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Ryshadium [WoR Spoilers]


Jaconis

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So I wanted to start a topic about something I haven't seen a lot of discussion about, and that is of the Ryshadium.

Ryshadium, we've seen so far, are uncommonly intelligent and loyal for a horse, and I think uncommon is putting it lightly. They are massive creatures, massive enough to be perfect to carry a person in Shardplate.

In WoR (don't have book with me, so I can't find exact quote), it is said that originally Ryshadium were for the Radiants. In a WoB from a recent signing, he said that there is investiture involved with Ryshadium.

With this information, I think there is some discussion to be had; first, theories on what exactly the deal is with Ryshadium, and second, if/when Kaladin/Shallan will get his/hers.

For the first I'm not quite realmatic-savvy enough to come up with a reasonable guess there, but I'll still throw out some ideas. Perhaps an existing horse somehow gets infused with significant amounts of stormlight? Or the Radiant's spren bonds with it similar to how it bonds with the human? (Now I'm picturing Kaladin in his glowing Shardplate holding his glowing Shardblade spear atop his glowing Ryshadium...lots of glowing). Alternatively, if it's not an existing horse, could the spren BE the horse in a similar way to the Blades? I find this option less likely. Someone who understands realmatics better than me want to chime in?

For why Ryshadium still exist, it seems reasonable that once the Radiant's mounts started breeding, their offspring would retain their special abilities, although I don't know how that works with any option above.

As for when Kaladin well get one, if he does (why would you bother with a horse when you can fly? Unless the house can fly too...), I think this could be what he gets with one of the remaining Oaths. He has two more Oaths left and Shardplate to get still, but otherwise nothing else to "level up" with. He's already got full use of his powers and his Blade. Aside from perhaps perfect stormlight holding, I think his remaining two oaths will get him Shardplate and a Ryshadium.

Thoughts?

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Perhaps Edgedancers and Truthwatchers accessed the Progression Surge on pregnant horses and genetically modified a new breed in utero? Remember, according to Jasnah, 75% of radiants were non-combatants, so perhaps a group of them were horse-breeders.

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"(why would you bother with a horse when you can fly? Unless the house can fly too...)"

A horse can be a good partner on the battlefield. You get height and they can stomp things for you.

 

My pet theory is a spren bond like skyeels, chasmfiends, Purelake fish, etc., which I think is more plausible... but I've always liked the idea of biological engineering by the Radiants.

 

Here's the thread I initially started about these ideas: http://www.17thshard.com/forum/topic/6068-what-makes-ryshadium-special/

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Doesn't seem plausible that ryshadium are part of a radiants bond since both Dalanar and Adolin have one without being radiants and nothing was ever said about them in relation to the radiants.

@Galavantes Your idea is interesting.

Edited by Inquisitor of Wit
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Doesn't seem plausible that ryshadium are part of a radiants bond since both Dalanar and Adolin have one without being radiants and nothing was ever said about them in relation to the radiants.

 

 

I had originally thought that the only people that Ryshadiums will bond are potential Knights Radiant. If Investiture is involved in some way, then you know there is something else going on. 

 

This could be a good sign for Adolin being able to become a Radiant. But his Ryshadium's death could be the foreshadowing of him going to the dark side of the force. 

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Here's a question - could the death of Adolin's ryshadium have anything to do with the way he snapped and murdered Sadeas?

I personally doubt it. Sadeas spent the entire book taunting Adolin, and Sadeas did abandon Dalinar, Adolin, and Dalinar's army.

 

Simple vengeance, as far as I'm concerned. Sadeas outright told him he will kill Dalinar when he can, and Adolin had enough and did what was right.

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I personally doubt it. Sadeas spent the entire book taunting Adolin, and Sadeas did abandon Dalinar, Adolin, and Dalinar's army.

 

Simple vengeance, as far as I'm concerned. Sadeas outright told him he will kill Dalinar when he can, and Adolin had enough and did what was right.

Right is a tricky claim.  I'm sure it will be beneficial, though. (Unless it comes back to bite them unexpectedly ala the Lord Ruler.)

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I'm not going to say that Adolin's cold blooded murder of Sadeas was right. But it sure as hell made me happy, and to be honest given what Sadeas did to them it's more realistic than their previous decision to just pretend like he didn't blatantly cause the deaths of hundreds of their soldiers and friends.

The only thing that disappoints me about it is that Sadeas was a formidable opponent. He added intrigue. 

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I dont know that Sadeas' death will change all that much, seems like his wife was the brains behind the entire thing, he had the ambition and she had the brains and brass balls to come up with a way to do it. Kind of like an Anti-Navani.

 

I wonder what breed of horse it was that threw Kaladin off, the name to me sounded like a Ryshadium, not to mention it was smart enough to let him relax first.

 

But yes when I saw that they were made for the Radiants then I suspected that anyone who had bonded a Ryshadium had the potential to be a Knight

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"Horseback riding isn't mentioned in Arts and Majesty," she replied. "Horses weren't terribly well known back then. Radiants had Ryshadium, but even kings had little access to ordinary horses." ...

- US Hardback p317

Just found this little nugget that the Rysadium and the Radiants are tied together. Edited by Releaser
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I like the Genetically Modified Horse theory, but I don't think that they are in anyway 'bonded' to Radiants. They are just super horses that are also intelligent (like dolphins maybe?). Perhaps since the KR were always needed everywhere they needed a better mode of transport... Maybe you can infuse the Rhysadiums too so they run faster?

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I think it's like Lift(Edgedancers?)ability to get stormlight from consuming food.

The Ryshadium get their body infused with stormlight since childbirth by eating natural food, it give them better developed muscles and brain generation after generation (kinda like spren). It's a good theory they were genetically changed to be so.

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I like the idea that was mentioned about spren bonding with horses to create the Ryshadium. BUT if there weren't many horses around earlier on, that might not make much sense. Also, I found this line interesting. Spoken by Wit in the epilogue:

 

Those horses, the Ryshadium...those had surprised him. He was glad that there were still some things that could do that.
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(why would you bother with a horse when you can fly? Unless the house can fly too...)

 

You probably wouldn't for the most part. I would imagine that most Knights with the Gravitation or Transportation Surges generally would use those instead of a horse. It's possibly the Stonewards had access to something that let them travel faster than normal, too, since at Feverstone Keep they were about able to keep up with the Windrunners, something tied to Cohesion or Tension or a mixture of the two. However, that still leaves half the orders without those abilities, so Ryshadium would be useful.

 

The other advantage of Ryshadium is that they don't use Stormlight. If a Windrunner needs to go somewhere when it isn't an emergency, they could take a Ryshadium and keep their infused gemstones for later. I would think that would be especially important during a Weeping.

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You probably wouldn't for the most part. I would imagine that most Knights with the Gravitation or Transportation Surges generally would use those instead of a horse. It's possibly the Stonewards had access to something that let them travel faster than normal, too, since at Feverstone Keep they were about able to keep up with the Windrunners, something tied to Cohesion or Tension or a mixture of the two. However, that still leaves half the orders without those abilities, so Ryshadium would be useful.

 

The other advantage of Ryshadium is that they don't use Stormlight. If a Windrunner needs to go somewhere when it isn't an emergency, they could take a Ryshadium and keep their infused gemstones for later. I would think that would be especially important during a Weeping.

 

I'm not sure there's any reason why you couldn't Lash (or Transport) a Ryshadium. It might actually be more efficient if the Ryshadium could somehow contribute some Stormlight, or something about their makeup might make them less costly to Lash than their size would indicate.

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Ok so I have lurked for awhile now, and I haven't seen anyone talk to much about the Ryshadium and I find them very interesting so here goes.  

 

I think that there is a lot more going on with the Ryshadium than we know at this point.  Wit/Hoid who knows a whole lot about what's going on in the cosmere and on Roshar has this to say,

 

 

Those horses, the Ryshadium...those had surprised him.  He was glad that there were still some things that could do that.  

pg.1077

 

When Hoid is surprised by something... well we should take a closer look, and expect some awesomeness.   

 

Also they Ryshadium know when their master is in danger. See Gallent charging through the entire Parshendi army to try to save Dalinar in WOK. I also recall the time when Adolins friend after the battle on the plains refuses to drink with him back in the war camps because Adolin is unpopular.  Sureblood attempts to confort Adolin:

 

He often did that when Adolin was feeling annoyed, as if trying to improve his master's mood.

pg. 333

There seems to be a direct emotional link between the Ryshadium and their rider.  I perosonally think there is a link very similar to the Nahel bond, but obviosly not with the same powers involved, that goes on between rider and Ryshadium.  I suspect this will not play a major plot centric role in the series, but it is part of Brandon's great world building to have these intelligent BONDED horses on Roshar. We know that only the "worthy" can bond with the Ryshadium.  Sounds a lot like the Nahel bond to me.   

 

These, plus the quote that has been mentioned about the only the radients having Ryshadium in the beginning, really makes me think there is something going on. 

 

Personnal side theory: Sureblood's death and loss of the bond will leave cracks in Adolin's soul and open him to a possible Spren bond.  

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I'm not sure there's any reason why you couldn't Lash (or Transport) a Ryshadium. 

 

I don't think I said there was one, just that for Orders with access to those Surges I only see one big advantage to a riding animal (saving Stormlight during non-emergency travel). Now that I think about it, though, I guess whether you could Lash or Transport them depends on if Ryshadiums' Investiture interferes with Surgebinding. I have no idea if they can contribute Stormlight or increase efficiency -- IMO that might make them a little too Companion-esque.

 

Sidenote: I wonder if the "shad" in Ryshadium has any etymological link to the "shad" in Shadesmar.

Edited by TomR
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