Glimpses of Radiance

[don_karma_II he/him]

 

 

Have you given up on the gemstone, now that it is dead? And do you no longer hide behind the name of your old master?

 

It certainly seems to be a directed towards Hoid. Adonalsium has been referred to as a stone I believe and it has been shattered and Hoid is the one hiding behind his old master's name. 

[don_karma_II he/him]

Well to what could a dead gemstone refer?

 

Hoid talks about having named after a stone during his conversation. It has been my belief that he is referring to Adonalsium, though it has not  been confirmed.

[Thuenderman]

My first thought was that it was odium talking to Hoid, perhaps about honor, adolasium, or perhaps some that he collected from a Cosmere world. I could see it being from a 17th sharder too.

[Link he/him]

I actually think it could be Szeth. In my re-read most recently, I noticed similarities between the Wandersail chapter, and what's happening to Szeth. He is bound to the stone, as the people were bound to their king, and when they discovered their king was dead, they went mad after realising the horrors they'd done in the name of the king had actually been doing by themselves. I've always thought Szeth's oathstone had close ties with Honour, as there's a part late in the book where he says something about acting because of honour. Wish I had my book handy.

Either way, I'd be intrigued to see what happens with him if he came to discover that Honour was dead.

[HydrogenAlpha he/him]

Well, I don't think we should put so much meaning into this quote. It's probably just referring to a dead chasmfiend and someone just doesn't want to cut out the gemheart, because whatever. 
I doubt that Tor would give us a really important quote ( Hoid vs. Odium or smt. ).

[Elbereth she/her]

My first thought was also Hoid for the second part. For the first... Without the second question, I would have taken it as a metaphorical lesson to Kaladin referring to a dull sphere after he's used it, or something along those lines. As it is, I like the idea that it refers to Adonalsium, though I don't remember anything about a stone in the book. Szeth is another possible candidate, but not one I like as much.

However, I agree somewhat with HydrogenAlpha: This is very likely to be something very ordinary taken out of context. Oh well...

[Swimmingly he/him]

Yesterday's quote could be half of a ketek...anyone want to parse it?

[Blindillusions he/him]

Can we post spoilers for unpublished books here. If so, there are two things this letter could be addressing.

Edited February 16, 2014 by Blindillusions

[Duskshard he/him]

A summary of my thoughts on the first 5 glimpses.

 

#1

"Thirty-eight days," Renarin read. "The end of all nations." - 62 days death follows”

 

It make sense to me that these two go together. Possibly more warnings during the 62 days, each one offering more information on what’s to come.

 

Possibilities at the end of the countdown,

 

• Szeth will try to kill Dalinar and if he succeeds it will mean the end of all nations.

 

• The parshmen and the parshendi will be taken over by Odium and turn against the humans leading to the collapse of nations, as the final Desolation begins.

 

• The return of the Voidbringers and the 10 Deaths.

 

#2

She felt and heard the storm approach. The ground shook, the air roared. Bits of leaves swept across her in a chill gust, like scouts before an oncoming army that charged behind, the howling wind its battle cry.

 

A female. Caught outside during a Highstorm. But in shelter not looking directly at the oncoming storm. Someone who’s seen battle. Is familiar with how an army moves.

 

Jasnah - As Gavilar’s daughter and Dalinar’s niece I would expect her to be knowledgeable about the military and how they maneuver. She was also at the Shattered plains before she went traveling to do research on the voidbringers so she could’ve witness battles first hand.

 

The last we saw her she was on a boat heading to the Shattered plains where she and Shallan encountered some (as yet unknown) trouble. They could of been forced to abandon ship and try to make it to the Shattered plains across land on foot, getting caught outside in a Highstorm.  

 

Not been a POV character so far, so that makes it less likely to be her.    

 

Eshonai - As the General for her peoples army she’s well versed in military tactics. Been out on the Shattered plains or living in the ruins of an ancient city, in dwellings that use greatshells to roof their shelters. I can see these dwellings being less secure to the elements and allowing bits of leaves and debris in during a Highstorm.

 

- I think that this glimpse is most likely to be Eshonai.

 

#3

In places, it flashed with light from behind, revealing movement and shadows within. Like the skeleton of a hand when light illuminated the flesh, there was something inside that wall of destruction.

 

With the way that the character compares what they see to the skeleton of a hand when illuminated by light, I’m convinced that this is from Kaladins POV.

 

• He could be riding the storm again, this time examining the storm itself instead of what’s in it’s path.

 

• He could be witnessing the Listeners attacking the war camps using stormform.

 

#4

Of fires that burned and yet they were gone.

Of heat he could feel when others felt not.

Of screams his own that nobody heard.

Of torture sublime, for life it meant.

 

I think that this is an epigraph from Taln.

 

I think that the first three lines refer to him suffering in damnation alone because the other betrayed the oathpact.

 

I think the last line refers to him willingly suffering the torture, because while he does it mean life for everybody else.

 

#5

Have you given up on the gemstone, now that it is dead? And do you no longer hide behind the name of your old master?

 

I think that this is part of a return letter to Hoid from his old friend.

 

The gemstone could refer to Honor and how Odium killed Tanavast and splintered the shard.

Hoid stole his name from his old master.

Edited February 16, 2014 by Duskshard

[Swimmingly he/him]

Of fires that burned and yet they were gone.

Of heat he could feel when others felt not.

Of screams his own that nobody heard.

Of torture sublime, for life it meant

"That nobody heard!" he screamed,

Felt the others no heat he could feel,

They were gone, yet he burnt fires.

[+Aletus he/him]

sublime is an interesting and uncommon word - also mentioned in Shallan's flashback, via the kickass nursery rhyme I shall sing to my neice for ever.

[Ness]

Of fires that burned and yet they were gone.

Of heat he could feel when others felt not.

Of screams his own that nobody heard.

Of torture sublime, for life it meant

"That nobody heard!" he screamed,

Felt the others no heat he could feel,

They were gone, yet he burnt fires.

 

I like it, but technically not a ketek.  Has more than 5 parts, and you don't use exactly the same words in the same order.  Keteks allow for changing verb tense, not as much movement as you have

[Swimmingly he/him]

I know. I'm bad at this. Which is why I need someone else to parse it properly.

[don_karma_II he/him]

As it is, I like the idea that it refers to Adonalsium, though I don't remember anything about a stone in the book. 

 

Hoid while talking to Kaladin tells him that he was once named after a rock and it became useless for his wearing it.

[Ness]

Unfortunately Swimmingly, I just think that it isn't a ketek.  It is impossible to make the quote into a ketek without altering the original text, which implies that isn't meant to be one.  Keteks must be exactly the same words, backwards, and must still make sense, this glimpse just doesn't fit that.  Now, if you just want to make a ketek with those words because you like it, that is something else.  You will still have to change the words though.

[Chessboxin']

Would the latest glimpse not fit the story as someone addressing Shallan family's servant or perhaps even Nan Balat?

[askthepaperclip he/him]

Here is the next one!

 

"He thinks you're a god. You shouldn't encourage him."

"Why not? I am a god."

 

EDIT: Hmm...who could this be? Wit? Darkness? Taln? Some other herald? These glimpses are getting juicier!!

Edited February 16, 2014 by askthepaperclip

[Duskshard he/him]

"He thinks you're a god. You shouldn't encourage him."

"Why not? I am a god."

 

 

I think that this is Kaladin talking to Syl, talking about how Rock treats her.

 

If that's the case, what does it mean? Is Syl a splinter?  Are all of the spren from the 10 orders?

Edited February 16, 2014 by Duskshard

[Swimmingly he/him]

Sounds like lightsong in reverse

[Mysty she/her]

Maybe this is banter between Kaladin an Syl talking about Rock. After all, Rock did say he wanted to build Syl a shrine.

[aheerema he/him]

 

I think that this is Kaladin talking to Syl, talking about how Rock treats her.

 

If that's the case, what does it mean? Is Syl a splinter?  Are all of the spren from the 10 orders?

 

 

Agreed. But it wasn't my first thought, I first wondered if it was Taln, until Syl came to mind.

And you beat me to it. +1 from  me!

[The Rooster he/him]

Could be Baxils mistress and the Nightwatcher.

[KiManiak he/him]

Maybe this is banter between Kaladin an Syl talking about Rock. After all, Rock did say he wanted to build Syl a shrine.

 

 

I had similar thoughts as Mysty.  It sounds like playful joking between friends.  It seems to me that Syl and Kaladin are the closest pairing to fit this type of banter.  

 

A darkhorse pairing could be Jasnah chiding Shallan, and Shallan playfully responding with some of her signature wit. That could potentially be some rather funny dialogue.  

[+eveorjoy she/her]

I think it is someone talking to the Nightwatcher or Cultivation.

[Cromptj he/him]

That has to be Syl and Kaladin. No one I can think of is genuinely that arrogant. Oh, but it could be Navani speaking to Adolin about Renarin.