teknopathetic

Oh good point, but perhaps Parshendi are different. We haven't heard anyone complain of Parshendi mental screams after a battle, and we haven't seen a Parshendi death rattle. Or, and I know Brandon has said otherwise, Eshonia manages to come back as a Fused of her own making (I know its been deconfirmed, but maybe Brandon would lie).

No one really dies on Roshar, but they stay around as cognitive shadows of varying strengths Evidence: Spoilers All Stormlight Archieve Some of theories (not sure which one I like best): 1. Honour and/or Cultivation as intents allow for cognitive aspects to either be held to the planet by oaths, to allow the dead to be cultivated and used. Possibly hatred/spite can keep people in this realm to certain extents as well 2. Whatever is trapping Odium in the system is having a weird effect on souls trying to leave the system as well. 3. Spren can't leave the system, and the souls of people on Roshar have a special connection that allows them to resist the pull of the beyond.

I think this has more to do with time dilation between moving large distance, but Ashyen is basically next door so no such dilation would occur.

Perhaps the survivors spoke different languages and different groups went different ways. I hadn't considered a world-builder to think of this, but good point. But this doesn't explain why the Vorin language would still use Axehound for something that would clearly have a Parshendi name. The Vorin language should have had more exposure and need for trade than the Shin language (expansion), but that's not the case. It is explicitly not the case when "axe hound" is noted by Wit. So while interesting, the theory of multiple languages landing in the Shin lands doesn't explain the discrepancy pattern. We know Ashe was born very close to the time of the explosion, and Ashe appears to be 30 years old max, so that really limits our timeline. Maybe Ashyen people lived 300 years, but then why do people now only like 80 or so? And maybe the heralds (most of them) did have investiture from Ashyen that kept them alive longer, but we also have no reason to believe that either. All we know is that Ashe was born very close to the migration (WOB says Brandon isn't sure if she was born before or after), and that means all of this likely went down very quickly. An isolated pocket of humanity likely wouldn't learn Parshendi in under 30 years, and would not be super inclined to learn it once the wars started and the Heralds became figureheads. Perhaps there was a LONG gap between the first few desolations and the humans relied on the Parshendi for economic support, but that doesn't hold. The Vorin language, which expanded east, would have had to assimilate more aspects of Dawnate as the exansion would directly place this Ashyenate language in direct trade contact with Dawnate. It shouldn't be the culturally established and geographically isolated Shin region in the west that absorbs the foriegn language (as a balance of probabilities). Again, we know almost nothing and I don't think anything is wrong. All I am saying is the evidence points to something extreme happening, like the Shin fell to the Parshendi in the past as the Vorin Language groups held on and resisted as they spread East. But this too is problematic as we have an Oathgate in Shin territory.... It just goes on and on.

Applied Linguist here: Assuming Brandon is using language family correctly (and he doesn't mean sub-family), it makes NO sense that the Shin would speak a language in the Dawnate language family unless some real weird power relations went on. From what we know, AySHIN people land in the east, and within 1 lifetime (the heralds all came from Ashyen), we get our first human-caused desolation and the creation of the Heralds. With this near instant division, it is quite unlikely for the Ashyen refugees to adopt a Parshendi language unless the Ashyen refugees were being culturally dominated by the Parshendi and forced to learn the Dawnate languages. This is even more unlikely since we know the humans were originally hidden away on the western coast far from Parshendi influence. With the war, it seems unlikely that humans would adopt Dawnate in speaking, though adopting the writing system is far more reasonable like with what Japanese and Korean did with Chinese. Humans were likely to read about their new land, but it seems unlikely they would speak to one another in an adopted tongue in under 70 years. It is possible, but unlikely. One possibility is that the people in the Shin lands sided with Odium and teamed up with the Parshendi (cultural influence eroding their original language in the Shin lands), while the other humans fled east and retained the roots of their Ashyen language. This too is problematic, as the only evidence we have of an entire cultural group working with Odium (outside of individuals from visions) is Thaylena's Passion's which could be a remnant of that Kingdom working for Odium in the past. As well, the Shin currently seem extremely devoted to following Cultivation (as far as we can tell), which would mean the Shin had to switch sides several times in order to have developed this linguistic anomaly. Possible, but obtuse. Also, the desolations. Surely the humans hadn't migrated across the entire continent in 70 years. So as desolations occurred, humans began to move out further and further and take over Parshendi lands (we know Kolinar was once Parshendi) and began spreading the Ashyen Refugee culture while perhaps trading with Parshendi and adopting Parshendi technology, words, and grammars. We even get interbreeding with Horneaters and Herdazians (and perhaps creoles that cause Ayshenate to mingle with Dawnate). But this isn't what happened! The people who moved out East don't speak Dawnate! It was the ones with less contact that speak Dawnate for gods know whatever reason. Perhaps the Parshendi did not have a spoken language (songs were good enough) and the Parshendi adopted Dawnate as a new form of technology. The Parshendi seem to possess linguistic abilities that allow them to pick up languages faster, and technological advances tend to spur language migration. However,there is so little time for for the Fused to have adopted a human language for personal use when there were few economic or cultural reasons to do so once the war started. It appears neither side was subjected and forced into cultural submission until the end, and bi-partisan trade also seems quite unlikely due to the existence of the Oathgates and the fact Fused return to Damnation after a defeat. This is also unlikely since the earliest translated Dawnate texts are from a Parshendi POV, which lead us to believe Dawnate to be a Parshendi language. Then we have all other humans speaking entirely different language families further out West, where they should really all be traceable back to what the Shin spoke, minus some possible weirdness due to other populations immigrating (Iriali, and possibly Thaylen due to their suspiciously different physical traits). Did the Ayshenate refugee expansion lead to intermixing with other refugee languages from off-world, or did the people who left the Shin lands retain their original Ashyen languages while the people of Shin were influenced by Dawnate? What happened?!?! I am very curious to know if the Dawnshards were brought from Ayshen (since the humans destroyed their planet somehow), or if the Dawnshards are from Roshar. Knowing where those came from might tell us where the Dawnate language comes from originally.

His interactions with Shallan seem to be genuine human connection, which is not something we see him do with any other character in any other story. His bond with her seems more impactful for some reason, and she might bias his decisions and actions in the future, maybe.

Other people expect her to age though. If everyone truly believed she wouldn't age then maybe she wouldn't. I am not sure if we have to include shards in the "everyone" category or not.

My gut says that a properly trained radiant could soulcast some pretty good yums

We finally know what the Ghostbloods want. I wonder if Hoid could Soulcast instant noodles? The true reason he sought out a cryptic?

The nature of Cultivation might give her extremely good Physical Realm future sight, which is something entirely different than using Fortune to do so. Odium might be desperately trying to get intel on that form of future sight since he lacks it. Cultivation can use her investiture to see what Ter will do at each step and with what information at what time, so layering the truth would be an extremely good strategy since that completely prevents the diagram from being unpacked by Odium or anyone else. It is also important to note that Mr T is the one who told Dalinar about how to trap a spren. That is EXTREMELY suspicious for someone who claims to be only trying to save the kingdom of Karbrandth. Had The diagram not led to very specific actions, Dalinar would not have been able to take the thrill off the map. I smell Cultivation in there somewhere.

We do know this. Odium says "You did all this without using fortune?". According to a WoB on the Coppermind, "What happens to Taravangian increases multiple types of intelligence, not just raw 'processing power'. Someone tapping enough feruchemical zinc could achieve something similar but not quite the same". Mr T. used the physical realm to deduce his diagram. The physical realm deduction let him see Renarin where as Odium's future sight did not. This is likely because Renarin also has future sight and that causes feedback, or the nature of Renarin's spren is doing something weird and unknown to Odium (Sja Anat's rebellion). According to the coppermind, "The agreement would trade his help by sharing the Diagram's information (though he could not read Renarin's participation) and giving him the Honorblade in exchange for sparing the people of Kharbranth (the city itself, any humans born into it, and their spouses). Odium accepted, placing Taravangian and the Diagram firmly under the control of Dalinar's enemy." Odium wouldn't work with the Diagram if there wasn't information in there that Odium needed. In my opinion the Honorblade was an extra thing but the diagram was the real thing Odium wanted to control.

Two things: 1. The diagram was not constructed using fortune, so Mr T's knowledge comes from a different source than Odium. This is why Mr T can see some things that Odium cant. 2. The diagram was hides Renarin from Odium, so Odium does not have as much information as Odium thinks. This is why there can be a diagram 2.0 as it uses a method of prediction Odium doesn't seem to be as good at. I highly doubt that genius Mt T would in any way take the emotional route and plan to save only his family from Odium. Instead, Genius Mr T would likely use his weaker emotional side to trick Odium into something or into exposing himself. The most obvious plan is that Genius Mr T is trying to maneuver Renarin into a position to do something major. The other more common idea is that Khaladin's mother might have been from Karbrandth and Khaladin will be granted the protection Odium promised (leading to some kind of disaster for Odium)

I cant seem to remember: is that cosmere?

Are we convinced Ishar was always sane? What if he was particularly flawed even before he became a herald?

"Dalinar stiffened at that"

The shades might be weaponized as well, and perhaps someone sends them out from time to time. Just imagine what unleashing 10,000 shades into Elendel might do, or what might happen to the spren if Shades started invading along side Odium.

I also wondered if Dalinar is supposed to unite the shattered shards (perhaps by uniting the cognitive ghosts of past bond smiths). Its my most crackpot theory, but I am invested in it.

Being a hero is not equivalent to being a hyper-capable sword-wielding man. Her strength comes from being able to endure extremely horrible emotional situations and remain standing. She keeps moving forward in order to help the people she cares about despite the constant barrage of emotional cataclysms that are inflicted upon her. As a woman she is judged by how calm she can be and by how she can serve those of her house. Her entire identity grows out of easing the pain of the men around her, and she becomes extremely good at doing so. Shallan removes herself from the equation in order to be as helpful to those around her. What ends up happening is she isn't sure which shell of herself will be of most use, and she begins to become 3 strong people in order to selflessly help those she cares about. It takes her a long time to become comfortable with the fact that she is not just some sort of emotional pain-real. In this she is stronger than Khaladin, as she has never given up on others in the way Khaladin has. Remember that Khaladin would have committed suicide if not for Syl bringing him a "leaf". Her strength is one of the things that impresses Khaladin, as he is usually the "strongest" one emotionally. As for Dalinar, he did the exact same thing as Shallan by forgetting his emotional pain. We forgive it more in him than we do in Shallan (who wasn't able to completely remove her trauma). Shallan is extremely strong, and I stand by the fact she is "stronger" than Khaladin and I have no issues wither her "winning" over Khladin. Shallan is Tien, and Khaladin would never be able to defeat that little guy anywhere outside of a battlefield.

She's my absolute favourite; I skip Khaladin backstory on reread these days.

I wonder if the cities on Roshar with their resonance patterns might have worked as an Elantrian booster of some kind

We also have the Makabaki myth about the woman who climbed a mountain after a desolation to retrieve “seed stones”. These were stones “touched by the heralds themselves”. She then brought them to her kind lg, who was in his death bed, and harvested his seed to hatch 10 children. This is yet another reference to stones as being magic.

Radiant Gaz

In chapter 55 of TWoK (The Emerald Brome) the bridgemen agree that Parshemn all over take care of their dead fairly consistently. As they harvest beard-gems in the caverns, Rlain is actually able to resolve himself to the fact that the team needs the gems to survive (with a little bit of physical restraint from the other bridgemen). The Parshmen absolutely flip out if that happens, and it is said that Parshmen were free to take care of their dead since it seemed like the only thing the Parshmen ever requested to do. I doubt spies made it in to the culture that consistently. If we removed connection from humans, I doubt we would see such behaviour?

Makes you wonder about the whole Shin invasion attempt. Was their religion different before the invasion (more warlike), and the Shin religion changed to pacifism as a result of that failed invasion? Or did something extreme cause the Shin to find walking on stone justifiable? Did someone piss off the Shin so greatly? Was there strong economic pressure? Was someone getting visions from the Stormfather? Had the Thrill been there for a time? It is all so curious. Religion is affected by history, and I would love to know how that religion has shifted in the past few thousand years.

This doesn't explain how the Parshmen are retaining the behaviour with their connection severed. Some Parshmen don't even have self-preservation behaviour without being instructed to do so by their masters, so how would this stick? If Parshmen have a cultural memory of the harvesting, then its the ONLY cultural memory they retained. And avoiding gemheart harvesting doesn't line up with putting the bodies of there dead on stone slabs in the forest. It is assumed harvesting is the issue, but we have that information from the Fused who are not a trustworthy source on the matter.