Parshendi idea: they want to die

[Aashyma]

This one in particular got my eye of the quotes. "Dozens of feet tall." We know for a fact that Parshendi, as we've seen them, are not dozens of feet tall; they are the same height as men, perhaps slightly taller. Admittedly, the rest of the quotes could easily apply to the Parshendi, but that doesn't mean they can't apply to other creatures as well.

In my opinion, there are numerous descriptions of Voidbringers that could apply to the Parshendi OR to something else, and one description that CANNOT apply to the Parshendi. That, to me, means that the Voidbringers being described in these quotes are not the Parshendi as we see them.

Orange blood in the prelude doesn't necessarily mean it came from the enemy of the Heralds. It could have just as easily come from allies.

My third and final point in favor of Parshendi not being Voidbringers comes from the final battle of the book. When Dalinar is beaten by the Parshendi Shardbearer, the Parshendi speaks to Dalinar. Dalinar then realizes he's seen this event before in one of his visions, from the Parshandi's point of view. If the visions are from Honor, I find it unlikely that he could or would be using one of his enemy's minions as a "viewpoint." I think this is proof that the Parshendi are of Honor at minimum, although Odiun may have had a hand in their creation as well. This point obviously becomes invalid if the visions turn out to not be from Honor.

All very excellent points- we already know that some of these authors have mixed up chasmfiends with Voidbringers:

Chapter 28: Decision

dn’t have the time. “This picture’s of a chasmfiend,” Dalinar said.

Danlan wrote the words. A moment later, the reply came. “‘The book describes this as a picture of

a Voidbringer.’” Danlan frowned, cocking her head. “‘The book is a copy of a text originally written in

the years before the Recreance. However, the illustrations are copied from another text, even older. In

fact, some think that picture was drawn only two or three generations after the Heralds departed.’”

ue.

“‘Before you jump to conclusions,’” Danlan read, “‘I’m not implying that the Voidbringers were the

same thing as chasmfiends. I believe that the ancient artist didn’t know what a Voidbringer looked like,

and so she drew the most horrific thing she knew of.’”

Edited September 1, 2011 by Aashyma

[Unworldly]

A possibly relevant question to this topic:

The Chasmfiends are often caught exposed on the plateaus, apparently pupating. They build chrysalises around themselves somehow, and the Parshendi and the Alethi race to get there first, break them open, and claim the gemheart. All this we all already know.

Does it mention *why* the Chasmfiends are pupating? What are they turning in to? And are the Parshendi hunting pupating Chasmfiends specifically to prevent a Chasmfiend completing its transformation?

EDIT (this is what happens when I post at work): Forgot to actually tie it to the topic.

My thinking is that the Parshendi have hunted Chasmfiends for exactly this purpose - the gemhearts are a welcome bonus. If they are now trying to get themselves killed (for the reasons stated in the OP), what does this mean? Are they therefore giving up their struggle to prevent pupating Chasmfiends from maturing, and what consequences will this have?

Alternatively, did they bring the Alethi in because they fear that what will happen if someone (Odium? Another force or Shard?) does 'take control' of them is that no one will hunt the Chasmfiends - so they bring in the competitive and fairly avaricious Alethi to make sure someone is killing the pupating Chasmfiends?

Edited September 2, 2011 by Unworldly