Where are the Uvara?

[Adonalsium's Eigenbasis]

As I was re-reading Hoid's Wandersail story, I had the thought that perhaps Derethil knew the Voidbringers were coming through the Cognitive Realm. Therefore, it might be possible that upon meeting the highstorm, Derethil and his sailors passed into the Cognitive Realm, the Uvara civilization is located in the Cognitive Realm, and the "Great Abyss" is perhaps a perpendicularity (Honor's?). 

This also perhaps lines up with the need for Derethil to seek out the highstorm in particular -- Derethil wasn't looking for a specific location, but rather the entrance to the Cognitive Realm. 

This brings up some more interesting questions if true (please let me know if there is evidence ruling this theory out): 

1. Who are the Uvara? Are they from Roshar at all? The phrasing in the story suggests that the Uvara aren't really Rosharan at all, and look strange.

2. Who is the king of the Uvara? Is their king actually dead?

 

Anyways, curious to hear any thoughts.

[+mdross81 he/him]

On 3/10/2022 at 3:44 AM, Adonalsium's Eigenbasis said:

Who are the Uvara? Are they from Roshar at all? The phrasing in the story suggests that the Uvara aren't really Rosharan at all, and look strange.

I’ve been intrigued by the Uvara as well. I think you’re definitely onto something with the idea of them being associated with transition points between realms.

Here’s a link to some of my thoughts (in particular the update at the end of the reply) based on the name of the Uvaran who left with Derethil - Nafti.

It’s part of a broader post talking about similarities between Cultivation and some analogous Greek/Egyptian deities. 

Edited March 11, 2022 by mdross81

[Adonalsium's Eigenbasis]

Oh very nice, the references to Egyptian mythology are very neat (I was also wondering about Nafti).  The Sel connection is also a cool idea - would be interesting if Dereth on Sel was actually Rosharan... I guess the main difficulty posed by this theory is that it seems rather difficult to navigate to Sel in the Cognitive Realm, so it seems unlikely that they actually went to Sel. Maybe more likely is the idea that the Uvara are from Sel but live in the Cognitive Realm (like the Ire seem to) -- I wonder how they might have influenced religions. I guess this also depends on when Wandersail actually took place, though I would assume this postdates the death of Aona and Skai.

[Enthrilled]

It could be that the ship is a spaceship, the whirlpool is a black hole, and the islands are planets. Derithil would be searching for the planet where the “voidbringers” are imprisoned between returns. Another option would be that he is looking for the lost/destroyed planet Earth. Derithil and his crew leave into a high storm but this seems to be one of the more questionable distinctions in Wit’s story; maybe the high storm in Roshar is just a smaller version of a larger storm happening in the cosmere. Either way the crew are propelled uncontrollably towards a mystery destination where they crash and are rescued by strangers. I like to assume that those people still follow the same fundamental laws as every other being in the universe be they shard or mortal. The anecdote seems to me to be a masterful hint at the extent of the universe in which Caladin suffers for the reader but at the same time a turning point for Cal in his journey. It is known that the high storm does not blow strongly in Shadesmar, which is why I do not see Derithil in the cognitive realm. Also it is implied later on in the series that the power of Dalinar to create the unity was not an ability until after Honor’s death so it is unlikely that Derithil would be traversing through one of those unless he went with Honor’s blessing. If Derithil was an honor sprin then I could see him starting his journey in the cognitive realm and never leaving it but if he was a human or singer I see no reason why he would be traveling on a ship into shadesmar.