paramount. It's been 4500 years, which is 9 sets of 500 years. Notice how 500 more years would make it perfect 5000 years, or 10 sets of 500, a symmetrical set. Foreboding?

My only discrepancy that I keep mentioning in my posts is how Sharplate glowed until the day of Recreance. I believe the glow is related to the fact that Radiants can Surgebind, such as in Dalinar's vision. I believe this glowing of the armor is influenced directly from something good, as opposed to something evil, such as Odium. The Radiants used Sharplate to protect, not monger war like the lighteyes. It may also be interesting to note that the Almighty tells Dalinar to "give the men the Shards they once bore" so that "the Knights Radiant [may] stand again." (edit and emphasis mine) This means that before the lighteyes came into power and seized all the blades (at least in Alethkar) the Shards belonged to every race. Also, I believe that the rise of Vorinism came from Shardblades and plate. Perhaps the early ardents used the lighteyes, who may have had the majority of Shards, "rulers" so they seemed in favor. (I haven't researched that.) Another question I have for anyone is did the Heralds wear Shardplate? I know they mention Shardblades (or honorblades), but what about what armor they wore? DId they? When Kelek sees the Radiants in the Prelude, he talks about the plate. Why would he if he himself wore any? He wouldn't have looked over to the Radiants and mentioned it, it would have been mentioned when he saw Jezrien. Just a thought.

Could Kaladin be transported to the spiritual realm during the highstorm much like Shallan was transported to Shadesmar? In the Interlude of Geranid, Ashir says Shadesmar is the cognitive realm. There are three realms, and we for sure know 2 of the 3. Could Kaladin's "vision" be of the spiritual realm?

About the gems, is it the glass or gem or both that retain stormlight? If it's soley the gem, one could have gems implanted into the skin. What makes the spheres retain stormlight?

I think the symmetry can be produced by sounds since there are "Dawnsingers." I suspect they use some of the same sounds Kabsal shows Shallan, but with more sounds of course.

Do the Shards (Cultivation, Honor, so forth) also exist separately in the other realms (such as Shadesmar, cognitive, and the spiritual realm)? If so, could Honor still exist in Shadesmar (perhaps tying in Urithiru into Shadesmar since it's "near Honor." If not, then could some Splintters exist in Shadesmar, where who knows what the splinters will look like? Also, does size vary on the splinters (I would think so since it seems logical for different splinter sizes) and what do the diffferent sizes mean? Maybe Syl is a small fragment while something else, maybe something we haven't seen yet, is something larger.

To help, in Chapter 72 Veristitalian, Shallan is remembering what she read while Jasnah is telling her her theory: "Beings of ash and fire" (white and red) and "Flame and char. Skin so terrible" (black and red). She looks out over the balcony and sees the "Parshmen. With skin of black and red. Ash and fire." [pg. 979-980] As to why, I suspect it being pigmentation. Or perhaps ranking or certain Parshmen from Western Roshar and Eastern Roshar. I dunno. My thoughts.