StormingTexan

Yeah I noticed that too about Samantha. It was kinda a big deal reveal because she had the big birthmark. He was only bald after he left the trailer park when he started making money on all the endorsements. I haven't seen any of that in the previews either though.

Yes White Sands takes place before all the other published books in the Cosmere Timeline.

I do not think it has been updated yet which is very frustrating.

There is a WoB on this not so definitive though.

Haha ok I agree to agree. Sorry I think I read your post wrong but see you meant the WoB wasn’t definitive which I agree. Luckily we finally got some on screen enlightenment. I’m guessing Nightbloods sheath is at least 1/4” thick aluminum which isn’t as strong as 1/4” steel but would still be really hard to cut through with a sword blow.

I thought that scene in OB pretty much proved a shardblade (at least Nightblood) couldn’t cut through aluminum. I agree it must be thick because it didn’t physically cut through the sheath but also didn’t magically cut through it which should be the easier of the two options. We’ve seen Nightblood cut through plenty of stuff magically and we know his sheath is aluminum so I think this as proof but maybe I’m missing something?

All the Heralds are from the same place per WoB. Also as far as linguistic similarities there is a WoB on this. I know the question references Nalthis but he says Cosmere as well. Also notice he says Shards share a single point or origin? There is a form of Lightweaving on Yolen where they all originate from as well.

I thought about this too. Basically why go to the effort to make a fabrial half shard when you can just make a shield of aluminum? The simple answer is atm they do not know aluminum will block a shardblade. Sure some people may have some aluminum jewelry but for instance Shallan's necklace it would really offer very little protection from a shardblade. It is not like it has a protection AOE. If you struck her anywhere but the throat it would do nothing to stop a blade. Since they seemingly have not discovered the process to refine aluminum ( or electricity for that matter) it makes sense it is just soul cast as an oddity/curiosity. It was the late 1800's before we developed a refinement technique to make it usable and not until the 1900's before it was done in mass quantities. So basically I think it is so rare it just hasn't been discovered yet. I think it will be though.

Yep that is exactly how I took it as well when I read it. Now I think it’s a combination of the two. The “conduit” and “bane” is his champion wielding the knife that can kill/trap Heralds. I’d bet Dalinar would have ended up with this knife if he’d become his champion.

Oh nice catch! I think you are right. I didn’t really catch that Odium is talking about the knife in this scene below but I think you are right. If he can capture/kill all the Heralds with the knifes there is no one to keep thier side of the Oathpact and he is free.

"I helped kill THE God"

Plate really is one of the biggest head scratchers to me. I was sure we would have learned a lot more about it in this book. My opinion that I have seen others express is that the minor spren are sorta bonded to the Radiant Spren not the Radiant itself. The spren forming the plate we have seen are not dead but their connection to the Radiant spren is severed and they are sort of locked in their form in a state of limbo. Spren cannot be destroyed completely so they re-grow into their locked form when plate is damaged. They identify with being plate and remain in that state. This of course will probably be proven completely incorrect in the end but I just see way too much foreshadowing so far that the minor spren form plate to dismiss it. The evidence to the contrary is a couple omissions in the narrative One of the things I think about is why there is plate in the first place? We know shardblades were created by the Radiant spren to mimic honorblades but as far as I think Heralds did not have plate. Why not? Because they were not bonded with spren. I think the Radiant Spren came up with plate to further protect their bonded Radiants because of how devastating it is for the spren when their Radiant dies.

I could be willing to dismiss the lesser spren thing except one scene. The one where Kaladin attracts the windspren in Shadesmar. I don't know what else this was supposed to mean and Kaladin is literally thinking about the 4th Ideal right before they showed up..Then ask Syl about the 4th Ideal. I just don't see how we can dismiss this as not foreshadowing. Sorry to post the long scene below but you need the full context to see what I mean. I've bolded the most important parts.

This is my take on it as well until proven wrong. Although it was kind of goofy I think we saw a little bit of this interaction when Kaladin was rescuing the human captives during the storm and Syl told the wind spen Kal was his. Kal needs another oath and she’s just got to get over her jealousy lol.

Very good question. For ancient fabrials in general, I think we'd have to suppose they are physically "constructed". I do suspect that, at least in some point of the construction, there's something somewhat mystical going on. Not sure what that looks like. I have to agree that it feels off that Shardplate would be built in a physical way and then "fabrial-ized". I'm not sure how to fit that together. I could throw out some wild theories, but I don't have a great answer right now. This is perhaps the strongest argument to assume it isn't a fabrial. Agreed but I really like the rest of your theory it makes a lot of sense. I was really hoping we’d see how plate is acquired in OB but we will have to wait another 3 years in the least. Guess it’s something to look forward to.

Sorry not sure where you are getting this? I don’t think anyone said the Spren Hoid took was Bo-Ado-Mishram. That was clearly Elhokar‘s spren. The OP is saying the fused are destroying the palace searching for Bo-Ado-Mishram hidden somewherethere. The bit with Hoid was just happenstance. I honestly thought that they were destroying the palace for the Spren too but now that I think of it would they go to that much trouble for a Spren? I don’t know maybe but I like the OPs theory. Makes a lot of sense why Kholinar was where they struck first. Edit: Also I think I remember there was a WoB that said something like that we will know for sure what the black sphere was after OB. I believe he said to ask him if we do not which I don’t feel like we do 100%. So if anyone sees him ask!

Now your whole team is here! Welcome to the shard!

I like the theory but I also feel like Shardplate is more akin to a Shardblade but I also do see the logic to @Jofwu point that it is a complex tool that serves multiple purposes. We are assuming "cousin" spren tied to a particular order like windspren but could this be off base that it actually requires multiple types of lesser spren? Ok assuming that plate is a fabrial this brings up a question to me. Did people construct the ancient fabrials and then spren powered them? I ask because I do not assume they are like Shardblades which are a manifistation of the spren in the PR. If people did construct the fabrials does that mean KR will have to construct their plate if it is in fact a fabrial? If this is the case then I do not understand why it would be tied to an oath.

I thought tWoK was good but WoR was better. I liked the one in OB but it was a little overwhelming my first read through mainly the Thaylen battle. After reading it again I liked it a lot more. I still think WoR is the best of the three. My favorite Sanderson ending though is The Hero of Ages.

These are great. I'm worried some of this will get stuck in my head cannon! Anyway here is my pathetic attempt at a scene. Jasnah sat alone in Urithiru’s library. She had sent the scribes away that have been busy transcribing the last of the recordings from the gems Renarin had discovered. She had already listened to most of the recordings. “Something is here. Something wrong. The Lightweavers feel it too and say they have a plan” She was still amazed the Knight Radiants of the past had the forethought to create an alternative method to record their history. Did they somehow know it would be millennia before this place was discovered again? Her mother was still hard at work discovering Urithiru’s secrets. She believes the entire structure is a giant fabrial. The recordings seem to verify this conclusion but there is more. Deep in thought she was completely oblivious to the new arrivals in the room. A man with a scared face wearing the finery of a high prince. With a chicken on his shoulder? Behind him two men in green and yellow waited at the door, Sadeas livery. Obviously a henchman of Ialai. Despite Dalinar’s protest to the contrary that storming women will need to be dealt with. Good evening Queen Jasnah the man said with an exaggerated bow. Jasnah cursed her guards under her breath for allowing the intrusion. Those storming bridgemen are worthless. To whom do I owe the thanks for this disruption of my solitude? Ah I apologize my Queen for the intrusion. I have requested a audience with you for a month now to no avail and felt this the only way to discuss an important matter with you. What do you want? Forgiveness my Queen. Allow me to introduce my self… The man was cut off mid sentence by the site of a shardblade mere inches from his throat. Oh I see you already know who I am the man said as his chicken hissed at her. Jasnah hissed back, give me one reason why I should not kill you where you stand? She had spotted the mans signet ring. More importantly the a symbol on it, three intersecting triangles. The symbol of the Ghostbloods. I have information my Queen, information you need. You people tried to kill me! Fortunately for the both of us an unsuccessful attempt my Queen. Please I am clearly unarmed and no threat to a Knight Radiant of your skill, you needn't have even summoned your blade to dispatch me before I would have time to blink. Talk chicken man! First allow me to introduce my self properly. My name is Mraize and as you rightly guessed I am a member of the Ghostbloods. I do apologize for our overzealous attempt on you life. You see at one point our goals did not entirely align and you were an obstacle if you will. They align now and I am supposed to simply forget you tried to kill me? Uh yes and no to your first question said Mraize. While our goals may not completely align currently they are no longer quite as conflicting now that the preverbal larkin is out of the bag. To your second question forgiveness is what I seek or at the very least a reprieve long enough to explain our actions before you turn me in to a crystal statue. The man had a point Jasnah thought. If she felt threatened in the least she would have not bothered summoning Ivory, he would already have been dead. Ok I will allow to explain yourself Mraize. By the way what is your name? Mraize is a title. My name is not important but if you prefer you may call me Hunter. Now you sound like Wit Jasnah said. Wit? Oh Hoid! Yes we do have a mutual acquaintance. I’ve never actually meet the man in person but we do travel in the same pack so to speak. On with it my patience is growing thin! Right. We know you have captured a couple divinities. I’d hardly call them divinities retorted Jasnah. That’s right you wouldn’t would you. Never the less you are barking up the wrong rockbud with your plan for them. They are a very valuable asset though if used correctly. Are you bargaining this information for my pardon of your crime? Why would I trust you? I do not need your trust just your cooperation and access to the Heralds. As an act of good faith I have another bit of information you may find interesting. Your ward Shallan, I know her as Veil which is an appropriate name for how she hides her secrets.

Fair enough and I agree it is a distinct possibility. I’m a little hesitant to jump on the Autonomy and Odium being allies mainly because I think for the same reasons Odium fears Harmony Autonomy seems to be dropping aspects of herself around the Cosmere building up realms. We don’t know the exact mechanics of this though so hard to say for sure Odium would fear this. Now Odium may be playing Autonomy and the very fact she’s spreading herself thin makes her want to seek his assistance. It’s all fun to theorize on hopefully next year we will have some more knowledge. I just keep thinking Brandon has a bigger baddie in the Cosmere than Odium.

This made me laugh.

Typically on his birthday December 19th Koloss Head-Munching Day. I'm 39 just a couple years younger than Brandon. If it is 3 years a book I'd be 60 but I think there will more than that.

I know! I thought the exact same thing as in two of the back 5 flashback characters will claim they are Heralds. I do not think he means the flashback characters though just that there will be two characters that will "claim" they are Heralds. I am totally on board we will get new Heralds.

In last years State of Sanderson he predicted a fall 2020 release so thats 3 years from now. We will soon get the 2017 State of Sanderson and see what he says then. I would assume there will be a little longer than usual gap between the front and back five because he plans on writing the MB era 3 trilogy during the break. They way it is going I will be in my 60s.