Rhyshadium intelligence level

[Thude]

I just read chapter 51 in WoR, in it is a quote "it had taken a lengthy explanation from Dalinar to even get the horse to allow Adolin to hold the reins, let alone climb into the saddle" (B.Sanderson 707, WoR)

My question is what level of intelligence do you believe Rhysadium have, is it on par with humans, slightly below, on par with horses?

Edited November 16, 2017 by Thude

[Snipexe he/him]

I think they are smarter then humans

[galendo]

1 hour ago, snipexe said:

I think they are smarter then humans

Smarter than humans doesn't really make much sense.  If they were, humans and Rhysadium should have learned to communicate via written communication, and there's zero evidence of that from what I can remember.

Also note that the quote is that it required "a lengthy explanation from Dalinar" and not "a lengthy argument from Dalinar".  Not entirely indicative, but the wording suggests that he needed to do a lot of explaining before the horse got the idea.  Kind of like how you might have to explain to a toddler.

So that's my best guess at where Rysha-...Rhysha-...Shard-horses are at.  Think of them like a young human child.  Not nearly the level of an adult, but a fair bit above your average horse.

[Wandering Investor]

I think they're smart enough that they're reached a point where you have to ask what smart is. They're likely able to understand speech but probably have no interest/ability in math (or maybe they do, who knows). It is not a question of are they smart, it is a question of what are they smart at.

[Yezrien]

I think the problem is that we have no evidence of their intelligence. People say they're smart, but we've never seen them do anything smart.

I'm not questioning their intelligence (it's confirmed by WoB), but so far, it's a lot of tell and not much show.

[Fifth of Daybreak he/him]

23 minutes ago, Belzedar said:

I think the problem is that we have no evidence of their intelligence. People say they're smart, but we've never seen them do anything smart.

I'm not questioning their intelligence (it's confirmed by WoB), but so far, it's a lot of tell and not much show.

I disagree. 

Quote

Gallant and Adolin’s white stallion Sureblood were waiting, their reins held at the ready by grooms. Ryshadium hardly needed handlers. Once, Gallant had kicked open his stall and made his way to the staging grounds on his own when a groom had been too slow. 

Way of Kings Chapter 26 Stillness

From other characters maybe I'd be open to an argument of boasting, but Dalinar is a reliable narrator. There's no reason he'd mislead us in this.

[Yata he/him]

The Rhyshadium are sapient probably they will not reach the Human's sapience but they are sapient enough to understand people and meaningful interacts with other sapient beings (humans).

I will say (to give an extimation) that a Rhyshadium is as aware as a child.

[Wreith he/him]

12 hours ago, galendo said:

13 hours ago, snipexe said:

I think they are smarter then humans

Smarter than humans doesn't really make much sense.  If they were, humans and Rhysadium should have learned to communicate via written communication, and there's zero evidence of that from what I can remember.

So far we've only seen male Rhysadium. Obviously we wouldn't see writing from them, it being a feminine art.

[SilverTiger she/her]

It is a bit difficult to write with hooves...

[Fifth of Daybreak he/him]

50 minutes ago, SilverTiger said:

It is a bit difficult to write with hooves...

I'd find it hard to write to if the storming Alethi kept nailing gloves to my hands!

[SilverTiger she/her]

4 minutes ago, Fifth of Daybreak said:

I'd find it hard to write to if the storming Alethi kept nailing gloves to my hands!

I don't think that Rhyshadium have horseshoes, since they have stone hooves.

Edited November 1, 2017 by SilverTiger

[Vortaan he/him]

23 hours ago, Thude said:

I just read chapter 51 in Woe, in it is a quote "it had taken a lengthy explanation from Dalinar to even get the horse to allow Adolin to hold the reins, let alone climb into the saddle" (B.Sanderson 707, WoR)

My question is what level of intelligence do you believe Rhysadium have, is it on par with humans, slightly below, on par with horses?

Ever read Stephen R. Donaldson's Thomas Covenant books? If so I put them at Ranyhyn level: smart as people, but focused in entirely different directions. Keep in mind that people develop a lot of things to get along in an environment that they are really poorly adapted to.

[Fifth of Daybreak he/him]

Thanks Arcanum!

Quote

Questioner

The Ryshadium mounts. Are they actually-- Is there an actual bond, like the Nahel bond?

Brandon Sanderson

They are slightly Invested through a symbiotic relationship on Roshar that gives them better-than-average animal intelligence.

 

 

Edited November 13, 2017 by Fifth of Daybreak