Final ketek

[nightblood]

I apologize if this has already been discussed. I'm new to the group and couldn't find this in the forums. There is a ketek at the end of WOK which says "above silence, the illuminating storms-- dying storms-- illuminate the silence above." Does anyone have any insight? Does this have to do with Odium? 

[Moogle]

I haven't got anything solid, but here's some ideas:

 

• "The illuminating storms" are quite obviously highstorms, given that they 'illuminate' spheres.
• "Silence above" probably refers to the fact that both Honor and Cultivation seem to be gone from the world. Honor is dead, as far as we know, but something else seems to have happened to Cultivation. The fact that highstorms exist 'illuminates' this fact. (Assuming highstorms didn't exist before the Almighty kicked the bucket, anyways.)
• The "dying storms" could refer to how the highstorms came from Honor's death, though it's a huge stretch. Could also mean the highstorms are slowly weakening in power, though from my understanding they are gaining in power (or so say the stormwardens) before the Final Desolation.
• "Above silence" seems to me to imply that something is silent on Roshar. Haven't the slightest clue what. The Radiants, perhaps? Something about how all the sound stopped for Kaladin in the middle of the highstorm?

Maybe smarter people than I will have better ideas.

[Refero]

In case you didn't notice the final ketek also represents the "Book Parts" in Way of Kings.

[king of nowhere]

I don't think the highstorms were caused by honor's death. the way life is adapted to them is something that cannoth have happened in a few thousands years. highstorms must have existed for millions of years at least.

[Moogle]

I don't think the highstorms were caused by honor's death. the way life is adapted to them is something that cannoth have happened in a few thousands years. highstorms must have existed for millions of years at least.

 

But did the highstorms always fill spheres with Stormlight? The Radiants we've seen almost seemed to have their own supply of it that wasn't dependent on the few spheres that could fit in their Shardplate.

[Gloom]

I haven't got anything solid, but here's some ideas:

 

• "The illuminating storms" are quite obviously highstorms, given that they 'illuminate' spheres.
• "Silence above" probably refers to the fact that both Honor and Cultivation seem to be gone from the world. Honor is dead, as far as we know, but something else seems to have happened to Cultivation. The fact that highstorms exist 'illuminates' this fact. (Assuming highstorms didn't exist before the Almighty kicked the bucket, anyways.)
• The "dying storms" could refer to how the highstorms came from Honor's death, though it's a huge stretch. Could also mean the highstorms are slowly weakening in power, though from my understanding they are gaining in power (or so say the stormwardens) before the Final Desolation.
• "Above silence" seems to me to imply that something is silent on Roshar. Haven't the slightest clue what. The Radiants, perhaps? Something about how all the sound stopped for Kaladin in the middle of the highstorm?

Maybe smarter people than I will have better ideas.

 

I believe that Silence Above may be in reference to the face that Kaladin saw in the eye of the High Storm.

 

Dying Storms may be in reference to the voice that Kaladin heard in the west that named him Child of Tanavast and warned him that Odium Reigns.

[Maximus]

I don't think the highstorms were caused by honor's death. the way life is adapted to them is something that cannoth have happened in a few thousands years. highstorms must have existed for millions of years at least.

Unless Cultivation stepped in to help life adapt. I find it likely the highstorms are splinters of Honor, perhaps formed as his dying act to allow his followers continued access to his power. 

[Gloom]

Unless Cultivation stepped in to help life adapt. I find it likely the highstorms are splinters of Honor, perhaps formed as his dying act to allow his followers continued access to his power. 

 

People still access the power of the shards that were shattered on Sel. I think that the High Storms were invested at the same time man moved to Roshar, after they were defeated in the Tranquil Halls. (whichever of the habitable planets in the system the Tranquill Halls may have been.)

[Shardlet]

I suspect that Roshar had something akin to the highstorms prior to the arrival of humans.  Why change over everything in the world to adapt to the new highstorms but leave humans unchanged and largely undefended against them?  Doesn't quite make sense to me.  Seems more likely you had a world which had violent storms and an ecosystem adapted to these storms prior to the arrival of humans.