Cernwennan

Alright, after consideration and the reasonable responses I suppose I can see how Dawnshards are not the 10 blades held by the Heralds (every reading of WoK had led me to this conclusion, as I suspect there being only 10 Honorblades to be...odd, I guess.) As far as Szeth's blade, I completely forgot about the unusual properties associated with it, so yes, it must be something different. As for Gavilar's blade, it's disappearance is never stated but just something I have drawn a conclusion of. Once it appears after he dies, and Szeth refuses to take it up, it is never mentioned again. I haven't read anything on the new Stormlight book, since I am waiting for the whole thing so I can obsess about it the way I've done with all of Brandon's other works, so if the Parshendi did not kill Gavilar for his blade, and his blade did not go to Dalinar or Elhokar (Attachment to their blades or not, again it is the King's blade. The symbolism and attachment for that blade would be far more than anything else. If it were my brother, and I felt responsible for it and wanted to wage a vengeance war for his murder, I would use that blade myself.), then someone else has it.

@Hoser Not harsh at all, I welcome all criticism of my ideas, but I'm going to have to disagree with you on one important point. I see that you believe the three types of blades are Honorblades, Radiant/Shardblades, and Szethblades (Not sure I agree with you on the last, as aside from it's size there is no difference between it and a Shardblade, however I can see how it could be classified as such.) This leaves the Dawnshards as a fourth type of blade. Okay. When I said that Gavilar possessed an Honorblade, it was using the belief that the three types of blades were Dawnshards, Honorblades, Shardblades. So, adapting to your belief in the types of blades, my theory is that Gavilar possessed a Radiantblade. I say that he did possess a Radiantblade (or by my three-type definition, Honorblade) with a nearly absolute certainty. Only in Dalinar's visions of the Knights Radiant was any Shardblade described as Gavilar's (or vice versa) to be glowing. (Yes, Dalinar's plate was also glowing much like the Radiants in his visions). Now, you're right, Gavilar's blade did materialize after he died -- therefore not a Dawnshard -- but here's where the mystery comes in. Elhokar's Shardblade is NOT Gavilar's. That much is certain. Nor any others that we have seen so far in the novel. If Gavilar's Radiant/Honorblade were to be recovered at the body, surely Elhokar would have taken it and Sunraiser would have been distributed. Why do I say this? Because Gavilar's blade is also the KING's blade. Not only would it be a sentimental omage to the King, but it would be a visible symbol. Elhokar or Dalinar would have taken Gavilar's blade. Which means it is missing. Presumed taken by the assassin by the Alethi is my guess, only we know Szeth did not take it. Which means someone else took it, someone else knew of the importance of that blade... ... That just got me thinking. There's no reason justified for Szeth assassinating the Gavilar. It made no sense. Unless someone knew Gavilar held a Radiant/Honorblade. Someone who would swoop in and take it before anyone else could, and keep it for some purpose. But even now, Dalinar only has a vague idea of the difference between a Radiant/Honorblade and a Shardblade, and he's been given the visions. So, who else could it be? The most obvious choice is the Parshendi knew about the Radiant/Honorblade and sought it for themselves. (I imagine it would fade just as the ones in Dalinar's vision.) It would give the motive, even if they did nothing else but cause the Radiant/Honorblade to "turn into" just a regular Shardblade. I imagine there is some drastic difference between the two. Seems plausible to me, at least. The more farfetched (and done before, so I doubt Brandon would do it again) would be Hoid. Like the bead of Lerasium he took in WoA, he might've wanted/needed a Radiant/Honorblade for himself for some reason. In either case -- I think it is safe to say that Gavilar's blade is in the hands of someone not even Dalinar knows. Like I said, they likely naturally assume that his blade was taken by the assassin. That is Alethi tradition, after all. To the victor go the spoils, so to speak. I imagine we will see Gavilar's blade again. I doubt it will be in the hands of a friendly, though.

After re-reading The Way of Kings again, making likely a dozen times now, something leaped straight out of the pages and slapped me across the face that I had never considered before, and judging from a cursory search has not been brought up yet. (If I'm wrong and it has, which I hope I am not, feel free to tell me.) It was an epiphany, of sorts. So let me lay it out. It's been confirmed that there are 3 types of Shardblades, yes? Dawnshards, the 10 blades of the Heralds, Honorblades of the Knights Radiant, and Shardblades (which Syl hates and is evidence enough that they aren't good, whether or not they are of Odiuum or not.) Here is a description of Oathbringer, Dalinar's Shardblade : "Oathbringer—formed in his hand, coalescing from mist, appearing as the tenth beat of his heart thudded in his chest. Six feet long from tip to hilt, the Blade would have been unwieldy in the hands of any man not wearing Shardplate. To Dalinar, it felt perfect. He’d carried Oathbringer since his youth, Bonding to it when he was twenty Weepings old. It was long and slightly curved, a handspan wide, with wavelike serrations near the hilt. It curved at the tip like a fisherman’s hook, and was wet with cold dew." And here is one of Elhokar's blade : "Elhokar bellowed, his Shardblade—Sunraiser—springing from mist into his hand. It was long and thin with a large crossguard, and was etched up the sides with the ten fundamental glyphs." Here's where the epiphany comes in. Check this out : "an enormous Shardblade six feet long with a design along the blade like burning flames, a weapon of silvery metal that gleamed and almost seemed to glow. A weapon designed to slay dark gods, a larger counterpart to the one Szeth carried." That is the description of Gavilar's blade, which is clearly not the same as Elhokar's blade. It is also described entirely different from any other Shardblade in the book -- with the exception of the blades carried by the Knights Radiant in Dalinar's vision. It is repeatedly stated that Gavilar began to change towards the end of his life, taking lessons from the Way of Kings and generally being far more honorable than he was normally. His last words for Dalinar perhaps are a clue as well. While Shardplate can be repainted, and Elhokar could indeed possess Gavilar's suit, there is a missing shardblade here -- Gavilar's. Here is where I may be stretching it. I am confident that Gavilar's shardblade was an Honorblade, or becoming one at least (much as Honorblades lost their glow and became Shardblades in Dalinar's vision), however this next bit requires a leap. Gavilar's blade is never mentioned again. It is tradition that, if defeated, the opponent has claim over the defeated's shards. Perhaps, upon finding Gavilar's body, they assumed that the assassin took Gavilar's blade. Szeth, however, did not. Is it not so that Dawnshards vanish upon the death of their wielder? (Hence Taln being alive at the end of WoK, since his blade remains.) Is it possible that Gavilar possessed a Dawnshard? Perhaps. Did he at least possess an Honorblade? Absolutely. Anyway! Let me know what you think!

@Windrunner. damnation it I can't believe I missed that. @PPKNexus. I agree, with the snippets of the log book, and some extremely subtle hints, I began to suspect TLR wasn't the monster he was made out to be. His final words drive it home, and then I began to suspect an even bigger twist when Kwon was mentioned to have betrayed the log book author. In the HoA, when the tablets even talked about Ruin corrupting his thoughts, I began to think that most, if not all, of TLR's atrocities could be attributed to Ruin. Even early on in his reign. Considering the wars and devastation TLR left in his wake on his bid for world domination, the excessive murder of the people... Well, it just smacks of Ruin. In fact, his destruction of the world's religions could've been a similar tact. It's said that Presevation hid clues in them, and Ruin would want to seek out and destroy those. It seems there was an easier answer to stop Ruin from getting freed in another thousand years, one that could completely cripple Ruin's ability to manipulate the world at large. Rashek was effectively immortal, and he could have simply told the World Bringers. @Commander Spoonface : That is quite profound... I like the idea of Ati intentionally sabotaging his own ability to destroy... But I'm not sure. I think he was too twisted even by then. I'll have to think on it. I also believe, though I have very little proof, that the letter in WoK is TO Hoid. Its a gut instinct... But I think it will prove true. Think of it this way : The books are chronological, right? Hoid has been slowly, yet steadily, increasing his presence until he takes a direct approach in WoK. (He outright interferes and warns Dalanar. His disappointment that Dalanar doesn't know the term Adonalsium is evident. What if he had? I think Hoid would've become outright involved and spoken what he knew/knows then). From Elantris to WoK, Hoid has been there but hasn't intervened in any regard. He's just been watching. Hoid, I think, is the one who has a stance of nonintervention. Or had. I think the letter changed that. I think he's now fully involved, evidence being his larger role in WoK. He also says that he's on Roshar to meet a friend, but has been putting it off. I wish I could back this up with quotes, but I'm on my phone. I also think he's collecting the powers of the shardworlds. He took the bead of Lerasium, and was supposedly going for it all through WoA. He was the one to transport supplies to New Elantris. And he was a storyteller who was requested by the Returned. I think he's collecting the powers to add to his own. To fight, perhaps? Or something more...

First of all, hi everybody! I've been lurking a while, but after my tenth read-through of the trilogy, I couldn't help but to put this out there so that someone may find the answer. It's driving me insane! The question is specifically about the Hero of Ages prophecies. It is as follows : Who is the (real) Announcer?! Now, I've asked friends (who are nearly as obsessive as we) and the knee-jerk reaction is always; "Sazed". But I have to remind them that the prophecies themselves were about Sazed being the Hero. Let me elaborate. This is all done off the top of my head, but here are the (assumed) unRuin-d criteria : 1. Tall of stature. (When first meeting Sazed, Vin remarks on his height. Kel does as well when they stand on the hideout roof. In fact, Sazed is the only Keeper or Terrisman to be described as exceptionally tall!) 2. Be an outcast from his people, but come to lead them. (Sazed, despite refusing the position, is likely the last Keeper alive in HoA and thus, is in command. ) 3. Would destroy kingdoms and then remake them. (Sazed is the key to The Lord Ruler's defeat. If he doesn't save Vin [twice], then TLR kills the rebellion with his own hands.) 4. Not a warrior, but would fight. (Yeah, we all remember Sazed's frequent badassery.) 5. Finally, bears the future of the world on his arms. There's more, but these are enough to illustrate my point. Sazed was always meant to be the Hero of Ages, but I'm not telling any of you anything you don't already know. So the question again, who is the Announcer? While Ruin changed it in the trilogy, we know from TenSoon that there was supposed to BE an Announcer. But who?! I may be going insane trying to figure it out. It's the last thing, for me at least, before I can be satisfied with fleshing out the secrets of the original trilogy. Oh, and since I'm on the subject. I had an epiphany. The Lord ruler was right all along. In both the Log book and Kwon's testimony, he is repeatedly known to believe that no outsiders should be the Hero. I now see TLR very differently. Like a tragic hero. A martyr. He is convinced his uncle is right, kills a famed and loved King, takes the power, and tries to defeat the Deepness. He screws it up, of course, but he tries. His youthful hatred causes him to commit the atrocities he does on the people, but I think he actually had good intentions. Even now I think that The Lord Ruler's depressive soothing he used during the series was a manifestation of his own grief And sorrow. He probably went about collecting information like Sazed used to fix things, and was planning to right the wrongs he committed. Unfortunately Ruin had corrupted him to such an extent that he had truly become a monster after the thousand years. I think Elend's books even describe how the Lord Ruler's methods changed over the millennia. Anyway. I'm rambling because I'm tired. Looking forward to your responses!