Mental Drifter

While that is TECHNICALLY true, I don't think it works for the spirit of the contest. Besides I think the champion has to fully accept being a champion, which Dalinar didn't.

Venli? Her unbridled pursuit of power killed her people, including her sister.

There was nothing I read saying that the connection was directly tied to their surgebindings, but that the connections were aspects of their lives, like Shallan's art & Dalinar's addiction to the Thrill.

Teft would need to heal more, like Dalinar did against the Thrill, but I think you are right. Of course Shallan's desire to uncover secrets was pretty blatant so she will be directly involved in two of the unmade...I can't remember the name of the secrets one, that changes spren. Artifabrians capture spren all the time for their fabrials, so I doubt it requires a bondsmith. Though it should require a perfectly faceted gem like the king's gem.

Adolin hasn't grown addicted to the Thrill like Dalinar had, and Adolin isn't pure as snow, but he isn't weak or evil either. He's already thrown off The Thrill in battle, growing sick at the sight of death like Dalinar did. I think chosing to lose wouldn't be an option once Odium had his hooks into you.

If I recall correctly, Roshar has a higher oxygen content than earth, and far enough into the future to make a floating city, I think they could have figured out how to replicate the heating in Urithiru. Weight wouldn't be so much of an issue if the Mandras' effect could be amplified. I also imagine a flying city would be like many other cities, it would require outside sources for maintenance.

This would be far into the future. I just imagined the cities could float above the storm.

It's soulcast into grain...

They could also eventually lead to flying cities where the humans live, giving the land back to the Singers.

So what exactly is investiture in the cosmere? What does "highly invested" mean?

Ahhhhh, so they amount of damage depends on the amount of spirit the wielder is willing to invest?

Does it describe somewhere what Nightblood can and can't kill? The nightwatcher mentioned "a blade that can kill anything" which I thought was nightblood, but thinking on it more might be the knife used on Jezriel...

My question was based on an assumption of a more thoroughly groomed and trained Vyre. I'm actually figuring Szeth will use his crazyepicmurderblade on Odium eventually. Every contest of champions I have ever seen required acceptance by the champion. Odium thought Dalinar would fold under the pressure of The Thrill, which would have meant he'd never lose...unless Dalinar killed himself(?) But when Dalinar fought The Thrill off, it ruined Odium's plan, so he had to retreat to come up with a new plan. Otherwise Odium would have to choose from a selection that wasn't really winning a one-on-one contest that they were currently fighting. I'm also not expecting Dalinar to fight himself, but instead choose a champion of his own. It's really hard to say, because some things are obvious to me (like Jasnah not being dead) and some I miss completely (like Venli binding with a Spren instead of Eshonai...I mean she even said the words*slaps forehead*)

The skyeels also have mandras helping them fly. I wonder if mandras grow and if so larger ones are around greatshells, or if there are just a large number. You might also have to have inescapable gems like the kings gem to keep them imprisoned. I recall something about needing more than one to tow a ship in shadesmar because they sometimes disappear. I wonder if you could lash a gemstone with gravitations like Shallan does with light? Then you wouldn't need a full time Windrunner, only top ups on the storm light.

They would capture the Mandras and use them to reduce the weight of the ships. If they can increase the effect then they wouldn't need the entagled gemstones like they used for the archer platforms.