Murals and Dawnshards

[Yumiya]

There has been speculation that Frost is the other Dawnshard we have seen. I doubt it because we know that something has changed Frost to basically immortal, but Sanderson said we would not be able to see the effects of holding the shard yet.  Another faction seems to think that Dalinar is the other dawnshard, but the proof given seems a little skimpy. Here is my reasoning on why Dalinar has the dawnshard, as well as a couple of alternatives (I am divided in what I think most plausible).

The mural that Rysn interacts with might not be the only mural that held a Dawnshard. Now, we see a lot of murals in Sanderson books, but 2 stand out to me. 

1) The mural that is in the temple in Thaylen City. The one that screams Unite Us in Dalinar's head. Later he hears the same Unite Them command in his head in the same area. Maybe he got the dawnshard while healing the murals, and has not had time to manifest side-effects. I sorta doubt this, as Rysn recognized "Change" as a command and had to accept it into herself.

Quote

Murals on the walls - ones he had healed with his abilities- depicted the Herald Talenelat during several of his many, many last stands against Voidbringers.

2) The hall of murals in Urithiu. This seems the more likely source of a Dawnshard. The murals are referenced a lot. Raboniel even has a mini rant about it, mentioning that some of the color had faded in one spot. We also know that Honor that the Dawnshards were out of reach. In some random temple in a populated city? Someone would have noticed. But in Urithiu where you need a Knight Radiant, when none exist? A lot harder to obtain. 

But if the Dawnshard was in Urithiu, who would have had the means to find it? Who would have a small enough roll that we don't see them obtain it, but a big enough part to merit getting such a gift. Who would not have talked about getting such power?

Sigzil might be such a one. As on exploration duties, might have come across it. But I kinda think any of the soldiers would of reported such an incident. Any squire or knight radiant would probably be already showing signs of odd behavior.

But what about the ardents. The library room/crystal pillar room is next to the murals, near the Urithiru gem archive. The ardents seem ti spend a lot of time there after the midnight mother is driven out. My thought is one of them could have picked up the Dawnshard out of curiosity. Then not told anyone, either out of a desire to study it, or a simple forgetfulness. My vote would be for Rushu. She had plenty of access and is highly distractible and forgetful. Plus she is one of those side characters that has been hanging out, getting consistent screen time, just ripe to become a main character in the second half of the series.

[Zrogezrg]

I am on the fence with Dalinar being the unity Dawnshard.

The thing with Dalinar that is strongest evidence to me that there is something more than bondsmith unbounded is quote from WoK by Hoid

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"Adonalsium." later "... If you do put a man together like that, Dalinar, be sure to name him Gibberish, after me. Or perhaps Gibletish."

The weird thing is that this is fairly early, before 1st ideal and Urithiru. 

[offer]

I really like these ideas and I support the theory that Dalinar holds a dawnshard but the problem with this theory as I see it is the lack of involvement of the sleepless - If the dawnshard was in a mural in Thaylena or in Urithiru we probably whould have seen the sleepless killing anyoone coming close or doing something else to protect it.

 

 

[Yumiya]

3 hours ago, offer said:

doing something else to protect it

They might have thought that the oath gates being locked were sufficient protection.

[cometaryorbit]

15 hours ago, Zrogezrg said:

I am on the fence with Dalinar being the unity Dawnshard.

The thing with Dalinar that is strongest evidence to me that there is something more than bondsmith unbounded is quote from WoK by Hoid

The weird thing is that this is fairly early, before 1st ideal and Urithiru. 

I think there's a WoB that this was Hoid checking to see if Dalinar knew about the greater cosmere (Hoid thought he was involved with various secret societies, like Gavilar, though he wasn't).

[Zrogezrg]

5 hours ago, cometaryorbit said:

I think there's a WoB that this was Hoid checking to see if Dalinar knew about the greater cosmere (Hoid thought he was involved with various secret societies, like Gavilar, though he wasn't).

the Adonalsium bit sure, but the bit about putting man together,  in this context,  sounds a lot like merging shards together to recreate Adonalsium. This is something that maybe a Bondsmith unchained or a Unity Dawnshard could do. Hoid could be seeing the proto-bond to Stormfather and refer to the Bondsmith abilities but who knows...

[Little_Dagger she/her]

I think it would be cool if Dalinar turned out to hold the Dawnshard, but it seems highly unlikely. In all other examples of people holding a Dawnshard, they do so knowingly. Unless Dawnshard is like COVID - can be unsymptomatic for some people - the POV characters make poor Dawnshard candidates. 

[Stormtide_Leviathan]

23 hours ago, cometaryorbit said:

I think there's a WoB that this was Hoid checking to see if Dalinar knew about the greater cosmere (Hoid thought he was involved with various secret societies, like Gavilar, though he wasn't).

Did Gavilar know about Adolnasium?

[teknopathetic he/him]

If Dalinar did get it, I think he got it when he heard Jansah reading from TWoK on the day of Gavial's funeral. Dalinar says that he could see the words as Jasnah read them out loud. I have always suspected something really important happened there.

Personal theory us that Nohadon had the Dawnshard of Unity and managed to connect to Dalinar somehow. But either way, that scene with Jasnah reading and the words almost being visible to Dalinar makes me think of Ryan and the Mural.