Cosmere symbol decoding [discuss]

[Koloss17]

So we knew the center-a central circle that breaks into 16 pieces, representing Adonalsium and the shattering. We now know that the four outstretching curves likely represent the dawnshards. Now, there is two pieces left of the symbol. There is the circle and the diamond that encircles the Adonalsun(Tm). What might those be?

[KSub]

I'm having a hard time recalling the symbol you're referring to. Is there an image you could attach for reference? 

[KandraAllomancer]

21 minutes ago, KSub said:

I'm having a hard time recalling the symbol you're referring to. Is there an image you could attach for reference? 

Spoiler tag just because of the image size:

Spoiler

The diamond consists of four arches as well, so maybe there are some other four fundamental things besides the Dawnshards? We have some names like Unity or Passion that appear on different worlds and seem to apply to some Shards only, but we don't have any explicit confirmation that they must be Dawnshards

Edited January 14, 2021 by KandraAllomancer

[KSub]

Thanks!

I don't remember seeing that. Was it a chapter header?

My interpretation: the sun is adonalsium with the sixteen points representing the shards. The four points of the star are the dawnshards pulling adonalsium out of the circle (spirit realm, cognitive realm, yolen, something?) And the four arcs are the 4 groups of shards. 

From dawnshard, pg163:

the exploding sun—which was divided into mostly symmetrical pieces. Four of them, each in turn broken into four smaller sections.

[Ixthos]

On 1/14/2021 at 5:00 AM, Koloss17 said:

We now know that the four outstretching curves likely represent the dawnshards

Do we know this? The way I heard the original interpretation of the symbol the diamond portion represented the spiritual realm, the round section represented the cognitive realm, and the four curves represented the physical realm, with the centre representing the shards. The cognitive realm is one solid reality that allows you to walk from anywhere to anywhere (round), while the planets were isolated from one another, effectively closed off (curves), and the perpendicularities formed from the investiture from the spiritual realm intersecting both physical and cognitive allowed travel. I agree the dawnshards would make sense, but I don't know if that has been confirmed.

[KSub]

You're right ixthos. I should have said we know that there are 4 dawnshards and I believe they were involved in the shattering.

I like your interpretation as well but I can't find a reason why the spiritual realm would be represented by a 4 pointed star. It could just be an image to represent the unknown but why do the four arcs represent the physical realm? and shouldn't the cognitive realm overlap the physical, or is the spiritual realm the thing connecting the two ? 

I'm not saying that your interpretation is wrong. I just feel like there should be something more to it.

[Ixthos]

2 minutes ago, KSub said:

You're right ixthos. I should have said we know that there are 4 dawnshards and I believe they were involved in the shattering.

I like your interpretation as well but I can't find a reason why the spiritual realm would be represented by a 4 pointed star. It could just be an image to represent the unknown but why do the four arcs represent the physical realm? and shouldn't the cognitive realm overlap the physical, or is the spiritual realm the thing connecting the two ? 

I'm not saying that your interpretation is wrong. I just feel like there should be something more to it.

The idea is that the spiritual realm is closest to the power, and when a perpendicularity forms it pierces all three realms and is made of investiture, so a spike - the diamond's corners - that pierces the cognitive realm and physical realm made from the spiritual realm would indicate a perpendicularity. The cognitive realm lies between the spiritual and physical, and the physical consists of isolated worlds, so not so much curved shapes but rather isolated shapes, with the cognitive as a single solid whole.

[KSub]

So your interpretation is that the image is not literal and more figurative. I can accept that. This leads me back to the classic question, what is adonalsium? Is it an aspect of the God beyond? If adonalsium is the power at the center of the spiritual realm they should be connected.

Maybe I'm still thinking too literally.

No one ever mentioned where this came from. 

[Ixthos]

13 minutes ago, KSub said:

So your interpretation is that the image is not literal and more figurative. I can accept that. This leads me back to the classic question, what is adonalsium? Is it an aspect of the God beyond? If adonalsium is the power at the center of the spiritual realm they should be connected.

Maybe I'm still thinking too literally.

No one ever mentioned where this came from. 

That will likely remain a mystery until Dragonsteel or Mistborn Era 4, or possibly even after. I personally think the Power came from another cluster which was seeded with life, and the series will end with the power leaving to seed a new area. Brandon probably will leave it a mystery though.

[KSub]

So you're saying adonalsium came from another civilization, created what we think of as the cosmere and when it reforms it will, go on and do that again?

That's an interesting take if I understand you correctly. I'm curious to learn what the scar is. That may tie into your theory.

[Ixthos]

29 minutes ago, KSub said:

So you're saying adonalsium came from another civilization, created what we think of as the cosmere and when it reforms it will, go on and do that again?

That's an interesting take if I understand you correctly. I'm curious to learn what the scar is. That may tie into your theory.

That is the measure of it :-) And I agree, the scar almost certainly is important for future books - something from the past, but the local universe or the whole universe who can say.