The Invested Beard

As soon as I found out Azure was a woman. He should change his name to Brandon Blantantson.

Whelp looks like we know exactly who is on the UK cover now: https://wob.coppermind.net/events/173-oathbringer-san-francisco-signing/#e8642 It's the same person on the US cover. Jasnah. I think I'm more partial to Whelan's interpretation.

Yup that's my theory as well. There's a reason for everything Brandon does and I'm thinking the introduction of Dragonsteel in the sample chapters is Brandon subtley saying, "Hey you're going to start noticing this stuff soon even if you don't know what it is/understand it."

I'm not sure that makes sense though. Doesn't the Stormfather tell Dalinar he could use the Dawnshards to defeat Odium if only they still had them? How would you fight a shard with its own power?

Sorry meant lightspren, typed honorspren. Those two are confusing little boogers. Fixed it.

I think you need to go back and read the book again. Ico is the Lightspren captain of the ship Kaladin and company sail on in Shadesmar. Timbre is implied quite directly and specifically to be the comet spren Eshonai had been seeing. Venli takes Timbre directly from Eshonai's corpse.

I'm basically only going off of what is publicly available on Brandon's website regarding the contents of Dragonsteel. Otherwise I have not read any of it. Not sure if it still needs to be moved or spoilered though I'll leave that up to mod discretion.

We don't know for sure, but the contextual evidence is very strongly in favor of Venli.

That one time Dalinar was coding a new video game in the Unity engine was a big giveaway to me. I was just going to post something about this due to my current re-read of the series, have a ninja upvote!

So I was going through some of the newest WoBs from the recent signings and I can't shake this weird gut feeling I have. I can't say that it's got a whole cremload of support behind it, but I feel like there are just all these little pieces being dropped all over that we have yet to put together. Here's my thought: Cosmere Aluminum is Dragonsteel, or at the very least a derivative of Dragonsteel. Here are some of the WoBs that stood out to me: https://wob.coppermind.net/events/100-rbooks-ama-2015/#e3426 https://wob.coppermind.net/events/134-general-signed-books-2016/#e2249 https://wob.coppermind.net/events/171-oathbringer-release-party/#e8306 https://wob.coppermind.net/events/176-oathbringer-chicago-signing/#e8486 https://wob.coppermind.net/events/176-oathbringer-chicago-signing/#e8489 https://wob.coppermind.net/events/58-calamity-san-antonio-signing/#e735 And this last one, even though not specifically about aluminum, caught my eye: https://wob.coppermind.net/events/176-oathbringer-chicago-signing/#e8501 I've also posited in the past that I believe Leras' dagger and several other mysterious metal artifacts we've seen on screen are in fact Dragonsteel after finding out a little bit of what it is and what it does in the excerpts Brandon released from the Bridge Four section of the unreleased Dragonsteel book. I don't know my gut is just telling me there is something of utmost importance about this material and it's relationship to the history of the cosmere. It would make sense that the dragons would have some sort of built in defence against shardic (Adonalsium) magics. Or I'm a complete loon and I am finding a connection where there is none. I'll leave that for you to decide.

Mandras are the creatures that pull the spren ships in Shadesmar. Here's the Coppermind entry: https://coppermind.net/wiki/Mandras

Hello! You are indeed correct, this is a map of Shadesmar drawn most likely by Nazh.

It's okay! Sorry I was just venting. I totally understand as I am as we speak at the tail end of a nasty flu. Maybe that's why my fuse was shorter than usual.

I just grew an extra arm. Neat.

I say this with the utmost respect and love. David, clear your throat every now and then FOR THE LOVE OF THE STORMFATHER. I'm sorry I have several auditory triggers.

This is a theory that I have been touting for some time. I think as an ultimate "antagonist" for the cosmere story, Bavadin works best because of her intent. I think a big theme Brandon is trying to get across in all the cosmere books is community/trust or coming to a realization that we all need each other and can't isolate ourselves. Bavadin is the exact opposite of this in Intent. Even though she is technically in a community, it's a community of one broken up into a bunch of separate pieces and cannot compare to actual varied and reliant relationships.

ONE OF US! ONE OF US!

Yeah there's something really fishy about how intentionally absent the Dysian Amian view of past events or even representation when we know they were there. I have a feeling the presence of gemhearts within a creature (I wouldn't be surprised to find out Ryshadium have them as well) has something to do with fabrial tech and Aimia. Edit: I am currently doing a re-read of the whole SLA and found that part where Kalak notes red, orange, and purple blood veeeeeery telling. If you piece that viewpoint together with another from the same day in history in Dalinar's vision where he sees the burning pile of cremlings I think it's easy to put two and two together. Dysian Aimians most likely bleed Purple.

His face was so red and bulbous it could have been mistaken for a perfect ruby. THE BEAUTY!

One of Brandon's beta readers Nathan put it this way and I think it sums it up pretty well: " I tend to think we should look at those parts of the story as invitations to read more from the Cosmere. In any case, if there aren't Cosmere connections that, at some point have to be significant, then the Cosmere won't end up existing. "

I'm not sure she was really established as a major player but a window/viewpoint into the conflicted Listener society. Granted she was a really well written character, but I don't think she ever had the importance people are placing on her. That being said I could be completely wrong and it was all part of the plan and the next book she will be a viewpoint character from the Rosharan afterlife and we get to see more of what's going on with the Fused through her. I doubt it though.

HUZZAH!

If we find out down the line that I was right about this someone better throw me a pizza party.

Yeah there's definitely some nugget of major importance here. Poker face RAFO is a dead giveaway.