Welcome to my liveblog of Rhythm of War! Index post here. Beware of spoilers

Chapter 24(Full of Awe) 
Epigraph: Invention--that’s a new shard that I haven’t heard of before. It’s possible it popped up in some of the WoBs I missed in the past year, but I’m gonna guess this is the first mention. S/he is hiding or otherwise unreachable, which makes me think of the mystery shard that just ‘wants to hide and survive,” though that’s pretty tenuous. Endowment isn’t ignoring Harmony, which sounds like it makes her an exception.

Title: Related to awespren? Herald icon is Palah, which doesn’t seem to relate (divine attributes learned and giving) so I dunno.

If the sun doesn’t move, how are they keeping time? Radiant says the day “occurred” rather than dawned, but what indicated the transition? It sounds like an environmental change of some sort rather than an arbitrary measurement with a clock fabrial.

Shallan arguing with herselves is great as usual, and I continue to be intrigued by what is lost in the shifts between personas. For example, Veil and Radiant’s inability to draw makes little sense unless Shallan is actually creating schisms in her spiritweb.

She’s listening to the churning of the beads--is that just an effect of the boat’s motion, or is the sea of souls affected by tide-like forces? It seemed fluid enough the times that Shallan or others fell into it. Is it in motion like the physical ocean?

The Ghostbloods are interested in Ba-Ado-Mishram specifically? That’s ominous. Are they looking for a mini-Shard? One that is easier or safer to treat with than one of the 16?

It occurs to me that we don’t know for sure if BAM was released. I assumed so because the singers have their minds back, but it could just as easily have been an effect of Odium arriving rather than BAM escaping. I know I predicted that she was the presence that had taken up residence in Shinovar, but maybe that’s not possible? I still think she’s the most likely, but it’s also a possibility that she’s still trapped somewhere, and that’s what the back cover copy was talking about for Shallan’s quest--the Ghostbloods sent her to find Ba-Ado-Mishram in the Tower, not Restares or the Sibling. Hm. Now that I spell that out, it seems even more likely. I think I’ll revise my Shinovar prediction. Who are we missing? 

Ashertmarn, Yelig-nar, Sja-anat, Moelach, and Nergaoul are accounted for. BAM is no longer in the running. That leaves three. 

• Re-Shephir who fled from Urithiru in the last book. She’s a good candidate, assuming that we’re just lacking any decent news from Shinovar to describe something recognizable. 
• Chemoarish, the Dustmother. Not much is known.
• Dai-gonarthis, the Black Fisher. Not much is known, to the extent that Hessi doubted his status as an Unmade.

From those choices, I’d go with Dai-gonarthis as the most mysterious and therefore least likely to be recognized by the Stone Shamans with their oral history and connection to the Honorblades, but we’re in the realm of pure speculation at this point.

Oh, if BAM is still trapped in the gemstone, maybe that’s why the Ghostbloods are interested. That would presumably allow them to transport her out of the Rosharan system despite the heavy connection she has to it. Then again, Yelignar is trapped now and stealing his gem doesn’t seem like it would be beyond them. So it can’t just be that.

Veil’s method of persuasion to get Shallan to come out is wonderful. I am deeply disappointed that Shallan ripped up the picture of unibrow Adolin before Nazh could collect it for us. Maybe we should contact Ben and ask him for an outtake or bonus content of that sketch.

Shallan just casually talks to Adolin about the Ghostbloods and her conclusions? Despite Veil having confronted her right before this about keeping Ghostblood secrets from Adolin. I’m confused. What secrets is she still keeping? 

Oh, this is the first time she’s telling him the true story behind meeting Jasnah? That’s fun, but also makes this seem like a direct response to Veil’s challenge. She’s trying to unburden herself of secrets, at least to her husband.

Ah, the title was just about bad puns. Nothing to do with spren after all… though maybe the herald icons are telling us something about Paliah’s sense of humor?

The mistspren seems to confirm that BAM is still imprisoned, and that Nale and Kakak were present at the binding.