ZenBossanova

Tien is dead. Dead dead. It isn't him. Cultivation is possible. But Dalinar also hears a voice commanding him to "Unite them", and it is not the Stormfather. I have to doubt he is hearing Cultivation, as that doesn't sound like something she would say (I am guessing). If it isn't Cultivation, who is talking? Adonalsium from the Spiritual Realm? Is that possible? (Yes, I know he was shattered, obviously) The God Beyond? Something unusual is going on here and I am not sure it fits in neatly with the mental model we have constructed of the Cosmere.

First, I think Odium should be a LOT more suspicious of Taravangian. Second, I think the real question is, why does Odium care so much about destroying the other shards? I don't buy the idea that he merely wants to be the only one. I suspect it goes back to what impelled him shatter Adonalsium in the first place. I think he had what he felt was a good reason, and that same reason makes him want to continue what he was doing. I think it is shards mingling powers that really worry him. If he gets out of the Roshar system, Harmony will be first on his list.

Regarding the rhythms they heard that lead them to Szeth, I wondered if Szeth can talk with the Rhythms subtly in what he says. The voice that lead them was Szeth's own voice

Let's not take Creation Ex Nihilo (Creation out of nothing) for granted. He might be more of an organizer of previously existing material. How do we know he has actually created anything out of thin air?

Perhaps, or perhaps he can't swear the oath, because of simply protecting, what he needs is to protect by leading. In other words, his protection is missing a vital aspect, that he needs to recognize, and then act on.

Interesting ideas, but (it has been pointed out to me that) Kaladin has two ideals: Protecting & Leading. We have two oaths about protecting already. If he is trying to think of more oaths on protecting, he might be looking at things the wrong way. I expect his next two oaths will be about leading. Alternatively, the Skybreakers had a quest-type oath (if I recall correctly) and I could see Kaladin swearing to find a way to help/recruit the Parshendi/Parshmen.

DThe key values of the Windrunners are Protect and Lead. His 2nd & 3rd oath had to do with Protecting, so it only makes sense that the next two oaths will have to do with Leading. I suspect Kaladin has little idea just how much he is going to do that.

Creation does not necessarily mean Ex Nihilo creation. Mormons (like Brandon), for instance, don't use ex nihilo creation at all, so I would not take that for a given. Besides, Brandon has said we shouldn't necessarily expect Adonalsium to be like an Abrahamic conception of God at all. I have to disagree on the Allomatic/Feruchemic chart. Preservation specifically said 16 was a clue.

If I am correct, we will see more skyeel-style flirtations and more conversations that simmer. But anybody but Laral. I can think of several chulls I would prefer over her.

That is... Excellent. The first oath is always the same. The next two oaths have to do with the first trait, while the second two must have to do with the other trait. How does this work with the oaths Szeth was given? Edit: it isn't identical, but Szeth has oaths that pertain to both of his ideals, Justice and Confidence.

I suspect, none of the shard holders will do a lot for reuniting more than a shard or two at a time. The problem is that large amounts of Investiture resists more Investiture. I think this is why Hoid refused a shard, and has only been gaining access to the power for each shard. The investiture is a much smaller quantity, gaining access to all 16 should be possible, unlike if he had started at shard-like levels of power. His goal is only attainable if he is not too powerful. Just a theory.

Ok, this is the pattern I worked out, with a few guesses. It is laid out the same as the Allomatic or Feruchemic metals. I am not satisfied I have them in the right positions, but it is a good start. Physical Quartet External Push: Dominion Secondary Quartet: Authority Internal Push: ________ Secondary Quartet: Authority External Pull: ________ Secondary Quartet: Desire Internal Pull: ________ Secondary Quartet: Desire Spiritual Quartet External Push: Preservation Secondary Quartet: Desire Internal Push: Honor Secondary Quartet: Desire External Pull: Ruin Secondary Quartet: Change Internal Pull: Odium Secondary Quartet: Change Temporal Quartet External Push: Cultivation Secondary Quartet: Change Internal Push: Paradox/Transcendence?? Secondary Quartet: Change External Pull: ________ Secondary Quartet: Power Internal Pull: Ambition Secondary Quartet: Power Cognitive Quartet External Push: Endowment Secondary Quartet: Power Internal Push: Ingenuity?? Secondary Quartet: Power External Pull: Autonomy Secondary Quartet: Authority Internal Pull: Devotion Secondary Quartet: Authority

@Toaster Retribution because they are parts of a whole. Some aspects of Adonalsium act on exterior things, while others act on internal aspects. Endowment is an internal state, while Dominion is external. Odium would Internal. I am not sure about Honor and Cultivation.

@John203 You might think so, but when I mapped out a possible grouping, I found logical quartets grouped by similar, complementary ideas or goals. Some were true opposites, but many others were yin/yang opposites. And many were not really opposites at all.

Two quick points: 1) We can't separate the "I am Unity" line from the frequent call Dalinar hears to unite them, whoever/whatever "them" are. 2) Grouping the Shards into quartets is not as arbitrary as all that. The Allomatic/Feruchemic metals are grouped by Interior/Exterior and by Pushing/Pulling. We should find analogous groupings for the Shards. For instance, Dominion is probably External Pushing while Endowment is Interior Pulling. We could also probably use better terminology than Push/pull, since that is metal-centric.

I was going to call Renarin a Possibility-Watcher, but the thesaurus says one of its synonyms is hope, which sounds much more Radiant. So I propose we call Renarin a Hope-Watcher. That leaves him with close ties to the Truth-Watchers, while also pointing out the unusual aspect of his truth-sense.

It will also be interesting to see, if we can use the Kholinar oathgate in the future, as a way to travel to Shadesmar. It might not get us to Urithiru, but that is useful and interesting in its own right.

If it is Taln, then I suspect it will be because he is somehow accessing multiple orders of KR.

I was going to post a new theory, but this one jives so closely, I will just agree and amplify. 1) As a rule, you should never make a deal with the devil. However, Odium should be a LOT more suspicious. There is no way (normally) for Mr T to match wits with Odium, but if he is having one of his genius days, then all bets are off. Cultivation seems to be cultivating things in such a way that Odium can't see it. Seeing the future is trickier than we (or Odium or the KR) usually realize. 2) The Parshendi/Parshmen will have evolved to be able to bond H/C higher spren. Odium's control is no longer a given, BUT HE CAN NOT SEE THIS. We may also see interesting things with the hybrids (Herdazians, Horneaters, Natanians, etc.) 2b) The Radiants will begin to gain Zoid-binding surges, right under Odium's nose, but he will not realize it. 3) The Unmade and especially S-A will be guided (cultivated) to take the oaths and become honor(ish) spren. Losing his godspren will make Odium mad, but the mixing of powers will drive him insane. This could result in entirely new orders of Radiants. 3b) If Ishar becomes a full and total traitor, could he take the Bondsmiths with him? Considering the Stormfather is our source of Stormlight, this could pose multiple problems. If we can use Voidlight, we might be able to work around it. 4) Cultivation has a lot of surprises for Odium. Those surprises will be a dish best served cold and he will walk right into it thinking he can see the future. 4b) Before this is all done, the KR will have seized most/all of his surges and a lot of his power. Humanity is going to see some hard times, but it is nothing in comparison to what Cultivation (Mrs Honor) has in store for Odium.

I am really hoping Rlain will be the next Bondsmith. But will it entail a new form? It didn't for Venli.

I still want to know what that bandolier she had at the end of WoR was. Are we going to see that again? Was it off-world firearms she picked up in Shadesmar?

Questioner [PENDING REVIEW] In our universe, mass and energy curve space. I was wondering if Investiture does the same or something similar Brandon Sanderson [PENDING REVIEW] It does something similar. It draws the three Realms together. So it's got like-- Imagine a gravitational pull piercing Realms. Right? Of kind of-- source That does lend credence to using draining investiture as a way to bend spacetime.

@Calderis Certainly, we don't know much about the Sho Del, but what you quote about dragons, suggests that what is essentially Dragon-ish about them is NOT their physical state. They can change that, so what makes them different from others, must be other than their physical form, because they are shape-shifting.

Jasnah would disagree, I am certain. She knows enough history that she can point out examples where things started like this, but ended in war, or the end of the dynasty. Notice, just how quickly she pulled in Shallan when she realized she was a Radiant, or just how willing she was to assassinate her sister-in-law, the queen. Kaladin is the most important and powerful Radiant, behind Dalinar, AND he has the most squires and new Radiants. He will accumulate power, even if accidentally. That power needs to be contained. Marriage is the best, oldest and time-honored way to do it.

They remind me of a saying I once read: Marriage was made in Heaven. So was Thunder and Lightning.