[OB] The Origin of the Singers

[Blackhoof]

It is worth noting Amaram I think- when he swallows that gem and gets possessed by that force (a Parshendi spirit I think?) his internal organs are replaced by a gemheart.

So if the dawnsingers were once human, a species-wide fusing with spren could simply grow a gemheart in place of their own hearts, as happened with Amaram. 

This does suggest to me that the parshmen used to be something else, until they formed a symbiosis with a spren and became dependent on them for sentience.

Then again, in a fantasy world like this, they could have been created wholesale out of nothing, without having an evolutionary ancestor.

[SirPaulchen]

On 1.12.2017 at 3:08 AM, Blightsong said:

There is another animal like this on Roshar. One that doesn't fit (as Renarin so keenly points out), one that i think may be related to all of this. Ryshadium.

 

I could be wrong but I think you missunderstood that conversation. Adolin points out in his answer that Renarin says it the wrong way around but that he really means to say that the other horses don't fit. At least that is how I understood the conversation. I only have the audiobook so I can't really quote the conversation here.

[Blackace]

You say no similarity, but that isn't nessarily true.

Pretty much most creatures in Roshar has a carapace, from the chulls, chasmfiend, some cremlings, and even some plants. It's the way lifeform evolved to survive the highstorm. The Parshendi also, in fact, have carapaces of their own in warform. That is why it makes sense to rule that humans, who lack this carapace, would seem the unusual species, as they are "soft" as they put it.

In the topic, when you say different from other species, I'm guessing your referring to their ability to change form. But from my limited amount of knowledge, it seems that the greatshells(referring to creatures with gemheart) may have a phase where they change their physique for a task. We see this with the Chasmfiend, where they turn into a huge solid carapace when they pupate. Maybe in their biology they would have other forms as well, but it is still not know to the humans, as they only ever confront a grown chasmfiend or pupating one. 

So I think the Parshendi are native, or was at least brought to Roshar in it's early form. 

 

P.s. I think when Sanderson referred the Parshendi as Neanderthal, I think he means the difference in brain power between humans and a dull form Parshendi.

P.S. I think horses also came with humans as, they also lack the necessary biology to weather a highstorm. If horse+spren is true, i think this is closer to human's nahel bond, as horses are never referred to having a gemheart(which I think is necessary for Parshendi for their bonds)

Just my 2 cents in this matter

[digitalbusker]

42 minutes ago, Blackace said:

P.s. I think when Sanderson referred the Parshendi as Neanderthal, I think he means the difference in brain power between humans and a dull form Parshendi

That is outdated science, I'm afraid. Neanderthals were not dumb, as best we can tell. They were outcompeted by Cro-Magnon for reasons that probably had to do with dietary requirements, environmental changes, and hunting techniques.

The fact that most humans think of parsh as lesser beings, despite the fact that there's been small but significant interbreeding, is actually a pretty good Neanderthal parallel by itself.

[Elerubard]

On 12/2/2017 at 0:16 AM, Calderis said:

@Blightsong Something to consider.

 

I found this recently and have been trying to reconcile it with my belief that the Dysians at least are native and grew out of Roshar's ecological system. That word "refugees" is really bothering me though. 

Combined with this...

And I'm having doubts. 

They’re refugee’s due to Aimia being obliterated. There’s no reason to think of them being some sort of Cosmere castaways when  the first book establishes them as literal, albeit solitary, refugees.

Edited January 31, 2018 by Crazy1993