Gnmish

I would have assumed the Exist shard that Hoid/Nomad carry would have been that Dawnshard. We've seen its effect to Bind the holder to be unable to do harm. Presumably that would work on any sentient creature, Voidish or Mortal.

This has been kicking around in my head since Dawnshard, so with the revelations of WaT, I think my Dawnshard/Intent rubric is ready! Now that we know Hoid/Nomad's dawnshard is Exist I think it's a safe assumption that the 4 are paired basic Commands, and the only commands I can think of as basic as Change and Exist are Begin and End. The Dawnshard mural depicts Adonalsium split by 4 then 4 again, we can assume each Intent was filtered with a Primary and Secondary Command, giving rise to 16. Starting with the 4 'pure' Intents with only 1 command, I chose Begin: Invention, Change: Whimsy, Exist: Preservation, End: Ruin. Then it was a matter of categorising each of the others with a primary and secondary trait, and the result is this chart.

Getting a Soulcaster is not exactly an impossible feat, a 17 year old Shallan managed to steal Jasnah's albeit fake one without using a single power, and the Wandersail picked up a half dozen just as an afterthought to the expedition. Also, if the Ghostbloods were that ignorant of Jasnah's powers, I would consider that an even larger indictment of their incompetence, their 'secret' knowledge is their only real asset, and it failed on even that most basic level of knowing your enemy (or prey)

For all his posing and 'subtlety' he has never actually done anything interesting or useful that I can see. Every plan we have seen of the Ghostbloods on Roshar has been a dismal failure with the exception of Shallan's operations. Without Shallan's record, the Ghostbloods would be one of the most ineffectual organisations on Roshar, racking up failed operations and dead operatives at every turn. And yet Mraize struts about bragging that he is some bad-ass 'hunter'. The only prey he has ever caught appears to be a 14 year old girl. The one time he gets confronted with any real danger he scampers off like the miserable little cremling he is. One can only hope Mishram rips off his face as soon as she is freed and he tries to control her.

Thanks Treamayne, I didn't think about it as a form of Savantism before.

So, we've seen what happens to regular humans that over-use soul casters and how they eventually become the essence they create. I've always wondered, could the affliction of the ardent 'Soulcasters' be reveresed by a particularly skilled Elsecaller? I mean, the person still sees themselves as human, could you use Soulcasting and bunch of stormlight to have them change to the form they already see themselves as? You don't even need to convince them.

I was inspired by Brandon and Dan's experiments with ChatGPT and decided to ask it to write a fantasy novel about kite based magic. Honestly...I'd read it. prompt: write a fantasy novel about kite based magic As the sun set over the sprawling city of Arathia, a lone figure could be seen perched atop a rooftop, gazing out over the skyline. His name was Jarek, and he was a kite mage - one of the rare few who possessed the ability to harness the magic of the wind through his trusty kite. Jarek's kite was no ordinary kite, for it was imbued with the power to control the very currents of the air. With a flick of his wrist and a whispered incantation, Jarek could make his kite soar higher, dive lower, or even change direction in mid-flight. But Jarek's powers had not gone unnoticed. The ruling council of Arathia had long been wary of those who possessed magical abilities, and had recently passed a law forbidding the use of magic in the city. Jarek knew he was playing a dangerous game, but he could not resist the lure of the wind and the freedom it offered. As he launched his kite into the air, he felt the rush of power coursing through his veins. But suddenly, he felt a tug on the string. He looked down to see a group of council guards standing on the rooftop below, their crossbows trained on him. "You are under arrest for using magic in violation of city law," one of the guards barked. Jarek knew he was trapped, but he refused to go down without a fight. With a fierce cry, he poured all of his magic into his kite, causing it to glow with a blinding light. The guards were caught off guard by the sudden burst of energy, and Jarek seized the opportunity to make his escape. With a mighty leap, he launched himself into the air and soared away on his trusty kite. As he flew over the rooftops of Arathia, Jarek knew that his life would never be the same. But he also knew that he would never give up his kite magic, no matter what the cost. For in the wind, he had found a power and a freedom that no law could ever take away.

Could a Sleepless hold a nahel bond? and if so, could every hordeling get a tiny set of plate and a tiny shard weapon? I suspect fighting off a swarm of 1000 tiny Plated Windrunner hordelings with Shard tipped claws would be the end of pretty much anyone So Sleepless (10), 5th Oath Windrunner (350) Make him an Elantrian (200) and give him a Larkin (5) to ride and you still have enough for the 9th heightening (400) just for fun. One note, I suspect you need to either state that the Larkin is a baby one, or increase the cost significantly. Dawnshard suggests the Larkin/Lancer will get to GOT-Dragon sized based on the skulls at the end. "Chiri-Chiri will need to return every few years until she is fully grown" "Fully grown?" Rysen said, turning again toward those skulls. "Oh storms..."

I remember Hoid making a point in SP3 of saying he didn't bring Design into the physical realm (as we all know how THAT ended), presumably in reference to Ishar's insane experiments not ending well.

Just finished Tress, and wow, Brandon has managed to pack a lot into a short book. Do we have any idea on where this story occurs in the timeline? We get a fair few tidbits that give us clues The presence of computers and space travel implies that it's very late cosmere 2nd era Scadrian influence (Death and his metal spikes!) Sazed releasing the Kandra Apparently the Iri have only been gone a few hundred years, which creates all sorts of timeline implications Also the fact that Hoid doesn't have Design along for the ride implies it's either before or he lost her. I guess we may find out more in the other Secret Project where they appear. So has there been an official note about where this occurs in the timeline?

As Zellion is included in the RoW pack, it's reasonable to assume they're *in* RoW rather than introduced in book 5. So that does certainly make it a lot more likely to be El than anyone else we've seen.

As soon as they went out of their way to discuss Chana's red hair I thought something was up....then a Herald died...... Oh.....snap!

I imagine the artist doing SP3 has got their work cut out for them. Ok, so she's creature of such infinite complexity that her face could drive you insane, but she's also smoking hot, also, you need to fit prime numbers in there somewhere.

Hi everyone, I don't post here often so apologies if this has been covered, but on thinking about RoW and it's revelations something has been bugging me. Why was the Singer race allowed to survive between desolations? I'll start with a few assertions that I assume are correct: * Roshar had multiple desolations during the Heraldic Epocs, and by the end they were only a few years apart. * Immediately after a desolation, the Heralds when back to Braise, the world was devastated but the Knights Radiant were in full operation. * All fused return to Braise after a desolation, and no forms of power are granted (with the exception of Ba-Ado-Mishram's false desolation) * The Parshmen form didn't exist before the imprisonment of Ba-Ado-Mishram at the end of the false desolation/recreance, so between desolations they would have been on par with the Parshendi in terms of forms (Warform) What bugs me is why didn't some of the Knights Radiant make the same practical decision that Jasna came up with and just decide that the Singers needed to be eradicated in the time between desolations? Considering how close together the Desolations were by the end, it would not have been a secret as to what a 'Void Bringer' is, at least in the Vorin people's minds. Obviously the Wind Runners, Edge Dancers etc would have opted for a live-and-let-live philosophy, but it would only take a few more pragmatic Elsecallers, or one Szeth level Skybreaker to decide that it was best for everyone if the Singers were extinct the next time a Herald broke. Considering what they can do vs unpowered individuals, even a handful of determined Radiants would have been able to commit a genocide capable of severely hampering the next desolation, no Singers, No forms of power, no Fused.

Thanks RShara. I hadn't seen that one.

Wit not having the Blade is not the same as Wit didn't take it. As @Glubbdrubb's WoB states, he doesn't have the sword *now*. Considering he was there when Taln arrived carrying the Blade and knew of it's significance, I would be very surprised if he didn't take precautions to prevent Odium's forces getting it by hiding it.

Thanks for the correction. All of these pagan western kingdoms and religions get confusing

I also believe it is Paliah at the Palaeneum and Ishar is confirmed as Tezim the God-priest of the Emul.

Taln's blade was almost definitely switched out for another blade by Hoid during their trip from Kholinar to thr Shattered Plains. Where it is is anyones guess but I would say it's very unlikely that the forces of Odium will be able to get to it.

Dead. Are we sure that Elhokar is dead? It seems most everyone writing on here assumes he is most certainly gone. Yes, we saw Moash scramble his majesty's brains with a speartip but seconds after that Aesudan/Yelig-nar turns up and Adolin, Kaladin & the squires flee like cremlings out of a horneaters cookpot. We know regrowth (or some sort of fabrial) can ressurect the dead seemingly regardless of damage if it's very recent (Having your eyes burned out by a shardspear 300 feet in the air in the middle of a highstorm and smashing into the ground is about as dead as you can get) We also know Yelig-nar has access to all surges (if you believe Hessi's Mythica) including regrowth and that Yelig-nar possession also seems to be very different to the fused in that the entity appears to hold all of its memories, prejudices, grudges etc ala Amaram. I would suggest Aesudan/Yelig-nar would have the means, motive & opportunity to heal Elhokar, and recognise what a useful tool he would be in manipulating Dalinar, mess with the Alethi sucession and as an Alethi/Parsh propaganda prop. So my question is : does anyone else think it's possible Elhokar will turn up in a later book?

Navani is designing stormlight powered AIRSHIPS. I would be amazed if these don't feature in Stormlight 6-10 era. Explain how that fits into a character being 'vapid'?

Thanks Calderis, that's exactly the kind of WoB I was hoping someone would have up their sleeve! From that reference, I think it's very likely Shallan's lightweaving did partially regenerate the sand giving her away during Hoids little performance. As he was physically throwing stuff into the brazier (presumably from the jar) there was contact involved, also if Hoid is talented enough (and I would assume he is) he could just ribbon the sand back into the jar to store it as he does kill the streams several times in the performance. I also still don't see a reason for Hoid to carry around a jar of used sand if he wasn't actively using it, especially when he looks exhausted after the performance (dehydration?) and pointedly says he misses his flute. I would assume the flute was integral to his story telling magic and without it Sand Mastery is his next best option. If Brandon just wanted to put in some more winks to world hopping (ala Mraize's Den) would he not have added some vials of metal powder, a stone stamp, or a bunch of little dolls made out of straw as well.

Hi Guys, I haven't seen this particular topic discussed here, apologies if I've missed it. Warning: Spoilers for White Sand ahead! On a rereading of Oathbringer, I noticed that right after Hoid's performance in Kholinar (The story of Mishim & Queen Tsa), Shallan noticed a something in Hoid's pack "Small jar, sealed at the top. It was mostly black, but the side pointed toward her was instead white." First thing I did was kick myself for not noticing this the first time, so Hoid was using ribbons of Sand Mastery to tell the tale rather than manipulating trails of smoke as Shallan assumed. The second thing I did was notice the odd reaction Hoid had when glancing at his pack during the performance that lead him to actively start scanning the audience to find Shallan (burning Bronze?), as well as the fact that the sand was white on the side pointed toward Shallan. It seems to me that this implies that Shallan's presence (or more accurately her use of Stormlight) actually reinfused the sand in the jar in same way that Taldain's sun does. While this isn't so much of a stretch, it is a bit odd that this can be done in a pack, at a distance, when on Taldain, it requires direct exposure to the sun for a decent amount of time. Does anyone have any thoughts or WoB on the matter?

Vin's aversion to Hoid is dealt with in Secret Histories (no spoilers, in case you haven't read it) and it doesn't have anything to do with how spren would perceive him. I would say Syl doesn't like Hoid for the same reason that she doesn't like cryptics, in fact Pattern actually states to Shallan that Hoid "Smells like us"

It's an interesting idea, I agree it's very evident that of all the orders the Light Weavers would be the ideal order for Hoid but I don't think Hoid needs to hang around others to really attract one himself. I would say Hoid is probably the most deceptive being on Roshar and holds the most secrets about himself and the rest of the Cosmere - he should have no trouble attracting a Cryptic. Also as King's Wit, he was hanging around a potential Elsecaller, Truth Watcher and Bondsmith on a daily basis as well, not to mention influencing an Edgedancer in his spare time. So I don't think his proximity to Elhokar is necessarily a factor.