[OB] What is *this*?

[Sparkrunner he/him]

From the endpapers that were released...

Hanging on Ishar (I assume that is Ishar)'s neck. Where have we seen necklaces like this before, and what have they contained? What could this one contain?

[Steeldancer he/him]

It looks like one of those kooky crystal necklaces. 

[The Invested Beard]

Tiny baby bottle.

[Sparkrunner he/him]

What did Gavilar's necklace hold again? Can't quite remember.

[Pagerunner he/him]

Moved to Oathbringer spoilers.

Do you mean the black sphere? It wasn't in a necklace, as far as I can recall. What it holds is still a mystery, although there are two major schools of thought (an Unmade, and Odium's Stormlight analogue) that are in pretty vicious competition.

[Jaconis]

Vedev seems to have something similar, though bigger, as earrings. Maybe it’s what they used to hold Stormlight?

Edited October 26, 2017 by Jaconis

[Starla]

This is a common shape for crystals, called a wand. They're often used for healing and other esoteric purposes. You'll notice Vedel's earrings are also this shape. I don't know that we've seen them anywhere else in the story, but I can see the heralds using them for some magical purposes. 

Edited to add an additional thought based on @Jaconis comment: I imagine the crystalline structure and shape of gemstones is important for the storage of stormlight. There are probably certain shapes that hold more light. Maybe the wand is an economical or powerful shape for stormlight usage.

Edited October 26, 2017 by Starla
didn't want to double post.

[JoyBlu she/her]

I’m not saying that I’m correct — but my first thought when I saw this post was that it was an allomantic metal vile. That’s what they looked liked in my mind anyway. 

[Steeldancer he/him]

At closer look, it looks like a Christmas light. 

[Sparkrunner he/him]

1 hour ago, Steeldancer said:

At closer look, it looks like a Christmas light. 

AAAND its solved.

Thanks @Starla

[Head Crabs]

Just to be the first one to be "that guy"....

It very well could just be an aesthetically pleasing, and culturally appropriate shape for some herald swag. 

 

But my fun theory is that they're gemstones (presumably diamond) for capturing spren or holding investiture. 

[Aleksiel]

On 10/27/2017 at 2:35 AM, Jaconis said:

Vedev seems to have something similar, though bigger, as earrings. Maybe it’s what they used to hold Stormlight?

It's a good idea, but the Heralds didn't use stormlight, they were connected directly to Tanavast and drew power from him. There might be some significance connected to the Heralds that have those elements, but I can't think of what Ishar and Vedel might share that Ash and Jezrien don't have.

[Fifth of Daybreak he/him]

I'm guessing that it will have something to do with Urithuru. It will be a key of some sort that can be used to power up one of the functions the city hasn't needed to use since the Heralds first arrived. Something like a lockout key where all the Heralds need to be there with all the keys at once.

[Siaun Sanche she/her]

On 10/26/2017 at 8:24 PM, Steeldancer said:

At closer look, it looks like a Christmas light. 

Tanavast _is_ the reason for the season. 

[Farnsworth]

Maybe it’s a gemstone carved to hold more Stormlight?

[Yezrien]

16 hours ago, Fifth of Daybreak said:

I'm guessing that it will have something to do with Urithuru. It will be a key of some sort that can be used to power up one of the functions the city hasn't needed to use since the Heralds first arrived. Something like a lockout key where all the Heralds need to be there with all the keys at once.

 

This is clearly the correct answer.

[Toaster Retribution he/him]

My idea is that it has to do with the Heralds other abilities. There is a WoB somewhere that says that Heralds are able to do other things, apart from Surgebinding.