Elantrians and the Shardpool

[Oversleep]

Fallen Elantrians put into the Shardpool are described as "dissolving". Several times. However, when Hoid uses Pools to transit between Realms, he just dissappears. In Elantris, his scene with skaze, he is not described as dissolving.

Secondly, why would Galladon's father choose the heart sickness to kill him if he could just go into the Pool to pass away?

Furthermore, the famous mural is "depicting worldhopping" (source). Not funeral ceremony. It seems the pre-Reod Elantrians did not use it for suicide but for transit into Cognitive Realm.

The question is: why are fallen Elantrians dissolving instead of transiting into Cognitive Realm?

[Jondesu he/him]

Intent may be part of the key. The pool was seen as a release; the Elantrians may be able to choose to use it to release their Cognitive self from their Physical, allowing the Physical body to dissolve and the person's mind to pass to the Beyond (assuming it doesn't get ripped to shreds and never make it, I think we have some ambiguity there). Hoid doesn't intend that, so he's able to hop into the Cognitive, Physical body and all. It's also possible that only Elantrians could possibly dissolve into the pool, or at least only those with access to the Dor in some form.

[Yata he/him]

10 hours ago, Oversleep said:

No. I specifically compare the instance of worldhopper (Hoid) going through the Perpendicularity and instance of Fallen Elantrians dissolving. These two instances are not the same.

when Raoden is in the pool a voice give him the choice to stop the pain (probably some kind of Aona's Shadow or peculiar Splinter). Probably the voice's owner made the Reod dissolve when they choose freedom from the pain. I think that an entity with a Shardpool's power at his/her disposal may do quite "whatever he/she wants"

[Brgst13]

5 hours ago, Oversleep said:

Fallen Elantrians put into the Shardpool are described as "dissolving". Several times. However, when Hoid uses Pools to transit between Realms, he just dissappears. In Elantris, his scene with skaze, he is not described as dissolving.

Secondly, why would Galladon's father choose the heart sickness to kill him if he could just go into the Pool to pass away?

Furthermore, the famous mural is "depicting worldhopping" (source). Not funeral ceremony. It seems the pre-Reod Elantrians did not use it for suicide but for transit into Cognitive Realm.

The question is: why are fallen Elantrians dissolving instead of transiting into Cognitive Realm?

I understood what you were asking.  Hoid is much more Cosmere-aware than the average Elantran.  He is much more likely to be able to survive.  

[AnAirSickLowLander]

What part of the book does Hoid go in the shard pool?  I don't remember this and would like to re-read it.

[Spoolofwhool]

8 hours ago, Numuhukumakiaki'aialunamor said:

What part of the book does Hoid go in the shard pool?  I don't remember this and would like to re-read it.

At the special epilogue in the 10th anniversary edition, there's a scene with Hoid.

Spoiler

Hoid is speaking to a skaze, a darker seon, likely of Dominion instead of Devotion. Hoid reveals that he hasn't become an Elantrian despite his expectations, and he and the skaze discuss his failure, and something about a deal, IIRC. The scene ends with Hoid entering the shardpool and disappearing.

 

Edited November 6, 2016 by Spoolofwhool

[AnAirSickLowLander]

15 hours ago, Spoolofwhool said:

At the special epilogue in the 10th anniversary edition, there's a scene with Hoid.

Ok, that makes a lot more sense, I was wondering how I could have missed something like that.  Is the leather bound version the only one that has the extra stuff?

[Eki]

26 minutes ago, Numuhukumakiaki'aialunamor said:

Ok, that makes a lot more sense, I was wondering how I could have missed something like that.  Is the leather bound version the only one that has the extra stuff?

No, you can get it as a "normal" book as well. I have it in paperback. I'm guessing any new printing of it will be the updated version from now on.

[Brgst13]

I suspect this is in response to Devotion and Dominion being shattered.  Brandon has stated that it is "very dangerous" to transit the Cognitive Realm near Sel.  This is likely due to the fact that Devotion and Dominion's power is in the Cognitive Realm.  I strongly suspect that what is happening is that Elantrans start to move through the Perpendicularity and then get torn apart by the unbound energy.

[Oversleep]

3 minutes ago, Brgst13 said:

I suspect this is in response to Devotion and Dominion being shattered.  Brandon has stated that it is "very dangerous" to transit the Cognitive Realm near Sel.  This is likely due to the fact that Devotion and Dominion's power is in the Cognitive Realm.  I strongly suspect that what is happening is that Elantrans start to move through the Perpendicularity and then get torn apart by the unbound energy.

No. I specifically compare the instance of worldhopper (Hoid) going through the Perpendicularity and instance of Fallen Elantrians dissolving. These two instances are not the same.