Lhun

I agree that there have been deaths of influence, but this just doesn't seem like a good plot device. A villain who is dead isn't one who can be fought. And honour only has so much influence because his shard was shattered, and his investment in the world hung around. Ruin wasn't shattered: Ati was killed, and Ruin was taken by Sazed. Think about it. If it was Ati, what would that mean for Band of Mourning? "Oh, guys it turns out this was made up by someone who no longer has any significance. That third God metal just came out of nowhere in the end". Would be the biggest anticlimax. Also, Ati didn't know Sazed was going to take the shard, and he was pretty panicky when Vin starts beating him up. And the copper minds are a metal, if I might add, and I'm pretty sure metal blocks his influence. Could be wrong about that last bit though.

Some strong SoS spoilers. Not hiding it as the thread has spoiler warnings. Why does everyone assume that Trell has to be malicious? I mean, all we know about him is that he gave Miles purpose (albeit a messed up one) and his metal was used by Lessie, and that Brandon MAY have hinted at a connection between Trell and the phrase "rust and ruin". And, I suppose, that he was once worshipped as a subtle and peaceful god, full of wisdom with thousands of eyes. Just because he has had involvement with both villains doesn't mean he's evil. Miles was just eager to find purpose and gave up on law keeping because he didn't feel he was making a difference, whilst Lessie was just heartbroken and insane from ditching a spike.

Meh. I'm using this one anyway.Also, as the topic indicates for me, there are potential spoilers for SoS in this. I think Trell could be the owner of the shard of change if he is indeed related to Rust. Rust isn't decay; indeed, it is a reaction bringing two elements together. We have preservation to keep things the same, ruin to destroy them, wouldn't it be logical for a third to be the catalyst of change? I think the argument that Ati messed with the copper minds is silly. Brandon Sanderson is a brilliant author; why make such a big deal over something that is no longer significant? Ati is dead, so having his legacy be the core focus of things is silly. Plus we have another god metal (possibly) in SoS that appears rusty. What's really bothering me about the theory that Trell is a god using Trelagism as a mask to slot into things is that it's stupidly risky. Why make yourself a god from a religion with two gods? They don't have any mention of a Nalt. If Trell were an imposter than surely he would take a religion that only had one God.

If they could pick literally any religion, why pick one with two gods (Trell and Nalt)? Why risk being caught out when no one follows/believes in Nalt? This has frustrated me to no end. The lack of Nalt is getting my goat up in a pickle. Also, Trell has got me thinking. In another thread someone said that, in response to a question about Trell, Brandon Sanderson merely left the clue "Rust and Ruin!" Which connects Trell to rust (ruin, obviously, being Ruin). Now my elaborate, possibly outrageously incorrect hypothesis is that Trell is the shard of change. Rust is the change from metal to metal oxide. That way you have preservation keeping things the same, ruin destroying things, and Trell mixing stuff up. The full collection, as it were. And the god metal he creates appears rusty to the observer. You could, alternatively, argue he is the god of decay, but that seems to close to Ruin for me. Does anyone have any links to some good discussion on Trell? I've been searching hard to find out as much as I can without major success.