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  1. How can Sadeas’s bridge crews push bridges over chasms without the bridges falling into the chasms? Pushing something that heavy over a chasm should result in it falling in unless every chasm is very narrow. The crews aren’t described as doing anything to the bridges to hold them up while pushing them.
  2. In my WoK reread I noticed this epigraph in the chapter Justice (69) We know that the epigraphs are tellings of the (future/past/both?) and this one in particular stood out to me. I have a feeling that the speaker is Dalinar and he is protecting one of his sons (could be either one) against Kaladin. The context of the fight between them could be when we have the "champions of good and evil" fight but there is not enough context for it. I think Kaladin will eventually with have to fight one of Dalinar's sons and Dalinar cannot stand by and let that happen. The reference to Dalinar is the speaker reaching up his hand and the storm responding.
  3. I'm going through a re-read of both books before November, and I came across something really interesting in Way of Kings. Shallan doing some research with Jasnah and mentions the footnote of sorts, I believe it is in the context of King Galivar. The impression that I got was that the footnotes included by the women authors are something that the men in their society aren't really aware of. Commentary of text that isn't widely known. I absolutely did not catch this on my first read and the whole concept felt pretty explosive to me. Men are considered to be so important due to their place in war, however, it is women who truly hold the knowledge and the keys to the past. In fact, there are most likely SO many things that the men are not aware of that are hidden behind being unable to read, and that aren't explained by women. As I'm writing this I'm remembering that male ardents are allowed to read. Considering most of the knowledge I hold about ardents stems from Kabsal, who we later learn is not the most trustworthy, it doesn't seem out of the realm of possibility that there is much knowledge being hidden or contained by women and ardents. The implications of this are profound I think. Thoughts?
  4. Welcome to the second Episode of "Letters from the Cosmere!" Today we talk about the origins of the current Cosmere system and the implications of the Shattering of Adonalsium. You may notice a few changes to the series, most noticeably the name change. Yes, I have read White Sand (now) and yes the name correlation was literally happenstance. However, despite this I do not want to cause confusion about who is who in the Cosmere so I made the change to my character. It is slight, but it made the most sense. I look forward to hearing your thoughts about this episode. Hope you enjoy! I will put the transcript in text below: Adonalsium. Such a strange word. I remember when I first found it as I studied the Words of Founding. In that moment, I thought little of it. Of all the incredible revelations that came in the wake of the Destruction of “The World of Ash” I was distracted. Now all these years later, I discovered that it was all connected. If you, dear reader, think for a second that I have been fooled into quiet worship and submission you are woefully mistaken. If there ever was a God, he is long since dead. There are merely scraps to pull this knowledge from. Yet just as scraps of a tapestry can yield a pattern, the grand machine that is the Cosmere is starting to become apparent. No one seems to know what Adonalsium was, except that it was incredibly powerful. It stood above all, and held the creative and destructive powers of the Universe. I say it because there is no indication if this entity had an intelligence like a sentient man. The Scholar seems to think so, but she thinks a great many things that seem to convoluted, and they cannot all be true. She seems content to sit back and learn, content to watch worlds crumble and die rather than using the knowledge she has. However, I am indebted to her, for each of the two times I have crossed paths with her she seemed pleased to answer my questions. Unlike you. However, The Scholar was not who first told me of the Shattering, but The Wanderer. I met him just before I was called back to start these letters. I never learned his name but like me, he seemed to Wander from place to place. Something about him was off, and he seemed so focused on striding deeper into Roshar I almost escaped his notice. Yet when he did notice me he seemed adamant that I listen to his story. I mostly had no idea what he was talking about until he brought up the death of Scadrial. He spoke of the powers Preservation and Ruin, and called them by names I had never heard. Then he told me quite frankly about how these powers, these so-called Gods, were once men. Men who had risen up against Adonalsium. They rebelled against It, and shattered it into 16 primal powers. Wanderer didn’t say much more than this, except to tell me that these people slowly were changed by this power. He spoke of Ati, who had once been a good man, who later manifested as Ruin and sought to destroy all life in the Universe by braking it. His parting words were the only words he seemed to take seriously. He told me that history would be repeating itself before long, and that I would have to make a choice. Almost as if his words heralded some great tragedy, I could feel something change. Odium had come. At the time I didn’t know Odium or what he brought with his influence. But for the first time I wondered if watching would be enough. It wasn’t. As you know, I would eventually dedicate my very existence to fighting for the lives left behind on Roshar. The Desolation that Odium began and the destruction caused by his Everstorm left hundreds of thousands cowering in the dark. I left my life of grieving solitude, and took upon myself a mantle of leadership. Wanderer was also there; I assume fighting in his own way. And all this time, I was thinking about the 16 who took upon themselves such great power. Apparently they dispersed, moving through the cosmere and building up peoples and cultures across the stars. The worlds I have touched have been both crafted and scared by their fumbling hands, hands of men ascended. They created many great and incredible peoples, and gifted unto them the investitures that allow men to touch the divine. But at what cost? For it seems they see fit to destroy what they create. That their Shards have twisted them into intelligent agents of the Shard’s will and Purpose. I do not understand it, but the nature of each Shard eventually bleeds through these ascended men and overcomes their personalities, twisting them into dangerous servants bound by their instincts. And now we suffer the consequences of their lack of restraint. Who were these people? What right did they have to become Gods in the place of the Thing they had killed? Apparently this Odium has murdered several of his fellow Shards, dispersing their power so as to continue his rise to domination. All along this path of Power and Control, Millions have died. To these ascended beings, our lives must seem as the ants of the dirt. When I see the destruction that Ruin and Odium have been allowed to cause, I am resolved by one simple truth. These flawed Gods should never have been. Tell our Friend that I intend to fight until the lives of men can continue under their own wills. Tell Him that this war is far from over, and that I will struggle against Odium and all other Shards who fall. I do not feel that I can do much else than be a knife in the dark. I will gather the precious few I can save and set them up as a banner, to fight back however we can. I am unsure how to fight a God, but that won’t stop me from trying. Be wary of this Wanderer, a man who is far more removed from time than I am. He moves with a purpose that I cannot comprehend. I am grateful to him and see him as a mentor of sorts. Yet I cannot help but be cautious of his intent. Even now I wonder if he hinted to me of The Shattering simply to recruit me for his side. Because of my choice I am actively being pursued by the members of the 17th Shard. I do not know what will happen if they catch me, but as of yet I have not let them get too close. However, as I cast my thoughts back to the Shattering, back where this all began, there is one thought that chills me to my very core. These 16 usurpers struck down a God. Something with, for all intents and purposes, unlimited power. Yet these men shattered Adonalsium. What could mere men wield that could kill a God? And worse, where is this weapon that can lay waste to the powers of Creation? This weapon could be more threatening than even Odium, for he is only a part of what the Weapon destroyed. Odium is the most prevalent of threats, but I fear more for the resurgence of this fiendish secret. For if the Weapon can destroy a God, what unspeakable things could it do to the peoples of the Cosmere? {Sigh] This fight, what it represents… it has taken a toll on me. Perhaps I can learn to trust, to believe that such power can be wielded for the good. Preservation did try to lock away Ruin, and even restored hope to a failing Emperor. And Honor left some of his will behind, granting visions and Nahel bonds to his people. I am uncertain if what they offered us will be enough to stop the destructive Shards, but perhaps what they did will give us a chance. Regardless I have a work to do, for I am determined to keep my people alive if at all possible. Until the next time, Elsric
  5. This topic is inspired by the best scenes topic. One of my favourite scenes is Kaladin coming in to help Adolin at the arena, but every time I read it I long for a scene from the PoV of those watching Kaladin, a Darkeyes with only a spear, jump in and the two hold off and beat 4 Shardbearers. Another scene I'd love would be one from Adolin's PoV whilst Kaladin is in prison, putting together that Kaladin's claim against Amaram was true, and deciding to give him Full Shards. What are yours?
  6. Greetings! I've been a long-time lurker and I just joined because my sisters and I are collectively developing a theory...more on that later...but, while doing so, I stumbled upon something that I'm not sure anyone has brought up. I figured, since I'm pretty new at this, a far less complicated post would be a good start. If this has been previously discussed, apologies. I was analyzing the illustrations from Navani's notebook, and I was caught by surprise by what could possibly be some strong foreshadowing. The illustration details a fabrial that is used to read emotion (from TWoK). On the page, four examples of the emotions read are listed as follows: 1. Man betrayed by a close friend 2. Woman who has just been proposed to 3. Man who discovered his betrothed lied to him 4. Mother at wedding of only son So, I assume that this is an invention of Navani's and that these are actual readings that she took from people she actually knows. Obviously, each example can be debated a number of ways. (I want to make it perfectly clear that I'm not steadfastly convinced of my interpretation.) The four scenarios, however, could be connected in the sense that they involved the same group of people...specifically a certain three young people who's pairings are hotly debated on this very forum. Thoughts? Discuss... I'm very excited to see what people say. Rip it apart...go! The page in question:
  7. Hello! I just completed WoR and was blown away (of course). I'm feeling very fortunate that this place exists; I'm finding it impossible to get this world out of my head. I'm currently in school and I work full time so obviously it is the best time for me to immediately jump back in and begin my first re-read of WoK! This may sound like a weird question, but is there a strategy you employ while re-reading to get the most out of the books? It is clear from browsing different forums that there are so many details I have missed, and before the next book comes out I am hoping to feel more 'prepared' so to speak. Any sort of advice would be appreciated
  8. Recently I have memorized the back of the Way of Kings. (I was bored. Now I just have to get WoR down). But the more I thought about it, the more unnerved I was by the last line. One of them may redeem us. One of them will destroy us. Most likely sounds familiar, and you are probably eather thinking, ooooooooh noooooooo, or, that's not such a big deal, or, what's the deal? If I type it like this... One of them may redeem us. One of them WILL destroy us. That's pretty much it. Any thoughts?
  9. Hello everyone, I have been an avid Brandon Sanderson fan since discovering Mistborn about 7 years ago. Obviously I'm patiently awaiting the release of Oathbringer which cannot come soon enough. I live in Australia and am very jealous of all Brandon's tweets explaining how many books he has signed in various US airports. So I was particularly happy when I discovered he was coming here recently. I couldn't be in Sydney when he was actually there (I live in Melbourne) but was able to take a trip last weekend and managed to pickup signed HARDBACK copies of TWOK and WOR! I didn't think the Australia market got hardback copies so I am a very happy man indeed. Will now need to get hold of Oathbringer in the same signed, hardback format.. Andy
  10. From the album: Way of Kings Short Film

    I met Brandon recently and decided to give him this remastered poster as a gift on canvas. This is now ultra HD, with the 'Linil' glyph stylised properly (Thanks to 17th Shard member BlackYeti for pointing that out), with a less distracting sky and several other small improvements. Enjoy!
  11. So was listening to the way of kings when i hear Drehy.. (Member of bridge 4) Kaladin pulls an entire volley of arrows into his shield, bridge 4 then sets down the bridge and goes awestruck. Drehy then comments "By the bright colors rays!" Following dialoge continues... however, to me this sounds a lot like someone from warbreaker. Possible world hopper? Or anyone already find him already again couldn't find his name spelt correctly. I hadn't paid attention to him till just then dispite about 50 rereads
  12. I just finished re-reading The Way of Kings, and I'm about (in a few minutes) to start re-reading Words of Radiance. After I got on the 17th Shard, I decided to re-read all of the Comere stories and take notes about worldhoppers, behind-the-scenes stuff, and things like that. I've been taking notes in my book (ex. pg 3 in tWoK, writing that Shalash was the reason why her statue was missing, or in the Ishikk chapter, with Demoux, Galladon, and the other dude looking for Hoid), as well as making little speculations on the chapter headings. And with much ado about nothing, here is my intent for this post. I would really, really, REALLY appreciate it if people could comment with behind-the-scenes/little theories/worldhoppers/other stuff from tWoK or WoR. Things that don't stick out or make sense if you don't have a general understanding of the Cosmere. Thanks, y'all!
  13. Hey there everyone! This is my first post, although I have lurked on here for a little while. I stumbled across something while browsing the forum and some things I noticed on my most recent read through of the books. Essentially the idea is that Kaladin was bonded with syl long before either of them remembered. This might be because Syl disobeyed in bonding with Kaladin and has memory problems. Bascally this comes form a bunch of different things that I've found, but the two main points are: In a flashback where Kaladin and his mother and brother are sitting on their roof during the weeping, he mentions something about he always hated the weeping because it was harder for him to find motivation to do things. Could this be because there wasn't any stormlight for him to be refreshed by? Also the whole thing he said to Szeth when they were fighting about the skies being his since birth. I don't know, its just something weird I noticed. I don't know if there was a post discussing this already. So I apologize if someone already brought it up.
  14. My friends, it's time for another "Letters from the Cosmere!" Now this one is intended to be a beginners guide to Shardblades and Shardplate. I know I know, nothing super juicy in this one, but this is something you can share with your friend who you are desperately trying to get reading Sanderson for the first time, or for a spouse who is curious about Roshar but you just can't find the words. I hope you like it. Oh, and if you are a fan of Elsric lore, this episode reveals the name of his apprentice on Roshar so keep an ear open for that! Let me know what you thought in the comments and look for a Part 2 of this subject where I will dive into the deep end of the topic! Roshar is one of the most dangerous planets in all the Cosmere. Massive High Storms, Chasemfeinds, and the occasional Desolation make it a pretty inhospitable place to live. The protectors of the world were given great and powerful artifacts in order to provide the needed defense for the people. Shardblades and Shardplate can turn a common man into a juggernaut on the battlefield and a trained soldier into a one-man army. Today Elsric outlines what these mythical artifacts are in their simplest form. Transcript: The Cosmere never ceases to amaze me. I always think that I have seen so many wonders that there couldn’t possibly be something else to see. And yet that ever-distant horizon always yields yet another secret. Although the rolling stone landscapes can appear desolate, the various flora and fauna that have adapted to this environment in fantastic and sometimes bizarre ways. I almost wish I was more interested in botany to truly enjoy this landscape. Yet these wonders seem to pale in comparison to the lives of the people who live on Roshar. I cannot begin to tell you how interesting it is to see an entire culture who’s lives revolve around the massive storms that rage against the land. From architecture to gemstone economics this land is far beyond anything I have seen in my exhaustive journeys. Roshar is home to one of the most terrifying artifacts in the known Cosmere. I wasn’t here long before I started to hear legends of the Shard Blades and Shard Plate of old. These are ancient weapons that were once wielded by the Knights Radiant. Apparently, these Knights were protectors of this world during times of war and invasion. The order of Knights vanished nearly a thousand years ago. In their departure, they left behind these artifacts of incredible power. As of now, I have only seen glimpses of these on passing Lords. Apparently, they are incredibly rare, and the Alethi people with whom I currently reside hold the most of any nation in the world. I will naturally do everything in my power to examine and discern the secrets of these invested objects, but for now I will give you a brief outline. Shard Blades are most curious in their design. The weapons are disproportionally massive, often measuring out at nearly six feet in length. It is said that they are far lighter than any sword should be, especially for their size. This massive reach grants the wielder a distinct advantage in combat especially when the swords other properties are considered. These weapons can cut through all known matter and living flesh. The blades pass straight through rock and stone as if it offered no resistance. I was skeptical of this at first, but I have witnessed this for myself. I watched Lords drop their blades directly into the stone ground, the blade sinking like a hot knife through butter. And yet, these weapons reportedly do far stranger things to the men they strike down. Instead of cutting living flesh, the blade seems to fade into a dense mist, passing directly through the victim. If the blade passes through the spine the victim dies immediately, their eyes smoldering into blackened craters. Of the blade passes through limbs but misses the spine, the afor mentioned limbs are not cut, but instead die, losing all feeling. In this case the victim is crippled. As the blade leaves the body it becomes solid again. Naturally such weapons are incredibly effective on the fields of war, turning a skilled warrior into an army unto themselves. These blades are the most coveted items in Roshar, worth more than most land rights and titles. For the Alethi, wielding one of these blades is essentially a title in and of itself. Apparently any man, even a peasant or dark-eyes as they call them here, can become a Lord by obtaining such a weapon. However, this is nearly impossible to do when the blade must first be taken by force. Fascinatingly the blades have another power that prevents the theft of a shard blade. When one is bonded with a Shard Blade, the weapon can be dismissed out of the physical realm and then called upon by the weapon’s master at will. This means that the blade is always under the control of the wielder. It will even vanish if dropped, most likely a safety to prevent the blade being turned against its master. Clearly these weapons make a trained warrior nearly unstoppable, yet the Shard Plate armor offers protection from these unworldly blades. Shard Plate is miraculous, there is no other word for it. The armor is majestic, perfect in every practical way. The plated armor completely covers the wearer in rigid supernatural metal plates that link together seamlessly. In fact, the only gap in the armor is a small viewing visor in the facemask. The armor is apparently incredibly heavy, but when it is fully charged with Stormlight Investiture the plate seems to support itself. Those who clade the armor are supported and enhanced by the armor which enhances the physical speed and strength of the warrior inside. The armor adapts to its bearer, fitting itself to your physical shape as it is donned. And if that wasn’t enough, the helm apparently is translucent from the inside, allowing the wielder to maintain a blurred version of his peripheral vision. With such perfectly attuned armor it is no wonder that the Shard Plate grants unusual powers to its bearer. These men can leap over chasms, survive large falls, and even deflect a shard blade. Shard Plate provides the ultimate personal defense. However, this armor is not perfect. Shard blade strikes damage the armor greatly, causing it to fracture and eventually shatter. As the armor is weakened it leaks investiture until it runs dry. At that point the armor shuts down and traps the wielder under it’s incredible weight. It is possible for Shard Plate to fall victim to mundane attacks as well. Arrows and typical sword strikes are marginally useless against such a heavy defense. However consistent damage, especially from large hammers and other heavy strikes can lead to plate damage and destruction. However, the level of damage needed to slow down and defeat a Shard Bearer requires the efforts of an army. Even if the shard plate is fractured or even destroyed, the armor is not permanently defeated. The armor apparently can be regrown from a fragment if it is given enough stormlight investiture. Strangely in this regard the Shard Plate seems more alive, behaving more like a plant than metal. I find them incredibly fascination and cannot wait to examine a set for myself. While each type of shard is devastating on its own, together they make a force to be reckoned with. With the enhancements of Shard Plate and the deadly versatility of the Shard Blade, full shard bearers make a mockery of traditional warfare. While they are not immortal, they have little to fear in combat with mundane foes. In fact, most shard bearers only fear the threats of other shard bearers for it is incredibly unlikely that a typical solider would ever pose a serious threat to the wielder. I have made it my mission to get a personal look at one of these shards. I fear it might take me some time to do so since the weapons are so valuable. I am fortunate that I inherited my mother’s grey eyes for in Alethkar, the nobility is set apart by their eye color. It seems strange, but it makes about as much sense as any other social hierarchy. Unfortunately, my apprentice Kassar has already been troubled in her work because of her dark eyes. Perhaps there is some way that I can elevate her or enhance her standing. Her potential far exceeds her social status. For now, we will continue to work for High Prince Dalinar. Give me a month and I shall have the Prince’s confidence. I am leaving on the morrow to begin collecting information for his spy network which I will relay back. It will be nice to put my skills to good use for once. I will write back as soon as I return. Until the next Letter, Elsric
  15. The Everstorm has arrived. Parshmen who come in contact with it will turn into Voidbringers. From what we know about the previous desolations, we can anticipate much death and destruction. Despite this obvious danger, Rosharan governments don't seem like they intend to do something proactive to prevent the ubiquitous Parshmen from becoming Voidbringers. Take for example the Azish imperial decree: In my opinion, this decree will actually speed up the transformation process. I mean, the Parshmen are practically being offered up to the Everstorm. According to some of Jasnah's Philosophy schools of thought, killing all the Parshmen before they turn will be the right thing to do. On the other hand, the Knights Radiant, who have great influence on Roshar, have contrary opinions on matters of this nature. This is well shown in their First Ideal: So, what do you think?
  16. I am finishing a reread of WoK, and I noticed a detail in Dalinar's Last Vision. After the destruction of Kholinar, Dalinar looks up and sees two "stars" blink out before the sun dims. Is this a hint at the destruction of two other planets within the Cosmere? If this is the case, either Odium can destroy three separate planets almost instantly or that there are other powers capable of massive destruction working with him. If the latter were the case, who would have the most to gain from the action?
  17. So, I was just wondering something about the Letters in the Way of Kings book. How does Hoid send the letter to the dragon? I very much doubt that there is a Cosmere-wide postal service at any worldhopper's convenience. Even if there was, something like that would probably be to blatant for Hoid. I'm not even sure if the Letter is an actual letter, maybe Hoid uses some sort of magical device that sends out messages. Just a random thought that occured to me while re-reading Way of Kings.
  18. This has been in my head for a while, and I keep forgetting to post it, so hopefully it'll not be as rambling as I worry it will be xD Forgive me if this has already been speculated/shot down elsewhere! So, Brandon has been rather close lipped on the origins of Shardplate, if Kaladin is going to get his own, and we've theorised all kinds of things, like the Plate being made of non-sentient Spren locked into Plate forn the same way Spren are locked into non-living Shardblades... My thought/random theory is this. When a Radiant reaches the final Ideal of their Order, or progresses far enough, they create their own Shardplate... but through Stormlight manipulation. "But Rawrbert, you crazy, mad, lovable, handsome fool," I hear you say, "What would make you think that? Shardplate has to be more than just hardened Stormlight!" Well, you flattering reader, let me explain my way of thinking. We've seen Shallan can dim the Stormlight from her skin to blackness, and we've seen that as a Radiant progresses through their Ideals that holding and using Stormlight and Surges becomes easier and more natural to them. And from what I recall from Dalinar's visions, when he was fighting with and saw Radiants in their prime, their Shardplate glowed at the joints with inner light correspondending to their Order. What we DIDN'T see... was their skin glowing. At no point (Unless I'm recalling incorrectly, as I don't have the book in frony of me at the moment.) does Dalinar mention that the Radiants he sees' skin glow with light at all. Now, he doesn't specifically say that they AREN'T glowing, but that seems like the kind of detail everyone's favourite war dad would notice, especially when he instantly remarks on the glowing Plate in his head. This, along with Shardplate being powered by infused spheres, and that it can regrow when fed Stormlight, makes me think that a Surgebinder will be able to convert the Stormlight that would make their skin grow, or escape from their pores, into Shardplate, when they become proficient enough with metabolising/using it. This would also explain why the Radiants in the visions were able to summon and dismiss part of their armour at will, by simply reabsorbing the Stormlight they've hardened around their head to create a helm, or around their fist to make a gauntlet. I suspect the reason Brandon didn't have Dalinar see the dismissal/resummoning of the armour pieces to keep us guessing, since if it formed first from mist or from light we could pretty easily narrow down how it was happening. ^^ Of course it COULD maybe be summoned from the Cognitive Realm, a perfect ideal of armour for each Radiant.... Anyway, thoughts? Praises? Insults? ^-^ Hit meh!
  19. HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!! I hope you are having a wonderful holiday season. Here I am celebrating Christmas with my family, but no matter what you are up to I hope you enjoy this short Holiday special! Last month I signed up for the Cosmere fan Secret Santa gift exchange. In this we share creative things that we Cosmere fans make and I received a fantastic present! Thank you so much Chasmfriend for your hard work! If you haven't, please be sure to visit my "Letters From the Cosmere" series where I explore Cosmere theories and terms in a creative way. They are letters from my fan character Elsric as he visits the various Shard Worlds of the Cosmere. You can check out the full playlist here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLAMyafmbn7Hk67TaxlZonSLqp9CGovvA6
  20. 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.
  21. 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?
  22. This might be the most important of Cosmere topics. Now we understand that the different magics and peoples of the Cosmere are fascinating and amazing. But even more so are the entities that were never alive, yet have a personality and drive of their own. These Splinters are pockets of Shardic Power that develop a type of intelligence. It is apparent that these beings are critical to the overall narrative of the Cosmere, while some are likely the perpetrators of some of the greatest evils seen so far. What are these Splinters and how do you recognize one? Transcripts: I wish my father could have come to Roshar. Things that seemed mundane to others fascinated him to no end. The rocky hills and the crustaceous life that seems to make up this entire world are so different from the home I once knew. He would have written enough dissertations and filled enough sketchbooks to drown a man in the first week alone. He was odd, but he had a love of discovery, and visiting other worlds would have been a dream come true for him. And my brother…. He would have loved seeing all the different shapes spren come in. The spren are small spirit looking entities that appear around the planet. Forces and states of mind that normally too subtle to observe clearly are manifested visually making their study far easier to perform empirically. I believe that a spren is a physical representation of a cognitive entity. They are not physical in the sense that you can touch them, or that they have any sort of measurable mass. But they remind me of the simple minds that exist, attached to the objects in the Cognitive realm. However, these are not attached to any one object, rather they are bound to a purpose or intent. For instance, if one is provoked into anger, anger spren seem to be drawn out, and serve as a secondary indicator of the being’s intent. There are also Spren tied to more ecological forces, such as flame spren and river spren. I’ve even observed spren that seem to account for things unseen, such as wind spren and life spren. This aspect of spren and their natures yields promising potential in the fields of science and sociology. It must be far easier to consult or comfort someone when fear spren manifest their anxiety. In my personal journals I have been writing up my observations of the spren and their forms. My notes are far from professional and I doubt anyone but myself would be interested in these notations. I feel there must be some connection between the existence of spren and the High Storms which bring great rushing surges of Investiture. These cataclysmic storms occur most weeks if not multiple times a week. Such a rush of raging power must have metaphysical effects along with the violent weather phenomena that is the storm wall. Now while I would love to chat about spren all day, this letter is a particular note because I have a theory about what these spren actually are. You see they take up a form that is far too intelligent to be just a stray consciousness. Some of the larger spren are able to interact and mimic people, such as wind spren. They have an almost playful attitude towards life and have been known to play pranks on humans they encounter. No, there is something far greater at work here. As you know from my previous letter, I am now aware of the former existence of Adonalsium and of the shattering. These fractured Shards left and later developed a drive or fundamental nature to themselves. Shards are immense in scope and power. This power yields abilities that seem only limited to the imagination. In fact, we know from the “Words of Founding” that Shards have created life from their power. Now getting back to the topic at hand, these spren do not act like any animal I have ever come across. They seem to thrive on ideas and concepts of the human mind. By observing and often mimicking what they interact with, spren reveal that they have a core nature. They are drawn to some kid of theme or purpose. This tendency, to have and hold true to an idea or states of environment that reflects what they themselves are. In this way they remind me of matured Shards. As you recall, the Shards seem to have a compulsion to see out a particular ideal, usually summarized by the name they adopt. The spren seem to mimic this type of behavior and single-mindedness. I postulate, based on these observations that spren are little pockets of Shardic power. Unlike raw Investiture, which is simply harness-able energy, spren are power with a measured intelligence and will. They are like Splinters of a soul. It is easier to understand this position when you visit the Cognitive Realm. There the Spren seem far more complex, and even dangerous. There are whispers of larger spren that have intelligence and memories who live there. I hope to do more direct observing as soon as I have established myself with the peoples here. I have seen enough to recognizes that there is something nearly supernatural about these beings. It seems reasonable to assume that these spren are pieces of a greater whole. Splinters are entities of power that were never alive as a humanoid, but attain a level of… consciousness. This is where things are still a bit fuzzy. It cannot be denied that the spren are intelligent, at least in a broad sense. By contrast the Returned on Nalthis also carry with them a Splinter in the form of a divine breath. In fact, all breath might be considered a splinter since they are portions of a Shards power, but a Divine Breath is unique. Yet it must be asked, are the Returned a person brought back from death by infusing their soul with a splinter, or does the Splinter itself inherit the body of a dead person? The answer to this might simply be both, and for this particular argument the distinction is not important. What matters is that there is an intent behind both a spren and Divine Breath. I would then also guess from my studies that Seons could be considered Splinters. They are far more than just a symbol of Aon-dor, and they exemplify obedient intelligence with a profound memory and distinct personality. In this way they might be the most advance form of documented Splinter to date. However, there is a potential in the spren, and if the Nightwatch and Stormfather can be confirmed as massive spren, they might be the most powerful Splinters known to man. I am particularly intrigued by this Nightwatycher. There are rumors that she can grant requests that come with an associated boon. If this is more than a myth, the implications are… staggering. Regardless I plan to make the journey to see this being. I also hope to find a good location to watch a High Storm, hopefully I will be able to observe this Storm Father for myself. As I’ve pondered these findings, my thoughts turned to Scadreal. At first I couldn’t think of any beings or entities there that would count as Splinters. In fact, I still feel that Scadreal has never seen a Splinter according to the historical records that we have. Yet I pause at the thought of the Kandra. The shapeshifters are intelligent beings that once were mindless creatures. They gained their intelligence via the powers of two hemalergic spikes. This was when I made the connection between spikes and Splinters. This may be an unrelated correlation, but the similarities are strong, and only separated by scope. Most hemalergic spikes are simply a form of spiritual surgery, ripping one soul apart and splicing pieces of that soul into another person. But with the kandra, they grant actual consciousness as if they were a Splinter themselves. Perhaps they are. However, I abhor the thought of anyone performing an investigation. Any testing with Hemallergy will be destructive beyond the point of rationality. What troubles me are the whispers of these Voidbringers. On Roshar there are tales of monsters built of stone and darkness that once sought the destruction of all sentient life on this world. The rumors are whispers at best, but I have made several well informed connections. If my discoveries here are accurate and these void spren are actually real, then we are dealing with splinters that are openly hostile. My guess is that these spren move with an intent and were created purposefully by a destructive Shard. I see now why I was sent here, for history seems ripe to repeat itself. I wish to be absolutely wrong about this, but my gut feeling is that there is a great destruction coming. To you, I suggest the following caution. Should I prove right, and find that there are evil spren sent to do the work of a destructive shard, be sure to look for the patterns. These splinters seem to be mimics or replicas of what already exists here. This goes against all that I have observed on other worlds where the Shards manifest uniquely when exerting their respective Investiture powers. If this Dark one seeks to mimic his fellows, then his touch may be subtle. Look for the signs of madness or corruption of what already exists. Red eyes… perhaps this is another sign to watch for. There are reports that the people who wage war here have recently been seen with glowing red eyes. This might be the only reliable way to recognize the servants of this being. Then again, it is possible that there are multiple Shards attempting to cause upheaval and destruction. That thought alone sends a shiver up my spine. I will continue to look into these Void bringers, and there are more reports coming in all the time. Something inside me feels as if there is a great bell just beginning to toll the final hours of this place. The air almost hums with tension and I fear that someday this world will break. I hope your messengers can find me amidst what is to come. Perhaps I am wrong, but this seems all too familiar. I wish I had more time, but I am afraid… afraid that I will once again watch innocent lives be snuffed out. I don’t want to watch another world die. Elsric
  23. Sometimes I can't get the Cosmere out of my head. Well it makes sense, they are just about the best books ever written. But when you have such great books with no movies or television series (as of this moment) it can make you look at the actors and characters in other media. There are lots of potential actors who could play our favorite Cosmere characters. But there are also existing characters in movies, books, TV shows, and Anime who just seem like they would be perfect to play a character. What are your daydream character actors? What characters from existing media remind you of your favorite Cosmere characters? This week I was re-watching "Attack on Titan" and I realized that there is a character that looks and fights like Vin. Mikasa seriously could be a stand in for Vin, it's almost too perfect. They are both crazy awesome fighters who leap across buildings, wield a pair of blades, and fight by instinct like no one else does. They both are kinda broken but love their best friends and will do everything they can to protect them. "When she fights, she is the blade. When she loves, she is the kiss. In that way, she was more human than any others that I have known" TenSoon -Shadows of Self Here is a video of some of Mikasa's best moments. SPOILER ALERT! GRAPHIC IMAGERY! But Attack on Titan is crazy amazing. I recommend you watch it. Mikasa is the best, and she is the anime version of Vin, my favorite Mistborn!
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