The darkest timeline

[+Oltux72 he/him]

Something dramatic must be happening at the conclusion of Wind and Truth, because

• The Lost Metal  mentions dangers
• Something must remain for the second half

So lets look at the very worst case. The obvious option here is that Dalinar is lost in the Spiritual Realm, forfeits and Odium is set free. Can we do worse? I am glad you asked. Of course we can. In fact I  can offer two scenarios.

Honor is splintered for real and the splinters are running rampage through Shadesmar. We can even make this dark.

• The Kholins cannot just return to Urithiru
• The Kholins indeed find Honor
• Gavinor ascends
• Gavinor smites Moash, thus violating the pact between  Shards
• Odium and Cultivation strike
• Honor is splintered in a spectacular way

Or alternatively

• The Kholins cannot just return to Urithiru
• Honor has been attracted to a large source of Investiture acting honorably fighting for her people
• The Kholins make a mistake
• Ba-Ado-Mishram is set free
• She ascends

[logicless.bt]

What if instead of the child champion theory, Dalinar has the option to leave on time but it would mean leaving Gavinor in the spiritual realm possibly forever. So he misses the deadline to save the "suckling child" (and either Kaladin becomes champion or odium goes free)

[+Oltux72 he/him]

1 hour ago, logicless.bt said:

What if instead of the child champion theory, Dalinar has the option to leave on time but it would mean leaving Gavinor in the spiritual realm possibly forever. So he misses the deadline to save the "suckling child" (and either Kaladin becomes champion or odium goes free)

This would imply that Dalinar would know what a delay would mean. Time being different in the SR would seem to preclude that. That is the central question. Why don't the bondsmiths just return? Going by the blurb they go on to seek out the shard. Why?