Is Nalan directing Szeth?

[bookspren]

There might be a hint of a spoiler if you haven't read the Lift Interlude.

 

 

 

 

I just noticed something interesting. Maybe other people aready saw this, but when Szeth is given his list of people to kill, the man turns the wall to smoke as he leaves. Nalan is associated with smoke. I'm starting to think he may be controlling Taravangian or at least working with him. They are both interested in stopping the Desolations from coming again if certain speculation is accurate. What do you all think?

 

 

Edit: If this belongs in the Words of Radiance subforum, feel free to move it there.

Edited October 30, 2013 by bookspren

[cem]

Yeah, someone should probably move this to WoR forum or Steelhunt.

 

 

I don't think your theory is true because Nalan goes to A LOT of trouble to make his targets fit his twisted sense of justice. Taravangian has no illusions. Also Nalan is going specifically after Surgebinders while Taravangian's group just seem to be trying to create chaos and not care about Surgebinders at all.

 

And I mean no offense but the smoke connection is very, very thin. The man was just trying to make a hole in stone. Maybe his Soulcaster was attuned to only smoke that would accomplish what he wanted.

Edited October 30, 2013 by cem

[Argent]

Stone-to-smoke also seems like a popular Soulcasting if you wanted to get rid of some stone.

[Ethrien]

Argent has probably hit the Soulcasting part on the head. If he wanted to make a hole in the wall he really only had five choices; blood and oil if he doesn't care about being soaked in blood or oil; fire which in close confines could be a risky choice (can Soulcasters be burned by their own fire?), and air or smoke. We've also seen Jasnah use the stone to smoke conversion, ruining a hallway of fine art/carpets, so presumably there is something 'wrong' with the stone-to-air conversions. Air being less dense than both smoke and stone might have created a powerful enough shock-wave to knock him off his feet, completely ruining his dramatic exit.

 

Jasnah had transformed the boulder into smoke, and since smoke was far less dense than stone, the change had pushed the smoke away in an explosive outburst.

 

Also Darkness seems to be working towards preventing the Desolation, whilst Taravangian considers it a foregone conclusion, and is working towards strengthening the lands; by removing leaders that might resist a unified defense (under Taravangian) against the Voidbringers. Killing valuable assets like Surgebinders doesn't seem the sort of action he would agree with.

[bookspren]

Yeah, I agree it's kind of out there. And I'm not really convinced myself. It's the kind of thing you come up with when you have a few hours to waste.

[Morsk]

I guess I'm bumping this 19 days late, but Nalan's icon is on the chapter. Twice.

I've always felt it was there because Nalan's wearing a hood and Szeth is a ninja, but that's probably not the real reason. I don't know the reason. Is a single smoke soulcasting enough for two Nalan icons?

[marianmi]

SPOILER:

Mr T is Nalan

[bookspren]

@Morsk, You got me thinking again (starvin' dangerous, that is) and I have modified my theory. There is at the least a philosophical unity between Darkness (who I obviously believe to be Nalan) and Taravangian. They are both willing to kill innocents for the "greater good". Taravangian seems quite genuine when he explains his actions to Szeth; he really thinks he can save the world by murdering the destitute and defenseless. I don't know if Darkness was honest with Lift, but if he was, he would certainly approve of Mr. T's agenda. If they are not already allied (which is not impossible), I expect they will interact and consider uniting at some time. Darkness is uncannily able to locate surgebinders that don't want to be discovered, and I am sure he knows about Szeth's existence and powers but I seriously doubt he is aware of Mr. T's activities yet. In short, I still believe there will be a connection between Mr. T, Szeth and Darkness/Nalan.