Memory

[+Aletus he/him]

I was intrigued as I read over the pre-release chapters from WoR, especially or specifically. The intrigue stemmed from this:

 

WoR Chapter 1: Santhid

 

 

She blinked her eyes, taking a Memory of the creature, collecting it for later sketching.

 

If you notice, the word memory is capitalized - and described as a noun, or more properly, a thing or ability. 

 

Is Memory, caps, an ability related to her surgebinding, or a separate thing?

 

It reminds me of the measurements from WotK Interlude, Geranid - at least a little. 

[Swimmingly he/him]

It's been capped for her entire viewpoint through WoK as well...

[Cromptj he/him]

I think it's clearly not a normal thing, otherwise it wouldn't be capitalised. But I have no idea what the Memories could be. Possibly some link to her surgebinding, like the storage of a memory in Shadesmar?

[Shardlet he/him]

I think it is capitalized because of the distinction and emphasis this sort of memory has in Shallan's mind.  It is a distinct and particular meaning that is separate from a normal recollection memory.  She is essentially taking a mental photograph which is stored until she draws the Memory later.  After that, the Memory is erased from her mind, as it were.

[Gamma Fiend he/him]

Sounds something like Copper Feruchemy when worded like that...

 

[Mysty she/her]

I asked if her Memories were a surge at the steelheart signing. Below is a link to my signing report.

http://www.17thshard.com/forum/topic/4273-portland-steelheart-signing/

[Swimmingly he/him]

Haha! They're magical! (But possibly not surge binding exactly!)

[Humph]

If memory serves (pun not intended) I believe the "Memory" is described as harvesting a bud from the subject's being (soul?).  Capturing a part of the essence of the being [spiritual plane], rather than merely being a "how it's viewed" kind of thing [cognitive plane].

 

An interesting question is -- how many other characters have such special non-spren / non-stormlight / non-honorblade abilities?  I don't know if it would qualify, but Tien had the ability to find rocks with hidden patterns that would bring comfort to Kaladin.  Others?

[Shardlet he/him]

An interesting question is -- how many other characters have such special non-spren / non-stormlight / non-honorblade abilities?  I don't know if it would qualify, but Tien had the ability to find rocks with hidden patterns that would bring comfort to Kaladin.  Others?

 

Kaladin has an innate ability with the spear/staff.

[Xavien]

Memory always struck me as similar to Thrill: an innate ability related to the roles that the 10 Silver Kingdoms had for the desolations.  Thrill to help fight, Memory to remember and rebuild, etc.  We just haven't seen others yet though if this is true I expect the Shin's to be related to growing and is why outsiders are not allowed to see the farms.

 

The attitude of the person could also be strongly related instead of just inherited (Kaladin doesn't feel Thrill but appeared to in childhood, Shallan loves to draw from her memory so she has has practice to tap in)

[Shardlet he/him]

The attitude of the person could also be strongly related instead of just inherited (Kaladin doesn't feel Thrill but appeared to in childhood, Shallan loves to draw from her memory so she has has practice to tap in)

 

I asked Brandon about whether Kaladin felt the Thrill in the Jost flashback scene and this was his response.  Interpret it how you will.

 

Q: In the Kaladin-Jost sparring flashback, does Kaladin feel the Thrill?

 

A: Did Kaladin feel the Thrill that, Whaoo, that’s a good question.  I’m gonna RAFO that one because something odd is happening there that I don’t want to get into yet.

 

Source

 

Personally, I don't think he felt the Thrill.  But, I agree with comparing this scene to Shallan's Memory ability.  I think they are definitely similar in origin.  However, I don't think the Thrill at large is comparable to Memory.  I think that the Thrill is of more Nefarious origins.  That said, it should be noted that Dalinar's experience with the Thrill is changing from the nefarious Thrill to something apparently more pure.

 

Q: At the Battle of the Tower, the Thrill Dalinar describes seems different from previously described Thrills.  Is something different happening here?

 

A: Something different is happening.

 

Source

Edited February 19, 2014 by Shardlet

[Xavien]

Thanks Shardlet! I remembered seeing discussion about that quote but couldn't remember the exact wording.  

 

The idea that Thrill has been corrupted over time makes a lot of sense.  It feels like the entire Alethi society has slowly become corrupted to the point where they fight each other just for the sake of fighting each other, with no overriding purpose behind it.

[+Aletus he/him]

Maybe it started all going terribly wrong when Honor was shattered. 

[Shardlet he/him]

Thanks Shardlet! I remembered seeing discussion about that quote but couldn't remember the exact wording.  

 

The idea that Thrill has been corrupted over time makes a lot of sense.  It feels like the entire Alethi society has slowly become corrupted to the point where they fight each other just for the sake of fighting each other, with no overriding purpose behind it.

 

Maybe it started all going terribly wrong when Honor was shattered. 

 

I'm not sure that the Thrill was necessarily corrupted.  The comments of the blue KR in the Starfalls chapter leads me to suspect that the KR and other soldiers had to be trained to avoid being corrupted themselves.  This suggested to me that the soldiers and KR (most notably the Alethelan ones) would be susceptible to the Thrill and they had to be trained in such a way as to experience what Dalinar appears to now experience (or at least at the Battle of the Tower). 

Edited February 19, 2014 by Shardlet