Leuthie

The Dawnshard that is now Rysn basically "jumped" into Rysn when Rysn accepted it. I can't doubt that the Dawnshard would "jump" out (it would probably have to convinced some other object to accept it, which wouldn't be hard considering how much power it has) should Rysn be consumed by Nightblood. As soon as the Spirit Web Connection is severed, Nightblood wouldn't be able to get to the Dawnshard through the Physical "holder". Dawnshards aren't amplifiers. They provide the knowledge required to do complex things. Since Nightblood is extremely simple minded with simple Intent and a huge amount of Investiture, a Dawnshard that "jumps" into Nightblood might actually provide a clear picture of what evil is. Combined with the huge amount of Investiture that Nightblood holds, this might actually allow Nightblood to destroy all "evil" on a planet. It could alternatively allow it to be more selective as to whom it consumes but still only allow consumption through touch. Who knows?

My best guess is that 3 shards work to work on all 3 Realms to alter things and Connections. The final one operates mostly in the Cognative to shape minds directly, making it different from the rest. Naked speculation, of course.

This would make sense if the Radiant had to be in a Highstorm or near Dalinar to have Oaths accepted. The Stormfather doesn't see anything outside of those two circumstances. I don't believe Stormfather meant he listened to and evaluated each individual Oath. I believe he believes he determined the bases for the Oaths because of his Connection to Tanavast (who was the one who actually determined the Oaths when he held Honor). I find it interesting how many people believe that certain characters are perfectly reliable narrators. Stormfather is confused half the time he's talking with Dalinar but is too stubborn to admit it. When he does discover new memories, he says things like "when you did it, I realized that I always knew you could". He's an egotistical jerk. That doesn't make him bad, persay, but it's definitely a clear personality trait.

My take: The Commands that Adonalsium used in Creation were so powerful, they became large collections of Investiture by their very use. Spontaneously formed Spirit Webs created by the complexity of the Surgebinding Adonalsium used to Create the Cosmere. Their creation and existence might have been silent enough as to not even get Adonalsium's attention. They were found by others, possible led in much the same way Rysn was. Large collections of Investiture eventually gain some measure of self-awareness, and this is evident from the Dawnshard Change talking to Rysn as she approaches. Narratively, I think this separation between Adonalsium and the Commands is interesting, necessary and fits within the framework of the Cosmere.

Mine is being shipped out tomorrow, so will probably get to me in several weeks (based on other things I've ordered recently). However, I'll probably look through all the art first, then reread part one before reading the rest.

The Commands are part of the breadth of understanding required to do extremely complicated magics (surgebinding): "The most powerful forms of Surgebinding transcend mortal understanding," Nikli said. "All their greatest applications require Intent and a Command. Demands on a level no person could ever manage alone. To make such Commands, on must have the reasoning - the breadth of understanding - of a deity. And so, the Dawnshards. The four primal Commands that created all things." The other part of the understanding required is Intent. What does this all mean? To create a planet, you need an almost complete understanding of physics, "manufacturing", geology, etc. To create a planet with life, you need even more understanding. To create a planet with sentient life, you need even more. Intent helps you come up with ideas. A god will have a huge and overpowering Intent, evidenced by the way Shards work. This Intent would provide the knowledge required to come up with things to do with power. Commands provide the knowledge of what to do to realize the Intent. I say all this to try to squash the idea that a Command is some kind of amplifier. It's knowledge. It's a (probably large) chunk of Spirit Web that has grafted onto Rysn and is peripherally accessible as a source of the knowledge required to Change things. It has spoken to her from a distance, and has been a part of her own thoughts. Because it's such a large chunk of Investiture (which is the stuff of a Spirit Web), it has given her perception abilities similar to what we've seen as a result of Heightenings on Nalthis. This has nothing to do with Endowment or its holder. This is simply the result of having more "stuff" in your Spirit Web. Breaths are the same "stuff" and more of them results in the same perception changes that Rysn was experiencing. I say this to divorce the idea that Endowment has some special connection to Commands beyond the Shard being ripped off of Adonalsium by them. If a Dawnshard became a Soother, the Soother would still be limited by their access to Investiture. However, the Soother might have Savant abilities without the drawbacks, might be able to specifically sooth a specific individual in a specific way without even needing the experience to do so. That Soother would not be able to sooth a whole planet without access to more Investiture than Allomancy provides. There wouldn't be huge issues with a Dawnshard being an Allomancer since Allomancy doesn't provide direct access to raw Investiture. A Nahel Bond, on the other hand, would probably be catastrophic. Direct access to raw Investiture, direct connection to raw Intent. Nahel Bonds require sticking to Oaths/Ideals, so as long as you aren't a Dustbringer, you probably couldn't cause too much damage. Then again, humans and spren being what they are, the Oaths can vary widely. This might be the primary reason why the Sleepless don't want Rysn to for a bond. I'm also guessing that she would be more visible as a Dawnshard if she was Invested. Her primary goal is to be hidden. TL;DR: Dawnshards aren't amplifiers, they're knowledge.

Fun topic for you, I'm sure. The issue I have is I'm simply using it to pull 4 commands to create the universe. I don't need a full and accurate translation, nor a millennium or two of research and debate. So for the purposes of this really important fictional universe theorizing, a Vatican translation does just fine. Thanks for the background, though.

I didn't really do my due diligence in making sure I had the best first article Hebrew translation available. Didn't think this discussion required such a thing. I also forgot to add my source, which was www.vatican.va. I assumed the Vatican would be a good resource to get text for the Bible I was using as a support for theorizing what a fiction author would write next about a fictional world. In the future, I'll make sure all of my sources are primary sources and first translations (if required). In any case, your comment actually makes mine look a bit better. I was worrying that the Change Dawnshard would be too useful compared to the other three. If Creation was handled mostly through Separation and Combination, then the balance of power between the Commands looks a little better.

Narratively, having a "shattered" Dawnshard would just be overuse of a theme. Sure, he could do it, but I hope he does something less repetitive with the Dawnshards.

Just spit balling here. Let's say Branderson used the Biblical Creation myth as a template for his god, and the Dawnshards represent the 4 basic things a god can do. Creation (from http://www.vatican.va/archive/bible/genesis/documents/bible_genesis_en.html): So let's see. God created a formless void and windy waters. (creation) God created light (creation) God separated the sky from the waters (separation) God created dry ground by collecting the waters (collection) God created vegetation (creation) God created the Sun and the Moon (creation) God created creatures of the water and the sky (creation) God told them to multiply (impression) God created creatures of the land (creation) God created man (and woman) in his image to have dominion over His other creations (creation) God told man to multiply and subdue (impression) So there was Creation, Separation, Collection and Impression. If we assume that Investiture, Energy and Matter are conserved (they are neither created nor destroyed, they only change forms), then Creation and Change are one and the same. Collection, Binding, Unity, etc. are same/similar. Separation goes hand in hand with Collection, and is a requirement as without it everything would end up bound together. Impression is the wild card here and my main contribution to this. In the Cosmere, this would be changing the Cognitive. Why wouldn't this be covered by Change? Because of the Soul and Free Will. If god were to use Change, there would be no Free Will. Impression redefines but allows Free Will in the how. It is the ability to change the Cognitive only. I mean, Physically, anything can be done with Change, Unify (Bind without changing) and Separate (take apart without changing). I really have a hard time coming up with anything, Physically, that can't be done with those 3 "Commands". That leave one class of work that a god might want to accomplish: changing hearts and minds. So I'm going with Change, Unity, Separation and Impression

Unchecked Nightblood sucks in all power everywhere without prejudice. It actually loses Cognitive ability while it's sucking in Investiture, which means even if it learns what evil is, there's nothing to control it. It kills all unInvested life in an instant, and permanently deletes Cognitive Shadows almost as fast. It controls minds from a distance, resulting in nausea for those who can resist it (don't want to use Nightblood to kill). That's all super scary. Why it does all this isn't exactly known, but I doubt it being a Dawnshard will be the explanation when finally given.

I believe Adonalsium and the Dawnshards are meant to be together. Adonalsium (and its Shards) is the Investiture and the Intent (passive Intent). Dawnshards are the Force of Will and the Command (forceful/active Intent). Together, they are god. Separately, they are pale imitations. The Dawnshards aren't some restricted weapon made by people to destroy a god. They ARE a part of god just as the Shards are. The Sleepless don't want Rysn to bond a spren because Investiture gives a Command Power. Whether its an amplifying effect, or simply a huge increase in knowledge and ability, or it simply makes her more visible, it is in the best interests of the Sleepless goals to not allow someone with a Dawnshard to gain a source of Investiture.

Rysn was forbidden from bonding a spren because without an Investiture source, she's just a passive holder of the Command. She can't really do anything with it. Being passive, she's probably also very silent, with other powers not aware that she's holding. With Investiture, she's a huge power that the Amians don't want to have walking around. She would probably also be a shining beacon to other forces that want a Dawnshard.

I think Branderson is smart to use novellas for big info dumps like this. His large epics have enough going on without having to take time to introduce and explain every Cosmere concept. As the Cosmere opens up and more things need to be known to truly enjoy the stories, using short stories and novellas (some mixed into the larger novels as he does with SA) to get those things out there is helpful to the readers and does great service to the stories themselves.

You don't think Dalinar and Jasnah would have gone to the battle for Alethkar had T suggested that?

I didn't say he wouldn't be thinking or planning logically, I said trying to guess what he's thinking or planning from a distance isn't really possible. If he walks up to someone and claims to be a particular god, you might have something to build on.

There was no reason to break the bonds while the spren were in blade form, "killing" the spren. Bond could be mutually broken through other actions or just through force of Intent. If the only goal of the Recreance was to break bonds, they didn't have to kill the spren. I think whatever the Knights Radiant learned, they blamed their spren for it. They mocked a battle (in the case of Dalinar's vision, they were attacking Feverstone Keep) and summarily broke their Oaths while their spren were being wielded as Physical weapons. This was a slaughter and a betrayal, not a mutual breaking of Bonds. Whatever the KR learned, it was more than just "Humans destroyed their old world and were the original Voidbringers".

Dalinar and Jasnah would join the forces of whatever they decided to attack, so Taravangian supporting the attack on Emul isn't really about removing forces from Urithiru. There's something else. Regarding Ishar: I don't think we can suss out what his plan is. He's insane.

I think the Mink has a backstory that involves either the Nightwatcher or bonding a spren. His ability to escape is not just something he's learned along the way. And I'm nearly certain that fighting in Emul will turn out to be the best choice. Where they fight isn't all that important for the safety of Urithiru. Alethkar or the moon would still leave Urithiru just as protected (or unprotected). And Emul is closer to Urithiru than the other options. And I don't think Odium wants his forces to win every fight. He wants a war of attrition, not a rout. Killing everyone gets him nothing. Having Big Bad T agree with the rest gets T some "maybe he's not working for Odium" points. I think the fight in the west will go well,

I would not pick up a Shard. The thought of a narrow Intent slowly changing my to fit it just doesn't sound like how I'd like my future, no matter the Intent or the amount of power it gave me.

If the Dawnshards are the 4 fundamental Cosmere concepts, possibly the very tools of Creation, and one of them is Change, then everything connected to change would be connected to the Dawnshard Change.

What are the other names? He who Adheres He who Gravitates He who Divides He who Abrades He who Progresses He who Illuminates He who Transports He who Bonds He who Pulls Apart Because if those are the 10 names, then it's just Surges.

Let me tell a story: Adonalsium created. Adonalsium rested. To rest, It laid down Its Power. Powerless, It was found by Its creations and was broken. Its creations used Its pieces to break that Power into pieces small enough for them to carry. So this makes so much sense to me and fits a bit of the Christian creation story: On the 7th day, God rested*. On the 8th day, a bunch of Yolenites stole His Will, broke it, and use the pieces to steal His power. Now they call the remnants of His Will "Dawnshards" and his Power "Shards". *God rested because his Work was done and his Power was no longer needed.

All magic systems follow "rules of the Cosmere". Awakening would be the magic system of Nalthis and Endowment, powered by Breaths. Heightenings are overall just a side effect of collecting Investiture, not a magic system. Some of the Heightenings provide better control over these Awakenings, but this would be an example of the interaction between magic systems and the "rules" having side effects. I'm still looking for confirmation, but I believe every time we see someone "graft" Investiture to themselves, they'll have similar enhanced senses.

Cultivations Perpendicularity is in the Horneater Peaks. I would think a large concentration of Cultivation would have some "lushness" effect? Rock bonding the Sibling, however, is definitely a possibility.