Roshar and Scadrial

[DSCrankshaw]

So what we see in Emberdark doesn't speak well of the current governments on either of those planets. How bad have things gotten, and what does that have to say about the end results of Ghostbloods and the back half of Stormlight?

[Treamayne]

I've only made it to Ch 41 so far Complete now, but I must say that I find the idea that Scadrians are villanous to be both obvious and saddening. I have the feeling that the Roshar/Scadrial war will be one with no "good guys" on either side - much more Grey-Gray Morality than Black-White Morality.

The focus on the Malwish Empire is likely meant to provide hope (for the readers) that not all of Scadrial has become raging egotist bullies. Hopefully we'll get more insight in Era 3. 

Minor Spoilers:

Spoiler

At least Leonore shows there are dissenters and good individuals amongst the rubbish-heap Scadrians portrayed in TSM and IotE.

 

Edited July 13, 2025 by Treamayne
Updated

[Erremin]

34 minutes ago, Treamayne said:

Roshar/Scadrial war

It feels like that war is the war between two colonialist empires, on a cosmic scale, so definitely no good guys as you said. I think the good guys (or rather protagonists) will have to be from a smaller faction on the planet, such as the free countries in Roshar, and Northern Scadrial. Or maybe a ghostblood or something similar. I really hope the Malwish Empire, as presented now, isn't the "good guy" later on, for obvious reasons

[DSCrankshaw]

I'm curious about the situation on Roshar. Their visitor certainly seems to be a Radiant, almost certainly a Skybreaker given the glyph, color scheme, powers, and attitude. Though whether they're human or singer isn't obvious. This does seem to indicate that the dominant power on Roshar is similar to what we saw at the end of Book 5, leading me to wonder what the good guys manage to gain in the back 5. I'm also wondering whether the back 5 will show us how the war between Scadrial and Roshar began. Meaning that the story of the next arc is not the story of the protagonists against Retribution, but rather the story of the protagonists against Scadrial.

[Qianweilian He/him]

On 7/4/2025 at 8:12 AM, DSCrankshaw said:

rather the story of the protagonists against Scadrial

I'm not sure about this. At the very least we have 2 more mistborn series, 5 more stormlight books, a sequel to Elantris, Nightblood, and I doubt he's going to leave Darkside alone.

Edit: I don't think it will be as clear cut as you think.

Edited July 13, 2025 by Qianweilian

[Dreamwa1ker she/her]

I found this quote really tantalizing:

Ch 42

Quote

“Depending on your definition, yes,” Ed said. “And attacking, or even taking too much advantage of the locals, without knowing who is or was set up there would expose not just the Scadrians, but the Shards supporting them. 

Shards plural supporting them. Does Harmony count as more than one Shard? Or that Autonomy is also backing them? OR Does it mean Harmony splits again?

Note that the name Harmony is carefully not mentioned in the convo about the Pathian earring:

Quote

“Don’t you literally worship a Scadrian?” Nazh asked.

“That’s different,” Ed said. “He is nice. Plus, he’s the only known living Shard who has performed the—”

It is worded really carefully so as to not actually say the Shard name that the Pathians worship in this time. I did a search on the text of the full book and there is not a single mention of the word Harmony despite several other Shard names being mentioned throughout. Seems deliberate as a way to not reveal something. So it could be that the thing he is only living Shard to have done, is to have changed the intent, or split it or something?

[i’m in the details]

On 7/21/2025 at 5:24 PM, Dreamwa1ker said:

I found this quote really tantalizing:

Ch 42

Shards plural supporting them. Does Harmony count as more than one Shard? Or that Autonomy is also backing them? OR Does it mean Harmony splits again?

Note that the name Harmony is carefully not mentioned in the convo about the Pathian earring:

It is worded really carefully so as to not actually say the Shard name that the Pathians worship in this time. I did a search on the text of the full book and there is not a single mention of the word Harmony despite several other Shard names being mentioned throughout. Seems deliberate as a way to not reveal something. So it could be that the thing he is only living Shard to have done, is to have changed the intent, or split it or something?

I think Sazed splitting off the Discord part of himself and giving it to an era 3 protagonist is somewhat likely. That or dividing the shards back into preservation and ruin, or two completely new intents. 

[Qianweilian He/him]

On 7/21/2025 at 5:24 PM, Dreamwa1ker said:

Shards plural supporting them. Does Harmony count as more than one Shard? Or that Autonomy is also backing them? OR Does it mean Harmony splits again?

I saw that as Shards were forming alliances and teaming up. Could be either though.

[LockDown Ammo he/him]

On 7/22/2025 at 3:54 AM, Dreamwa1ker said:

Shards plural supporting them. Does Harmony count as more than one Shard? Or that Autonomy is also backing them? OR Does it mean Harmony splits again?

Shards do seem to be forming alliances and teaming up. Dalinar's Sunmaker gambit was to get the Shards to form an alliance to work against Retribution which probably paid off and several alliances still remain. I doubt Autonomy is backing them. I don't currently have the book so I can't quote but there was a line in Starling's internal narration mocking the Scadrians thinking they have the superior tech by saying what does Taldain think about that. So at this point Taldain is still the most dominant in technology as always due to Autonomy. So I think she would side them and Taldain could be neutral like Nalthis, where it trades to both or maybe it has isolated itself, as Drominad System was referred to as "one of Autonomy's old domains" which implies that she has left more than one planet so she could be in hiding on her main planet Taldain.
 

On 7/22/2025 at 3:54 AM, Dreamwa1ker said:

It is worded really carefully so as to not actually say the Shard name that the Pathians worship in this time. I did a search on the text of the full book and there is not a single mention of the word Harmony despite several other Shard names being mentioned throughout. Seems deliberate as a way to not reveal something. So it could be that the thing he is only living Shard to have done, is to have changed the intent, or split it or something?

I think you are correct it was worded very like that to hide spoilers for Mistborn Era 3 about if it was split, became Discord or came back to Harmony (I think it is a safe bet that he does turn to Discord even if for short time... it would be a wasted story telling opportunity if not). If they used Harmony or Discord anywhere it would have given it away.

[duladen he/him]

On 7/4/2025 at 6:12 AM, DSCrankshaw said:

I'm curious about the situation on Roshar. Their visitor certainly seems to be a Radiant, almost certainly a Skybreaker given the glyph, color scheme, powers, and attitude. Though whether they're human or singer isn't obvious. This does seem to indicate that the dominant power on Roshar is similar to what we saw at the end of Book 5, leading me to wonder what the good guys manage to gain in the back 5. I'm also wondering whether the back 5 will show us how the war between Scadrial and Roshar began. Meaning that the story of the next arc is not the story of the protagonists against Retribution, but rather the story of the protagonists against Scadrial.

I interpreted Dusk’s description of the “peculiar cast” and “unnatural air” of their voice as speaking to the rhythms. So I assumed they were a Singer. But I admit it’s not much to go on.

[LockDown Ammo he/him]

On 8/10/2025 at 3:06 AM, duladen said:

I interpreted Dusk’s description of the “peculiar cast” and “unnatural air” of their voice as speaking to the rhythms. So I assumed they were a Singer. But I admit it’s not much to go on.

"peculiar cast" and "unnatural air" would probably be something even i would think if an alien completely encased in what looks like glowing metal with wisps of whatever light is being used at this point of time leaking in air dropped from the sky in front of me and walked towards me with complete confidence and in probably a regal like style.
(I had a stroke while writing this sentence, so have fun reading it)

It is most definitely vaguely worded by Brandon as not hint and spoil what would be the result of conflicts in the back half of Stormlight... I don't think we can say anything there really isn't anything to go on.