Search the Community

Eshonai is talking about these new rhythms that came when she assumed Stormform, which seems to be the result of a bond with Odium/Unmade/voidspren. Does this quote sound familiar to anything else in the cosmere? We know Odium was on Sel at one point and the Skaze seem to behave in an evil, influential way in their advisement of the Fjordell Empire, similar to these "new" rhythms Eshonai experiences on Roshar. Coincidence?

As you may read the first draft of Oathbringer is done

Friends, gather around. I have uncovered the greatest secret of all time. Perhaps this has been revealed before and, if it has, bless the Sharder who first found it. If it has not been revealed before, or if this post can reach just one more person and help them understand the depth to which Brandon has prepared the Cosmere for our enjoyment, then I think this post is not in vain. I quote from Elantris, page 466 and 467 of the Kindle version: This is where "Raoden" fixed Elantris by adding the chasm line to the city. Or, rather, this is where THE STICK fixed Elantris! Compare this to the following passage from Words of Radiance page 143 and 144 of the Kindle edition: Is it not suspicious that one of the beads that "surged" up to Shallan would happen to be a... nay, THE stick? It is, to me, quite obvious that the stick Raoden used to add the chasm line to Elantris is the exact same stick Shallan communicated with after the santhid rescued her. Note how the stick Shallan is speaking to "sound satisfied"... perhaps this stick was feeling so satisfied because it knew that it had been, literally and figuratively, instrumental in saving Elantris from the Dakhor monks! Perhaps this particular stick is now deeply embroiled in the fight against Odium in the Roshar system and, therefore, simply could not turn to fire for Shallan because the stick still had so much work to do. Perhaps Brandon Sanderson has given us a massive clue as to the fate of the Cosmere and we have been distracted by some doofus named Hoid (or whatever) and missed this obvious clue given in the very first published work! Also, lest we forget, there was an entire chapter of missing information about the stick that Sanderson gave us - I will quote the relevant portions of the chapter below! I propose a re-read of every Cosmere work with a distinct emphasis on finding out what the stick has been up to! I would wager that we can find the stick in each published work, quietly providing assistance to the characters of the book and not at all upset that Hoid (or whomever) has been soaking up all the glory! Truly, the stick is the worldhopper we need to focus on if we plan on teasing out more details on the Cosmere. edit: weird strike-through error corrected

Could someone explain Damnation and the Tranquiline Halls? I mean, are they in the Cognitive Realm? Are they the moons? Has it even been clarified?

I've seen a lot of people saying that Honor was shattered after the Recreance, but is there any evidence for this besides that Dalinar sees it in one of the visions?

So, is it just me, or do the lyrics for Leonard Cohen's Anthem totally remind you of the Stormlight Archive? See, I told you it was a silly question.

My favorite par was in mistborn well of ascension when Vin was running back to luthidel at the end of the chapter when it said "she ran and she cried."

Okay so here's a few ideas that I've kicked around in my head for a while because I love video games and I love lore and I love Cosmere and I love crossovers. So as I was playing certain games, I started to notice a few... similarities to some of my favorite Shardworlds, and the more I looked, the deeper the parallels became. It's amazing how easily some of these games would fit into the cosmere, I think, and the way that they share some cool aspects with some existing Cosmere books. This is all just for fun, some wacky coincidences between some of the stuff I love. There will be spoilers for the following: Dishonored, Dishonored 2, Destiny and its DLCs, Stormlight Archive, and Mistborn. This is a super long post too, because I love this topic and can babble at length. To start us out: Destiny as Stormlight Archive (in SPACE) Primer for those who don't know anything about Destiny here: Now that we're all on the same page, basically, I'm gonna dig into how this one plays out Cosmere-wise: The Traveler is a Shard. This one feels pretty obvious. Being of immense power that changes entire solar systems with its very presence with insane amounts of power? Shard. The Traveler was splintered by a rival Shard, the Darkness. I feel like the Traveler ends up as a good mix of Honor (establishing orders of guardian knights) and Cultivation (creating life and habitability on otherwise barren landscapes), and that leaves the Darkness as Odium, who has splintered Honor/the Traveler. Ghosts are Splinters, specifically spren. Little, sentient pieces of a dead power? Check. Bond with an individual to give them powers? Check. Cute little companions that appear and disappear at will? Check. The Traveler's Light is investiture, specifically Stormlight. I mean, come on. Light siphoned from the power of the shattered power of an extremely potent entity? It even gives Guardians extreme recovery abilities, letting them heal from wounds in only a few seconds, and making them basically immortal. Guardians are Radiants. Thanks to their bond with their spren/Ghost, Radiants/Guardians have different and unique ways that they can channel the Light to create various distinct powers. Guardian subclasses are Radiant Orders. Though there are only three classes (Titan, Hunter, Warlock) for Guardians, each of those classes has three subclasses (Titan - Striker, Defender, Sunbreaker; Hunter - Gunslinger, Bladedancer, Nightstalker; Warlock - Voidwalker, Stormcaller, Sunsinger), and each has their own powers. The names even sound like Radiant orders. Edgedancer/Bladedancer? Stormcaller/Elsecaller? The races which serve the Darkness are Voidbringers. The four enemy races in Destiny—the Fallen, the Hive, the Vex, and the Cabal—are fighting against the forces of Light in hordes, serving a nebulous but terrifying enemy of the Traveler and the Light. Guardians have to defend the regular people against these overwhelming armies. And finally, one of my favorite little tidbits about Destiny and its implications on this crossover comes from the heavy weapons category in Destiny. Guardians can carry three guns at a time: a primary, a secondary, and a heavy. Primaries are most used for normal encounters (regular guns, pretty much), secondaries are special situations (shotguns and snipers and stuff), and heavies (which deal massive damage, but are hard to find ammo for). For the first year, there were only two weapon types in the heavy category: machine guns and rocket launchers. As of Year 2 and The Taken King DLC, though, we got a new kind of weapon in this category: Swords. Now if you are thinking that putting swords in the same category as rocket launchers is not really fair, you are right, because swords are so much cooler than rocket launchers in Destiny. (Spoilers below are gifs and pictures) These are weapons of powerful energy that eat through bosses, and when you pull them out, they flash into existence from the hilt. They're all gorgeous and unique looking and though they're pretty massive, the Guardians hold them like they're weightless. Guys, they're shardblades. Destiny has shardblades. Look at those jagged waves on the back of the right-most sword, Razelighter. That's completely something a Shardblade would have. Oathbringer has waves just like that on its backside. Case closed, everybody, pack up and go home. Destiny is the Stormlight Archive. Now that that one's settled, let's move on to our next game and book pairing: Dishonored and Dishonored 2 as Mistborn Once again, for those not familiar with the two Dishonored series, here's your quick primer: So, there's a few really obvious ones right off the bat that I'll get out of the way before I start delving into some of the really cool Cosmere parallels. Even those of you who have just watched the trailers can probably pick up on some of these: Aesthetic and ambiance. If there were ever to be a Mistborn video game, I'd want it to feel like Dishonored does. The worldbuilding of Dishonored's Empire of the Isles, especially in the first game, has an extremely Scadrian feel to it. We have a dark, dismal, dystopian Empire, where the rich hold opulent lavish parties while the rest of the city suffers and dies in squalor just outside their golden-lit stained glass windows. The guards exist to beat the lower class down and keep them from bothering the upper crust, and the government holds all the power. The bureaucratic Abbey of the Everyman, a religious organization more focused on tracking down illegal magic users and summarily executing them rather than any kind of real piety, is a perfect fit for the Steel Ministry, and the Canton of Inquisition in particular. Dunwall, the city of the first game feels a lot like Final Empire-era Luthadel, albeit with a Victorian steampunk twist that would be right at home with Elendel. The best of both Mistborns here. (spoiler tag is pics) The Outsider's Mark powers feel very Allomantic. Though there aren't any metals involved, and both Corvo and Emily (and Daud, the DLC protagonist) have different powers from the Outsider, there's no denying that the powers that the Outsider grants are perfect for the kind of stealthy, sneaky, stabbity modus operandi that Mistborn favor. Corvo and Daud's Blink power feels a lot like Steelpushing, whereas Emily's Far Reach power could be the Lurcher equivalent. Watching Emily toss a grenade and then yank it back toward her over her head, or yank a body or living guard towards her in midair feels exceptionally like Ironpulling. The Dark Vision power feels a lot like tin, as it enhances vision and sounds around you to help you keep silent and keep track of where the guards and enemies are. Dishonored is a game that you can play perfectly stealthily, carefully never being seen, or you can rush in as a malestrom of superpowered death. Even the most high-tiered enemies, the "hazekillers" of Dishonored, really can't stand a chance against a Marked assassin who really knows what they're doing with their powers. Not to mention what the mark looks like. Crescents, dots, and long strokes? The Outsider's mark would fit in with the Steel Alphabet perfectly. Protagonist story parallels. Corvo is thrown into a terrible prison and tortured as a regular person, and then receives magical powers and goes to overthrow the evil empire who did it to him. Though it happens off-screen between the two games, the tutorial of Dishonored 2 shows him teaching Emily how to fight, sneak across rooftops, and defend herself. The Kelsier parallels are manifold. Meanwhile, Emily, especially after inheriting her powers, feels like a wonderful Vin parallel. The empress who'd rather go galavanting off across the rooftops than sit in court, an avenging assassin, using her powers to take down her enemies with deadly precision and skill. Now, that the surface level is taken care of, let's dig into some of the ways that Dishonored really and shockingly lines up well with Realmatic theory, and some of the more intricate Realmatic things on Scadrial specifically. The Outsider is a Shard. Unlike Destiny's the Traveler, which felt like a splintered Shard like Honor, the Outsider as a Shard would be one with an aware and active Vessel. Though he appears to protagonists in the Void, it's very clear that this is an avatar that he projects of himself, for his true form is something far more nebulous, something that suffuses the entirety of the Void and can watch over the entire physical world as well. He speaks only to a special chosen few, and only a handful of individuals merit enough attention from him to be gifted with his Mark. The parallels are even more clear when you find out more about his backstory. Like the Shards' vessels, the Outsider was once a human, who was sacrificed in a ritual to bind him to the powers of the Void. After his ascension, he remained fascinated with humanity, even though he himself was quite beyond human himself, now. (If I had to pick a Shard name for him, I'd probably go with Chaos.) The Outsider's power is the investiture which fuels the powers of the Marked. In the same way that the powers of Allomancy are drawn directly from Preservation, Marked individuals draw their power directly from the Outsider. The Void is the Cognitive Realm. This is an exceptionally important one, and I'll expound on it further in the next point, but the way the Void functions in Dishonored is strikingly similar to the Cognitive realm in the Cosmere. It's misty and off-balance, filled with moments and memories that seem more based in perception than reality. Though the Outsider can manifest himself within the physical world on a few special occasions, the Void is his true home. And like a Shard with a nexus, though his focus is usually in one place, his power is everywhere. Delilah Copperspoon/Kaldwin was a Cognitive Shadow who returned to life, just like Kelsier. Spoilers for the plot of Dishonored 2 and Secret History, but if you watch that Outsider backstory video linked just above, it explains a bit of Delilah's situation. Her spirit was banished to the Void, however, she was still able to communicate through the dreams of those who had been close to her, whispering ways to them that they could bring her back. In much the same way that Kelsier was able to, as a Cognitive Shadow, whisper to Spook because of their Connection so that they could find a way to bring Kelsier back. Delilah's friends and supporters then, were able to perform a seance to draw her spirit back from the Void into the physical world once more, and in the process, made her immortal. Much the same way Kelsier and Spook apparently figured out some way to use hemalurgy to return Kelsier to the physical world and make him immortal as the Sovereign. All in all, it's pretty dang incredible just how many ways these stories line up with each other, in some really really cool ways. In case you guys couldn't tell, I love both Destiny and Dishonored, and could talk about them endlessly. Anyone familiar with the games (or introduced to them here) have anything to add to my interpretations? Or can you think of any other games that line up well with Cosmere worlds like this? Sorry for the massively long post, but I'd love to hear you guys' thoughts on this!

If you have ever been confused about what Shardpools are, this is the Letter for you! This may be once of the fundamental aspects of the Cosmere, and something all of us need to be familiar with. If you would like the physical transcript, here it is: I wish life never prompted me to violence. If a situation has degraded into an all-out brawl, then I believe that all attending parties have failed. Forget achieving a positive result, at that point survival is about the only victory possible. Diplomacy, economics, and policy crumble in the face of open warfare. Sure people will cling to these things, convinced they are protecting their way of life. Yet this is a deception, a lie that one can profit off of fighting. The only victory in war goes to those who win, and those who get on the good side of the winner. I detest the boot licking that follows a powerful military leader. Besides death is a hefty price no matter what is gained. There are far better ways to fight an enemy or shape one’s fortunes. And often the poor or unnoticed are the ones who suffer the most from the wars of nations. I have learned that the keys to victory fit into three distinct locks. First, knowledge is power. Secrets and whispers can be bought from the right ears. In a world of subtly and misdirection, knowing your opponents mind is the single greatest weapon in an arsenal. I always find my sources, and am not afraid of doing my own listening. Next a weapon should never be apparent, but hidden in plain sight. I was trained in the art of the knife, a messy if effective tool. I prefer the quarterstaff or cane. Many will overlook a stick of hardened wood over a sword or knife, yet in my hands I find the hardwood to be more than adequate in a pinch. I believe people should be like that, effective, efficient, and unobtrusive. Subtly is an art, and a deadly one at that. Finally, always have a bolt hole. All plans can fail no matter how well crafted. From Slum Lords to Emperors, the ones who last are the ones who always have a backup plan to their backup plan. A bolt hole or a getaway carriage. This is the greatest advantage to being a… traveler, and might be the reason why we are so hard to kill. We all know there is a way out that practically no one can follow us through. Shard Pools. Obviously you are aware of what I speak about, but I feel a need to clarify my own thoughts. I still know so little beyond speculation. For instance, I know I can use these Shard Pools safely with the proper care, but could never explain how I do this, nor would I dare take another with me. The Cognitive Realm is a very dangerous place, and I don’t know how many can survive the process of traveling there. Shard Pools, as I like to call them, are more commonly known as Perpendicularities. This is the realmatic term most often used to describe the strange phenomena that occurs in these pools. It is apparent that Shard Pools are not lakes of water, but of raw Shardic Investiture in a liquid form. These pools are present on worlds where a shard resides and are a collection point for their power. Why these Pools appear is beyond recorded history, and why they reside where they are physically being yet another enigma. Perpendicularities contain so much raw power that they tear a hole in the universal fabric that usually separates the three realms. The Cognitive and physical realms bleed into one another, and I believe the Spiritual realms is also broken into. I have not ever stepped into that relm, so I can’t be sure. But I am in no hurry. Without knowing what makes up the Spiritual Realm in great detail, I dare not risk it. Perhaps someday, but for now I have a lot more to learn before I attempt such a journey. Shard pools are often caught up in the lore of a people or nation. Surprisingly most cultures that I have discovered don’t seem preoccupied with these strange wellsprings. I wonder if anyone ever notices travelers like me climbing in and out of them from time to time. I try my best to avoid all contact when I emerge. Naturally my lack of language will only hinder me. On that note, I will forever be grateful for my father’s tutelage and my quick wits. I know how to learn and can do so quickly. While I feel I’ll never keep up with a fraction of the languages that I’ve encountered, I make it work where I can. That might be the most difficult aspect of my travels, perhaps only surpassed by the strange foods I have to try. Can you believe that there are people who eat the horns and shells of animals? I was flabbergasted when I first tried the food of the Unkalaki. These pools seem, for the most part, to be locked into a location physically. We know that on Scadreal the Lord Ruler shaped the world, but upon reflection it seems that civilization was moved to the pools, rather than the pools themselves moving. However, this is only conjecture, and I highly doubt we could know for sure ourselves. The only other fact I know for sure is that Shard Pools are not on every world. In the Cognitive Realm you can see that there are other worlds out there. I’ve glanced through the fog of thoughts into their worlds, and yet there was no way to pass into their worlds physically. These Shard Pools, as they are named, seem to be a consequence of a Shard’s presence on a particular planet. It makes me wonder how these other worlds became populated by humans. Is there so form of travel that has been lost to time? Are there ways to reach out and escape our worlds in the physical realm? More importantly I think is the question, if all these worlds have people who are so similar, did they all come from some original home? Why did they have to leave? Ah but I tread into the obscure, more of my personal musing rather than theories based on observation. I just note how odd it is that while each planet has diverse cultures and histories, yet we are still so similar. Perhaps there is something to these thoughts. For now, I will continue to establish myself here. The current state of events on this continent is appalling. Normally integrating myself is a lengthy process, but the current chaos in the nation of Jah Keved has made assimilation almost unnecessary. War is ripping this people apart and there are so many forgotten refugees. It’s the most I can do to organize some few of these people into something productive. Their rulers are off fighting for succession, and those whom I find simply need a little guidance. I will not draw attention to myself, but I cannot leave them to be trampled and forgotten. Despite all of that, there is a breathtaking beauty to this world. I wish I could put into words the sights and smells of Roshar. The crisp air and large open skies are the superlative aspect of this world. Everything here is rock, the massive High Storms blasting away anything that is not protected. These violent storms are dangerous, and somehow majestic. They fling boulders and scatter life into hiding among the rocks. But when the storm passes there is a refreshing scenes of clean renewal. I find myself stopping often to admire the alien beauty. And don’t even get me started on the moons. The three crystalline orbs that arch through the sky at night are impossible to forget. I cannot help but watch them as they glide across a starry canvas. This journey, these years spent away from home, have been filled with wonder and beauty beyond anything I could have imagined. Perhaps the paths through the Shard Pools have been filled with sorrow and failure, but I cannot regret the things I’ve seen. I may never wish to leave Roshar save for the knowledge that there are more wonders to explore, and new peoples to learn about. For now, there is a work to do upon these stones.

Since it is about a cross-over of powers, figure it belongs here.... Looking through the Provo Q&A on Theoryland, spotted these two beasties: and then this: So, who else thinks that the latter answer also applies to the former question?

This may be wrong, but didn't Dalinar fight creatures similar to this in one of his Stormfather visions- the one in which the Knights Radiant came to help. When I read this, my mind immediately thought of these, so I decided to see what all of you think.

So while it could still be entirely possible, Braize doesn't scream as loudly as Damnation or the Tranquiline Halls as I thought it would. Ashyn is described as "the burning planet," which sounds more like Hell/Damnation to me (granted, my lens comes from a Christian background). It sounds like Odium is holed up in the Physical and Cognitive Realms in the Greater Roshar system, but the essay didn't explicitly (or exclusively) say he's on Braize. Maybe the Tranquiline Halls and/or Damnation are in the Cognitive or Spiritual Realms?

SO this will contain discussions on themes within the SA spoilers galore. Do we KNOW that this diagram has to deal with Voidbinding? http://coppermind.net/wiki/File:TWoK_Rear_Endsheet.jpg While rereading the WoK i had a crazy idea that this might actually tie into the Old Magic and the powers that the Nightwatcher uses. I have a couple of thoughts as to why this may be the case. Thought #1: The Woman in the picture that we don't know anything able is the Nightwatcher (I subscribe to the Nightwatcher=Cultivation theory). Thought #2: The Way of Kings has very little discussion about Voidbinding but a lot about the Old Magic. So if anyone has a WoB of other evidence to the true nature of the picture please share.

Seriously. As I look through some of the Ars Arcanum for each book, I have trouble comprehending certain concepts, such as the use for Aluminum holding identity. What sort of uses to the more minuscule abilities in the Cosmere have?

So we have about a year before Oathbringer comes out. What is everyone looking forward to the most from this book, what do we hope to see, and any theories you might have about it are always welcome, of course. For me personally, I'm REALLY stoked for Szeth's role in this story, I'm sure he will start being more present and I can't wait to see how he interacts with Nightblood (I still need to read Warbreaker) and what he does as far as handling Shinovar. As well as Szeth, I can't wait to see what Mraize had to teach Shallan considering he is so insistent on having her in the Ghostbloods. Let me know what you all think!

What do we know about the origin's of the Heralds (pulled from the Coppermind)? They are servants of The Almighty (Honor) There are 10 of them in total, each with an Honorblade given by the Almighty They are not Slivers (having never held the power of an entire shard) If they die, they return to what we assume is Braize to be tortured If they don't die, they are supposed to return to the place of torture on their own In the last desolation, Taln died and returned to torture, but the other 9 remained on Roshar, but gave up their Honorblades I have some questions that I'm curious for feedback about. It's a running list and some of it just might not be known right now, but I believe in the power of the 17th Shard - you all help me gain so much insight into this amazing cosmere Brandon has created for us! Did the Heralds have to give up their Honorblades to stay on Roshar (instead of returning to torture)? Are the Heralds always the same spiritual being (but change bodies each time they return)? Why and how did the Shin come into possession of the Honorblades? Do the Honorblades normally go back to the place of torture with the Herald? Are Honorblades splinters of Honor? Do they have any sentience of their own?

I've started re-reading Mistborn Era 1 and just noticed(which means everyone else has probably already figured out) the parallels between Marsh/Kelsier's and Gavilar/Dalinar's relationship. -Both are brothers. -One from each lost their love interest(Mare and Navani) to the other brother. -Marsh and Dalinar are the gruff, more intense ones whereas Kelsier and Gavilar are the more foolhardy ones(I don't really know much about Gavilar so this is the only connection I could find). Just something I felt like sharing.

Who would win in a fight Is it Adolin or Elhokar Standard Alethi Duel Both have shard plate and shardblades in prime condition