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Hey y’all. I was at a summer camp that my church put on, so that’s where I’ve been. Lemme be honest with y’all for a sec: That camp made me feel more happy than what this site ever gave to me. This doesn’t mean that I’m leaving for good or anything like that, but I’m going to get my life together and fix the things that I know are a bit broken in my life. Love y’all~ <3

I thought I'd list a few technological oddities and how they are visible in the books. Then maybe we can discuss a common denominator 1. Guns. Scadrian gun technology is a curious thing. And it seems to be in extreme flux, leading to extremely anachronistic solutions.. In Alloy of Law Wax takes a captured gun and its ammo apart. The propellant is definitely black powder. Yet they use cartridges. That was a transition technology on Earth. Tech level around 1870. Yet Shadows of Self mentions a submachine gun. 2. No refrigeration Shadow of Self clearly states that they get their ice from the mountains. On Earth refrigeration was invented around 1850 and became economical around 1875 3. Cars like around 1920 They look reliable and mass produced. That is post-WW1 technology. They definitely have gasoline engines. Waxillium wonders about using them in Bands of Mourning 4. No immunology Bleeder tells us that the scientists of Scadrial don't know about the function of leukocytes. That is really odd. This is 1860ies knowledge. 5. Spectroscopy & Zeeman effect Again Shadows of Self. That is fairly advanced physics. If you wish to understand it fully, you will need quentum mechanics. 6. Tarcsel's speaker's It looks like he has invented an amplifier based on vacuum tubes. That is 1905 technology and was combined with loudspeakers in 1925. On the whole it looks to be ahead of our world where electricity or materials help, but they are hopeless in organic chemistry or biology.

Stormlight

I could unmod you

WoR ^Explanation

The Constructs of Antiquity mentions a small colony of machine beings, named Kelkis, on Scadrial, which @Lesser spren remarked upon. And attributes them to the Lord Ruler's hemalurgy. That is too close to a corpate not to suspect a connection, especially as Nazriloffi s interested in them, as depicted in the Ghastly Gondola. What do you think?

Nico opened her mouth to ask her not to leave, but stopped himself; it was for the better that she wasn’t around him. He needed some time alone to think. While Nicolae stirred the eggs he made up his mind to ask Ivian to assign someone else to the queen-to-be. This was not a job he would ever be cut out for. Yes, he was honored Ivian thought he might have been, but the king was wrong to put so much faith in him. stars, why was everything in his life so wrong? He’d given up his claim to the throne, he’d sent his lover away for fear he’d die, he’d let Allivia go on using him, he was clumsy as Mal, a poor servant, a poor excuse for a man, and he couldn’t fit the life of him keep himself or others safe. The knife he’d gotten out for Alienor had never looked so appealing.

QF54: Day Two - The Belly of the Beast Just as the mountain passes have protected Idris, forming a daunting natural barrier in the way of invading forces, the jungles of the Hallendren lowlands are not impassable. But they have swallowed up expeditions: adventurers and soldiers alike. Fever, venom, predation, parasites, toxins, hunger… There are many ways to die in the Hallendren jungle. Idrian war games have considered the possibility of operating in the Hallendren jungle and dismissed it. The jungle is hostile to both Hallendren Lifeless and Idrian soldiers alike, but the Hallendren do have one distinct advantage: their corpses can’t die again. The jungle was there, even in the days of old, before Hanald. Before the Chedesh came, before Vo and the Five Visions sent from Austre. In those days, it was a cluster of Pahn Kahl fishing villages and jungle encampments, and the Pahn Kahl had their own reckoning with the jungle. Today, the Pahn Kahl are Hallendren, but the jungle remains. Hacking my way through the undergrowth, where only a little light, only faint patches of blue sky can be seen, I can’t help but feel as though we have passed from the clean clear mountain air and meadows into the brooding, wet maw of some fearsome beast, into the heart of some terrible darkness. In the end, the expedition painstakingly traced their way back to the last cluster of signs to set up camp. There was, as Kalsin had said, a clearing a while back, with access to running water. Whispers had gone around the squad at the sight of the slain scout. Kalsin supposed it was only normal. Wilsa’s death made the possibility of a knife in the dark only too real. It was too grim to bear, entirely. It was one thing knowing that they might have to die for Idris. It was another thing looking at the results of Hallendren tradecraft and knowing that they might be next. That, or the jungle would do them in. Two of the squad had fallen out, complaining of illness, stomach cramps. Kalsin didn’t know if it was sickness, or poison. He thought he saw the same suspicions in Wryn’s eyes but the captain merely said they’d need a sick train. Another had been bitten by a snake as she dug the latrines. There was the thought too: did they stay to care for the casualties, or did they press on? A cruel choice, but Kalsin was used to the harsh realities of duty. Yet it was not his decision to make, and part of Kalsin was grateful. It went against the grain: Austre said they were to sacrifice, that they could not set themselves above others. It was the mission that demanded Wryn weigh and spend the lives of the squad as coin, and yet something about that choice set Kalsin ill at ease. The squad were already beginning to bicker. They were on edge from the scout’s death, and someone—Kalsin didn’t know who, but they were dead when he caught them—was openly spreading rumours of Hallendren poison. “Your concern isn’t Hallendren spies, soldier,” he said, firmly, when he came across the soldier they’d called Pancakes. Why, Kalsin didn’t know, but he knew that Wryn likely did, and that there was almost always a story behind these names. Good field cook, but a little too prone to gossip, and Pancakes started when Kalsin stopped by their fire. He thought he recognised the other two men sitting with Pancakes—Steel, decent, solid soldier, and Derrick, who seemed on edge, but was enough of an enigma to Kalsin. “But Lieutenant, sir, if Hallendren spies really are here, and trying to stop us…” Pancakes trailed off into silence as Kalsin stared him down. “Leave the Hallendren spies to the officers, Pancakes,” Kalsin said. He tried to sound calm and in control. Didn’t know if he’d succeeded. “Your only concern is staying alive and seeing to the success of the mission.” “Right, the mission. The mission,” Pancakes said. “Burn the fields.” If they found them, Kalsin thought. But he did not say that aloud. They had to. They had to. Idris depended on it. “What’s the mood like?” Wryn asked. Kalsin scowled at him from across the crackling flames of the fire but it was Gatemaker who spoke. Kalsin, at least, was grateful for the presence of someone from Idrian intelligence. Better to have someone versed in these matters than officers accustomed to some irregular duties. “Troubled,” Gatemaker said, folding her arms across her chest. “Whispers of Hallendren spies got out, and with the three soldiers down, everyone’s looking for someone else to blame.” She flung a bundle on the floor, and Kalsin blinked. “Lifeless squirrel,” Gatemaker said, her tone steady. It was transfixed with an arrow; she’d shot it. Part of Kalsin wondered what it would be like, watching Gatemaker shoot against Wryn. Wryn, too, favoured the bow: he was no swordsman. “Austre, God of Colours,” Kalsin breathed, as he stared at the grey-hued monstrosity. Hallendren Awakeners, then. “You know the appropriate countermeasures,” Gatemaker continued. “But I imagine a quick search of their packs would resolve the issue.” “Why?” Wryn asked, beating Kalsin to the punch. “Lifeless must be prepared,” Gatemaker explained. “We have to be wary of Awakened constructs, but I imagine the Lifeless animal was a failsafe. One they’ve burned now, though I’d still search their packs for anything Lifeless that was smuggled onto the mission.” Wryn frowned. “Idrian intelligence was supposed to have vouched for the integrity of the mission,” he said, wryly. “Strange that we find ourselves doing so again.” “You know how it is,” replied Gatemaker. She didn’t rise to the implied slight. “Vigilance is the name of the game.” Wryn sighed. “I suppose so.” He studied the map—carefully copied, in Wryn’s own hand—spread out on the flat stone. The firelight cast unsteady shadows on the map, but there was enough light to see. “By my reckoning, we should’ve reached the last of the markers anyway—here,” he pointed to the map. “Scouts were supposed to put us on the trail, and then we follow Hallendren signs for the next few days to the pool and the dye fields.” “Did they, though?” “That’s your question to answer,” Wryn said, his voice sharp. “Did they, or did they not, Lieutenant?” Kalsin swallowed. “Possibly,” he said, grudgingly. “With Wilsa dead, and no sign of the other scouts, I think we’re on our own. Some of the signs were tampered with, I’m fairly certain, so we’ll need our own source of truth. So it all comes back to this map—see that river here?” he pointed to it, marked out by Hallendren colours. “We passed it a few days ago. Then there was the cleft tree, which we also passed yesterday, though not after some backtracking. The ravine was there, which was a detour we weren’t supposed to take.” He pointed to each of the map positions in turn. Hours of study in the palace, trying to visualise places he’d never seen. He knew a little better now. “Won’t say it won’t be rough going, but I think we can do it.” “You sure, Kal?” Wryn wanted to know. Kalsin wondered at the multitude of questions lurking there: are you sure? Can you do it? Should we turn back? Should we find another way, or try to locate the other Idrian scouts? Did they have a choice though? “No. Yes. Ry, I think we have to, one way or another. We’ve crossed that river, and there’s no going back now. I’ll have to do it.” Wryn raised an eyebrow. “So be it, then. Get me the quartermaster. I’m going to take Gatemaker’s suggestion to search their packs and see what we turn up.” Variel, the quartermaster, turned out to be very dead. “Variel?” Kalsin called out, striding over to where the man usually was. Likely minding the supplies carried by their remaining horses. He saw a shape slumped by a tree and frowned. Something wasn’t right. A hand to his sword-hilt, Kalsin stepped closer, mindful of his surroundings. They’d served in Wryn’s company together, before this. Variel was infamous among the men for the standards to which he held equipment maintenance. Everything had to be cleaned, scrubbed and scoured of dirt. It seemed someone had surprised Variel even as he was cleaning the bright blade of his sword, and now the sword would never be clean again. “Austre watch over you,” Kalsin whispered, as he gently closed the quartermaster’s staring eyes. They’d run him through from behind. A thrust through the throat, and then pulled the blade free. Risky, that. Could notch the blade if they struck bone. Wryn was not going to like this. Neither were the rest of the squad. As it turned out, the rest of the squad were already bickering, already accusing each other of being Hallendren spies. At least Jacques Noir had the sense to stay out of it, though Kalsin thought the man was still fanning the flames, even if he declined to accuse anyone in particular. Steel and a scarred veteran by the name of Fadrian had both decided that a quiet tracker by the name of Liranil was responsible for leading them all astray, and in an effort to cool tempers, Kalsin ordered them all on separate watches, electing to leave Wryn out of it. By the time daylight was shining through the canopy of leaves overhead, Kalsin was about to run someone through with his own sword. That turned out to be Gatemaker, when she reported that Liranil had gone missing. “Show me,” Kalsin said, scrubbing wearily at his eyes with the back of his hand. He’d taken the first watch himself, and at least it was uneventful. He wasn’t sure if he’d ever get used to being dragged roughly from sleep, at least when it came. Wryn always gave him hell for that. “There was a lot of blood,” Gatemaker reported, clinically. “So she’s dead, then.” Obvious conclusion, Kalsin knew, but all the same. It ruled out the option where Liranil had decided enough was enough and gone missing. He sighed. “Let’s get Wryn, and let’s go look.” The others were already gathering and whispering when Kalsin arrived. He saw what Gatemaker had mentioned: the blood, but also scuff marks, as though she’d been dragged. No sign of a fight. “Well?” Wryn demanded, aloud. His face was composed, but he did not order the squad away. Kalsin supposed he understood why. It wasn’t something that could be resolved by telling them to go back to packing up and preparing to move out. “Big cat,” Kalsin said. “She didn’t put up a fight. And look—” Gatemaker had seen the fragments, like as not. She’d probably elected not to point it out, and Kalsin gave her points for tact, even though he thought he heard someone about to lose whatever remained of last night’s dinner. “Most cats kill with a bite to the throat or neck. Seen enough of that in the mountains. This one though? It went right for the back of her skull. I’d hate to get into a fight with a cat with that kind of bite.” He drew in a deep breath. “I’d suggest we double the watch, the following nights. And probably clear out of the area, as fast as we can. We have a mission to complete, and I don’t really want to fight that thing if it comes back for more.” “This painting. I…” “Your Grace, if you like it, I will have it requisitioned for your personal collection.” “There’s something about it. One man, standing alone, in the heart of a murky darkness. Indistinct outline of thick trees, water, fog. It seems almost...sad. Lonely, maybe. And brooding.” Liranil was executed! She was an Idrian Soldier! Striker was killed! He was an Idrian Soldier! The cycle has begun! It will end at 2300hrs SGT (GMT+8) on the 18th July! Edited to add: @Danex is on an inactivity warning and will be filter-killed or replaced at the end of this cycle.

Kuno looked away from the Mayor's mansion, clicking his tongue. He watched as the town militia marshaled in the courtyard below, silently criticizing their slightly sloppy line-up, as well as their equipment that surely had seen better days. He couldn't wait until he saw proper soldiers again. Manpower was, and likely always would be an issue, but that was to be addressed later in the future, for he had a whole new town under his protection, and the Mayor would be more than happy to have them pull their own weight. Regardless, Kuno sighed again, the weight of his calling hitting him again. He wasn't startled to feel a hand on his shoulder, as when he looked up he saw Catorphia still relentlessly watching their surroundings, despite having her hand on him. "Thank you," he said with a smile. Only Catorphia's left eye so much as twitched in response, but Kuno chuckled. "I have more than just you by my side, you know. Then soon it will all be over." A slight cough that one could have easily missed if they weren't paying attention came from the traditionally garbed woman. "Of course not," Kuno replied, "there's always more to be done." He looked back down at the men gathered for their training, watching and gauging their effectiveness. In only a day a contingent of his best would come to show these men how to properly soldier about, but until then, he would have to settle for this lot. He quickly ran through his plans for the next few weeks in his head to be sure that he had everything straight before turning to walk back towards the Inn that he had taken up residence in for the time being. His facade of a simple traveller was nearly laughable for his true calling, but often times those who were made to lead are meant to serve those they are meant to rule. That was the cost of being a leader, especially one for humanity. When Kuno opened the door to his room in the Inn, he was raised an eyebrow at the familiar sight of a blue eyed man, sitting along in a chair in the corner of the room, sipping from a small cup. Thoughts that were clearly alien to Kuno's mind appeared, as if they were from a voice that was speaking. We have much to discuss, sir. "So it would seem," Kuno said as he held his arms behind his back, "and I doubt you'll want the small-talk today, so let's get to the point, shall we?" Production has stalled, we need more time. Kuno walked towards his bed and sat on the edge, "that time is what we do not have. We must move now, and quickly. What preparations have been made?" The targeted towns have been prepared, and the means have been planned and placed into position. "Then what is stopping us?" The grey eyed man asked. Materials, sir. We cannot finish the project without them. Kuno sighed, standing from the bed and pacing the room slowly. "We do not have the luxury of time, my friend. We must prepare them as best we can, yes, but I've seen that the hottest blazes burn the brightest during the most trying times." But that would be sending them to seemingly pointless trials and tribulations! "No, not pointless," Kuno corrected. "Never pointless. We need this to survive, to carry on into our future. Not to fulfill some glorious destiny, mind you, but to simply continue on. At the very least we'll solve many of our production issues, at most, we'll save us all. It's just a matter of time, and we're running out of it. The due date still stands, Arminio. I won't change it now, and I don't intend to change it in the future. Project Mesial must go on." As you wish, sir. Kuno sighed, sitting down once more. "Now on to the boring parts, then. Where are these issues coming from, exactly?" Arminio put aside his cup, and leaned forward as he reviewed the reports that had been filed to him, sighing. This might be a while, sir. "Just all the more reason to further streamline our bureaucracy, Arminio. Which shall be done very soon." If you say so, sir.

General Stormlight

WoK

"Humans are fickle creatures and sentience was a mistake." -Channelknight Fadran

Hi! Welcome to my big, fat Gavilar post. Given that we're finally going to get his POV in the SA5 Prologue, and the proliferating theories that Gavilar survived as a CS or will be Odium's champion, I went on a deep dive through the SA books trying to get as full a picture as I could of Gavilar Kholin. The result is the beast below, which is broken into four parts. Part One part goes through some notable points on Gavilar's journey from the beginning of his campaign to conquer Alethkar to the couple of years before his death. Part Two includes some theorizing about when Gavilar received the visions, when he started to change and plan, and who or what might have been influencing him. The theories aren't groundbreaking, but I think they are at least pretty-well supported. Part Three is a sort of oral history running through what various characters have said about who Gavilar was, how he changed, and what he was up to. Part Four wraps things up and poses some continuing questions. Looking forward to hearing others' thoughts. PART ONE: THE JOURNEY So I wanted to just begin with a few notable backstory tidbits, showing the start of Gavilar's journey through to his eventful final years, so that we can establish a sort of baseline to see how he changed later. 1141 - OB 11: In one of our earliest scenes with Gavilar - the first battle at the Rift - we see him already asking some fairly big questions and expressing a desire for a stable, lasting kingdom 1143 - OB 19: During the feast where we first meet Evi, Gavilar continues asking why they are at war and wonders at the reasons why past empires failed; also mentions for the first time the Codes of War and the idea that Alethkar once meant something 1150 - OB 36: Still banging that drum of a unified Alethkar, but questioning the use of force as a means to achieve it: "We can’t have a show of force being our only method of maintaining unity, or Elhokar will spend his entire life putting out fires after I’m gone. We need people to start thinking of Alethkar as a unified kingdom, not separate regions always looking for an advantage against one another.” Later 1150 - OB 49: Gavilar can't let Dalinar have even 10 minutes of happiness over the birth of Adolin before telling him he's sending him to Herdaz and Jah Keved for more fighting; here are a few other notable bits from this chapter, including Gavilar's first mention of the importance of "words": First mention of others calling Gavilar weak: "Tanalan is raising an army and settling into his fortifications. Worse, I think the other highprinces are encouraging him. They want to see how I handle this.” He sneered. “There’s talk I’ve grown soft over the years.” More talk about the greatness of old Alethkar, but now also mentioning the Knights Radiant: “Do you ever wonder about the time when this kingdom was truly great, Dalinar?” Gavilar asked. “When people looked to the Alethi. Then kings sought their advice. When we were … Radiant.” In response to Dalinar's fears about being a bloodthirsty animal, Gavilar says "You are what the Almighty made you" (yikes, this sounds like Odium talking to Moash) Gavilar also suggests that he "might have something that will help" but does not elaborate; Dalinar is skeptical: “Bah. I’ve tried living a quiet life. I can’t live through endless politics, like you can. I need more than just words!” Speaking of "words": “Words are important,’ Gavilar said. “Much more than you give them credit for being.” “Perhaps,” Dalinar said. “But if they were all-powerful, you wouldn’t need my sword, would you?” “Perhaps. I can’t help feeling words would be enough, if only I knew the right ones to say.” 1151-1163: Giant gaping hole in what was going on with Gavilar because our flashback character, Dalinar, is out on campaign this whole time, with only infrequent visits back to Kholinar, none of which we see 1163 - OB 66: Gavilar contacts Dalinar via spanreed, and in between congratulating him on becoming a tactical genius and informing him that he's gotta go back to the Rift, he drops this little tantalizing line: "I have important revelations of my own I would like to share." This brings us up to the events that really set the plot in motion - the hunting expedition during which they encounter the listeners, Gavilar's secretive experimentation and plans, changes in Gavilar in his final months/years, and eventually his assassination. So here's where the theorizing starts and I go into a little greater depth. PART TWO: SOME TAKEAWAYS/THEORIES ABOUT WHEN GAVILAR STARTED MESSING WITH THINGS AND WHO/WHAT WAS INFLUENCING HIM 1. The changes in Gavilar's personality/behavior started before he encountered the listeners Maybe others already knew this, but I was uncertain before doing this deep dive as to when the changes in Gavilar's behavior began. I found two passages that suggest he was starting to act strangely before the hunting expedition where they encountered the listeners. WoK 28: Also, and somewhat more intriguing, OB 66: Looking at these two passages, along with the earlier line from Gavilar about having "important revelations" of his own to share, it seems likely to me that Gavilar probably started receiving the visions from the Stormfather well before he left on the hunting trip. There's also the line from the RoW prologue where Gavilar notes that bringing "them" (likely spheres) back and forth from Braize "was impossible only a few short years ago." This suggests that Gavilar may have already been working on movement between Braize and Roshar as early as 1165. Just how far back Gavilar started seeing the visions and experimenting with Light, I'm not sure. I mean, dude was obsessed with "uniting" all the way back when he and Dalinar got started on conquering Alethkar. He talked about the Alethi Codes of War as early as 1143 and was musing about the importance of "words" as early as 1150. All we know from WoB is that Gavilar was on the Bondsmith path longer than Dalinar (although Gavilar never bonded the SF). 2. Still, Gavilar was intrigued by the listeners and we now have a clearer picture of what it was that so intrigued him Overall, I was a little underwhelmed by the flashbacks in RoW. But several of them stood out as being pretty juicy. One of those is Ch. 48 where we get Eshonai's viewpoint capturing precisely when Gavilar became truly interested in the listeners. Back in WoK, Shallan and Jasnah had noted discrepancies in records of when and why Gavilar had become interested. Here's Jasnah's undertext from Gavilar's account, from WoK 36: That more or less tracks with Eshonai's view. She noted that Gavilar was erratic and that Initially he just wanted to know where he could hunt a greatshell. But the scholars were interested But then, when Eshonai leads the humans from their encampment in the forest out onto the Shattered Plains, a series of things happen that change Gavilar's tune. The first actually occurs a little before the above quote. Axindweth asks Eshonai some questions about how she sees spren and is intrigued to learn that Eshonai appears to see the reality of spren, or closer to it. She then asks about windspren that act like humans, change shapes, and play tricks and Eshonai says she's seen spren like that. Axindweth next asks about spren who speak and call people by name, but Eshonai thinks that's silly. Axindweth was clearly asking about Radiant spren. We don't see it on screen, but this conversation took place before Axindweth fell out of favor with Gavilar so it's a safe bet that she shared what she learned about how the listeners see spren with Gavilar. Then, we get a quick succession of things: Axindweth and Gavilar catch a glimpse of Eshonai's hunting knife "with beautiful metal that had lines in it, and a carved hilt of majestic detail" Eshonai explains that the knife had been handed down for generations; Axindweth suggests to Gavilar that it may date all the way back to the False Desolation; Before they can interrogate Eshonai any further about the knife, a freaking chasmfiend shows up; Eshonai's just like: nbd, it doesn't seem angry The chasmfiend moves along without causing any problems, but all the humans are still freaked out; everyone except Gavilar who seems "unperturbed" Gavilar goes right back to studying and asking about the knife; Eshonai explains that her great-grandparents found them in the ruins; At the mention of ruins Gavilar looked up sharply and asked if she was referring to the ten cities on the edge of the SP that another guide had mentioned Eshonai mentally curses Klade for mentioning the ten cities; she decides not to reveal that the knife came from the ruins at the center of the plains; she says she mention ruins of cities that he ancestors built; Gavilar asks how she knows about events from so long ago; asks whether they have records Eshonai explains that they have songs So, it seems that the things that piqued Gavilar's interest were: ancient weapons, ruins on the Shattered Plains, and songs about the Knight Radiant and other ancient lore. 3. Gavilar was probably already pretty far along with his grand plans by the time he encountered the listeners; also a certain Worldhopper is super suspicious There are a few interesting things to point out here. One is that it doesn't really seem like Gavilar's scholars and scribes had to explain much to him to get him interested in the listeners, as was suggested by the accounts that Jasnah had read and referenced in her undertext. He clearly had some pre-existing knowledge that caused his sudden interest. Another thing I wanted to highlight is Axindweth's mention of the False Desolation. I've been wondering for a while now how Gavilar came to know about the imprisonment of BAM. We saw in the WoR Prologue that he clearly knew about it by the night of his assassination, because he talked about how humans had captured "an ancient, crucial spren." But this information wasn't contained in the visons from the Stormfather, and Gavilar wouldn't have had access to the Urithiru gem archive. So he must have learned about it from somewhere/someone else. Kalak is one possible source of this information. Perhaps he shared information about BAM with Gavilar as part of the experimentation that Gavilar was doing with moving Lights between worlds. We know Kalak hoped this might lead to a way for him to get off Roshar, so he may have been willing to share information with Gavilar. I kinda doubt Nale would have been jazzed about that though. Axindweth is the only other source I can think of, and given this scene, it seems likely that she is in fact the source. She mentions the False Desoalation, an event which even Jasnah refers to as a pseudohistorical legend early on in OB. Gavilar doesn't bat an eye when Axindweth mentions it though; doesn't stop and ask what the False Desolation was. He knows what it was, which means he probably knows how it ended. This all makes it seem increasingly likely that Axindweth was the one guiding Gavilar's experimentation and grand plans. Eshonai thought she might be oncemates with Gavilar because of how often she spoke with him. And Axindweth wasn't outed and shunned by Gavilar until shortly before his assassination. By that point she'd already set things in motion by getting Ulim to Venli. Speaking of getting Ulim to Venli, that seems like another point in favor of Gavilar having already begun experimenting with the movement of Light (and maybe other things) between Braize and Roshar before he set out on the hunting expedition. I'm more or less convinced that the whole reason that Ulim was able to make the jump and end up in the gem on Roshar was because Gavilar's experiments created a connection that allowed him through. Just how Axindweth, a Feruchemist Terriswoman, came to be an agent of Odium is anyone's guess. But it does seem consistent with Odium's long game of co-opting warped human notions of honor, for her to have gotten close to Gavilar and subtly nudged him toward experimentation and plans that seemed consistent with the exhortations from the visons to "unite them" and refound the Knights Radiant, but were actually furthering Odium's agenda. The only hiccup with this line of thinking about Axindweth is something Ulim says to Venli in RoW 86: But, I mean, Gavilar clearly had been working with Axindweth at some point and she seems to be an agent of Odium. It could be that Ulim simply didn't know the full scope of Axindweth's part in Odium's plan. Or maybe he's just flat out lying to Venli here. Wouldn't surprise me. PART THREE: DESCRIPTONS OF GAVILAR AND HOW HE CHANGED TOWARD THE END Consider this a kind of oral history about Gavilar featuring quotes about him that didn't fit in anywhere above. I've grouped these by speaker, and sometimes topic. Mraize (as told to Shallan) King Gavilar’s efforts to rekindle the Desolations are likely the true reason he was assassinated. Though there were many in the palace that night who had reason to see him dead. (OB 40) Re: the Sons of Honor The old king of Alethkar – the Blackthorn’s brother, Gavilar Kholin – was a driving force in their expansion. (OB 40) Gavilar had led them along, used their resources – and their hearts – to further his own goals. (RoW 4) On what Gavilar wanted: “Immortality, in part. He thought he could become like the Heralds. In his quest, he discovered a secret. He had Voidlight before the Everstorm – he carried it from Braize, the place you call Damnation. He was testing the movement of Light between worlds. (RoW 13) Dalinar On deferring to Gavilar: “I didn’t think about it much,” Dalinar said. “When I did … yes, I was frustrated. But it was Gavilar. You know how he was. The force of will, that air of natural entitlement. It always seemed to surprise him when someone denied him or when the world itself didn’t do as he wished. He didn’t force me to defer – it was simply how life was.” (WoK 64) On trying to understand what Gavilar saw in The Way of Kings: Alethkar was a light, once, he thought. That’s what Gavilar’s book claims, that’s what the visions are showing me. Nohadon was king of Alethkar, so long ago. In the time before the Heralds left. Dalinar felt as if he could almost see it. The secret. The thing that had made Gavilar so excited in the months before his death. If Dalinar could just stretch a little farther, he’d make it out. See the pattern in the lives of men. And finally know. (WoK 24) On changes at the end and final words “ ‘Brother, follow the Codes tonight. There is something strange upon the winds.’ That’s what he said to me, the last thing he told me just before we began the treaty-signing celebration.” (WoK 15) “He’s the one who first showed [the Codes] to me. He found them as a relic of old Alethkar, back when we’d first been united. He began following them shortly before he died.” Dalinar grew hesitant. “Those were odd days, son. Jasnah and I weren’t sure what to think of the changes in Gavilar." (WoK 15) “It’s a quote,” Dalinar said. “From an ancient book called The Way of Kings. Gavilar favored readings from the volume near the end of his life – he spoke to me of it often." (WoK 15) He found himself remembering a day when he stood with his brother beside the Impossible Falls of Kholinar. Things are different, now, Dalinar, Gavilar had said. I see now, in ways I never did before. I wish I could show you what I mean. It had been three days before his death. (WoK 26) Warning Eshonai: “His interest could benefit you, but it could have an equal cost. Do not be so quick to share your stormshelter with men you just barely met. Don’t offend, but also don’t be too quick to bend. Any new recruit needs to learn both lessons. In this case, I’d suggest politeness – but care. Do not let him back you into a corner. He will respect you if you stand up for yourselves. And whatever you do, don’t give him any reason to decides he wants what you have.” (RoW 57) Noting Gavilar's frequent absences in later years: Things had been going better lately. Dalinar had started controlling his vices; he’d confined his drinking to monthly trips away from Kholinar, visiting outer cities. He said the trips were to let Elhokar practice ruling without Dalinar looking over his shoulder, as Gavilar had been spending more and more time abroad. (OB 105) Jasnah Gavilar, who would speak with such quiet intensity that you wanted to lean in and listen, to catch every word and implication. He was a handsome man, unlike his brother, with a beard that outlined his strong jaw rather than covering it. He had a personal magnetism and intensity that Jasnah felt no biographer had yet managed to convey. (WoR Prologue) On the Parshendi: “The longer he remained in the Unclaimed Hills, the more fascinated by the Parshendi he became.” (WoK 45) "just before leaving to return to Alethkar, my father suddenly began talking fervently of the need for an agreement.” (WoK 36) Changes toward the end "When he returned, I was encouraged by his interest; we spent many evenings talking about his discoveries. It was one of the few times when I felt I really connected with my father.” (WoK 45) “You are coming to see how my father’s personality changed during those months, and that means you are digging deeply. Believe it or not, few others have caught the discrepancy you just did – though many do note his later changes, once he returned to Kholinar.” (WoK 45) Navani Beyond that, there was an air of … distortion around Gavilar. Nothing supernatural or nonsensical. It was just that … well, you accepted that Gavilar could do whatever he wanted, in defiance of any tradition or logic. For him, it would work out. It always did. (RoW Prologue) She might be the things he said, but he was no more than a backwater thug with too much luck and a knack for fooling good men into following him. (RoW Prologue) All Gavilar cared about was his legacy. He wanted to be known as a great king, a great leader. That drive had always pushed him, but it was growing into something else lately. He kept asking: Would he be remembered as Alethkar’s greatest king? Could he compete with his ancestors, men such as the Sunmaker? (RoW Prologue) Their arguments grew worse and worse. She knew he was not this man, the one he showed her lately. He wasn’t like this when he spoke to Dalinar, or to Sadeas, or even – usually – to Jasnah. (RoW Prologue) What she didn’t feel was grief. His death was meaningful, but it didn’t mean anything to her. Other than perhaps a way for her children to never have to learn what he’d become. (RoW Prologue) During Gavilar’s last days, he had gone strange. Few knew how dark he’d grown, but they had seen the eccentricity. Jasnah had written about that, of course. (OB 104) Gavilar was not the man everyone thought him to be. I was fond of him, but he –” (WoK 61) “Gavilar is dead,” Navani said, resting her head back against his chest. “ I was never unfaithful while he lived, though the Stormfather knows I had ample reason. (WoK 61) Jasnah loved secrets. Navani was more wary of them. Secrets had turned Gavilar into … whatever it was he’d been at the end. (RoW 9) Sometimes she missed him. At least the man he had once been, when they’d all schemed together as youths, planning to conquer the world. That was the face he’d continued to show most everyone else after he’d started to change. (RoW 65) Sadeas “That book ruined Gavilar." (WoK 26) To Dalinar after betraying him: "Gavilar died because of his weakness. I wanted to attack the Parshendi from the start, conquer them. He insisted on a treaty, which led to his death. Now you’re starting to act just like him. Those same ideas, the same ways of speaking. Through you they begin to infect Elhokar. He dresses like you. He talks of the Codes to me, and of how perhaps we should enforce them through all the warcamps. He’s beginning to think of retreating.” (WoK 69) Elhokar (all from his conversation with Dalinar in WoK 18) “You sound like him, you know,” Elhokar said, turning back to look eastward again. “Near the end. When he began to act … erratically.” “this is much like how he was. Talking about an end to war, fascinated by the Lost Radiants, insisting everyone follow the Codes…” “He grew weak at the end,” Elhokar said. “Everyone knows it “My father started refusing duels, near the end." Ialai (to Shallan on what Gavilar was after) “Ah, nebulous ‘power.’ No, it is more specific than that. Most of the Sons of Honor simply wanted their gods back, but Gavilar saw more. He saw entire worlds…” Aesudan (all from her conversation w/Elhokar & Kaladin in OB 84) “Oh Elhokar,” the queen was saying. “You were ever so oblivious. Your father had grand plans, but you … all you ever wanted to do was sit in his shadow. It was for the best that you went off to play war.” “I continued your father’s work! I found the secret, Elhokar. Spren, ancient spren. You can bond with them!” “Have you seen my Radiants?” Aesudan asked. She grinned. “The Queen’s Guard? I’ve done what your father could not. Oh, he found one of the ancient spren, but he could never discover how to bond it. But I, I have solved the riddle.” Nale (RoW 77) “So, Gavilar’s plan is working. The fool. He will destroy us all.” Nale sneered, a sudden and unexpected burst of emotion. “That foolish idiot of a man. He lures us with promises, then breaks them by seeking that which I told him was forbidden! Yes. I heard it tonight. The proof I need. I know. I know….” Finally, Gavilar, in his own words (limited to lines where he at least hints at what he's up to) To Navani in the RoW Prologue “I deal in secrets you could not handle, Navani. If you knew the scope of what I’ve begun…” “Greatness will define me, Navani. No mediocre effort by someone like Dalinar or my son could undermine that – and I personally doubt Elhokar could rise to even mediocre.” "Write whatever you want about me. Say it, shout it, proclaim it. I will outlive your accusations, and my legacy will persist. I have discovered the entrance to the realm of gods and legends, and once I join them, my kingdom will never end. I will never end.” To Eshonai in the WoR Prologue “Our enslaved parshmen were once like you. Then we somehow robbed them of their ability to undergo the transformation. We did it by capturing a spren. An ancient, crucial spren.” He looked at her, green eyes alight. “I’ve seen how that can be reversed. A new storm that will bring the Heralds out of hiding. A new war.” “The old Words must be spoken again.” "My people need to be united, and I need an empire that won’t simply turn to infighting once I am gone.” “I seek for an end to something that we never finished. My people were Radiant once, and your people – the parshmen – were vibrant. Who is served by this drab world where my people fight each other in endless squabbles, without light to guide them, and your people are as good as corpses?” To Taravangian (according to Taravangian) Just as the Diagram instructed, Taravangian was king of Jah Keved. He had taken the first major step toward unifying the world, as Gavilar had insisted would need to happen if they were to survive.That was, at least, what the visions had proclaimed. Visions Gavilar had confided in him six years ago, the night of the Alethi king’s death. Gavilar had seen visions of the Almighty, who was also now dead, and of a coming storm. To Szeth in the WoK Prologue “I … expected you … to come” “You can tell … Thaidakar … that he’s too late…” “Then who …? Restares? Sadeas? I never thought …” “The Parshendi? That makes no sense.” Gavilar coughed, hand quivering, reaching toward his chest and fumbling at a pocket. He pulled out a small crystalline sphere tied to a chain. “You must take this. They must not get it.” He seemed dazed. “Tell … tell my brother … he must find the most important words a man can say…” PART FOUR: WRAPPING THINGS UP; REMAINING QUESTIONS Phew. That ... got away from me. Thanks for sticking around if you're still reading. In the course of doing this deep dive, I think I've convinced myself that Gavilar began receiving the visions from the Stormfather, and probably started experimenting with moving Light, before he went on the expedition where he encountered the Listeners (which was in early-ish 1166). Pulling off the transfer of Voidlight doesn't really seem like the kind of thing that would be easy, so it probably took a while for him to figure it out, which also weighs in favor of it starting earlier rather than later. My best guess is that Gavilar started receiving the visons some time not too long before the spanreed message to Dalinar in OB 66. I'm guessing the visions were the source of the "important revelations" he mentioned. It seems weird that he would receive them that early and be on the Bondsmith path longer than Dalinar, but never form a bond. But maybe something was standing in the way. Maybe something like ... Axindweth? Speaking of Axindweth, I'm also fairly certain that she was a major driving force in Gavilar's planning. Some big questions that remain for me: What the heck did Aesudan mean when she said that Gavilar "found one of the ancient spren?" I know that before RoW came out, lots of people thought that either the sphere he gave Eshonai or the one he gave Szeth housed an Unmade. That clearly wasn't the case. Did he really find an Unmade? If so, which one and where the heck is it now? (best guess is Yelig-nar I suppose) Also, what's up with the blue marbles that replaced Gavilar's eyes before he was Soulcast? I've gone back through all the Prologues, and neither of his eyes were damaged. Why did the Soulcaster refer to his eyes as the only part of him that was true? That scene, coupled with Gavilar's line to Dalinar three days before his death (Things are different, now, Dalinar, Gavilar had said. I see now, in ways I never did before. I wish I could show you what I mean) really has me thinking about the "two blind men" stuff and wondering if Gavilar will end up being one of them. And the biggie: Did he really die? If he did, was he Invested enough that he was able to stick around as a cognitive shadow? If so, which Shard's Investiture was it? And where is he now? Gah! Can't believe we have to wait until 2023 to get some answers.

(https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/dragonsteel/the-way-of-kings-10th-anniversary-leatherbound-edition/posts/3172656?ref=ksr_email_backer_project_update_registered_users)

We all think that Gavilar chose Aesudan to confide in for some manipulative or secretive reason, but could the truth be somewhat simpler? What if Gavilar was having an affair? What if all that he confided in Aesudan was their pillow-talk? Now mind you, I HATE this theory. I utterly LOATHE it. A different book series that I like did this, and it was an awful twist in my opinion. But it makes a weirdly appropriate amount of sense here, more-so than it could ever do in the other series. Aesudan may want to be the Queen, but so long as she's married to Elhokar that will happen in time. For now, she has the attention and "affection" (barf) of the real king. She also knows about Gavinor's dealings due to some pillow-talk by Gavilar (who needed someone to brag to), and uses his connections to become involved with some of the conspiracies after his death. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go try not to vomit and take, like, thirty showers... Other notes: I had a connected theory that Gavinor was Gavilar's son and not Elhokar's, but the timeline doesn't really add up. THANK ADONALSIUM IT DOESN'T ADD UP.

Hey everyone! It’s been so great meeting some of you at JordanCon 2021! Got introduced to Sanderson through Mistborn a few years ago and then read Elantris, Warbreaker, Emperor’s Soul, the Rithmatist, Stormlight, etc… and have been hooked ever since. I hear music in colors, love to compose music, my order is 100000% a Lightweaver (even though I wouldn’t admit they to myself at first), my favorite character is Sigzil and if there ever was a live adaptation of the Stormlight Archives my dream would be to portray Sigzil. Not sure how this site works yet but hope to learn in the coming future

Oh I’ve played plenty of games, I grew up on Ultimate Werewolf. I’m new to the forum, not mafia And from what I’ve delightedly learned, is that honest players are much more likely to have things go their way than those that lie and manipulate. Because no one will trust you, even when you’re telling the truth. Don’t you dare that’s against server Rule 5: Be Nice To Quill

Frost is on Yolen, and he had to be sent a letter from Hoi(who was on Roshar) Via interplanetary mail. I'm guessing that this is a joke.

These arrived last week with my box-o-swag, and wow are they ever gorgeous! Better than I had even imagined, and top quality materials too. I was even impressed with the box: the top opens like you'd expect, but the bottom is glued together - - this means that when you put the cards back in the box (to keep them nice, of course!), there's no edge for them to catch on & the whole deck slides straight in to the bottom. Classy. Question: Who is the other Joker card, apart from Wit? It's probably obvious, but I am stumped with that one - thanks for your help!

Edgedanncer and Technoblade

I'm not sure that makes sense, especially in the case of Gavinor. And a traitor to whom? Dalinar isn't really an Alethi nobleman anymore. He's not an Alethi Highprince, as that title went to Adolin; nor is he in line for the throne, since he gave that up to be Highking of Urithiru. Basically, Dalinar doesn't have dual citizenship, so him thinking of Gavinor as a traitor (if that's how you're interpreting it) doesn't make sense. Heck, a more pragmatic character like Jasnah may even approve of the decision, since Gavinor would get the throne regardless of who wins. (And yes, she'd clearly want Honor to win and would probably kill a child not related to her own family to ensure that, but having someone you can influence and use to ensure a more liberal, shall we say, future is far from the worse outcome.) In terms of innocence...I think there's leeway there. Look at it like the girl that Adolin gave the sword to. She wasn't innocent, but she also had a reason behind her actions. Both should be taken into account. If Gavinor becomes Odium's Champion in order to - in his mind and reasoning at the moment (i.e. win back his kingdom and save his people), that should be taken into account as much as becoming the Champion is. Besides, innocence and victimhood aren't mutually exclusive - Gavinor can be a victim, and in being so, have that take away his innocence. (Not unlike the phenomena where kids with rough childhoods become bullies. And Gavinor has had quite the childhood so far...) To judge the action without the intent is like looking at spoilers for a movie. A man may be killed, but if it being a result of self-defense is ultimately a different story than it being one of vengeance. That doesn't mean there aren't consequences for either (or shouldn't be), but it doesn't mean they should be punished as harsh as possible either. I disagree with this. I think that would be Dalinar's first instinct, but I think he'd pull through and ultimately swear an Ideal. Definitely not the exact words, but maybe something along the lines of "I will unify others, even if I must sacrifice my life" or "I will use my death to bring people together, as I did in life." Swear an Oath, switch some Connection, and bam - you've got a new outcome. You may be forgetting that Dalinar bargained with Rayse. Taravangian is far more willing to let such things slide in order to achieve the results he wants. Although Rayse had his moments, like forcing Dalinar to relive all the pain and horror he enacted upon the world as The Blackthorn in order to convince the Bondsmith to refuse responsibility and give into Odium. Or when he manipulated Kaladin's Connection to Moash in order to send nightmares and terrible visions Kaladin's way, as a plan to corrupt the Windrunner. What makes you think that Taravangian won't do those sorts of things? That he won't play Good Cop and Bad Cop in order to convince Gavinor to become his Champion?

Excellent theory here. You really go into the weeds on a lot of details and I could pick at some of those, but the idea that Roshar has gem qualities that trap shards runs parallel to my own thoughts. More on that later though, first I'll respond to some of the discussion in the comments. Someone else brought this up, but where does the idea that Honor's tone has shifted? When would this shift have occurred? What is the evidence? Its an interesting concept that could have really cool implications but I want more support before I use it for further theorizing. Here's something I wrote on that subject for a theory I'll link later: The Rosharan system resonates with the "pure tones" of the three shards involved with the system, and consdering WoB is that "the moons existed before the gods came" I think it's likely that those "pure tones" of Roshar, tuned specifically for those shards were there beforehand too. Hold up. The 1,000 years was in the original written terms, but not in the final terms. Those just say "bound to the system." It sounds permanent. The exchange was basically just for control of Alethkar and Herdaz. There is a fantastic theory here that the Unmade were originally the spren of the major cities of Roshar that have the cymatic patterns. Ok, done with my thoughts on the comments. Your theory actually has some things in common with my own theory here that Aldonasium created/engineered Roshar to be a shard trap, specifically for these 3 shards. I even said: I didn't however consider that the planet is a literal gemstone. Although I also concluded that forcing the shards to integrate is the purpose of the planet.

Great clues! 1. This character was innocent.

the plate is happy to be plate while the shardblades are not. Imo it sould only take a few people or a herald working on behalf of spren to reduce the number of shardblades. Additionally there may just be different survivorship patterns for example if somebody doesnt know you carry a blade then shoves you off a cliff, you die and your blade is covered by crem for years. Whereas if you have a plate not only is that known but its more likely you'll live to pass it on. Recall that when Sadeus died they still had his plate but his sword was not found until much later.

Yes Gavinor would be formally a traitor, but my point is that what matters is Dalinar perception: could he really think of Gavinor as an enemy and not an innocent? Could Dalinar really believe that killing a child is an honorable mean to his goal? I personally don't believe Dalinar could justify to himself Gavinor sacrifice, but it's just my opinion and I could be wrong. P.S. I also believe that facing Gavinor as Odium champion, Dalinar would simply surrender and lose the contest. Even if he is loosing himself and Alethkar, at least he is achieving and buying time for the Radiants, also hoping that Kaladin and Ishar could do something to limit Odium influence.

There's only 10 surge for 16 shards

Lin Davar? (And not that gracious, I was just preparing the clues for my next run, which happend to be Marsh... have to find a new one now. )

Aww, if I come out of retirement for one of your games, remind me to RP in them

I’m also going to have to go Alvron.[/color] I’d rather make a choice and be wrong and own up to it, rather than just sit by idly and leave it to a roll of the dice. Plus, it’s hard to believe anything Alvron says. Especially when they’re whole profile talks about how they’re a successful master manipulator. They’ve talked about having bananas, but they also told me they already have a durian in their stomach in out PM, so we’ll see if either of those are true I suppose. I’m sure there’s a minor bit of truth to their messages, all the best lies are built around truth. But they also monologue like a movie villain about why they must be innocent and that just sits wrong with me. Edit: ooc: color formatting please why, I’ll fix this on my computer in the morning, mobile my despised. Edit 2: I just want you all to know this is Biplet’s fault I copied the code from her any and all issues are Not My Fault

Poke, poke, poke, Stab! Kinda like duck, duck, goose, except the SE murder variety.

I'm not sure if this has any bearing on the reasoning but if a zinc ferring were in a field of science and that same ferring were applying mental speed to their specific field of study it could/would progress at a pretty quick rate. It could be that there simply aren't enough zinc ferrings to ensure each field of study is getting the same amount of invested brainpower dumped into it. Not only could it be a lack of zinc ferrings but I dont believe that being able to store into zinc actually means that you think better... your brain doesn't magically know the sciences that you want it to when you tap. It simply allows you to think faster on subjects you are already familure with. That isn't to say you couldn't use it to learn faster... but a zinc ferring who spent their life studying / working on making a car wouldn't be able to suddenly tap zinc and have the ability to make massive leaps in biology. I guess there could also be a much simpler answer too... because Brandon likes the world with these aspects at this time.

@Pagerunner I asked Isaac if: He RAFOd this, then WAFOd (Watch And Find Out). So I guess we’ll find out eventually.

Three Days Earlier Kade lunged for the portal his prey target had stepped through, but it closed just behind him. He looked up at the sun - it was just past noon. That must be when the portal opens, thought Em. Kade sighed. I can wait. Sure you can. Kade transformed into a leopard and settled down on the ground for a short nap. * Kade awoke to a twig snapping behind him. Before his assailant could react, he-- * Kade awoke. He was chained to a wall in a cell, surrounded by metal on all sides. He tried changing into a leopard so he could slip through the chains, but they just adjusted to fit his skinnier arms and legs. He growled, changing back into human form, as an invisible door opened in the wall, and a cloaked human with long, dark brown hair stepped in to the room, holding a vicious-looking knife. "Tell me," the human said in a deep, raspy voice, "where is your base of operations?" Kade growled and tried to swipe at the man with his claws, but his chains were too short. The man smiled and held his knife to Kade's chest. * Neither Kade nor Em were familiar with torture. They'd both experienced their fair share of pain while sparring (and fighting) with Concerto and other Amal, but had never been in a situation where they were in great amounts of pain for a prolonged amount of time. Kade tried to tell himself that he wasn't giving in because of his loyalty to the Amal, but Em pointed out that the only reason he hadn't given in yet was that these people did not seem like they were the type to let Kade live after they'd gotten the information they needed. Kade didn't know how long he had been in the cell, but when an escape attempt appeared, he seized it. His captor leaned in a bit too close, and Kade grabbed him by the hair with one of his hands, then kicked him in the stomach, leaving him gasping for air. Kade then proceeded to grab the keys from the man's pocket and unlock his chains. He had no problem sneaking out of his cell, and the building he was being kept in, without being noticed. He killed one of the guards and took his wallet, as he'd need money for a healer once he found a settlement near the Forest the building was in. He was losing a substantial amount of blood, and had no supplies other than the clothes on his back. He would have used his shirt as a makeshift bandage, but his wounds were spread across a greater area than that could cover. Fortunately, Kade spotted a settlement just twenty minutes or so away from the building. He changed his features so that he'd look completely human - he usually liked to keep Em's ears, tail, and teeth when in human form - and walked in.

QF54: Day One - A Rendezvous With Destiny Orders came in from the new king. We were to march south. Not to the mountain passes that would defend the green slopes and mines of Idris from Hallendren incursion. We were to journey beyond that, into Hallendren-controlled territory. Into thick jungles that had been largely uncharted since the founding of old Hanald. By all accounts, the Chedesh tried, of course. They launched expeditions into the jungle. The jungle swallowed them all up. Every last one of them. In the end, they staked their claim on the bay of the Inner Sea, and built T’Telir along the shoreline. But the jungle still called to them. Tantalised them. They sent more expeditions in, seeking to conquer its expanse. Eventually, men returned, speaking of the flowers that grew deep in the jungle. Flowers of all sorts of bright colours, that when treated, made dyes that held fast no matter the cloth, that were more vivid than those of other plants. Today, Hallendren’s wealth is built on the dye trade. On these carefully-cultivated flowers, these Tears of Edgli. This was, of course, why our orders were to burn the Hallendren dye fields to the ground. The map we had intercepted from the Hallendren assassins in Bevalis contained crucial intelligence about the location of the dye fields. General Yarda had deployed some of his best scouts to identify the landmarks sketched out in the map. Our immediate objective was to rendezvous with them in the field, and then carry on with the mission. Any aid or intelligence, any information these scouts knew about the lay of the jungle would be critical to the success of our mission. And in turn, every last one of us who had been selected or volunteered for the mission knew that the future and continued existence of Idris hung in the balance. We were soldiers, loyal Idrians all. Sworn to bleed and to die for Idris, if we must. Or so we thought. They discovered the first body on the fifth day. What is it? Wryn signed. Kalsin frowned. They had been following the trail signs laid down painstakingly by the Idrian scouts who had gone before them. Kalsin had begun to suspect something was wrong, though he kept his thoughts to himself for the moment. A glance at Wryn showed the captain’s eyes narrowed in suspicion. The first set of trail signs had led them to a ravine, where the packhorses had nearly spooked. He’d assumed that the trail signs had been adjusted a little, perhaps by curious wildlife—he’d heard enough of the monkeys in the Hallendren jungle—but that didn’t explain the thick patch of mud, enough to mire a few of the horses. Or the fire ants. Or the time they’d lost circling back to make sure the markers were right. This was the lowlands, but Idrian trackers were trained to leave stable but subtle markers. Something about it felt wrong to him. Kalsin could not believe that scouts would make such mistakes, or fail to consider the needs of the following expedition. He knelt by the bole of the vine-strangled tree as the captain called the squad to a halt. He glanced at them with a frown. Privately, Kalsin found himself with his doubts about the integrity of the expedition. The jungle was not the place for a good horse, but the quartermaster Variel had insisted on bringing Dexan along. And then there was Taidon, a humble farmer, which he only supposed Wryn had selected in the event they needed someone who knew his way around the Hallendren dye fields. He wrestled with whether to argue with the decision. But Wryn was in charge of the expedition; Kalsin answered to him. It was pride, Kalsin decided, that made him question the worth of the other soldiers. General Yarda had not sent his handpicked elite. Instead, he’d deferred to Wryn’s judgement. Austre forgive him, it was not his place to think himself better, more worthy, than the others. And yet, Kalsin questioned Wryn’s judgement often enough. He thought of it as his job. Someone had to be the voice of reason here. They’d argued about that. Kalsin had wanted Wryn to draw from the ranks of the Copper Shields, the very best General Yarda had to offer. One Shield was worth five Lifeless, in Kalsin’s eyes, and a whole lot less blasphemous. He had always thought to see Wryn raised to the ranks of the Shields one day. “No,” Wryn had said, then. “Won’t work.” “Whyever not?” In response, Wryn raised an eyebrow and glanced meaningfully at the door and windows. “Even in the palace?” Kalsin demanded, aghast. “They killed King Gamlin,” Wryn said. “One does not simply kill a king.” “They were Awakeners,” Kalsin argued. He could imagine such blasphemies enabling them to slip past the guardsmen unnoticed and murder the king’s father in his sleep. Austre watch over us, Austre protect us, Austre call us home, he thought, as his thoughts went back to the terrible killing. “Awakeners are men. Die like men,” Wryn said. “No, think about it. The guards detected nothing. They knew where to find the king. They slipped into Bevalis without drawing attention. Bevalis, where you can’t sell a goat without being the subject of the day’s gossip. They had a safehouse. All of which points to careful groundwork and planning.” Kalsin couldn’t deny that there was sense in assuming that Hallendren had managed to severely compromise Idrian assets. He just wasn’t sure the answer was to select a complete mix of soldiers and whoever happened to show up at the palace and knock on Wryn’s door when the call went out. The scouts, at least, were some of Idris’s best trackers. Kalsin knew: he’d trained with them. Tracking in the heights though, was different from the lowland jungle. The heat raised a sheen of sweat on his skin, and the jungle seemed determined to resist their passage. There were paths, cut painstakingly over decades or even centuries by the Pahn Kahl; Wryn had elected to steer clear. Wise, Kalsin thought. The last thing they needed was the Hallendren seeing them coming. He frowned up at the very dead scout. Wilsa, he thought her name was. One of the best, with a tenacity that was legendary among the Idrian trackers. Dead now, tied up with vines, and her throat gaping. Not much blood here. She’d died elsewhere. She’d been dead for a while. Kalsin could tell that, too. He saw small squirming movement in the corpse and did not avert his gaze. She deserved as much. She’d done her best, and made the ultimate sacrifice for Idris, and Austre had called her home. Wryn let out a long breath as he took in the scene. “I don’t think this is what I was expecting,” he said, neutrally. Kalsin scoffed. “Pretty sure I wasn’t expecting this, either,” he said, lightly. “Figured it’d be a few wet miserable weeks in the jungle, we torch some plants, and we’re home and heroes. Doesn’t look like the Hallendren are going to make it that easy for us, I suppose.” “Yeah,” said Wryn, with a frown. “I don’t think so. Find us a place to make camp, some distance from here.” “Really?” “If she’s dead, who’s leaving the trail signs?” Wryn wanted to know. “Who’s changing the markers around? Someone doesn’t want the expedition to succeed, and I’d rather we not blunder about into the dark. Man can walk into a knife that way. Would be a pretty unpleasant way for the mission to end.” The trees rose all about them, impenetrable, dense, and forbidding. It was so noisy: wildlife chattering, and the call of birds, though always at a distance. Their presence ensured that the animals were kept at bay, though Kalsin had no doubt they’d have to worry about predators at night. Someone didn’t want the mission to succeed, Kalsin thought, and he met Wryn’s eyes. His thoughts went back to what they’d talked about, that day in the palace. Suborned Idrians. As awful, as unthinkable as the thought was, their mission had been clandestine enough. The selected soldiers hadn’t known of what was coming until after they had been selected, and General Yarda had briefed them all personally, in secret. Which meant that some of them were spies, in the pay of Hallendren. Or even worse: were Hallendren. Were soul-stealers, perhaps. Kalsin shuddered. Austre watch over us, he thought again, even as he went to see to Wryn’s orders. There had been a decent clearing a short while ago, near a quiet stream. He’d made a mental note of it. That might do, for the night. And then they’d work out what their next move was. “Do you ever wonder why we can’t remember, Hera?” “Being Returned by the Iridescent Tones is...an unusual experience, your Grace. I couldn’t say for sure, but it’s not uncommon for Returned to experience some curiosity about their past.” “I wonder, sometimes. I know, you all say it’s visions of the future, and premonitions, but I can’t help but wonder if what I’m seeing in my dreams are really glimpses of the past. Some form of memory, maybe. Mist, rising on a lake. Trees and ferns, jungle so dense you had to hack your way through with a sword… Are you really taking this down again, Hera?” “Your Grace, you know the theological position on this.” “Bah. Have it your way, Hera.” The cycle has begun and will end on at 2300hrs SGT (GMT+8) on the 17th July! Please be reminded that PMs are open and should include the GM. Do not include the IM as she doesn't want to be included Also, all relevant role PMs have been sent as I'm low-effort this game. If you have not received a PM from me by this point, you are Idrian.

Wow, congratulations y'all! That's so cool.

Kyson stood at attention, flanking the grand hall with his fellow knights. Or, what remained of them, as some had died in the bloodbath the day before, and others had fled amidst the chaos. He suppressed yet another sigh at thinking about it. No use dwelling. Put it away, move on. That's what he did. That's how you became a good knight. Hopefully tonight would be uneventful. After the chaos of the fight, he couldn't imagine even more chaos. It seemed unfair. Of course, Hylia didn't care about fairness. Kyson squeezed his eyes shut as a continuous shout from the next hall over grew louder as the messenger ran. He stumbled into the grand hall, shouting, blubbering, face white as a sheet."B-body in the hall! Body in the hall! Oh goddess Hylia above, oh three golden, oh--" his face drained of all color, and he collapsed forward, unconscious. Kyson sighed and stalked out of the grand hall, flanked by his fellow knights. The body wasn't too far from the grand hall, tucked into a corner. But as he approached it, Kyson's hair stood on end. There was no blood. Certainly, the person was dead, whoever they were, but the distinct absence of blood made his skin crawl. Had someone moved the body and dumped it here? With a sigh, he knelt to observe it. There was something supremely inhuman about the way it looked. Not a drop of blood to be found, limbs bent in weird ways but not as if broken, rather as if they just functioned that way. A single stab wound in the chest was the only injury he could find. Kyson shuddered. What in the world? He stood and, once again flanked by his fellow knights, left the body in the hall, guarded by some others, to go report it to the proper authorities.   Ashbinger has been kill! They were a Hyrulean Postman. There will be a removal during this Day turn. There is no vote minimum (though no one is removed if no one votes), and tied votes result in a random tied player getting removed. This turn will end at 9:30 am CDT on Sunday, July 18th. Player List: PMs should be sent out already.

Welcome!

Granite Oakenwey was not a normal boy. This was something he'd always known, ever since Father had chastised him for torturing little animals (a habit both his step-mother and birth mother had found amusing) as a young boy. He'd later come to understand that his big sister wasn't "normal" either and as he looked back on it, he'd realized this his parents were even more not normal than their offspring. Things breaking around Rose all the time? Father having eyes of pure white? Mother never messy or tired or unkempt? Granite possessing a natural athletic ability greater than that of a normal human? No, none of that was normal in any sense. The realization had quickly become an obsession and just days ago he had finally gone into the world for answers. Caden and Riva - his surrogate parents - would miss him and so would his troubled older sister. But this was far larger and more important than them. They'd understand. And even if they didn't, he wasn't the type to give a damn. He picked at his food contentedly, sipping a fizzy, fruity refreshment that his waiter had called soda. Granite had never had anything like it in all of his fifteen years. In many ways, actually, the whole town felt something like this drink - strange and new, yet pleasant. Everything here was so radically different from the small cottage in the woods he'd grown up in. Massive estates made of brick climbed over hills outside and some children were playing at a park. Did people really live so close together out in the real world? And the clothing here... so odd. So wonderful. Perhaps he liked it as much as he did here because it was as strange as he was. Not a bad place to look for his mother if he did say so himself; if she was out there, it would not be anywhere normal. All in all, looking about made Granite realize just how much he had missed growing up in the Praetorium household. It was a sobering thought. This whole time, all of T H I S had existed and he'd never been allowed more than a few miles from home? It seemed such a waste and his adventurous soul shuddered at all his lost time. Sorry, Pops, he thought with conviction, but I'm never going back. Hopefully he had enough spark in him to find where he came from.

I love the openness and transparency with the data!

I agree this will be Szeth watching Shinovar get wrecked and the sea flooding in. I think it will be from Division being used at large scale to wreak the mountains and perhaps the land which will allow the sea to flood in. I don't think there will be another storm that covers everything though. I think we've seen what this one refers to already. The storm that never stops is referring to the Everstorm as in forever, never stopping. Like a mistranslation from a dying person not fully understanding what they are witnessing. I think this reaction of "he has won" is very similar to the Stormfather's reaction after the Everstorm comes at the end of WoR. This most likely refers to the Unmade taking over the palace in Kholinar during OB. There is a dome of gloom that covers the palace.

We’ve also been told that that Shard’s Intent is only tangentially related to that, so it’s not a Survival Shard. More likely something mostly unrelated but similar in concept to Preservation where it wants to survive, but not as it’s primary Intent.

Why you shouldn't try to Soulcast missiles.

Yeah, I opined in one of the older topics that the Gol and especially the Viglix were likely mentioned to establish their existence (particularly the latter who have no onscreen appearance or further mention) so that Brandon could use them in future books that never got written. We also get mention of human cultures who play no direct role in the story and might have been set up for later, particularly the Seaborn; About the only things we know of them are that they live on islands south of Mahallen, have dark skin and apparently make nice rugs. There is a mention that they commonly raid the southern shores of Mahallen in the spring, which sounds like a setup especially since the Imperium is being run out of there at the end of the book. The Harrmen are similarly a background element (though the impact their raiding has on Kavir makes them an important one) and would probably have been explored more in the obviously set up sequel had it ever been written. When the Former is giving everyone a history lesson, he mentions how his sons tried to create weapons to fight each other and each time, the one twisted the other's creation in some way to neutralize the danger it posed. The Gol were created by Makkal to be super-soldiers, then Agaris twisted them by giving them the minds they had originally lacked and a love of beauty, ruining their effectiveness as soldiers. Later Agaris created a virus that sterilized anyone infected (with no other effects or outward signs) and Makkal twisted it to also cause visible discoloration of the skin which made it obvious who was infected. The descendants of those people became the Shentis. Well, not literally descendants but you know what I mean. The Viglix aren't mentioned here so it's possible they existed before Makkal and Agaris started competing for control of Vaeria, or they might have been another of one brother's creations and the Former simply didn't think he needed to list all of them. They were kind of pressed for time after all.

Not enough Kaladin chasing nodes!