Wrath

Maybe it's a matter of perception? Tying in to the idea that spren which are measured are defined, if one culture records information about spren taking certain forms then perhaps they're locked into those forms for all members of that culture.

That doesn't really surprise me though...

It doesn't surprise me, it just kind of irritates me. If Jasnah had died then her spot as Elsecaller would likely have been taken by someone else not a member of the Kholin family.

I do wonder about how significant genetics are in determining Surgebinding potential, though. I guess it really comes down to the old question of whether spren are attracted to something or cause it. Are spren attracted to exceptional people or do they cause people to become exceptional?

My issue with Jasnah's survival is just that so many of the new Radiants are members of the same family, and that number may well rise with future books.

Sorry for Quoting Something from a Long time ago, but some of us are dismissing Kaladin because he's the Obvious Choice, and The Sanderson never goes with the Obvious Choice. But Brandon knows this, and knows that because Kaladin is the Obvious Choice, He isn't the Obvious Choice. So He could get chosen.

 

But Personally, I Agree with Quiver. Elhokar Seems to be the best choice.

There's also the possibility that Kaladin becomes the Champion of Honour and loses.

Maybe the same intelligence compassion mismatch that applies to King T applies to the Listeners. They get the ambition to want forms of power, but lack the compassion to keep it in check.

That's interesting. I can't remember off the top of my head, but was there something about Dullform being more compassionate? IIRC the conscientious objectors of the Listeners willingly took on Dullform, so this is certainly possibility. Maybe it's some sort of built in balance in Rosharan life?

I don't know if intellect is really a necessary part of changing forms however, I personally doubt it. Besides changing into Storm form really only requires a Voidspren to be present during a Highstorm, or if Hoid is right the Everstorm.

Well of the Listeners it was the scholars who were dedicated to figuring out how to unlock new forms. So if you managed to transform to Scholarform it would follow that the increased intelligence would make it easier to figure out other forms, including the legendary forms of power.

I wonder if anyone will notice how much better Rock's stew tastes in the next book.  The Lopen wants to fly.  I suspect that no matter what else happens, he will never be satisfied and never stop trying until he does.

You know I almost wrote "Rock should now be able to cook amazing stew" but decided that archery was an example of something that would definitely be perfected by Stormlight.

I would also have thought that Scholarform would make the leap to Stormform easier in terms of the intelligence needed as well as the ambition.

I would expect Artform to have enhanced hearing and vision so that they can better appreciate beauty. Perfect pitch maybe. But really the changes that I can think of for Artform are largely internal.

The Copper mind thing wouldn't work. The memories would have to be Talns own memories. You can't transfer information via metals. Also Taln would have to be the Feruchemist, not Hoid.

Yes, and Hoid is an immortal worldhopper with access to multiple forms of magic. Besides if my theory were correct, the fact that it isn't supposed to work would actually be a point in its favour, since the guy calling himself Taln is not in his right mind at all.

I wonder if Hoid somehow dumped a Coppermind into the head of someone in order to create a "Herald". We know he has metal powers to a certain extent already. Having information downloaded into your brain might cause problems akin to those from which "Taln" is suffering.

LloydSev - just to clarify for my sake, are you saying that the real Taln showed up at the end of the first book but Hoid pulled a switch with someone else between books, or that the man who appeared was never actually Taln?

My take on it is that once Kaladin swore the Third Ideal then those bound to Kaladin by loyalty and honour gained the ability to hold Stormlight and nothing else. But even that is a considerable ability, as the Lopen's arm growing back proves. Remember as well that Stormlight doesn't give you new abilities but perfects your existing skills. So to take one example, Rock should now be an absolutely incredible archer if he ever decides to use that skill again.

So I don't think Lopen or any of the other bridgemen are proto-KR, but they are Squires. And of course a Squire is a Knight in waiting. So if Honourspren ever do return in numbers, they might just be attracted to the people who follow Kaladin. An Honourspren binds things and is attracted to those who bind, after all.

Right now I'd say the Squires are limited to the original members of Bridge Four, but given the way that Kaladin is training the other bridgemen - modelled on how he trained Bridge Four - I wouldn't be surprised to see the entire force becoming Squires in time, and the officers leading them becoming Windrunners themselves.

What's interesting to me is if Shen Rlain can become a Squire. Listeners aren't supposed to be able to form a Nahel Bond with a Spren but the nature of the Knight-Squire bond might be different enough to work. And I like your idea of Squires being able to feed Stormlight to their Knight Radiant.

Taravangian on his ultimate day of compassion. He was given the capacity to save the world, after all.