Senor Feesh

Major congrats to lyssie95! I'll take this moment to announce I completed my first ever official running event on Sunday - Llanelli Half-marathon, with a chip time of 01:58:43 (to be confirmed).

WoB = Word of Brandon - it refers to anything which Brandon himself has explicitly stated.

Haha I literally just got back from searching Theoryland for relevant info and found the same quote - Lo and behold, you beat me to linking it (the one about Dominion and Devotion that is). As you say, I don't see anything definitive, but it gives another line of speculation - how would Dominion effect the nature of the Dor, if the two are in fact combined within? Is this something to do with the fact the Shards are Splintered? Perhaps now that Dominion and Devotion have been Splintered, their power is without direction, and more prone to mingle? Ooh, there's a thought - Galladon (I think) describes the Dor as like a force built up wanting to push through into reality (I don't remember the exact terminology, but I remember it being akin to water behind a dam). What if the power isn't trying to push through because it's filled to burst, but instead because Dominion's power is trying to exert influence in the Physical realm? (I don't know how much credence I even give this thought myself, but it occurred to me so I give it to you for speculation).

I believe new an pertinent information falls within the realm of allowable double-posting, as it adds to the discussion. As for the Dor - do we have confirmation that the Dor can't be accessed on another world? Is the Dor actually Devotion's power, or a focus for it? I would have assumed that, much like the power of preservation, the Dor is raw power, whilst the Aons are a focus (in the same way metals are). In that sense, perhaps the Dor can be accessed from elsewhere - if the raw power of a Shard exists in the Spiritual realm, then physical distance (across star systems) may be irrelevant. (I know that distance affects Aons, but again, that's due to the issue of the focus. Other methods of accessing the Dor, which do not use drawn components, may also work, and could be immune to the diminishing effect of distance). Also, I'm assuming here that the Dor IS preservation's power, and not just Spiritual energy - if the latter was true, I see no reason why other Shardworlds need lack a Dor under a different name.

It's probably something to do with browser caching. Unless it's only happening to Voidus' counter, in which case I have no idea.

My interpretation of this was that they have possess/wield the power instinctively, much as Kaladin does with his Windrunner powers. So, rather than needing to be taught, they possess the power by 'being', or acting, a certain way (according to the ideals of the KR). I'm afraid I don't know German to be able to weigh in on the best translation.

Nothing good, I'm sure Or possibly just nothing, as Atium is already heavily Invested (being the physical embodiment of a Shard's power).

I'm not sure about the books (although I'm 90% certain they agree) but the Mistborn RPG states that any Blessing awakens a Mistwraith to sentience. I'm fairly certain that in HoA TenSoon is unique in having four spikes after killing OreSeur. Also, it says blessings don't stack, so you wouldn't get additional effects from absorbing more of the same type (although this may be true for Kandra, there's no reason it has to be this way for Monsterwraiths or other creatures).

Think that's Blessing of Stability? Also, apologies to Comatose, I misinterpreted from my reading of your prior post.

Thanks for the links Joe, that clears up policy. And Windrunner, I totally appreciate your consideration - not sure how many others are avoiding spoilers besides me (or that I'll even go the distance myself) but I'm very thankful just the same

Please forgive me if this is covered elsewhere on the forum, but I couldn't seem to locate a 'forum rules' or similar thread, so I'll ask here. What is the official policy on Spoilers? I know that the forum has the <spoiler> tags (which are eminently useful), but are there rules as to what counts as a spoiler and what doesn't? How long does something have to be around before it becomes classed as not a spoiler any longer? Which forums (if any) are spoilers allowed in without warnings? My primary reason for asking is self-serving, in that I am personally avoiding the Stormlight 2 previews (I want to read it when published without any preconceptions). If you guys want to rule that anything Brandon has officially published (such as the Stormlight 2 readings) is non-spoiler that's fine, and I'll carry on doing what I'm doing now, which essentially amounts to <I read something like 'the Parshendi in the Stomlight 2 preview' *RIP EYES AWAY FROM SCREEN AND CLICK BACK BUTTON ON MOUSE*>. But I know The Emperor's Soul got it's own spoiler-warned sub-board to protect people who hadn't read it, so I was wondering if perhaps there should be a similar policy for other newly released, official-text materials.

Dalinar doesn't see any, but Nohadon at least mentions Honorspren. As for no Spren in Shinovar, there are also no Spren on other worlds (that we know of) and Shinovar is also largely sheltered from Highstorms - it's possible that Highstorms and Spren are very closely related (perhaps something about Stormlight alters the Cognitive realm in some fundamental way, or it's actually 'bleeding' over into the Physical). I actually had a thought about Spren the other day, which others have probably had before me; it's to do with Spren and the Cognitive realm, and how Flamespren become fixed when measured. I would say that if Spren are Cognitive beings (or Spiritual beings heavily influenced by Cognitive viewpoints) it would make a certain sense for them to stick when measured - we know that Cognitive interactions (how an object views itself and is viewed by others) form a part of Realmatic Theory. When a Flamespren is measured, the person doing the measuring is imposing a cognitive directive into it (you are THIS length). The fact it only works when written down it either because of a reinforcement (the Cognitive directive is reinforced by the act of recording it) or because there is now an EXTRA cognitive directive (in the form of the record). It would be in interesting (though slightly morbid) experiment to measure a Flamespren, then kill the person who measured it and see if the measurement holds... FOR SCIENCE!

Kandra Blessings come as paired spikes (different types grant different Blessings, but all grant sentience). When TenSoon says he stole OreSeur's Blessing, he means literally, in that he took OreSeur's spikes after digesting him (I believe he recovers them later, after his escape from the Homeland from a place he'd stashed them in a sack). --Edit to fix spelling error--

Don't currently have a copy of Elantris, would you be able to quote the relevant passage?

Curses! My entire theory-jack undone in a single line I'm still curious as to exactly where the theory differs from the correct interpretation - as you listed in the main thread that Sanderson has said you're 'along the right lines' then perhaps a minor tweak somewhere is all it needs. I'll keep trying I guess

There is another option (although I don't buy it) that the strikes evolving crossed ends is analogous to writing developing serifs for easier reading. like I said, I don't buy that, and I fo believe they intentionally look like spikes.

I have, sadly, not the time to read this thread in its entirety, but I have read the initial post. If I go over ground that's been covered, please forgive me. That said, I have a suggestion for discussion. [disclaimer] I have not thought through the full ramifications of this, or any further permutations. I have not given this nearly the same level of thought that the initial theory obviously had invested into it. [/disclaimer] How would the theory be affected if say, instead of the Spiritual Realm containing the 'source code' as it were, the Spiritual Realm is simply a homogenous mass of spiritual energy, which form the building blocks of the Cosmere (in much the same way as sub-atomic particles do under current theory)? Basically the only fundamental difference to your theory is that the initial blueprint, as well as the computation, both exist in the Cognitive realm. It's a small change, but with potentially large ramifications. The main reason I suggest this is the Harmony quote you linked to earlier which states that the Cognitive realm controls the spiritual energy the exists in all things. I believe this resolves the discrepancy without Sazed having to be wrong. So how would this work? Essentially, as I see it, the homogenous Spirit-bits can be made into anything, force, object, or otherwise, in the Cosmere, and it's the Cognitive aspect that decides what form the Spiritual energy should take. So although Gravity (and all other forces) are still composed of Spiritual energy, it only BECOMES gravity because of the Cognitive imperative acting on it. Changing the cognitive instruction would then change how the (force, object, whatever) acts or appears. In the case of things like Stormlight, it may be that this is an almost pure form of Spiritual energy, which can temporarily overrule normal Cognitive laws of gravity locally etc. due to the power infusion, but one which is inherently unstable in certain forms in the Physical realm (which explains why the effects don't last, as the Spiritual energy decays). This also works (I think) with our understanding of Forging, where changing the Cognitive blueprint of an item changes the object itself. It would also mean the Dor is, essentially, a pure flow of Spirit, which only does anything when given a Cognitive imperative (via Aons). I've not considered how this affects Shardblades or Awakening, though I can see Breath being a more stable form of Spirit than Stormlight. The cost reduction in Breath for the correct Command or shape could also be seen as less energy (Spirit) needed to power a form which is more efficient Cognitively (requires less code re-writing to make it work, if you will). I invite you all to dismember this theory brutally Show no mercy!

I would probably still say that come chasmfiends survive pupation, as it seems unlikely that EVERY one would be discovered and split open (by Parshendi or Alethi); the monster that Dalinar fights certainly suggests that some small number reach maturity. However it certainly seems likely that most would be killed (both as a natural reading of the text and Brandon's quote about ecological damage).

Perhaps they gorge themselves prior to pupating? Don't know if that would work or not, not a biologist. Also, magic (potentially a cop-out answer, but we pretty much know gemhearts are invested).

I wonder... do we know which of the Shards is actually responsible for life on Roshar? I know it's often speculated that mankind being kicked out of the tranquiline halls is a metaphor for being kicked off another shardworld (or is this confirmed?). What if Odium is partly responsible for the creation of the humans on Roshar (this doesn't preclude them originating elsewhere), just as Ruin was in part responsible for the life on Scadrial? Could the Thrill be a manifestation of a tiny piece of Odium in Rosharians? Idle speculation, as always. I mainly just throw these thoughts into the aether and see if anything sticks

I've just realised, the symbol for Lerasium is also the only symbol to have a spike-like element NOT piercing the whole. Any suggestions on what this could mean (if anything)?

Especially as they no longer have TLR forcing the issue, there's no longer really any incentive NOT to interbreed.

I think the majority of people had assumed this. I guess 'Harmony' in this sense means simply that the powers complement each other rather than interacting, so by employing both Ruin and Preservation, change can happen (as mentioned in the books themselves - Preservation only would cause the world to stagnate, whilst Ruin would only allow for destruction, or perhaps deconstruction). Another related point is that 'Harmony' doesn't necessarily mean harmonious to the human race - it could simply be the balance of nature.

Or perhaps a friendly Mod could do that for us

I'll have to dig out my copies and have a look at these, that's really interesting. Just and Confident, whilst arguably could be both, I'd say fit very closely specifically with Dalinar (Just) and Confident (Adolin). Dalinar doesn't really display confidence until after the Tower, and Adolin seems to have more of a sense of personal justice than Dalinar's grand vision. I'd be surprised if we didn't see both displaying more of these attributes though in future. I think I've missed an info-dump somewhere which gives the key to the diagram of Surgebinder orders and their respective Radiants - I'd love a link if anyone has one. People are often discussing the Surges and Orders, and I'm often in the dark - I'm not even sure where we know the names of all 10 heralds from! As for Shallan - Brave, certainly. Obedient... yes, I think I can see that. She came to Kharbranth at her family's behest, but she's also very good at following Jasnah's instruction in her studies. I would love to see further discussion on this.