Swimmingly Posted November 13, 2013 Report Share Posted November 13, 2013 Crem is one of those things. It is a nutrient-rich, clay-like substance that falls from Invested storms, (possibly) providing the nutrients for crustaceans shells and rockbuds...rockiness, used for pottery, building, and almost never violence. It is not identifiable as anything but itself, and falls directly on all land across the supercontinent with the highstorms - meaning it isn't swept up from one place there and deposited everywhere else. From that, we can assume either or both of two things: Crem is generated by a Shard/other powerful entity and crem is swept up from some place between the Origin of Storms and Panrosha (my name for the Rosharian supercontinent, derived from Pangaea, with a bastardization of Roshar). Further, the crem doesn't seem to stick around unless specifically treated - perhaps it's absorbed by plants and animals, but it should still build up in places. Yet, it just goes away. Is this simply Cultivations power returning to her (a la Atium and Ruin) once it's been used? I've been pinning the crem on her the whole time, simply because it fits with her Intent, but it might be anyone else, or just a natural process. Any ideas? Discuss! 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mailliw73 Posted November 13, 2013 Report Share Posted November 13, 2013 Woah, a variation on my theory, which was a variation of Argent's theory? Theoryception. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shardlet Posted November 13, 2013 Report Share Posted November 13, 2013 Crem is suspicious, but it could be simply carbonates precipitating out of solution similar to the carbonate deposits you get on your shower with hard water. The question then of course would be 'how did the rain from the storms acquire so much carbonate content since normal rain is the ultimate result of evaporation? (which of course carbonates would not tag along with). 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kurkistan Posted November 13, 2013 Report Share Posted November 13, 2013 Woah, a variation on my theory, which was a variation of Argent's theory? Theoryception. On that note, it's always a bit more than polite to link back to the inspiration of your theories, Swimmingly. That is, assuming that you were in some way inspired by Mailliw's thread, rather than this being a coincidence. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hoser Posted November 13, 2013 Report Share Posted November 13, 2013 (edited) Further, the crem doesn't seem to stick around unless specifically treated - perhaps it's absorbed by plants and animals, but it should still build up in places. Yet, it just goes away. Not to take away from your main point. Crem does accumulate, closing openings, creating stalactites, etc. It might be part of what makes Roshar so rocky. Edited November 13, 2013 by hoser Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swimmingly Posted November 13, 2013 Author Report Share Posted November 13, 2013 Huh. I guess there is that. But still, where does it come from - and why hasn't it buried ancient cities like...Urithru (I know it's spelled wrong)..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swimmingly Posted November 13, 2013 Author Report Share Posted November 13, 2013 Woah, a variation on my theory, which was a variation of Argent's theory? Theoryception. Sorry about that... It just occured to me, I didn't really mean to rip off anybody. Sorry. On that note, it's always a bit more than polite to link back to the inspiration of your theories, Swimmingly. That is, assuming that you were in some way inspired by Mailliw's thread, rather than this being a coincidence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kurkistan Posted November 13, 2013 Report Share Posted November 13, 2013 It's not a problem, seeing as you came up with it independently. I guess "Cultivation is related to highstorms" is a theory whose time has come. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hoser Posted November 13, 2013 Report Share Posted November 13, 2013 (edited) Huh. I guess there is that. But still, where does it come from - and why hasn't it buried ancient cities like...Urithru (I know it's spelled wrong)..... Well, it has sort of buried the city of the Shattered Plains. Kaladin's family has to do maintenance on their house, so live cities have to deal w/the accumulation. Urithiru? Who knows anything about that? It could be buried under crem. Some people think it's in Shadesmar. Others think it fell on the Shattered plains, or was once in the Purelake. I believe it is high on some mountain, possibly above the Highstorms. Without knowing more about Urithiru, I don't see how discussing it contributes to the thread. Edited November 13, 2013 by hoser Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swimmingly Posted November 13, 2013 Author Report Share Posted November 13, 2013 I was just trying to remember one of the city names. Forgot that that one was the lost one, just happened to be the one I couldn't remember Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Natans Posted November 13, 2013 Report Share Posted November 13, 2013 (edited) Crem is one of those things. It is a nutrient-rich, clay-like substance that falls from Invested storms, (possibly) providing the nutrients for crustaceans shells and rockbuds...rockiness, used for pottery, building, and almost never violence. It is not identifiable as anything but itself, and falls directly on all land across the supercontinent with the highstorms - meaning it isn't swept up from one place there and deposited everywhere else. From that, we can assume either or both of two things: Crem is generated by a Shard/other powerful entity and crem is swept up from some place between the Origin of Storms and Panrosha (my name for the Rosharian supercontinent, derived from Pangaea, with a bastardization of Roshar). Further, the crem doesn't seem to stick around unless specifically treated - perhaps it's absorbed by plants and animals, but it should still build up in places. Yet, it just goes away. Is this simply Cultivations power returning to her (a la Atium and Ruin) once it's been used? I've been pinning the crem on her the whole time, simply because it fits with her Intent, but it might be anyone else, or just a natural process. Any ideas? Discuss! Unusual, different and make sense. I like your theory Mister Green Fish =) Take this upvote with my regards =) Edited November 13, 2013 by Natans Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Argent Posted November 13, 2013 Report Share Posted November 13, 2013 Only we don't know that Cultivation has given up (some of) her power - though it could make a certain amount of sense. She comes to Roshar with Honor and they set out to make the world habitable for humans - Cultivation's body/power, the crem, would do wonders, but she needs to deliver it throughout the entire world; enter the highstorms. Only, I don't think Cultivation could create as much crem as there seems to be without weakening herself too much. And if she is Nightwatcher, then she must retain a good chunk of her power; more than Preservation certainly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FeatherWriter Posted November 14, 2013 Report Share Posted November 14, 2013 I like the theory that the storms are of Cultivation quite a bit, but crem seems to be a more destructive aspect. Like was said, it builds up on things and tears things down. It has to be chipped off of structures if they are going to stay up. Also, while highstorm water is more nutritious for plants, I'm not certain that this is due to the influence of crem. Highstorm water is not potable either until the crem has settled to the bottom. Overall, I still think crem may just be a side effect of the extreme power of these storms, and not something magically influenced. It is extreme erosion and displacement of minerals that happens due to the power of the storms (which may themselves be magically charged). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marianmi Posted November 14, 2013 Report Share Posted November 14, 2013 I don't think it's worse than any other theory we've seen. I like it, and upvoted it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WeiryWriter Posted November 14, 2013 Report Share Posted November 14, 2013 I like the theory that the storms are of Cultivation quite a bit, but crem seems to be a more destructive aspect. Like was said, it builds up on things and tears things down. It has to be chipped off of structures if they are going to stay up. Also, while highstorm water is more nutritious for plants, I'm not certain that this is due to the influence of crem. Highstorm water is not potable either until the crem has settled to the bottom. Overall, I still think crem may just be a side effect of the extreme power of these storms, and not something magically influenced. It is extreme erosion and displacement of minerals that happens due to the power of the storms (which may themselves be magically charged). It does make sense that crem would be partially destructive. After all part of cultivation is weeding out the weak and unnecessary and Brandon has said that Cultivation/Ruin would be fairly compatible. Then again, I'm not sold on crem=shardbody, I find it more likely it is a "natural" part of the plan for Highstorms . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inkthinker Posted November 16, 2013 Report Share Posted November 16, 2013 I know that crem most certainly collects, but it also washes away, dries and breaks up. It's certainly a part of the biosphere, insofar as various flora and fauna derive nutrients and extrude minerals from it... it's been theorized that this is how many rockbuds get their "rocky" bits and the reason chulls have giant boulder-shells, through a process in which the nutrients are extracted and the unusuable stuff is extruded through the skin or shell. I'm almost certain that it's one of the staples of diet for cremlings (hence the name).I don't know if there's a mystical source of it. I'm thinking not, but it might be... It's an interesting question, someone should ask Brandon. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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