Cheat Commando

I've always liked Hoid, considered him a good guy, despite his assurances that he isn't. However, I have to admit that when he manifested AonDor at the end of Tress, my gut reaction was, "Oh, crap," and shivers went down my spine, but not the good kind.

I think that moment indicated to me that Hoid is indeed out for himself, and he's not the lovable jokester we wish him to be. 

On 9/27/2022 at 8:48 PM, Brgst13 said:

Any good WoB out of FanX?

A few: 

https://wob.coppermind.net/events/503/

2 minutes ago, Frustration said:

Something else I thought of, how would Ishar manipulate Gavilar's connection without touching him?

Unfortunately for me, that is a good point...

1 hour ago, HSuperLee said:

Agreed, there was definitely a level of satisfaction in realizing that we, the fans, know more in some ways than a person that's been built up as some kind of genius mastermind.

Also agree. Granted, I was hoping for more juicy secrets to be revealed in this prologue, but I am pleased with what we saw.

I reread Oathbringer a few months ago and I am fairly certain that Dalinar's Stormfather manifests as a simmering presence in one or more of the visions. I believe it's when he brings Queen Fen in, but it might have been one of the ones with Yanagawn. So that's a point in favor of the Same Stormfather theory.

Personally, I am in favor of the StormFaker theory. I don't have any additional pieces of evidence to offer, but I do think Ishar is the most likely candidate. I find it odd that the real Stormfather doesn't sense the presence or interference of the StormFaker, so my theory is that the real Stormfather had already moved on from Gavilar some time before the night of Gavilar's death. Ishar then swooped in, picked up where the Stormfather left off, and started influencing Gavilar. Since Gavilar had already seen the visions, Ishar was able to access them through that prior Connection and show them to Gavilar at Gavilar's will.

As for the StormFaker/Ishar foreseeing Gavilar's death, well... Ishar's called the Herald of Luck for a reason, right?

(Small aluminum hat theory: if the StormFaker is not Ishar, then perhaps El????)

20 hours ago, Benkinsky said:

[Crackpot theory time: Can multiple people hold the same shard? I've wondered this, if you could have two people sharing a shard, basically two massive Splinters? If so, let's get one crazier, could two people share the same mixed shard? Dalinar and Gavilar, both bearing half of Honor and half of Odium, one as Conquest and one as War or something? yeah, I think I'm reaching truly unrealistic ends here.]

This actually sounds pretty cool to me, not gonna lie. I would like to think this is theoretically possible, but as for right now, I get the impression that Brandon won't take it this direction because Odium just barely changed hands; I think good ol' Vargodium is gonna hang around for a bit.

But still, I think the mechanics of that are possible, especially the combining and redistributing of two Shards. Have an upvote!

Hey, @Mistborn Surgebinder, what about both characters? I would love to see more Forgery, so what if Shai is off in a different country pulling some shenanigans that are causing political problems for Gaotona? I'd be down for something like that.

The word "money" appears in the Stormlight Archive.....

WoK: 65 times (9 money pouches, 4 moneylenders/moneychangers)

WoR: 30 times

O: 22 times (7 of these instances are compound words, such as "moneychangers")

RoW: 14 times 

For a current total of 131 times.

I can do the search. What's the word?

On a few different other topics, the idea that Kelsier is a Dawnshard has come up. I have been reading through the fist Mistborn trilogy, plus Secret History and The Eleventh Metal, and I have found some evidence that I think indicates that Kelsier is INDEED a Dawnshard.

By the way, there are many Mistborn spoilers here, so be warned!!!

From "Secret History"

Quote

Do better, Kelsier, Preservation commanded, his voice fading. If the end comes, get them below ground. It might help. And remember . . . remember what I told you, so long ago . . . Do what I cannot, Kelsier . . .
SURVIVE.
The word vibrated through him, and Kelsier gasped. He knew that exact feeling, remembered that exact command. He'd heard that voice in the Pits. Waking him, driving him forward.
Saving him.

(Later, in Urteau...)

Kelsier looked down at the child in his arms. No, not a child any longer. He opened himself to Spook, and spoke a single, all-powerful command.
"Survive!"

(Bolded emphasis is mine)

From "The Hero of Ages"

Quote

Demoux shook his head. “I’m saying that Kelsier was a man, but a man who gained something—a mantle, a portion of something eternal and immortal. When he died, he wasn’t just Kelsier, the crewleader. Don’t you think it odd that he was never Mistborn before he went to the Pits?”
 “That’s the way Allomancy works, Demoux,” Elend said. “You don’t gain your powers until you Snap—until you face something traumatic, something that nearly kills you.”
“And you don’t think that Kelsier experienced those kinds of events before the Pits?” Demoux asked. “My lord, he was a thief who robbed from obligators and noblemen. He lived a very dangerous life. You think he could have avoided beatings, near-deaths, and emotional anguish?”
 Elend paused. 
“He gained his powers at the Pits,” Demoux said quietly, “because something else came upon him. People who knew him speak of how he was a changed man when he came back. He had purpose—he was driven to accomplish something the rest of the world thought impossible.” 
Demoux shook his head. “No, my lord. Kelsier the man died in those Pits, and Kelsier the Survivor was born. He was granted great power, and great wisdom, by a force that is above us all. That is why he accomplished what he did. That is why we worship him. He still had the follies of a man, but he had the hopes of a divinity.”

(Bolded emphasis is mine)
 

But this is the one that struck me the most:

From "The Eleventh Metal" (Kelsier is having an introspective moment)

Quote

Memories. A dark hole lined by crystals sharp as razors. Her sobs as she died. His sobs as they broke him. Crumpled him. Ripped him apart.
His screams as he remade himself.

(Bolded emphasis mine)
 

My assumptions:

1. There is a Survive Dawnshard
2. Preservation was the Survive Dawnshard

My uncertainties:

1. When did Kelsier become the Survive Dawnshard? Was it in the Pits or was it when Preservation died?

Anyway, I'm going to say a few thoughts on the quotes I listed above.

From my first quote above, when Preservation dies and Kelsier remembers hearing the voice in the Pits, people have said that Preservation was incapable of speaking to people. To counter that argument, I say that Preservation was able to speak to Kelsier, not in his role as Preservation, but in his role as the Survive Dawnshard. Perhaps he was able to separate the power form his mind for a moment and speak the command to Kelsier in the Pits. Kelsier is certainly able to do the same thing when he commands Spook to survive. By the way, did you notice that it was an "all-powerful" command?

Now, of course Kelsier is better able to separate himself from the power of Preservation because he's not Connected enough to it, but maybe Leras could've pulled the power away from himself, just barely, to speak to Kelsier.

The second quote, from "Hero of Ages," I think was Brandon giving us foreshadowing WAY in advance. Demoux is a very perceptive guy, so I think it makes sense that he would say these things AND be correct. The way Rysn describes the Dawnshard at the end of chapter 19 sounded very similar to me.

Rysn: "The will of a god to remake things, to demand they be better"

Demoux: "The hopes of a divinity"

Then finally, the quote from "The Eleventh Metal."  While the word "remade" isn't capitalized here, it made me wonder if becoming a Dawnshard requires you to remake yourself: to be broken and pull yourself back together, rather than having something else remake you.

Anyway, that's my theory!

On 11/23/2020 at 3:01 PM, spitfireky said:

What I thought was interesting was the difference between Ambition/Devotion/Dominion's Splinterings and Honor's. Aren't the Shattering of Shards supposed to have extremely destructive effects on the planets/systems they're Invested in? Something about the Shard's power being too intense w/o a Vessel? The Evil on Threnody could be a result of Ambition's Investiture going haywire on the planet post-Splinter. The Dor is also supposed to be dangerous and volatile because it's the remnants of Devotion and Dominion's power trapped in the Cognitive Realm. So I think the difference between the events was that at the time of Honor's Splintering, Tanavast could've had most of the Shard's power in the Spiritual Realm. 

You got me thinking...

What if the Recreance was done as a stop-gap measure in preparation for Tanavast's death? By renouncing their oaths, the Knights and their spren rendered a large portion of Honor's Investiture inert, so that when Tanavast died, it didn't become dangerous like Ambition, Devotion, and Dominion?

Cultivation could've warned them; that, plus the  terrible effects of BAM's imprisonment together was what convinced the Radiants and their spren to reject their oaths.

7 hours ago, Mason Wheeler said:

One problem with the "refuse to fight and then Dalinar dies of old age" theory is that the terms specify one other thing: the duel must occur on top of the tower of Urithiru.

If Dalinar refuses to fight and tries to go on with his life, I'm pretty sure that it could be argued that leaving the top of the tower counts as a forefeit.

I agree with this. Before Dalinar and Rayse solidified their deal, Rayse mentioned that if either side forfeited, then the other side would immediately have complete and utter control over the forfeited side, able to do anything they wanted. I predict that Todium will use these 10 days to groom Gavinor and convince him to hate Dalinar. On the day of the contest, Dalinar will refuse to kill Gavinor, voiding the contract, and releasing TOdium from his bondage. To me this matches up perfectly with the first two Death Rattles the OP listed.

The rest of the book will be the fallout, with a small hint of hope at the end.

It is a phrase that Brandon Sanderson says. He usually says it when fans ask him uncomfortable questions.

Oh my goodness, I didn't catch that!! I was listening to the audio book and didn't catch that! That's awesome!

This made me more emotional than Kaladin's 4th ideal. Storm you, Moash!!

I thought it was the singers/some Fused and humans banding together to fight the other Fused. That's a game changing scene. 

Or, maybe it was Kaladin talking to Tien. Actually, I just convinced myself that's what it was.

This is a terrible idea, but if Brandon pulled it off, it would be cool:

Book 5 has 10 parts, each lasting one day. Then there is a double ketek at the end.

My serious guess is that the first nine days last for all of Part 1, with Tod setting up his big bad loophole, Part 2 is the actual contest, which Tod wins, Parts 3 and 4 show Dalinar in Damnation, and everyone else looking for their own loophole. Part 5... I don't know. I could see it ending in a happy or sad ending. :/

Just finished! 

Teft!! Actually got a little teary eyed

Ishar being super creepy with the spren creeped me out. What's the deal with that?

Ugh, was very much hoping for Taravangian to die. Not excited for him as the new Odium.

Oh, snap, Wit, you got cocky. Good job. That legitimately frightens me.

Thaidakar is now ID'd. I'm so excited for "The Lost Metal!"

Also, very pleased with Adolin, Shallan, Pattern, and Maya' plot line. Enjoyed that a lot!

Loved the anti-Light lore!!

That Death Rattle has always bugged me, but your theory makes me believe you're on to something. I've been rereading Mistborn Era 1 and the spear is very prominent. Something in the back of my mind kept whispering to me that it can't be a coincidence that Kaladin prefers the spear and that the spear is the icon of the Church of the Survivor. Why would Brandon Sanderson use the spear in such a significant role in two series???

I'm excited to see if this pans out.

In response to those who were trying to find a synonym for "Care," might I suggest "Desire?" For me, that makes sense as the group for Odium and Ambition (plus two more).

Through my own reading and thinking, I think one of the other Dawnshards is "Survive" and now after reading the OP, I think Kelsier IS the "Survive" Dawnshard. That final scene in Bands of Mourning....

Survive!

I was getting goosebumps as @mdross81 was listing the similarities. Great catch!

I've been looking for an appropriate spot to say the following:

THE DAWNSHARDS WERE THE WEAPONS THAT KILLED ADONALSIUM!! AAAHHHH!!!

There are four of them?? Cool!

I loved Lopen's arc in this story! Also, I want more Huio.

Lopen's Third Ideal was perfect. That epilogue was sheer gold.

I am so excited for Rysn's interlude now! I usually don't care. Man, I hope she figures out how to use her new power (even though she kinda promised not to...).

Are the Sleepless going to be featured in every in-between novella? I hope so! I can't wait for Horneater!

1 hour ago, Solant said:

Laral has kids. A "Young Avenger" style team-up in the back 5 with Lift, Oroden, Cord, Laral's kids, and Shallan/ Adolin's kid(s) is the adventure Novella I never knew I needed until now. 

Don't forget Gavinor!!

2 hours ago, Gilphon said:

So. Since the metal Navani was talking about last week was clearly aluminium, we can now say the Fused's spears are not aluminium. We do, however, know that it's silvery, which can narrow it down nicely.

I had been thinking that they were Chromium, because the overall function of the spears is so similar to a Leecher, but hearing Navani say that really what the metal does is conduct Investiture makes me thinks that Duralumin is a better fit- the draining part is handled by the gem; the metal's just a conductor. Because really that's what that does in Allomancy, it pulls in more Investiture that you'd otherwise get for the reaction. And it would also nicely parallel how Aluminium can be used as an insulator. 

So between the two of them, you get a lot of potential for circuitry. Man, now that I say it like that, using it just to make those spears is really wasting its potential. Just goes to show how far ahead the humans are at understand Fabrials, I suppose. 

I am inclined to believe it is duralumin as well.

If it ends up being chromium, I'll be disappointed, but I'll get over it.

46 minutes ago, IcaroRibeiro said:

Fused aren't bonded to spren, as such I don't think any ideals are required

Besides Honor is the shard of oaths and liaisons, shards magical manifestation of investiture are generally related with shards own intent, I'm sure Odium grant  access to powers trough emotions. Fused gained their power trough deep hatred against mankind developed over many centuries of war

If there is something like this, perhaps each Brand is associated with a particular Passion, a specific desire they must continually nurture and feel?

2 hours ago, Vasherin said:

The fact that this is tied to yet another terrible secret from her childhood, however, is infuriating to me. We know that she killed both of her parents and was justified in doing so in both cases. I struggle to see how she could have done anything that would affect her more as a young child. Not only that but the fact that there’s a bigger, unresolved trauma in her past cheapens Words of Radiance for me. Why didn’t Shallan’s flashback book address the biggest issue from her past?That makes zero sense to me.

I very much agree with this point right here. When Veil said, "Shallan, you gotta deal with this other thing from your past," I was very confused. But on the other hand, something had to attract Pattern to her initially, so there's gotta be something there, something that hasn't been revealed to us.

I think the drudgery we're feeling has to do with the fact that we're reading this at a rate of one chapter a week. Once we get the book in our hands, we can speed read over the parts we do not enjoy so much, getting to the parts we do want, until we get to the big reveal and find out that Shallan's 2nd big secret actually makes sense and we realize we should reread her parts of the book again and pay attention this time.

This is my hope at least. I trust Brandon Sanderson to deliver a quality story. These chapters are laying the ground work for the rest of the book; they are NOT the book. I fully expect to reach the end of this book and say, "Oh! I get why this wasn't revealed in Words of Radiance." I trust Brandon, as the amazing author that he is, to work his magic well.

Hope this helps.