theory A Hordeling did it...

[Publius]

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Taking the Dawnshard, known to bind any creature voidish or mortal, he crawled up the steps crafted for Heralds, ten strides tall apiece, toward the grand temple above.
— From the Poem of Ista. I have found no modern explanation of what these "Dawnshards" are. They seem ignored by scholars, though talk of them was obviously prevalent among those recording the early mythologies

The Way of Kings, Chapter 36 The Lesson, Epigraph (bolded emphasis mine)

 

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An average person has a stride length of approximately 2.1 to 2.5 feet.

Assuming a stride equals between 2.1 and 2.5 feet, the steps would be between 21 and 25 feet tall. The Heralds have, roughly, the same proportions as an average human would. Depending on the particulars of the stairs, they may have a smooth vertical surface or a detailed surface capable of providing handholds. Either way, no human being is going to be able to crawl up such a staircase.

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On average, American architects have used a standard stair height of 7.5 inches. On stairs built inside, the average step length is 9 inches tall, while outside steps have an average length of 11 inches tall.

If we instead interpret the viewpoint of this poem to be that of a small creature, with comparatively small strides, things begin to make much more sense. From the perspective of a creature with a stride of 1 inch, we can envision a scenario in which the Heralds could actually walk up the steps that were, after all, crafted for them.

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The cook began to hum. Pieces of her broke off. She crumbled to a pile of chittering little cremlings that moved out of her clothing, leaving it in a heap.
—Kaza, watching the cook of the First Dreams

Oathbringer, Interlude-4, Kaza

Dysian hordelings are usually about the size of a finger, and can be as large as a fist.

Crawling.

There is a forthcoming novella named Dawnshard that is set in Aimia. Dysian Aimians, also known as Sleepless, are a sapient non-human race found on Roshar that once lived in the Silver Kingdom of Aimia.

Hordelings fit within the perfect size-range to provide plausibility to an otherwise strange statement, they are a sentient life-form capable of carrying out the actions described in the poem, and they originate from the one place on Roshar that is specifically tied to Dawnshards.

The Poem of Ista is written about a Dysian Aimian, from the perspective of a Dysian Aimian.

Edited August 19, 2020 by Publius

[Koloss17]

That was some serious deduction! Where were you when I needed to calculate the economics of belly button lint?

[Eternal Khol]

What i dont get is if the steps were made for the Heralds, why are they ten strides tall?

or is the “ten strides” not literal and is supposed to be more metaphorical? 
The number ten has relevance on Roshar so maybe they were just trying to fit that in there? Or show that it was related to the heralds or radiants or something?

[Gderu]

5 minutes ago, Eternal Khol said:

What i dont get is if the steps were made for the Heralds, why are they ten strides tall?

or is the “ten strides” not literal and is supposed to be more metaphorical? 
The number ten has relevance on Roshar so maybe they were just trying to fit that in there? Or show that it was related to the heralds or radiants or something?

I think that it's a stride for a cremling.

To the OP: this is an amazing theory, you can count me as a believer.

Edited August 19, 2020 by Gderu

[Eternal Khol]

28 minutes ago, Gderu said:

33 minutes ago, Eternal Khol said:

 

I think that it's a stride for a cremling.

That flew right by me.
good point!

 

now the question is, what is this grand temple?

i doubt Urithiru, maybe someplace in Aimia

totally random thought, but what if the sleepless have had the Dawnshard/s the whole time? And they are big fabrials that they studied and that’s how they got so good at fabrial science and why “you went to Aimia to get a soulcaster” plus they’re immortal and not likely to forget the sciences, compared to the fractured humans after every desolation.

it could just be that because they’re immortal, theyve had time to study fabrials and get good at it, no Dawnshards involved.

but i like to think theyve had and extensively studied a dawnshard 

Edited August 19, 2020 by Eternal Khol

[Publius]

9 minutes ago, Eternal Khol said:

now the question is, what is this grand temple?

i doubt Urithiru, maybe someplace in Aimia

I suspect that the staircase and the grand temple was built by the Dysians, and that it is indeed in Aimia.

Another implication is that at least one Dawnshard was still in existence by the time the Heralds were active, as proven by the fact that this Dawnshard exists alongside a staircase specifically built for the Heralds.

The importance being that the Heralds can, hopefully, provide information as to what the Dawnshards are and what happened to them.

Edited August 19, 2020 by Publius

[Argent]

I mean, I've always thought this is just the standard poetic nonsense, but I find it amusing how well it works in the context of Dysians. Looking forward to book 7 or whatever, when we find out!

[+Child of Hodor]

The grand temple is the sky. They asked for Urithiru to be placed “closest to honor” who rode the storms. 

[Turtle]

14 hours ago, Eternal Khol said:

totally random thought, but what if the sleepless have had the Dawnshard/s the whole time? And they are big fabrials that they studied and that’s how they got so good at fabrial science and why “you went to Aimia to get a soulcaster” plus they’re immortal and not likely to forget the sciences, compared to the fractured humans after every desolation.

I fully believe this. It would make sense as why kaza’s crew was killed: to protect the dawn shards, items capable of destroying worlds (braize) and would make the Rysn novella’s name make more sense. There is also something in the RoW previews that adds to this theory. Also, it would definitely explain why fabrial technology to make soulcasters was lost. I have a theory about dawnshard, like soulcaster, not just referring to the item itself but the person who uses it. It would match the name of the lift novella quite well and would make Rysn a dawnshard, which could be interesting. Please remember that this is all just random theory’s I made up on the spot.

[RazeU]

I voiced this exact thought somewhere on here a year or 2 ago.