Child of Hodor

I would guess Lift is short something. Lifthansa We’ll find out more about her past in the back 5 books. It’s subject to change, but currently she is slotted to have to book 6 flashbacks.

Confirmed in this interview that it is just a theoretical example of another Bondsmith not someone specific. 18:30 Mark https://www.17thshard.com/news/features/interview-with-isaac-and-kara-stewart-r585/

@RShara It's not an offering. It's a bane, Vasher had to give it up. We don't know what her options for Boon / Bane. As far as things we've been told the Nightwatcher can do, she told Dalinar she can give him the blade. If she can give she can take. If she can't give or take objects I guess she gave that guy directions to where he can buy cloth cheap and turn around sell it for a profit back home? Or did she leave the Valley to brainwash a guy into giving the boon requester free cloth or steal he cloth from outside the Valley? Cloth is made from plants in many cases. She could have made it for him. More plausible than giving him a coupon for cloth he needs to turn in elsewhere. I think the seeker comes in asking for something and they leave the Valley with a boon / bane. I think she works with what she's got then and there. We don't know this, but that's my impression. @Eternal Khol Cultivation would have had to tell the Nightwatcher about the blade, who has it where they will be in the future and how best to get it from them. Then Nightwatcher would have to relay that to Nale. Otherwise the boon is telling someone "There's a blade out there".

If I had to guess of the characters we've met it's Navani. The blade is either an error, an honorblade or a spren from a different order if this isn't Navani. Someone could bond two spren, but I wouldn't think Navani would bond both in one book. Could also be an ancient Bondsmith, but again with the blade. Remote chance that Dalinar can share the bond with another person who already has a blade making them Co-bondsmiths of the same spren. Doubt that it's this, in the past the limit has always been three bondsmiths, one per spren.

I could be wrong. We don't know what her limits are from the text. She may or may not be able to give and take physical objects. I just think the simplest explanation is she offered it because it was surrendered to her previously and it is still in the Valley. Nightwatcher Storage Unit I don't think she carries it on her person, but she could have it in a special trove of all the things people have given her over thousands of years. Stormfather pulled Kaladin into that black void in WoK and WoR. Maybe she has something like that. Or she has people drop the objects in that dense, creepy jungle. She could grow the plants to cover over objects. Wyndle can open locks by growing seeds. No one would find the objects unless she lets them. Giving or Guiding? "A Blade that bleeds darkness and cannot be defeated. I can give it to you" - OB Ch 114 It sounds like she's giving it, not telling people "go to this person and ask for it. If not rob them or kill them. Hope it works out." It's an awfully specific description too. She's not the Stormfather who flies over the entire continent and sees what's outside. How does she know where the blade is located and how a person can get it in the near future? How does she know it exists at all? Yeah, Fortune / future-sight, but that's not perfect even for a Shard and she's not that. Cultivation hadn't visited her in centuries prior to Ch. 114 of OB, so she wouldn't have told the Nightwatcher about it. I don't think she's giving people fortune-telling sessions and sending them on their way in the hopes that her reading of future events is accurate. Also, Is she really going to have them leave the Valley with their bane, but not the boon? "There is buried treasure at this spot in Azir. Take care getting to it your feet permanently numb."

In OB Chapter 114 the Nightwatcher seems to have Nightblood as she offers Dalinar “A Blade that bleeds darkness and can never be defeated.” In WoR Nale gives it to Szeth. At first I thought there is no way Nale would subject himself to a Bane for a magic sword when has two already. But then I thought that’s not what he would ask for. My theory is either Nale or Kalak (seems more like a Kalak thing) went to the Valley and asked to be released from the Oathpact. They were given a sword that can permanently kill them because it would eat up their investiture which is what gives them persistent life. Boon: You’ll never have to go back to Braize again! Bane: Dead forever. Obviously they weren’t pleased with this solution so either Kalak got it and gave it to Nale or Nale got it and just hung on to it until he found a use for it.

On Nightblood's chain of custody. Vasher had it and brought it to Roshar. Presumably he gave it to the Nightwatcher in exchange for being able to use stormlight as a substitute for breath. That's partial speculation, but the Nightwatcher had the blade when Dalinar visited her. She offers him "A Blade that bleeds darkness and cannot be defeated. I can give it to you". OB Ch. 114 From there somehow Nale got it. Unknown if he went himself to the Nightwatcher or if he sent another Skybreaker. Or if someone unrelated got it who Nale then killed and took the blade. Kind if silly of Nale went for the blade himself. Nale, buddy, you already have two magic swords, you only have two hands. You don't need to get a bane in exchange for yet another sword. What are you in Ryiria now?

Navani seems a good candidate for bonding the Sibling. Navani is a fabrial expert, Urithiru is described a giant fabrial, the Sibling is needed to make Urithiru work. I don’t know that I want Kholins to get 2 of the 3 spren though. We don’t know anything about the Sibling’s personality, not much to go off of. The Nightwatcher is so weird I don’t know who she’d be interested in bonding. Someone who tinkers with things, improves them, tweaks them? Is she like Cultivation interested in people who grow or develop things? That can have a wide meaning. Rock grows bonds between bridge 4 members with his cooking and affable personality. I feel like someone who already has spren is less likely to get a bondsmith spren. I wouldn’t be shocked if we eventually see someone bond 2 spren, but a Bondsmith Spren + another seems too much.

Here are my observations: Prelude: I love this opening. Interesting how the Heralds don't know whether the other Heralds died or not. In OB Stormfather says they share their pain through the bond and that helps them endure the torture, but Kalak wonders if he was the only one to survive and Jezrien was chosen wait for Kalak because they weren't sure if he survived. Maybe they were too busy fighting to pay close attention. How badly would their plan fail if Kalak had died? If Kalak is back on Braize he will quickly break. Imagine Taln and Kalak coming back 4 months later and the awkward conversation that ensues. One Herald had to miss the meeting because it would have tons of spoilers in it, but still . Why do they have to leave their blades? To blend in so people think they're gone, sure. Is it one of the "measures" the Heralds took to avoid giving "an opening to the enemy." that Nale mentions to Szeth in OB? Considering Nale takes his blade back despite having a perfectly good radiant blade, probably not. Although, Nale is a huge hypocrite and the blade is less powerful with Honor dead. Shallan Chapters: In chapter 8 Jasnah tells Shallan "We are each many different people ..." How right you are. Kaladin Chapters: I'm struck by how often Justice, Vengeance, Hatred and Honor are used. Kaladin is told his Hatred will keep him strong and he'll go for a good price. A slave wonders if they'll find Justice on the Shattered Plains. Honor Is Dead. Tvlakv discusses Kaladin's desire for vengeance against Amaram. Interludes: The 17th Shard sent three guys to track down Hoid on this supercontinent? Their tracking method is just asking around? Good luck! Dalinar Chapters: UNITY! It's fitting that when we first meet Adolin and Sadeas, Adolin is immediately wanting to kill him. "Today is an excellent day to kill a god." Feels like a line ripe for repeating at a critical moment in a later book.

Thanks, I've been starting to do this through itunes, but this extremely convenient!!

Yes, in Ch. 38 of OB the Stormfather says Honor ranted to the KR about how the Dawnshards were used to cause the cataclysm on Ashyn. I do agree with idea that the Dawnshards are spren. In Stormlight Archive “Shard” is used for plate and blade which we know are spren that crossed over to the physical realm and took the shape of objects. Almost every magic on Roshar involves a spren: Singer forms, KR surges, Fabrials, even the Old Magic is (usually) a spren magically altering someone. The Fused and the Heralds / whoever holds an Honorblade got their power directly from Odium or Honor. Those are the only exceptions I can think of. The non-canon magic system Brandon was developing for Ashyn didn’t involve spren. So how did Spren get to Ashyn? I ‘unno!

Yeah, Kaladin is far more prone to depressive episodes than the average person. I do think the particular pressures he's been under are not helping. His "why do I have to pick side?" dilemma has not been resolved and he's been trying to muddle through anyways. Syl says "He was stuck, doing what he felt he had to, but getting darker all the time." I interpret that to mean he's been on the fighting against the Singers during the 1 year skip, killing them. He does it because he wants to protect all the humans he's close to, but he hates it and feels bad about himself for doing it. Even in tWoK, after he and Dalinar save each other they are negotiating terms of service. Kaladin says he killed a lot of Parshendi today and he did not like it. He requests that his men be used as bodyguards and to patrol the trade routes instead of fight on the front lines. Sounds like in RoW Dalinar will see that Kaladin needs a break from the killing.

That’s true! Or Odium popping up in Oathbringer to have conversations with Dalinar, Venli and Taravangian (little man)

I’m kind of shocked that he’s getting into this now. As @Chaos made clear, Dawnshards has barely been touched upon. Since they were used as part of the trashing of Ashyn (Tranquiline Halls) and at least 9 of the 10 Heralds were born on Ashyn per Brandon, I resigned myself to Dawnshards not being explored much until the back 5 which Brandon said would focus on the Heralds much more. Super pumped to find out what exactly the Sleepless have been hiding so fiercely (see Kaza’s interlude in OB)

Is that a stylized version of Chiri-Chiri on the cover? Chiri-Chiri is a Dawnshard! As I've always thought

It’s not clear. She was made Queen when they thought Gavinor was dead, Kaladin hadn’t found the bridge 4 survivors yet and the survivors did not mention having Gavinor over spanreed because they were afraid it would make them targets. Now that they know he’s alive I assume she will be Queen regent. I don’t think it will be an issue. Jasnah may enjoy being able to boss more people around, but I dont think she really wants to be Queen forever. She likes traveling the world doing research plus she is a radiant and there will be some world threatening crisis that will require her direct attention.

Unity was Adonalsium’s snow globe ... within which all of the Cosmere rests. Kelsier eating onion rings and it cuts to black. Seriously though the last scene of Stormlight is probably a very relaxed scene. Unless he means epilogue, then it will be Hoid annoying someone, probably whoever is a shard vessel at that point. The end of WoK is bridge 4 sitting by a fire, WoR ends with 4 radiants calling each other “radiant” in Urithiru, OB ends with Dalinar beginning to write a book.

WOW! I reread WoK and WoR earlier this year when I was recovering from surgery, but I'm down for another one!

I anticipate Odium will try to take Urithiru in book 4. Here’s how I think he does it. Hit it high and low at the same time. Have a ground force come in through the caverns underneath. The human coalition knows about these caverns and it would be easy to bottleneck the Singers at the entrance. Another avenue of attack is needed. Have Nale, the skybreakers that joined him and the fused that can fly attack from above using the gravitation surge to transport other Fused with them. The big advantage they could have is I think Odium can raise Everstorm up high enough to envelope Urithiru. He can control its speed as shown in Oathbringer, it laps the planet twice as fast as usual before the battle of Thaylen field and then comes to a complete stop. He can raise it up higher than it normally sits. His flyers will have cover while the human flyers are hindered. I suspect it is dangerous for people Odium doesn’t like to fly in the Everstorm for very long. Hitting it high and low at the same time splits the human defenders while the Everstorm confuses and terrifies everyone. Also, try the Oathgate trick again. The only hitch I see is if the Everstorm counts as Odium enough for Dalinar to enforce the contest of champions. A Fused says Odium “rides the storm”. The diagram says Odium needs to avoid Dalinar or else Dalinar could force him to fight. I don’t think it does count as long he doesn’t manifest a representation. But it’s a concern.

I'm kind of expecting Ishar to show up in person in book 4. He spoke to Dalinar through spanreed in OB and he's been brought up a lot. Both Ash and Nale mention him in OB and how he's the only one still sane, which is unlikely to be accurate. The Stormfather ID'd him and his location in the modern day in OB. Ishar would be a good Odium / Villain for the back half. Especially if he has more of a an onscreen presence in the last two books to build him up more. Otherwise it would be like Vedel becoming Odium out of nowhere. Ishar has declared himself godking or whatever so he does now think of himself in those terms, aspiring to divinity. According to the Stormfather he screams at him as if he's Honor blaming him for what happened to the Heralds. He thinks he would do a better job as god. I honestly would be fine with Kaladin saving the day. It's just that it's Brandon, so I have learned to look for the subversion, but doing it straightforward would subvert my Brandon expectations! One thing I've thought for a long time is that Kaladin would make a good Odium vessel. I don't know that it will happen at all much less in book 5. Kaladin switching from hero to antagonist would be interesting, but I feel like Lopen or Rock could be like "Hey man, cut it out with that stuff" and he'd not want to hurt his friends, so he'd go elsewhere. Kaladin is a softy when it comes to his friends and in the early days after ascension he wouldn't be totally subsumed by his Shard. Seriously though, much of Kaladin's arc has been about controlling his hatred. "I will protect even those I hate, so long as it is right." He understands pain ("I'm the only god who does") and the hate it causes. He's learned to reign it in. I think it would be especially good if Syl goes with him when he ascends. Having a tiny bit of Honor joined with his soul would help.

I agree Amaram using the powers a lot in battle is why he is consumed quicker.

Yeah, when I said I "like" I like it in that it reminds me of "A Wizard Did It" or "Simpsons Did It". You have a good point that Syl wasn't around for for most of the stuff she's talking about, so we may not be able to take her word on all of it. I don't necessariy have a problem with Ishar doing all that stuff, but I was surprised at some of the things she listed like a Bondsmith made the Heralds into Heralds. The Oathpact was between Honor and the Heralds I had assumed Honor's part of it was at least making them cognitive shadows whose bodies automatically regenerate and giving them the Honorblades. Stormfather only says Honor gave them the right to bind the Fused. Agreed Kaladin and Szeth, if he becomes more reliable, are by far the best choices. Being able to fly would be huge 1 on 1. Szeth is the strongest fighter in that he was trained with all the Honorblades before he was exiled https://wob.coppermind.net/events/358/#e10722. He used a blade and Surgebinding to kill for ~6 years. He also has Nightblood. But, he freaks out too easily right now. Jasnah is very experienced, but knowing she has the 10th book I don't expect her to get this big a moment in book 4 or 5. Of course all this assumes the "contest of champions" they agreed to will end up being a physical fight. Contest leaves some wriggle room for Brandon. It would run the risk of being very silly or anti-climactic if it's not an actually a fight with weapons/powers.

I really don’t want Syl to become a “real girl” and date Kaladin. I don’t think that’s where it’s going either. Kaladin being a surgeon will give him a break to figure some things out. It’s a diversion, he can’t protect people by being a total pacifist like his dad, but the time away from killing will help him with his 4th ideal. Also, Syl openly assuming Kaladin is Dalinar’s champion all but guarantees it won’t be him right? He’s sort of the obvious choice anyways.

LOL! Good question @PiedPeterPiper. I knew each order gets a book, but I didn't think out that Ash would be doubling up. I agree she'll have to join a different order. Dustbringer works, she likes to break stuff now.

Yeah, I saw others use "illness", I downgraded it to issues, but maybe that's too strong. On a separate note I like how "Bondsmith Did It!" answers a ton of our questions. Likely, Ishar did all the things Syl rattled off with the help of the Dawnshard *people boo* (I know, I know!) that binds all creatures voidish and mortal per WoK ch. 36 epigraph.