lil_literalist Posted May 1, 2012 Report Share Posted May 1, 2012 It should be clear that the map of Shadesmar and the map of Roshar have the same features, except that the land and water have switched places. Now, we know that the Physical, the Cognitive, and the Spiritual realms exist throughout the whole cosmere (or on shard worlds, at the very least). So why do the two maps look alike? It is because each world has its own version of Shadesmar that mirrors that world. This is further supported by the fact that Roshar's Shadesmar is comprised of glass beads, like the ones they use for money. It stands to reason that this is unique to this world, so other worlds must have a different form for their Cognitive Realm. Furthermore, we know that Hoid uses Shadesmar to travel between worlds[Interview]. Now, since we know that there is a Shadesmar equivalent of each world, we know that Hoid has to go from one Cognitive Realm to another. This makes for two possibilities. The first is that Hoid goes directly from Cognitive Realm to Cognitive Realm. This might be possible by going to a Nexus or an Expanse. The second possibility is that Hoid merely passes through Shadesmar to get to the Spiritual Realm (probably also requiring travel to a Nexus or an Expanse), which is where his world-hopping would actually take place. So how does one travel about in Shadesmar? you ask. All we've seen is an ocean of beads. This is true. However, I claim that this is because of how one travels to Shadesmar. When you are brought to the Cognitive Realm, you are placed in the spot that corresponds to your location in the Physical Realm. Because Shallan and Jasnah were on dry land, they landed in the ocean of the Cognitive Realm. On the other hand, if they were to take a ship to the Shattered Plains and travel to Shadesmar while they were en route, they would find themselves placed on land. To sum up: 1. Shadesmar is a mirror of the Physical Realm, in terms of "water" and land. 2. Each world has its own version of the Cognitive Realm 3. When you travel to Shadesmar, you are placed according to your location in the Physical Realm. 4. Travel to a Nexus or an Expanse makes it possible to travel to the Spiritual Realm or to the Cognitive Realms of other planets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Voidus Posted May 1, 2012 Report Share Posted May 1, 2012 Except that would mean you can't soulcast over water as you wouldn't be able to have the beads. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Windrunner Posted May 1, 2012 Report Share Posted May 1, 2012 The Expanse of the Densities is another world we have seen, so it could be Sel, Nalthis or Scadrial. I tend to see Shadesmar the same way the people viewed the old world. Completely flat and stretching on to every place that contains Cognitive aspects. So you could just walk off the edge of the Roshar map and you'd find yourself in another world. The thing I've noticed (which I posted in another topic) is that there are 3 nexuses, and three Shards have been on Roshar. Vin actually refers to her hub as a nexus when she's holding Preservation. I'm not exactly sure what that implies though, because nexuses can move. Also there are three Seas, which could correspond to the Shardpools. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lil_literalist Posted May 1, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 1, 2012 (edited) Except that would mean you can't soulcast over water as you wouldn't be able to have the beads. Not necessarily. The land could simply be a bunch of beads stuck together. Either way, we know that there is land in Shadesmar, although Shallan and Jasnah were in the ocean.EDIT: Ninja'd Edited May 1, 2012 by lil_literalist Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triasmus Posted May 1, 2012 Report Share Posted May 1, 2012 (edited) The cogitive realm could very well just reflect what your subconcious thinks it should look like, in a way. Shallan and Jasnah jump into it from Roshar, so it mirrors Roshar. Hoid travels by "forcing" the cognitive realm to match how he wants to view it, moving wherever he wants to go closer to him. It's not the physical realm and so it doesn't have the same rules as the physical realm. Edited May 1, 2012 by Lantern13 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lil_literalist Posted May 1, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 1, 2012 The cogitive realm could very well just reflect what your subconcious thinks it should look like, in a way. Shallan and Jasnah jump into it from Roshar, so it mirrors Roshar. Hoid travels by "forcing" the cognitive realm to match how he wants to view it, moving wherever he wants to go closer to him. It's not the physical realm and so it doesn't have the same rules as the physical realm. In that case, why would the landmasses and the oceans be mirrored? Now, I do like this way of thinking, and I believe that Brandon did say that Hoid was adept at manipulating Shadesmar. But we see that it is possible for more than one person to be there at the same time. Does that mean that they would experience different things if they imagined different landforms? Also, what would be the use in giving us a map to Shadesmar if it could change depending on how it was perceived? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triasmus Posted May 2, 2012 Report Share Posted May 2, 2012 In that case, why would the landmasses and the oceans be mirrored? That's like asking me how the brain works Now, I do like this way of thinking, Why, thank you!!! I like this line of reasoning too :D and I believe that Brandon did say that Hoid was adept at manipulating Shadesmar. But we see that it is possible for more than one person to be there at the same time. Does that mean that they would experience different things if they imagined different landforms? I'm thinking that maybe if someone changed the landscape and then took a step they'd just disappear from the viewpoint of the other person (which really doesn't seem that reasonable to me). Also, what would be the use in giving us a map to Shadesmar if it could change depending on how it was perceived? The "compiler" was presumably given the map by his Rosharian "informant". Maybe he figured he might as well include it? I don't have the answers to your questions Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Windrunner Posted May 4, 2012 Report Share Posted May 4, 2012 The end-sheets are representations of in-world stained glass windows. Not the most accurate source of information, but I tend to believe that Shadesmar, as the Cognitive Realm which I believe is influenced by the other two Realms, is a reflection of the Physical World. I don't think the Cognitive aspects being in the form of beads has anything to do with the currency of Roshar though. There are flames there two, which have been proposed to be human cognitive aspects. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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