Asha'man Logain

Great ideas. I never considered that honorspren may have a unique perspective on shadblades. Until we get more information though, I'm gonna stick with personal pet theory, which is: I believe that the shardblades were made by Honor or at least by an Honor influenced process. The blades come into the physical realm from the spiritual, and retain aspects of their spiritual properties. The blades will cut any non-living thing, but when it encounters a living being the part that would have cut it phases back into the Spiritual realm. The intent I believe was to make it safer for the KR to fight thunderclasts, midnight essences and such, without the possibility of harming those civilians and others who may be around in need of rescuing. I also think that Odium either corrupted the blades, or the shattering of Honor corrupted them. (Either way it's Odium's fault.) I think what happens now, is that although the blades still try to function the way they were designed, when they phase out to the spiritual realm, they retain their severing ability normally only associated with their physical manifestation. This results in the severing of the spiritual connections, and somehow burning eyes. ~Logain EDIT: I forgot to tie it in to the spren. OOPS. The spren are mostly Cognitive and are therefore closer to the spiritual realm. They see the severing of a being's spiritual aspect as the ultimate murder. I would postulate that a severed spiritual aspect prevent travel to whatever afterlife may exist on Roshar. (we know for a fact that there is an afterlife on Scadrial, but I do not know if it is the same 'place' as the one Rosharans would go to, or even if there is one on Roshar. It could very well be that the low investiture on Scardial leaves the rest free to create an afterlife, perhaps the high investiture on Roshar makes one nonexistent) EDIT2: On re-reading my post I find I did not make clear that is all wild speculation. I may not have been clear and nothing written should be taken as WOB or even a quoted and cited theory.

Thunder, Thunder, Thunder-clasts! (magically growing shardblade)

It appearing at exactly the same time everyday seems similar to the way the Ardents could (by measuring and writing down their observations) force a spren to remain exactly as it was. If someone saw it appeared a couple of times, and wrote down that it appeared everyday at exactly the same time, it should be 'locked' into that behavior. Perhaps with enough people 'knowing' the same thing is as cognitively signifigant and restricting as one person's written observation. Also, this brings to mind our intrepid spren hunter (axies?). Who writes his observations on his skin. Could he be going around freezing a myriad of spren into only behaviors he observed? ~Logain EDIT: Oh oh oh! Could it be the reason no one is sure if germs cause disease/rot/death or spren do, is that part of the population thinks they cause thing, an equal part think they're attracted to things, and the rest are not sure which it is. Perhaps the answer (like answers in quantum mechanics they seem loosly based on) is actually both? If enough people believe they cause disease, will they?

I got the impression that all the gems on Roshar were from the same source. The shelled creatures living on the planet, indeed much like atium regenerated. I thought the reason the shattered plains was so special was because of the size of the 'greatshells' and therefore their gemhearts. One would think if they were nothing more that particularly organized rock formations, then they would be able to be soulcast. Again I could be wrong, and gems could be Cultivation's physical aspect. I don't think magic works exactly the same everywhere, but also remember while Scadrial is awesome, it is a low investiture world whereas Roshar is HIGH investiture. This could mean just more prevalent magic, or even perhaps, higher quantities of the physical aspect of a shard or three as well. ~Logain

I believe I mentioned this in another Nightwatcher thread. Here is my theory: The boon was to have his son live, as he was a sickly child. The curse was losing all memory of his wife. To save the life of one loved one, he lost another completely and irrevocably. But since he cannot remember his wife, but does remember how he felt about Navani, he assumes he loved his wife more, and that Renarin was sick as his curse. I think he believes that his curse was Renarin's weakness and his boon was forgetting, but that somehow he also forgot it was the other way around. He seems very guilty on a personal level for Renarin's condition, and similarly guilty about seeking out the Nightwatcher. That's my idea anyway, I'm sure we'll find out soon

Good afternoon all. As I was tossing and turning last night chasing in vain after some sleep, I began to think of the way magic works. On Roshar, we have stormlight that seems to fuel, or power, the magic, Spren who are integral to using magic, and gems that store stormlight, trap spren and make fabrials work. On Scadrial, we had metals that fueled alomancy, mists of shards and pools of shards. We also found that Shards are blind to their 'focus' due to the power or investiture or something. What if the gems are the 'body' or physical realm representation of Honor and/or Cultivation, much as the Atium and Lerasium were physical aspects or 'bodies' of those shards? Now eating Lerasium brings you closer to Preservation, and thereby giving you stronger powers (or giving you powers to begin with if you previously were without). On Roshar, saying the Ideals bring you closer to Honor, giving you more power or starting your power, based on how far along you are. These I see as essentially the same thing. One is a physical act granting power, the other is a cognitive (or maybe spiritual) act granting power. Since on Scadrial you needed a physical act of consuming Investiture (in the form of the shard's physical form), and the metals merely provided the form for the power you channeled, could not the Cognitive (or spiritual) aspect on Roshar, mean that the physical form of the Shards act as the form granting which powers are expressed? This time the body of the shard forms the magic, instead of granting it as on Scadrial. I was very tired last night, and am typing this at work, so it may be full of holes I just haven't woken up enough to see. now, release your metaphoric moths to eat holes in my wonderful tapestry of conjecture! ~Logain

I think we should use this Drive account to contain all of our Stormlight Re-read information. Because I know I personally will read all of these books at least 10 more times before the final book is out. I think it would be cool if we kept updating it through all 10 books.

I really like this question for some reason. If it has not been answered by April I'll ask at JordanCon.

When the mind controls the body, that is of the Lethani. But knowing your limit is also of the Lethani. It is better to rest when needed than to run until you fall. (If I remember correctly)

Well poo. I did not notice this either.

Loved the chapters obviously. my biggest question is what was the glowing pool of violet? Did a puddle somehow absorb stormlight? Was it a puddlespren?

I would guess that darkness is not going after Szeth because he is going after potential Knights Raidant, not just surgebinders. I find it perplexing how much people ignore the WoB that Szeth is something different to a budding Knight Radiant, and try to lump him in with others who have a similar power. I am assuming that the difference is a hugely important thing (in terms of what it means, rather than effect of having binding capabilities). Perhaps the ability to use powers is not dangerous, but being on the path to Radiance is.

I believe that Ranarin's sickness was life threatening at some point. Dalinar went to ask the boon of not losing his son, and was granted it, but in return lost all memory of his wife. Saving a loved one, yet losing the memory of another. I also think however that he thinks the curse was his son's weakness and the boon was forgetting his wife. I'm not sure how the two could be together, but that is the impression I've always gotten for him.

I would like to point out that the Alethi writing does seem to be very similar to a soundwave pattern. In addition it is the paladromic SOUND of a name that is holy, not it's spelling.

Welcome TomR, and please have an introductory upvote!

Yep. This is now a fact. Stormwardens=Illuminati. Much like my pet WoT theory even the word of Brandon shall not change my mind

The source of the death rattles seems to be giving a mixture of 'types' of statements. Some seem prophetic, some seem to be from various deific viewpoints (heralds, gods etc), some even seem to be nothing more than what that person sees transitioning from the Physical through the Cognative to the Spiritual. Perhaps this quote is in fact some insight into Heralds thoughts. Perhaps not just one. Is there any reason that the source giving mystical insight must have a person's last words all be from the same source? Maybe each person gives a type of death rattle, some has a view of Shadesmar or something, while another gives a prophecy. But in the case of insight into deific minds, could they not have three flashes from three minds, using a different sentence for each? Perhaps this is not explained very well. My point was basically I could see both it referring to both Heralds.

The Rothfussian quote is "three things a wise man fears, the sea in storm, a moonless night, and the anger of a gentle man."

I have long thought that the Broken One =/= to Odium. I also thought Honor fit better, but as mentioned Tanavast is dead. I absolutely love this theory, and if I ever figure out how to espouse things, this will be one of them.

I love these jokes. It reminds of the long lost days of the mostly text internet when news groups came up with all the WoT jokes. How many ____ Ajah does it take to screw in a lightbulb jokes were my particular favorite.

If I am not mistaken, each Herald had the powers of one of the orders of KR. The Heralds got their power directly from Honor, while spren bonding with people gave the same sets of powers to them. It is believed that the Heralds each headed up the order with which they shared powers. I am unfortunately at work, on Internet Explorer and unable to find all the relevant quotes. Luckily with this group of people by 5pm or so, I'm sure the wonderful community here will have links and WoB and all manner of proofs for you.

I think it is far more likely to be the KR than anything else, and I am firmly opposed to the idea that the Parshendi are voidbringers. Jasnah seems far too certain about it and anything she is certain about I tend to think she is at least off target if not completely wrong. Kaladin calls himself a Radiant at one point and Teft mentions he is like a baby and is no Radiant yet. However it has been hundreds of years since they were around, and the most distinctive thing about them is surgebinding. Either the Pashendi have seen their gods and we have not, or seeing kaladin kick butt in Radiant fashion Binging surges all over the place and assumed he was already a Radiant, thus they believe their gods are back. This would mean a desolation is coming, they could know this. Know it means death and destruction. The radiants of old thought of killing as a terrible thing, that through training they could do without destroying themselves and their souls. They killed so the other kingdoms did not have to. Syl is not that fond of killing, she'd rather it did not have to happen, the Parshendi (thus far the most honorable people shown in the book) could very well feel the same way. ~Logain

In the letter (presumably) Hoid wrote he says that Rayse shattered the shards on Sel because they could counter his power... or something to that effect. I am at work and do not have the quote handy. EDIT-- Sorry that was meant to quote aether above me. This was in response to the Devotion and Dominion countering Odium. And where I got that from.

Ok guys I am going to jordancon in april. As i have been re-reading WoK, I have come up with two questions i want to ask. 1. What other than Odium can splinter a shard. 2. Do all shards have a counter, like it is said Devotion and Dominion could counter Odium? I did a search of this thread and didn't see these asked or answered anywhere. If these have been anwered or need to be reworded please let me know. thanks guys! ~Logain

I also immediately thought of Hoid. As whether or not we're correct.... who knows? EDIT: Ok, it apparently IS Hoid. Yay!