NysemePtem he/him Posted December 5, 2020 Posted December 5, 2020 Full spoilers from here on out. Sorry for the bland title, but I wasn't sure how to present this. Basically it's about Raboniel's relationship with Odium. The thing that kicked this off was a brief mention by Venli that Odium granted Raboniel her own rhythms. This is never mentioned again, and it's implications are unexplored. But this seems substantial right? No other Fused is given this privilege! Add to that the fact that she was one of the Nine, this suggests that Odium has great trust in her - which is very interesting considering her later actions. This book also tells us a lot about Odium. While this is rendered less relevant due to Tod, it's still worth remembering that Odium had a vision MUCH greater than Roshar. The highest Singers seem aware of this too, El and Raboniel for example. I suggest that the unprecedented step of granting a singer her own rhythms means Odium felt her research would further his greater cosmere goals. While capturing Urithiru is important, Raboniel in particular was in charge. I think Odium knew that something like Anti Investiture is possible, for these reasons. First, he believed in her research. He consistently supported her and gave her power. Second, he had to know she was wrong about Storm light and Voidlight being opposites. His inherent realmatic knowledge as a Shard would make this obvious... But he still believed she could discover worthwhile, powerful things that would help his grand plan. Like anti-light. Odium doesn't fear it, probably because mortals can't produce nearly enough to damage him. But Shards wield way more Investiture. Could Odium WILL Anti Investiture to exist and use it to destroy shards? Could this be how he already has destroyed shards?
quackquack Posted December 5, 2020 Posted December 5, 2020 There isn’t anti investiture seen in the series as you’re thinking of it. I see it like this. There is an anti version of investiture that is made mana fest through a particular shard. Voidlight = Odium, lifelight = Cultivation. Voidlght is of Odium, Lifelight is of Cultivation. Shards are conduits to the spiritual realm. They each seem to have a distinct filter associated with them through which investiture travels through. Hence the different forms of light, storm, void, life. Odium is a candidate to the spiritual realm. That investiture expresses itself as voidlight through Odium. Odium projects his influence through the everstorm which impowers the fused. I don’t know if the everstrom picks and chooses what gems get invested. SInce the Radients don’t seem to have easy access to it. Regardless. The only way to access void light is through the everstorm. And Odium controls that. With that being sad, there would be enough voidlight in circulation to then be inverted to anti-voidlight to threaten odium, gems also do go dun. I also believe that it wouldn’t be a threat to him, since he is a source of investiture, seemingly linked to the spiritual realm, An outside force wouldn’t be able to create enough voidlight to nulify odium. And anti stormlight would work. I think Odium has used other means to Kill shards. I doubt we will see a shards power inverted on themself. Odium couldn’t used anti stromlight to hurt anyone other than him and his own forces. Though, the stone that Navani had tested earlier on, which seems like it was anti stormlight? I don’t quite remember if that was implied. Stormlight and anti stormlight and explosive apparently. Potential for explosives. The Fused dont see the war like the humans. They know that the oathpact is damaged. They are brought back to life via the everstrom now. They are in a very good position. Technical positions don’t matter to them. ITs a war of attrition that the fused will win. Odium will make more fused. Spren seem to be more finite. Anti light seems like a your enemies weapon being used against them. But with limited applications.
Karger he/him Posted December 5, 2020 Posted December 5, 2020 I believe that it was stated that Odium was not helping Raboniel with her anti investiture research. I think he gave her rhythms many years ago because of just how amazing she is at meta-cognition and strategy and she retained this position because she is useful.
coolsnow7 Posted December 6, 2020 Posted December 6, 2020 I think you’re on to something, and in particular I think the angle is that Odium needed a solution to Honor’s remnants. At the end of Oathbringer when he’s talking to T he says something along the lines of “I can’t just leave Honor’s remains here.” Perhaps Raboniel’s research was going to lead him to a solution for those.
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