Parshendi and Shadesmar

[Laryna]

I don't know if this has already been discussed, but I just noticed this in a re-read.

 

First of all, in TWoK, chapter 5, when Jasnah is about to do her first Soulcasting in front of Shallan-

 

For a long extended moment, nothing happened.

And then, briefly, Shallan heard a sound. A low thrumming, like a distant group of voices, humming together a single, pure note.

 

Next, in the prologue of WoR, when Jasnah is going to meet Liss,

 

This far away, the music sounded disturbingly like the beads from the dark place, rattling against one another.

 

And in chapter 32, 

 

The spren betrayed us, it's often felt.

Our minds are too close to their realm

That gives us our forms, but more is then

demanded by the smartest spren,

We can't provide what what the humans lend,

Though broth are we, their meat is men.

    - From the Listener Song of Spren, 9th stanza.

 

My guess is that the spren had originally bonded with the Parshendi, but due to some conflict with the Cryptics or the Highspren, they instead chose the humans. But the Parshendi still have some connection with Shadesmar, probably?

[PorridgeBrick]

Yes, this is very likely. And that higher connection with Shadesmar also shows in how they can see spren travelling to a spot even before they would appear to a human. It probably is how they can bond spren, as well.

[signspace13]

I think you are correct and have thought this for some time, that the Parshendi are much more cognitive than humans, I mean they bond minor spren to get their forms, so it makes sense they could bond greater spren also. But your quote of their song of spren suggests that this bond isn't nearly as beneficial as the one with humans.

[Terisen]

The Parshendi most definitely have a higher connection to the Congitive.  The point about the music is a good one.  All the rhythms that they attune are likely coming from that realm.  I've actually been trying to put together some things about music and whatnot because it's so prevalent and I think there's some properties about music that is implicit to the Congitive.