pi_rho_man he/him Posted December 20, 2017 Report Share Posted December 20, 2017 (edited) In the last few books, we've seen letters in the epigraphs. How are they delivered? Take the third letter from Sazed in Oathbringer: Quote Friend, Your letter is most intriguing, even revelatory. I would have thought, before attaining my current station, that a deity could not be surprised. Obviously, that is not true. I can be surprised. I can perhaps even be naive, I think. I am the least equipped, of all, to aid you in this endeavor. I am finding that the powers I hold are in such conflict that the most simple of actions can be difficult. I am also made uncertain by your subterfuge. Why have you not made yourself known to me before this? How is it you can hide? Who are you truly, and how do you know so much about Adonalsium? If you would speak to me further, I request open honesty. Return to my lands, approach my servants, and I will see what I can do for your quest. From the letter, it seems that Hoid initially delivered the letter to a servant. Since, if it were in person, they could have discussed in person. That seems simple enough. Otherwise, I can't really see how the letter got there. Otherwise, how did Sazed find Hoid considering no one really knows where he is? Maybe he would know he's on Roshar since that's where his fight with Odium is. But, that's vague. It'd seem extremely hard to find *one* person on an entire planet. I mention this letter because it seems the most definitive in terms of who the writer was. We currently only know of one person that holds two shards, let alone opposing ones. Part of me is imagining a giant safe deposit box in the cognitive realm where all letters are placed. But, obviously, that's highly unrealistic. When you have shardic powers, little things like safe deposit boxes would provide no means of secure letters. What are your thoughts? How are letters delivered to recipients across different worlds? (Yes I realize the world hopping part is obvious. But, the exact details otherwise are not to me.) Edited December 20, 2017 by pi_rho_man 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StormingTexan he/him Posted December 20, 2017 Report Share Posted December 20, 2017 Apparently it is done by some enterprising individuals. Quote Overlord Jebus [PENDING REVIEW] Cosmere postal service. Can you tell us anything about this? How many people are involved? Brandon Sanderson [PENDING REVIEW] It is more UPS than USPS, if that makes sense. Meaning it is enterprising individuals who are traveling and trading between planets. Some places are easier to deliver to than others. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Necessary Eagle she/her Posted December 21, 2017 Report Share Posted December 21, 2017 I assume the servant was a kandra. Maybe the infamous worldhopping WalDo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farnsworth Posted December 21, 2017 Report Share Posted December 21, 2017 What are you all talking about? It’s a dragon who eats the letter and barfs it out to the recipient. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knight Oblivion Posted December 21, 2017 Report Share Posted December 21, 2017 To pull a line from Stargate SG-1, Harmony knows where to send his letter because "[he is] a god." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wittiest man alive Posted December 21, 2017 Report Share Posted December 21, 2017 My head cannon is that he gives it to his spirit boat Spanky from Secret History and just has him be his cognitive realm messenger. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pi_rho_man he/him Posted December 21, 2017 Author Report Share Posted December 21, 2017 Alright. Now, I'll have to write a horrible theory about how the ghostbloods are actually the letter delivers. They're a group of world hoppers, as the post people would have to be. Their hideout in Roshar is one of their offices. That's why so many various world hoppers collect there as well. So far, a great majority of their communications with Shallan has been done with letters. Coincidence? Absolutely not! Now, you might ask why they wanted to get rid of the piece of Odium via Shallan. It's simple. Having a violent investiture flying around isn't safe for postage deliveries. So, they asked her to remove it. How do they know so much about cosmere? Well, second theory, you can bet that they secretly read the letters. Then, with people like Hoid sending letters with plethoras of cosmere knowledge, they end up fairly smart. That, and being in the cognitive realm for a long time lets you become familiar with the trade, so to speak. If this gets confirmed, I will eat a hat. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StormingTexan he/him Posted December 21, 2017 Report Share Posted December 21, 2017 (edited) 9 hours ago, pi_rho_man said: Alright. Now, I'll have to write a horrible theory about how the ghostbloods are actually the letter delivers. They're a group of world hoppers, as the post people would have to be. Their hideout in Roshar is one of their offices. That's why so many various world hoppers collect there as well. So far, a great majority of their communications with Shallan has been done with letters. Coincidence? Absolutely not! Now, you might ask why they wanted to get rid of the piece of Odium via Shallan. It's simple. Having a violent investiture flying around isn't safe for postage deliveries. So, they asked her to remove it. How do they know so much about cosmere? Well, second theory, you can bet that they secretly read the letters. Then, with people like Hoid sending letters with plethoras of cosmere knowledge, they end up fairly smart. That, and being in the cognitive realm for a long time lets you become familiar with the trade, so to speak. If this gets confirmed, I will eat a hat. Oh and how else would you pay them for their services than with investiture knick knacks! Deliver a letter to First of Sun cost = 1 Aviar. Need something to go to Scadrial? That will be two Kandra blessings please! Edited December 21, 2017 by StormingTexan 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZenBossanova Posted December 22, 2017 Report Share Posted December 22, 2017 People from Yolen must be pretty rare, or out of the public eye, as Khriss still has not found it yet. How do you get in touch with people that hard to find? The mechanics of of how this works still makes me curious. I still think a Shard of Communication makes a lot of sense. And a corresponding Shard of Sight. But there is more than just addressing a letter to Yolen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vissy Posted December 22, 2017 Report Share Posted December 22, 2017 Or maybe Yolen is the planet the humans destroyed with Surgebinding. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StormingTexan he/him Posted December 22, 2017 Report Share Posted December 22, 2017 3 hours ago, Vissy said: Or maybe Yolen is the planet the humans destroyed with Surgebinding. It’s been confirmed it was Ashyn Quote Questioner [PENDING REVIEW] A friend of mine wanted me to ask: Was the cataclysm that <rocked> Ashyn and forced its inhabitants into the flying cities Investiture-based, and if it was was it Shardic in nature? Brandon Sanderson [PENDING REVIEW] The same cataclysm that the-- did you finish [Oathbringer]? Questioner [PENDING REVIEW] Yes. Brandon Sanderson [PENDING REVIEW] The same cataclysm that they were fleeing, that they caused, is the one that forced people into the skies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesMc6 Posted December 22, 2017 Report Share Posted December 22, 2017 On 12/20/2017 at 11:46 PM, pi_rho_man said: Alright. Now, I'll have to write a horrible theory about how the ghostbloods are actually the letter delivers. They're a group of world hoppers, as the post people would have to be. Their hideout in Roshar is one of their offices. That's why so many various world hoppers collect there as well. I'm going to go cross-court theory on you about the Ghostbloods, and say they are the mystery party that acquired Nightblood and delivered to Nale* * Yes, yes I'm sure this theory has been floated before-many times-across 17thS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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