Blightsong

In Words of Radiance, when Jasnah and Shallan were on the ship Jasnah mentions that she believes that the cryptics lead Shallan to her, or otherwise implied that she believed Spren were responsible for Shallan finding Jasnah. Jasnah's theory may not be the truth, but it's the most concrete answer to the question Nalan's statement rose that I can find. An alternate explaination is that Cultivation is responsible for this, and is manipulating events so that Radiants group up, but I find this less likely as Wyndle seems to believe that the Noghtwatcner has given up on Radiants.

Ahhh, I'll have to listen to the recording again then report back. Thanks for catching me on that.

In the recent Oathbringer prologue reading we learned that Gavilar believes that some kind of acient, powerful spren was used to turn the Parshendi into Parshmen. A lot some people believe this spren to be an Adonalsium spren (and that this Adonalsium spren is the third bondsmith spren), but I have a different theory. A quote directly relating to how a Bondsmith defeated the Voidbringers is as follows. "So Melishi retired to his tent, and resolved to destroy the Voidbringers upon the next day, but that night did present a different stratagem, related to the unique abilities of the Bondsmiths; and being hurried, he could make no specific account of his process; it was related to the very nature of the Herald and their divine duties, an attribute the Bondsmiths alone could address." This suggests that a Bondsmith, Melishi, is responsible for the creation of Parshmen. It has long been hinted at and theorized that the Nightwatcher is the second Bondsmith spren, and this is supported by a recent interview when Brandon seemed to believe that the fandom knew who the second Bondsmith spren is. It struck me that the Nightwatcher has displayed the ability to change beings and their spiritual or cognitive aspects. I think that it would make sense that Bondsmith bonded to the Nightwatcher would be able to 'curse' the Parshendi into the state they are in now, or at least persuade the Nightwatcher herself to do so. What are your guy's thoughts on this new info?

I don't think we can judge what is pragmatic for him to do because we know next to nothing about what his true intentions and the extent of his knowledge were.

I think you are too harsh on Gavilar. If God himself tells you that you need to save humanity, you would probably do everything in your power to do so. We also don't know enough about what Gavilar knew to make assumption as to what his plan was. For all we know Amaram could be carrying out a plan divergent from the one Gavilar had in mind to begin with.

We have WoB that Gavilar was indeed on the path to becoming a Bondsmith. The first ideal can be interpreted in many ways, and we know that some radiant orders can possess a Machiavellian philosophy.

Brandon said he's cool with it.

Millions of Rosharans.

He's has said that if worst comes to worst, as size goes, they could use a smaller font or find a different book binder.

Brandon recently said that this was very very unlikely, as while the writing may get done early, his team was already running on a very short time scale production-wise for a book as ambitious as Stormlight and that any time made up would just be added to the production (like the art work you mentioned).

@Bridge4AM Did Brandon say if he was going to post the reading anywhere? How was it?

What answers did he give? Was there a reading?

We have no idea, just that she was primarily raised by her mother in all likelihood.

@Oversleep I'm just going to do a breakdown of the WoB, I think that would get my point across better than snippets out of context. My new comments will be emboldened and in parentheses. (Sorry for bad formatting, the mobile UI is being very difficult)

Double post because it won't let me edit. I think you misinterpreted the WoB. Brandon was saying that Mistborn are as invested as Knights Radiant, but because Knights Radiant aren't particularly invested as well.

Yup, WoB that Investiture is permeating the soul But this contradicts part of the conversation that ended in the WoB you presented above. Brandon states "The Mistborn, how their burning the metal, you're right. They are not specifically invested when they are not burning. When the investiture becomes active, the yes. Before, no, you're right on that.". In conclusion, mistborn are not more invested until they actively use metals, but the use of these metals over time does leave a kind of investiture residue that forms innate investiture. This is why mistings are more specialized with their power, innate investiture seems to use investiture more precisely while a powerful connection only affects the brute strength of the power you can channel. If connection and innate investiture were the same thing then full lerasium mistborn would have no trouble floating on a coin.

You have some correct ideas, but are applying the mechanics of some magic systems to all magic systems. We know via the above WoB that not all magic systems increase your level of innate investiture. My idea of how innate investiture works is that it increases the power of already present connections. For example, we know that savantism increases a person's level of investiture, and that it also makes someone more powerful with that magic. Another example is the Heightenings. By holding more breaths it strengthens already existing connections, increasing hearing and sight among other things. In video game terms, innate investiture bestows passive abilities, while connections (like the ones gained from Lerasium) bestow active abilities. I think you are not putting enough stock in how much the Connections themselves affect the post death transitional period. When I spoke to Brandon in the above WoB he seemed adamant that the connections, and not just the innate investiture that inhabited them, were most of the reason why mistborn stay around longer than normal people. I also want to point out that not all magic systems/magical connections require a crack in the spirit web like in Allomancy and Surgebinding.

Yeah, I could've phrased that better. Connectionsare made of investiture, but in the same way that all matter is supposedly investiture in the Cosmere.

I think you guys are missing the point of part of the WoB. He is distinguishing that the connections aren't investiture.

Nice theories. This was a WoB I was very interested in after that particular signing. An interesting example where I think these mechanics take place are the Heralds, and I'm exited to see how their Connections work.

Brandon has said that most humans came from stolen, but that there were other humans on other planets that weren't native to Yolen (such as the shin). I'm also unsure why any of the Vessels would care that Adonalsium was terra forming planets. I think we need to be careful about blaming anything we hear that Adonalsium had done as why the Vessels destroyed him, especially when they seems this unrelated.

When ever people bring up focuses I want to point this out. Brandon has said that focuses are an in universe method of an attempt at understanding the mechanics of magic systems, their may not be similar parallels in all magic systems.

You are making several different assumptions that we don't know are correct. Also, I doubt Dalinar's vision is what will actually happen, that isn't exactly a widely agreed upon theory.

There is a pretty set definition of the law, and it is a social institution, not a personal one. Do you remember how Nalan did it? He worked within the law of the country he was operating within.

Their second ideal is "I will hold the law above all else" (confirmed via WoB), so Skybreakers up to the second ideal do.