Vissy

I do wonder if this won't end up happening. We know that Cognitive Shadow-like entities can bond spren (Nale, for instance). 

And I do think that he would make a great Lightweaver. Seeing the oaths from him would be amazing. Willshaper is more suited to his actions, let's say, but Lightweaver is what he needs.

I think Kaladin won't continue being an active frontline combatant, but he will continue to play an active role in the war - just in the higher echelons of power or in a different role. His power will be used more surgically, sparing it for when it is most needed. It will represent a growth for Kaladin: as he grows in power, so does his maturity and capacity to protect even when he is not actively, directly flying in to save the day - and when he inevitably does that again in the back five books (because, let's face it, of course he will) - it will feel all the more satisfying.

13 hours ago, Greywatch said:

While I don't agree with the first paragraph (I think Jasnah only follows social norms for its advantages it gives her to be the epitome of perfection, not because she personally feels Vorins set the best boundaries), nor does the age gap bother me (once someone is effectively immortal, imo, it doesn't mean the other mortal adult can't meaningfully consent, but sometimes things just bother us, and I get that). However, I definitely am completely with you on how bad it feels that this relationship means Jasnah ended up with literally the only man around more powerful and smart than she is. It puts a really bad taste in my mouth. No matter how powerful and intelligent she is, and how little screentime the relationship took up, it feels like no matter how incredible woman is, she can't be the most powerful/smart/accomplished person in the relationship.

Also genuinely thought she was either aromantic or sapphic as well as ace, so I'm extremely bitter and honestly, may never let this go.

In addition, chapter 99 really didn't... track with my experience of being ace, I thought it was honestly kind of ... it just wasn't very good. I'm hoping this is just because it was Brandon's first go at it and further explorations will be better, but yeesh. Like Wit has never met an ace person? He's ten thousand years old. Like Jasnah wouldn't have discussed this already with Wit despite being well into having sex? Checked in with other ace friends to confirm - this is a conversation had early in romantic relationships to make sure we're all on the same page before things get to being sexual. Also Jasnah didn't feel very romantically into Wit, despite being canonically heteroromantic - ace people can have romantic feelings, and despite her public persona, Jasnah isn't actually an automaton. I wanted more for her than being so into his brain and cosmere secrets. I know part of THAT is that Brandon just can't do romance very well, but that doesn't change the fact that I had higher hopes for Jasnah.

In every way, I'm just so sour on this.

Thank you for summing up my thoughts on that scene as well.

I'm on Team Ghostbloods because it's probably the most human organization out of these. The 17th Shard and Team Arcanists are... too distant 

I think Syladin would work just fine, if that is the way it goes! I currently see more potential in Kaladin and Leshwi, but Kaladin and Syl have been rattling around in my brain ever since the end of OB anyway so.

God of War 5: Roshar, coming to stores in 2022!

No but for real, I don't think War is going to be a shard.

4 hours ago, AquaRegia said:

I think you have answered your own question here.  Cryptics are LIESPREN.  They treasure lies.  And Shallan is THE. BEST. LIAR.

As a sort of counterpoint, what makes her lies specifically any better? I don't think it's very likely that Shallan just happens to have all of the best lies (unless she's just, for some reason, a celebrity among Cryptics). There's obviously something else going on there.

So... fully corporeal spren. Is this another notch in the victory belt of the Syladin gospel?

9 hours ago, Kingsdaughter613 said:

Funny thing is, I keep varying between funny and dramatic.

Like, on the one hand I imagine that Dalinar and Kelsier have to be fairly close to each other or it becomes very painful for Kell (as he’s the Spren in the bond.) And when Dalinar realizes this he’s like, “we’ll just set up a bed in my parlor.”

And Navani is like, “are you completely storming insane?! No! No way!”

And Kelsier isn’t especially thrilled either, but he also doesn’t like suffering when he’s more than twenty feet from Dalinar, so...

On the other hand, I also have things like Kelsier refusing to join Dalinar on the battlefield even if it is painful for him, because he represents too much of Scadrial to openly oppose Odium without it being a declaration of war. And Dalinar understands and respects this, even though Wit tells him that Kell could just wipe out the enemy forces (true). And this leads to them both coming to respect the other a bit more.

And that event leads to Kelsier and Dalinar talking about the bond and how it’s supposed to be symbiotic. So Dalinar wonders what Kelsier gets out of it and Kelsier tells him “an excuse.” Which completely confuses Dalinar.

Because, of course, Kelsier’s realized that by making it clear how upset he is at being forcibly bonded gives him the leeway to help the coalition directly while seeming not to... so he’s actually much more okay with things than he’s letting on.

And then I have a scene where Navani gets so fed up with Hoid and Kell sniping at one another during a war meeting that she throws them both out. And then demands to know why the immortals are the most childish ones. Oh, and Kelsier actually kind-of behaves around her after that because he thinks she’s awesome for doing that (and is semi in love with her from that point on.)

And then I have a scene where Navani goes to where the old Radiant statues are to burn a glyph for Elhokar. And Kelsier is there and he’s crying - which she’s never actually seen him do.  It turns out that it’s the anniversary of Vin’s death, which he almost missed because of the different calendars, and he’s just realized that this is the first time he can’t visit her grave because he’s as stuck on Roshar as he was on Scadrial. So Navani ends up bonding (in the non-nahel sense) with her husband’s not-exactly a Spren over their dead children.

I guess this is a Tragicomedy?

Please write it 

All I can say is that this has made me appreciate Shallan a lot more, and I look forward to her repairing her bond with Testament, getting to know her (again), and dual-wielding Shardblades like a badass.

4 hours ago, LuckyJim said:

I would be significantly less defensive of Moash if there were more characters who were openly critical of the caste system.

This is definitely something I understand, but on the other hand... Moash is just pure hot garbage whose actions completely undermine his supposed beliefs on the caste system and you do not need to defend him to defend criticism of the caste system.

And he burned the Diagram, too. He absolutely reneged on the deal.

The Intent of the agreement was clearly that of Taravangian not betraying Odium, though. You can't get out of Shardic contracts by finagling with word choice. Instead of that, Taravangian directly attacked Odium and its Vessel.

Just let him die and pass on into the Beyond. Preferably while messing up TOdium's plans. As a character he doesn't deserve anything at all aside from being defeated.

In DnD terms, Dragons are highly powerful and intelligent beings capable of shapeshifting into humanoid forms. So I don't think Tanavast was actually a dragon. I think Koravellium just shapeshifted.

Cultivation clearly has a plan for Odium, and Cultivation is the Shard most well-suited to foresight, according to WoB. But I have no idea what that plan could be. It really depends on information we don't have access to yet, information about Cultivation's vessel herself and her personality, independence and motives.

The reason I think TOdium is going to die by the end of Book Five is because of his arrogance, yes, and because I think Koravellium/Cultivation is just far more competent than he is. And because it would be extremely disappointing to see a fresh Vessel just easily outwit/defeat an ancient Shard who has the upper hand on him, both in power (I suspect Odium has left itself in a very vulnerable position already with the Everstorm and how much of Odium's Investiture has been divested into the Roshar system) and in knowledge. I am definitely on Cultivation's side here, however, overall, so I may be a little biased! 

I think TOdium is in over his head and he'll probably end up dying too by the end of Book 5. His goal is to save everyone, and he is still fresh enough to be able to not be subsumed by Odium. That's probably the reason why he will die.

In light of the events of RoW, I think this is a salient question to ask.

How much is Cultivation's Vessel still 'herself'? How much has the Intent of the Shard of Cultivation subsumed her? Does she still feel love for her children - the Nightwatcher, the Sibling, etc.? Do these feelings motivate her own actions, or is something else driving her? 

And if so - what -is- driving her?

Personally, it seems to me like from what Cultivation is doing - using Sja-anat, influencing several of Odium's key players to her side - that she is playing very dirty. In essence, she was seriously working against Odium. But why is she then teaching Taravangian how to use his powers? Has she forgotten what the power of Odium did and the pain of losing a loved one? Or is this something else?

We should also keep in mind that Odium -is- a part of Roshar, now. And the power of Odium is not inherently evil. What Sja-Anat (and the other Unmade) are doing is, in my opinion, necessary for the survival and future of Roshar itself, because Odium's investiture needs a way to inhabit the system and help it - and through someone like Sja-Anat who changes spren to function more in line with Odium's intent (but still separate from it), this goal is served. The Unmade, at least some of them, -have- to be free. I suspect them being free will help everyone, not just Odium. Aside from maybe something like the Thrill.

I think where Kaladin needed a break from soldiering, Lirin might need a break as well. Consider what he has been done through - losing both of his sons (despite one of them coming back), decades of bullying by Roshone, hostile foreign occupation, all the while NEVER stopping his surgical work which in and of itself is quite tiring. Lirin needs a long break of just being able to relax. And he also needs help. His communication skills clearly aren't the best.

Kelsier is most deeply of Ruin. He is brilliant at coming up with ways to mess up other peoples' plans, and he wants to use that ability to protect and do good. I think he's very interesting in a book, though I wouldn't like him as a person.

What I wonder is why would Wit give any different of an answer if he'd only lost his short-term memories? Someone like him would have planned for an eventuality like that well in advance, right? 

In terms of Cultivation and Taravangian/Odium... I don't think Taravangian wants to try to bite the hand that feeds him. Odium, the Shard, is -wounded- already. Cultivation could absolutely leave Odium shattered or completely paralyzed if Taravangian tried to kill her. So I don't think it's just as simple as Taravangian just being able to manipulate a Shard like it was no problem. I think Cultivation clearly has the upper hand in their current relationship and has ideas and plans that Taravangian can only guess at.

A Memory Called Empire. Read it. Lesbian protagonist, lovely scifi-drama-political stuff. That is the type of book I want more of.