tipbruley

I had posted the same thing about a week ago. A lot of it just made sense. Then someone mentioned that Elantris happened before Mistborn and that the events of Elantris definitely happened after Aona and Skai were killed. That makes the following line sound like it debunks the theory because if Hoid new Sazed, he would have already known about Aona and Skai. One need only look at the aftermath of his brief visit to Sel to see proof of what I say.[8] In case you have turned a blind eye to that disaster, know that Aona and Skai are both dead, and that which they held has been Splintered. Presumably to prevent anyone from rising up to challenge Rayse.[9] I then revised my theory completely...

In English "the Departed" can mean "the dead" and while not absolute, usually the term departed is associated with the deceased. I have no clue if it has been confirmed or not that Honor is dead. Also, remember Honor is not a person. Tanavast could have died, Honor could have been shattered, both, or neither could have happened.

Odium is very different from Rayse. Odium corrupts the bearer overtime so that it bends the person to its will (like all shards), regardless of who holds it, so Brandon's quote is a generalization of anyone who holds Odium not actually a specific person. The quote seems to imply that it is the nature of the shard (not the bearer) that would seek to be the only person remaining. I'm not saying Hoid had taken Odium. I am saying that the letter was written TO Hoid, and whoever wrote it (not sure who) took Odium and is the evil force we see in WoK.

I'm not sure how this refutes my theory? I think if anything it supports it. My time line is something along the following lines 1) Rayse holding Odium killed Skai and Aona 2) The WoK Letter is written to Hoid 3) The writer of the letter kills Rayse and takes Odium's power for himself 4) Elantris events 5) Way Of King events (Hoid seeks to confront the writer of the letter who now posseses Odium) The time between #3 and #5 could be huge which would explain both why the letter presumed the recipient didn't know about Skai and Aona and why the desolation have had such a gap. Otherwise Hoid would be addressing someone about shards being destroyed that happened millenia ago. MistBorn events

Reposting in the Stormlight Archive section The letter was Addressed to HOID Here is what could have happened The person who wrote the letter killed Rayse and became Odium. After thousands of years Odium has corrupted the writter of the letter, and he now is as bad as Rayse was. Hoid is now here to stop his friend. The 17th shard are members that seek to protect shardbearers from being destroyed (or something similiar) and now hunt Hoid. WHY I think this makes sense. The letter sounds like the events in Elantris had just happened, but we know Elantris was thousands of years before the events of the WoK. The letter is written by someone determined to stop Rayse, but from what we see of Hoid he seems like someone who doesn't like interfering with things. I need to look up the quote later but he tells Kaladin that he is here to "See an Old Friend, but has been putting it off". From the letter, the writer said he never liked Rayse, so I am not sure why he would reference Rayse as a friend, but it makes perfect sense for Hoid to reference the writer like that. There is also the question as to why the desolations stopped happening for so long of a time which is answered by this theory. Does anyone else agree with is?

I think that you could make an equally strong argument that the letter was written TO Hoid. Here is what could have happened The person who wrote the letter killed Rayse and became Odium. After thousands of years Odium has corrupted the writter of the letter, and he now is as bad as Rayse was. Hoid is now here to stop his friend. The 17th shard are members that seek to protect shardbearers from being destroyed (or something similiar) and now hunt Hoid. WHY I think this makes sense. The letter sounds like the events in Elantris had just happened, but we know Elantris was thousands of years before the events of the WoK. The letter is written by someone determined to stop Rayse, but from what we see of Hoid he seems like someone who doesn't like interfering with things. I need to look up the quote later but he tells Kaladin that he is here to "See an Old Friend, but has been putting it off". From the letter, the writer said he never liked Rayse, so I am not sure why he would reference Rayse as a friend, but it makes perfect sense for Hoid to reference the writer like that. There is also the question as to why the desolations stopped happening for so long of a time which is answered by this theory.

COMPLETE REEDIT OF THIS POST after rereading a bit more of the book! Thanks for pointing out the timeline of the books! I think that debunks my last theory but got me thinking! The letter was Addressed to HOID Here is what could have happened The person who wrote the letter killed Rayse and became Odium. After thousands of years Odium has corrupted the writter of the letter, and he now is as bad as Rayse was. Hoid is now here to stop his friend. The 17th shard are members that seek to protect shardbearers from being destroyed (or something similiar) and now hunt Hoid. TIMELINE: 1) Rayse holding Odium killed Skai and Aona 2) The WoK Letter is written to Hoid 3) The writer of the letter kills Rayse and takes Odium's power for himself 4) Elantris events 5) Way Of King events (Hoid seeks to confront the writer of the letter who now posseses Odium) WHY I think this makes sense. The letter sounds like the events in Elantris had just happened, but we know Elantris was thousands of years before the events of the WoK. The letter is written by someone determined to stop Rayse, but from what we see of Hoid he seems like someone who doesn't like interfering with things. I need to look up the quote later but he tells Kaladin that he is here to "See an Old Friend, but has been putting it off". From the letter, the writer said he never liked Rayse, so I am not sure why he would reference Rayse as a friend, but it makes perfect sense for Hoid to reference the writer like that. There is also the question as to why the desolations stopped happening for so long of a time which is answered by this theory. http://stormlightarchive.wikia.com/wiki/The_Way_of_Kings's_Epigraph_Letter#cite_note-2 Old friend, I hope this missive finds you well. Though, as you are now essentially immortal, I would guess that wellness on your part is something of a given.[1] I realize that you are probably still angry. That is pleasant to know. Much as your perpetual health, I have come to rely upon your dissatisfaction with me. It is one of the cosmere’s great constants, I should think.[2] Let me first assure you that the element is quite safe. I have found a good home for it. I protect its safety like I protect my own skin, you might say.[3] You do not agree with my quest. I understand that, so much as it is possible to understand someone with whom I disagree so completely.[4] Might I be quite frank? Before, you asked why I was so concerned. It is for the following reason:[5]Ati was once a kind and generous man, and you saw what became of him. Rayse, on the other hand, was among the most loathsome, crafty, and dangerous individuals I had ever met.[6] He holds the most frightening and terrible of all of the Shards. Ponder on that for a time, you old reptile, and tell me if your insistence on nonintervention holds firm. Because I assure you, Rayse will not be similarly inhibited.[7] One need only look at the aftermath of his brief visit to Sel to see proof of what I say.[8] In case you have turned a blind eye to that disaster, know that Aona and Skai are both dead, and that which they held has been Splintered. Presumably to prevent anyone from rising up to challenge Rayse.[9] You have accused me of arrogance in my quest. You have accused me of perpetuating my grudge against Rayse and Bavadin. Both accusations are true.[10] Neither point makes the things I have written to you here untrue.[11] I am being chased. Your friends of the Seventeenth Shard, I suspect. I believe they’re still lost, following a false trail I left for them. They’ll be happier that way. I doubt they have any inkling what to do with me should they actually catch me.[12] If anything I have said makes a glimmer of sense to you, I trust that you’ll call them off. Or maybe you could astound me and ask them to do something productive for once.[13] For I have never been dedicated to a more important purpose, and the very pillars of the sky will shake with the results of our war here. I ask again. Support me. Do not stand aside and let disaster consume more lives. I’ve never begged you for something before, old friend. I do so now.[14]

Ever since I read WoK about a year ago, I have had some lingering theories that I wanted to flush out. Unfortunately, I have been extremely busy for the last year and have had a bit of a setback in being able to reread the book. I wanted to get out a few unflushedout theories I had that I wanted to "do research on". I have some free time to do a reread of all the Cosmere books, so I'm planning on updating this thread after my reread. Although, it would be great if anyone could support or shoot down any of these. This is my first time posting here, so I may be restating some obvious ideas. I tried to quickly go through top posts and skipped the "Shallan has a shard blade" theories, but no promises. Remember these will be brief with only a little support until I reread. Here we go The following line from Hoid's letter will be extremely important "Let me first assure you that the element is quite safe. I have found a good home for it. I protect its safety like I protect my own skin, you might say" I take this to be a subtle way of saying that Hoid is now infused with whatever element he is holding (a shard?). It is apart of him (or in him). I'll try and flush out if there are any clues about what the element is, but would love opinions. This might be obvious, but I figured I would start out with it. I had thought that Min's earing was obvious, but was completely shocked about Ruin changing the prophecy (which I had read in other forums was the complete opposite of most people) Shallan's Memories are a part of her Knight's Radiant Order Power - Her order is Female Only First, I think that there is plenty of evidence (albeit not strong evidence) that Shallan's memories are a power fueled by stormlight, and thus, most likely a Radiant power. The sensation she describes when drawing Jasnah is very similar to how Kaladin described his power without knowing it. In addition, during the drawing of Jasnah, she had put all of her gem's in the lantern thing to get light to see (a source she could easily draw from). For the second part of the thoery, Sanderson does a great job in creating rich cultures that reflect the world's history, and abilities of its citizens. The split between feminine and masculine arts I feel had to have come from somewhere, and I think if only female Radiant's had the power of perfect memory they would be in charge of reading/writing/drawing. I'm not saying all Females were of this order (which we know is not true, since we see one kick some butt in one of Dalinar's visions) Szeth is called Truthless and made a slave by the Shin because he is a Knight's Radiant This one I also think was straight forward. I'm guessing that the Shin hate the Radiant's for breaking their oaths, and thus why their culture is against lying or because.... The shin will be an antagonistic force in books to come. They may not be evil, but I think they will try to prevent the rise of the main characters (who would reform the Order of the Knight's Radiant). Right now everyone dismisses them as pacifists that can't lie, but we really don't know too much about them. Their treatment of Szeth to me at least shows that they are against the Radiants. I think we are led to believe this is true because the Radiant's gave up their post, but I believe it's something else which I haven't flushed out yet. I need to follow up some more but the key here is that Stormlight is sacred and walking on stone is forbidden.