Who the quotes from the Knights of Wind and Truth belong to?

[king of nowhere]

3 hours ago, teknopathetic said:

Szeth? Truthless to truth? 

he was right about the voidbringers, so he retroactively was never truthless in the first place.

[Use the Falchion]

My guess is/was a Biography written by Syl about Kaladin and Szeth, and Syl herself. 

You've got a moral/parable book in The Way of Kings;

A religious/mythological history book in Words of Radiance;

An autobiography in Oathbringer;

A science experiment and document in Rhythm of War;

I think a biography about the two men who really helped set up Roshar for the state its in, what drives them, and what the Wind means to them could be a pretty cool thing. 

 

Or I could be completely wrong! I honestly am just guessing. 

[the_archduke]

Back cover of Way of Kings:

"There are four whom we watch. The first is the surgeon, forced to put aside healing to become a soldier in the most brutal war of our time. The second is the assassin, a murderer who weeps as he kills. The third is the liar, a young woman who wears a scholar’s mantle over the heart of a thief. The last is the highprince, a warlord whose eyes have opened to the past as his thirst for battle wanes."

Brandon confirmed that the back cover blurbs are written by a Sleepless.   Maybe this is a red herring, but we know at least one being that was watching Szeth.

[Belgarad]

I think the book is an elegy, written about the entire Windrunner order which will cease to exist after their Honorspren sacrifice themselves en mass in an effort by Dalinar to recombine Honor's investiture back into the Shard.  I think the book is written by Kal after taking up the Shard.

 

[RedBlue]

Chapters 1 & 2:

Quote

I should have known I was being watched. All my life, the signs were there.

—From Knights of Wind and Truth, page 1

I first knew the Wind as a child, during days before I knew dreams. What need has a child of dreams or aspirations? They live, and love, the life that is.

 

—From Knights of Wind and Truth, page 3

Chapters 3 & 4:

Quote

 

The Wind told me, before she vanished, that it was the change in Odium’s vessel that restored her voice. I wonder. Perhaps it is the new storm, making people begin to reconsider that the wind is not their enemy.

—From Knights of Wind and Truth, page 3
 

 

 

I have read that in the ancient days, the Wind often spoke to both human and singer. It would then mean that the Wind stopped talking not because of Odium, but because of people who began to fear her…

Or to worship the Storm instead.

—From Knights of Wind and Truth, page 4

 

The change in Odium’s vessel confirms that Knights of Wind and Truth is written in Roshar’s present day, not in the ancient past.

The author has read about ancient days, and has a fairly elegant and literary writing style, which suggests the author is scholarly, or at least educated.

However, Kaladin is the only character who has had suspicious interactions with the Wind on-screen, and the conversation with Wit implies that hearing the Wind is specific to Kaladin. The Stormfather’s comments about Kaladin being the Son of Tanavast also imply that Kaladin is unique in this.

I’m leaning towards this theory: Kaladin survives the events of the book, and goes on to learn new skills, including literacy. He writes KoWaT years in the future, perhaps in the epilogue.

Edited August 13, 2024 by RedBlue

[Ramona Tehradin she/her]

I'm pretty sure it's Kaladin and Szeth. Perhaps this is a travelogue of Kal and Szeth's adventure till the inevitable conclusion. From the recent chapters, I think it's pretty much clear what Wit said: 

Spoiler

“Wit,” Kaladin called just before the man vanished. “What about my story?”

“You will tell your own story this time, Kaladin!” Wit said. “And if you’re lucky, the Wind will join in.” Then he was gone, his last whistle slowly fading.

 

[The Stick]

I would like to suggest that perhaps it is not referencing the death of Rayse. I would say it is indeed possible that if Odium's vessel may change again this book, which could be what the book is talking about.

[The Sovereign]

Calling it now; W&T is written by Shallan on behalf of Kal and Szeth.

[Kfish]

1 hour ago, The Sovereign said:

Calling it now; W&T is written by Shallan on behalf of Kal and Szeth.

Szeth knows how to write.

[The Sovereign]

9 minutes ago, Kfish said:

Szeth knows how to write.

I understand that, but the writing itself seems too scholarly to be Szeth, hence my guess it is Shallan. It should also be noted Shallan was also watched as a child and was aware.

Edited August 15, 2024 by The Sovereign

[CtrlAltDepressed]

Throwing this out there, not sure if its been suggested or not.

 

It could be Szeth's highspren that is writing these.

[RedBlue]

It would be super interesting to have one of the in-world books be written by a spren. They have such a unique perspective, and many of them have seen a lot of stuff go down.

I don’t think it can be this one, though. The comments about childhood seem un-spren-like.

[Isilel]

22 hours ago, The Sovereign said:

I understand that, but the writing itself seems too scholarly to be Szeth

 

Szeth considers himself to be highly educated. And he is demonstrably fluent and literate in a number of  languages. For all we know his writing could be scholarly.

[The Sovereign]

1 hour ago, Isilel said:

 

Szeth considers himself to be highly educated. And he is demonstrably fluent and literate in a number of  languages. For all we know his writing could be scholarly.

Could be, I guess we'll see.

[RefusesToElaborate]

On 8/6/2024 at 5:56 AM, Little_Dagger said:

True, it does seem a little on the nose, but if Kaladin ascends, learning to write should take about a minute. 

Who are the other possible candidates then? It would be interesting if it was Szeth, as in the knight of Truth, who had thought himself Truthless

Good point but not so good. Alethi men can dictate books.

[Little_Dagger she/her]

27 minutes ago, RefusesToElaborate said:

Good point but not so good. Alethi men can dictate books.

True, though I feel that with Dalinar's example and encouragement, Rosharan men will eventually become literate anyway.

[listerfeend]

So, we now know that the author of the Epigraphs considers themselves a Historian and Philosopher, so I feel like that really narrows down the field of people that it could be. I don't think either Szeth or Kaladin would count themself as such. Also, the writing and "voice" of the epigraphs don't point me to either of them. I'm thinking it's Shallan or Jasnah

[Erklitt]

11 minutes ago, listerfeend said:

I'm thinking it's Shallan or Jasnah

My bet is on Shallan. We know she was watched by different groups from early childhood - remember the epigraph of WaT Ch 1.  Ghostbloods, Skybreakers, spren... likely because she was the daughter of a herald.

Kaladin and Szeth then will be the two sources. At least we are led to believe that, but who knows. 

[teknopathetic he/him]

I am now thinking this Venli’s mother. She’s a historian or sorts. 
 

or perhaps one of Jasnah’s old friends? The veristitilians? 

Edited August 19, 2024 by teknopathetic

[The Sovereign]

On 8/15/2024 at 1:15 PM, The Sovereign said:

Calling it now; W&T is written by Shallan on behalf of Kal and Szeth.

With Chapter 5 & 6's epigraphs I think I'm at least partially right. Though the page 4 quote makes me think the author could also be also be Jasnah. Another thing to consider is the Spren, it is possible that Kal or Szeth die (Szeth seems more likely) so the below mentioned Witnesses could be one or the other and their Spren (If this is the case Kal and Syl would be my guess).

Quote

 

As a historian, I find such nuances relevant. As a philosopher, I find them enticing.

—From Knights of Wind and Truth, page 4

 

Quote

 

Regardless, the events surrounding the cleansing of Shinovar are of specific relevance, and I am doing my best to record what I can discover of the Wind’s own words regarding them. Though, now that the Wind and Heralds have vanished, I have only two sources who can speak of these events.

They are my witnesses.

—From Knights of Wind and Truth, page 5

 

Edited August 19, 2024 by The Sovereign
Grammar matters...

[alder24]

8 minutes ago, teknopathetic said:

or perhaps one of Jasnah’s old friends? The veristitilians? 

Yeah, I think it would be one of Veristitilians. Jochi is a renowned philosopher but also Jasnah regards him as an equal to her historian. 

I suspect the "two sources" mentioned are Kaladin and Szeth.

[listerfeend]

4 minutes ago, alder24 said:

I suspect the "two sources" mentioned are Kaladin and Szeth.

Well, we know for sure that the Wind has talked to Kaladin, so he's an obvious source. I think the other source being Szeth is interesting. Could be that the Wind talks to him when they are in Shinovar? I'm wondering who else it might be besides Kaladin, mostly because we haven't really seen anything but the voices of the damned talking to Szeth. He's got a lot of weirdness going on....

[BinarySecond]

The quote from chapter 6 makes me think it's neither Szeth nor Kaladin writing the book. Are they the two witnesses to the events in Shinovar? Something in me doubts that Kaladin is one of those individuals.

[Ailvara]

Well, as of now my money is on someone we haven't met yet, or briefly at best. Maybe someone from Shinovar whom we're gonna see in either Szeth's flashbacks, and/or during their mission.

[Subvisual Haze]

Jasnah seems the obvious choice.

Interesting that she heard the wind as a child.  I guess that explains her previously referenced "madness".