Alternate Understanding of "the Three Gods"

[Shardlet he/him]

This is more an observation coupled with a musing rather than a theory.  In the Starfalls chapter, Taffa (the woman married to the man Dalinar is standing in for) makes the exclamation, "Three Gods!"  Most of us have readily dismissed this as referring to Honor, Cultivation, and Odium.  Truly this may be a proper original meaning to such an exclaimation.  However, in my reread of WoK that I am about halfway done with now, I hit an interesting corrolary in Szeth's second interlude chapter.  If you'll recall, this is where the crap hits the fan for Szeth as he now comes into the control of a new master who knows who he is, what he has, and what he can do. 

 

In any case, as he is travelling on the way to fulfill Makkek's final mission he makes the following observation:

 

 

It was the time between the first two moons, the darkest period of night.  The hateful hour, his people called it, for it was one of the only times when the gods did not watch men.

 

Now, it could simply be that the Shin believe that men are watched by the gods by the light of the sun and the three moons, especially since the Shin also refer to the three moons as the three sisters.  But it could also be that the moons themselves are regarded either as the three gods or direct manifestations the three gods. 

 

Thoughts?

[kaladamSB he/him]

I have always found it intrresting that there are 3 gods and 3 moons. I flirt with the idea that the tranquilline halls is actually one of the moons, possibly where tanavast lived/watched the life he helped create. It is entirely possible that if tanavast had a moon of his own, then cultivation and odium could as well

[DocHoliday he/him]

If I'm not mistaken, are not the colors of the moons silver, green and purple?

 

Green is readily identifiable as being related to growth and life (Cultivation)

 

Silver is the metallic version of white, obviously equitable with goodness and honorable actions (Honor)

 

Purple is not usually used to represent evil, however black lights are in actuality dark purple glass lite from within. So purple could be the illuminated version of Darkness or evil intent (Odium)

[Shardlet he/him]

If I'm not mistaken, are not the colors of the moons silver, green and purple?

 

Green is readily identifiable as being related to growth and life (Cultivation)

 

Silver is the metallic version of white, obviously equitable with goodness and honorable actions (Honor)

 

Purple is not usually used to represent evil, however black lights are in actuality dark purple glass lite from within. So purple could be the illuminated version of Darkness or evil intent (Odium)

 

Close.  According to the coppermind they are blue, green, and purple.

Edited February 17, 2014 by Shardlet

[StormLight_Luc he/him]

Taking in count that purple was the color of emperors and atributed to the idea of power could it Odium's color? The one that "reigns"?

[Moogle]

Taking in count that purple was the color of emperors and atributed to the idea of power could it Odium's color? The one that "reigns"?

 

If I'm not mistaken, are not the colors of the moons silver, green and purple?

 

Green is readily identifiable as being related to growth and life (Cultivation)

 

Silver is the metallic version of white, obviously equitable with goodness and honorable actions (Honor)

 

Purple is not usually used to represent evil, however black lights are in actuality dark purple glass lite from within. So purple could be the illuminated version of Darkness or evil intent (Odium)

 

The Voidbinding chart at the end of TWoK has a woman who could be Cultivation and the main color there is purple. So... count me in for the Odium as green camp.

[Swimmingly he/him]

Dark purple always seemed pretty evil to me.

[Moogle]

Dark purple always seemed pretty evil to me.

 

Who says Cultivation isn't?

 

Consider the black sphere of doom. Here's a quote:

 

They bid him farewell, ignoring his broad hints that another cup of beer would prompt him to tell his greatest tale: that of the time when he’d seen the Nightwatcher herself and stolen a sphere that glowed black at night. That tale always discomforted Szeth, as it reminded him of the strange black sphere Gavilar had given him.

 

The Nightwatcher seems to be Cultivation. I think there is a definite link between Cultivation and purple/darkness. I mean, it's even in the name: Nightwatcher.

Edited February 17, 2014 by Moogle

[Delightful]

Isn't the Nightwatcher a spren? Or is that just what the characters believe?

[Moogle]

Isn't the Nightwatcher a spren? Or is that just what the characters believe?

 

We have this WoB:

 

 

Question

Is the Nightwatcher Cultivation or of Cultivation somehow?

Brandon Sanderson

That is strongly hinted in the book.

(source)

 

WoR spoilers:

Wyndle also notes that Lift visited his 'mother', who 'stopped caring now that He [Honor] was gone'.

Edited February 17, 2014 by Moogle

[Delightful]

Ah, ok.

I've also noticed the three moons/three shards thing and wondered if there was a connection.

There's also more about the moons in this thread about the size of Roshar - interestingly, Peter says it's likely they were put artificially into orbit.

I can easily see The moons being part of mythology/actual events involving shards - we know from one of Kaladins first chapters that there a constellation known as Taln's Scar. So moons related to shards isn't a *massive* leap from there.