Jace21

I took this to mean she wasn't looking for Vasher, at least not as her main purpose. If she was, then she discovered Kaladin and Adolin knew him then made no effort to discover his whereabouts from them. Slightly counter-productive. I think Nightblood is who/what she is after. Criminal or not I think she is willing to leave Vasher be so long as she gets the sword.

True, but the Stormfather also existed before the Shards came to Roshar. It's very likely that killing/destroying the Stormfather could stop the Highstorms. For the OP, it's certainly a possible scenario, but I can't see it. If it were so easy for Odium to kill the Stormfather I think he would have done it already. A common theory for the gap is that our modern knights go to Damnation in the Heralds place, buying 15 ish years before they break.

These don't both work. You say the pre-recreance spren must have known, that the post-recreance spren didn't know but also that the pre-recreance spren would have spread the word had they known. At least one of those things you believe doesn't fit. Why should they have told the Stormfather? If they chose to keep it secret from everyone, as @Calderis suggests, they could just not tell him too. But unless the Radiants somehow kept their plans to mass-oathbreak from their ever-present Spren, which seems unlikely, then the Spren knew. And unless out of the thousands of Spren that knew, not one of them could persuade their radiant not to kill their best friend, then they were in on it.

Aon tattoos could be awesome, so long as they don't need to be flat. Tatoos on Nalthis probably wont be practical, if you're an awakener you would drain the color from your own tattoo.

Sure, but they fell out of use once tank armour was over 40mm thick. I am under the impression chittin is significantly thicker than that. He was just a guy true, though the blades cutting abilities make it much more effective than just a "sharp" sword. This is very true, fullborn or pseudo-fullborn would wreck anything.

"Nothing but a Shardblade" downplays it's importamce just a tad, dont you think? The blades ability to cut anything was fairly integral to Kal's success. I doubt a normal firearm would be of much use, it takes a team kf dedicated men with hammers hours to break one open focussing on just a small area. I am guessing you'd need something explosive to kill it with any kind of speed. As for the OP, I think it woukd be a tie, I dont think the Inquisitors could hurt the chasmfiend and vice versa. Then for the the later question, Fullborn > Full Radiant > Mistborn = Pre-plate Radiant.

Definitely 2. If there were already Heralds and Radiants then the Voudbringers = Singers.

This is probably possible, but not as easily as you might think. I believe we have WoBs that imply it is possible for Aluminum to physically destroy metal in your body. So if you found a way to hack the system and make Sprenmetal Allomantically viable then the Aluminum would probably destroy it. The main problem, other than the hack, would be burning it while it was "in your body" before it severed the soul of that body part. Not actually sure if that is possible.

There is no contradiction, Taldain clearly doesn't have the internet, just the noodles. Since Brandon requires both on his planet of residence, he chooses Scadrial. While it currently has neither, it is the closest to having both.

The first one was about seeing Endowment in a negative light wasn't it, like I mentioned at the end of my post? I apologise if I missed one.

True, just worth mentioning that factors other than proximity play a part. My understanding is that Ruin sans-atium was the same power level as Preservation after he overinvested in humanity. I struggle to believe the extra power Preservation put in humanity is more than what Endowment gives to every Nalthian. Since we know Endowment can do it, it seems reason able to assume Ruin coud have if his own power were the only factor.

Absolutely, outside of Lifeless, the magic requires more breath, on that we agree. But with all due respect that did not look like the point you were making. That sounded more like you were questioning whether breath is given up voluntarily, which outside of Vahr's torture, it is. I see no reason to see Endowment in a "negative light" when people are free to not participate if they don't want to.

This seems reasonable, my only issue is that Ruin was incapable despite being present on Scadrial so an added requirement may be that a Shard can only do it when alone/unopposed. Endowment is alone on Nalthis so she can, even if Odium can do it on Roshar from Braize, he may be prevented from acting so directly by virtue of Cultivation and residual investiture of Honor.

This last paragraph is the point I want to make. Hallandren's political system is a mess, but Endowment is not to blame. If anything Breath means everyone has the potential to use the magic system, unlike Scadrial where, before recent advancements, some people were never going to be able to have magic. You could even argue that torture is an exception. We have no evidence Hallandren tortures anyone to get their breath before they die, other than convicted criminals who had already earned the death penalty. Whether or not the system is just, definitely needs to be asked. But Endowment seems to be benevolent, even if humans aren't.

Endowment doesn't do that though, she gives everyone a breath and the returned a Divine Breath, that's all. Since breath transfer must be voluntary, I couldn't be made to give up my breath, and I would have the chance to be an awakener by purchasing breath from those who would rather have the money. Sure a bad system may develop but that could be said about anywhere or any Shard.

Autonomy, Harmony or Endowment. From the glimpses, admittedly small, that we have had of Autonomy and Endowment's worlds, these 3 seem to interfere the least, or at least benevolently.

I am not sure if this is the law that Brandon is talking about but I definitely think you're onto something. There a fair few people here who agree that Shards are bound by their word, and not just Honor, as you have pointed out. As to Shards killing people, we haven't seen a Shard kill someone directly, so your theory stands. They seem to use their investiture to manipulate something physical when they need to kill, either an object or another physical being. Overall, I agree that Shards are bound by their word. For the rest, I have no idea if this is the "4th Law" but it is certainly an interesting idea.

You seem to be misunderstanding the basis of Dalinar's problems with the church. Following spoilered for length: You think a group of religious leaders, who's faith is based on the historical fact that when desolation happen they are helped by their God and his Heralds, would just shrug away them being abandoned and get on with it? What is far more likely is that when they see a clear desolation happening with no divine help is a complete religious collapse, causing complete chaos in the Vorin kingdoms when they need to be united. Dalinar has got them united first, an important step that should help them stay strong when the Ardents eventually realise Dalinar was right the whole time. Sure it is not known for sure that they would suggest persecuting the Radiants and waiting for the Heralds to save them, it seems reasonable since it is what they have believed for the last 4500 years. It would come out eventually because it is true. Spren know it, so it stands to reason that the knowledge would come out as more people are bonded. Your guess about the Alethi elite may be true, but seems more likely not to be. We know for a fact that Gavilar, Amaram, Shallan and Dalinar believe in the Almighty, Elhokar seems to, even Sadeas seems to. The only member of the elite that we know doesn't is Jasnah, a noted exception. As I said above there is also the issue that the Heralds lied and said they had defeated the Voidbringers and would go to reclaim the Tranquiline Halls. To most people another desolation, and one without the Heralds, implies that the Almighty/Heralds lost and can't/won't help any more, leaving humans alone to fight beings capable of killing their God and his most powerful servants. They are not going to just say "Nevermind let's turn to the knights we were preaching as evil traitors 10 minutes ago". By providing an alternative to abandonment or God's defeat, even something as extreme as "The Almighty wasn't God" Dalinar provides an alternative to chaos when the truth finally comes out. Did you read the possibilities I gave? I must not have been as clear as I though, literally none of them, require the chance of winning to increase. They require either Odium to betray what T wants, stupid compassionate T to be stupid and compassionate, or the Diagram to be secretly working for the good guys all along. None of those require Odiums chance of winning to decrease. a.) his House isn't under the control of Odium. Amaram and the troops with him, sure. But we have no evidence the Ialai, the people with her at Urithiru or the people from the Sadeas Princedom in Alethkar are in any way affiliated with Odium. b.) It seems possible, not even probable, that some, Houses may resist Dalinar. But at the same time Dalinar now has the backing, at least in public, of 3 houses, Jah Keved, Thaylenar, Azir and all known Knights Radiant. Even if they hate him they may go with it rather than oppose a powerful coalition in the face of a clear desolation going on. c.) There are other option. Sadeas could have united the non-Kholin houses as a solid kingdom and wasted their strength conquering other nations instead of negotiating, for example, leading to certain doom.

Except Dalinar never did deny the existence of the Almighty, he simply states that the Almighty (Honor), while powerful, does not match the attributes of a "God". So they were asking him to accept the Almighty as God, all-powerful, all-knowing etc, which yes, is a problem, as it implies someone is able to come and "save" them. Because if Dalinar doesn't share the fullness of his visions and pretends the almighty is alive/changed then what are the Ardents going to say? "Oh look, a desolation is here. I know, let's do the same as we used to do, which is wait for the Almighty to send his Heralds to helps us so we can all fight against the void", which will never happen, and waiting for it to happen would doom humanity. As it is while there is a fury aimed at Dalinar as a heretic and blashpemer, his attempts to restart the Knights Radiant and unify the varying kingdoms of Roshar has been successful, because the Ardents are opposing him and not his cause. Again, that isn't what he is saying. He is telling them that the Almighty is not the omnipotent, omniscient, omnibenevolent being they thought him to be and they can't rely on him to save them because he died. He isn't saying not to revere him, not to work toward's callings and glories, to stop helping people or to find better things to do with their lives. He is simply informing them of a fact pertinent to the crisis they are in. If you think that telling someone the truth and hoping they will understand, investigate and be the kind, understanding, impartial people they claim to be is the same as forcing them to become his enemies and "push them towards Odium" (which implies the strange idea that there are only 2 sides, Dalinar and Odium) then we just flat out disagree. While knowledge of human nature makes anger a likely response, it is not unreasonable for Dalinar to hope that the fact he was right about other things will give him enough good standing to get some patience and time to investigate and explain. They never do, but that makes it a miscalculation, nothing more. How can he publish and support the visions without claiming the Almighty is dead? It is the only reasonable explanation when taken in context of the Almighty saying he can do no more and that Odium has killed him? A politician of any skill would know to focus on your main objectives and not hide things that will come out later (which did indeed become a problem). So clearly stating his view rather than let it be discovered later makes sense. It also resulted in a stronger alliance, one of his main aims. They know he doesn't believe the Almighty is God, so no part of the coalition rests on shared beliefs, if he hid it then the coalition could collapse when it eventually came out. Like I already said, whether intentional or not, by focussing the Ardents on Dalinar as an individual he paved the way to refound the Knights Radiant and form an alliance of the Vorin nations with very little opposition by the church, accomplishing his two main aims. Score one for politician Dalinar. Because Taravangian's obedience is conditional,"in exchange for the preservation of my people", voluntary, he can change his mind at any point, and based on something he himself doesn't understand, the Diagram. That gives us many ways he could stop serving Odium: 1. Somehow his people are endangered or something happens to them that he is not happy with. Odium could see himself as keeping the Oath to "preserve them" in a way T doesn't approve of, causing him to break with Odium. 2. T, probably on a compassionate day, is supposed to do something for Odium that he can't bring himself to do, breaking the deal. Also possible, Smart T realises at some point in the future that the chances of the good guys winning has increased to the points that the increased risk is worth the possible gain, saving more people. 3. "The Diagram will sever you" is exactly the plan of Cultivation to begin with and will be Odiums downfall, meaining that Mr T keeps his part of the deal, but it winds up being bad for Odium anyway. This may take a while to play out, but it seems unlikely that Brandon will have Mr T and the diagram play the faithful servants and just become boring henchmen. Either the Diagram isn't what it seems or Mr T changes his mind, I favor the former.

Yes, as the Recreance, Heralds, Almighty and Desolations are inextricably linked. They need to accept and understand the past in order to face the future. Ardents and Vorin mythology says that the Desolation ended, the Heralds left for the Tranquiline Halls amd that the Almighty, with his servants, triumphed over the Void. If Roshar is to be saved, everyone needs to understand that is a lie. A big part of tbat involves knowong that the biggest guy on your team is dead. Ardents preaching that "The Almighty amd his Heralds will deliver us" will not help and needed to be nipped in the bud. Dalinar's skills as a politician are irrelevant, I agree he is hardly the best when it come to diplomacy. But publishing his visions and spreading the idea the truth that the Almighty isn't able to save them was still the right move. I agree with you Cal, I was a littlr unclear. I think Taravangian is bound only by his own deperation and sense of honor, so once he knows things will end badly anyway he can do as he wishes. I think Odium should have been bound by his word, but I am not sure his conversation with T ticks all the boxes for a binding Oath. As I have mentioned previously, I think he has regretted binding himself before and wishes to avoid it. At most he only has to stick to his own interpretation of some vague, detail-free promises, leaving him plenty of wiggle room.

A little harsh much? Dalinar antagonises the Ardents by claiming Honor is dead and refounding the Radiants. This is absolutely necessary if he is to save Roshar. Sure, marrying Navani didn't help but the reason the Ardents hate him is both very clear and very necessary. As for Amaram and the Sadeas troop, he didn't push them to Odium. He gave troops that were untrustworthy and poorly behaved some hard labor to do until he could trust them again, a perfectly reasonable and common cause of action. The fact they then were possessed by Voidspren (a feat previously thought to be impossible and so impossible to anticipate) was due to Sadeas and Amaram being traitorous lumps of crem (and Adolin didn't help), not Dalinar. This is something I am interested in seeing play out. I think that neither party is actually boumd by that Oath. At best Taravangian and Odium have to agree with their own interpretation of the oath, I have no doubt eventually they will oppose one another for that exact reason.

Nightblood has enhanced cutting too, albeit even more powerful than a Shardblade and Awakening doesn't have a method of cutting either. I am inclined to think any sufficiently invested sword will have some kind of enhanced cutting ability. The others are workable too, I think the summoning and dismissing would prove problematic outside of Roshar though.

Kel wasn't a Shard when Spook saw him in the final scene of SH, it was after Harmony's ascension so he was a Sliver.

Yeah, I was unclear. He is active, I jusf dont think he is actively doing Bondsmith type stuff. I don't even think finding and leading his people would count, or every monarch in the alliance could be a Bondsmith.

Because what the Skybreakers name their Oaths is irrelevant, what matters when attracting a Spren is the personality of the person and the Oaths to be sworn. They do not swear to follow their own sense of justice, the justice they uphold is justice according to the law. If it were not so, there would be no need for Nale to leave and follow the Singers. Odium winning doesn't change the subjective definition of "Justice", it merely changes the Law. Moash has no concern for the Law and never has, making Skybreakers unsuitable. I agree with @Calderis by giving up his individuality/emotion/responsibilities I think Moash has actually made attracting a Radiantspren impossible. Voidbinding could work though once we learn more about it.