Raboniel

I have recently been enlightened with the WoB stating he's still stuck on Scadrial. ;_; The rest of my post might hold true though, when applied to another individual who isn't so tightly bound to their home system.

Hello! Just about halfway through my reread of Rhythm of War and some information sort of jumped out to me that I hadn't connected before. I think that Thaidakar has actually been off of Scadrial and visited other planets--in both the cognitive and physical realms. His dilemma isn't necessarily how to travel and exist in different worlds--he's figured that out already--but rather the other common theory as to what his motives are--curbing the insanity that comes with immortality. Two excerpts from RoW and one WoB are fueling this theory. (1). During the final paragraph of Chapter 64 in RoW, Hoid reveals that not only does he know Kelsier (the more obvious tidbit, via Secret History), but that he's met him several times on different worlds: “I believe it is time,” Wit said, “that I told you about Thaidakar.” “I know of him,” Jasnah said. “Oh, you think you do,” he said. “But I’ve met him, several times. On other planets, Jasnah" (p.761 Kindle Edition). This suggests that Kelsier does not have a problem getting off-world, and we already know he's been able to manifest himself on at least Scadrial through the BoM/SH reveal. (2). During the epigraph of the very same chapter, Raboniel reveals that chains from Threnody have the ability to "...anchor a person through Cognitive anomalies" and expresses that she "...fails to see what use this it could be to [her], as [she is] unable to leave the Rosharan system" (p. 751 Kindle Edition). So we know there exists some other ways for someone like Thaidakar to perhaps anchor himself--or his Connection--to systems he is non-native to (this being a big problem for highly-invested entities, something Vasher confirmed while talking Realmaic Theory with Kaladin). Hoid further confirms the notion that Thaidakar might have found a way to travel AND exist in foreign realms/planets by revealing to the reader that he has in fact met with him on other planets. I believe Brandon is being deliberate in denoting that Hoid and Thaidakar have met or had their run-ins on the actual, physical planets, rather than having Hoid say that he's met him in a more ambiguous manner or locations, ie. in just the Cognitive Realm. Thaidakar still cannot gain access to Roshar--which is where the key to his final problem, curbing his insanity, might lie. (3). This might be why Brandon stated in a WoB that if given the opportunity to punch another Shard (the other being Ruin's vessel in SH), Kelsier would "...find it really fun to punch Honor. Really fun" (Orem signing — Arcanum - 2017-12-21). Access to the Rosharan system might be one of the only or few planets (and all of their magics and artifacts) that he's unable to gain access to and it just might hold the key to solving his dilemma (something that has yet to be revealed to us readers)--and is ultimately why he wants to punch Honor (or a representative, or whatever) in the face. I'm not sure how novel these connections are that I've made, but upon my reread of RoW I realized I hadn't spotted just how obvious of clues we were given in respect to Thaidakar and the Ghostbloods operations, way before the Thaidakar reveal near the end of the novel. The fact that the chapter starts and ends with those two excerpts only solidifies the connection between what Raboniel writes in the Epigraph and what Hoid reveals to Jasnah. Be gentle, this is my first post.

Huh. Since Elsecallers + Bondsmiths are the two orders with the deepest links to all three realms, perhaps that's the secret to the Perpendicularity monopoly (and why those two orders can apparently gain access to the Cognitive Realm from the Physical one). Does that transition tap into the Spiritual, Cognitive, and Physical simultaneously?

Ah, OK. I appreciate this reply and I understand your frustration a bit more! I feel like it's important to have a discussion on what exactly Brandon said to you, as it functions sort as the catalyst for your post. Does Worldhopping = FTL Travel? I would argue that Brandon's answer is yes--in a way--but that there still does exist Physical Realm methods of achieving FTL travel, and that Cognitive Realm travel is perhaps a weak analog to it in the Cosmere.

I really like your post, but am kind of bothered by the way you've responded to the first reply/discussion point. You said in the post that you "don't like to argue too much," but the entire point of theory and these discussions is exactly that--an argument over the potential mechanics or future happenings in the Cosmere. You also state that you were "...hoping for some alternate thoughts about how easy access to the cognitive realm could be achieved, so please at least read my whole post." Unfortunately, when you post something that amounts to a small essay--5+ pages of Times New Roman, size-12 font, and single-spacing--you must accept that people will address more than just one facet of your argument, and not just the specific discussion you were aiming to generate. Finally, you've stated that your "...entire point [of the post] is how the minor shardworlds can get FTL without needing to steal rosharian or allomantic tech, which is why Brandon gave the response he did". Mathiau is trying to participate in your discussion, and it seems like you're just attacking him when he is simply participating in the conversation that you generated. You aren't wrong in saying that access to Shadesmar is vital in achieving "FTL", but you're also failing to interpret what Brandon said to you at face value, which is that he believes "walking" between planets through Shadesmar is a form of FTL travel, since you're able to cover distances in this compressed space much more quickly that you would in the Physical Realm. Brandon says that, "Basically, just take a spaceship in Shadesmar and travel between Shardpools and you've achieved FTL. Because travel through Shadesmar, you could walk between planets in Shadesmar. So anyone who can get in and out of Shadesmar reliably can FTL." He insinuates that whichever method of travel you employ in getting from point A to point B (in this case, different solar systems--either through walking, plane travel, etc.) in Shadesmar it can be considered FTL travel, because you really are moving faster than light can travel in the Physical Realm between those two points. You might think a person isn't "at least [reading your] whole post," but I have and it feels like you just aren't getting the exact answers you're looking for, and are lashing out at an individual who is addressing other parts of your proposition. Cheers.