Krandacth

I won't comment on much of your post, @SLNC, as I have no idea where this is going to go in the future. I have beliefs about the emotions being felt by Kaladin and Shallan, and I think that the most that can be said of them is that they are very new... Anyway, with regard to the specific quoted paragraph: There are many fictional examples of people with long-kept secrets with which they are uncomfortable, spilling their guts when they're about to die (only one that comes immediately to mind is the main pair in Tangled, which is a pretty much direct comparison... though admittedly it also involves feelings :-P). The more pragmatic ones only do it when their audience is either to be trusted or, better yet, about to die too. Whether this actually happens is hard to say, but the impulse to die without the full weight of that kept secret is at least understandable. Add to this that Kaladin has just been very open with her (if only because he is babbling, reaching for anything to say as a distraction from the Storm), then you have a very honest and open context, on top of the impending-death-in-almost-complete-isolation trope. I can see it happening without a deeper personal connection.

I just want to step in here and point out that it isn't stated what happened to the Blade after Relis dropped it. I always assumed that it vanished, as is widely known to happen when a Shardbearer drops their Blade, the assumption being that some specific mention would have been made of something so unusual as the Blade remaining when dropped. I've also always interpreted Relis' continued reaction, as well as hearing words that Kaladin does not, as him continuing to hear the Spren via his limited Bond. Relis fleeing reads like a paranoid schizophrenic being harried by persistent voices, rather then someone who heard a brief scream, which may or may not have contained snatches of words, followed by silence. This is especially true given that other examples of this scenario in the books are brushed off or otherwise dismissed (e.g. Tyn when hearing Pattern impersonating Jasnah). Nevertheless, this is all just my interpretation. One thing I'm fairly sure of is that it wasn't Pattern. He was noted as being around earlier distracting Abrobadar, but then fled when Syl got too close. Also, if Pattern had been harrying Relis, with screams, then Kaladin would surely have heard them, if more faintly than the initial ones (depending on where Pattern was). Also also, if Pattern did make use of this effect, it would confirm for him that Kaladin was a proto-Radiant, which never comes up again...

Just to add to the list of linked discussion on this topic, I had a theory ages ago that suggests the mechanics by which a blade could be revived, linked to the WoB cited by @Extesian (link to relevant post): http://www.17thshard.com/forum/topic/55834-whats-in-it-for-the-spren/?do=findComment&comment=483731

Indeed. They asked for a Nahel Bond. They also asked for a Cultivationspren with it. ...

Granted. You form a Bond with Glys, but as he is already bonded to Renarin in a different Physical Realm, he never comes looking for you or interacts with you in any way. On the other hand, you get the dubious boon of incredibly terrifying and tantalisingly-unspecific visions about the future of the Stormlight Archive. Now, you asked for a two-part boon, which is cheeky, but the Nightwatcher decides to let it slide. At the same time that your Bond forms, a stray Cultivationspren that shifted to the wrong Physical Realm arrives and starts hanging around you. You can see it thanks to your Bond with Glys and the Cultivationspren itself being unbonded. However, being unbonded, the Cultivationspren is not sapient, instead becoming little more than your pet ball-of-superfast-growing-vines. Your bane is the constant scent of overripe blue cheese from behind a nearby obstruction (door, tree, etc), but never the one you look behind. I wish for nothing, I can get by. But I know so many less lucky than I. Please help the outcasts, the poor and downtrod.

I would pair Jasnah with Amaram: * Both researching ancient times, Urithiru, etc. * A man who can write vs a woman who can fight (if only to some extent in both cases). * Athiest vs religious fanatic. - Leads to "trying to prevent a Desolation" vs "trying to start one". We only haven't seen conflict here because they have had continents separating them for the entirety of the story so far (except the WoR prologue where they don't really interact).

A nice short one that would make a good (if a little dark) front/back design: Honor is dead/But I'll see what I can do.

As far as I can tell, Syl is very against deceiving others or oneself, as that is not honourable in the first case, and can lead to dishonourable action in the second. However, lying in itself is not inherently bad, and can be seen as humourous when everyone present knows the statement to be a lie. As a cousin to the mischievous windspren, it makes sense Syl would use (and appreciate the use of) lies to be cheeky rather than deceitful. Her understanding of lies beyond their relation to honour is very intuitive, being a reflection of that of humans. Pattern, however, is a spren more of Cultivation than Honour, and so has no intrinsic rule by which to categorise lies. Furthermore, while Pattern's understanding of lies differs from our intuitions and so can seem lacking, I would argue that he has a better grasp of the philosophical underpinnings of lies and truth than Syl (or the vast majority of people).

That Stanza actually has its own thread, where the "land that was warm" has seen some specific discussion: I'm personally on the side of Parshendi being Worldhoppers within Greater Roshar (though probably native to Roshar) back before the Desolations, and encountering Voidspren in the Cognitive Realm of Braize (which is... very warm, by most in-book accounts).

That is very good evidence for there being only 10 orders of Radiants with, collectively, the power to manipulate to only 10 Surges. However, that doesn't mean there are necessarily only 10 Surges (each a model for a fundamental force or component of the world/Cosmere), just that that is the number that may be manipulated by humans through the Nahel Bond.

Ah, I misremembered the scene. Though the wording in the books is basically the same: "they contained a precious cargo, including all of his maps, notes, and theories." That makes the maps, notes and theories part of the 'precious cargo', as it is including not in addition to. Therefore the cargo is his research, not a blade/plate.

I always interpreted that as referring to 'Taln', whom he was on his way to 'secretly remove from the care of the ardents and take with him to places unknown' (aka 'steal and smuggle', as one might do to some cargo). Bear in mind that 'Taln' is currently largely unresponsive and unable to fend for himself (apart from, perhaps, mortal combat scenarios); as such, he is functionally an object at the moment. Given the lack of any other evidence that Amaram has done anything else of use to Restates recently, I personally think this makes most sense.

He only says that is one of the two things he must refuse to do if ordered by his master. That could also be the case if he had custody of the blade for another reason: the rule regarding never relinquishing any Honorblade in your possession may supersede the rule to, as a Truthless, obey your master in all things (except seeking your own death).

Ah, I interpreted that very differently... Whilst it is more ambiguous than I remember, I think both interpretations make sense here. Nevertheless, I concede that the ambiguity makes it useless as support for my statement. Carry on.

Actually, Nale claims that he is Szeth's god because Szeth has stuck so ridgedly to the laws of his people, rather than because he is a god to Szeth's people. Szeth even calls him on it, saying his gods are the stones and the trees, to which Nale replies that that might be who the Shin worship, but not Szeth. So it's entirely possible that the Shin know more about the Heralds than the rest of Roshar, and see them as Truthless. However, I see no reason to suspect that, other than Szeth being both Truthless and in possession of an Honorblade (which might be more disconnected than we think, given what Vstim tells Rysn about the Shin guards in WoK).

@Calderis Well, sometimes observations need to be made such that their audience understands it. To be fair, I have apparently also failed in this regard, as you seem to think my post a simple reiteration of your own.

Man, you guys keep mimicking each other, calling each other "witless". By Shallan's rules, in fact, many of these insults can't count. Fitting, really.

Ah, thanks for that clarification. I'd forgotten that this was actually specified! Must need another reread :-P

I feel this is likely a Renarin PoV rattle, as it predicts to the Everstorm, and we know he has been progressing slowly with Glys since before WoK. We also know he feels ostracised, despite being loved by Dalinar more than Adolin. In fact, unconditional love from someone coupled with feeling that you are a disappointment to them can serve to make you feel more separated from them. Maybe there was an event 2 years before the Everstorm, to be revealed through exposition or a flashback, that highlighted this to Renarin. On the other hand, the first part of the rattle sounds like Shallan and her father, with his actions of love for her (taking the blame for his wife's death) leading to his succumbing to what is often described as a cold rage. Also, Shallan and her brothers are 'his', in that she frequently talks about him 'never letting go of anything', and they are completely at his mercy. How do Shallan's flashbacks fit onto the timeline? Are any approximately 2 years before the Everstorm?

I think it is useful to view that quote in the context of its origin, and with an example: This quote is from a book written around 200 years after the Recreance based on admitted hearsay, the sources of which would have to have been, by the nature of the Recreance, outside of the Orders. Now, imagine how the following conversation could be interpreted by the Non-Radiant participant (let alone those they may later have talked to about the conversation, or those who heard of it 200 years later): Non-Radiant: Wow, you Bondsmiths have a lot of responsibilities. How do you manage when there's only 3 of you?? Why don't you take on some more members? Spread the load a bit? Bondsmith: That would be nice! But no, we couldn't. (And no more was said on the matter, because all Radiants seem to be reluctant to talk about their Spren or their Bonds (Syl with the Bridgemen at first, Ivory as described by Jasnah, mentioned in world WoR itself).) Given that none of the other Orders seem limited in such a way, the idea that such a limit was one of tradition and convention rather than one of practicality would be perfectly natural. As such, the interpretation of the suggestion being seditious relies on the assumption of more Bonds being possible, not on their actual possibility. On the other hand, that assumption could be right... I'm just pointing out that it doesn't have to be, by a faint breeze or a storm wind. :-P

A point very strongly in favour of this is that Nale and Kalak (?) are overheard, on the night of the assassination, talking about someone having "my lord's own blade", and wondering if they are doing the right thing (Jasnah's Prologue). From this it has been theorised that the Heralds (at least those two) had somehow engineered Szeth into Parshendi hands to stop Gavilar returning the Voidbringers. However, how this could have been achieved was left as a massive question mark. Having one of their number obtain Szeth to get him in place to be sold to the Parshendi makes a huge amount of sense. Also, as with other Heralds we've seen, Liss has been described as hard to place, ethnically. So there's that :-P Edit: I would like to point out that "Liss" would not necessarily have her original Honorblade, as, until recently, the remaining 9 were with the Shin. However, this matches what we know of the Blade Taln ended up with after the swap, which was obviously a dead Spren blade because of the screaming at the end of WoR. And there is no reason a Herald would have had difficulty obtaining one of the discarded Radiants' Blades at some point in their Millennia-long lives.

Well, that was already the case for the Stormfather/Rider of Storms, as has been discussed above... I would argue that all Bondsmith spren were likely mega-spren of Adonalsium, and the Stormfather has only become so closely related to Honor since the Recreance.

My personal headcanon (with, I've realised, very little foundation) is that this prohibition is the result one of the forms of power only being possible after death (specifically, in my head, Decayform), and so a general wariness of the dead moving. At any rate, it does seem a more fervent, almost desperate need than most cases of cultural respect for the dead, and I can only imagine it has to do with either a post-death form or a danger of inviting such.

I imagine getting ready in the morning would be really difficult unless you happen to have a partner (or attendant) willing to just watch you for the entirety of your morning routine... Granted. It is as spectacular as you imagine, and has a running time of one week, despite Brandon saying it would be no more than 4 hours, intermission included. And no-one complains. Unfortunately, while watching the musical you can't remember who the actors are, and outside of watching the musical you can't recognise that any given person was in the cast. Furthermore, if anyone mentions anything identifying about a cast member in the context of the musical, you hear rushing wind. Finally, though you remember the emotional effects of the musical perfectly, whenever you remember any song from it you hear it as if it were sung by Joe Pasquale. I wish for @Drake Marshall to replace the nightwatcher, with all her power, for the next bane/boon. (So, he is responsible for the bane and boon for the person who reports mine and makes a wish.)

Here are three WoB that say, very clearly, that it hasn't happened before (wink wink): http://theoryland.com/intvsresults.php?kw=Parshendi+Radiant This interview talks about that a bit, with regards to the Greater Rosharan System (question 7 onwards for a few questions): http://theoryland.com/intvmain.php?i=1179 QUESTION Is there more significance to the 10 other planets around the Rosharian start system and them being gaseous? We know that Roshar's moons have unnatural orbits; so there seems to be some astronomical manipulation in the system. BRANDON SANDERSON Yes there is significance of 16 in cosmere and 10 in Rosharian system. TAGS rosharan system , base 10 8 QUESTION The outer 10 gas giants in the Rosharan system suggest a tie to the number 10 that predates the arrival of the current Shards. Is the prominent numerology we see around the Cosmere an inherent property of the planets, rather than the Shards who invest them? BRANDON SANDERSON Big RAFO TAGS cosmere numerology 9 QUESTION Would Ashyn/Braize share the 10-centric numerology of Roshar? BRANDON SANDERSON Yes 10-centric is for the entire Rosharian planetary system...wait Braize is 9-centric TAGS ashyn , braize , rosharan system