[SA5] Speculation about Dalinar's shadows [Discuss]

[+Oltux72 he/him]

Looking at the art
Dalinar ascending the stairs

The burdens of nine become mine. Why must I carry the madness of them all? Oh, Almighty, release me.

The Nine are most likely the Unmade, not the government of the Fused. So how would their burden become yours? By bonding one of them. Technically they are Spren. Does one of the Unmade have a very good reason to bond somebody who'd call on the Almighty? Yes, Sja-Anat's communications with the Radiants were known to Taravangian. As soon as she learns that Taravangian has picked up Odium, she'll think that she has to run.

Hence, wild speculation:
This is Dalinar walking up the stairs to the contest of champions, bound to the Stormfather and Sja-Anat, turning him into a Bondsmith as well as a Voidsmith.

EDIT: There is also a specific reason she has to go to Dalinar. Odium has made an agreement not to hurt the champion of the other side. Removing a bondmate that gives him voidbinding powers is harming. She is using the contract as a shield.

Edited June 4, 2024 by Oltux72
Forget to mention the stuff about the contract

[a Faceless Immortal he/him]

I'd always assumed that this particular rattle was from the perspective of Taln holding the oathpact in place of the other 9 Heralds that used to help him out, but there definitely is precedent for nine shadows referring to the nine Unmade.

The idea of someone becoming a Void Bondsmith is definitely intriguing though. I don't know how feasible it is without having access to the surge of Adhesion, but I guess between a few of the Unmade we have pretty good examples of them manipulating Connection without the use of Adhesion so said Voidsmith could probably perform a similar role without it.

Very interesting proposition!

Edited June 4, 2024 by a Faceless Immortal
Better engagement with OP

[+Oltux72 he/him]

2 minutes ago, a Faceless Immortal said:

I'd always assumed that this particular rattle was from the perspective of Taln holding the oathpact in place of the other 9 Heralds that used to help him out, but there definitely is precedent for nine shadows referring to the nine Unmade.

It would seem to me that calling out to the Allmighty in that way presupposes that you grew up as an or at least amid adherents of classical Vorinism. Taln would call for Honor or Tanavast or Cultivation.

[a Faceless Immortal he/him]

Perhaps, although I believe with death rattles the person who is experiencing the vision is fairly unreliable because they doesn't necessarily gain outside context to what they are seeing; the 'Voidbringer' Singers are described as having skin of fire after all. The person experiencing this particular vision knows that they have been betrayed and left in seemingly unbearable agony, and as such cry out to the Almighty for relief, but we know for certain that unlike whoever is experiencing the vision, Taln himself isn't particularly dismayed at being betrayed because it has afforded the world an excellent chance at recovery.

 

2 hours ago, Oltux72 said:

There is also a specific reason she has to go to Dalinar. Odium has made an agreement not to hurt the champion of the other side. Removing a bondmate that gives him voidbinding powers is harming. She is using the contract as a shield.

I don't think that we know for sure that Dalinar is the champion of the Coalition. Although, I don't particularly have any other options to offer. 

That being said, the idea of bonding the champion for their own protection is pretty cool. I believe we even have a spare Bondsmith slot, unless someone bonded the Nightwatcher while I wasn't watching. Has anyone discussed bonding an Unmade before? I'll have to look into it.

[EnneCalah]

To me the image looks like a cryptic with a strange head. Maybe Ishar succeeded in bringing a spren to the Phisical Realm after it had became a host for Yelig-nar? It's hard to tell because we can only see the shadow on the right one though.

 i

Edited July 31, 2024 by EnneCalah
extra evidence