The Stormfather's original purpose

[Cycloptiko]

Hi folks! Long time listener, first time elsecaller.*

I've been in an Arcanum/Coppermind dive with all of the new WoBs and had a thought - probably not the first to consider it but I haven't seen it elsewhere. 

As far as we know, Stormlight is the only light to automatically infuse gemstones during a highstorm. The everstorm doesn't have a similar effect on voidlight. Other than that, the main way to draw light into a gem is through its associated Tone. 

Is it possible that the reason the highstorms exist - and the reason the Stormfather was so highly infused - is because there is a moment during the highstorm that is always "singing" Honor's tone? Maybe it's in the whoosh of the wind or the sound of the rain, or maybe in the center of the storm.

In other words, the highstorms/Stormfather are not just there to act as a mini-perpendicularity and provide useful Investiture, but specifically to provide Investiture that can be stored and used strategically. This was the intent behind its creation, and the fact that the Stormfather is now functionally Honor's cognitive shadow is a result of this, as opposed to the intense investiture being a result of Honor's splintering. 

Thoughts?

*this joke would land better if Venli had bonded an Inkspren

[alder24]

2 hours ago, Cycloptiko said:

Hi folks! Long time listener, first time elsecaller.*

I've been in an Arcanum/Coppermind dive with all of the new WoBs and had a thought - probably not the first to consider it but I haven't seen it elsewhere. 

As far as we know, Stormlight is the only light to automatically infuse gemstones during a highstorm. The everstorm doesn't have a similar effect on voidlight. Other than that, the main way to draw light into a gem is through its associated Tone. 

Is it possible that the reason the highstorms exist - and the reason the Stormfather was so highly infused - is because there is a moment during the highstorm that is always "singing" Honor's tone? Maybe it's in the whoosh of the wind or the sound of the rain, or maybe in the center of the storm.

In other words, the highstorms/Stormfather are not just there to act as a mini-perpendicularity and provide useful Investiture, but specifically to provide Investiture that can be stored and used strategically. This was the intent behind its creation, and the fact that the Stormfather is now functionally Honor's cognitive shadow is a result of this, as opposed to the intense investiture being a result of Honor's splintering. 

Thoughts?

Highstorms predate the Shattering of Adonalsium, they predate Honor and Honor's death. They were created by Adonalsium. It's very likely that the Stormfather, or at least entity that existed before Honor's arrival, was created by Adonalsium as well, or created by perception of the first inhabitants of Roshar. 

Moreover, the Stormfather used to be different. When Honor was dying, he prepared the Stormfather and invested him more. After Honor's death, Stormfather merged with Honor's Cognitive Shadow, investing him more. This is not because Stormlight was investing the Stormfather overtime, but because Honor shaped and made him this way, when he was dying.

Stormlight is needed not just for a light and Surgebinding, but it's essential to the life on the entire Roshar. Without it, Roshar would die. I don't know what you mean by "to provide Investiture that can be stored and used strategically."

Spoiler

Questioner

Pre-Shattering magic in books?

Brandon Sanderson

Let's see. I would count the highstorms as that. Highstorm predates the Shattering. Now, the highstorm has been changed dramatically by certain events, but the highstorm does predate the Shattering.

Oathbringer San Francisco signing (Nov. 15, 2017)

 

Spoiler

Questioner

I was wondering if there was a connection between when we meet Preservation in Secret History, and the way he is, and the Stormfather. Like, is he dead yet, in Secret History?

Brandon Sanderson

There is a similarity, but-- Dying for a Shard takes a long time, in a lot of cases. So, it's similar. But the Stormfather is something different, *inaudible* remnants left over after the god died. 

Questioner

So is he dead?

Brandon Sanderson

Honor is dead, yes. But, at the same time, the Stormfather is kind of his Cognitive Shadow. So-- what does "dead" mean?

Oathbringer Houston signing (Nov. 18, 2017)

 

[LewsTherinTelescope]

Perhaps relevant: in the center of the highstorm, singer viewpoints describe all of the Rhythms as playing the same steady beat. I could easily see this being Honor's tone and it resonating with the gemstones in a way that allows Light to Invest them like you suggest. I'd guess this is more to do with infusing gemhearts than Adonalsium specifically planning for people to store Light in spheres, though.