Spiritual Shadows

[Trusk'our he/him]

I've been thinking, both Nohadon's and Hoid's Spiritual Realm echoes are exceedingly aware and capable. They can speak and adapt in a way that does not seem to be possible to the standard echo.

I offer a hypothesis for this- both individuals, I believe, held a Dawnshard or very large portion of Investiture at some point, turning them into Slivers or Sliver-adjacent beings. Hoid is confirmed for this, and while Nohadon himself is an unknown we know he was special amongst the Surgebinders, and Dawnshards have had a history with Ashyn and Roshar (though it's also very likely he could have been a Bondsmith).

A Sliver or Dawnsliver might have a larger echo in the SR due to their expanded Spiritweb and Connections to their power.

 

As an alternative hypothesis, both are quite knowledgable. Hoid for obvious reasons- he's Hoid. Nohadon had a knowledge of Realmatics, as he educated Dalinar on the topic during on of his visions.

This could also explain the phenomena of self-aware SR echoes, as the Investiture seeking to replicate them thinks that they would be aware of their predicament (I believe not-Wit himself says something along these lines, but unreliable narration is a thing, so it's not the only possibility).

 

In any case, we see that self-aware SR echoes/shadows are a thing, and that makes me wonder how they could shake things up.

Could they be seen and interact with someone who had visions of the SR (okay, Dalinar does this, so I think yes)? Maybe an Oracle or Auger could see a more dynamic and communicative version of themselves when burning their metals.

Or, could they make their way to the PR? Items can be pulled out via Perpendicularity, as we see with Navani taking Shalash's hair ribbon (I think that was what they took, right?). Cognitive Shadows can't do this with a Perpendicularity, so there may need to be an extra step, like Hemalurgy, but I think it's possible to bring a SR echo out of the SR if you wanted to.

[Qianweilian He/him]

22 minutes ago, Trusk'our said:

As an alternative hypothesis, both are quite knowledgable. Hoid for obvious reasons- he's Hoid. Nohadon had a knowledge of Realmatics, as he educated Dalinar on the topic during on of his visions.

I doubt it’s just knowledge, as all the Heralds—some of whom were realmatically aware, acted normally.

23 minutes ago, Trusk'our said:

Could they be seen and interact with someone who had visions of the SR (okay, Dalinar does this, so I think yes)? Maybe an Oracle or Auger could see a more dynamic and communicative version of themselves when burning their metals.

I think yes? It might require more investiture or duralumin or something, but I think so.

23 minutes ago, Trusk'our said:

Or, could they make their way to the PR? Items can be pulled out via Perpendicularity, as we see with Navani taking Shalash's hair ribbon (I think that was what they took, right?). Cognitive Shadows can't do this with a Perpendicularity, so there may need to be an extra step, like Hemalurgy, but I think it's possible to bring a SR echo out of the SR if you wanted to.

I mean, Taravangian took the blackthorn who had Dalinar’s memories. Of course, this may be significantly difficult and require Fortune or something, but I think this is for sure possible.