I have been wondering if anyone has really picked The Letter apart. I know that it has been theorized (and basically all but confirmed) that Hoid wrote it. I have not been able to find anything here, on the 17thshard site, where we go over some of the curious things inside the letter. I will quote the letter here as well as previously linked The Letter for referencing. Below will be the parts that I find very interesting and would like to know more/theorize about. I will quote each sentence for referencing so that everyone knows what part we are talking about.
I understand that a good portion of this may be redundant. I accept that as sometimes being redundant is necessary in research. I just want to try and figure out more with this letter.
1: Old friend, I hope this missive finds you well.
2: Though, as you are now essentially immortal, I would guess that wellness on your part is something of a given.
3: I realize that you are probably still angry.
4: That is pleasant to know.
5: Much as your perpetual health, I have come to rely upon your dissatisfaction with me.
6: It is one of the cosmere's great constants, I should think.
7: Let me first assure you that the element is quite safe.
8: I have found a good home for it.
9: I protect its safety like I protect my own skin, you might say.
10: You do not agree with my quest.
11: I understand that, so much as it is possible to understand someone with whom I disagree so completely.
12: Might I be quite frank?
13: Before, you asked why I was so concerned.
14: It is for the following reason: Ati was once a kind and generous man, and you saw what became of him.
15: Rayse, on the other hand, was among the most loathsome, crafty, and dangerous individuals I had ever met.
16: He holds the most frightening and terrible of all the Shards.
17: Ponder on that for a time, you old reptile, and tell me if your insistence on nonintervention holds firm.
18: Because I assure you, Rayse will not be similarly inhibited.
19: One need only look at the aftermath of his brief visit to Sel to see proof of what I say.
20: In case you have turned a blind eye to that disaster, know that Aona and Skai are both dead, and that which they held has been Splintered.
21: Presumably to prevent anyone from rising up to challenge Rayse.
22: You have accused me of arrogance in my quest.
23: You have accused me of perpetuating my grudge against Rayse and Bavadin.
24: Both accusations are true.
25: Neither point makes the things I have written to you untrue.
26: I am being chased.
27: Your friends of the Seventeenth Shard, I suspect.
28: I believe they're still lost, following a false trail I left for them.
29: They'll be happier that way.
30: I doubt they have any inkling what to do with me should they actually catch me.
31: If anything I have said makes a glimmer of sense to you, I trust that you'll call them off.
32: Or maybe you could astound me and ask them to do something productive for once.
33: For I have never been dedicated to a more important purpose, and the very pillars of the sky will shake with the results of our war here.
34: I ask again.
35: Support me.
36: Do not stand aside and let disaster consume more lives.
37: I've never begged you for something before, old friend.
38: I do so now.”
Line #1 implies that the author of this letter was at one point friends with the recipient. It also, partially implies that the bearer is not the author. I say this because it says "I hope this missive finds you well." I take this as "I don't know if I am or someone else is going to give this letter to you. Either way, I hope you get it.
Line #2 implies that the recipient is a god, a Shardholder, or in same way/shape/form immortal. This also implies that at one point in time, the recipient was not immortal. They acquired immortality. This leads me to believe they are a Shardholder more than anything else.
Line #3 implies that the recipient is angry with the author. This is hard to refute as the sentence that I wrote and the sentence on line #3 are nearly identical.
Line #4 implies that the author is happy to know that the recipient is (still) angry with the author. This could mean that the author did something to vex the recipient on purpose.
Line #5 implies a few things. This is especially true when taking into account line #4. This further states that the recipient is immortal or has the ability to have everlasting health. This does not imply that they are not invulnerable to dying by other means. The other thing that this line implies is that the author might have been a pupil/student of the recipient. This could also/rather imply that the author needs the recipient to still be wroth with the author. This could possibly be a necessity for a plan to be executed properly.
Line #6 baffles me slightly. This line could imply a multitude of things. This could mean that the recipients anger towards the author could actually have an effect on the cosmere. This also implies that there might/is more than one constant in the cosmere besides the anger from recipient to author.
Another thing that this line could imply is that over all of the cosmere the recipient has been angry with the author. With this idea in mind that could mean that the recipient has been traveling through/to all of the other cosmere worlds as well as the author. This might be slightly farfetched but I cannot rule this out just yet.
This line could also be just a play on words.
Line #7 is the line that really peaked my interested in dissecting The Letter. This line implies that there is something that the author has that is of value that the author is keeping safe. The author wants to reaffirm to the recipient that this is the case for the element. I have no clue what the element is but both of them do. And because they are "old friends" this could lead back to Adonalsium.
Line #8 implies (when coupled with line #7) that the element may or may not be with the author at the time of writing the letter. The home that the author found is a place that the author has the ability to keep safe as well as the element. This also implies that the element may or may not be in that home at the time of writing the letter. (The letter only says that the author has found a home and not that the element is in the home.)
Line #9 implies that the author is certain to protect the element (when coupled with line #7) like the author would protect their own life (or literally just their skin). To me, this implies that the element could be inside the author and that is the home and a way for the author to protect it as they would their own skin. This could mean a Shard or something else related to a Shard. Possibly a binder/core for the Shards, maybe?
Line #10 implies that the author knows for a fact that the recipient does not agree with the author's motives. This could be at the very core of why the recipient is angry with the author.
Line #11 implies (when coupled with line #10) that the recipient and the author disagree about something specifically. This could be, again, something from their past that changed their friendship. The disagreement is apparently complete in that there is no part of the disagreement, on either side, that either believes is flawed.
Line #12 implies that the author may or may not have been serious or not forward before this line. This could also just be that the author is wanting to ask a question straight forward without any wit or banter to construe it.
Line #13 is referring to a past time when the recipient noted that the author was concerned. Again this implies that they knew each other in the past. This could be at the time when they were friends or were not or even in the middle when the friendship was breaking.
Line #14 implies (when taking line #12 into consideration) that the reason for concern was what happened with another person that they both know. Ati. Apparently Ati was nice, at the time that both author and recipient knew Ati, but then something changed Ati into being not nice. This something could be an actual object or not. So far it is unclear.
Line #15 states that another person that both author and recipient knew, Rayse, had been dangerous and bad person as far as the author was concerned.
Line #16 implies (when taking into account line #15) that Rayse is in possession or was in possession, as far as the author is aware, of a Shard that could do fearful things. This does not necessarily mean it is the most powerful shard, just the most frightening. This also implies that the recipient may or may not know about Rayse holding this fearful Shard.
Line #17 implies that the author is bringing this information (when taking line #16 into account) to the recipients attention. This also suggests that the recipient is someone who has decided or is not taking any action against Rayse, or possibly Ati too, who could be doing something horrible. This also suggests that the author is trying to get the recipient to taking action or possibly change their view/standpoint on a situation. Lastly, this line could insinuate that the recipient is an actual reptile or is trying to insult or have a jape at the recipient. This is possible to force the recipient into action.
Line #18 implies (when taking line #17 into account) that Rayse was or is not inhibited in their own actions.
Line #19 is stating that Rayse had a part in some sort of occurrence on Sel. Also, this implies that Rayse only stayed on Sel for a short time and caused the occurrence before leaving.
Line #20 suggests that the recipient is refusing to hold or consider that Rayse did anything on Sel. This could be or that the recipient does not believe that Rayse is a bad person.
Also the author is stating that two other people, that which both author and recipient knew potential from when they were friends or thereafter, have died. There is an implication that these people, Aona and Skai were killed potentially by Rayse. In this line the author states that what they had was Splintered. Since we know that Shards can be Splintered then this is highly likely. What is uncertain is if Aona and Skai held one Shard between them or more than one. The author is bring this to the attention to the recipient as it might not be known to them and could help sway their judgment.
Line #21 implies that the author does not know specifically the reason why that object that Aona and Skai was Splintered. The author believes that the reasoning that potential Rayse Splintered the Shard(s) was to protect Rayse from being hindered in their objective. What Aona and Skai held apparently held either a power or intent that could equal Rayse’s own ability. It is either this or that if Aona and Skai held more than one Shard each then the power or ability between those two was able to stop or hinder Rayse.
Line #22 states that the author knows that the recipient thinks that the author is arrogant. This could be what stopped their friendship in the past. This could also be the focal point of what they disagree upon. The author is bringing up so that the recipient is aware that the author is aware of this still.
Line #23 implies that the recipient judged the author for the author’s actions or feelings toward both Rayse and Bavadin. Also the author is stating that the recipient did not agree with the continual feelings that the author had toward Rayse and/or Bavadin. Bavadin is potentially another person that they both knew in the past.
Line #24 is where the author agrees with the recipients thoughts about the author. The author states that he is in fact both arrogant and holding a perpetual grudge on Rayse and Bavadin. This could be a confession of sorts or just a means to aid the author in swaying the recipient in deciding to act.
Line #25 implies that (with line #24 in mind) even though the author’s feelings and emotions toward Rayse and Bavadin is/was (potentially still) strong that their or just Rayse’s harmful or miss intent actions are still true.
Line #26 states plainly that the author knows that he is being chased. The author is also telling the recipient that the author knows that he is being chased.
Line #27 implies (with line 26 in mind) that the author believes that the people chasing him are the friends of the Seventeenth Shard. Also this line states that the author knows that the recipient is or was a friend of the friends of the Seventeenth Shard. This could mean that the people chasing him are a group known as the Seventeenth Shard or that there is a Seventeenth Shard that has underlings to do it’s biding. This also suggests that the recipient is or was a friend of the Seventeenth Shard at one point or is at least aware of them.
Line #28 implies that the author believes but does not know that the people chasing him have lost his trail or are just plainly lost in their ideals. This line also states that the author has led the pursers away from his own path and onto a false path. This could be a physical trail or a hypothetical trail filed with false hints or ideals.
Line #29 implies that the author thinks that the false trail that he left for them will keep them happy or make them happier. This line also implies that the author knows what the pursuers intentions/ideals/objective is/was.
Line #30 implies that the author believes that if he were to be caught by his pursuers then the mere act of catching him would confuse them. This could mean that the pursuers were created/formed to catch the author. This could also mean that if these people chasing the author caught up to him then they would not know how to actual deal with the author. These people who are chasing the author might not have been informed, have the knowledge, or the power/ability to do anything about/to the author.
Line #31 implies that the author does not know if the recipient is aware of what the author is saying. The author could be boasting in order to request through an intriguing comment for his pursuers to be stopped. This could be a feign in order to see if the recipient will take action in order to aid the author or just to draw out an answer (through possibly action/actions) from the recipient. This line also implies that the recipient has the ability to stop or persuade his pursuers. If nothing else then it might mean that the recipient has an influence upon his hunters.
Line #32 implies that the recipient could even request that the pursuers help their target instead of hinder him. (when coupled with line #31) This line also implies further that the recipient is still at an odds with the author but if (taking line #31 into account) the recipient is aware of what the author is trying to boast or tell then they could potentially do something and further surprise the author in changing their opposing opinion.
Line #33 appears to be of an intent to persuade and affirm the recipient of the author’s actions. The author states that he has not had any nobler purpose in mind and that he is seeking to do this one thing. This line also implies that the foundation of the sky (which could just be a ___ ) will be torn down with the war that the author intends to bring or start. The author might not be meaning to bring a war but believes that with his intentions there will be a war that will destroy/shake the “pillars of sky”.
Line #34 is implying that the author is asking the recipient for a second time. It also implies a plead toward the recipient.
Line #35 is a request from the author to the recipient to aid the author in his quest/idea/purpose.
Line #36 implies that the author knows of a destruction/malicious event being brought to take more lives. This could mean more than kill more lives and could mean that the disaster could be actually taking those lives from one place to another. This also implies that this sort of event/disaster has happened before. This also suggests that both the author and the recipient were there when the event/disaster happened at least once before. Also, this (when coupled with line #34 and #35) seems to be a further plead for the recipient to act instead of sit idle before this event.
Line #37 implies that the author has never pleaded or begged with the recipient before this time. The author also states that they, the author and recipient, were at one time friends in the past.
Line #38 seems to be the last plead of the letter and the sole purpose of this letter. (As this is the last line)
Before we go any further I wanted to make sure that all of the things said seemed to be true with everyone else.