MistMage

Doesn't the spren bond with the humans hold them in place in the physical realm? that's why they don't disappear. The lesser spren come and go as some emotion pulls them in briefly

Hi! thank you that be great, sorry didn't intend to start discussing spoilers

OMG, that whole conversation was my favorite part of Era 2. Cause up until that point I was really on Wax's side, mad at Harmony for how he used him. And then he just calmly explains and together we and Wax get to see the answer slap us in the face and break down emotionally. I reread that scene so many times, brought tears to my eyes.

I do agree with many of you that Sazed needs Wax as his sword as he mentions in the letters, however, I always thought of that as in Harmony needs an agent that he doesn't need to direct as much as he does the Kandra. Someone who can carry his will across places he can't go. When it comes to Shard vs Shard fight, like we're talking Splintering level, I'd like to think Sazed taps into his warrior side and learns to use Ruin to attack and Preservation to defend. It might even come as a revelation to him mid-fight that this is what he needs to maintain Harmony, and therefore finally snap in tune with his Shard's intent. I think the source of his struggle is he tries to repress the Ruin side and that binds him by automatically repressing his Preservation instincts, thereby crippling him from doing anything. When put in a difficult situation I think he'll manage to use both properly. When he was human he was able to fight when necessary, and even kill to protect, I just think he needs a threat dire enough to activate that instinct in this mode, and the Shard's Intent shouldn't interfere, because by acting he'll be preserving Harmony.

Yeah you're right it does get complicated, but that's what makes it fun!

Not sure if it's been discussed on here but we see in Ob that Dalinar can work with other Radiants and modify their power, by adding his Bondsmithyness to it. We see him effect Illumination by creating a live hologram map thing. I wonder how he can effect the other surges. Here are my guesses: Transportation: He can work with the Elsecaller/Willshaper to teleport to a person they have a Connection to, without knowing the exact person's location. This theory is on the basis that Elsecaller/Willshapers can't do this already and usually have to know the location they want to teleport to. Transformation: No clue here, maybe one wacky theory but what about creating a full body, all the 10 essences seem to correlate to body parts. No clue what it could be used for, maybe bind a cognitive shadow, idk it's real Frankenstein type stuff. Cohesion: Not the foggiest clue Progression: Maybe some kind of spiritual healing, akin to the fabrial Nale used on Szeth. Gravitation: Lift people's spirits, metaphorically or literally Division: Maybe it was Releaser + Bondsmith that caused the Shattered Plains. Illumination: We covered, livestream map Abrasion: Again no clue As you can see I only really thought about the Elsecaller Surges, cause they're my favorites, so feel free to add your likely better ideas.

As per RoW it's becoming more clear that this is where the conflict is heading and I would like to take a moment to hype up my boy Sazed. This whole he's stuck with 2 opposing powers that leaves him unable to act is so frustrating. However, I think having this Shard conflict will be exactly what he needs to get a grip on his powers. Trell, whether it's Odium or Autonomy, will allow Sazed to learn and hopefully prep when whatever comes out of Roshar inevitably comes for him. I think by having an enemy, it allows Sazed to protect using Preservation's power and attack using Ruins. This will help alleviate the concern that he's using one more than the other, that's probably what's crippling him now, but by giving him an enemy he will hopefully learn what he actually should use his powers for. After they hopefully defeat Trell we'll be ready for Roshar and we'll see who's the true crafty Vessel. I for one am excited to see Ruin unleashed upon anyone who dares attack the world where Tindwyl called home

Thank You! Least favorite I'd have to say Kenton, really the whole White Sands crew. I'm not sure if it's the graphic novel format but he really just comes across as one note, didn't really enjoy the White sands stuff, but the world is interesting and I'd love maybe a short story from Taldain.

Mistborn is great, it was the first cosmere thing I read so it always has a special place in my heart. My favorite character is probably Wax, it's the first time I've seen a character kind of resent having to be the responsible one all the time, wanting to cut loose and break the rules, and he can't bring himself to do it because it just goes against his nature. When he's told to just accept that that's who he is, I found that moment really powerful. Also he has that dry sense of humor that I like.

Thank you! So that's a tough one, I absolutely love all of it for different reasons. I can say my favorite short story is Emperor's Soul, amazing that Sanderson was able to pack so much world building in a short story, though Shadows and Sixth are also brilliant. RoW was just so fantastic too, it really spurred my desire to speculate and take an active part in the community. What are your favorite stories?

haha Thanks!

Thank You!

Oh that's a good point, my only thought is they went deadeyed too after BAM died automatically, and no one noticed till after the regular Radiants also broke their oaths.

Here's a short fanfic I wrote about Syl's original Radiant. I posted it on Reddit before so I thought I'd share it here as well. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Syl screamed, she felt a horrible ripping sensation as if her very being was being torn away, and then suddenly she was standing in Shadesmar somehow balancing on the sea of beads, and in front of her stood Relador with his wispy long beard glowing faintly. "You... Died.." she said, emotion welling through her. "Looks like it," said Relador, looking around sheepishly. "You know, when I said I always wanted to visit your homeland, I didn't think it would be under these circumstances." "I can't believe this" Syl said, sinking slightly into the ocean of beads clutching her head in pain. "If I never found you and dragged you into this war this never would have happened!" "Hey!" Relador said, grabbing her arms gently, "What's the motto Syl? Journey BEFORE Destination, and what a journey it's been" he said looking at her intensely with those sapphire eyes. "Before I met you, I was this grumpy old hermit living in the outskirts of my village, interacting with no one, feeling bitter and alone like my life had ended. And then you came along and Storms Syl I got to ride the winds because of YOU. I got to see the world and protect so many people, you took an old man who had given up on life, and turned him into an oldish man who realized his life was still worth something. I wouldn't give up these last few years for a century of life. Do you understand?" " I guess..." she hesitated, "But I know losing you will devastate me, I won't be able to function again." Relador puled her into a hug and spoke gently into her ear "You WILL be able to function, because you're made of pieces of divinity, isn't that what you're always telling me huh? Let me tell you what you're going to do. You're going to take 2 days, and just 2 mind you, and you're going to mourn this weak old man. Then after that you will go back to the physical world and you go find someone to bond again, you're too important to sit out this fight. Go find yourself a young lad this time, a real soldier, someone who can really take care of himself and others in a fight, not like this old fool who could barely swing a sword straight. Be with him, grow with him, so you can truly understand what it means to be human. He pulled back a bit so their foreheads were touching. That's when she noticed that she was crying, it was an odd sensation she didn't even know that spren could cry. "And Syl, be the same Light for him as you were for me, guide him through the dark times and I KNOW together you both will save us all and end these perpetual wars." He pulled back and stood up tall, she could see that tears were forming in his eyes too. "One last question" Syl said "Is this it then? Is this Loss? Like what you felt when that boy drowned in the flood all those years ago?" "Yes," he said looking down. "An emotion I had hoped you would never come to understand Syl, but I know you will be able to bear it and continue your journey without me." As she stared at him she noticed him stretching and fading away. His eyes filled with equal parts terror and determination "Sylphrena!" He said in one last attempt to be with her. "Maybe take 3 days? It is ME after all" he said giving her that characteristic wink that let him get away with anything as long as some woman was involved. Despite herself, she gave a short laugh and watched as he finally faded into the Beyond. And just like that she remembered, all the times sitting by different fires in different villages, rejoicing at listening to stories, watching him care for the people he met, protecting them when he could, truly LIVING as he was meant to. Suddenly Syl felt exhausted, wrung out, and slowly started sinking into the beads... "Yes," she thought. "That's what I'll do, I'll just rest here for 3 days and then I'll go back and bond again. She mumbled a single word as her eyes began to close and ocean engulfed her. "Kaladin." --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Just thought I'd share a story of how I imagined Syl's first bond ended. It came to me as a kind of opposite to how Teft died with his spren. This might have been more peaceful and gave them both some closure

Here's my theory of how the old Radiants intended for the Recreance to go and potentially what will happen if they find and release Ba Ado Mishram. So Maya hints that the spren didn't intend to become deadeyes but would just be damaged after the Radiants decided to give up their oaths. My guess the original intention, and what used to happen when a Radiant broke their oaths before BAM was trapped, was that the spren would be damaged to the point where they couldn't form another full Nahel bond but still retain their minds and their ability to make decisions. But because the Radiants didn't want to leave humanity completely defenseless they felt the spren should manifest as shards before the oath is broken. This leaves the spren with sapience, and the ability to bond with another human as a Shardblade, but not give access to other Radiant powers. This would keep Roshar safe from whatever the dangers of Surgebinding are and still allow some defense to humanity. The other reason I like this theory is the Radiants would have thought that the shards would be in good hands because the spren would choose who to bond with and wouldn't let any horrible person use them for whatever they want. Unfortunately due to BAM getting sealed away. This caused the spren to go full deadeyes and all checks the original Radiants intended failed. That plus adding the gemstone trick that was discovered allowed any idiot to bond with the blades.

Hi All, Been a fan of the cosmere since 2018, I've read all the published material, love everything about it. After the release of RoW I got more into the fan community and started listening to Shardcast and posting theories on Reddit so I thought I'd join here. Can't wait to engage with all of you.