Important detail of the Taravangian development [Secret History Spoilers]

[Serack]

I've seen several discussions on Taravangian's ascension.  Who foresaw what, what it implies going forward... that type of thing, but I haven't seen anyone incorporate into these musings what I find to be a hugely significant detail in how it happened.  

A quote from RoW Chapter 113:

Quote

 

The Physical Realm faded as Odium pulled Taravagian into the place between worlds.  Taravangian's body was not weak here.  This form was a manifestation of his mind and soul.  And those were strong.

[snip]a couple paragraphs where T does the deed[/snip]

The sword drank greedily of the god's essence and as it did, Taravangian felt a snap.  his body dying.  Szeth finishing the job.  He knew it immediately.  Taravangian was dead.  Anger rose in him like he had never known.  

Szeth had killed him!

 

So immediately before his ascension, Taravangain died and his connection to his physical realm body was snapped.  Severed.  Nothing* in the narrative going forward implies that this connection was re-established like what happened with Szeth or Zahel's description of a "Type Two Invested entity" in chapter 15.  
 

Taravangain ascended to shard godhood as as cognitive shadow without a connection to the physical realm.  Which probably has huge implications on his new status as Odium.  To explore what these implications are, we happen to already have a precedent of a cognitive shadow ascending to become a shard bearer from Secret History.  (Part 6, Chapter 4)

Quote

Look at you, Kelsier!  You haven't form or shape.  You're not alive, your an idea.  A memory of a man holding the power will never be as potent as a real one with ties to all three Realms."

Throughout the rest of Secret History, Kelsier/Preservation was pretty darn impotent whenever he tried to directly match Ruin and Ruin ran amuck, with the only thing holding him back being all that missing atium.  

Conclusion:  Taravagain ascended as a Cognitive Shadow which severely hamstrings him, and might add additional constraints making it difficult to leave Roshar beyond just the contract with Dalinar.  

 

*Edit:  I just remembered that only one body was found in T's room afterwords, and it was ruined by nightblood, and presumed to be T's when it was actually Rayse's.  So the fact that his body wasn't found in the room has some implications against the theory that T ascended as a CS.  

Edited December 7, 2020 by Serack

[Thorn]

Well Szeth stabbed him didn't he? That's how T dies.  But as you don't immediately fade upon death, his cognitive shadow could still assume the Shard he just slayed the vessel of. 

[Honorless]

I thought that too! And in Mistborn: Secret History, Ruin told Kelsier that due to not having a Physical body, Kelsier was unable to properly use Preservation's power. I wondered if that might've been part of Cultivation's plan.

But let's go back to who killed him: Szeth. He's also someone who was killed. Not just near-dead but dead-dead. His Cognitive self was reattached, albeit imperfectly, to his body via the Regrowth fabrial that Nale used (and that's why Lift sees him having a glowing after-image). However much Investiture was necessary to resurrect Szeth, an entire Shard definitely has more of it. Unlike Szeth, in whose case Nale was almost too late to reattach his soul to his body, Taravangian Ascended almost immediately after dying. I think the Shard reattached his soul to his body when he took it up. He was obviously Connected enough to his body for that to have been possible. And his body disappeared, poofed into pure power, just like a normal Vessel's. 

Edited December 12, 2020 by Honorless

[SwordNimiForPresident]

Taravangian is still a tree.

[Serack]

@Honorless, The “snap” in the narrative I quoted in the OP makes me really curious which way this goes.  

1. CS with no connection to a living, physical body
2. The power of ascending remembered the recently snapped connection to his body and reconnected it as if it never snapped
3. Some hybrid of 1&2

[Honorless]

18 hours ago, SwordNimiForPresident said:

Taravangian is still a tree.

Uh... okay, the plant has grown! 

[Aon Tia]

On 12/12/2020 at 7:11 PM, Honorless said:

But let's go back to who killed him: Szeth. He's also someone who was killed. Not just near-dead but dead-dead. His Cognitive self was reattached, albeit imperfectly, to his body via the Regrowth fabrial that Nale used (and that's why Lift sees him having a glowing after-image). However much Investiture was necessary to resurrect Szeth, an entire Shard definitely has more of it. Unlike Szeth, in whose case Nale was almost too late to reattach his soul to his body, Taravangian Ascended almost immediately after dying. I think the Shard reattached his soul to his body when he took it up. He was obviously Connected enough to his body for that to have been possible. And his body disappeared, poofed into pure power, just like a normal Vessel's. 

A very valid point. But do you think that the re attachment of soul to body by T-Odium, still amounts to being a type two invested entity? He still died, he felt a snap, it is possible that the actual soul left for the beyond, but as he was highly invested at the time of his death, thanks to Rayse pulling him into Spiritual Realm? And due to the shard choosing him, an imprint was left behind, which then he reattached to his body( very easily sure) but nevertheless still a CS only.  And therefore, he is not a normal vessel.

Edited December 13, 2020 by Aon Tia

[Honorless]

On 12/13/2020 at 9:33 PM, Aon Tia said:

A very valid point. But do you think that the re attachment of soul to body by T-Odium, still amounts to being a type two invested entity? He still died, he felt a snap, it is possible that the actual soul left for the beyond, but as he was highly invested at the time of his death, thanks to Rayse pulling him into Spiritual Realm? And due to the shard choosing him, an imprint was left behind, which then he reattached to his body( very easily sure) but nevertheless still a CS only. 

Hmm, I don't think so, it wasn't his death that caused him to be pulled his mind and soul from the Physical Realm but Odium himself, and that very same mind remained there to feel the snap of loosing his Physical body. I think the reConnection did happen, he just didn't notice it with all the power pouring into him and getting used to the feeling of Ascendance.

Edited December 16, 2020 by Honorless

[LewsTherinTelescope]

On 12/7/2020 at 0:19 PM, Serack said:

So immediately before his ascension, Taravangain died and his connection to his physical realm body was snapped.  Severed.

Except his body still disappeared on his Ascension. Due to this, I'd assume his different aspects hadn't separated yet, even if Physical death was beginning.

Edit: I'm dumb, I missed your footnote where you note this exact same thing. My bad, ignore this.

Edited January 6, 2021 by LewsTherinTelescope
Edit: oops, read too fast

[Serack]

2 hours ago, LewsTherinTelescope said:

Except his body still disappeared on his Ascension. Due to this, I'd assume his different aspects hadn't separated yet, even if Physical death was beginning.

Edit: I'm dumb, I missed your footnote where you note this exact same thing. My bad, ignore this.

NP, check the comments back and forth between myself and  @Honorless a couple responses down where I boiled the possibilities down after considering that detail.  

Edited January 6, 2021 by Serack