Pathfinder

According to the Kershtian belief, everything about the Sand Lord is contradictions. Which is also contradictory, because you are supposed to follow his rules/laws to the letter

So I have a few comments on your earlier post. I am going to bold mine and place them below each paragraph to differentiate them.

Well it was assumed he was the lowest tier sandmage because of his half blood, but he was able to prove his strength.

That is assuming they have to take an oath at all. The implication that i got from the WoB is that the binding functions differently.

Eh I dunno, that WoB sounds more to me like the person was asking if a bondsmith could put a dead spren back together like reuniting the shards of adonalsium. The reason the spren are dead is because they are missing the part that gave them sapience when the radiant broke his or her oath. So I took it as questioning if a bondsmith has a way to reunite those parts and thus revive a dead spren. Just my own interpretation of that WoB.

And by that extension, what happens when you get "half breeds" like twin born, or Kenton who is born of a darkside mother, and dayside father.

Makes you wonder, if it is the plant like film on the sand that allows sand mastery, and if it is the light that fills it with investiture, would there be a way to use the light of the skycolors to propagate the sand on darkside with the film. Doesn't seem likely since Khriss said for a fact she couldn't use her skycolors on dayside, but maybe she just hasn't learned how to hack it yet.

There is a moon that the daysider's use to track the time of day due to its revolutions. The moon could reflect the sun's "magical" light to darkside. Also for some reason I feel like an aurora was mentioned, though i cannot locate it with a quick check. If there is an aurora, that is due to the magneto sphere being disturbed by solar wind. So that radiance could be magically charged from the solar wind, and the darksiders draw their magic from the aurora.

Autonomy: the state of existing or acting separately from others the power or right of a country, group, etc., to govern itself a self-governing community[/size] A [/size]self-[/size]governing colony is a colony with an elected [/size]government in which elected rulers are able to make most decisions without referring to the colonial power with nominal control of the colony. Most [/size]self-[/size]governing colonies have responsible [/size]government.[/size] (philosophy) The capacity to make an informed, uncoerced decision. (mechanics) The capacity of a system to make a decision about its actions without the involvement of another system or operator. (Christianity) The status of a church whose highest-ranking bishop is appointed by the patriarch of the mother church, but which is self-governing in all other respects. Compare autocephaly. Forgive the formating, but those are multiple examples of multiple definitions of autonomy, ranging from the person or individual level, to the societal level, to the political level. The definition of dominion is below: 1. sovereignty; control. "man's attempt to establish dominion over nature" synonyms: supremacy, ascendancy, dominance, domination, superiority, predominance,preeminence, hegemony, authority, mastery, control, command, power, sway, rule,government, jurisdiction, sovereignty, suzerainty "at the time the Spartans had dominion over Athens" 2. the territory of a sovereign or government. "the Angevin dominions" So a colony of England for instance can have an autonomous government but still be within England's dominion. An individual can be within the dominion of a centralized government, but still have the autonomy from an ethical perspective to make personal decisions such as choosing to be within the dominion of said centralized government. A person can be devoted to a loved one, but still have the autonomous capacity to decide for themselves how that devotion manifests. In some cases without the devoted's choice (i.e stalking). Storms if you really want to play loose and easy, I can be utterly autonomous from all influence by living alone on a deserted island, but still be dominated by the ocean that surrounds me in all directions and subject to the weather. So a definition can be all well and good but it still can be interpreted. as lurky said, there is far too much credence being placed on the names of these shards to affect countless things we can't even account for.

My post covers that. That is why I said to pour molten aluminum into those stumps. just in case I misunderstood your post. If you meant regarding the liquid aluminum/mercury core shot to the brain, i disagree. Basically because it breaks up in the skull and spreads the damage throughout, it is not like a single line of damage. There would be massive damage all throughout unable to be healed which would prevent motor function to allow the compounder to behead himself. If he had a friend nearby however, yes that ally could behead him negating the issue but that could also be mitigated with follow up shots. In that unlikely scenario with that level of technology, it would be a sniper shot to the head, followed up with the heart and the lungs. The compounder himself would be too overwhelmed to be able to take any physical action, and maintaining sniper fire on the location would prevent an ally from reaching the compounder to aid him or her. Then the only question would become how long would a compounder need to be brain dead before the spirit departs as Nale mentioned regarding the use of a regrowth fabrial. Once that duration passed, which Nale implied is not long, then compounder is dead as a door knob regardless the removal of aluminum after.

Baon is quoted in stating what he saw Scythe do in person. Now true Baon is a spy and could be lying on Scythe's behalf, but also if there is ever a person who would have been taken into Scythe's confidence enough to see his magic in person, it would be Baon. Baon stated specifically that Scythe can control people with his skycolors, that he was the same age when Baon was young, and then when Baon saw him when Baon was much older. Finally Baon stated his skycolors were purple, the color of nobility. So we have eye witness testimony of abilities granted by Autonomy being used to enslave and conquer. Also consider despite his capacity as a spy, Baon has never once lied. He has chosen to omit information or just not answer, but every single statement he has made in the entire book was frank and honest. We know according to WoB that autonomy is Bavadin and there is only one shard on Taldain. But we do not know conclusively nor with WoB what was controlling/driving Paalm. That is your theory, not a fact. Also we have seen previews from the graphic novel, and it clearly follows the book regarding the Kershtians, and the sand masters. The very existence of the warrior priests show that. My point is this. You are stating that your interpretation of autonomy is concrete, yet we have numerous instances that oppose this interpretation. Now something else can be going on, but until that something is shown to exist or not, your intepretation of autonomy is not concrete. Yes you cite a definition. Congrats. That still does not mean that is necesarily how Brandon chose to manifest it. That still does not mean that defines what shard opposes what. And that also does not mean that because certain shards intents may oppose each other, that the shard holders themselves have to. Sazed is a prime example of that. That is my point. Just because we have a definition of autonomy, all these theories that stem from that definition do not automatically become fact.

Yeah, that was my impression as well. You reduce your immune system, catching a cold. Just because you are no longer storing, does not mean said cold suddenly vanishes, and using the health stored to get rid of the cold kinda defeats the purpose of storing it begin with. So that leaves the old way of getting over a cold, rest/sleep and time.

In another thread, using technology that would far exceed the level they had in any of the novels, it would possibly be feasible to come up with a bullet with a liquid aluminum/mercury core that upon entry into the brain would shatter making it extreme difficult to remove without extensive surgery. Also you could find a way to make a shotgun shell of aluminum ball bearings. So you would not outright kill the compounder, but you could do enough damage that could not immediately be healed to grab him, tie him up and then dismember him while pouring molten aluminum down each core of the severed appendage/neck. By then I figure the soul would have departed enough that no amount of gold would bring the person back. I am sure there are holes in my logic, but just an idea that popped into my head.

Except for the fact that everything we have seen on taldain is counter to your definition of autonomy. Not just dayside magic. The culture, the religion, and darkside magic all speak of enforcing control on others. How do you resolve this with your definition of autonomy?

Well that is the classical premise of the hero's journey. Young person is cast from home. Travels and trains. Faces adversity, Grows. Returns home changed. Same with the process of becoming an adult.

Well also of note is the numerical requirement. Although not enough data to be conclusive, it appears it takes one Dakhor sacrifice to teleport regardless the distance. It took one to go a distance easily walked just so Dilaf can prove a point, and it took just one to travel from one country to another that would take time by boat. So there does not seem to be a gradation between those two. You don't partially burn out your sacrifice if you go a short distance. Either way the person is toast.

So although I do not mean to say that the river flowing from a shard pool is not possible, I do want to clarify although Khriss at first thinks it is the only river on Dayside, this is not in fact the truth. Quotes shown below: White Sand page 77 Lossand was a large, triangular nation that ran nearly the center of the continent to the southern shore. It followed what appeared to be Dayside's only river, and though the nation was long, it probably wasn't more than a few hundred ells wide. White Sand page 133 A cavern opened from the rock floor a short distance away, and bubbling from its depths was a massive river. "The Ry'Do Ali," Kenton explained behind them. "The Vein of Cursed Waters, as the Kershtians have dubbed it. Lifeblood of Lossand." little further down "We must have finally dropped beneath the water table" Cynder mused rubbing his chin with his good arm. "But where does it come from?" Khriss demanded. "The mountain, perhaps?" Cynder guessed. "It melts at the mountain's top, but gets trapped in caverns and clefts, traveling down through the rock until it stops far beneath those sands." White Sand page 150 In addition, the river got even bigger here. As they approached, Khriss could see a second, smaller river merging with the Ry'Do Ali. If her map were to be believed, its origin could be found in the mountains to the east, the only of their kind on the continent other than the single peak at the center of the kerla. So perhaps the shardpool is at the top of the single mountain at the center of the kerla. The ice by it melts, and as Cynder guesses travels underground, till it reaches the spot that is below the water table, resulting in the water. Of note though, is the water does not seem to have any special properties. The plants are not especially lush nor vibrant, and in fact seem to be less rich than the Kershtians that use buried plants.

Yeah it just keeps coming back to there is way too much information we just do not know. Which sucks, because that is as of the first book, and we won't even finish the first book till all three graphic novels are released. So we could be in for a long wait

Still leaves me wondering how a single shard called autonomy can have such opposite multiple personality like traits to it. I am really beginning to wonder if he is the "mad god".

So the scene with the gauntlet, he blocked the enemy shardblade with his left forearm to enable him to swing his blade with his right to cleave the stone beneath him. By shattering the forearm, it made the gauntlet unpowered and felt like a lead weight, so later in the combat he slammed his left fist down to remove the gauntlet and fight with his left hand exposed and his right one covered. Regarding the scene in the barn, although it never states which hand he uses or which side of the body he gets wounded, dear god Dalinar can take a beating. Slashed face with cut on the cheek, raked side, raked arm, and a deep bite to his shoulder. Although that happens all in a vision, but still.

The tonks do not look at all like what I imagined lol.

Personally I think he is ambidextrous. My implication from the first scene referenced, is that he is switching to his left hand which implies to me he usually uses his right. The other instance where he waves with his left, is because they first placed the gauntlet on his right, so it was the only hand he had available at that time. I am under the impression you usually rest a helmet under your left or non dominant hand, leaving your right or dominant hand free to take any actions such as drawing your sword or shaking hands. The scene in the barn, he first uses the sword and dagger stance with a poker in one hand and a piece of wood in the other, but I haven't delved deep enough yet to know which was held by which. Same thing regarding using Adolin's gauntlet. My assumption is he used his off hand or left hand to block a blow which is why it got shattered, but again I need to look deeper. I will say it is definitely a great pick up on your part, so upvote. I think personally believe Dalinar is ambidextrous, and given the two hander stances preferred by nobility, probably so are most men in combat. So even if he isn't left handed, we definitely did learn something new

So few things. First TLR definitely knew about aluminum as he informed his inquisitors given that they forced Vin to swallow and burn it to expunge her stores. He would not however tell inquisitors about the fact that if a weapon was made of that metal, it would prevent him from healing, thus giving them a means of killing him. Second, aluminum (as we know it) given that stage in technological development is incredibly hard to find in natural deposits. It wasn't till the Halt-Heroult process that it became easier to make. So having aluminum weapons at the time of the Lord Ruler would almost be impossible.

Good point. I found one of the quotes you mention so far: Way of Kings page 204 Dalinar raced under the limb, transferring Oathbringer to his left hand and holding the sword out to the side, slashing through one of the chasmfiend's trunklike legs. Dalinar continues to fight the chasmfiend, and does not switch his hand back yet Way of Kings page 205 The king drew the monster's direct attention, and Dalinar was able to ride in and slam his Blade through another leg. Still no mention of switching back to the right Way of Kings page 205 Orders given, he slipped in and killed another leg. That meant five down. Way of Kings page 206 Dalinar hunkered low, careful to keep his Shardblade out, and he cut free another leg. It isn't till he is knocked off his horse by the Chasmfiend that the sword mists, and later he resummons it to his waiting hand. So Dalinar clearly fights for an extended period of time with the sword in his left hand. Thanks for pointing that out Argel. I will continue to do a search in the Way of Kings and then Words of Radiance for more examples.

Please point out evidence that for men left handed is a problem for their society. Not women. Men. Renarin is male. When you can provide that, I will concede. I bold where I put emphasis instead of caps in an effort to show emphasis and not yelling to avoid coming off confrontational. The bold is merely to call attention to certain aspects of the point I am making. Doesn't matter why he wants to follow the societal norm, what matters is why he acts counter to them, which is out of love, respect, and loyalty to his father. All of which he also has for his brother. I am a bit swamped today at work as I am the only one in my department, but there are left handed women. They just still use their safe hand covered, or use a glove instead. I will do a search for left in both Way of Kings and Words of Radiance when I have some more time, and provide the quotes to you. I look forward to seeing your quotes providing that men are looked upon unfavorably for having left hands. Thank you. edit: a quick search has yielded this WoB so far. As I attain further info I will add: JONMy burning question for Brandon is did I miss the explanation, world building moment or historical gem that explains why women have a safe hand and why they must keep it covered? BRANDON SANDERSON (GOODREADS) No, you haven't missed it. People have asked about this. There will be more explanation in-world as it comes along, but it's for much the same reason that in some cultures in our world you don't show people the bottoms of your feet, and in other cultures showing the top of your head is offensive. It's part of what has grown out of the Vorin culture, and there are reasons for it. One of them has to do with a famous book written by an artist who claimed that true feminine pursuits and arts were those that could be performed with one hand, while masculine arts were those performed with two hands, in a way associating delicacy with women and brute force with men. Some people in Roshar disagree with this idea, but the custom has grown out of that foundational work on masculine and feminine arts. That's where that came from. One aspect of this is that women began to paint one-handed and do things one-handed in upper, higher society. You'll notice that the lower classes don't pay a lot of attention to it—they'll just wear a glove. As a student of human nature and of anthropology, it fascinates me how some cultures create one thing as being taboo whereas in another culture, the same thing can be very much not taboo. It's just what we do as people. There's more to it than that, but that will stand for now.