FeatherWriter Posted June 22, 2011 Report Share Posted June 22, 2011 I was originally going to post this in Chaos's "A Thought About Feruchemy" topic, but it got too long and too off-topic, so I'm just going to make it a full fledged theory. All the talk of multi-shard magics like Feruchemy and the relationship between Preservation and Ruin got me thinking. Usually dangerous. And all that thinking led to some interesting thoughts. So, because Ruin and Preservation have this special opposites thing going on, when Saze took them, their influences canceled out. I'm going to assume that because Adonalsium was all together, (I mean, the shards weren't even shards then) everything canceled out. Therefore, all the shards' influences must be cancel-able. So, EVERY shard must have an opposite just like Preservation and Ruin. Now, we've said that Endowment doesn't have an opposite. But I'm thinking it's just that Endowment doesn't have an opposite on Nalthis. (Unless she does and that's the plot of Nightblood. That'd be a twist.) But somewhere in the Cosmere, there's a shard which, if held with Endowment would cancel its influence. So we've got 8 (look I can do math!) different shardic pairs, which would probably fit pretty well in Chaos and Kerry's quadrant table if that all works. So, that raises some interesting implications. What would happen if someone took two shards which weren't paired? We know it's possible, because all the shards were together originally. But what would happen if someone held, say, Endowment and Odium? Or something like Cultivation and Ruin? The shard's influences wouldn't cancel out because they aren't opposites, right? So you'd be molded to both shards intentions. Seems like that would be the kind of thing that would drive a person insane. Also, to borrow from the Principle of Intent a little, if a shard has held their shard for too long, they won't be able pick up the opposite shard because they'll already be molded to the intent. So, the only way to avoid the intent warping, is to take both opposing shards at the same time, like Sazed did. And the only way to Re-unite Adonalsium (if this is where it's all headed) is not to pick up each shard individually, but to pick up the pairs. And what would happen if Saze picked up another shard without its opposite? If somehow Saze gets ahold of Honor, he'll get molded to Honor's intent without Honor's opposite to balance it out, but he'll still be holding Preservation and Ruin. So what happens then? Sorry to get all theoretical on you guys, but shardic combos are kinda fascinating to me. What do you think? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rubix Posted June 22, 2011 Report Share Posted June 22, 2011 Brandon has confirmed that while some of the Shard's powers are similar, none are as close as Ruin and Preservation. However, the theory that they all must, in some way, cancel out, is intriguing. One good for one evil... I like it. Nice and balanced. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silus - Shard of Flame Posted June 22, 2011 Report Share Posted June 22, 2011 I really like this theory. But I'd say it's not that there's eight exact matches, but eight "positive" Shards and eight "negative" Shards, and you have to pick up one of each to have them cancel out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leinton Posted June 22, 2011 Report Share Posted June 22, 2011 Assuming this were true, do you think Aona and Skai's Shards are opposites? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silus - Shard of Flame Posted June 22, 2011 Report Share Posted June 22, 2011 Possibly, I'd say it depends on how much of a hand Skai had in Dakhor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FeatherWriter Posted June 22, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 22, 2011 Well, Rubix, I'm thinking that what made Ruin and Preservation so special was that they both happened to end up on the same planet, so they were able to mix their magic systems a bit. But I see where you're coming from. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zas678 Posted June 22, 2011 Report Share Posted June 22, 2011 And I don't think it's accurate to say that there is a "good" shard for every "bad" shard. I mean Preservation could be just as harmful as Ruin. (Look at the Lord Ruler keeping everything the same for a thousand years.) Like Ruin says, he's not good or bad, he's just Ruin. Also, Endowment is the only Shard on Nalthis. I'm pretty sure we have that confirmed (somewhere...) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rubix Posted June 22, 2011 Report Share Posted June 22, 2011 Now, we've said that Endowment doesn't have an opposite. But I'm thinking it's just that Endowment doesn't have an opposite on Nalthis. (Unless she does and that's the plot of Nightblood. That'd be a twist.) But somewhere in the Cosmere, there's a shard which, if held with Endowment would cancel its influence. So we've got 8 (look I can do math!) different shardic pairs, which would probably fit pretty well in Chaos and Kerry's quadrant table if that all works. Endowment is the only Shard on Nalthis. I'm pretty sure we have that confirmed (somewhere...) Confirmed by me, in an interview with Brandon. Well, Rubix, I'm thinking that what made Ruin and Preservation so special was that they both happened to end up on the same planet, so they were able to mix their magic systems a bit. But I see where you're coming from. I was talking about the entire cosmere. From what Brandon told me there aren't any other pairs like Ruin and Preservation in all the shards. They may very well be balanced (eight positive and eight negative, or something like that), but no other pairs exist. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zas678 Posted June 22, 2011 Report Share Posted June 22, 2011 Is this the 17th shard interview? Or a different one? And is there an audio/video record? Or a transcription? EDIT- Sorry, I'd just like a copy for the Brandonothology. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rubix Posted June 22, 2011 Report Share Posted June 22, 2011 Is this the 17th shard interview? Or a different one? And is there an audio/video record? Or a transcription? EDIT- Sorry, I'd just like a copy for the Brandonothology. Sadly, I don't think it's one that I have a copy of... but going forward, I'm going to be making sure that there's an audio of all interviews. It's just a matter of being able to get an audio recorder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mycoltbug Posted June 22, 2011 Report Share Posted June 22, 2011 cell phone ftw Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chaos Posted June 22, 2011 Report Share Posted June 22, 2011 Brandon has confirmed that while some of the Shard's powers are similar, none are as close as Ruin and Preservation. I'd need a citation for the first one. In that interview you emailed me eons ago, all that is said is a vague wishy-washy thing on that point. Speaking of that, I need to do some typographical stuff and I will go post it in the Brandonothology. Sound good, Josh? I don't have a citation for the Endowment thing either, but remember guys, at the time of the Hero of Ages Spoiler Thread, Brandon listed four Shards we hadn't seen at the time. I thought we've fully accounted for them: Aona, Skai, Endowment, and Odium's influence in killing Aona and Skai. If there were other Shards on Nalthis, it would've been in that list. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FeatherWriter Posted June 22, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 22, 2011 Okay, I guess this one has been nixed then. Oh, well. It was worth a shot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rubix Posted June 23, 2011 Report Share Posted June 23, 2011 I'd need a citation for the first one. In that interview you emailed me eons ago, all that is said is a vague wishy-washy thing on that point. Speaking of that, I need to do some typographical stuff and I will go post it in the Brandonothology. Sound good, Josh? I don't have a citation for the Endowment thing either, but remember guys, at the time of the Hero of Ages Spoiler Thread, Brandon listed four Shards we hadn't seen at the time. I thought we've fully accounted for them: Aona, Skai, Endowment, and Odium's influence in killing Aona and Skai. If there were other Shards on Nalthis, it would've been in that list. I'd need to review what's in there really quick. Hit me up on Skype when you get a sec. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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