Titles of Books and the Stormlight Archive

[Gasper]

The titles of the books so far have corresponded with titles of books in-universe. The Series title, Stormlight Archive, is similar and actually tells us about the series as a whole. The Stormlight Archive, otherwise known as the gem library, is a massive information storage device and the books(gems) contained with in are the story of Roshar. The Archive is the back up for Human/Rosharian society. What ever is happening next, most likely at the end of the first five book cycle, will be cause for the archive to be used in some way that goes beyond what we have seen so far. It is possible that the Archive is a way/holds instruction for Dalinar's Radiants to get off world if things go down hill in the fight against Odium. It is noted in the books that Urithiru has alien architecture. It is not from an another planet, but it is the societal escape pod that the humans or the Heralds build in case they lost the war against the Singers. I think the archive originated as a instruction manual for the operation of the city. The reason that the walls look like they have gemstones is that they do. The gemstones in the walls act as a way for the city to not fall apart when it lifts off. It is a structural integrity/life support/defense system/computer system that spreads through out the whole of Urithiru. We know that some of the Heralds were not born on Roshar, I am willing to bet Kelek is the one who built it, possibly before he became a herald. I am also willing to bet that it is based on the design of the floating cities of Ashyn. Given that the city is possibly a ship it would explain why the Oathgates are all centered at Urithiru. The Oathgates are not for trade, they are to allow the human population to escape when Odium decides to commit genocide against the humans and end the fight once and for all. That is why they can operate with only one shardholder and why they have to be unlocked at each of the gates instead of from Urithiru. Additionally, that explains why they are so large and also why the control room can transport on its own. I am willing to bet that the Oathpact and whatever else that holds Odium back was in response to Odium preparing to wipe out humans once and for all. Which is why the Heralds made the pact with Honor and Urithiru was not used. Just like the origin of shardblades was lost, so was the origin and true purpose of Urithiru. The Radiants started using it as a base because it was isolated and the life support systems functioned enough so as to allow humans to live there. Even the old Radiants did not know exactly what they where living in. 

When the Alethi find the tunnel leading out of the basement and into the surrounding mountains, that is not an escape route, that is an exhaust port for what ever engine allows the city to fly. The gem column is probably a part of the engine/reactor that lifts/sustains the city. The unmade was somehow feeding off of that, which is why it was in the basement attached to the gem pillar. I think the Sibling might be some sort of Spren based AI, which is why it is crucial for the functioning of the city. The pillar, the lifts, and the gemstones in the walls remind me of Atlantis from Stargate: Atlantis. Down to the life support that functions without the city being active. 

I also think that Ash may be responsible for all of the current problems on Roshar. That story that Hoid tells Shallan about the girl who climbed the wall is about Ash leaving the ship/base of the humans when they landed and been given Shinovar. The light that came in was Stormlight, which might have allowed the humans to regain control of their Surgebinding like powers and is why the Singers went to war with the humans. The Singers did not want to see their world destroyed, so they decided to wipe out the humans, that hatred of the humans is what led Odium to taking their side and creating the Fused. The war must have destroyed the human ship, which is why Kelek built Urithiru as a way for the humans to escape. It is also why the Cryptics, which are tied to constants of the universe, bonded the Lightweavers and require them to say Truths instead of Ideals. It is because the Truths are meant to restore what was lost instead of build something new like the rest of the Radiant orders. The Lightweavers are also the key to running Urithiru because their truths restore, which is why Shallan was able to remove the Midnight Mother from the gem column because she is tied to the city by virtue of her order that reflects Ash the Herald.

I know this sounds very far fetched, but think about all the information we have so far. The archive is not just an archive, it is an investure powered computer. That is what ties all of this together.

 

[RShara]

18 minutes ago, Gasper said:

The titles of the books so far have corresponded with titles of books in-universe. The Series title, Stormlight Archive, is similar and actually tells us about the series as a whole. The Stormlight Archive, otherwise known as the gem library, is a massive information storage device and the books(gems) contained with in are the story of Roshar. The Archive is the back up for Human/Rosharian society. What ever is happening next, most likely at the end of the first five book cycle, will be cause for the archive to be used in some way that goes beyond what we have seen so far. It is possible that the Archive is a way/holds instruction for Dalinar's Radiants to get off world if things go down hill in the fight against Odium. It is noted in the books that Urithiru has alien architecture. It is not from an another planet, but it is the societal escape pod that the humans or the Heralds build in case they lost the war against the Singers. I think the archive originated as a instruction manual for the operation of the city. The reason that the walls look like they have gemstones is that they do. The gemstones in the walls act as a way for the city to not fall apart when it lifts off. It is a structural integrity/life support/defense system/computer system that spreads through out the whole of Urithiru. We know that some of the Heralds were not born on Roshar, I am willing to bet Kelek is the one who built it, possibly before he became a herald. I am also willing to bet that it is based on the design of the floating cities of Ashyn. Given that the city is possibly a ship it would explain why the Oathgates are all centered at Urithiru. The Oathgates are not for trade, they are to allow the human population to escape when Odium decides to commit genocide against the humans and end the fight once and for all. That is why they can operate with only one shardholder and why they have to be unlocked at each of the gates instead of from Urithiru. Additionally, that explains why they are so large and also why the control room can transport on its own. I am willing to bet that the Oathpact and whatever else that holds Odium back was in response to Odium preparing to wipe out humans once and for all. Which is why the Heralds made the pact with Honor and Urithiru was not used. Just like the origin of shardblades was lost, so was the origin and true purpose of Urithiru. The Radiants started using it as a base because it was isolated and the life support systems functioned enough so as to allow humans to live there. Even the old Radiants did not know exactly what they where living in. 

When the Alethi find the tunnel leading out of the basement and into the surrounding mountains, that is not an escape route, that is an exhaust port for what ever engine allows the city to fly. The gem column is probably a part of the engine/reactor that lifts/sustains the city. The unmade was somehow feeding off of that, which is why it was in the basement attached to the gem pillar. I think the Sibling might be some sort of Spren based AI, which is why it is crucial for the functioning of the city. The pillar, the lifts, and the gemstones in the walls remind me of Atlantis from Stargate: Atlantis. Down to the life support that functions without the city being active. 

I also think that Ash may be responsible for all of the current problems on Roshar. That story that Hoid tells Shallan about the girl who climbed the wall is about Ash leaving the ship/base of the humans when they landed and been given Shinovar. The light that came in was Stormlight, which might have allowed the humans to regain control of their Surgebinding like powers and is why the Singers went to war with the humans. The Singers did not want to see their world destroyed, so they decided to wipe out the humans, that hatred of the humans is what led Odium to taking their side and creating the Fused. The war must have destroyed the human ship, which is why Kelek built Urithiru as a way for the humans to escape. It is also why the Cryptics, which are tied to constants of the universe, bonded the Lightweavers and require them to say Truths instead of Ideals. It is because the Truths are meant to restore what was lost instead of build something new like the rest of the Radiant orders. The Lightweavers are also the key to running Urithiru because their truths restore, which is why Shallan was able to remove the Midnight Mother from the gem column because she is tied to the city by virtue of her order that reflects Ash the Herald.

I know this sounds very far fetched, but think about all the information we have so far. The archive is not just an archive, it is an investure powered computer. That is what ties all of this together.

 

The gemstone library is actually not the Stormlight Archive.

Quote

Questioner 1 [PENDING REVIEW]

The drawers with the infused gemstones. Is that the Stormlight Archive?

Brandon Sanderson [PENDING REVIEW]

No. That is not the Stormlight Archive.

Questioner 2 [PENDING REVIEW]

Is there a Stormlight Archive?

Brandon Sanderson [PENDING REVIEW]

Yes. But... it means the books. The archive of books that are all named after in-world books. The Archive is a pun on archived collection of books.

source

Also, Urithiru is not a space ship

Quote

Joe ST [PENDING REVIEW]

Is Urithiru a spaceship?

Brandon Sanderson [PENDING REVIEW]

 It is not, no, good question. I've never been asked that before. It's very Sim City, though.

Joe ST [PENDING REVIEW]

It's a new theory, they're thinking, is it one of the floating cities from--

Brandon Sanderson [PENDING REVIEW]

From Ashyn, yeah. Boy, that would be hard, it is so big. But, I suppose, magic, you know. But no, it is not...

source

 

[ND103]

Hmmm.. interesting.... As theories go I'm inclined to think this one is unlikely.. however, in support of the original theory, the WOB says it's not a spaceship. He doesn't say it won't be. (I appreciate I'm grasping at straws there). 

I do like the idea of Ash being the girl who looked up. I read some WOBs recently that most of the heralds were not from Roshar. Except maybe Ash. And since she was the herald of the lightweavers, I like the parallel of Hoid telling that story to Shallan.

Similarly he tells the story of Fleet to Kal, which sounds like a very windrunner thing and who knows maybe Jezrien was the original Fleet! I certainly would like that kind of parallelism to be going on. 

With that in mind, solid theory, but most probably undone by WOB...

[Rasarr]

7 hours ago, ND103 said:

Similarly he tells the story of Fleet to Kal, which sounds like a very windrunner thing and who knows maybe Jezrien was the original Fleet! I certainly would like that kind of parallelism to be going on. 

I like the idea of Ash being the girl, though I'm not sure about Fleet being Jezrien. One of Fleet's achievements was outrunning Chana, which I imagine would be much less notable if Fleet was a Herald himself.