Did anyone else forget that Sigzil tried to murder someone before becoming a Bridgeman?

[Cheese Ninja he/him]

It's one of the minor mysteries of Bridge 4 that we were left with, along with "who does Moash want to kill?", "how did Rock become so proficient with a bow?", and "what's Teft's backstory with the Envisagers and his betrayal of them?"

“And if some of us are murderers?” Sigzil asked quietly.
“Then I’m in good company,” Kaladin said. “If it was a lighteyes you killed, then I might buy you a drink.”
“Not a lighteyes,” Sigzil said. “And he is not dead.”
“Then you’re not a murderer,” Kaladin said.
“Not for want of trying.” Sigzil’s eyes grew distant. “I thought for certain I had succeeded. It was not the wisest choice I made. My master…” He trailed off.
“Is he the one you tried to kill?”
“No.”
Kaladin waited, but no more information was forthcoming.

That's the scene where he tells Kaladin about it.  We also know that whoever it was he tried to kill, it wasn't a lighteyes, and it wasn't Hoid, and that person was a lot more resistant to dying than Sigzil expected.

"... I was thrown in prison three times during our visit there. The Babath are quite particular about how you speak. My master was quite displeased at the amount he had to pay to free me. Of course, I think they were using any excuse to imprison a foreigner, as they knew my master had deep pockets.” He smiled wistfully. “One of those imprisonments was my fault. The women there, you see, have these patterns of veins that sit shallowly beneath their skin. Some visitors find it unnerving, but I found the patterns beautiful. Almost irresistible…”

This quote is more about Sigzil's character.  He can't resist the ladies.

“And take good care of that blasted apprentice of mine. He really should have let me know he was still alive. Perhaps he feared I’d come to rescue him again.”
“Apprentice?”
“Tell him I graduate him,” Hoid said, still walking. “He’s a full Worldsinger now. Don’t let him get killed. I spent far too long trying to force some sense into that brain of his.”

"rescue him again" - How often did Hoid have to get him out of some prison or other?  Despite seeming pretty mild and scholarly, Sigzil seems to get into trouble a lot.  Also, how did Hoid ever end up losing track of him?

[+eveorjoy she/her]

That makes two bridgemen, besides Kaladin, who want to kill someone. Moash being the other one. But I'm sure many of the bridgemen were murderers.

[Delightful]

We know they were all criminals. The question is, what relevance will this have to future books? Possibly a large part, possibly just as minor subplots. We'll have to RAFO.

 

(Am I allowed to say RAFO? It fits but....seems like a Team Sanderson-only word.)

[Tarion]

I'd forgotten that he'd tried.  I think I'd just sorted him into the "murderer" pile and left it there.

Definitely want to see where that leads - With his ties to Hoid, I'm sure it's not just fluff.  It's going to lead somewhere.  

[Quiver he/him]

New theory: Sigzil "murdered" Adonalsium. 

 

Honestly, I haven't read Way of Kings in a long time, so I ended up conflating Sigzil and Moash's stories of murder. The main thing I remembered abot Sigzil was the "apprentice to Hoid" part.

[DocHoliday he/him]

My thought was that Sigzil tried to become the next Hoid, failed and was ashamed of it.

[Chrono she/her]

Except Kaladin asks him if he tried to kill his master and Sigzil says no. He could be lying, granted, but lying doesn't seem to be in his character. Although, we don't know much about Sigzil at all except he's frikkin scholarly genius. 

 

My theory: Our poor scholar drank one beer too many and had a drunken brawl, nearly killed a guy, landed his butt in jail, Hoid had to bust him out. Of course, this theory is rather mundane. Anyone else's thoughts?

[Shardlet he/him]

We know they were all criminals. 

 

Maybe semantics, but they were not all criminals.  Some, like Kaladin, likely were inconvenient and some enlisted but ended up in the bridge crews rather than the army.  Not all the bridgemen were slaves, else there would not be a reduction in pay for slaves.

[DocHoliday he/him]

Except Kaladin asks him if he tried to kill his master and Sigzil says no. He could be lying, granted, but lying doesn't seem to be in his character. Although, we don't know much about Sigzil at all except he's frikkin scholarly genius. 

 

My theory: Our poor scholar drank one beer too many and had a drunken brawl, nearly killed a guy, landed his butt in jail, Hoid had to bust him out. Of course, this theory is rather mundane. Anyone else's thoughts?

Did he state that? I'll have to reread it. My impression was that Sigzil was hiding something, and since he admitted attempted murder it's probably pretty shady.

[IllNsickly he/him]

I think that RAFO was coined during Mr Jordan's WoT writing marathon. I do not believe you will be chastised for using it. (I have been wrong in the past, however)

That being said, Bridge Four info is one of the things i am looking forward to most. I want to know what led the rest of them to the bridge crews and see how they rise from the lowest layer of crem.

THAT is what i am most looking forward to.

[Chrono she/her]

Did he state that? I'll have to reread it. My impression was that Sigzil was hiding something, and since he admitted attempted murder it's probably pretty shady.

 

If you look at the OP, the quote is listed there. I'd love to give you a precise page number, as is my modus operandi, but I'm too lazy to get my tWoK.

 

Edit: Laziness over. It is page 577, Chapter 40, "Eyes of Red and Blue".

Edited February 5, 2014 by Chrono

[AerionBFII he/him]

I remembered #SMUG

I hope more back story is added in WOR Teft, Shen, Rock, Moash and Sigzil all sound like they have interesting history.

[Guest Shash]

A mystery indeed. But, as far as Rock's martial capabilities, I assumed that he was the fourth son born to his father, trained most of his life as a warrior, but then one of his older brothers died which would elevate him to third son.

[Swimmingly he/him]

Or, you know, he's just a huge frickin dude who can pick up logs and use them like some people use daggers, with a natural gift for archery.