A couple of small predictions/theories.

[zeppomarks]

So I've had this theory for a while now, but I can't remember if I've shared it here or not.The prediction is new though.

My prediction is that, during book 4 or maybe 5, they are going to find a series of descriptions of every shardblade and shard plate in existence, probably carved into stone or metal. Probably in Urithiru, and probably discovered by Shallan and/or Jasnah (or maybe Rushu). Eventually, this will lead them to the research being done by Geranid and Ashir, the two Ardents in the Reshi Isles, who discovered that measuring a spren can lock it in place. They'll realize that this is how the Radiants "killed" their bonded spren and how the shardblades and plate were able to become solid, unchanging objects. Then they'll be faced with a dilemma: Do the right thing by destroying the descriptions, thereby releasing the spren, or keep the powerful weapons and armor, despite now knowing the cost. They'll probably go back and forth on this, with main characters on both sides, until they finally do the right thing and destroy the descriptions. I'm thinking this will be done by Adolin, due to his experiences and developing relationship with Maya during book 3. He'll think he is saying goodbye, but the bond they've developed will turn him into an Edgedancer. He's not a traditional prospect for that Order, but their bonding has been anything but traditional.

All the stuff with Adolin is just my freewheeling flights of fancy, but I think everything before that has a pretty good chance of happening.

In case it isn't clear: my theory is just that the Radiants took down descriptions of their shardblades and plate, thereby locking them into place, before discarding them. This was a final attempt to protect humanity (giving them better means to protect themselves) before breaking their oaths.

I'm also leaning towards the possibility that the spren who became shardblade and plate volunteered for the sacrifice. They're screaming, sure, but that doesn't mean it's not voluntary. The Heralds were in a similar situation during the Oathpact (i.e. voluntary agony to order to protect). Also, there only seem to be a few dozen shardblade and plate on Roshar at the beginning of WoK and there were definitely more than a few dozen Radiants. I doubt each order had less than 10-20 members at any given time, making the likely bare minimum number of shardblade and plate 90 each unless not all spren were "killed" during the Recreance. With so many kingdoms having less than three or four, with several having none, there just doesn't seem to be enough to justify every single Radiant "killing" their bonded spren. But on the other hand, there are more than enough logical possibilities to sidestep this apparent incongruity. So, I'm not at all convinced this is the case. It's just a thought I had.

I might be treading a well-paved path here (or a WoB might have already blown this theory to kingdom come), but I've been away from the forum for a couple years. I'm a little out of date.

[Inky]

The Shardblades/plate/forks/whatever were broken because the Radiants abandoned their oaths. They broke the oaths while their spren was in the Physical Realm, turning them into the Sharblades seen in the books (not counting the Sylblade and Patternblade and such

Also! The Windrunners and Stonewards at the very least had legions of Radiants, way more than just 20

Edited March 25, 2019 by Inky

[Karger he/him]

 The spren turned into shardblades because that is their base form in the physical realm.  I believe that we have a WoB confirming this.

[Chromium Compounder]

Dalinar’s Feverstone keep vision makes it clear that there should be a lot more shards out there.  That’s a mystery that will be revealed eventually.  

Interesting idea with the written descriptions, but I have a hard time imagining that being how the shards became frozen like that.  I think they don’t change simply because they are ‘dead’ (I think it’s actually more like being in a coma).  

I suspect that Adolin is going to awaken Maya fully when he starts swearing oaths.  And I think that he actually does fit with the edgedancers.  He remembers those who are forgotten, like Maya herself.  And I think part of being an edge dancer is being a good judge of character.

[+Invocation]

1 hour ago, Chromium Compounder said:

Dalinar’s Feverstone keep vision makes it clear that there should be a lot more shards out there.  That’s a mystery that will be revealed eventually.  

My money is on the Shin snagging them all and hiding them.

[zeppomarks]

1 hour ago, Chromium Compounder said:

Dalinar’s Feverstone keep vision makes it clear that there should be a lot more shards out there.  That’s a mystery that will be revealed eventually.  

I just got back to that part of the book a moment ago (this is my third time through, but it's been about a year and a half since the last time). I forgot that he mentions that there are approximately 100 known Shardblades on Roshar. But that still seems like a small number compared to the amount of Radiants there were. Dalinar even mentions that there are about 200 Radiants just at Feverstone Keep. Like I said, I'm not super convinced on the volunteer angle. Syl never even hints at any bonded spren surviving the Recreance. In fact, if memory serves, she says the opposite. I think she said that she only survived because she wasn't bonded at the time. But either way, I'm super curious where all the other Shardblades are. I wonder if Nale or one of the other Heralds has been collecting them to keep them out of human hands. I would imagine people would notice Shardblades disappearing over the years, but that would be the case no matter where they went. Maybe they're all still at Feverstone Keep, where ever that is. I don't know, but I love speculating. I'm never right, lol, but it's still enjoyable.

[zeppomarks]

1 minute ago, Invocation said:

My money is on the Shin snagging them all and hiding them.

Oh, good call. That would make sense since they also have the Honorblades.

[+Invocation]

20 minutes ago, zeppomarks said:

Oh, good call. That would make sense since they also have the Honorblades.

Yep, and the rumors of treasure hoards in Shinovar, which Szeth references once and Dalinar references at one point (I think, at least. Might be wrong), make it seem likely.

Edited March 25, 2019 by Invocation

[SwordNimiForPresident the sword/that sword]

1 hour ago, zeppomarks said:

shardblades and plate were able to become solid, unchanging objects.

My issue with this is that the shard blades do change shape to accommodate the gems that were added to allow summoning/dismissing.

Edited March 25, 2019 by SwordNimiForPresident

[+TheFoxQR]

Personally, I think Ishar has a hand in the disappeared shards. Heck, I wouldn't be surprised if we find out that it was Ishar who came up with the "attaching gems to dead shards to connect with them" idea. He certainly had the knowhow.

 

As far as the description of shard blades locking them into one form idea is concerned? I don't know. You make some valid points, but I'm not completely convinced.

[Pathfinder]

4 hours ago, zeppomarks said:

So I've had this theory for a while now, but I can't remember if I've shared it here or not.The prediction is new though.

My prediction is that, during book 4 or maybe 5, they are going to find a series of descriptions of every shardblade and shard plate in existence, probably carved into stone or metal. Probably in Urithiru, and probably discovered by Shallan and/or Jasnah (or maybe Rushu). Eventually, this will lead them to the research being done by Geranid and Ashir, the two Ardents in the Reshi Isles, who discovered that measuring a spren can lock it in place. They'll realize that this is how the Radiants "killed" their bonded spren and how the shardblades and plate were able to become solid, unchanging objects. Then they'll be faced with a dilemma: Do the right thing by destroying the descriptions, thereby releasing the spren, or keep the powerful weapons and armor, despite now knowing the cost. They'll probably go back and forth on this, with main characters on both sides, until they finally do the right thing and destroy the descriptions. I'm thinking this will be done by Adolin, due to his experiences and developing relationship with Maya during book 3. He'll think he is saying goodbye, but the bond they've developed will turn him into an Edgedancer. He's not a traditional prospect for that Order, but their bonding has been anything but traditional.

All the stuff with Adolin is just my freewheeling flights of fancy, but I think everything before that has a pretty good chance of happening.

In case it isn't clear: my theory is just that the Radiants took down descriptions of their shardblades and plate, thereby locking them into place, before discarding them. This was a final attempt to protect humanity (giving them better means to protect themselves) before breaking their oaths.

I'm also leaning towards the possibility that the spren who became shardblade and plate volunteered for the sacrifice. They're screaming, sure, but that doesn't mean it's not voluntary. The Heralds were in a similar situation during the Oathpact (i.e. voluntary agony to order to protect). Also, there only seem to be a few dozen shardblade and plate on Roshar at the beginning of WoK and there were definitely more than a few dozen Radiants. I doubt each order had less than 10-20 members at any given time, making the likely bare minimum number of shardblade and plate 90 each unless not all spren were "killed" during the Recreance. With so many kingdoms having less than three or four, with several having none, there just doesn't seem to be enough to justify every single Radiant "killing" their bonded spren. But on the other hand, there are more than enough logical possibilities to sidestep this apparent incongruity. So, I'm not at all convinced this is the case. It's just a thought I had.

I might be treading a well-paved path here (or a WoB might have already blown this theory to kingdom come), but I've been away from the forum for a couple years. I'm a little out of date.

My main issue with the theory that the spren were in on it is that during the 4 v 1 duel, when Kaladin touched the shardblade, the shardbearer screamed while he ran away "i didn't kill you!". That implies to me that he heard the spren screaming "you killed me!". Can't really see a spren screaming that, if they voluntarily did it. Unless they were experiencing buyers remorse lol. Which personally I do not see happening, but I admit is possible. 

[RShara she/her]

42 minutes ago, Pathfinder said:

My main issue with the theory that the spren were in on it is that during the 4 v 1 duel, when Kaladin touched the shardblade, the shardbearer screamed while he ran away "i didn't kill you!". That implies to me that he heard the spren screaming "you killed me!". Can't really see a spren screaming that, if they voluntarily did it. Unless they were experiencing buyers remorse lol. Which personally I do not see happening, but I admit is possible. 

Agreeing to experience something horrible doesn't make it any less horrible to experience. Like the Heralds during the Oathpact. They voluntarily gave themselves up. That doesn't mean they didn't scream and cry and break.

[Pathfinder]

39 minutes ago, RShara said:

Agreeing to experience something horrible doesn't make it any less horrible to experience. Like the Heralds during the Oathpact. They voluntarily gave themselves up. That doesn't mean they didn't scream and cry and break.

Hey, totally, be screaming in pain and all. But why "you killed me!". If it was a selfless sacrifice, to me, wouldn't it be more "it hurts so much!". What that shardbearer hears says to me that the spren is lumping him up with the radiant that killed it. If it was a mutual choice, I couldn't see the spren blaming the radiant. Sure it could regret its choice, or agonize over the pain, but why go "you killed me!". I don't see the heralds yelling at honor for making them join the oathpact despite doing it voluntarily. They just go on about how they can't keep going. That they took it up voluntarily, so they will put it down voluntarily. 

[RShara she/her]

Actually, I do think the Heralds blame Honor somewhat. And the dead spren are basically mindless. Higher functions, such as logic, aren't exactly accessible to them right now. All they remember is that their bondmate killed them. Remembering that it was voluntary and necessary is beyond them.

[Pathfinder]

10 minutes ago, RShara said:

Actually, I do think the Heralds blame Honor somewhat. And the dead spren are basically mindless. Higher functions, such as logic, aren't exactly accessible to them right now. All they remember is that their bondmate killed them. Remembering that it was voluntary and necessary is beyond them.

Personally I feel Dalinar and Stormfather's conversation over Oathbringer says otherwise. Dalinar as a radiant is able to hear Oathbringer screaming, but it is lower. He speaks to the stormfather asking as to why and the stormfather says that Oathbringer remembers the oaths Dalinar has made, the ones he has kept and the ones he has broken. For that oathbringer hates him less than everyone else. For me the capability to remember the wielder and his actions speaks of more than pure mindlessness. Now as an aside I theorize that Dalinar's actions began awakening Oathbringer like Adolin is potentially awakening Maya, but a bondsmith is required to get it that last bit over the fence, but that is a whole other matter. Regardless whether the spren is being awakened or not, it is remembering and normally it hates humans period. That still does not sound like self sacrificing to me. That sounds like betrayal. Otherwise why wouldn't it also remember why it sacrificed itself? But I respect you have your own theories. I was just saying why this one doesn't sit right for me. 

Edited March 25, 2019 by Pathfinder

[RShara she/her]

Yep, agree to disagree! I'm sure we'll find out eventually

[SamsonSeaBorn]

Well I’m just speculating here but the way to unlock a oath broken blade would be the same process of unlocking ferochemical metals.