Paliah may have played a part in destroying knowledge of the Radiants/Heralds etc.

[Jack33210 Awakened Object]

I saw this theory on reddit posted by the user The_New_New and it might very well be the first time I've actually seen this theory put out.

 

https://www.reddit.com/r/Stormlight_Archive/comments/jlucp9/paliah_may_have_played_a_part_in_destroying/

 

It actually sounds very plausible that this would be the case, what do you guys think?

Edited November 1, 2020 by Jack33210

[Toaster Retribution Prime]

Looks very plausible, wierd that no one has thought of that yet, because we have suspected Pailiah being that Ardent for years. She is supposed to be the Truthwatcher Herald, and destroying truths in the shape of records or books feels like a likely madness for her to have. 

This also makes Pailiah a really crem librarian.

[Chanarach Obligator]

I agree. Very plausible. People have already mentioned the reversed virtues, and we've seen from Nale,  that other Heralds have convinced themselves that a Desolation can't come,  so open season on destroying info mankind will never need again. She might also be trying to prevent surgebinding if she talked to Ishar. 

I wonder if her and Jezriens appearance is just a matter of abuse and neglect,  or just inhabiting the same body for 4500 years, or something deeper, i.e. perception and identity.  She looks pretty young in her icon.  

[Honorless Lord Ruler]

Oh that makes a lot of sense!

 

Also, does that mean Battar is a useless layabout now? (Heraldic Attributes:wise, careful, Knights Radiant Ideal: reach one's potential)

[Jack33210 Awakened Object]

3 hours ago, Chanarach said:

I agree. Very plausible. People have already mentioned the reversed virtues, and we've seen from Nale,  that other Heralds have convinced themselves that a Desolation can't come,  so open season on destroying info mankind will never need again. She might also be trying to prevent surgebinding if she talked to Ishar. 

I wonder if her and Jezriens appearance is just a matter of abuse and neglect,  or just inhabiting the same body for 4500 years, or something deeper, i.e. perception and identity.  She looks pretty young in her icon.  

I did have the same question when I saw the portrait. All of the other Herald pictures were basically spot on from what I had imagined aside from maybe some slight outfit changes. Paliah was the only one I had to pause because she seemed far younger then we were led to believe. I'm not sure if these images are "official portraits" for us, or more like "in world" depictions of the heralds if you get my meaning. 

[IcaroRibeiro Silent Gatherer]

Really makes sense. I'll got a little further

Ardentia structure is one of the most obscure gaps Sanderson is refusing to reveal and seems like nobody is really talking about it. We had some ardents POVs so far, such as Geranid, Ellista and Lhan, but nothing of really revealing was explained.

The are also no signs of uncovering secrets ardentia must be keeping, so I wonder if there is any secret organization inside Ardentia structure, with Pailiah as a fundamental member of them. Sanderson already mentioned Roshar have 9 secret organizations working in the planet, Confirmed societies are the Skybreakers, Sons of Honor, Ghostbloods, The Diagram and The Seventeenth Shard, making space for 4 others. A secret  one born among ardents is not unlikely 

[Jack33210 Awakened Object]

1 hour ago, IcaroRibeiro said:

Really makes sense. I'll got a little further

Ardentia structure is one of the most obscure gaps Sanderson is refusing to reveal and seems like nobody is really talking about it. We had some ardents POVs so far, such as Geranid, Ellista and Lhan, but nothing of really revealing was explained.

The are also no signs of uncovering secrets ardentia must be keeping, so I wonder if there is any secret organization inside Ardentia structure, with Pailiah as a fundamental member of them. Sanderson already mentioned Roshar have 9 secret organizations working in the planet, Confirmed societies are the Skybreakers, Sons of Honor, Ghostbloods, The Diagram and The Seventeenth Shard, making space for 4 others. A secret  one born among ardents is not unlikely 

When he said the part of 9 groups, (probably dumb question) did he imply these 9 will have some impact on this storyline? Or did he just say there are 9 groups in the sense how you can find various worldhoppers on different worlds as a worldbuilding thing? 

And very good point on the ardentia comment, they have been sitting back in the shadows. And I think we've gotten potential hints that they will cause some big issues going forward. Brandon usually likes to keep big "villains" hidden in plain sight until the headliner bad guys are dealt with.

[kaellok Truthless]

17 hours ago, Chanarach said:

I wonder if her and Jezriens appearance is just a matter of abuse and neglect,  or just inhabiting the same body for 4500 years, or something deeper, i.e. perception and identity.  She looks pretty young in her icon. 

There is a WoB that the Heralds appear to be the age they were at the moment they became the Heralds.  On the other hand, Perception/Identity plays pretty significantly in how certain others that have related nature appear, so that's not far-fetched at all.

[Chanarach Obligator]

1 hour ago, kaellok said:

There is a WoB that the Heralds appear to be the age they were at the moment they became the Heralds.  On the other hand, Perception/Identity plays pretty significantly in how certain others that have related nature appear, so that's not far-fetched at all.

Yeah, I've read that WoB. Ole Jez was supposed to look "just barely into his thirtieth year." Reminds me of Kalak saying "we weren't supposed to get worse," even though that's talking mental state.  

[Chanarach Obligator]

15 hours ago, Jack33210 said:

I did have the same question when I saw the portrait. All of the other Herald pictures were basically spot on from what I had imagined aside from maybe some slight outfit changes. Paliah was the only one I had to pause because she seemed far younger then we were led to believe. I'm not sure if these images are "official portraits" for us, or more like "in world" depictions of the heralds if you get my meaning. 

The paintings on the Oathbringer end pages are in world. I think the icons are too, I always thought them to be like the carved busts adorning every Vorin temple? Could be wrong though.  Assuming the Pailah icon is semi accurate, could be a couple things.  It's not terribly difficult to make yourself older than you appear. Wayne did it, to great effect. After all. Also, no Honorblade, but she could have bonded a truthwatcher spren.  They have the illumination surge and she was the patron of that order (though Heralds apparently swapped their blades to practice. So she probably has experience  with all ten surges).  

[Hessi's Ward Grand]

17 hours ago, Jack33210 said:

I did have the same question when I saw the portrait. All of the other Herald pictures were basically spot on from what I had imagined aside from maybe some slight outfit changes. Paliah was the only one I had to pause because she seemed far younger then we were led to believe. I'm not sure if these images are "official portraits" for us, or more like "in world" depictions of the heralds if you get my meaning. 

The joke answer: Pailiah was and still is a MILF

The serious answer: Perceptions of Pailiah's appearance clash. The Vorins see Pailiah as eternally youthful and maybe Pailiah fights against it, seeing herself as she should be, a millennia-old woman. 

[Jack33210 Awakened Object]

On 11/2/2020 at 6:40 AM, Hessi's Ward said:

The joke answer: Pailiah was and still is a MILF

The serious answer: Perceptions of Pailiah's appearance clash. The Vorins see Pailiah as eternally youthful and maybe Pailiah fights against it, seeing herself as she should be, a millennia-old woman. 

Definitely clears up that mystery I had about her artwork. It was the only one that I wasn't 100% sold on if it was "official".