Eri

I'm posting it here, not in "Warbreaker", because it's more about Cosmere. I was wondering, why does Sanderson RAFO questions about Endownment's gender every time. Maybe he just likes to watch us wonder, but it may be because the answer is more complicated than we assume. Some possibilities we didn't consider or didn't consider enough: This Shard have been held by more than one person. I've seen a theory (sorry, but don't remember, who wrote that) that, because of his/her Intent, Endownment periodically gives the shard to... well... new Endownment. Problem: is it possible to willingly give one's Shard to other person? This Shard is held by more than one person (at the same time). Problem: we've seen one person with two Shards, but is it possible the other way around? This Shard is held by a kitten/unicorn/other non-human. Problems: I think Shards can be held by humans only. Humans seem quite spacial. Also—kittens have a gender. Not sure about unicorns. This Shard is held by a hermaphrodite or someone with no gender... in general by a single human, but their gender isn't easy to describe. Or s/he can switch gender sex (the Returned can shapechange, so it seems possible). Or it changes periodically. Or something like that. I assume the Shard is held by someone—it is said in Mistborn annotations somewhere than it's necessary. (I think that if it wasn't, it would Splinter, but that's just a theory) Questions to think about or ask: All questions I wrote as "problems", maybe except that one about unicorns. ;-) The Voice that Lightsong heard - was it male, female or hard to tell? The gender of the first Endownment. Is Endownment human (well... as human as other Shards).

8042... assuming one edition per day and 365 days in a year... the newspaper exists for about 22 years. Makes a lot of sense. Not as big number as I thought. (But nubmering every day's edition sequentialy is kinda megalomaniac. Of course, a bit of megalomany is a good thing in steampunk settings... ) edit: Ninjas.

Since kandra are a normal specoes now, I think he might be a part-kandra, if somethinhg. We've seen part-koloss, so that might be possible too. But he behaves more like a kender than a kandra. ;D

Awsome! I didn't even know such word exists, had to check what it means. Doesnn't seem very similar to othes Shard names. I mean - it's not a abstract idea, but more of a geographical term... or do I still not understand it well?

Wow, thanks, that's cool! In a complicated way, but cool. Sorry for suggesting that you did a mistake here, 17 digits seemed just wrong, I didn't know the Japanese system. Still, I was right in saying it's not base-16 as most of us know it and use it. So the unknown symbols in "edition" may also be some bigger numbers, like 256... But why would they need such a big number as edition number? Megalomany of the newspaper's owner, maybe. ;-)

About Hoid: Finally, we know anything about his goals.

Two AoL questions: Are there still no Splinters on Scadrial? Do Allomancers still need to Snap?

I was thinking symbolheads, but I agree that it may be other spren, too.

Because, with all due respect to our favorite author, base-16 has 16 digits, including 0. And the digits used in book are 1, 2,... 16 and 0 (in the map). Yes, I'm a bit of maths geek.I guess he meant the number system used is based on number 16 (which it is), but not in a strict mathemathical sese of base-16 number system. Kinda like Roman numbers are based on 2 and 5. Or maybe we shouldn't assume that the numbers used in the book are the exact in-world number system. (=I guess mister Sanderson or his editor may have done a little mistake here—they're writers, not mathematicians. Therefore overanalyzing the exact way numbers are written in the book may not be a very good idea. Let us enjoy the fact it's based on number 16 and overanalyze the Ars Arcanum instead ) And for edition - I think it's either a word written in steel alphabet, or (more likely) a date or something similar. Not one number - if it was on base-16 number, with that uch digits, it would be to big to resonably fit as a number of edition od a newspaper. Also, it has two symbols that aren't in the 0, 1, 2,..16 set. Some kind of separators, maybe? Like "/" in "edition 12/11/2011"? (sorry for European format) I think the other 2 symbols (19 and 20) are not metals, just additional letters. They may be, however, some atium or lerasium alloys.

Sorry, but it can't be base 16 system, if it has 16 digits plus zero (which we've seen used on the map). Base 17, maybe? As in 17'th Shard? ;-) Or something more primitive (however weird it would be with all the modern science they have) - look at the chapter's numbers. 17 is written as "16 1", 18 as "16 2" etc. As you've said - it's more like Roman numbers than modern, base-n numbers.

AFAIR In one of the interviews Sanderson said that the official (and, I think, used in-world by some very magic-savvy characters like Hoid) term for infusing things with Stormlight / Awakening objects etc. is "invest". I think it's both about people making objects magical (including Feruchemical storage) and Shards making people magical. So Investiture = more or less "ability to use magic". Or at least spiritual component of it.Being invested spiritual (as in realmatic theory) energy. Sorry if my grammar is a bit messy here.

I like it, it would explain theim being "marked with fire". I mean --- there can be natural reasons for them to have marbled / burn skin, but... Also, I wonder if it has something to do with people saying things while dying.

Hey, I like your theory! Syl doesn't like Shardblades (or only some of them, but I doubt it) => they're evil => maybe they can also be used to steal someone else's magic, like (if you read that book, you know what I mean; if not, I won't spoil it for you)? BTW why is it "odd"? I didn't notice.

Both. Ruin would destroy Odium, but Odium would make sure that Ruin would suffer greatly for that.

Interesting, I didn't notice his Shin looks before, but I think you're right. I wonder if it has anything to do with the fact that I suspect him of being a traitor, or evil, or something weird... if you check, which chapters have Nalan's face (= the serious-looking guy in the unornate hood, on right side of http://brandonsanderson.com/images/wok/tWoK_ENDSHEET-FRONT-1-webres.jpg), you'll see that in each of them something really bad / sad happens usually (always? don't remember) some kind of a treason.

Except that we haven't seen any in-world people knowing anything about Cultivation's existence (yet). Sure, she might be Nightwatcher or something... but she'd be ugly, I think. And not blonde-haired. Maybe one of the Heralds whose order had the power to enter Shadesmar?

I doubt Cultivation wears a modesty sleeve. ;-) Looks a bit like Jasnah to me, or someone we don't know yet.

How do we know those symbols are evil? Sure, we know that the front ones are (related to) Heralds, so rear ones = not Heralds = evil, right? But the Heralds kinda betrayed their god and mankind, so... Anyway - it may have something to do with Taravangian and his Silent Watchers ('cause they are evil and work in this city). Or with Symbolheads - I imagine their heads to look like the rear-cover glyphs.

Awsome! And I agree that the light version looks better.

I hope they're just depowered, crazy and/or evil. Dead would be boring. I agree here.However finding them, then realising they're not heroes anymore THEN replacing them is probably the best option here. ;-)

I think Gaz would happily give that info to anyone wanting it, especially if money were involved. He could be asked and killed, to get rid of witnesses, but kidnapped? I don't think so. Two (or more) spies - Gaz and some woman? He could memorize the quotes and letter tell her, she could write them down.