Aimia Questions [ Spoilers ]

[theofficetroll he/him]

Aimia is a weird place.

 

The name is a perfect palindrome, which is avoided in Vorinism because palindromes are considered holy (which is why the Heralds and others have near-palindromic names but never exact). It's name is also only one of two which appear unchanged since the time of the Silver Kingdoms (Iri being the other, which is also a palindrome).

 

It also breaks the symmetry of the map of Roshar. The spiral form of the map doesn't flow with Aimia and there is no equivalent on the other side.

 

The people are... strange. Their shadows are reversed (which is something we saw with Jasnah before she entered Shadesmar). They are able to make physiological changes externally and internally (physiological changes, not illusions. Might be related to Breath, as it's another similarity between Roshar and Nalthis). They are not human. They are not Parshendi. There are two races of them, and at least one member of Shia Aimians is essentially immortal due to his interaction with magic (another similarity to Returned?).

 

Not sure where any of this leads, but it's a weird place and I'm looking forward to learning more about Aimia and the few remaining Aimians.

 

 

Sorry if this has been discussed in another thread, didn't see anything with a quick search and scan :-)

[Green Hoodie Mistborn he/him]

Great observations. 

 

I still hope that Axies is an Aimian Radiant with the whole shadow thing and the scholarly bent thing, but it could be a false correlation on my part!

[theofficetroll he/him]

I recall that the shadow thing is also true of Spren in Shadesmar (the Cryptics Shallan first encountered, if memory serves), so it may be related to Shadesmar directly. As one fades toward Shadesmar their shadow points toward the Shadesmar sun instead of away from the Rosharian sun. So, it could be a simple fact of living partial in or closer to Shadesmar. I need to reread Lift's Interlude and see if they say anything about her shadow...

[theofficetroll he/him]

But yes, Axies as a Radiant would be interesting. It's been stated that it's possible for other non-humans to Bond with the Spren :-)

[SmurfAquamarineBodies he/him]

Are the Aimians the Dawnsingers?

[Vortaan he/him]

I don't recall if Axies mentions what color his blood is. I wonder if it's human red, or something else...

[Chlehrma]

Brandon said something about the beliefs held by certain characters shaping them to an extent. And spren are shaped by how they are perceived. If the Aimians straddle the divide between the physical and cognitive realm, then they alter their body just by changing their belief about what it should look like. If they exist in both realms, then it might also explain why their shadows point the wrong way.

[PunSpren he/him]

I believe we have met another aimain besides axies as well. If you look at the tarviniagian.... Mr. T interlude I believe there is evidence Mrall is amain as well.

 

Edit: spelling

Edited April 1, 2014 by PunSpren

[Green Hoodie Mistborn he/him]

I believe we have met another amain besides axies as well. If you look at the tarviniagian.... Mr. T interlude I believe there is evidence Mrall is a main as well.

 

Are you talking about the part where Mrall is able to:

turn off his emotions related to something?

 Hmm... maybe. We do know there are 2 types of Aimians and I think we've only seen one on screen so far as we know. 

Edited March 26, 2014 by Green Hoodie Mistborn

[PunSpren he/him]

Are you talking about the part where Mrall is able to:

turn off his emotions related to something?

 Hmm... maybe. We do know there are 2 types of Aimians and I think we've only seen one on screen so far as we know. 

Yes thats the one, Even Mr. T remarks that he found something odd about that, and since we know that one species of amain can change their body however they want, there would be a nice symmetry to the other being able to change their mental state/ emotions. I know its pretty tenuous but I do believe that the passage we are talking about is significant..... Or just a red herring  

[Vortaan he/him]

Yes thats the one, Even Mr. T remarks that he found something odd about that, and since we know that one species of amain can change their body however they want, there would be a nice symmetry to the other being able to change their mental state/ emotions. I know its pretty tenuous but I do believe that the passage we are talking about is significant..... Or just a red herring

 

Realmatically, if one species of Aimains are associated with Cognitive aspects more, and the other are more involved in Physical aspects, it could explain the difference you're talking about. It might also explain Axies interest in the spren, since they are also Cognitive/Physical blends while on Roshar.

[DocHoliday he/him]

I totally accepted Mrall as a sociopath. The wording "to turn off" emotions is classic behavior of sociopaths. Literally able to shut off emotions responses in regards to environmental stimuli....Ya he's a psycho...

[Kobold King he/him]

I totally accepted Mrall as a sociopath. The wording "to turn off" emotions is classic behavior of sociopaths. Literally able to shut off emotions responses in regards to environmental stimuli....Ya he's a psycho...

Minor WoR spoiler:

That was the impression I had as well. That said, the fact that Taravangian thinks that "on one of his brighter days he might have seized upon it" could imply that there is a more complicated aspect to it.

 

EDT: Adding spoiler tag.

Edited March 29, 2014 by Kobold King

[Numb]

I'm also really interested in the Aimia. Here's a WoB that is of interest:

 

 

 

Q:  The Aimians seem disliked throughout the world. Is that based on something that has happened in the past?

A:  Um, yes, but they're also really creepy.
Q:  Are they open to manipulation like other sentient non-human humanoids of Roshar? The Parshendi? Or, similar?
A:  Um, RAFO.

 

I wonder if they are also the original race on Roshar or came from somewhere else. Hope they weren't bad guys since well the listerners already seem to fill the function.

Edited March 29, 2014 by Numb

[Tempus]

We know the Aimians existed prior to the Silver Kingdoms. In fact, we have earlier confirmation of Aimians that we do of Parshendi. We also know that they are similar to spren, in that one subrace of them can change forms, and their shadows face the opposite direction (both things normal to the cognitive realm). Incidentally, we know that spren on Roshar preceded the shattering, or at least the arrival of Honor and Cultivation.

[Green Hoodie Mistborn he/him]

We know the Aimians existed prior to the Silver Kingdoms. In fact, we have earlier confirmation of Aimians that we do of Parshendi. We also know that they are similar to spren, in that one subrace of them can change forms, and their shadows face the opposite direction (both things normal to the cognitive realm). Incidentally, we know that spren on Roshar preceded the shattering, or at least the arrival of Honor and Cultivation.

 

As far as I know, we only know a single Aimian right now for sure. His shadow points opposite direction, but that could be because Axies is a secret elsecaller who has bonded with the same type of spren that Jasnah has (not likely I know). 

 

I'd be surprised if Mrall was an actual sociopath as opposed to the 2nd race of Aimian, but you'd also think given the superstition surrounding Aimians that T would know, on his good or bad days that one of his closest servants is a "B-Type" Aimian and therefore wouldn't be surprised by the whole emotion cut off thing if that was that race of Aimian's "ability". I would also be surprised if he had an Aimian as a servant that close without any internal monologue commenting on "oh that's right, emotions cut off, those Aimian's are weird..." or something to that effect. Heck, I'd be surprised if he had an Aimian with him given the level of superstition with which they seem to be regarded.

[PunSpren he/him]

As far as I know, we only know a single Aimian right now for sure. His shadow points opposite direction, but that could be because Axies is a secret elsecaller who has bonded with the same type of spren that Jasnah has (not likely I know). 

 

I'd be surprised if Mrall was an actual sociopath as opposed to the 2nd race of Aimian, but you'd also think given the superstition surrounding Aimians that T would know, on his good or bad days that one of his closest servants is a "B-Type" Aimian and therefore wouldn't be surprised by the whole emotion cut off thing if that was that race of Aimian's "ability". I would also be surprised if he had an Aimian as a servant that close without any internal monologue commenting on "oh that's right, emotions cut off, those Aimian's are weird..." or something to that effect. Heck, I'd be surprised if he had an Aimian with him given the level of superstition with which they seem to be regarded.

You bring up several good points and without further information this is all just speculation, but I did have one thing to point out with what you said. You said considering the level of superstition that they are regarded with. You gotta remember that this is Mr. T, a person who was quite literally the smartest human on Roshar ever ( if only for a short period). So not only do we have a person that is super knowledgeable but has proven that knowledge is the thing he holds highest above all else.  So right there we have a person to whom superstition would literally mean nothing to him if he could use it to his advantage. I mean he has

ardents that know the almighty is dead, surgeons that murder their patients,

etc. This doesn't prove anything of course but i would definitely not rule out the involvement of an Aimain, hell they would fit right in with that bunch.

Edited April 1, 2014 by PunSpren