Philomath

I loved getting all of the new information about the Radiant orders. One of the things that was most exciting was starting to understand the focus of the oaths first each order. I think the most surprising one for me was the Elsecallers. I think it was generally assumed they would be a scholarly focused order. Especially since that is one of Jasnah’s most dominant traits. Jasnah has always been interesting to me and I know there have been some great threads discussing her character. This new info about Elsecallers takes her to a whole new level for me. I think understanding that Elsecallers are focused on reaching their full potential makes Jasnah’s motivations much deeper. Her scholarship isn’t just in the interest of knowledge, it is about helping herself be her best self. How can one improve if one doesn’t know enough? The more you learn and understand, the better you can be. For yourself and for others. I think it also explains why she is willing to go to extreme measures to reach her goals. She wants to protect those she loves. So in order to do that to her full potential and the best of her abilities, she hires spies and assassins to watch and take out threats. She wants to stop the desolation. So she considers finding and killing the heralds as a better alternative to genocide of all Listeners/Singers. I think this might also lead to a fear of failure. Doesn’t mean they can’t grow to accept failure, but people who strive to be their best selves seem to struggle with that idea. This is evidenced in Jasnah and Shallan’s conversation when Jasnah first returned to Urithiru. She is incredibly competent, but she was still bothered by how much she missed while in Shadesmar and she did not like feeling like her work was for nothing and that she was “left behind” in a sense. I like Jasnah. I can’t wait to see more from her perspective and see her character growth. And this new info on Elsecallers makes her even more intriguing to me.

Yeah that was my biggest problem with using gravity as an example. But you could argue that the combinations of lashings have the effect of an increase or decrease from the perspective of whatever the object is. I’m sort of picturing the force diagrams from my physics classes from long ago.

I’ve definitely thought that Abrasion should allow for increased friction though it hasn’t yet been seen in the books. And your thought of that being how they actually go across the thinnest of wires/ropes is excellent. I imagine some instances of increased friction might look similar to some uses of Adhesion. (Considering Kaladin’s use of Adhesion to climb chasm walls.) But the fundamental science/mechanisms of how they work is different. I’m not sure how many surges we can look at yet to see if you can affect things in multiple ways. But Gravitation is one we can look at. Though it is all referred to as lashings, they are technically used to increase or decrease gravitational pull in a given direction. It may just depend on what fundamental force each surge represents.

I love this description so much. Everything about it is just awesome. Squires. People saying paths and living up to them even without spren simply because they believe in them. Unity... It is great. One more interesting aspect of it for me are the “anyone can be a Bondsmith if they can persuade one of the spren.” That could have really interesting impacts on the story depending on who could persuade the Nightwatcher or Sibling. I will be watching out for this. It also makes Dalinar bonding the Stormfather kind of hilarious in my mind. In my head it is now: Dalinar: I need to become Radiant to lead this group and I’m not waiting for a spren to choose me. Stormfather, I am saying the paths and you will accept them and me. Stormfather: Ugh... fine. But I don’t have to like it. I also am intrigued by how Bondsmith powers will differ from each other and also slightly from the adjacent orders of Radiants with the same surges. I think this helps explain Dalinar’s rebuilding of the temple in Thaylen City. I feel like they will still be related to the general surge properties, but be “flavored” by their particular spren.

I want to join you guys as a Winddancer! Ha ha. I got Windrunner first with Edgedancer as a close second as well, though I feel I fit the description of an Edgedancer better. I’ll take Gravitation and Regrowth please. (Though maybe adhesion would be good for holding uncooperative patients steady or for conflict resolution so people can’t just walk away before the problem is worked out.)

Just took it with my family. My husband got Truthwatcher which fits him really well. He is very much about knowledge, learning, and truth. I was surprised by my result. I got Windrunner. Edgedancer was a very close second for me which is actually where I thought I would be and given the descriptions. My biggest thing against being a Windrunner is the description is so combat/fighting focused and that just doesn’t fit me. I may even be something of a pacifist. Ha ha. (Full disclosure, I took the quiz twice. Once on my own and once discussing with my husband. The percentages I share will be the averages between the two rounded to the nearest whole number.) Windrunner 80% Edgedancer 75% Bondsmith 67% Truthwatcher 63% Stoneward 62% Willshaper 57% Skybreaker 57% Lightweaver 50% Elsecaller 49% Dustbringer 40% My 6 year old took it and got Willshaper. (He knows some basics about the Knights Radiant because he loves looking at the covers, maps, and diagrams from the books and he asks questions about what it means.) He was definitely excited about the transportation surge. And I think that order currently fits him well. All in all I am very impressed with this quiz. I love seeing everyone’s results and seeing how even though some people get the same first order, the ones that follow are so varied. (Who would have guessed that people are so diverse and not easy to put into boxes... ha ha.)

I’ve had this problem too.

Is it possible that the curates and Holy Enclave in the Vorin Church are a possible secret society on Roshar as well? There are several theories around in particular relating to the Davar family and their affiliations with secret societies that seem suspect. I propose that the Vorin church could be another group that has a lot to lose if Radiants were to start returning. Therefore it is in their best interests to make sure that doesn’t happen. This could relate to some of the questions people have relating to Shallan’s mother and her “acquaintance.” I’ve heard some people question whether they were really skybreakers. Vorinism is just really sketchy at this time in Rosharan history and I wouldn’t be surprised at the lengths leaders would go to in order to stay in power.

Thanks. I have seen a little bit of Rebels but not the most recent stuff. I’ll have to look into it more.

Finally was able to watch the finale last night. Oh my goodness that was fantastic! Season 2 needs to be a thing soon. Ha ha. I am really enjoying this show. And maybe this is a silly question but as someone who has only seen the movies and the Mandalorian (no tv shows yet), who is Bo Katan? I think one of the best things the Mandalorian has done is made me want to learn more Star Wars lore. I love the movies, but this series makes me want to know more.

My thoughts are that I really enjoyed it. I’m glad we’re now tying it back to the beginning episodes though I loved the middle episodes too. I can’t wait to see the finale then hopefully not have to wait too long for season 2. And finally

A new episode is up today. What are everyone’s thoughts on our main character’s Kaladin-esque journey? Anyone else waiting for more clues and answers to the many mysteries we have been presented with?

I agree with this.

How are we not discussing this yet? Has anyone else started watching this yet. My husband and I are loving it so far. The visuals are stunning (regardless what you think of how Disney has handled Star Wars, there is no denying they have all been beautiful from a visual artistic perspective). I am loving the character interactions. I love the mystery surrounding some of the characters. I am really just intrigued by all of it. And “I have spoken.”

Hey all. I have a friend who is an English teacher at a high school. He is starting a fantasy/sci-fi lit class and is looking for more modern fantasy authors besides Brandon. Any length of work is okay. Anyone have recommendations?

There were more than 16 people working to shatter Adonalsium. So when the shattering happened, it became a free for all among them to ascend to a shard. Hoid possibly started to ascend to one, but he was there with a loved one who was killed in the free for all. Hoid stops ascending or trying to and now his goal (as implied by The Traveller) is to bring that person back from the beyond.

Okay. I just have to say that as a piece of artwork, I find this stunning. It has been a while since I’ve seen the star charts, (Not sure I’ve even seen the other ones in color) but I love this.

That 5 letter one was tricky. My guess was Edgli. Edgli Odium Shard Color (And the last clue assumes Ian is right about her being a dragon) Human Thanks for another fun episode! I have fun playing along at home.

Okay. I am a person who usually keeps my laughs inside and just grins when I find something funny. But this one made me burst out laughing.

Maybe Honor+Preservation? I could see that as Courage or Valor or Protection.

Those are some good possibilities. I have wondered who the main interlude character would be as well. It seems like each of the main interlude has been some sort of antagonist. Or generally misunderstood to most people. So Nale could be a good perspective. My other guesses would be Moash or Taravangian. Though both of them have had POVs outside of interludes so maybe not.

I am a fan of nerd humor “You matter. Unless you multiply yourself by the speed of light squared. Then you energy.” Want to hear a potassium joke? ... K.

I have a head cannon that Devotion+Dominion= Zeal. No one has speculated with Endowment yet. Endowment+Devotion= Grace or Condescension Endowment+Honor=Loyalty (though I like that one better as Devotion+Honor) or maybe Promise Endowment+Odium= Corruption, Infection, Virulence Endowment+Autonomy= Freedom, Salvation, Rebellion Endowment+Ambition= Glory? Pride? Ascension? Inspiration? Cultivation is a little hard to combine. Everything I think of combining it with just basically becomes... Cultivation. So a few slightly less than serious Cultivation options: Endowment+Cultivation= Teacher Cultivation+Dominion=Imperialism Cultivation+(hypothetical shard) Ingenuity= Industrialization, Mad Scientist

I really like your groupings @Jofwu. My only concern was another thing Brandon said regarding a certain Rock novella he would possibly want released prior to Stormlight 4. But that novella could be a lot of things. Maybe he is unable to resolve things himself in the Peaks and needs help from Urithiru leading into book 4. Maybe it is kind of a flashback novella with the purpose of explaining horneater culture and Rock’s history prior to a deeper dive in book 4. Or maybe Rock has some sort of adventure in Urithiru that motivates him to return to the Peaks and accept his role as King. (Something that pushes him to Radiant, not squire, status?)

I think it is interesting that Cultivation is trying to help the Nightwatcher (a spren) gain more understanding of humans not through a nahel bond, but by experience and interaction. A little trial and error. I wonder what the Nightwatcher would be like with a nahel bond. Or could she possibly gain the intelligence/understand that other nahel spren are gaining just by giving boons and curses. I really liked Grace’s Puuli speculation. That actually really works for me. I always wonder what greater significance each of the interludes could have beyond worldbuilding and that one in particular is odd. And one last thing I wanted to add because I’m not sure idea this was clarified in the discussion. Lift went to the Nightwatcher after Dalinar. She went 3ish years ago and he went 6 or so years ago. So it is possible for Cultivation to have been involved. But as of right now there isn’t enough evidence to know one way or the other.