Naurock

I enjoy his character. To me he has always seemed to be holding something back. I think he's got more secrets to be revealed soon that will be a huge help. The fact he took in Shallan so easily makes me think he is more honorable than is let on. So I've never viewed him as untrustworthy, but that could just be setting me up for a punch in the gut later.

I have no evidence to support my thoughts, but I will go ahead and speculate. I would say it's possible to "kill" the Fused via Larkin but difficult. Spren are pure Investiture, and Fused are souls infused with extra Investiture to become immortal, kinda like someone we know from Scadrial. But I would guess the gemstone would have to be shattered and the Fused spren released to be eaten. I'm sure it would be hard to separate the soul and Investiture at this point.

Look, Brandon created these characters... But I disagree. Do we have to use all the houses, BTW? Here's my two outcomes if we do or don't have to use all the houses Don't: Jasnah is first ballot Ravenclaw. Shallan is Hufflepuff. Dalinar and Kaladin in Griffindor. Do: Jasnah -> Ravenclaw; Shallan -> Hufflepuff; Dalinar -> Slytherin; Kaladin -> Griffindor.

Clearly Brandon helped ghost write all of the Disney movies and never lost his plotline of missing mothers.

Hoid and Taln from WoK epilogue, I'm guessing.

Sorry guys, but I couldn't finish this one. Maybe if I was watching and getting the benefit of the facial expressions, but this was peak PedanticCast and got boring quick.

I think the Heralds going to Honor to create the Oathpact and bind the Fused that Honor laid out what exactly they're up against. That the Fused are constructs of a Divine being that is pure Hatred.

My thoughts were that the spren was probably a pariah amongst its peers. Because these Humans have literally bonded with Honor, and so what spren should think it also has the right to bond with this Human touched by Honor?

Great pod, everyone! My favorite theory I've seen on The Shard here (posted by @hoiditthroughthegrapevine) , has been that the "Storm Striders" were the Stormfather hiding and feeding the Sibling Investiture.

Also applies to the Google Play Books app. Upgraded my used/beaten hardcover WoR to the eBook with the new ending.

Just re-read the scene and it doesn't add any extra insight. In the scene where Raoden used it the Aon was drawn in the air to be a wall. It wasn't tied to anything, and Dilaf was able to touch it and destroy it through his magic (Chapter 62). If we're tying it to a set of armor though I think it could be different. Because if it just absorbs and redirects all kinetic energy the wearer would be pretty much indestructible and only limited by their own strength.

I think this could actually be stronger than dead Shardplate. Few drawbacks though, that it wouldn't give the user super strength. The Aons would probably have to be written all over the inside of the armor so it could be deflected from any angle. I wonder how the Aon works, though. Would the user get pushed back? Newton's Third Law, equal and opposite force, so does the Aon stop the attack or would it still push you back from the force? So if someone threw like a boulder at you, would it doubly push you back? The force of it hitting your forcefield (that's essentially what we're describing, right?), then rebounding it back? Or does the Dor stop it and rebound it without being attached to the user?

At first, I was with you. I was underwhelmed. Upon reread, I saw much more in the book. Things jumped out at me as beautiful and exciting and foreboding. I really think Oathbringer may seem a little bit of a let down now, but after book 4 and 5 we're going to look back and see Oathbringer was setting up things that are massively important. You may not feel the urge to reread them now, but I bet when SA4 is in full ramp up mode, you'll be reading them again with full voracity again. You'll feel the spark again.

OMG the voices, lol! I really agreed with Shannon about Dalinar. I never understood the people that were upset over Dalinar's flashbacks. Everyone said he was a terrifying warrior and would pretty much stop at nothing. Suddenly it's shown and people think, "Woah, not cool!"? I didn't get it. It's a bad comparison, but reminded me of when the NFL didn't suspend Ray Rice over knocking out his fiancee until the video surfaced. Suddenly it's not ok because you saw him punch her? What did you expect?

Great episode guys! Anyone else listen to Freakenomics? Cuz @Argent sounds like the World Trade Organization head, Robert Azevedo. Pretty diverse guy....

Could Cultivation light be the light that Dalinar was seeing at the end of OB? I'm doing my best to avoid a Cultivation's Investiture is only accessible through food, joke. Congratulations to @Overlord Jebus and Overlady Jebus! I thought it was funny how WTCC got wrekt.

Very eloquent argument. I'm sold.

Have an upvote for a pretty great topic, @Toaster Retribution! I really like it. Maybe he's since figured it out that the Oathpact hasn't been broken. He knows there were proto Radiants. Watching so many people dying and him continuing to live may fuel this thought he's a god. As for Dalinar, he doesn't really have a country to guide. He is also trying to inspire and not rule like a tyrant. He needs to build his followers before he can guide.

Your epigraph could have also be referencing an Unmade from what we've seen from Oathbringer. I'd have to check if these epigraphs were following some sort of thread or were just jumping around.

Or that's just how Honor and Cultivation made the Oathpact work. To help Humans get a jump start for when the Desolation starts.

I look forward to Queen Jasnah, as someone brought up, that she will have to accept what her Subject Matter Experts bring her. As someone that has devoted her entire life to one cause she will have to find a way to accept the details as given, make a judgement and move on. She can no longer pore over one topic, burning the candle at both ends, for months or even years on end towards her goals. If she doesn't learn to do this, she could be known as a tyrant that bends her entire nation with an iron fist to her ends.

And the Nale we see in Oathbringer is significantly more forthcoming but less confident. He's painfully aware of his failings and he goes to significant length to ensure that the newest full Skybreaker doesn't swear to follow him. He is supporting the Singers because of oaths he hadn't taken the last time he faced them. But he made sure that Szeth was aware of this fact and free to choose to support the Humans. He confronted the reality of the Everstorm. Realized another Desolation was upon them and instead of doing what he and nine others took an oath to do, decided to side against the humans. I personally see that as going the getting worse.

One of the tenants of Windrunners is leadership. I think Kaladin is bringing them together by inspiring them through acts of greatness and showing there's a higher path.

Yes @Overlord Jebus he should, but we haven't seen him in a situation where he would need it. Also considering we've seen Jasnah take a knife to heart, Shallan take a crossbow bolt to the head, and Nale was just chasing down every day people I don't see why it's necessary other than intimidation. I really disagree with this. Considering he fought for centuries on the sides of humans probably knowing this wasn't their homeland. Then broke the Oathpact, abandoning Taln. Spent years under the delusion killing innocent people (who as we've been shown so far, besides Malata, are kinda the best of people amongst humanity and are striving to be better people) THEN decided Humans have no right to the land. Nale is broken. Bad. If we're going down the Jasnah path of killing Heralds, get rid of him first. (I'm 99% positive they'll convince Jasnah that killing the Heralds is a bad plan.)

So did he always plan on the long break to turn humans against each other and easily steamroll them when he returns because they've forgotten or did he want to return immediately after a Herald broke again? I can see him embracing the long term plan because Taln has never broken and that's the hand he's been dealt, but you're suggesting two incongruous thoughts here.