Search the Community

So I've been wondering about Syl's status as Ancient Daughter. According to the book, she's one of only "a handful" of honorspren created by the Stormfather pre-Shattering (that's Honor's shattering, not Adonalsium's), which makes her a sort of lighteyes among the honorspren. She's the only one of those who escaped the Recreance, making her situation downright unique. A fair bit of importance is put on her status. Which leaves me to wonder: why? But the status by itself seems unnecessary from a pure plot perspective. It's a reason for the honorspren to want to lock her up; but if that were the only purpose, just disobeying the Stormfather should be enough for that. Brandon Sanderson is too good a writer, I think, to add such detail needlessly. It's possible that it's just a bit of random flavor/background to flesh Syl out a bit more, but 1) honestly, does she really need more characterization? With or without her background, she's got a pretty identifiable and well-defined character already. It's not like being the honorspren version of royalty is adding anything by itself. There's already plenty of royalty in SA. Also, 2) when was the last time that a character's backstory didn't end up mattering in a Sanderson book? Space in Stormlight books is at a premium. I can't quite imagine he'd go through such effort if Syl's status weren't going to be plot-critical sometime in the future. But burned if I can figure out how. The obvious answer, that Syl and Kaladin's bond is somehow different as a result of her status, but we have a WoB rejecting that idea. The only ideas I've been able to come up with are the following: 1) Syl will interact more with honorspren in the future, where her status will affect their interactions. The counterpoint to this is that, well, we haven't seen much of it so far. In the physical realm, Syl is given the cold shoulder by the other spren because she disobeyed; in the cognitive, she's captured and stuffed in a hold. There isn't really any indication that she's being treated differently than any other truant would be, for better or for worse. And it seems somewhat unlikely that Kaladin and Syl will be traipsing back through Shadesmar a second time. 2) Being created directly by the Stormfather, presumably Syl has more Connection to him than other honorspren would. I could see this mattering in the future, in theory, but it's not quite clear to me how. The only time we've seen Connection mattering that I can recall is when picking up a Shard or fast-learning a language, and neither quite seem to apply unless the Stormfather's going to lose his consciousness while his power remains intact, which seems rather unlikely. Granted, however, I'm not that much of a Cosmere scholar compared to some on these boards, so there could easily be something I'm missing here. 3) Perhaps the honorspren the Stormfather made post-Recreance are fundamentally different than those from before. The Stormfather-Tanavast amalgamation might have been more paranoid/more controlling when he made honorspren marque two. It is perhaps noteworthy that only Syl was willing to defy him to go searching for a bondmate. Still, this would not matter narratively unless Syl were to defy him at some future point while the other honorspren obeyed. Since the other honorspren have started bonding now, this seems less likely. So that's where you all come in. Can anyone think of additional reasons, or of additional reasoning for or against the above ideas? Am I reading too much meaning into a bit of flavorful fluff? What do you think?

Syl kills a red voidspren that is near the prince (kings son) in the form of a dagger in Kaladin's hand. Do all Radient blades have the ability to kill spren? What happens to the spren on the other side in the cognitive realm? If anyone has any ideas or theorys on what these could be could they share their thoughts?

I don't know if this was already posted, but it was too good to resist!

I'm new here to the forums so sorry if this is something that has been brought up before but I haven't heard anyone talk about. So this insmy thought on how the spren choose people and how the nahel bond connects humans to spren. So my theory started recently in my millionth reread of WoR when Kaladin says tonSyk that he is no knight, that he is broken. Syl replies to them that all of the knights radiants are broken, much like Kaladin and shallan and even Yv from the interlides was in his youth. The next part that grew my theory was when Szeth is sitting in top on Urithiru and mentions how the town's people leave out spheres for him to use and mentions he burns through them to fast since he has" to I'm perfect a body". The last part that goes into this invloves Mistbirn Secret History and Keliser and crazy people. He can only interact with crazy people and syas that they have cracks in their spirit. So my theory is after I've already made this way to long a post is this, the Soren watch people who are " broken" or have "cracks" in their spirits, they watch them.closley because these are the people they can not only see more clearly in the coginitve real but also because it is easier for them to bond with them the same was as it's easier for Keliser to talk to crazy people. I think that this also has to do with why they can burn storm light more effectively since the nahel bond fills in the cracks in the spirit web in the cognitive real bringing making them partially begin to bind spiritually with a Soren that is made of and lives if investiture. Sorry for rambiling that out and not really getting my points across it's late here in the east coast, it's much clearer in my head. Still I would love to hear what you think, looking forward to being part of the forums.

Hi everyone. I wanted to share a bit of fan art with you. Enjoy!

Hey everyone, Basically, two WoB mentioned some things in the books that I couldn't find (I probably didn't search thoroughly enough), and I was hoping someone can point me to the sources... So the first one is about Timbre Brandon mentions that we have seen Timbre in an earlier book. Anyone know where? The second, which I found really interesting, was about Syl taking Shallan's shape So when did Syl take the look of Shallan standing on the beach? Anyone remember this?

So I see a lot of controversy to why Kaladin was able to heal his wound when cut by a Szeth's Shardblade, while Szeth was not able to heal himself with his excess Stormlight he had with him when Kaladin killed him. So, my question; Are Spren, Stormlight, or Shards able to look at your strengths, and automatically apply it when in need? For example, Kaladin could heal a Shardblade (an Honorblade non of the less) cut which should have torn his soul because Syl or his Stormlight could make a mental connection with his past as a Surgeon, and apply that to the power that he already had, healing his arm. And the reason why I do not believe it was due to him being a Windrunner, is because while Szeth was not a true Windrunner (getting his power from the sword) he still had the capabilities, but could not heal.

Just wondering. I mean, Syl is friendly enough (except to Pattern). This could be my imagination, but...she did she meet with Ivory or Glys already? Yeah, but I think would create an interesting dynamic. If a spren were friends with another spren, and they're Radiants didn't like each other. Or best friend Radiants have spren who refuse to talk to each other. Does the Storm father have friends? He seems too...ethereal. (And let's be honest, he's a priss.)

1. Syl - cute, reminds me of my neighbors' daughter, Kathy. Confused about her weird Honorspren-windspren persona shift thing, though. 2. Pattern - oh my God, he's adorable his first few months when he appears to Shallan (and Jasnah calls him imbecilic), even better now making awkward for Shallan and Adolin. My favorite bean. 3. Ivory - I really like him for some reason, specially that weird speech pattern he's got going. He's like there posh British man of spren. 4. Glys - he's...shy? Nonexistent? Hates the cold and hides in Renarin's shirt to keep warm, while consequentially keeping himself from view? Honestly don't know anything about him, but I am obliged to love him because he's a spren. 5. Wyndle - dry like wine. 6. Stormfather - let's be honest. He's a priss. P.S. Syl is my favorite. What are your thoughts on the spren?

So I've been re-reading parts of WoK, and got to the chapter Wandersail where Hoid tells Kaladin the story about the island. When he finishes talking and leaves Syl starts talking to Kaladin about his ability to draw Stormlight (because Kaladin thought he was cursed to watch everyone die while he lived) and she says this: What exactly is she taking from Kaladin? I have searched the copper mind about Nahel Bonds and the WoB database and don't see this discussed. Is she taking his ability to choose? Now as a Radiant he must protect? That's the only thing I can think of. But this seems like it could have major implications in the future when the Desolations continue past Oathbringer and more Unmade/Fused join the fight.

Can we please talk for a second about all the fan art that shows Syl as this like super babe? I mean if she's a pretty person thats great but the fancy dresses and giant boobs seem ridiculous. She's described as wearing a childlike dress, and I dont know any children that dress like this.

[OB] SPOILERS What if Syl and Pattern start dating? What would be the consequences apart from some mating.

Happy Oathbringer day, Lets not ruin anyone elses by spoiling the book for the people that may not read as quickly as you, or that may not be as fortunate to have obtained the book on the first day. I love you all my Bridge 4 Bretheren. Happy Reading.

Raw speculation: The first five books are about gathering Roshar’s humans in Urithiru (“uniting” them). The gap between the arcs is the “Night of Sorrows,” when the Everstorm rises to submerge Urithiru in darkness. The last five books are about humans fighting back, causing Odium to question whether he can win. The culmination is the Duel between Honor’s and Odium’s Champions. My basis for this speculation? It just feels right…. There is one item of evidence – the image of the ten Shardblades held aloft against the Voidbringer hordes. I suggest these are the Honorblades, not KR Shardblades. Honorblades, we know, consume Stormlight. I think they consume any Investiture, especially if Nale’s “Sword of Retribution” turns out to be Nightblood. I speculate these Blades will be used to remove voidspren from the Voidbringers, returning them to their normal state. With his army gone, Odium chooses to Duel. I have more confidence projecing the saga’s ending. Brandon says he foreshadows that ending somewhere in the first two books. @zandi opined the story of Fleet (WoR, Chapter 59) tells that ending. I agree. I reconstruct that story to fill in what I think happens during the race. It goes without saying this is complete speculation and guesswork. Preliminary Thought: If @Zandi is correct, the race is the Duel of Champions. How then to explain the person Dalinar thinks is Odium’s Champion? I suggest (again with no evidence) that the ten former Silver Kingdoms each fall to a different Voidbringer army led by an opposing Champion. Each Kingdom has an Oathgate That’s why I think the first five books chronicle the human retreat to Urithiru. Dalinar sees someone recognizable who embodies the Thrill. I think he sees Nergaoul in possession of the “unmade” soul of the recently murdered Sadeas. The Thrill is peculiarly Alethi. KR in Dalinar’s "Starfall" vision (IIRC) say their warrior class congregates in “Alethela.” I speculate each Odium Champion is a listener “god” in a mortal's form who has ties to that Kingdom. When Odium fears he may lose, he calls upon his true Champion, the “God of Storms,” IMO a corrupted version of the Stormfather. Let’s begin the final Duel of Champions: The storm begins in the east, so it’s not the Everstorm. But the chapter never identifies the storm as a highstorm. The reference to the “God of Storms” could mean the Stormfather or the listener’s Rider of Storms. Again, I speculate Odium has injected his Investiture into the Stormfather, giving Odium control over the storms. If Odium controls the Stormfather, does that mean Dalinar is the “one who betrays us” from the WoK back cover? Nale mentions the danger of making the Nahel bond oaths without Honor. Maybe this is what he means? Through the corrupt Stormfather, who makes a corrupt Nahel bond, the Bondsmith himself is unknowingly corrupt? Fleet’s description matches Kaladin. Fleet runs, he doesn’t Windrun. That suggests the storm doesn’t hold Stormlight. I think this confirms the storm is not a highstorm. Fleet’s soul is a “sun.” On Roshar, spren are “souls,” and Syl is Kaladin’s “soul.” I think Kaladin must hold Stormlight to glow. By then he’s a full Windrunner and can store and use Stormlight with peak efficiency. He must saturate himself with Stormlight. I have only guesses why he doesn’t fly. Maybe running conserves Stormlight better. Maybe Odium set the Duel rules. Or worse, maybe an unknowingly corrupt Dalinar set the rules, thinking he was acting Honorably. Could that be Dalinar's betrayal? Kaladin runs out of Stormlight, but still makes it into Shinovar: I think the storm “wilts” because it loses its Investiture – Odium’s Investiture – when the storm hits the mountains east of Shinovar. Highstorms likewise lose Stormlight there. IMO, that’s why there are no spren in Shinovar. As with the Voidbringers, pulling Odium’s Investiture from the storm leaves it in its natural state. The Stormfather, the personification of Honor, recognizes Kaladin’s sacrifice to protect Roshar. Is there anything more “Honorable”? Kaladin fully merges with Syl. His body is dead, but their fully-mingled soul remains, “forever free to race the wind.” And that’s how humans defeat Odium. What their prize is – Odium leaving Greater Roshar with reduced power? – is unclear. A final thought: I think Cultivation is more prescient than Odium. I think she knew the terms of the Duel he would someday want to fight. She prepared for that day by making Shinovar a sinkhole for Investiture. She won and reaped her revenge on him for killing Honor. Highly speculative, but what do you think?

Crazy theory. After reading the newest Chapters I'm increasingly convinced Renarin and Elhokar as potential Champions for Odium are red herrings being thrown out by Brandon. Reading about Dalinar under the spell of the Thrill and presumably the touch of one of the Unmade, it's clear that it induces a form of psychosis, including delusions of invincibility, unnatural rage and aggression and loss of judgement. Which led me to hypothesize, what if every Unmade can touch and alter humans like that? What if one of the Unmade can induce hopelessness and deep depression or even bipolar thinking that can alter judgement and behavior as well? Kaladin has been battling severe depression since the start of tWoK. But given how the Thrill works, it may not even be completely natural mental illness. Kaladin may be in the claws of one of the Unmade, and Brandon may be seeding hints of Kaladin (or at least a darker version of Kaladin) being influenced into being Odium's Champion through the touch of the Unmade on his mind. I can only imagine the state of mind any human would have with all nine shadows touching them. The key to this would be to tear away Syl. Syl hangs a lampshade on it, "My job is to bring light and joy and chase away shadows when you're being a dour idiot, Kal." I think this will be another one of Brandon's clever ironies before the series is done. As Syl's influence on Kaladin increases, his depression (and the touch of the Unmade?) shrinks and he becomes less...odious. As Syl's influence wanes and she grows more distant in the first and second book, when Kal was considering suicide or letting Elhokar die, his depression was worse. We saw with Dalinar that the closer he came to Radiant, the less the Thrill was able to affect him. And just as removing Syl from the equation would be the key to making Kaladin Odium's champion, reviving Syl would be the key to redeeming Kaladin and defeating Odium.

I have a theory as to why Szeth was given Nightblood instead of another shard or honorblade. It's been stated that Nightblood act as and basically is a shardblade. So I'll assume when he clashes with one it will be shardblade on shardblade. But what if nightblood can speak into the minds of live spren such as Syl and make her thoughts wild it corrupt basically rendering hey useless to Kaladin. Could this be a possibility why Szeth was given Nightblood at the end of WoR by Nale? That would certainly give him a huge edge over any other shard bearer