Czernobog

I just got to this point listening to that livestream, and came to the same conclusion regarding the similarity Brandon mentioned. My next leap in thought was: before she was unmade, was BAM the spren of Roshar itself, and so capturing her (being the spren of the land) had a similar sort of effect as the earthquake did on Arelon, in disrupting the proper flow or maybe alignment of Investiture?

Mapping physics concepts onto Lights reminded me of an article I had read recently that made me think theoretical physicists may have re-interpreted fundamentals as something that might be called "Investiture." https://www.sciencealert.com/physicists-suggest-energy-fragments-is-the-best-way-to-describe-matter/amp

Four mentions of "Nightblood" in RoW. Two are from Szeth, and those at least make sense as to how he could have learned what others have called it. The sword itself likely told him at some point. But the other two mentions are by Taravangian. How would he have come across that name, especially post-diagram-inception?

Back at the end of Oathbringer, I had assumed the knife Moash used to end Jezrien would be unique, and predicted a book 5 title of Knife of Woe. Knowing what we know now, at the end of RoW, I will make a small alteration and predict Knives of Woe.

She sent her copy of Rhythm of War along to Kholinar via Oathgate.

That...sounds like raw material that could be used to make a very interesting kandra, or possibly a Lifeless.

That makes sense. I just always hope for the more magic-laden possibilities of things to be the case.

I now somewhat regret mentioning Nightblood at all; that's diverting attention from my questions regarding the phrase "given to the Honorblades" and its implications. If I could go back in time, I would replace my first sentence with: "It's probably safe to say that the Honorblades represent very high concentrations of Investiture." Also, I wasn't suggesting that anyone was being "fed" to the Honorblades, but rather consigned to fulfilling the role of a mind holding/controlling the Investiture such that it would prevent spontaneous sapience arising. Picking a bunch of people to learn how to fight and learn the surges just for the sake of learning how to fight and use the surges seems far to pedestrian a reason. There does not appear to be any extant in-world lore regarding the Shin wielding surges like the long lost Radiants or Heralds, so it seems the Shin make certain the Honorblades are in regular use for some other reason than external conquest of defense of their own borders. Time will eventually reveal the answers, I suppose.

Given that Nightblood was able to (seemingly quite easily) utterly destroy a Vessel, but only managed to nick Ishar's Honorblade, Honorblades must involve truly staggering concentrations of Investiture. Large amounts of Investiture left lying around tend to start forming minds of their own. Were Shin "given to the Honorblades" to prevent sapience from manifesting in the Honorblades, which might have possibly completely disrupted the Oathpact? Further, families share deep bonds that no random group of people would have, so perhaps having the Honorblades held by minds with deep interpersonal bonds was also serving to somehow prop up the Oathpact. Any merit to that as a possible reason for Shin families being "given to the Honorblades"?

That bit where @Argent pauses to reflect on the types of chemical bonds, covalent and ionic, and then goes on to speak of forming aonic bonds...I genuinely could not tell if that was intentional or not, but it made me smile, either way. So thanks for making me smile!

It seems equally unlikely for a Herald to take any active role in the False Desolation, yet Kelek says he was there for the capture of BAM. Lotsa fun mystery to unravel.

Amaram from WoK, right after killing the four survivors from Kaladin's squad, and before having Kaladin branded.

Fair point. Though if so, I would think the avatar/Hoid interaction would have to have taken place somewhere other than Scadrial or Roshar, for the "other planets" to still hold.

For some reason, reading this made me immediately think of the trailer for the movie Mortal Engines.

If Hoid's use of the plural "planets" from his conversation with Jasnah is correct, i think we have to select from one of three possible conclusions: 1) Hoid views the Cognitive Realm as a "planet", and so the two "planets" where Hoid saw Kelsier are Scadrial and Scadrial's Cognitive Realm. Hoid is highly knowledgeable about Realmatics, and his audience (Jasnah) is very knowledgeable about Realmatics as well. That he would conflate the terms "realm" and "planet" strains credulity. 2) Thaidakar is not Kelsier, since the only "planet" where Hoid has seen him is Scadrial. Given the numerous references of Thaidakar which scream Kelsier, this seems to also strain credulity. 3) Kelsier has already resolved his issue of Connection to Scadrial, and so now just wants a pet Herald to study how to resolve the long-term sanity issue. The southern continent Scadrian's applications of medallions show there's already a very firm grasp of Connection, so this conclusion feels most likely. Thaidakar is Kelsier, and Kelsier has world hopped at least once (and Hoid saw him there).

Darn it. Yes, it is; I forget the geography of Roshar far too easily.

Wouldn't it be an interesting scene if Kaladin were to share with Lirin his vision of Tien?

Perhaps this is how writer-Shallan might express her overarching feeling regarding what she did to Testament: Regret I cut out my tongue with blade of silver, and bind it with wrappings of boiled linen and ripe rowan berry. I tie it high in the rafters with rope of braided ivy, amongst the drying hyssop and rue. It hangs restlessly, thrashing in the flickering shadows thrown from the hearth as I recount mortal wounds left in its wake. After far, far too long a time it grows quiescent, as embers die slowly into ash. And still, sleep refuses my embrace.

Cryptics are literally referred to as liespren. Why would it be surprising that they can lie to their own Radiants?

That was sublime. Thanks for sharing it!

I admit, I stared at my Bridge Four poster for quite a long while, after reading that scene.

Feverstone Keep (because why not)? My hunch is Feverstone Keep was where BAM was when Melishi trapped her in a perfect gem. We now know from Kelek that event had Major Unintended Consequences even beyond the lobotomization of an entire species. That would have to warrant "weird" I think, and potentially troubling enough in implication to warrant a F2F discussion about what was weird.

Interesting. I wonder if that will be an important defense mechanism for Radiant spren going forward, to minimize their "footprint" in the Physical. Could prove to be a distinct combat advantage Radiant spren have over the Fused, since Radiant spen can modulate their effective target area, whereas the fused are more or less fixed in form, for targeting purposes.

With strong implications by Pattern that, should Shallan kill him, another would definitely be sent to bond her with her. Why?!?

So basically, the Word Count by Character curve proves that Palona is the linchpin character of the series. Very cool work, with potential for insights going forward. Will have to chew on the data a bit.