New Breath Usage

[teknopathetic]

It turns out breath can be used to store memories and get around the memory-leakage problem. I wonder who else knows this and if it will become relevant? Could Breath be used to cure the heralds since it has helped Hoid not go bonker-balls?

[knightedbishop]

I don’t think memory storage was the major reason for the heralds going nuts. They were tortured for thousands of years. They are also cognitive shadows versus being fully alive, which we know over time pushes them more and more to their guiding Intent. 
 

I did find the use of breath as memory storage interesting. Made me wonder if any Investiture can be used for this purpose. Breaths are certainly convenient since they take up no space and are essentially carried around stapled onto your soul for easy access. Though it begs the question- what happens if Hoid uses some of his breaths to awaken something? Can he intentionally use non-memory infused breaths? Do the memories stay in the breath when moved into an object? If a memory infused breath was used to make a lifeless, would the memory shape the lifeless in some way?

Edited November 23, 2020 by knightedbishop
More ideas

[StanLemon]

3 hours ago, knightedbishop said:

I did find the use of breath as memory storage interesting. Made me wonder if any Investiture can be used for this purpose. Breaths are certainly convenient since they take up no space and are essentially carried around stapled onto your soul for easy access. Though it begs the question- what happens if Hoid uses some of his breaths to awaken something? Can he intentionally use non-memory infused breaths? Do the memories stay in the breath when moved into an object? If a memory infused breath was used to make a lifeless, would the memory shape the lifeless in some way?

I'm not surprised by the memory storage. After all, Vasher was able to use them to remove the child's memory in Warbreaker. Most likely it was via this method. Also from Vasher and Warbreaker, it's proven that a holder of Breaths can distinguish and chose which Breaths they use and as Hoid is old and practiced I'm sure he knows how to not use his memory Breaths. As to Awakening with Breaths that store memory, those are interesting questions.

Something I especially found interesting is that Hoid seemingly even dumps the memories of what he's doing in the moment in the Breaths.

[Kingsdaughter613]

 

1 hour ago, StanLemon said:

I'm not surprised by the memory storage. After all, Vasher was able to use them to remove the child's memory in Warbreaker. Most likely it was via this method. Also from Vasher and Warbreaker, it's proven that a holder of Breaths can distinguish and chose which Breaths they use and as Hoid is old and practiced I'm sure he knows how to not use his memory Breaths. As to Awakening with Breaths that store memory, those are interesting questions.

Something I especially found interesting is that Hoid seemingly even dumps the memories of what he's doing in the moment in the Breaths.

I suspect the process is unconscious and automatic. It’s not like that little girl was choosing to store her memory there. Breath becomes part of the Soul, which is formed of Spiritual Connection. The memories exist in the mind and the Breath simultaneously and altering one alters the other.

When you use Breath, you keep one copy and the Breath loses its copy. When you retrieve your Breath it reconnects to the memories it was severed from.

[LiftIRL]

Well, we do know of another use of Investiture than can store memories, but you are right, this is a lot more accessible. This could be another unexpected use for the Medalions, tho- Help For Immortals.

The fact Hoid needs them might shed some light into the coin Wax was given- one of the questions that bothered me about it is why would kelsier, and experienced thief, be recording his movements.

Edited November 23, 2020 by LiftIRL

[Prince of Ravens]

But how many Breaths does Wit have? We know that he does have a Perfect Pitch in WoR when he tells the story to Kaladin in prison.

Quote

“Perfect pitch,” Wit said, “makes this all so much easier than it once was. . . .”

We know he is Mistborn as well.

 

Question is, how does all that compound? If he has a sample of every magic system from all Shards, would he became one aspect of Adonalsium

[Blackwarder]

On another note regarding breaths.

We know that Zahel is on Roshar because it’s easier to get investiture here, iirc there is a wob about how Zahel managed to figure how to turn Stormlight to Breath.

Do you supposed he simply use his perfect pitch in an isolated (awakened?) room to change stormlight rhythms from honor to endowment frequency?

I wonder how much stormlight you need for one breath...

[ninch]

1 hour ago, Prince of Ravens said:

But how many Breaths does Wit have? We know that he does have a Perfect Pitch in WoR when he tells the story to Kaladin in prison.

We know he is Mistborn as well.

 

Question is, how does all that compound? If he has a sample of every magic system from all Shards, would he became one aspect of Adonalsium

Well in the last part when Hoid is leaving Odium, he tries to find a good tune to whistle to and cant so his heightinins are not what they were in WOR.

[2xMachina]

13 minutes ago, ninch said:

Well in the last part when Hoid is leaving Odium, he tries to find a good tune to whistle to and cant so his heightinins are not what they were in WOR.

I thought that was Odium destroying his Breathes, so he went under the threshold now.

I also worry where Design went.

[ninch]

5 minutes ago, 2xMachina said:

I thought that was Odium destroying his Breathes, so he went under the threshold now.

I also worry where Design went.

I don't think you can destroy breaths, more that Odium un attached them from Hoid's spirit web maybe. I also don't think he could mess with his Spren bond as that would harm Hoid which Odium isnt allowed to do.

[LordTheodore]

On 11/23/2020 at 4:24 AM, StanLemon said:

Something I especially found interesting is that Hoid seemingly even dumps the memories of what he's doing in the moment in the Breaths.

Yeah. That is really strange, it seems as if Hoid has been using breaths to expand his short-term memory in addition to his long-term memory. Perhaps he is using the excess breaths he would usually use for awakening that don't have long-term memories to expand his short-term memory.

Edited November 27, 2020 by LordTheodore

[Stormtide_Leviathan]

This definitely leads credence to the theory I've seen poking around that Yolen had some sort of proto-feruchemy