Pathfinder

Thanks. The scene from the book I was able to copy paste. The rest was me. So first and foremost, totally get you don't feel the theory, and that is completely valid. Just expanding regarding the WoB you mentioned that I posted. I will post it again below, as well as a subsequent one and offer further commentary: Vivasher Club Emo Teen (@skywardflights) I know people who relate a lot to Shallan's arc due to how similar her personalities are to Dissociative Identity Disorder. Did you intentionally write her to be recognizable DID? Brandon Sanderson I did, but I shied away from it in the earlier books, because I knew I was going to be doing fantastical things, and I didn't want to be offering too much commentary on DID. That was kind of my worry. With Kaladin, I knew depression well enough from family members and things that I felt like I could be a very strong contributor to the conversation. But, I started with Shallan saying, "I don't know if I'm gonna go this route." But then, the further I went, the more I felt it would be irresponsible to not do this. And so, in the last books, I just bit the bullet, dug really far into the DSM-5 and into reading firsthand, primary accounts from people. We got a very helpful person with DID to be one of our beta readers for this last book. And I just did my best to present it accurately and to present the non-Hollywood version of it. And so, basically, Oathbringer and Rhythm of War lean into it a little more than the first two books do, though that was where I was going. And I do have a working knowledge of Dissociative Identity Disorder, and did even back then. I don't think I did a terrible job, but I think it would have been irresponsible for me to go forward without digging in a little further. YouTube Livestream 13 (July 23, 2020) Brandon Sanderson Rhythm of War Chapters 4-5 Here's an annotation for these chapters! One of the most revised sequences of this book were these Shallan chapters--continuing through the entire novel. As I have said elsewhere, I originally designed Shallan's mental state to be a more fantastical look at something like Dissociative Identity Disorder. (Like the fantastical look at Schizophrenia I did with Stephen Leeds.) I was fascinated by how something like mental health challenges relating to identity would intersect with magic that let you quite literally become someone else. The original version of this was for a character I wrote in Dragonsteel--which I'll eventually release to the public like I've done with TWOK Prime. In this series, however, I've found myself leaning away from the fantastical elements more and more, and trying to lean into the real science and best mental health practices. This is because I've realized that having Shallan's ailment be completely fantastical was both irresponsible (in representation terms) and less realistic. Where I settled earlier in the series was in representing not someone with a fantastical disease, but someone with a very real disease--that is exacerbated by fantastical elements. Because of this, I listened very hard to my beta readers on Shallan, particularly those with specific experience in this area. In the original draft of these scenes, for example, Shallan wasn't shifting between the various alters of herself nearly as often--and with some feedback, I tweaked that, and found it not only worked better in a realism way, but it also read far, far better. It's simply more interesting to see Shallan's different aspects doing different things, thinking different ways. Some of the most satisfying moments in revisions come when you try something different, and find that it's what you wanted to do all along--but didn't quite know how to accomplish until a comment nudges you. Bloody_Raven Just had a random idea regarding the Dragonsteel character, could it be Bavadin? (the avatar forming seems in line with this) Brandon Sanderson RAFO! simon_thekillerewok That's interesting that you had this DID direction planned for Shallan since the beginning (pre-Way of Kings I presume). I had just assumed it was something that you developed in between WoR and Oathbringer. I know you've commented on subjects related to this before - but in light of what you're saying about leaning away from the fantastical, I'm curious to know if you think that if Shallan had become, say, an Edgedancer instead (or just never continued in her truths), that she would have developed DID and those aspects regardless? Or would she just have had her trauma manifest in other ways (such as other dissociative disorders like depersonalization/derealization/amnesia)? Brandon Sanderson I would say that she would have gone the same way she has, but the manifestations of her disassociation would have been different. But this is something I could perhaps waver on. LewsTherinTelescope I've seen quotes from you before that you didn't intend her to actually have DID, is that just about it originally being more fantastical, and now you're trying to make it actually be realistic more? Brandon Sanderson Yes, that's what is happening here. I originally shied away from it, as I didn't want to open that can of worms--but then, I realized I was opening it anyway, and the only way to be honest was to admit what I was doing and get some people who have DID themselves to advise me. I think, in hindsight, I was trying to take too much of an easy path--and the path that didn't require me to do the work like I needed to pweepweemuggins Aha! So that's what you did. I immediately noted in the first chapters that Shallan's illness seemed to have gotten worse. I thought that it was you alludIng to a downward spiral of the characters in conjunction with the world of Roshar - which made sense because, if you place a mentally ill person in a world with no access to mental healthcare and then make their situation worse, what would happen? Their mental illness would get worse. I'm surprised that it was just a change in the way you write her. If you had the option to go back and revise all of her chapters that way, would you? Because as it is, the real-ness and definition of her other egos reads like a downward spiral. Brandon Sanderson What you're noticing is not just me changing the way I'm writing her. More, I realized that her downward spiral was going to require me to actively deal with her mental illness in a responsible way, if that makes sense. I wouldn't change much about the past books. It was more that I realized that the place she was going in this one required a more delicate touch than I could manage without some expert help. General Reddit 2020 (Aug. 4, 2020) So in summation I believe what Brandon is saying is he always intended Shallan to have DID. He leaned into it being more magical in the beginning because he wasn't sure how well he could portray it. But it became pretty clear to him this was the way to go with Shallan, so as of Oathbringer and Rhythm of War he went further into the clinical sense of it. So for myself that doesn't fall so much as a retcon, as further fleshing out the character. But I understand that you disagree, and I wish you luck!

Jasnah has kept information to herself before out of respect to Ivory and spren in general despite wanting to tell her family. I am with Subvisual Haze on this one. I think Jasnah had to make agreements for certain information or aid, and a part of that agreement is certain subjects or topics will not become public knowledge. For all we know she spoke with the Sleepless, who feel their reasons for hiding the island are good enough to kill to preserve those secrets. So it may not be hers to decide whether or not such information is released.

this scene in word of radiance is part of what supports the theory that "shallan" is a persona and shows dissociation occuring even then: Words of radiance page 268 (sorry for the formatting, doing so on the phone) The silk of Shallan’s new dress was softer than any she had owned before. It touched her skin like a comforting breeze. The left cuff clipped closed over the hand; she was old enough now to cover her safehand. She had once dreamed of wearing a woman’s dress. Her mother and she . . . Her mother . . . Shallan’s mind went still. Like a candle suddenly snuffed, she stopped thinking. She leaned back in her chair, legs tucked up underneath her, hands in her lap. The dreary stone dining chamber bustled with activity as Davar Manor prepared for guests. Shallan did not know which guests, only that her father wanted the place immaculate. Not that she could do anything to help. Two maids bustled past. “She saw,” one whispered softly to the other, a new woman. “Poor thing was in the room when it happened. Hasn’t spoken a word in five months. The master killed his own wife and her lover, but don’t let it . . .” They continued talking, but Shallan didn’t hear. She kept her hands in her lap. Her dress’s vibrant blue was the only real color in the room. She sat on the dais, beside the high table. A half-dozen maids in brown, wearing gloves on their safehands, scrubbed the floor and polished the furniture. Parshmen carted in a few more tables. A maid threw open the windows, letting in damp fresh air from the recent highstorm. Shallan caught mention of her name again. The maids apparently thought that because she didn’t speak, she didn’t hear either. At times, she wondered if she was invisible. Perhaps she wasn’t real. That would be nice. . . . The door to the hall slammed open, and Nan Helaran entered. Tall, muscular, square-chinned. Her oldest brother was a man. The rest of them . . . they were children. Even Tet Balat, who had reached the age of adulthood. Helaran scanned the chamber, perhaps looking for their father. Then he approached Shallan, a small bundle under his arm. The maids made way with alacrity. “Hello, Shallan,” Helaran said, squatting down beside her chair. “Here to supervise?” It was a place to be. Father did not like her being where she could not be watched. He worried. “I brought you something,” Helaran said, unwrapping his bundle. “I ordered it for you in Northgrip, and the merchant only just passed by.” He took out a leather satchel. Shallan took it hesitantly. Helaran’s grin was so wide, it practically glowed. It was hard to frown in a room where he was smiling. When he was around, she could almost pretend . . . Almost pretend . . . Her mind went blank. “Shallan?” he asked, nudging her. She undid the satchel. Inside was a sheaf of drawing paper, the thick kind—the expensive kind—and a set of charcoal pencils. She raised her covered safehand to her lips. “I’ve missed your drawings,” Helaran said. “I think you could be very good, Shallan. You should practice more.” She ran the fingers of her right hand across the paper, then picked up a pencil. She started to sketch. It had been too long. “I need you to come back, Shallan,” Helaran said softly. She hunched over, pencil scratching on paper. “Shallan?” No words. Just drawing. “I’m going to be away a lot in the next few years,” Helaran said. “I need you to watch the others for me. I’m worried about Balat. I gave him a new axehound pup, and he . . . wasn’t kind to it. You need to be strong, Shallan. For them.” The maids had grown quiet since Helaran’s arrival. Lethargic vines curled down outside the window nearby. Shallan’s pencil continued to move. As if she weren’t doing the drawing; as if it were coming up out of the page, the charcoal seeping out of the texture. Like blood. Helaran sighed, standing. Then he saw what she was drawing. Bodies, facedown, on the floor with— He grabbed the paper and crumpled it. Shallan started, pulling back, fingers shaking as she clutched the pencil. “Draw plants,” Helaran said, “and animals. Safe things, Shallan. Don’t dwell on what happened.” In this scene we see Helaran tell shallan to: 1. Get better at drawing 2. Draw nice things like plants and animals 3. Look out for her brothers 4. Be strong for her brothers 5. Not dwell on what happened All of that defines pretty strongly shallan and her motivations all through way of kings and words of radiance. The scene does mimic the creation of the other alters. There was a need to be filled by an external actor (veil due to mraize and the ghostbloods, radiant due to practicing with a shardblade with Adolin). Just in this case it was Helaran leaving.

I believe this scene in word of radiance is part of what supports the theory that "shallan" is a persona and shows dissociation occuring even then: Words of radiance page 268 (sorry for the formatting, doing so on the phone) The silk of Shallan’s new dress was softer than any she had owned before. It touched her skin like a comforting breeze. The left cuff clipped closed over the hand; she was old enough now to cover her safehand. She had once dreamed of wearing a woman’s dress. Her mother and she . . . Her mother . . . Shallan’s mind went still. Like a candle suddenly snuffed, she stopped thinking. She leaned back in her chair, legs tucked up underneath her, hands in her lap. The dreary stone dining chamber bustled with activity as Davar Manor prepared for guests. Shallan did not know which guests, only that her father wanted the place immaculate. Not that she could do anything to help. Two maids bustled past. “She saw,” one whispered softly to the other, a new woman. “Poor thing was in the room when it happened. Hasn’t spoken a word in five months. The master killed his own wife and her lover, but don’t let it . . .” They continued talking, but Shallan didn’t hear. She kept her hands in her lap. Her dress’s vibrant blue was the only real color in the room. She sat on the dais, beside the high table. A half-dozen maids in brown, wearing gloves on their safehands, scrubbed the floor and polished the furniture. Parshmen carted in a few more tables. A maid threw open the windows, letting in damp fresh air from the recent highstorm. Shallan caught mention of her name again. The maids apparently thought that because she didn’t speak, she didn’t hear either. At times, she wondered if she was invisible. Perhaps she wasn’t real. That would be nice. . . . The door to the hall slammed open, and Nan Helaran entered. Tall, muscular, square-chinned. Her oldest brother was a man. The rest of them . . . they were children. Even Tet Balat, who had reached the age of adulthood. Helaran scanned the chamber, perhaps looking for their father. Then he approached Shallan, a small bundle under his arm. The maids made way with alacrity. “Hello, Shallan,” Helaran said, squatting down beside her chair. “Here to supervise?” It was a place to be. Father did not like her being where she could not be watched. He worried. “I brought you something,” Helaran said, unwrapping his bundle. “I ordered it for you in Northgrip, and the merchant only just passed by.” He took out a leather satchel. Shallan took it hesitantly. Helaran’s grin was so wide, it practically glowed. It was hard to frown in a room where he was smiling. When he was around, she could almost pretend . . . Almost pretend . . . Her mind went blank. “Shallan?” he asked, nudging her. She undid the satchel. Inside was a sheaf of drawing paper, the thick kind—the expensive kind—and a set of charcoal pencils. She raised her covered safehand to her lips. “I’ve missed your drawings,” Helaran said. “I think you could be very good, Shallan. You should practice more.” She ran the fingers of her right hand across the paper, then picked up a pencil. She started to sketch. It had been too long. “I need you to come back, Shallan,” Helaran said softly. She hunched over, pencil scratching on paper. “Shallan?” No words. Just drawing. “I’m going to be away a lot in the next few years,” Helaran said. “I need you to watch the others for me. I’m worried about Balat. I gave him a new axehound pup, and he . . . wasn’t kind to it. You need to be strong, Shallan. For them.” The maids had grown quiet since Helaran’s arrival. Lethargic vines curled down outside the window nearby. Shallan’s pencil continued to move. As if she weren’t doing the drawing; as if it were coming up out of the page, the charcoal seeping out of the texture. Like blood. Helaran sighed, standing. Then he saw what she was drawing. Bodies, facedown, on the floor with— He grabbed the paper and crumpled it. Shallan started, pulling back, fingers shaking as she clutched the pencil. “Draw plants,” Helaran said, “and animals. Safe things, Shallan. Don’t dwell on what happened.” In this scene we see Helaran tell shallan to: 1. Get better at drawing 2. Draw nice things like plants and animals 3. Look out for her brothers 4. Be strong for her brothers 5. Not dwell on what happened All of that defines pretty strongly shallan and her motivations all through way of kings and words of radiance. The scene does mimic the creation of the other alters. There was a need to be filled by an external actor (veil due to mraize and the ghostbloods, radiant due to practicing with a shardblade with Adolin). Just in this case it was Helaran leaving.

Just going to list my theories, some of which have been confirmed, some of which possible has not yet been. They range from tinfoil, to I feel well planned out. If additional explanation is requested, will be happy to provide: 1. Jasnah has minor schizophrenia, and her handling of that condition attracted Ivory 2. Elsecalling involves teleportation (confirmed) 3. Malata is a double agent, and was a good guy all along 4. Navani possibly become a dustbringer 5. Dalinar and Adolin will work together to revive Maya. Dalinar via connection and infusion of investiture, Adolin strong bond with Maya 6. The fabrial used on Kaladin mimics mistborn spoiler . The reason it prevents power usage, but not holding stormlight is because of how a functions with since stormlight acts in my opinion like a mix of 7. Other windrunners will advance to the fourth oath before Kaladin and help him then swear the fourth oath 8. Adolin will die during the excursion in shadesmar, and Shallan devastated will create an illusion of him. Confronting this illusion will be Shallan's last truth I think there are more, but I will add them as I remember them. edit: adding this one because I feel rather vindicated lol. I have been saying for quite some time now that just because an order is offense orientated (windrunners, dustbringers, etc), does not mean that the radiant has to also be martially inclined to maintain their oaths or advance in them. This has just been confirmed, so I am happy lol. Edit 2: just remembered my yelig-nar theory. Yelig-nar functions like nightblood insofar as it consumes investiture to work. If the user does not have a steady stream of investiture to fuel it, it consumes the user. edit 3: ah another one. Soulcaster spren, and well all radiant spren fabrials, work by taking a bonded radiant spren, whose knight has died while still holding the oaths. The radiant spren then has a choice of 1. no long bonding and lose sapience in the physical realm, 2. bond a new radiant and regain sapience that way, or 3. bond a fabrial and retain the level of sapience it had with the radiant.

In the prior chapter Lift tells Kaladin that a man (Roshone) was brought into the house, but did not come out. Kaladin figures it was Roshone, and tells Lift he is going to investigate. Tells her to bring the fabrial back to Navani. Renarin was with Navani. So I believe that is why

Honestly I take it as a repeat of what Renarin did with the thunderclast. Glys said to show them light and they will go. Navani also mentions the balls of light Renarin summon seem to do different things. So I saw it as an extension of that

Tried to do a quick search regarding spoiler policy within rhythm of war, but just in case spoilers for chapter 8

I believe for the same reason cosmeric healing does not change you to your spiritually ideal form. It is still interpreted through the cognitive. We know soulcasting can push through an objects innate investiture to still transform the object. So I believe the same would stand for transportation. Though that may not be an issue at all, because you are not trying to destroy the investiture, or even change it fundamentally. You are just temporarily changing its state. That would still require energy to accomplish, but I see it as changing water from solid, to liquid to transport, and then back to solid. Actually that may be a fair illustration of what I envision. Have two containers with a tube connecting them. A block of ice is in one, the other is empty. The block of ice is melted to water, and drained through the tube to the other container. The other container is then frozen, resulting in a block of ice. You transferred the block of ice from one container to the other. You did not change the nature of the water. You just changed its state. That is a rough approximation of how I see transportation. Ice is the object physically. The tube is the spiritual realm. Liquid is when the object is broken down into pure investiture, since everything is made of investiture and investiture is the fourth state in the cosmere. It transfers via the tube/spiritual realm to the new location, and then is restored to its former form/ice.

No problem. I will continue to endeavor to speak upon the topic with respect and consideration. I do not want to speak on Calderis's behalf and thereby put words in his mouth, but I believe the defining difference in this case is this: Since we have been using other conditions as analogies, I think I found a rather apt one, though to be clear I am in no way shape or form implying that mental conditions are diseases. Let us take the common cold. Once upon a time getting a cold was lethal. Hence the saying "catch your death of cold". At the time the nature of it was misunderstood. Caring for it ran a gambit of effective to utterly ineffective remedies. People assumed it was due to the temperature. When it is cold outside, people got sick and died. So dress warm when you go out or you will catch your death of cold. And at the time, you could literally die. Now we know you can catch a cold in the summer just as much as in the winter. The reason for the propensity in winter is due to people being in close proximity, in doors, with circulated air. So you have an illness, that due to misunderstanding in how it functions, colors the way a society views and treats it. Individuals with it, act in ways that the society perceives as positive and acceptable due to the misunderstanding, and thereby spread it potentially harming others. And that is concerning a circumstance that is readily recognizable, clearly affects a large portion, and the accepted treatment is reinforced positively/accepted. It took years before washing your hands in a hospital and later germ theory even became an accepted practice. But now let us take mental conditions (I say condition because I cannot recall what is the current preferred terminology). Not only is it misunderstood, but there is a stigma associated with it. Some examples include: Depression: "Oh get over it already. You are such a downer" Anxiety: "Why do you always have to be so overly emotional? Jeez take a chill pill" Schizophrenia: "Yikes, please don't kill me" Dissociative Identity Disorder: "Are any of your alters dangerous? Should I be scared for my safety?" Autism: "Oh my god, why can't you just get what I am saying and act normal? Why do you have to be so weird?" These are all very ignorant and hurtful statements, but these views are very prevalent in our society. It is a form of victim blaming. Because the condition is not visible and "in the mind", then the individual is just weak willed and should "get over it". That is why, I am not sure if you have seen, but there are posts and memes going around that show people treating physical injuries the way people treat mental conditions. So for instance: Cold: "Have you just tried not being so sick? Maybe if you try harder, it will go away" Broken Foot: "Jeez, whining about the pain again? How much longer do I have to hear about your foot being broken? Why can't you just go out and walk like everyone else? Stabbing: "Maybe if you go out and push through the pain, it will go away" Now of course these examples are hyperbolic, but it is presented that way for a reason. The condition is seen as the individual's fault. If they aren't "normal", then its just because they aren't trying hard enough in therapy. It is something to be "fixed" or "solved. But right now we don't know enough to understand how it works nonetheless "fix" these conditions. We don't even know enough to fully determine that these conditions really are "aberrations" or "negative" in the classical sense. There are studies that theorize for instance that anxiety is connected to human's flight or fight response. That individuals that suffer from anxiety would have been very successful back during "cave man" times because they would react better, or have increased response times to dangerous stimuli. That their brains were hardwired for survival, but because society and culture has changed, what once one a survival imperative, is now seen as a "freak". There are studies researching that pathogens in cats infect their human care givers altering the brain chemistry resulting in the owners being more responsive to the cats. The pathogen benefits because its desirability in the feline species perpetuates its existence, and the cats benefit in getting what they want more from their owners. There are studies researching the effect on fungus and pathogens on animals that effect their brain chemistry to do anything from overtly mind controlling the host (ants climbing high on a plant so they are eaten by birds, so the fungus can further propagate in the bird's gut), to more subtle cues changing an individual's tastes in food. There are proven cases and research done on individuals that due to a tumor pushing on a portion of the brain, or an injury resulting in the development of a different accent (an irishman speaking with a US southern twang) despite having never visited the country, or seeing colors that the brain never registered before and creating beautiful works of art never before imagined. Which is why the missing limb example was used prior in this thread. We don't have a "cure" for that. We are certainly researching and trying to find ways to transplant whole limbs, regrow tissue, or provide fully articulated mind manipulated prosthesises. But plain and simple the best we got right now is means of managing the situation. We have tension strips of metal that provide support and bounce for a runner to jog. We have hooks, that have opposable protrusions that can be manipulated with the extension and retraction of the arm to mimic the grasping capabilities of the human hand. We have ramps be required by law so they are wheelchair accessible. We have a new controller for xbox that can be customized to allow individuals with a wide range of disabilities to play video games of various levels of complexity like anyone else. The message being just because of something beyond your control, does not change that you are a human being just as capable and deserving as anyone else. That you can have a conversation with someone walking down the sidewalk, and not feel embarrassed or worry the person is going to sigh or be annoyed because the curb is to high and you will need help being rolled down it. No, you have a gentle incline, so you can roll down it yourself, and continue your conversation like nothing happened. Because nothing did happen. You are living your life just like everyone else. You condition did not define nor limit that exchange. Your condition still existed, and so did you. Which I believe is what the ultimate point everyone is trying to make here. Saying that Shallan still being the three, but the alters being balanced and working together is an acceptable goal is not saying "hey we should all have DID! Those therapists are useless. Having multiple alters is cool! Totally avoid getting help, you don't need it!". It to me, is saying that Shallan can live a conducive and successful life with friends, family, and a love interest and still have alters. That a mental condition does not have to be "cured" for a person to live a conducive and successful life. Mental conditions are far more prevalent than is given credit, and it is due to social and cultural alienation that they are under-reported and under-treated. Acceptance does not negate treatment. It makes the condition more visible, and seeking treatment more viable and encouraged. Wouldn't it be a sight to behold that mental health was treated almost like a gym membership? You drop by your local place weekly for a check in on your mental health, and you are applauded for keeping in touch with your feelings, concerns, and personal well being? What kind of effect something like that would have. Instead of being told to suck it up and get over it, the person feels heard and understood. (disclaimer: just want to make clear I am not saying you at any point claimed people with mental conditions should suck it up and get over. I was attempting to clarify the points being made, and distinguish what I believe to be a false correlation between acceptance of the existence and prevalence of mental conditions, with saying treatment should not be sought. Hopefully I did not ramble too much, and I will periodically go over what I typed to tweak over the next few minutes. Also I did not reply to the other points you made in this post as I feel my response here potentially covered them all)

I think based on my posts it is pretty readily apparent I like defined data as much as the next guy. It gives a basis in which to derive conclusions and mutual understanding from commonly agreed upon parameters. However, when considering data, the inherent fallacies must be taken into account, otherwise the conclusion produced becomes unusable. This becomes of even greater importance in regards to the social sciences. Bias, sample size, and distribution are huge factors. Now based on what you wrote, you are clearly knowledgeable, so please do not take me writing this as a means of educating you. I am sure you are more than well versed in it. Why I bring it up and wax on upon it is namely this: Mental conditions overall are a widely unreported, misunderstood, and ostracized aspect of our species globally. The human mind being understood from a purely bio-mechanical perspective is still largely an unexplored realm that we are still seeking to understand, nonetheless the cognitive side. There are studies I could reference, but I will not due to the nature of what they involve (though I will include one below and spoiler it as for an example. If the moderators deem it too controversial, of course remove it as you deem fit, just know my intention was not to cause anything), that show results can be skewed due to a myriad of reasons, with society being one of the biggest impactors. (edit I removed the example as I believe the point still stands, and will change this to a better example that will potentially not be as controversial so as to avoid any issues just in case) So in the example I gave, all because of a subculture within a group existed, the numbers for a purely biological in function agent were under reported, and skewed. 46.4 percent of adults in the United States alone will experience a mental condition in their life. One in four people in the world will be affected by a mental condition at some point in their life. And those are numbers regarding a topic that is still largely misunderstood, and under reported due to the social stigma associated with it. If "normal" is to be defined as prevalence/average (which personally I do not think that is the case, but if that is where you are directing your data), then with the properly funded resources, I do not think it is remotely outside reason to find out, mental conditions are in fact "the norm" edit: here is a link to a study that I think discusses in a rather interesting, and (seems to me) non-controversial subject matter the consequence of over reporting normative practices versus the under reporting of counter normative practices due to societal and cultural pressures. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5639921/ edit 2: to clarify the study refers to "normative" and "counter- normative" is in regards to practices that are viewed favorably by a given culture or society. It is not to be taken literally as "normal" versus "not normal"

Thank you regarding my sand analogy. Regarding Shallan not being able to "go evil" if she has DID because it could be received poorly, I will be completely upfront that I have not watched Mr. Robot, so anything I reference to it is pure surface knowledge, but from what I understand the main character has DID as well as depression and anxiety. To my knowledge that show has done very well incorporating those conditions within the character and its portrayal. So I think it certainly is possible to do. I guess my point is, unless I am recalling incorrectly, we have not actually seen a single flashback of Shallan at the age when she first bonded pattern. We see a brief recollection of deja vu regarding creating an illusion. We see another brief recollection of feeling like everything was not so nice in the davar household before her mother died when Shallan did the illusory performance on stage. But I do not think we have seen Shallan at the age of her bonding pattern initially at all. So there isn't really any internal dialogue hidden, because I don't think we have seen the scenes yet to know. Meanwhile we begin to see Veil and Radiant start to pop up as Shallan begins to face truths regarding each of her parents death. That is the trauma I believe triggered the alters. Fantasy is fantastical within the bounds the author decides. Even with regenerating limbs, there are hard rules on that in the cosmere. One of the hard rules includes not being able to use cosmeric healing to change your brain chemistry. So I guess my point is, somewhere there has to be a line, and the author decided to draw it there. But you used a real world example to illustrate your point, so I continued it to what I felt was the logical conclusion. You said how a person in our world without a leg is seen as not normal, so that mental conditions should not be normalized. So I in turn gave an example where it is normalized in our world. If you really want to get technical, our sole reason for existing is a mutation. Because ancestor upon ancestor upon ancestor, a bunch were "not normal" and thereby were more successful in a given environment and then bred to become dominant. And then another "not normal" mutation came along, and that became dominant because it was more successful in the given environment. So splitting straws aside, "normal" is purely and completely subjective based on your location in both space and time. edit: actually continuing on that premise, then being "normal" is nothing more than being successful and thriving in a given environment. Which someone missing a leg or with a mental condition can be perfectly capable of.

I believe it is because the original poster theorized that you cannot carry anything with you when you teleport. Which is why the hair of the fused was used as clothing. So unless Jasnah wanted to arrive as bare as she was born, she would need to do the same (based on the OP's premise) Now having said that, I personally disagree considering we have seen Jasnah transfer between realms and keep all her clothing and belongings. I theorize the way teleportation works is that the body breaks down into investiture, and then moves via the spiritual realm to the location, and is reformed from investiture. The reason why the fused leaves a body that breaks down, and forms a new one, is because I believe the fused cannot use investiture in such large amounts in short bursts like radiants can. For instance the flying fused have to slowly accelerate, and cannot reach the speeds a windrunner can from adding multiple lashings in a row. That I believe results in an elsecaller and willshaper being able to teleport greater distances and objects as well as other people with them for a lot of stormlight, while fused can do short hops, more often, with less expenditure.

Well first and foremost, you are totally entitled to not enjoy reading Shallan with DID. That is your prerogative. I am in no way saying you have to be all jolly on the spot about it. Now having said that, for myself, I had not seen any indication that Brandon is sensationalizing DID via Shallan as a vehicle. I just view it as representation. Just because it has not been seen prior, and now is evident, does not mean to me that it is saturation. Sand at the beach is still the same sand if a cup full is taken home with you. It may become more readily apparent when presented in contrast to a location that till that time was bereft of sand, but I wouldn't say that means I am holding the cup of sand up and saying to the world "Hey over here! Look at this sand!". For myself, it is acknowledging sand exists. Which is from what I understand, why Brandon is having his heroes have these attributes. I don't see anywhere that he is extolling, or lauding having such conditions. I believe he is just saying, "Hey these people exist. They are not an insignifcant number of the population, and they can be heroes too". So to answer your other question, sure as far as I am concerned he can feel free to include a high functioning narcissist, or sociopath if he feels he can portray them in a respectful manner. Side note, I had a thought to expand on my response to Rainer. There is not a cure for losing your leg. We do not have the capability to grow one back. There is not a cure for depression, anxiety, DID, and so on. All we have now are ways to manage, and live a as productive life as possible. Recognizing that a person can do so, and be ok I do not believe is condoning nor extolling the conditions. It does not to me equate saying they require no treatment. I think we are saying to recognize that a person can have such a condition, and still be a happy, productive member of society, and does not have to be identified by such conditions in a limiting manner.

So I have seen this around a lot. That Shallan's DID is a new thing that she developed recently. Has anyone suggested or considered that maybe Shallan has had DID since she was a child? (genuine question, not being snarky or sarcastic). There is a lot about her childhood we do not know. All we do know if she bonded when she was young and was able to use illusions. Potentially Shallan had DID since she was a child, but by blocking out her memories, the necessity of the alters was no longer present and thereby were not exhibited. Once she was confronted with the trauma once more, the need for alters arose once more, and she formed new ones to function in a capacity at her advanced age. Just a thought. Handicap people have been referred to as differently abled, and in many cases are more abled than those without said handicap. I believe if we are to extend this example to its full conclusion, then it would be the equivalency of saying there is something wrong with a person missing a leg even though they have the capacity to function successfully in life no different than someone with both legs.

Sorry, didn't mean to say you were, that is why I didn't tag anyone in particular. The discussion at one point was whether Shallan was spiraling down or not, so I just mentioned the latest chapter in that regard. Also wasn't intending to say that meant anything you said about the ultimate destination was incorrect. Which is why I said "regardless the ultimate destination" (integration or not). Personally I do not see the existence or lack there of, of conflict between alters as particularly indicative as to whether or not Shallan is progressing in a positive direction. Especially if the belief is that non-integration can be a successful end game by not leading to subsequent dissociation. The purpose of alters as per the document that has been referenced multiple times throughout this thread, is the assistance in handling tasks that the original feels they are unable to. If the original feels the alters are unable to handle the existing trauma, or additional trauma, then the alters are not serving their purpose, and can result in the original creating more alters. The scene mentioned comes off to me as Shallan almost dissociating further, which illustrates to me the fragility of the current paradigm. If Shallan can question what she does at any moment despite the perceived "harmony" between her two alters, then how will she handle further upset or trauma during a literal world war? To be clear all I said is not saying non-integration is an unacceptable goal. As far as I am concerned, Shallan can remain the three for the entirety of her life and be fine. But that is predicated on the three successfully performing the reason for their existence. I think as of Chapter 7, that success is precarious.

Lol, I like the twist.

No problem, and just for completeness because it came up in the same search, but another un-named shardblade was also described as brilliant: Oathbringer page 1155 She pressed her hand against the rubble, and it vanished into smoke, revealing a corpse beneath - and a brilliant shardblade beside it

Sorry to be a bubble burster but I found the quote I was thinking of: Oathbringer page 809 Elhokar led the way, brilliant shardblade carried in a two handed grip So unless Elhokar was also awakening his shardblade at that point in the story, I personally believe it is just a descriptor.

So first want to stress this is not me attacking your theory. I totally wish you luck with it. Just saying why it doesn't sit with me. When Dalinar's plate glowed in an unusual manner, Adolin mentally commented on such. As you said, if it was unusual compared to other shardblades, especially when there are living blades around to compare to, I would imagine Shallan would have mentally commented on such. But it didn't register to her as unusual. Regardless if something has been unusual for a little while, if something is still the first and only of its kind, I would think this would be forefront in her mind. To put it another way. If someone walks upside down defying gravity on earth, regardless if they have been doing it for a week or not, I would still remark on how unusual it is for someone to be walking upside down defying gravity.

Maybe? Though shardplate and shardblades have been described in such manner before. So I don't personally believe it is indicative of anything, but interesting catch all the same. edit: for reference before you ask, glisten is one example off the top of my head, and means to shine or glitter. As mentioned shardplate is also described as brilliant.

I think regardless the ultimate destination, the latest chapter released validates that all is not rosey currently and despite Shallan/Veil/Radiant's many comments that "things are better now" and "in balance", Shallan is still an unreliable narrator. I think a downward spiral is still occurring and very much on the table. But I totally respect and understand that others think differently. edit: just in case, what I am referring to is the point where Shallan panicked being unsure whether she killed Ialai or not. I think there is still potential for additional trauma occurring that could result in additional alters forming. Which as per the DSMV, is still possible.

So two things: 1. Alters can communicate with each other. So there can still be amnesia due to other alters being in control but still have knowledge due to the alters telling them what happened/is happening. As we see with Shallan the three are regularly communicating. 2. Here is the most recent WoB on the subject. Brandon confirmed it is DID. Certainly respect some people may disagree with the representation, but at least as per the author, DID is what she canonically has. Vivasher Club Emo Teen (@skywardflights) I know people who relate a lot to Shallan's arc due to how similar her personalities are to Dissociative Identity Disorder. Did you intentionally write her to be recognizable DID? Brandon Sanderson I did, but I shied away from it in the earlier books, because I knew I was going to be doing fantastical things, and I didn't want to be offering too much commentary on DID. That was kind of my worry. With Kaladin, I knew depression well enough from family members and things that I felt like I could be a very strong contributor to the conversation. But, I started with Shallan saying, "I don't know if I'm gonna go this route." But then, the further I went, the more I felt it would be irresponsible to not do this. And so, in the last books, I just bit the bullet, dug really far into the DSMV and into reading firsthand, primary accounts from people. We got a very helpful person with DID to be one of our beta readers for this last book. And I just did my best to present it accurately and to present the non-Hollywood verison of it. And so, basically, Oathbringer and Rhythm of War lean into it a little more than the first two books do, though that was where I was going. And I do have a working knowledge of Dissociative Identity Disorder, and did even back then. I don't think I did a terrible job, but I think it would have been irresponsible for me to go forward without digging in a little further. YouTube Livestream 13 (July 23, 2020)

A parachute so if the windrunner runs out of stormlight they have a back up so they don't just go splat. Yes they could still get cut out of the air, but it would give other windrunners a chance to form up around him or her, and resupply the person. Building on the dart idea, maybe serrated knives, or harpoons. That way they stick in draining voidlight and deal more damage when torn out. Wingsuits might result in added maneuverability. Litters for carrying people from hotspots. Kind of like the type the coast guard uses. Instead of having to maintain lashes on multiple people in multiple directions, have everyone pile into the litter, lash it up to lighten it, and using a handle or cord, pull it behind you while you lash yourself. If its a handle, then you can easily maintain the lashings keeping it light, or if its a cord, same principle. That's all I got so far off the top of my head.

Just a point of clarity since a lot of people have been misunderstanding this, Jasnah is Queen, not a regent. There is an important difference between the two, and it was stated in Oathbringer. Dalinar tells Adolin that this is not the time for a regency. That Gavinor can be named heir, but a king in fact is needed. They then picked Jasnah. So she isn't just holding the position till he comes of age. She is Queen and holds all the powers associated with that station Oathbringer page 1220 The Blackthorn shook his head, then looked to Shallan and Adolin. “Either way, Alethkar needs a king. More so now than ever.” “The heir—” Adolin began. “Too young. This isn’t the time for a regency. Gavinor can be named your heir, Adolin, but we must see you two married and the monarchy secured. For the good of Alethkar, but also the world.”