Shins with Blades? Maybe, maybe not.

[marianmi]

Wait, we are being serious here?

[Aether he/him]

Wait, we are being serious here?

Serious to the point of inanity - is it not obvious?

[Gloom he/him]

I agree with marianmi. The theory as proposed had something to it. The idea that the Shin have Shards and have warriors capable of wielding those Shards is plausible. The idea that they use them in their day to day life is less so.

 

If the Shards are pseudo religious in significance and only wielded by the lowest caste members of their society, it could work for a time, but eventually, over 4500 years, a group of these Shard bearing warriors would get fed up with their lot in life and flip the tables. Now, if they are protecting sacred relics of the Heralds, and these Shardbearers understand that those relics are of even greater power than the Shards they carry, then they may remain content with their role in life.

 

To suggest that the Shards are being used for farming is far from plausible. For one, every field has stones in it. I get that their is soil in Shinovar, but soil contains stones. Cutting stone is taboo. Shardplate requires stormlight, and stormlight is holy. Using stormlight for something as inane as farming would likely be considered sacrilegious. It isn't like they can't farm without the Shards. Religious governments are almost always about maintaining the status quot. So progress usually isn't high on the agenda.

[Lifeb4death]

I agree with most of hat you're saying Gloom, but the part about the Shin warriors getting fed up with living as servants. The Shin who choose to pick up weapons also choose to live the life of a warrior. Which could also mean that the oathstone could poses some sort of power, but that would be highly unlikely since Szeth was ready to kill King Taravangian, but his honor kept him In check. Which makes your idea about protecting sacred Herald relics plausible.

[Aether he/him]

To suggest that the Shards are being used for farming is far from plausible. For one, every field has stones in it. I get that their is soil in Shinovar, but soil contains stones. Cutting stone is taboo. Shardplate requires stormlight, and stormlight is holy. Using stormlight for something as inane as farming would likely be considered sacrilegious. It isn't like they can't farm without the Shards. Religious governments are almost always about maintaining the status quot. So progress usually isn't high on the agenda.

Actually, if there is one idea here that isn't completely ludicrous, it is the idea that they use Shardplates (and not Blades) for farming. It is a long shot for which we do not have much info, but to dismiss it on the count that they consider Stormlight holy is rather unfair. Remember that farming is considered a holy task, and use of Stormlight in such a holy pursuit would fit. IIRC, Szeth didn't seem to find the use of Stormlight in itself profane, but the use of it for such mundane and trivial tasks such as lighting and decoration (plus his own use for lashings).

 

Now, again, plausible, not likely. But we have been reduced to spit-balling here.

[Daishi5]

One thing that bothered me about the Shin was that if farming is the most noble goal, then the high nobility in Shinovar would be made up of a large fraction of the population.  Before industrialization and fertilizer, farming was hard work that required a very large portion of the populace.  

 

That means in Shinovar, your upper class might be made up of 50% of the population.  Normally the "elite" of a society are going to be a very small portion of the population.

 

I still think this means that the "farmers" of Shinovar are mostly the landowners, who have a lot of labor, like southern plantation owners (hopefully without the slavery).  But, shardplate or using stormlight for the growth surge, might allow a small elite number of farmers to feed the enitre population.

[wlmkfi]

As they approached, she was surprised by the variety in their appearance. Other Shin she’d seen had worn basic brown robes or other worker’s clothing. At the front of this group, however, was a man in what must be Shin finery: a bright, multicolored cloak that completely enveloped him, tied closed at the front. It trailed down on either side of his horse, drooping almost to the ground. Only his head was exposed.

What would he be covering ?

Some Shardplate perhaps ?

Does anyone else picture a small army of yodas with lightsabers turning the tide of a big battle ?

[Aether he/him]

As they approached, she was surprised by the variety in their appearance. Other Shin she’d seen had worn basic brown robes or other worker’s clothing. At the front of this group, however, was a man in what must be Shin finery: a bright, multicolored cloak that completely enveloped him, tied closed at the front. It trailed down on either side of his horse, drooping almost to the ground. Only his head was exposed.

What would he be covering ?

Some Shardplate perhaps ?

Good catch. But allowing myself to reiterate, I still find it unlikely, I just cannot (nor will not) rule it out. 'Twould be kind of awesome if it turned out to be at least partially true.

[wlmkfi]

Yes I agree, very hard theory to prove outright due to insufficient evidence. I just really think it would be cool therefore I look for things to try and make it sound plausible. That's what makes Mr Sanderson's works so amazing. not only does he create new worlds to explore, he leaves just enough unexplained for you to imagine your own parts of it, then he releases the next book and tells you how it really is

[Gloom he/him]

As you noted, we have no evidence at all to base this assumption on. It is more likely his wardrobe is merely Shin custom. I believe that were he wearing armor under his robe it would have been somewhat obvious. I don't recall ever reading that Shardplate was so form fitting it could be easily hidden under your clothing.