Miyabi

Perhaps the interaction here is that he is trying to make himself seem like the good guy. I got the feeling that he forced her to commit these murders. Which could lend credence to both of the aforementioned theories as to who the monster is. It could have a dual meaning. Him being a monster for forcing her to do it, her being a monster for doing it. Perhaps that's the only connecting that keeps her connected to him is that they're both monsters in this situation.

This my good friend is known as the Brandon Avalanche. It's a problem he has had for a long time, though over the last .... 8 years has improved significantly. One day you should try to get a hold of Dragonsteel through an inter-library-loan. That book has quite the avalanche. As far as "everything leading up is empty" one of Brandon's philosophies is that a book and characters are written well when you are happy reading about their day to day lives. We see that through a large chunk of TWoK. Just people and their day to day lives, leading them into a grander story to come. I think I'm most excited to learn more about the magic systems... I'm a sucker for them and how they work and I just want to know everything RIGHT NOW. xD

I have a few little theories here. Gavilar - I think he probably wanted to create something similar to the Orders, feeling that such a thing would benefit society and make the world a better place for everyone. Perhaps he had invited the Parshendi to help in this process. The Old Gods - The Alethi practically worship the Heralds as if they were Gods without directly calling them so, in order to not upset the Almighty. (Superstitious crack pots.) I would guess here that the Unmade and the Voidbringers were an analogous force fighting on Odium's side of the fight. It would make sense that Odium used tools and weapons created by one of the other Shards, as he wouldn't want to create anything. The Parshendi - The Parshendi don't want the "Old Gods" to come back. They seem to know the legends of the Desolations better than the Alethi people do. I would assume that they suffered huge casualties along with the humans. They don't want to start that war over again and so they avoid things that may start the war. When they hear of him wanted to recreate the Orders they decide he needs to be assassinated in order to prevent events occurring which might being back the Heralds and the Unmade, and with them the KR and the Voidbringers. Stormform - This is a new development for them. I would assume by its name that it is related to Surgebinding of some kind. They all seemed to revere Kaladin when he was using his powers. Perhaps it is from this observation that the Parshendi were able to determine what type of Spren was needed to create Stormform. Seems logical to me, since they have been trying for a long time to discover new forms and it's only after this occurs that they are able to discover it. Perhaps they will learn more forms as more humans bond with Spren. New Forms - The discovery of new forms could be an idle thing that the Parshendi don't see as being related to the KR or the Voidbringers and see it more as a scholarly task and a way to end the war they are currently in. They would want to be careful so that they didn't start forming the Voidbringer Orders again in order to avoid the Heralds and the Unmade to show up and start a Desolation. TLDR; The Parshendi do everything they do in order to avoid a Desolation, because they don't want that many of their own people to die and are researching new forms to end the current war with the Alethi. In regards to this I think perhaps the cycle of the Oathpact may also bind the Unmade in the same way it does the Heralds and the fact that the Heralds didn't continue the Oathpact perhaps the Unmade are trapped in the same hellish hole the Heralds went to between desolations.

I like that you brought this up. Even if they have a stockpile of Fabrials, it doesn't mean they could use them in battle. Fabrials are made for specific things it seems. I feel that there is potential that any "greater one," is simply someone who can Soulcast without use of a Fabrial and the Ardentia keeps it a secret and that's why they are so passionate about getting the Soulcaster away from Jasnah, in hopes that she will stop Soulcasting and in turn help to keep their secret, hoping perhaps that Jasnah herself doesn't understand the nature of her power and won't even try to Soulcast if she doesn't have the Fabrial.

I like the example he read where they are attempting to discover an artistic Spren to change to a form that they have a song about which I'm assuming references some form of creativity or artisticness. Perhaps the times in which they can change aren't just restricted by 'during a Highstorm,' but maybe even only during certain times of the year, or only within a certain time-frame of a desolation.

I like your theory here, but if the Parshmen had their Spren Bonds forcibly removed and that's what makes them hollow, how does simply freeing them cause their Gods to come back? I'm not clear on what you mean here.

I believe the Parshendi must have been around in those times, and I feel as if, especially when concerned with the powers of the Radiants, the Parshendi have a much greater knowledge than the Alethi do.

I didn't read every post on this topic, so I'm sorry if it had already been mentioned. There is mention, though I forget where, that Plate and Blade adapt to the users needs of them. Generally this just means the Plate changes to fit the person, and the Blade changes to a shape which better fist their fighting style. Who's to say that the Blade would HAVE to take the form of a sword? It could become something spearlike. I know you're going to say, "What about when was in Amaram's army." Well at that time he didn't really accept them, therefore they were never really 'his.' Also, there's the fact that Syl HATES the Plate and Blades, so I assume something like this won't happen until a Dawnshard is added to the mix.

You're right. You got me there. Though perhaps his disbelief only extends to him and his people. It could still explain why he would not see an Honorspren bound to him.

Ugh, I typed this once and hit back on accident and it deleted it. UGH! In regards to Urithiru being to the west. One of my claims is that Urithiru was originally in Shadesmar, since space is different in Shadesmar, Urithiru, in its location there, could very well have been west of Alethkar. Though it's transference to the physical realm may have placed it where the Shattered Plains are now. The Alethi appear to be a very logical in your face type people. Shardplate and Shardblades, the tools of the KR exist, therefore they must have existed at some point. The only things from Urithiru left are stories, usually found in books like TWoK, which most people dislike. When Jasnah and Shallan are discussing the Shattered Plains, the question is if Urithiru is ON the Plains, deep at their center. Not whether or not the Plains ARE Urithiru, buried in years and years of crem. Also, they are under the assumption that Urithiru would be physically west of Alethkar. The face that MOST people couldn't walk to Urithiru helps to support that it may have been in Shadesmar in the beginning. The author of TWoK (whose name escapes me atm) said he walked there. Who's to say he can't enter Shadesmar same as Shallan, Jasnah, and Hoid?

Not so. If a man is plotting to kill your family and you know for 100% fact that he is going to do such a thing if something doesn't stop him and the only way to do so is to kill the man, do you have to tell him you're going to kill before you do such? No. Also, just because Jasnah interacts with assassins doesn't mean she uses them to assassinate people. This scene here she isn't having the assassin kill anyone, just keep an eye out and watch for contracts to assassinate her family. She does have the thought about "unless she was the one hiring the assassin." That does hint that she is capable of or has done such a thing, but doesn't mean that she has or will per se. In regards to bonding Spren and Szeth and Shinovar. We see in places where people really believe and worship the Spren they seem to be bigger and stronger and more corporeal. Rock, who Syl isn't revealing herself to, can see her just the same, because his people believe so strongly in the Spren and worship them. Is it possible that there are no VISIBLE Spren in Shinovar simply because its people deny their existence so strongly? From what I can recall Szeth NEVER mentions Spren, even though he spends a lot of time where Spren should be. Could he simply not see Spren because of his disbelief in them? Sezth has taken on a task of his people, an important task, which no one wants to do, because it requires you to forever become a slave and live a life of isolation and profanity. Is taking on such a task not an extremely honorable trait? I think so.

I imagine that the Parshendi, may unlock some new form, that may be better at war, or different than what we've seen and people begin to think they are the Voidbringers. I don't think the Parshendi are the Voidbringers, though I know that is a very common belief atm.

I'm glad to hear that it was found. I know that generally that type of discussion isn't allowed, but if it was easily accessible it would maybe find a home somewhere on the forums. Also I don't want to talk to it about people who haven't read it as to avoid spoilers, since it is supposed to be published in some fashion eventually.

I KNOW I'm a little late to this party, because I haven't been around, but I have a theory about Urithiru in regards to the interlude with the Parshendi viewpoint. IMO Urithiru is the shattered Plains. Think about it, Uruthiru should be symmetrical. There are mentions made that the Plains, if looked at from high enough above appear at least somewhat symmetrical. Wasn't there a picture of the city vibration things the Ardent made? Does what little of the Plains we see resemble that? The city, before being abandoned by the Heralds and the KR would have been inaccessible by foot(most likely). This means it could have existed in Shadesmar, so potentially, someone who could make it to Shadesmar COULD walk to Urithiru. Without the powers of the Heralds and KR (in a similar fashion to the way the Shardplate stopped glowing) may have coalesced into the physical realm. No one would know where it was. No one would clean the crem from it, and over time, the crem would build and build.

I wish people had read Dragonsteel before it disappeared from the BYU library.... I have a very interesting idea about this bug thing. Also: Going to post a response to continue this Urithiru thread in since it doesn't really belong here. Along with a theory I have about Urithiru. I would like to continue the Urithiru discussion here

Brandon himself has said the earthquake wasn't natural, but the effects of the Reod on Elantrians were.

I forgot about this line. It still doesn't mean for sure that it was a vehement action, it just says it's probable. Though Brandon isn't one to throw a ton of red herrings around, so it probably was. Thank you for the quote.

It's good to see you again. ^.^

I figured I would introduce myself, since people don't know me who are newer. My name is Miyabi. I'm the resident Homo. I have been reading Brandon's books since shortly after Elantris came out and I met him at a signing. I have since manage to beleaguer my way into a beta reader position over the years. I was extremely active on the TWG forums when they were Brandon(EUOL)'s official forums. I know much of the administration here and was heavily involved int eh beginnings of this site and the Coppermind. It was once called "Hoid's Compendium." I'm glad that these guys run the site and do so much with it. I hope to be able to earn a spot on the admin team eventually. ^.^ I have been out of the BrandonSphere for a while now. I spent a long time in a very poisonous relationship which really caused a lot of bad things to happen in my life. I'm glad to be back and to not be a part of that situation anymore. I look forward to rekindling old friendships as well as making new ones. ^.^

Why does the Reod and the Earthquake have to have been caused by something evil? Who's to say it wasn't just some Elantrian attempting some extremely advanced AonDor and missed a line or Aon in his complex algorithm that then broke the world and AonDor?

This just made my day.

Honestly was the fact that Sazed was the Hero of Ages, even though I poured over that first epigraph in TFE for months trying to figure out that the line "hold the future of the world of my arms" was a literal statement.

When compounding you can create a larger amount of something. So let's say Feruchemist has a value of 'a' inherent Investiture. They then store that within Metalmind 1. They then burn said Investiture whilst storing it into Metalmind 2. The amount of Investiture now in Metalmind 2 is 'a' + the amount of Investiture created by the burning of the compounded Metal, so someone who is at least twinborn in Nicrosil would be able to create an infinite amount of Investiture as long as they have access to Nicrosil. My theory is proposing that Investiture is simply Investiture at this point and that there aren't different types, just different methods.

Most definitely Spook. He's an outsider caught up in way too much. There are so many times in my life I feel like that, and I tend to attract those people. Also, he's just so genuine about himself and his emotions.

I don't have overall favourites, but I have favourites for certain reasons. Sanderson: Vin realizing how to defeat TLR. It's about a person realizing she is more than she is that God isn't God. "For the bridgemen." The purest, most honorable, and most honest moment I have ever seen. The moment in The Rithmatist when Joel and Melody use two different colors of chalk, because it was, though modified, my idea. <3 I will appreciate that more than anything most anyone has ever given me. For that moment to appear in a book just .... It made me so happy you don't even know. Non-Sanderson: The moment in Brent Weeks Night Angel Trilogy when they look for the "mark" to make sure the sword is real. lol When in the Eye of the World when Perrin gives in and accepts his connection with the wolves. In The Prisoner of Azkhaban when Harry realizes he has family in Sirius.