Cause of the chasm (spoilers)

[jag519 he/him]

Ok, so the chasm happening is what ended up causing all of the problems, but do we know what actually caused it? Is it just an earthquake happened to happen, or was it a revenge thing of "I'm going to make an earthquake to destroy Elantris b/c they killed my wife"

[Shardlet he/him]

If it was a revenge thing, look out, because that dude is bad enough to crack the land and aware enough to understand the workings of AonDor.  I thought for a moment that it resulted from the splintering of Devotion and/or Dominion.  but, the timing is wrong.  the crack happened 10 years ago but they have had Seons (splinters of Devotion) for a whole lot longer.  Unless of course they were voluntary splinters intentionally formed by Devotion rather than being the pieces of Devotion left by Odium's bad hand.

 

A naturally occurring earthquake seems likely except that the chasm is far from the mountains, perpendicular (at least roughly) to the mountains, and there doesn't appear to be a strong seismic history in Arelon otherwise land changes would likely have happened before.  What I wonder is how the experts at AonDor, the Elantrians, did not realize that they needed to add the chasm line to the aons.  You would think that they would have a strong understanding of the relationship of AonDor to the geography of Arelon.

Edited August 6, 2013 by Shardlet

[Claincy he/him]

Are you referring to Dilaf with the revenge part? Because I think we can safely say that he didn't cause it.

 

@Shardlet

Honestly I think they would have worked it out but the impression I get is that they didn't really get a chance before they were attacked by non-Elantrians. Beyond that I think a lot or the majority of Elantrians understood how to use Aon Dor but most wouldn't have been scholars. I think we can safely say that there was a bit of panicking when it happened too.

 

From what we know of it I think from a logical perspective a natural event makes the most sense. This being Brandon though I doubt it

Edited August 6, 2013 by lord_Ffnord

[Windrunner he/him]

I'm personally very certain that Dilaf had nothing to do with this.

MI’CH
You’ve told us that the earthquake was not caused by natural events.
BRANDON:
Yeah, it’s a complicated question because the earthquake was not caused by natural but the Reod was a natural effect of the earthquake, then... does that make sense? So the Reod is natural, a natural result of... does that make sense? That’s why it was a tricky question.

MI’CH:
But the earthquake was not natural.

BRANDON:
No, it was not.

AARON:
So the Reod is a natural reaction to an unnatural occurrence.

BRANDON:
Yes.

JOSH:
And wasn’t it because there was like magical strain on the land?

BRANDON:
That is certainly part of what was going on.

My belief is that the pressure in the Spiritual Realm caused by the mindless Shards was transferred over into the Physical Realm, causing the chasm. I need to post the full version of this theory...

[Claincy he/him]

That actually makes a lot of sense. It is supported by how Shard powers left around with no-one controlling them are very dangerous. I seem to remember Brandon saying that it was very fortunate that Kelsier was still around to temporarily control the power after Leras died. Also Sazed being there when Vin and Ati died.

[jag519 he/him]

Ok, so all we know is that it was caused by something, but we don't know what.

 

My theory for now is just that it is Dilaf/Wyrn/one of Dilaf's monks under orders from Wyrn/Dilaf

[Claincy he/him]

Sorry to contradict again but I really really doubt they have the power to do that. (Though if they could they certainly would have, then again, I doubt they would have been able to anticipate that effect anyway.)

[Isomere]

I smell (odium ) at work in the earthquake. Dilaf was called a svrakiss by Hrathen and I'm tempted to agree with him. Something not from Sel has possessed the body of this Dakhor monk. Something that fosters hate and thrives on suffering. Something that has a deep understanding of the nature of the forces at work post splintering, and the savvy to harness those forces to destroy a civilization devoted to peace and harmony. 

 

EDIT: Spoiler whiteout added. 

Edited August 6, 2013 by Isomere

[Lady_Yasha she/her]

I smell (odium ) at work in the earthquake. Dilaf was called a svrakiss by Hrathen and I'm tempted to agree with him. Something not from Sel has possessed the body of this Dakhor monk. Something that fosters hate and thrives on suffering. Something that has a deep understanding of the nature of the forces at work post splintering, and the savvy to harness those forces to destroy a civilization devoted to peace and harmony. 

 

EDIT: Spoiler whiteout added. 

 

It ever occur that some people are just evil? Some men just want to watch the world burn... or something >.>

[Meg]

But BS said that Odium doesn't Invest. From where, then, would Dilaf have his *odium-powers*. ...

[IceBaka]

What I wonder is how the experts at AonDor, the Elantrians, did not realize that they needed to add the chasm line to the aons.  You would think that they would have a strong understanding of the relationship of AonDor to the geography of Arelon.

 

I think at least some of them did understand the geographic connection, but it may have taken a while before they even knew that there was a major change in the landform.  Consider: 1) the distance of the chasm from Elantris, 2) the speed (or slowness) of news traveling, and 3) the general chaos that probably ensued with the apparent failure of AonDor.  The combination of those factors may have terminally delayed the passing of information to the right people.

 

Even after they've learned about the chasm, they would have to determine some its basic characteristics, like length and location.  Getting this information to properly add a line for the chasm may have taken much too long given the social upheaval experienced by Elantrians.  Sorry, I just realized that I'm repeating some of what lord_Ffnord said...

 

Honestly I think they would have worked it out but the impression I get is that they didn't really get a chance before they were attacked by non-Elantrians. Beyond that I think a lot or the majority of Elantrians understood how to use Aon Dor but most wouldn't have been scholars. I think we can safely say that there was a bit of panicking when it happened too.

 

Raoden had, presumably, the benefit of an education that included current maps showing the chasm.  What he had to figure out was the connection between AonDor and the land, 

[Windrunner he/him]

Another thing to remember is that the greatest Elantrians, the most practiced and powerful, were nearly broken by the Dor after this happened, too stunned to even defend themselves from the mobs. If anyone would have been able to figure it out, it would have been them, and they died first.

[Shardlet he/him]

All very good points lord, Ice, and Windy.  I bow to your thoughtfulness.

[Isomere]

It ever occur that some people are just evil? Some men just want to watch the world burn... or something >.>

But BS said that Odium doesn't Invest. From where, then, would Dilaf have his *odium-powers*. ...

Bear in mind this theory is still in infancy and will need more info before it can really be fleshed out. I'm just pointing out some similar legends on two planets where odium has come in force. These stories claim the evil spirits of dead people can possess living bodies. I can see Odium using this as a loop hole so he could avoid binding himself to a planet, but still have the souls of previously invested thralls go there and possess people to continue his Odious work.

[Vortaan he/him]

Why would Odium have any interest in Sel post Shattering? As far as he is concerned, job well done, moving on to that troublesome Tanavast guy...

[Shardlet he/him]

I agree with Vortaan.  I wouldn't expect that Odium is particularly concerned about the worlds themselves and their populations.  I read that he is more focused on powers that rival his own, namely. other Shards.  I doubt he would be interested in leaving agents that he has invested in behind.  I could see him organizing watchers who observe events and trends on the worlds to give him info on what is/has been going down.  But even that... .

[nightwatcher he/him]

I could be wrong, but I remember reading that shards can be reformed. So while Odium might not be completely invested in the affairs of a worlds people, to say he has no interest would probably be unfeasible; he would most likely take steps to ensure something like that never happened.

[Shardlet he/him]

You did indeed read that shards can be reformed.  And I would expect that Odium would be interested in preventing the reformation of shards that he has splintered.  But, the I expect that someone would have to be very cosmerically aware to even begin to make such an endeavor.  It is also possible that the possibility of reforming a splintered shard is unkown to anyone, possibly even to odium. 

[The Question he/him]

I wonder if there is a correlation between the chasm and the difficulties with accessing Shadesmar from Sel.

<b>INTERVIEW: 2013

Twitter 2013 (Non-WoT) (Verbatim)

VANESSA (23 JANUARY 2013)

Does the chasm on Sel have a counterpart in the cognitive realm?

BRANDON SANDERSON (23 JANUARY 2013)

Yes, it does. But moving around there is really tough... <b>

It could be that he meant it was really tough trying to get around the area of the chasm in Shadesmar, specifically.

Edited August 18, 2013 by The Question

[Shardlet he/him]

It could mean that, but there are other quotes describing the danger of traveling to and from Sel via Shadesmar.  This suggests to me that it is more than the difficulty in the region of the chasm that is providing the danger.

[Tarontos he/him]

If it was a revenge thing, look out, because that dude is bad enough to crack the land and aware enough to understand the workings of AonDor.  I thought for a moment that it resulted from the splintering of Devotion and/or Dominion.  but, the timing is wrong.  the crack happened 10 years ago but they have had Seons (splinters of Devotion) for a whole lot longer.  Unless of course they were voluntary splinters intentionally formed by Devotion rather than being the pieces of Devotion left by Odium's bad hand.

The part with italics is fine.

 

the part that is in bold is not

 

devotion/dominion were dead(splinted) long before the chasm, there is a WoB some where I am positive,(now hunt my minions i know one of you will find it)

[Shardlet he/him]

Not surprised.  I figure the splintering happened much longer than 10 years before Elantris.  I was just leaving the option open since I had not yet heard anything contrary.

[Vortaan he/him]

I'd assume Odium has a better sense of realmatics than we do. Given that, how much do you want to wager that the manner in which Devotion and Dominion were splintered prevents them from being taken up again without outside Shardic interference? So as long as no one else is Cosmere hopping, Odium might consider it a write off. At the very least it's telling that there are still people alive on Sel. If they were any kind of possible threat, do you think Odium would have left them alive?

[Miyabi She/Her]

Why does the Reod and the Earthquake have to have been caused by something evil?  Who's to say it wasn't just some Elantrian attempting some extremely advanced AonDor and missed a line or Aon in his complex algorithm that then broke the world and AonDor?

[Moogle]

Why does the Reod and the Earthquake have to have been caused by something evil?  Who's to say it wasn't just some Elantrian attempting some extremely advanced AonDor and missed a line or Aon in his complex algorithm that then broke the world and AonDor?

Because there are hints in The Way of Kings heavily implying otherwise.

 

"In case you have turned a blind eye to that disaster, know that Aona and Skai are both dead, and that which they held has been Splintered. Presumably to prevent anyone from rising up to challenge Rayse."

 

As well, the suddenness with which people rebelled against and killed the Elantrians is highly suspicious, when we know there was a Shard whose Intent involves hating and loathing around. I suspect that Splintering is rather hard, and that Odium had to stick around for 10 years to finish doing it.