Elantrians

[Edgedancer74 he/him]

I wonder, are elantrians cognitive shadows like returned or Heralds?

[alder24]

Not exactly. They didn't die. They are something dfferent.

Spoiler

Khyrindor

You've said that Returned count as Cognitive shadows "stapled" back into their bodies, and that the Heralds are at least similar. Would I be right in assuming that Elantrians could be considered as Cognitive Shadows as well, or am I barking up the wrong tree?

Brandon Sanderson

Elantrians are something different. They don't actually "die" to be created.

Recognize that the term cognitive shadow is an in-cosmere theory, which I'm not going to comment on as the creator of the setting. The theory is this:

Investiture seeks sapience. It looks for someone to control it or, in some instances, spontaneously adopts personality.

A mind (cognitive aspect of a person) can become infused with Investiture. This acts a little like minerals with petrified wood, replacing the mind and personality with investiture.

When the actual person dies, this investiture imprint remains behind. A copy of the soul, but not the actual soul.

Others disagree with this, and think the soul itself persists. Still others reject the theory in its entirety.

linkhyrule5

Huh.

[Mistborn spoilers edited out]

Stormlight Three Update #6 (Jan. 20, 2017)

 

Edited March 8, 2023 by alder24

[Edgedancer74 he/him]

I wonder if we will see more things like them in the cosmere and if we will get a term for them other than elantrian

[alder24]

1 hour ago, Edgedancer1174 said:

I wonder if we will see more things like them in the cosmere and if we will get a term for them other than elantrian

Elantris 2 or 3 will be written one day, so one day we will get an explanation of what is happening with them when they become Elantrians.

[Edgedancer74 he/him]

24 minutes ago, alder24 said:

Elantris 2 or 3 will be written one day, so one day we will get an explanation of what is happening with them when they become Elantrians.

Very true

[Kendelian he/him]

My theory is that they die, then leave a cognitive shadow that fades with time.

[Treamayne]

On 3/8/2023 at 11:40 AM, Edgedancer1174 said:

I wonder, are Elantrians cognitive shadows like returned or Heralds?

I don't think an Elantrian dies at all when undergoing the Shaod. I think that was an in-world misconception because they didn't understand that Reod Elantrians were "stuck" mid-transformation in a state where their bodies were supported by the Dor despite the lack of heartbeat or need for food - which was just a symptom of the incomplete transformation. Their body was essentially "paused" in the state of incomplete transformation, and this twilight state was mistaken for being "dead."