Brgst13

So where does this leave Vax? If we aren't going to see another major system beside aether, is it a minor Shardworld? Given Ati's last words, it seems more significant than this. Also, the system is significant enough for Khriss to remark on the method of initiation. Does this mean Vax uses a system we have already seen? If so, this suggests that it would be in the same system, and a place Ati had been before. This rules out Roshar, Scadrial, and Taldain, since the habitable worlds are all accounted for. Likewise, we can rule out Yolen since Khriss would not be able to reach it. This leaves the Elantrian, Nalthian, and Threnody systems as candidates. Of course, Vax could be the Aether world, but it seems more significant with how cagey Brandon has been about Vax.

I agree that Allomancy is part of your sDNA. Heraldry can't steal anything until it is part of the Spiritweb. It's like DNA and proteins. You might have a gene for a protein, but until that gene is expressed there would be no protein to collect. Relevant WoBs:

The Coppermind describes Hemalurgy as removing a piece of the Spiritweb. Multiple WoBs indicate that Allomancy is not part of the Spiritweb until an individual Snaps. This is why I don't believe Hemalurgy could aquire Allomancy from an unSnapped victim.

No. Snapping involves a break in the Spirit web, where the gap is filled by Allomantic ability. Until you have Snapped, there is no allomancy in your Spiritweb to remove via Hemalurgy.

My point is, though, we saw her speak two Truths onscreen. If she already had spoken the third, then she would now be at the fifth, but we have WoB confirmation that she is at the 4th. Therefore, she could not be beyond the second prior to the series starting. Therefore, she had a Shardblade at less than the Third Ideal.

Shallan used her blade when she was 10 to kill her mother. I highly doubt she was Third Ideal at that point.

Basically, spren are intelligence combined with Investiture. There 10 types of Radiantspren, and 10 different gemstones for Soulcasting. It stands to reason, then, as the Physical self disintegrates, and Investiture combines with the Spiritual self, they would likely resemble the spren, since they are basically a Cognitive and Spiritual aspect combined with Investiture. They also can see into Shadesmar. I would like to know if Kava actually did die, or if she moved into the Cognitive realm.

We do not know that the Dawnshards came from Ashyn. Nothing in text or WoB supports this assertion. We know that Surges destroyed Ashyn, but nowhere is it mentioned that the Dawnshards were involved. In addition, the name is much more in line with early Rosharan history than that which came from Ashyn. I know the Coppemind states that the Dawnshards were used to destroy Ashyn, but this is not supported by the cited sources. I find it much more likely that the Dawnshards were used in the creation of the Oathpact, where they bound the Heralds to the Rosharan system, and bound Odium as well. One is different because it bound Odium, rather than the Heralds. Perhaps the Heralds have gone insane due to the Dawnsharda being captured by Odium/Unmade. The tinfoil hat edge of this theory has Odium using the Dawnshards to force the Heralds to help him kill Honor. This would explain the "we" in his "we killed you" quote. Also, the Dawnshard that bound Odium is in Aimia. Dai-Goranthis scoured Aimia to try and destroy it. This would explain the secret that could "mean the ends of worlds".

This assumes that Investiture-based healing does not restore the cells to their Spiritual ideal. This Spiritual ideal would include the appropriate length of telomere for the age of the cell. Also, this should in theory greatly reduce or eliminate single point mutations and replication errors in the DNA, as well as mitigating free radical damage. (I agree with your point that it likely doesn't shorten lifespan, just wanted to put out some explanations on how it would work on the cellular level)

When did Odium arrive on Roshar? In text, it is suggested he came from Ashyn with the first humans. However, there are aspects of this that do not make sense. Brandon has stated that all of Roshar, except for Braize, is 10-centric. Odium's number is 9. If he had been invested on Ashyn, wouldn't the number there be 9? And then wouldn't Braize be 10-centric? None of the numerology suggests that Odium was not Invested on Ashyn. Am I missing something, or is the timeline less clear than it appears?

My sources: Before he was Herald of Luck, they called him Binder of Gods. He was the founder of the Oathpact. No Radiant is capable of more than you. Yours is the power of Connection, of joining men and worlds, minds and souls. Your Surges are the greatest of all, though they will be impotent if you seek to wield them for mere battle. -Oathbringer, chapter 64 But as for Ishi’Elin, his was the part most important at their inception; he readily understood the implications of Surges being granted to men, and caused organization to be thrust upon them; as having too great power, he let it be known that he would destroy each and every one, unless they agreed to be bound by precepts and laws." -Words of Radiance Chapter 42 epigraph They also, when they had settled their rulings in the nature of each bond's placement, called the name of it the Nahel bond, with regard to its effect upon the souls of those caught in its grip; in this description, each was related to the bonds that drive Roshar itself, ten Surges, named in turn and two for each order; in this light, it can be seen that each order would by necessity share one Surge with each of its neighbors." -Words of Radiance Chapter 35 epigraph "But Jezerezeh was a Windrunner.” "He was before Windrunners. He was Jezrien, a man whose powers bore no name. They were simply him. The Windrunners were named only after Ishar founded the Orders." OK, reviewing these, I can see it was not quite as clear-cut as I originally thought, but it is still clear that the Nahel bond was formed sometime after the First Desolation.

Radiants as such did not exist until Ishar formed the Orders. The Nahel bond was created by Ishar as a way to put checks and balances on the power of the Surges. We know that Ishar had the power of a Bondsmith prior to becoming a Herald; this is how he formed the Oathpact. He even had these powers prior to fleeing Ashyn, so clearly at the time Surges were accessed in a way that did not require spren. Context strongly implies that the founding of the Knights Radiant occurred some time after the First Desolation.

Just to clarify, Ishar created the Nahel bond after humans had rediscovered Surges. He then formed the Orders to circumscribe the powers of Surges with laws and rules (Way of Kings epigraphs)

I was interested in this Death Rattle: He must pick it up, the fallen title! The tower, the crown, and the spear! ” —Collected on Vevahach 1173, 8 seconds pre-death, by the Silent Gatherers. Subject was a prostitute of unknown background. This is generally assumed to mean that Kaladin would become Dalinar's heir. Given that Dalinar has several family heirs, including Jasnah, this seems unlikely. Instead, I believe that he will become Jezrien's heir. The Tower could refer to Urithiru, or more likely the tower referenced in the Poem of Ista. The Crown refers to Jezrien's position as King of the Heralds. The Spear is rather self-explanatory. Opinions?

From Hoid's story, we know that the Shin came to Roshar, presumably following the destruction of Ashyn. Do we know if the Alethi and other peoples are descended from the Shin, or were they already on Roshar? The Shin physical differences suggest either a very distant past diversion or a separate migration/origin. I could not find a clear answer either in the books or the Arcanum.

I think that is a very good analogy. A chemical reaction converts her food's glucose into Investiture. This also explains the more rapid spike compared to blood sugar, as Investiture does not need to be absorbed into the bloodstream but can be directly utilized.

I saw an Aviar, but also a mask like Mraize's babsk wears.

I agree that the color would be drained. The Investiture of an electron is a fundamental property of the electron, not related to the incidence of EM radiation. I was using photons to help establish the chain of evidence. There is no need for any object to be exposed to EM radiation at all to use it as Awakening fuel.

My question is, if the pigment is drained, how does that connect to Rosharan gemstones? Gemstones do not contain pigment, but they are still changed to grey. That is one of the reasons I prefer the electron-based changes.

So the first part of this question is, what is color? Color is generated when light strikes an object. The atoms of the object absorb some of that light. The frequencies reflected depend on the energy levels of the electrons. The rest of the light is reflected, and we perceive this reflected light as color. If we accept that "color" is necessary for Awakening, then Awakening must do something to change the absorbance of materials. In other words, Awakeners must somehow change the electrons of the object. We know that light can carry Investiture (see Taldain, as well as Hoid's use of Sand Mastery on other worlds like Nalthis). Since Investiture is not bouncing wildly around off every opaque surface, that Investiture must be at least partially absorbed by electrons. In our universe, electrons have three properties: mass, charge, and spin. Photons also have these same three properties. Since Cosmere photons carry Investiture, they must have a fourth property, Investiture. Therefore, all Cosmere fundamental particles should have this fourth property. How does this tie into Awakening? Awakeners need to access Investiture, and change the properties of electrons. Therefore, they must interact with the Investiture number of the electron. This number, I propose, exists in three states: 1, 1/2, and 0. 1 is a fully Invested electron, and reflects light normally. 1/2 is partially invested, and reflects light as gray due to increased light scattering. 0 is not invested at all, and reflects white due to complete reflectance. Awakening drains the Investiture from electrons in an object. Awareness below the Tenth Heightening can use Breath to change the Investiture number from 1 to 1/2, resulting in a gray object. Awareness of the Tenth Heightening can draw out all the Investiture from an object, changing the Investiture number from 1 to 0, making it white. I think this theory works to explain the "fuel" for Awakening, as well as why it is easy to use it on other worlds. Let me know what you think!

I was just noticing that the number of Nalthis is 5, while Roshar is 10. Awakeners can easily utilize Stormlight, while it is much harder for an Awakener to access Investiture on Scadrial (16). I don't think this is by chance. My theory is that the number of the planet is related to the wavelength of the Investiture on that planet. A type of investiture with twice the number would have half the wavelength, therefore every other wave would coincide and there would be harmonics, allowing it to be used more easily. Note that this theory also suggests that Surgebinders could use Breath easily as well to fuel their Surges. I believe this also ties into the reason Hoid wanted the Moon Scepter. If it can act as a way to alter the wavelength of Investiture (for example by applying a magnetic field in the plane of the waves movement), then it would allow one to access many different forms of Investiture without needing harmonics.

This is true, but the highstorm goes much farther inland than an uninvested storm would be capable of.

There is clearly some kind of realmatic opening in a Highstorm, since both Dalinar and Kaladin saw the glowing figures walking in the highstorm. On the other hand, the screen specifically identified the perpendicularity opened by Dalinar as Honor's Perpendicularity. This would seem to rule out its location being in the highstorm. My theory is that spheres are recharged by the Investiture in the storm. Since storm systems usually run out of energy and fall apart over land, the highstorm must be fed another way. I suspect that is via investiture, rather than heat energy. This investigate is then captured by gemstones. This begs a question, though: Could you destroy a highstorm by simply putting out enough gemstones to absorb enough of its Investiture to cause it to fall apart?

Where does Endowment fit into this? It seems like she has excellent short-range futuresight based on the Returned catching glimpses of the Iridescent Tones and Returning for a purpose. Her affinity for color may also provide short-term futuresight in a conflict with another Shard, since each shard has their own "color" that is characteristic to them. This would likely make it very hard to catch her in a short-term trap.

I have a crazy theory: the Nightwatcher, Stormfather, and Sibling are the children of Honor and Cultivation. We know they had a relationship. The name "Sibling" suggests a family structure. Who else would be able to give "birth" to superspren?