Odium, Roshar, Shadesmar, the spren

[Garfield]

There are several thought that popped up in my mind about the spren

 

Firstly, helping the humans to keep desolations at bay.

 

What exactly is their stake in the game?

 

Spren are in and by themselves quite happy in their own cognitive realm/Shadesmar it seems. Now, why were they even interested in humans in the first place? They emulated Honor, bonding to humans to give them surgebinding to fight off Odium and the desolations. But why? Are they in any way, as a species or individually, negatively affected if Odium takes over Roshar, so do they gain some advantage if they prevent Odium from taking over Roshar?

 

Next, apparently all spren that are non-conscious in our realm, but  seem to have some kind of  conscious representation in the cognitive realm. Aren't they furious that humans trap some of them to harness their power in fabrials?

Edited January 10, 2016 by Garfield

[Oversleep]

Well, spren are attracted to humans. That's what the deal with Radiants is - the spren are attracted to certain behaviour and traits: Syl was attracted to Kaladin because he was leading and protecting people. The oaths are certain milestones in progressing in such behaviour.

As for why they come back when they sensed Desolation coming (probably they sensed Talenelat beginning to crack), I think that with people wiped out they will also suffer, as what shapes Cognitive Realm are human minds after all.

[DreamEternal]

Next, apparently all spren that are non-conscious in our realm, but seem to have some kind of conscious representation in the cognitive realm. Aren't they furious that humans trap some of them to harness their power in fabrials?

I think you mean sapient. All spren are councious, like animals, but most spren, including the ones in fabrials, are just like that in both Realms as far as we know. Sapient spren like the ones that bond Radiants are the exception.

[Moogle]

Spren rely on, and are born, of thought. As far as we know, anyways - there's no "electricityspren" because the Rosharans haven't yet developed that level of technology.

 

So I would guess that if the humans all die, the spren all die. Simple self-preservation. The epigraphs also hint that humans are "meat" to the listeners' "broth" for spren, so there might be something there as well.

 

EDIT: SA3 spoilers:

Another thought is that as humans die, Shadesmar shrinks. The only thinking beings left will be Voidbringers, who are not going to have nice thoughts. They will mainly "feed" the unpleasant spren like painspren, and the remaining spren will live a much more dangerous life as the unpleasant spren they used to hunt for sport now regularly kill them.

 

Either way, still seems like self-preservation to me.

 

It seems like the spren can't leave Roshar for some reason as well. Perhaps Stormlight/highstorms breaking down barriers between Realms.

Edited January 10, 2016 by Moogle

[IndigoAjah he/him]

Syl says she is a little piece of a god- implied to me that she is in fact part of Honour (through investiture? Post shattering? When honour sends the visions to Dalinar, are they from Honour's past or future?), so that can explain why they act like honour and why they can't leave Roshar

[Stormgate he/him]

Syl and the other sentient spren (you say sapient, but I think sentient makes more sense) are indeed Splinters of Honor. Honor died, and was Splintered at the hands (does he have hands at this point?) of Odium, aka the Shard of hatred and the one who caused the jumble of Devotion and Dominion we see on Sel. The Stormfather is the one conveying Honor's visions, and the Stormfather is the Spren or Cognitive Shadow of Honor. They are from Honor's past, since Honor is not very good at seeing the future.

[Kaymyth she/her]

And Honor died while still heavily Invested in Roshar.  That would suggest that the spren are bound to Roshar through that connection.