ZenBossanova

It is called Adamant and it just might be Cosmere. But that isn't what this project is, unfortunately.

Fantastic, @Confused! For completeness, you might want to include Parshendi/Listener forms. It isn't a showy magic, but it does rely on spren, investiture and it gives abilities, even if those abilities are very simple.

Ok, I was thinking of Adamant. I have no idea what Skyward is about, or if it is Cosmere or not. Probably isn't.

Is Skyward the one about a war against aliens, that might be Cosmere? If so, there is a reading out there about it. Honestly, I thought it sounded much more interesting than Apocalypse Guard.

Another reason to not underestimate Cultivation, is how she has designed the flow of Investiture. Remember, Ruin had a 1024 year turn around for his Investiture to recycle. Voidbringers are supposed to be able to hold Investiture indefinitely, which is suggestive of a long return period to recycle. But Cultivation has made her Investiture both slippery and abundant, which is suggestive of a very short recycle time. In other words, she could use every last bit of Investiture she has, and turn around and use it all again in a week, instead of waiting years and years. And considering that (according to Dalinar's visions) highstorms have only been getting stronger since the last Desolation, that suggests that She has only been getting better at this. Much of this is speculative, but it suggests She has not been idle, and is ready to unleash on him. Sayings about hell, fury and scorned women apply any time you kill a woman's lover. She is ready for Odium.

I don't know if I should be more concerned this is another fakeout, or if Eshonai is dead. Ok, honestly, I am more worried about Eshonai. She sounds pretty dead, but there is just enough to make you wonder.

I would go a step further and classify the Shards, the same way metals are classified on Scadrial. In other words, Pushing /Pulling, Internal/External, Physical/Cognitive/Temporal, etc.

I noticed this article on Coconut Crabs, that can hunt birds in trees (if you are squeamish, you are forewarned). Their claws are strong enough to open coconut seeds. When I saw this, I was reminded of the fauna of Roshar, and just how much they could be capable of.

I fully expect that the Ghostbloods did not originate on Roshar. They seem like the most World-hopping group yet. There is no reason to expect Thaidakar is the ultimate authority for the Ghostbloods. He just seems to be in charge here on Roshar, or at least the one they know about. On a different note, I have long thought that the name Ghostblood is very unusual. But if it originated with the Cognitive Shadow Kelsier bringing himself, (and maybe other Cognitive Shadows!) back to life in the Physical Realm. The ending of the last Wax & Wayne book strongly suggests there are groups in the Cognitive Realm seeking for power. If Kelsier has been off-world, he has most likely become aware of the Ghostbloods, and if he is aware of them, then he is probably working with them. And if he is doing that, then he is probably in charge. That is a lot of speculation, but it does make sense. Now we just have to see if it is true. It reminds me of a saying I heard in grad school. There is nothing sadder than a beautiful theory murdered by an ugly gang of facts.

Ok, the more I look at this theory, the more sense it makes. And if it is wrong, it leaves a lot of questions, like why do we have that Scadrian version of that Aon? Are there any other Scadrian-ized Aons? And that WoB about Kelsier should have our full attention, because all of this is a very Kelsier kind of thing to do. Ok, and this from an interview in The Deseret News: Shiro Sanada: Will we see Kelsier in the Stormlight Archive series? BS: You are not likely to see Kelsier in the Stormlight Archive series. I'll just say that. Not likely. https://www.deseretnews.com/article/900003841/qanda-brandon-sanderson-on-the-importance-of-fiction-and-how-writing-influences-his-lds-faith.amp That is neither a Yes, or a No, so it certainly leaves it open as a possibility.

I do think this will be significant. They may well march to war, but they are going to remember, his kindness, and realize that they really do have an alternative. In the future, I expect some will chose to live among humans and others will choose to live in the Shattered Plains. In The Hobbit, the most important event was not fighting the dragon, or the Battle of Five Armies. The most important event was when Bilbo had the opportunity to kill Golem, and had the right to, but instead had mercy on him and his miserable condition. And it made all the difference later. This may not happen straightforward, but it will happen before the end. If you are going to fight the Shard of Hate, you can't fight in his own way.

I like to imagine Jasnah walking into the throne room of some monarch, not speak a word, activate the oathgate, and walk out the door to Urithiru. All while the monarch and his retinue go from asking why she is here, to asking what just happened.

Well, it is a long commute down to Tucson. I think I might do that.

I just started a new job and the commute is 2 hours each way, so I am going to have to limit myself to a few chapters a night, as much as I would love to binge.

I am sure that they thought they were fighting her, but I don't think they know enough to judge that. If that was a full Unmade, then the entire Desolation could be handled by a half dozen novice Radiants, and Bridge 4.

I am not at all convinced what Shallan fought was Re-Shephir. I think it was merely Midnight Essence. I expect Re-Shephir to be more Herald-level in strength.

Quite true, but it has been much more than a week since the murder.

Actually, a shardblade is extremely easy to hide.

But if there were a person who could help Nightblood grow and develop, it would be Cultivatation.

Lift did make seeds grow, so it isn't strictly people only.

Odium restored the Connection & Identity of the parshmen. Not that I expect he is ready to help here.

How creative can we be in using Regrowth? Could Renarin use that surge to restore the books in the Library?

If you recall, Forgery (as used in The Emperor's Soul) could make profound physical changes, by giving an artificial Spiritual Connection.

A better question might be, how does having some Listener blood affect the kind of bonds people have?

That might be a problem if the mask is in the Cognitive Realm, but if it is in the Spiritual Realm, then it could be a natural consequence, because the Spiritual directs the Physical. It would be a kind of Forgery.