Meg

Is Harmony "one shard"? I didn't understand BS that way. I'll stand with this definition even though a newer statement could be read in the other way and sounds sort of contradicting the older one: So I think there is one person (Sazed) holding two Shards (Ruin and Preservation).

I think I don't really understand that OP. I understand it, whether Shardbearer thinks that spheres are used for Soulcasting. Don't you, Shardbearer? Do you worry about the needed quantity of gems for having enough to Soulcast and have spheres? That the permanent hunting of chasmfiends endangers the ecology of Roshar is known.(1) But, at least I think I remember, that it is mentioned in TWoK that the spheres are made of gems that got broken by Soulcasting (but I don't find the quote now, sorry).

*secretly throwing in* There are 16 Shards of Adonalsium (ShofAds) and "ten core worlds" (IIRC), so wouldn't that imply that not every world/plant has two ShofAds (at least not permanently)?

Unfortunately we didn't get a description what happened when Sadeas took Dalinar's Blade, that would have been helpful. Neither we now what happened, when Shallan took her Blade the first time. I just thought about whether Shardplates would flash too, if put on the first time by a new owner. First I thought, it must do so, too. But now I think, it might have done long ago with the Knights Radiant, but it doesn't work that way "nowadays". I think that this "flash of light" is the sign/manifestation of Amaram's (in this case) new won ability to summon and dismiss the Shardblade.

Please don't feel cross with me, but where did you get that information? I've never understood it that way.

That topic is interesting. I dare to share a thought that came up to me and I apologize if it's been said somewhere already. What, if that "A" and that "s" are not the important parts but "Donal" is, and that "ium" is only sort of an addition? I found that description for this name: So that ur-Shard was the ruler of the world(s) and was shattered by something or somebody. (Sounds similar to Cronos, I know.)

That bear that Melody drew seems quite "perspective" to me.

(Black) charcoal seems to be a contrary to (white) chalk. But both are sort of the same "substance" (for the lack of having a better word or description) and surely not liquid (like oil would be). edit (contrary was the right word)

I'm obviously too stupid to understand you. Sorry.

Do you have a reference for the emphasized part? I don't think it's that easy (using blinds and lead it). But, maybe, you're sort of joking here? <sarcasm> That's a great joke! </sarcasm>

I've tried to find that said quote/reference but I didn't get it. Only this already given about the sentient beings. Windrunner, may I ask, too, if you could have a look for it?

I don't have an answer but want to note -- though you surely know this -- that formerly Kaladin('s life) should go the exact other way than it is now. He was supposed to take that Shards he won (source). That might, too, have changed Dalinar's history?

Thanks for that information, I wondered about this. @PM: Vapors -> Mists -> Scadrial is really the most obvious possibility. That nearly made me not to chose it, as for obvious vs. BS ...

Ahha, I'm musing about the Expanses for nearly half an hour now. And nobody wants to begin ... so, I do: Expanse of the Broken Sky -> Sel Expanse of the Vapors -> Scadrial Expanse of the Densities -> Nalthis That's my first, intuitive ideas about it, I can't provide any reasons for them. As "we" are on Roshar when we see this (only one known to us) map of Roshar, logically there is no Expanse correlating with Roshar.

I know, thus I write 'Shardholder.' (I'm sorry, I did this using German rules [as for 'xyz' == so-called xyz] not knowing whether this is accepted in English too.) (Here's the source for PM's objection. ) Maybe we should just abbreviate "Shard of Adonalsium" to "ShofAd" and use this instead of "Shardholder". (i.e.: Honor is the Shard and Tanavast is it's ShofAd.) So: Sazed is a ShofAd and a ShofAd is presumably a sentient being that as a general rule can sire children. That may mean that ShofAd's are not chosen for siring children, as, I daresay, otherwise Sazed wouldn't have been able to "take" and hold Ruin and Preservation, as for he's not able to sire children.

Sazed isn't a Shard. He's Holder of two Shards, but he's a human being, not a Shard. @Kroen This answer shows that your question is ambiguous. Do you really mean Shards (i.e. Devotion or Honor)? Or do you mean 'Shardholders' (which would be humans as far as we know)? Or do you mean something entirely else? I stand to my previous answer though it was sort of a bit sarcastic. But, aside from that, there came a question up in my mind while writing this: Does a 'Shardholder' have to be human (or can it, too, be a Parshendi, Aimian, whatever)? If this had been asked before, I apologize but would be happy to get a reference. If not, could that be added to a compilation of questions for BS?

May I ask for a reference for this, please? edit: Re-reading the OP I have a question. "We know that Shadesmar is where people seem to be going when they die ..." I'm sorry for not wholly understanding this: If we know than wouldn't that mean, we know that people are going to Shadesmar when they die (rather than "seem to be going")? I may have missed some informations, but I thought that people (on Roshar) go either to the Tranquiline Halls or Damnation. Or ...? That place that Szeth fears: This could be a third place where dead people could have to go. I'm pretty sure that "Tranquiline Halls" =|= Shadesmar (IIRC). So, that would mean hat "nothingness" == Shadesmar? *confused*

Surely: The children of Shards are Splinters.

. That would mean that there are two sorts of "Anti-Heralds": The religious ones known as the Ten Fools and the Unmade as the Voidbringers or Voidbinders. Now I'm confused.

At first: I'm really curious to know what the "fourth entity" is. I'm not good at any kind of physics or something related to, but may that "fourth entity" be the time? As for "mankind" measuring of time plays a very big role, Nalizar said: Another thing that strikes me as it is mentioned a few times in the book: Thus I wonder whether this inception ceremony is a fake event for most of the children. There seems to be a fixed contingent of possible Rithmatists (alive). So: Is mankind lacking (a lot of) actual Rithmatists? Or is that ceremony a fake as for it seems to be clear that not every potential new Rithmatist can be chosen for not exceeding that given contingent? . edit: adding spoiler-tags

Reading "anti-heralds" I remembered the following quote: (Emphasizes mine) I don't really know what is meant with "anti-herald" so I don't know whether this quote is contradicting your idea or not. Going slightly off topic, but because they are mentioned here: I wonder, too, what these "Unmade" are. They are -- or were -- foes, that is fact. That's what Nohadon tells Dalinar in his vision (Chapter 60 TWoK). I dare say that "Yelignar" == "Yelig-nar". So the ancient people knew about this kind of people whatever they were. Musing: May Yelignar and his kind have been renegade surgebinders at that time?

IIRC that's not the point. The point is that Vin couldn't push on that coin as long as he held it in his mouth.

I got my book on 17th and I'm through once now. I like it. It gives me the feeling of a crime story written around a virtual world that's unique (once again) with a major problem that's not solved yet. I'd have been (more) angry about the ending if the "tbc" wasn't set at the end of the book. At the moment it's sort of unsatisfying because I've to wait for another sequel that I'd like to read now (together with WoR and *Nightblood*). And I don't know what to think about that "homeworks" at the end of the book. So that are my first impressions.

As for the "noon"/"afternoon"-issue: I'm pretty sure it's right. That's Joel's thought and he would enjoy drawing Rithmatic lines and circles in the afternoon == in his free time. I think this should show that he really doesn't understand how somebody can not enjoy doing so during lessons, when he even enjoys to do in his free time. That "non-" isn't really pretty but it's clear that "non-Rithmatists" is meant so IMHO there's no need for a change.

I got my book just a few minutes ago. Though I can't read now, I looked for that issue and in the printed book it's too "monopolized".