Shardpools Considered Harmful

[Moogle]

I've been working on a gigantic list of all the theories I made, and I realized I never explicitly this one down into a thread. Oops!
 
In WoR, Rock remarks that outsiders who swim in the "emerald pools" die.

“I’d like to visit,” Lopen said. “Go for a dip myself.”
“Ha! Is death to one not of our people,” Rock said. “I could not let you swim. Even if you beat me at drinking tonight.” He raised an eyebrow at Lopen’s drink.
“Swimming in the emerald pools is death to outsiders,” Sigzil said, “because you execute outsiders who touch them.”
“No, this is not true. Listen to story. Stop being boring.”

 
It is by no means certain, but it seems likely that the emerald pools spoken of are Cultivation's Shardpool, or else one of her Shardpools if you can have multiples (which you probably can).
 
With this in mind, we have to ask: why is it death for non-Horneaters to swim in the emerald pools, but Hoid had no problems?
 
Another important background fact: Horneaters have a different physiology than regular humans.

For instance, Horneaters have teeth that break claws. Their back molars are different from standard human molars. To a lesser extent, the Herdazians have the same thing going for them. For those two cultures, they’ll chew the shells and eat them.
(source)

 
Also:

No, not Alethi at all, Shallan thought, trying to judge the woman’s accent. Herdazian. The fingernails, with a rocklike cast to them, proved that. She was darkeyed, but her fine dress indicated she was not a servant.

 
Why, I don't know. I find the idea that they evolved this way very doubtful, but it's possible. My other prime theory is that Rock's story about asking the gods for help had a kernel of truth: Cultivation or the Nightwatcher or some other force changed them to be able to survive on the mountains with all their delicious shells.
 
Anyways, this all ties together into the emerald pools. I have two prime possibilities.

• Theory: Shardpools are harmful to those without any innate Investiture matching that of the Shardpool in question.
• Theory: Shardpools are harmful to those who have good amounts of Investiture opposing that Investiture in a Shardpool.

The second option is supported in part by Mistborn. The Well of Ascension was harmful to Vin until she took out her Hemalurgic earring, as it contained Ruin.
 
Hoid's ability to travel through Cultivation's Shardpool is supported by point one; he'd have Adonalsium for his innate Investiture (probably) and this naturally includes Cultivation in it. He may also be protected through other magical means.
 
Either way, I think it possible that the Horneaters have a different innate Investiture than humanity at large on Roshar.

 

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Edit: new WoB:

Q: Both Parshendi and Horneaters are able to see spren ordinary humans can't. Is there a connection between these abilities, or do they come from completely different sources?
A: Horneaters are human/Parshendi hybrids. (There are several Roshar races that have Parshendi blood in them.)

 

As Parshendi have both Cultivation and Odium in them, the Horneaters will have inherited that from their listener blood. (Probably.) So this part of my theory seems near-confirmed.

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Either Cultivation added some of herself to them, or they had some innate Odium in them taken out. We don't know for sure what innate Investiture humans on Roshar have, though Honor's is a safe bet (Kaladin is a child of Honor according to the Stormfather), and it seems likely that they have some Odium in them (since WoB is that Odium has "done things" that allow people on Roshar to use a magic system fueled by him, and most magic systems require innate Investiture from the Shard in question to use their systems).
 
This is very much speculation. I'm leery of anything to do with Shardpools, particularly since their behavior is influenced by the nature of the Shard's Intent. That said, I think there's evidence to support things here. Edited August 18, 2014 by Moogle

[Goatborn he/him]

I like your thinking, and it holds up logically (I do love a good logical theory).

 

I think the flip side is that characters within a world don't always have a 100% understanding of what is happening in their world. What the Horneaters see as death could be a transportation/ascension effect. Horneaters might have no Investiture and hence are sort of grounded out when it comes to interacting with the pools.

 

The other example of people "dying" in a shardpool is the Elantrians and their sapphire pool, which acts as a release/disintegration with unknown consequences.

 

The big question is whether they have worldhopping potential (instead of death), so there could be a whole heap of Rosharan humans out in the Cosmere confused as Hell.

 

If the pools are actually harmful, I think it would be the opposing investiture rule that governs it. I can understand Ruin's nature making his pool harmful to anyone who walks by, but Preservation or Cultivation's pools being indiscriminately harmful? I don't really buy that. I would love to know what makes the Horneaters immune to the emerald effects. Rock certainly wasn't immune to Kal's surgebinding. Sixth of Dusk was also able to wade into the orange pool, along with a human who hadn't spent long on the Pantheon.

 

Long story short: I concur!

[Voidus]

What about Sels Shardpool then?

[Moogle]

What about Sels Shardpool then?

 

I'm not entirely sure it can be considered harmful. The Pool did not kill off Raoden, there was a voice asking him if he wanted to give up. It seems like whatever was responsible for that voice was what was killing off insane Elantrians put into the pool.

 

Or... not. My Elantris knowledge is rusty.

 

Either way, taking a dip into a Shardpool without knowing what you're doing seems dangerous.

 

Edit: New WoB:

 

Q: Both Parshendi and Horneaters are able to see spren ordinary humans can't. Is there a connection between these abilities, or do they come from completely different sources?

A: Horneaters are human/Parshendi hybrids. (There are several Roshar races that have Parshendi blood in them.)

Because Parshendi have Cultivation in them, this at least answers that particular question. Horneaters should have some of Cultivation's Investiture in them, even if regular humans don't.

Edited August 13, 2014 by Moogle

[Haradion Drogon]

I think someone needs to ask if a Parshendi would enter a horneater pool without coming to harm.

[Curiosity he/him]

And Hoid is made of Adonalsium Investiture, so he can safely use any of them!

Nice theory!