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I always assumed that the "stances" were a starting position for a move set. Maybe even a rhythm to your attacks. From what all I've seen each stance has an overarching idea behind it. Flame stance (or was it fire?) is made up of short quick attacks. Wind Stance is sweeping and broad. Iron Stance is more powerful and defensive. I imagine them as a foot position that allows for more control over the stances idea. So, like Wind Stance is designed to keep your balance as you reach out your arms more, etc. Also, yeah, I think for dueling in shards it makes move, counter-move combat more a chess match. Also, with the shard blades being a unique item that forces you to exert more control over your weapon, rather than power. It isn't like if you were using a sword or other weapon that is impeded by everything it touches. So, I think the wide arching Wind Stance maneuvers are great for mowing down the maximum number of enemies on a battlefield. Yet not hardly worthwhile when used against an enemy shardbearer. You'd want something that can recover and press the attack more efficiently.

But they don't live in a large city and Laral is neither particularly poor (Roshone does marry her for her inheritance, in the end) neither that low ranked. In WoR, Kaladin refers to the citylord's family as 'middle-dahn' Also, for what is worth: Quote So, what I'm saying is that Laral's social status was theoretically much, much higher than Lirin's family - unless they had some other connection we weren't made aware of. That said, I do not believe that Hesina's parents (or one of them) were/are lighteyed - such a thing was bound to come up, especially by Roshone - but I think it's definitely possible one of her grandparents was. It makes sense. Rich merchant marries poor brightlady, or maybe the other way around; some of their children are lighteyed, some aren't. One of the darkeyed kids marries yet another rich darkeye, a choice much more socially acceptable than a country surgeon; and their daughter is Hesina, whose marriage is frowned upon by her rich and/or lighteyed relations, but there isn't much they could do about it. In a society with a cast system as rigid as Alethkar's, someone like Lirin wouldn't have married a brightlord's daughter/sister, no matter how poor or minor her family. But a grandaughter, on the other hand.. I'm pretty sure this could be the case. Something else to consider in this theory is something Kaladin says when Laral runs down to talk to the sons of farmers in Hearthstone. Someone asks,"Kal, you know stuff. Is it true that a dark eyes can become a light eyes?" Kal responds in a peculiar way. The kids are talking about Shardblades and actually changing their eye color permanently. Instead Kal says, "Sure happens all the time. A light eyes family of low Dahn marries a dark eyes of high non and their children are born with light eyes." I know he is a surgeon that has been taught all about genetics and how they can affect the patient. Hence why he knows what to ask Ronaron in regards to his seizures. That isn't just basic "cut here" information. That's indepth internal medicine. So, it isn't completely surprising that Kaladin would know what happens when two people of different eye shade conceive. Though, it could also be that his mother told him the exact story of how his father and her were betrothed. I have found that a lot of times in stories. Stuff isn't just mentioned for the sake of conversation. Brandon wanted us to know that is possible. That we have people change eye color both by marriage and shardic influence. It's a pretty good reason to think she may be from a light eyed family with a dark eye gene in it's pool. Whether it was Kal's grand parents or great grand parents, I couldn't say. Also, about the kids being kids thing. I don't think she was that young when that happened. She was like 16 or so when the event with the food happened. That's not a grown up, but that isn't an age when you're doing anything your parents want. I know her father and I think her mother are both dead at this point. So, she may be doing like you say and just trying to appease her future parent-in-law's sensibilities. I just honestly think that she knowingly and purposefully blew up her relationship with Kaladin. It was a way to make herself stop feeling guilty and sad, by pushing him away. If he doesn't come around, she doesn't have to be reminded how much she cares. So, once she saw herself in a situation that was past her control. She dropped the hammer and put all her eggs in the basket with Wyler. The next time we see her after Wyler dies, she is visibly broken. She just had her life dissolve in front of her. She didn't like Wlyer as much as Kaladin but thought it would be a more comfortable life. The negatives were worth the risk. Though after the loss of a bearable man and Kaladin, she realized her life had just turned to ashes. Who knows how she was pushed and prodded. What hardship she had to endure before she was willing to make that choice. She could be in a similar situation to Shallan. Marriage to a wealthy house may have sheltered her friends and family from terrible situation. I just really do think she intentionally was mean to Kal. That's my only point and theory.

You all make some fine points. I agree with almost everything said. I was mainly just pointing out the flaws he exhibits. I was also wanting to make sure I understood what he was about. There is a chapter heading quote that says something to the effect of, "The Bondsmiths were never as numerous as the other orders. Three came and at one point only one was bound in service to Urithiru. They never did strive to expand their numbers to match the others. They bonded a very specific type of the spren because of this. Growing their numbers was seen as cruel." That is way off the actual quote, but the gist is there. Maybe, all the Bondsmiths bind to "The Stormfather" which is why he is personified as the Bondsmith Herald. It may be that he is somehow the only spren capable of granting their powers and is like a bit of a way to leapfrog some information into the future. Maybe that's why they won't grow their numbers, because it would only strain the SF to an unbearable degree.

Alright, I agree and now I feel bad! I mean Laral is a victim of Roshone's crappiness too. You're right. The only thing I feel was truly her fault was when Kaladin was asked to get Wyler (Is that his name? I cannot remember for the life of me.) and her food. She could have been quiet or indifferent but is straight up cruel to him. "Go ahead boy. Know your place." or something like that. Oooh, it just burns me up. (I know these are fictional characters. No real feelings were harmed and they were all just written from the imagination of a dude named Brandon. I can still pretend can't I?) It was intentionally barbed. The young Kaladin had never in his life, done one negative thing to Laral and she threw that stone at him? That's just not right. I am not saying that she deserves to pay for that one mistake forever but I felt like she chose her side in that moment. Even though she could have done so without the pain in it. "Please, Kaladin, we're hungry." Would have done the same thing, letting Kal know she didn't want to be in the situation. Yet she was having to pick the man she was betrothed to. It would have made sense to Kaladin in some small way, especially over time as he became more familiar with the affairs of the heart. Ardar Wrote: I wrote something very similar to this, unless that's what you're referencing, so I obviously agree with you. I think the pragmatist and experience in Navani wouldn't want to see a girl, that is now part of her "clutch" as Adolin put it, about to marry someone who isn't right for her. Even if the other person is part of the same clutch. It just seems to me that Shallan and Kal fit better in their personalities. I just hope it doesn't turn out that Kal and Shal's mothers were sisters or something. I really do think that Kal's mom was part of a light eyed family some how.That she was just born dark eyed by some random happenstance or her parents were mixed light and dark. That her brothers and sisters were all light eyed but she and maybe one more got the dark eyed gene. Then married a dark eyed man for love instead of being "sold" to her husbands family for prestige and status.

I appreciate and understand what you're saying. The first point though isn't the scene I am referring to and is honestly the main point that I am hung up on. When Kaladin and Shallan are stuck in the Chasm when the Highstorm passes over. The vision that Kaladin has is of the Stormfather. Inside that vision he tells Kaladin two lies, one more blatant than the other. I just realized the one about Syl being dead is the one I kept grasping for in my memory when I made the first post. My brain would not spit out that information. Anyway, The Stormfather tells Kaladin that he won't ride the winds again which turns out false. The he tells him that Syl is dead, which also turns out to be false. Why not be honest though? If he cares so deeply for his spren children that he either refers to them as a whole or Syl specifically as "My most beloved" then why not explain to Kaladin that he dun goofed. That he is about to end her mental capacity forever, when he went against his oaths. I also was going to point out the fact that he said the Everstorm couldn't be stopped. Which may also be misstatement of fact. I know he isn't a god, but the Stormfather himself says in his verbose way, "I am the shadow of a god!" Which I feel is him being arrogant. It seems to me that for 4,500 years, at least, the most important thing in the world was the Stormfather. He is the big boss of planet Roshar. So, to have some mortal stand and shout at him. Wanting him to be bound to that person? That is just beneath him. Then he says, "I will not be bound to you in a way that will allow you to kill me." I also took this as him saying "No" I won't be your spren. Then in almost the next breath he says, "The words are accepted. I will not be a simple sword to you. You will be a radiant without shards." as if he is now bonded to Dalinar in the same way he originally said he wouldn't be. The fact he makes Dalinar get rid of his sword and says he won't be a simple sword and that he won't have a shard at all, is to me, very unlikely. I bet that at some point Dalinar is stuck between a rock and a hard place with shards being the only way out. Then like the blowhard he is, the Stormfather will jump in to save the day. I feel like the Stormfather has forgotten the purpose that he was left for. That either Cultivation or Honor left him or made him to look out for the people, or to bind Odium in some way. Yet, for 4,500 years he has been free to roam and watch the people and has given up on them. It's almost like he wants the era of humanity to be gone. Whether he is just suffering from immortal depression. Where you don't die but everything you'll ever know, will die or he is just a dick. I don't know. Either way, I think he isn't what he claims nor appears.

Gotcha, I could have sworn that Gold in Allomancy made you see a weird version of yourself. I thought Kelsier displayed its use to Vin and it freaked her out. Like either who you were or could have been or something? Is that way off in terms of accuracy?

First, I apologize for any restated ideas, that I promise you are not intentionally plagiarized, not that you accused me of it. I am honestly just spouting forth my theories as they come back to me or concocting new ones based on replies I have been given here. I enjoy the heck out of the Stormlight Archive books and this is the first time I have been able to discuss it. So, I am having a blast talking about all this stuff. I am positive the bulk of my good ideas are ones that have been given previously by someone else, and my bad ideas come from a lack of understanding or of information about other Cosmere stories. Though, if I do rehash an idea of someone elses, I don't want anyone to think I have intentionally taken their theory or idea and reworded it with my name on it. I really want to get up to speed on what everyone has already derailed or confirmed about the series, so that I may build my theories foundation on rock instead of sand. Cause, whether or not I keep visiting this site. Which I very likely will based on the positive attitudes and unending information. I will undoubtedly continue to think about this story. lol About the spheres in the highstorm. "What" has to define them as outside though? The Stormlight, the highstorm, or the spheres themselves? I just wonder if the spren of the spheres is somehow involved. Like each realm has an intermediary to the next level. To speak to the glass beads in Shadesmar, Pattern offered himself as a go between or interpreter in a sense. Is there other such beings for the spiritual realm? Maybe something like The Stormfather, or High Spren? Also, what dictates what has a spren and what doesn't? I remember Tien asking a very similar question of his mother. Do spren have spren? Like is there a spren of Syl, since there is both Kaladin and Sly thinking about her? EDIT: I had to fix a grammar error that was bothering me. I am sure there are more, sorry.

I like the idea that the Identity of the house, dictates the barriers it provides to non-physical beings. (When you say "Identity" is that the aluminum based Misting ability. The one that lets you see the person as what they are or see themselves as? The kinda backwards gold ability, it's been a while since I read those books, or did you just mean the regular old mundane 'identity' that is how someone is viewed. I just want to be sure I understand.) I know WoB says somewhere that Kaladin retains his slave brand, because he views himself with those brands or as a slave. Lopen and Ronarin are able to heal their arm and vision, respectively, because their disability isn't something they view themselves as having or don't define themselves by it. Your premise, whether it turns out to be the case or not, makes me wonder how sentient residents of the Cognitive Realm behave in this regard. Is it like a Soul Caster offers them stormlight as either a catalyst or bribe, then they are able to change their own personal perception. They might also be willing to change to how the human requesting the change "wants" to view them. If that is the case, it makes me wonder if the change is ever denied. That the soul casting is vetoed by the item, just based on what they are requested to change into. So, that instead of a stick, it changes its perceived identity to become fire... or remain a stubborn chull stupid stick!

I didn't want to say the Stormfather lies in the title. Incase someone wasn't to that point in the book. There are at least two things we see are untrue that the storm father says. The first is that he tells Kaladin, "You will not ride the winds again." or something like that. It turns out that Kal, infact does ride those winds again, after he blurts out the third ideal. Which at the time, I think the Stormfather thought was true. That neither now, nor ever, would Kaladin regain his Windrunner abilities. So, he obviously doesn't have much, if any, future sight. Another thing is that he tells Syl, "I forbid this!" right before Kal's recitation of the third ideal. Which means his power is limited to some regard. It may have been something he couldn't interfere with, since Syl had made a covenant with Kaladin, when he agreed to allow her to keep the bond. That means though, that he is not what you would expect from a god. His tone and words make me think that he's cocksure of himself, but in the end, may honestly just be a Herald that was given power through the nature of spren. Meaning, that it appears that the idea/ideals of people form the existence of spren. Like the boat wanted to remain a boat because many people had an idea and understanding of what that boat was. Which gave it a form of power. The stick, was simply a stick. If Shallan weren't talking to it. It likely wouldn't even have enough sentience to understand what it was. So, when the men and women of Roshar, over the years, formulated that Jezerezen was THE Stormfather. It became so. Then as each generation sweared and prayed to him, he gained power and strength. Maybe even from the soul of the Herald himself. Whether this was always the Stormfather or not, I don't know. Finally, we hear him say, "You shall be a Radiant, without shards." to Dalinar. Which, to me, means that it is not set in stone. The Stormfather is not infallible, is my point. It seems that he pretends he's a deity and is a bit pompous about himself, but in fact, he is wrong just as often as a regular person.

I was thinking about it while listening to the WoR part where Kaladin accepts sword training. Something about thinking about whether the sword ardent is Vasher or not made me consider something. What if all the actual power behind the investitures flows through the spiritual realm. That like spren there is a spiritual representation of everything, just in a different plane of existence. So, whatever prevents mist/stormlight from crossing the threshold of stone, is clear inside that realm. Maybe because that's what originally held Adonalsium or what it was made of, and it is still the one thing that can naturally contain it. Somehow sentient beings can as well, because of their feet in all three worlds. So, what that means is people have three feet.

I'd say he almost certainly WILL reconnect with her. I think it will be a situation where she is married to Rashone, very unhappy, and more lighteyed than when she last saw him. (Meaning that instead of being the little girl he remembers as not caring what his eye color was, and being kind of a tomboy. She will be the wife of a city lord. The wife of a city lord who is inherently unpleasant.) I think she will be happy to see his "changes" both as a KR with superpowers and as a lighteyes. I think she may regret her life and what she could have had with Kal as opposed to Senior Grumpypants. It may give Kaladin some peace to find her disheveled in such a way, after their last encounter consisted of her either ignoring him, or telling him to do what Rashone's son wanted. Now, instead of being a dark eyed surgeon's son. Kaladin is a shardbearer, a lighteyes, captain of the guard to the king and his uncle the two most powerful politcal leaders in the world, and one of the main members of the newly re-founded Knights Radiant, he outranks both her and Rashone by a couple dozen don (figuratively). I think it will be a bittersweet meeting for the two of them.

I'm sure I speak for everyone in the thread when I say, thank you for your response! Your artwork is very interesting and beautiful. It suits the subject matter in a very appealing way. I'll stop gushing now. I'd say since the people doing the writing and drawing aren't the same people using the stances, arms, and armor. That it prevents a level of understanding being translated, that would otherwise be present. A level of understanding that, if say, the person describing the "thing" were also personally and intimately familiar with the "thing".

And how did he prevent himself from catching the paper on fire‽

Maybe that's what Syl meant by "Dangerous levels of Stormlight" when talking about Szeth and the use of his Honorblade. If he kept infusing it without a maximum limit. I wonder what would happen. Like you gather all the gems in the world. Throw them in a pit in front of a High Storm. Then go inside the highstorm yourself and absorb all you can. Then go back to the pit and fill up with all the pit's light. You would then become a star. I never thought about what the limits of infusion are. Has it ever been made clear what will prevent a gem from infusing during a storm? For instance, Kaladin has held a sphere and it infused, they have been in pockets in inside clothing and infused. The ones inside a house or building don't seem to. I know that tWoK's said that some people will have baskets they throw their spheres in to reinfuse them. I'm just curious. It seems like a huge headache to have to change out all the lights inside the castle before the storm and again after.

"I'm a stick!" If you continue as your present self, you may find it hard to enjoy your stick existence. "I'm a..stick?" What I'm saying, if you aren't aware, is the world is using sticks as chull suppositories. "What the... stick.. I'm a stick." Yeah, it's disgusting. I don't even understand why. Maybe it's to prevent them "going" when they are in important places. "...stick.." I can get you out of this, but you may want to prevent the stable hands from seeing you. Maybe, if you take my stormlight and turn into a burnt ember, then they won't use you. No promises. I just thought you should know. "Fire.. make me fire! Almighty, please, make me fire!"

Ah, got ya. I need to read more Cosmere based books. I have only had the pleasure of the Mistborn trilogy, Warbreaker, and the two SA books. I just wonder what other negative forces are left. I guess it will be a thing to learn later on. I know it has it's own thread but I have always speculated that Hoid is the champion of the Knowledge or Wisdom shard. I know from the way he is talked about and written he is likely a shard holder himself. Like when he mentions that Odium would shatter his soul into a million pieces. Reminiscent of what he did to Honor and possibly Cultivation. It just seems like he is not as omniscient as the other shards.

How dare you all use "the truth" and "facts" to undermine my theories. I know it's just a personal vendetta that you all have against my ideas, just because they are "subjective speculation" doesn't mean they aren't real! (I am grateful actually and thanks for taking the time to help answer my theories and questions. I don't have any real life friends, who have read the SA books, I can bounce this stuff off of. So, it just runs rampant while I am listening to the story.) Last question, I promise, and I'll shut up with my hairbrained ideas. Is the "Minor Shardworld" in the "Dangerous Women" anthology, Evil? If so, is that possibly the other person Hoid is trying to undermine that's mentioned in the letter and it's reply? I think the name started with a "B".

I thought Tarah had been killed in a way that left Kaladin blaming himself for her death? I know he blames himself for deaths that happened 4,500 years before he was born, or is that what you're saying? Because his last relationship was with a girl who is now dead, he might not let himself get close enough to Shallan (or other girls) to do anything but be awkward? If so, I bet you're right. I almost think the reason that he likes her so much, is that if you notice, she and Syl have very similar personalities. They are both jibers and talk in figure 8's. (Saying they talk in circles doesn't do either of them justice!) I don't think that Kaladin and Pattern are of a similar ilk, maybe his overt seriousness at times but Syl and Shallan are peas in a pod in some ways. Beautiful, articulate, and usually correct.

Okay, I have an odd question that I am not sure has been answered. Please feel free to let me know if I am just overlooking it. But I wonder if each shard of Adonalsium is gender specific. Does for instance the fact that Ruin was Male and Preservation was female, mean that you would have to be androgynous. like Sazed, in order to hold both. I mean there are a lot of ideas about gender roles in Brandon's worlds. For instance in Stormlight, the Alethi are obviously fixated on the idea that women create and men destroy. Much like Ruin and Preservation. Does anyone know a specific instance of a shard changing hands from a male to female or vice versa? Another theory I had about the three Shard holders that exist/ed on Roshar. First we know that two were shattered and one is called "The Broken One". I think a death rattle made it clear that "There were three, but now the 'Broken One' reigns!" or something like that. I almost wonder if the other two devised a plan to get rid of Odium by sacrificing themselves to protect the remaining of the 16. Though due to Rayse being a bit cunning, figured out a way to only sacrifice part of himself. Which is why they call him Broken. It feels like Honor and Cultivation came up with the idea of the spren and sold the concept to Odium. Telling him that instead of them fighting on a grand scale for eternity they could wage war inside the heart of each man. The spren became physical manifestations of ideas, yet Cultivation devised a way to get rid of Hate spren and cast them into the "void". Somehow Rayse grew wise to the plan and cut off his hand to save the rest of him, in a sense. I think the Highstorm might be a way for Honor and/or Cultivation to detain Odium in the mean time so that he can't run amuck outside of the Greater Roshar system. Which is what the reply letter means when it says he is contained. It might also explain why Kaladin sees two different 'beings' inside the storm. One is inhuman followed by something else, walking behind the storm. It might be where the Stormlight comes from. Finally, it seems like each shard is numbered. Like Preservation was 16, which is why there are 16 allomantic metals. The Almighty is 10 which is why there are 10 Heralds. 10 Essences, 10 fingers and toes! I think Odium is 8 or was it 4? I am not sure. I haven't see a large amount of info about him that has numbers in it. Any other numbers associated with the 16? If so, does that pertain to their level in strength? When they broke off from the whole? What about Sazed and his control over two shards. Do they each get a number or is he now just the lower of the two? Oh, and I almost wonder if Cultivation is a combination of the Shard Endowment on Nalthis and another shard. Which is why it has both genders related to it. I just don't know what you add to Endowment to get Cultivation. Sacrifice maybe? Which would actually explain how Endowment ended up with it, lol.

I have only ever listened to the audiobooks for the series, so I can't point to a page number and don't know if the error exists inside the book itself or only on the audiobook version I heard, but during a scene where Kaladin is having a flashback to the day he saved Amaram, his Sargent Tukks, was telling someone who thought they saw a guy wearing Shardplate "No, that's just regular plate, thank the Almighty. Stormbearers are rare. There won't be one for just a minor boarder dispute. They are all fighting on the shattered plains." I am paraphrasing, but the part I am sure about is the term "Stormbearer". It may have been in another part of the same scene setting. It caught me as odd and wasn't sure I heard correctly until I re-listened to the book a few more times. It may not be a mistake but a colloquialism. One that is used where Tukks is from. I just never heard anyone else say it, nor was it addressed by anyone as anything odd. Which made me think it was a slip up. I kinda like it though. Like someone who is the owner to both Shardplate and a Shardblade isn't called just a Shardbearer, but a Stormbearer. It's a fitting distinction. Let me know if anyone else found this or knows the reasoning behind it, if it isn't a mistake.

I also had the impression that the gems were not easily removed from their housing. Otherwise some jackass would likely steal them. Even if the people who owned them are superhumans with impenetrable armour and a weapon that cuts through anything, including your soul. So it would have to be a person standing by with the ability to infuse them and then operate the keyhole with a living blade. I can see where the OP has the impression of it being someone we aren't familiar with as the person who opens the portal. I just doubt that it was. I'd say it was ole Kaladin, who probably knew that group was coming. Then fell to the penultimate room. I don't think any other explanation makes sense with our current understanding of what's going on. I also think it's funny to think of a Radiant who has all this power and ability, just standing like Heimdall from Thor with his hands resting on the hilt of his sword, or sitting in a "Shardchair", while he waits on random people who want to journey to the tower city. Like the Epic Fantasy Elevator Attendant. The mental image makes me laugh. The Knights Radiant watchman goes up to his commanding officer. "Come on Captain, all I did was release the Voidbringers onto Roshar.. Do I have to stand outside of Shinovar for the rest of the year. Their eyes creep me out. Plus the last time I had to watch the Stormseat gate, the world ended around me. I barely got out with my life, isn't that penance enough for releasing Odium onto the world, where he killed Honor and Cultivation. Therefore damning mankind to endure millennia of hellish despair and pain, I mean, COME ON!" Edit: removed a naughty word.

Thank you for the reply. I upvoted the response, because, well, it deserved it. Anyways, I get exactly what you're saying. I think in the vision Dalinar has where he fights the Midnite Essence beasts he uses Smoke Stance to prevent ground being given. I'd imagine you're right about Iron Stance as well. Sometimes my speculations will go down a rabbit hole where I don't know which way is up and there are talking mice and cats that disappear. So, it really helps ground my run away thoughts to get a well stated and logical response to my inquiries.

I know somewhere that it says that the glyphs that delineate each order of the KR are based off of the swords the Herald of that order carried. Which of those two swords most resembles the one that is designed for the Stonewards?

The one thing that bugs me about the stances is a small discrepancy between WoK and WoR with Wind Stance. During Dalinar's fight with the Parshendi Shardbearer (Eshonai) it says something along the lines of, "Dalinar was forced to parry. Something Wind Stance wasn't designed to do..." then during a scene where Adolin is dueling in the arena, it says something like, "He used the swooping strikes of Wind Stance to parry." I know it doesn't directly contradict, because he doesn't say he's parrying with Wind Stance. I just don't think using strikes as a parry technique makes sense, if the form wasn't meant for it. I mean what is a parry if not a defensive strike or blade placement? One implies force and arch being greater is all. The reason it bothers me mainly is a stance controls your footing and center of balance. If you're doing something during your maneuver that your body isn't set up for. You're likely to lose something you want to keep. If he were to parry using close together footing, while double fisting his Shardblade, swinging it forward from two blocks behind him, and putting everything he has into the block. It is going to leave him in a horribly off balance state. So, when Dalinar says, "It wasn't designed to do this." I take his word for it. If anyone knows what is possible to do inside a shard based fight, it's the Blackthorn. Anyone else notice this situation or am I just being overly nitpicky? I'm also not above admitting I'm just not thinking about things in the right way.

I almost feel that after Navani's own personal experience with marriage to the wrong person. That she might have a Wit style story that will aid Shallan in her decision on who she should be with. If you look at all the bits that each person likes in the other. Adolin obviously thinks that Shallan is attractive and is happy to have a layer of formality that keeps his relationship intact. Something that prevents the girl from leaving because of something stupid or something he does to sabotage things either self destructively or otherwise. Shallan obviously thinks Adolin is attractive and has this charm and ease that is appealing. Then there is Shallan's thoughts on Kaladin. She states he is attractive in a certain way. I think the comparison is between Kaladin being a natural rock formation and Adolin a finely crafted statue. She finds that Adolin isn't dumb by any means, but that Kaladin is much sharper than he is. She fears Kal's intensity but that is also something to like after you understand it or once its flames become warm instead of burning. Also, Kaladin doesn't mollycoddle her. In the casm scene, after the first night, he starts to respect her. Then after she defines her inner turmoil he is basically smitten. So, the point being, between the two the similarities she likes in Adolin, she also sees in Kaladin. It just seems to me that she has more boxes checked with Kaladin. I think she does enjoy the safety for her family's status that Adolin brings. Though, once she finds out that he is capable of straight up murder. That might dissolve.