RonaldinhoReagan

Interesting theory but I feel like some of the conversation has kind of poked holes in it. If Bo-Ado-Mishram (BAM) was trapped in a gemstone then why would they just be free to roam out onto Hoid's hand from the wall? Furthermore why would it be a Cryptic? That doesn't at all fit the established theme of the Unmade. I think this evidence definitely points towards BAM being present in Kholinar, at least prior to Gavilar's assassination; his access to voidlight is a strong indicator. But I don't think the spren in the wall is one in the same. If you recall, it was trembling after escaping with Hoid. Why would it be scared of the Fused if it was their Unmade commander, and why would it go with Hoid rather than wait to be found by it's supposed own soldiers? With Navani mentioning late in OB that Gavilar had made something similar to King's Drop, it sounds much more like it's prison was elsewhere. While I think the black spheres are spheres of voidlight, perhaps the one he gives to Szeth (notably on a chain instead of being loose) was BAM's prison. It was the only one he seemed scared of falling into the wrong hands. As Windrunner said in this thread, the rest he gave out "like party favors".

I hear where you are coming from but allow me to play devil's advocate. You mention how they are seen in jewelry, but never do you hear of individual gems being used in exchange for goods or services. It is always metal. So even if they exist and have obvious value, it is still at least slightly out of place in Straff's safe with atium and boxings. I'm not trying to say "Oh it's definitely spheres", but this is a forum for theories and I believe it's worth acknowledging the possibility.

Your last 2 points are very thought provoking. I can't recall gems of any kind ever being mentioned in Mistborn, even amongst the nobility. Metal was always the focus of value and of fashion. Nobles wore metals to balls as a gesture of confidence (and arrogance). And though we have no way of knowing how long the potential spheres were in the safe, I think it's safe to say Brandon would not leave as overt a hint as infused spheres. Good catch, it's definitely plausible based of the little we know. I'm just curious what value dun spheres would have to anyone in House Venture, or Scadrial in general.

Interesting. If you get a chance to find the quote please share.

@bleeder Beauty is in the eye of the beholder

So you don't think the quote about Shai's ancestors suggests a connection between Devotion & Dominion's splintering and Soulstone? That says to me that Soulstone is a physical manifestation of Aona, Skai, or both's power. Personally, between that and the very specific description of dark red splotches, it's too much for me dismiss over verbiage. And again, unlike normal stones it can be cast to become as hard as quartz (and can no longer be carved). I'm no geologist but I can't think of any other rocks that can be cast like metal. I think everyone is getting too hung up on the word "stone".

It may not be metal in name, but it is described as material that is soft and moldable but then once casted becomes as hard as quartz and can't be carved anymore. Is it not possible that the material was improperly dubbed "stone" by Shai's ancestors if many of the other pieces of the puzzle fit?

@Argent I'm having trouble finding a specific quote from SoS or Bands where Bleeder's spike is described so the description from Coppermind will have to do. With reference from SoS they say it's made of "a silvery metal with a red cast to it, and dark red spots similar to rust." Soulstone fits this description in many ways. They both contain dark red spots, and the metal is described as having a cast. Soulstone has to be cast to turn it from soft and moldable into a hard metal i.e. when making a Soulstamp. Furthermore we know Bleeder's spike is made of a god metal, and as I stated earlier I believe it is evident that Soulstone is the god metal of one of both the Shards of Sel. To clarify, I don't think either Devotion or Dominion are Trell. I just believe their minions have access to the metal or "Trellium" from Sel. In other words, Trellium would be an improper title because whoever Trell is I do not think this god metal comes from them.

I probably should have taken a more step by step approach and stated that I believed it to be Aona or Skai's (or a combination of both) god metal before making the leap right to Trellium. However based on description and the likelihood that it is a god metal, I still believe it is too good a fit for Trellium to ignore. And are you sure Marasi or someone never refers to it as Trellium? I read Era 2 recently and thought they did at least once.

I just finished reading Emperor's Soul which was amazing. As I was reading through there was one thing that caught my attention and brought me back to Mistborn Era 2. On Day 97 (I think), Shai begins describing the appearance of Soulstone in detail for the first time. This immediately made me recall descriptions of the unknown metal Bleeder was using in Shadows of Self, which they later dubbed "Trellium". We know that it is not a common metal because Harmony could not recognize it, and it is widely believed to be a god metal like atium or lerasium but from a different Shard not native to Scadrial. Shai eludes to that as well a few sentences after on the same page. Seeing how we know Odium at some point before the Oathpact went to Sel and splintered Dominion and Devotion, that quote sounds like part of the result of that action. Those events on Sel have been described as cataclysmic so invested stone/metal raining from the sky afterwards seems to fit. I do not however think that means Devotion or Dominion are Trell; they are both splintered and their Vessels dead. It just means that the Set's "Faceless Immortals" have been on Sel or have other means of acquiring it. If the theory proves true, it would suggest that those "Faceless Immortals" are the same as the Svrakiss of the Derethi religion, and likely minions of Odium and/or his potential cohorts for the past however many millennia. Not to say that he is himself Trell, but I would be surprised if he wasn't involved regardless of his imprisonment on Braize. I have more in depth ideas about this latter part, but I am pretty confident that Soulstone is the god metal Trellium.

But on Sel, isn't the magic (the Dor) really a combination of both Dominion and Devotion being splintered? I don't see the pool from Elantris as specific to either Shard, and don't know of any other perpendicularities on Sel. Scadrial with the Well and the Pits of Hathsin I believe is the only world (at least Era 1) that has perpendicularities that are blatantly attuned to one specific Shard.

Well Edgedancers and Truthwatchers share the ability of Progression, which in my opinion seems the most inherent 'Cultivation' ability when compared to Abrasion (Edgedancers) or Illumination (Truthwatchers). That is part of why I am curious if cultivationspren may bond with both Orders. I may need to look back to the scene at the end of WoR where Renarin reveals he is a Radiant and has a spren.

Did anyone else feel Wyndle implied that he was originally going to be bonded to Ym? I thought that each order had a specific type of spren (i.e. honorspren, inkspren, liespren), but I seem to remember Wyndle stating he was supposed to be bonded to 'a nice cobbler from Iri' or something like that, which would obviously match Ym perfectly. But based off the combination of powers he was developing (Progression & Illumination) he appeared to be turning into a Truthwatcher, not an Edgedancer. Is it possible that cultivationspren can bond with both of these Orders? Or am I just misinterpreting what I read in Edgedancer completely? Sorry for no quote, I should probably be working instead of posting Stormlight questions...

Hi all. I'm new to the community but excited to be an active part of it. I've really fallen in love with the Cosmere in the last year and a half, and discussing theories and what not is half the fun. Currently I've read all of Stormlight thus far, Mistborn Eras 1 & 2, Warbreaker, Elantris, and am working my way through Arcanum having completed Emperor's Soul and Mistborn: Secret History first (because how could I not). I will probably read SH again on my way back through lol. Anyway I'm looking forward to postulating all sorts of crazy ideas with you all. You can also find me on Reddit and MTG Salvation as RonaldinhoReagan; I am new to both of those as well. Help me become less of an online community n00b!

Do we have any idea if the set could have existed prior to Mistborn Era 2? They are obviously extremely technologically advanced, wealthy and well connected (both on Scadrial and with their overseers Suit refers to as their own Faceless Immortals). It is also feasible that if they did exist prior to the Catacendre, some or all of their members could have survived in the storage caches. I'm just wondering if anyone can reference anything that points to the Set's (or their Faceless Immortals) existence during the original trilogy.