Michael Portz

You might be right for the next one or two books, aka the first half of SA, but with the amount of worldhopping going on in SA many magic systems will be openly seen. SA in its outlined form will be the main cosmeric opus. Imho that actually means, that there will be a confluence of shards and magic systems. And Hemalurgy is the one magic system which can actually enhance one magic system by mixing it with another one, i.e. thus make it more powerful. Sidenote: Of course on the surface nobody needs to have read Warbreaker, but knowing what Nightblood can do does influence ones view of what is actually going on and what dangers are lurking.

I agree with those of you, who point out that we are not even close to getting the whole picture of what surgebinding can do. Alas -or ... not- I am quite sure, that before we actually do get the whole picture, hemalurgy will play an important role on Roshar, so we wont ever get an unspoiled picture

My impression was always that they came WITH it, as integral part of it. Whats the source of Ishar being called so before the Pact?

Of course we do have an explicit and detailed example of messing up a planets ecology by uninformed or naive use of shardic power: Scadrial

Yes But wasn't it always clear to the intrigue-infested Alethi Warlords, that the Assassin in White just was a tool? An incredibly dangerous tool, but a tool which every Alethi court would prefer to make use of instead of just removing it. It never ocurred to me, that somebody in Alethar or even in Roshar might think of Szeth of having an own agenda. First I think it was absolutely clear, that Roshar needs much more Radiants to stand up to the Desolation and Odiums goals. I for one am glad, that for now (book 3 of 10) there are still only a handful of Radiants and that I can relate to each one of them, instead of there being a mass of anonymous Radiants. Second, I think to counter this I-am-Radiant-You-are-Radiant-Everybody-is-Radiant-effect Brandon explicitly hinted the difficulty of each Radiancy level via Nales explanation to Szeth. There will be a strict hierarchy of Radiants, and not everybody will reach the upper levels. Perhaps even Kaladin will be stuck on his current level. Completely unrelated to the topic: I still think that Oathbringer is a fantastic book and by far the best of the series so far.

Orrrrr... after your initial plead I went and got me some popcorn ... now I am all disappointed ... Of course I am kidding...nice idea! I already see the Willshapers loosen up the ground and then let the frequencies based on Roshars Rythms do all the work for the cymatics!

It is agreed upon in MY incomplete understanding, that these "original" surges were similiar to, but different from Nahel bond related surges, i.e., they were from a different magic system, i.e. there was an unreliable narrator involved.

Oooh, nice, lots of upvotes to distribute, thanks :-D For raising the question. For meta-ing it. For adding my currently favourite order to the equation. For giving a funny answer instead of lashing out. For making a connection to surges possibly involved. My two chips: It will have to do with Kalak not really actively deciding.

Great, thanks :-D

Wupps, missed this totally ... where was it announced?

Another example of Rocks stormlight enhanced strength, from chapter 37, The Last Time We March:

If I had known about your theory, I wouldn't have bothered to formulate my own post but linked to it instead :-) One question: Where is the joke-part??? Gemhearts might be true, sprend bonding might be true, and some kind of hulkform might be true for Horneaters as well :-D

Wasn't that something about persuading the stones to return to their bonded state? *THINK*

Are there already theories about how far the Horneater's Listener anchestry goes? Perhaps Horneaters do have a symbiotic relationship with spren just like Listeners; i.e. perhaps they do have different forms, as well, like warriorform, craftform and especially cookform ...

I am wholeheartedly with you, with slight deviations in your points 5 and 9 :-) Warbreaker is just phenomenal, if you keep in mind that its just a backstory for three up-to-now-B-class characters in Brandons Opus Magnum. You are right, Moash is the real kingkiller, even a double-one, never thought of this; I wonder about the smalltalk between Brandon Sanderson and Patrick Rothfuss the next time they meet ... BS: "Hey Pat, how are your Kingkiller Chronicles coming along?" - PR: *mumblesincomprehensible* - BS: "Did you notice that I have a Double Kingkiller in my Chronicles now?" ... naaaa, Brandon is probably much too nice to be so nasty ... My deviation at 9 is that I dont think Moash is being dirty with the salute, but that he is still deeply respecting Kaladin; that he only feels that forgiveness goes beyond his, Moashs, powers, and that it can not be granted to him, either.

Just in case you are NOT being ironic:

Seems that Honor is dead for me ...

Ahemm... eyes scratched out, why shouldn't this be Mayalaran? Perhaps she is a daughter of a King of Spren and perhaps she scratched out her eyes when in pain after her Radiant broke the bond.

Hmmm, as much as it was my instinct to reject @PhineasGage's theory at first, I just can't. I reread Sj-anat's coppermind page and it seems much more plausible to me now as well, that Renarin is NOT voidbinding, but doing something completely new.

I am with @lastofus here, at least partially: As I understand it, "You cannot have my pain." ist just a personalized, by chance directed-at-odium version of "I will take responsibility for what I have done.", so the former just might BE an oath; contrary to what @Calderis assumes. I have BIG trouble seeing anything oath-y in 2 and 3, though, until somebody further enlightens me ;-)

Same response as above, thatfor I quote myself: Semi-ninja'd by TR:

If its Hemalurgy, should Moash then not have been more careful to where precisely he stabbed Jezrien? Instead it looks a bit randomly "in the gut".

But why should Tien be ABOVE the radar when Kaladin is BELOW?

I still have no idea how bonding really happens: is it first crossing and then bonding or first bonding and then crossing? Nevertheless, I agree with you in that the special thing for this spren was the mid-oath-interruption by Elhokars death. For sure there are several entities nearby who can make very good use of such a semi-bonded honor/cultivation spren, among them Wit, Moash(?), any of the Fused(?).

Re-highlighted the really important part in my eyes ... @OP: I don't think actual possession is a requirement for fulfillment of Nightwatchers boons.