Alethi law and the contract

[feruchemicalrockband]

I was waiting until we got something from the preview chapters that would give this theory some credence, and after Dalinar and Navani potentially getting trapped in the Spiritual Realm for the foreseeable future, I'd like to propose a theory about Dalinar being deposed.

 

So we know that:

1. T-Odium has been able to interpret the rules of the contract through Alethi law, and seeks to control the Oathgates by conquering their capitals.

2. Dalinar currently holds the greatest authority of Honor, and is able to speak for him on important matters like the contract of champions.

3. Dalinar could miss the Contest of Champions, by way of getting stuck in the Spiritual Realm.

4. Navani is trapped with Dalinar, leaving no proper line of succession.

 

With all that being said, I'd like to remind people of this passage in The Way of Kings, in chapter 60 when Dalinar decides not to abdicate.

Quote

"I have a requirement. I will draft an order--notarized by the highest of my scribes and witnessed by Elhokar--that gives you the right to depose me, should I grow too mentally unstable. We won't let the other camps know about it, but I will not risk letting myself grow so crazy that it's impossible to remove."

- Dalinar to Adolin after making the decision not to abdicate.

Adding this order in to the mix, it's possible that it could be used to depose Dalinar, and--in the eyes of the contract--make Adolin Honor's highest authority.

 

Here is one scenario of how I imagine it could play out:

 

Imagine it's day 8 or 9, and Dalinar, Navani, Shallan and Renarin have yet to return from the Spiritual Realm. Adolin has secured Azir, but knows it's pointless if they lose the contest. He gets the order to depose Dalinar, and meets Odium's champion of the top of Urithiru on the tenth day. Using the order, he is able to take Dalinar's place as Honor's champion. If Adolin loses, Odium gets him and not Dalinar as a fused. Dalinar arrives late after Adolin loses to find T-Odium gloating, but is able to use Honor's Shard to bind him in some way that limits Odium.

 

Let me know if that order ever got redacted! I didn't find anything, but I could easily be wrong.

[MarcieIsForager She/They]

Tbh i think this might be where the Death-Rattle: 
 

Quote

He must pick it up, the fallen title! The tower, the crown, and the spear! 

Would come to apply, i think Kaladin next to Dalinar might be closest character to Honor left to be able to decide a champion. Iirc Kaladin would also have the Letter of succession which i think is notarized too

Edited November 20, 2024 by MarcieIsForager

[Stark he/him]

I will say that I don't think Shallan and Renarin are in the Spiritual Realm.  They were outside the perpendicularity when it was collapsed and it exploded.  I think they are still in the CR, just in a lot of pain, and possibly no longer in possession of Mraize and Iyatil.  Worst case, they've been inversed and captured by Mraize and Iyatil.

 

I think it's only Dalinar and Navani in the Spiritual Realm.  But I like your theory.  Navani can almost literally be considered the Tower now.  Dalinar is the Crown.  I like this a lot.  I hope for poor Kaladin's sake that you are wrong, but yeah, the Tower, Crown and Spear are now absent.  Someone might have to step up.

[feruchemicalrockband]

7 hours ago, MarcieIsForager said:

Tbh i think this might be where the Death-Rattle: 
 

Would come to apply, i think Kaladin next to Dalinar might be closest character to Honor left to be able to decide a champion. Iirc Kaladin would also have the Letter of succession which i think is notarized too

 

True, but I doubt Kaladin will be in a position to make those decisions. We know the Heralds will disappear at the end of the book, and only 2 people will return from Shinovar. As much as I like the idea of Szeth--who once held Jezrien's Honorblade--becoming the new Windrunner Herald, it doesn't line up with his character.

 

1 hour ago, Stark said:

I will say that I don't think Shallan and Renarin are in the Spiritual Realm.  They were outside the perpendicularity when it was collapsed and it exploded.  I think they are still in the CR, just in a lot of pain, and possibly no longer in possession of Mraize and Iyatil.  Worst case, they've been inversed and captured by Mraize and Iyatil.

 

I think it's only Dalinar and Navani in the Spiritual Realm.  But I like your theory.  Navani can almost literally be considered the Tower now.  Dalinar is the Crown.  I like this a lot.  I hope for poor Kaladin's sake that you are wrong, but yeah, the Tower, Crown and Spear are now absent.  Someone might have to step up.

 

I agree that Shallan and Renarin aren't in the Spiritual Realm right now, but they are most certainly going in at some point. They still need to find Mishram, which will double as a rescue mission for Navani and Dalinar. I'm not sure how exactly they'll manage to go in, my best guess is a trip to Cultivation's perpendicularity. It's been talked about enough in the books that it's strange we haven't seen it yet.

Also, Shallan and Renarin are definitely going in because we know that Shallan, Dalinar, Navani, and Renarin's viewpoints are tied together. Brandon told us so in the second Stormlight #5 update.

[CognitiveShadow he/him]

It's a good theory! But Adolin is already the High Prince now - that's what Dalinar was considering abidcating from, not as King of Uruthiru.

Adolin turned down the throne already for Alethkar, and has made it clear he does not want to be Dalinar's heir. Renarin has also turned that down. Kaladin is next in line to the throne after Dalinar and Navani, who are both conveniently gone. Now, if Kaladin bonds the Wind and becomes an OG bondsmith, then perhaps he will be able to enter the spiritual realm and track them down or something. Or if he does that AND heals Ishar (at least temporarily by him and/or Szeth swearing an ideal), then perhaps he can get the details from him on how to transport himself quickly back to Uruthiru in time to take over for Dalinar as the champion.

[MarcieIsForager She/They]

13 minutes ago, feruchemicalrockband said:

 

True, but I doubt Kaladin will be in a position to make those decisions. We know the Heralds will disappear at the end of the book, and only 2 people will return from Shinovar. As much as I like the idea of Szeth--who once held Jezrien's Honorblade--becoming the new Windrunner Herald, it doesn't line up with his character.

Just curious is there WOB on this ive heard the thing about the Heralds more than once

[feruchemicalrockband]

2 minutes ago, MarcieIsForager said:

Just curious is there WOB on this ive heard the thing about the Heralds more than once

It was in the Day 1 epigraphs. The author of Knights of Wind and Truth tells us the Wind disappears, the Heralds disappear, and there are only 2 witnesses who were in Shinovar at the time. With Renarin's recent chapter of seeing the 12 people in Shinovar (one of whom was likely a physical Syl) we can start to make some more guesses.

[Kfish]

18 minutes ago, feruchemicalrockband said:

 

True, but I doubt Kaladin will be in a position to make those decisions. We know the Heralds will disappear at the end of the book, and only 2 people will return from Shinovar. As much as I like the idea of Szeth--who once held Jezrien's Honorblade--becoming the new Windrunner Herald, it doesn't line up with his character.

 

 

I agree that Shallan and Renarin aren't in the Spiritual Realm right now, but they are most certainly going in at some point. They still need to find Mishram, which will double as a rescue mission for Navani and Dalinar. I'm not sure how exactly they'll manage to go in, my best guess is a trip to Cultivation's perpendicularity. It's been talked about enough in the books that it's strange we haven't seen it yet.

Also, Shallan and Renarin are definitely going in because we know that Shallan, Dalinar, Navani, and Renarin's viewpoints are tied together. Brandon told us so in the second Stormlight #5 update.

True, but we also know from Rhythm of War that the method of using the Oathpact to keep the Fused back wouldn't work anyway so there's no reason to reforge the Oathpact or replace a Herald.

[feruchemicalrockband]

38 minutes ago, Kfish said:

True, but we also know from Rhythm of War that the method of using the Oathpact to keep the Fused back wouldn't work anyway so there's no reason to reforge the Oathpact or replace a Herald.

Odium says that the Fused can't be kept back anymore, but Ishar seemed to believe in his moment of sanity that there was a reason to reforge the Oathpact anyway.

Also, I'd really like to see the Oathpact reforged just to see the Heralds in peak condition lol. Taln manifesting in TWoK all dewy like a deadblade does makes me think that if the Oathpact was reforged they'd appear with frost, like a radiantblade.

[Stark he/him]

5 hours ago, feruchemicalrockband said:

I agree that Shallan and Renarin aren't in the Spiritual Realm right now, but they are most certainly going in at some point. They still need to find Mishram, which will double as a rescue mission for Navani and Dalinar. I'm not sure how exactly they'll manage to go in, my best guess is a trip to Cultivation's perpendicularity. It's been talked about enough in the books that it's strange we haven't seen it yet.

Also, Shallan and Renarin are definitely going in because we know that Shallan, Dalinar, Navani, and Renarin's viewpoints are tied together. Brandon told us so in the second Stormlight #5 update.

I hope you are right if only so that we can see Rock again.