Theory: The Silence Divine Shard is from Roshar

[Lightflame]

Alright, I know everyone and their mother has come up with this one, but I have something new to bring to the table.

Anyway, the theory goes like this: Three Shards (Honor, Cultivation, and our mystery Shard) are ruling peacefully on Roshar. Then Odium shows up, and the mystery Shard flees to the world of The Silence Divine, which shares the solar system of Roshar. It sounds far-fetched, but allow me to direct you to two quotes.

The Way of Kings: Page 157 (Hardcover):

"Three of sixteen ruled, but now the Broken One reigns."

Essentially, three Shards used to be in charge of Roshar, but now Odium Reigns. Of course, the line implies that Odium wasn't one of "The Three" (heh, reminds me of Warriors), and instead came later. This Brandon Quote backs me up.

Question: Can you give me a hint about Odium?

Brandon Sanderson: Odium is not native to Roshar.

Source

This further suggests that the Three were ruling until Odium came in and took over. Since Cultivation, Odium, and Honor are the only Shards on Roshar, this means that someone had to leave. Obviously, it was our mystery Shard.

I know I promised you some new proof, but I really wanted to use this quote.

Skeptics may claim that having Roshar and the planet of The Silence Divine in the same solar system was just a stylistic choice, but I beg to differ.

Elantris:

"I thought you'd learned, readers," said Brandon. "Nothing I do is just for show."

You heard the man.

As well, I have proof that the Shard from The Silence Divine has actually been on Roshar.

First, let me draw your attention to the magic system of this planet. On the world of TSD, getting a disease gives you magical abilities. Someone here gave this example of how it would work: "You get a cold and then you can fly."

Now where have we heard something like that before?

The Way of Kings, Page 709 (Hardcover):

"Doesn't work that way," Av said. "It's not a game, no matter how the stories try to put it. The Nightwatcher doesn't trick you or twist your words. She gives what she feels you deserve, then gives you a curse to go along with it. Sometimes related, sometimes not."

Both the Nightwatcher and the world of TSD operate on a curse-boon system. The Nightwatcher gives you a boon, and a curse to balance it out. For example, she gives a man some cloth, and also flips his vision upside down. On the planet of TSD, you get a curse (a disease) and a boon (superpowers) balances it out. It seems that both worlds have had influence from the same Shard. Could the Nightwatcher be a Splinter?

Also, Brandon mentions in an interview (I don't have the link, but I'll find it) that we have seen the magical effects of two Shards in The Way of Kings. One of those Shards supplied the magic of the Radiants, and Odium doesn't want to invest himself in anything. Brandon refused to divulge which Shards we saw, which would make the most sense if we were dealing with a Shard outside our knowledge.

Finally, the author of the Ars Arcanum mentions, "I am beginning to suspect that the Old Magic is something else entirely." Make of this what you will.

So there you have it. My theory.

[Observer]

I love it! Everybody assumes Nightwatcher is a spren, so it automatically makes sense that she's not.

[Cracknut]

+1. Never believed in Spren being 'everything on planet', especially Nightwatcher. This is set in stone now for me.

[ROSHtafARian]

You know, I've long thought that something like Sacrifice seemed a good possible name for the Silence Divine shard based on what we know of its magic system (you accept a consequence for a 'greater good', ie get sick to gain a power). So Odium came to Roshar and came into conflict with the three of sixteen who ruled....we know Honor and Odium formed the Oathpact, presumably as Honor's way of protecting Roshar/humanity, but who says those were the only two Shards involved in the Oathpact? What if the third shard (Sacrifice-esque) left Roshar as part of the peace treaty with Odium?

Totally speculative and circumstantial, but my point is I could see several ways this theory could be plausible and how it could work with what we know so far.

[dyring]

Interesting theory. Got a few questions.

I thought it was Bavadin who was on silence Divide planet, and that Bavadin was strongly implied to be Allied with Odium. Wouldent make the theory impossible, would just require some changing. Would perhaps even make more sense if Odium had Bavadin as an ally against honor and Cultivation.

Dont quite remember where I read that part now thou, and not time to search atm. :/

*edit

Right. Seems likely that I mixed up silence divide and White sands then. Quite common for me, that;)

Edited September 19, 2012 by dyring

[ROSHtafARian]

This has come up somewhere before, but I believe it's been confirmed by Brandon that Bavadin is on Taldain, the setting for his unpublished cosmere story 'White Sand'.

[Observer]

This has come up somewhere before, but I believe it's been confirmed by Brandon that Bavadin is on Taldain, the setting for his unpublished cosmere story 'White Sand'.

Who said it had to be Bavadin? Who said Bavadin ever even came into contact with Roshar? He's just somebody Hoid dislikes, there's a good chance he's not even related to Odium.

PS: Ah, I see. Somebody did mention him. My bad.