Shardlet

They are pips that represent the number of posts you've made. I think 3 pips are 100 posts, 4 are 500 posts, and 5 are 1000 posts.

RAFO.

You're in the right place, Chris. We got the fix for all your cosmere jonesing. Welcome.

Alice (WetlanderNW) is the beta-reader who gave us the previously known informal review.

You are missing Zucchini for -100 and beyond. The most complete list is here. But, it should be in this thread as well, so here it is: -100 and beyond = Zucchini -25 to -99 = Lamespren -20 to -24 = Rotting Chull Carcass -15 to -19 = Beheaded Inquisitor -10 to -14 = Hoed -5 to -9 = Lifeless -2 to -4 = Negaspren -1 to 4 = 17th Shard Trainee 5 to 9 = Awakener 10 to 15 = Misting 16 to 23 = Mistborn 24 to 31 = Elantrian 32 to 39 = Shardbearer 40 to 49 = Full Shardbearer 50 to 63 = Knight Radiant 64 to 74 = Worldhopper 75 to 99 = Sliver 100 to 127 = Splinter 128 to 255 = Shard 256 to 511 = Hero of Ages 512 to 1023 = The Broken One 1024 to 1336 = Adonalsium 1337 = w00t! Y0u'r3 1337!!! 1338 and beyond = Adonalsium Edit: Added Adonalsium for 1024-1336 Edit 2: Added the rank for 1337 (and, yes, that actually is the rank).

Several of you have mentioned making the bridges out of metal (particularly steel). But, not all steel is created equal. Even steel having an identical chemical composition can vary drastically in properties due to working and heat treatment. I have seen nothing to indicate any particular degree of metalworking skill among the Alethi, or any other Rosharan people, so far that would extend beyond blacksmithing (and perhaps not even a particularly advanced form of that when you factor in soulcasting). Structural steel is very different from tool steel is very different from weapon steel is very different from armor steel. A wooden beam (up until fairly recent historical history) is in the shape of a rectangular prism. If you made a steel beam of the same shape, it would bend (and even buckle) simply because it could not support its own weight. An I-beam is a simple and well-known design to us. But, when was such a design first introduced? Not too long ago (relatively speaking). It is pretty historically advanced engineering. Add to that it could be cut and destroyed by a shardblade as easily as a stone bridge. The more bridges you have, the higher the capital investment and the higher the maintenance costs. It would also be harder to defend so many bridges from destruction from the Parshendi.

Windrunner is in the states, so this would be November 6th, 2012.

Glad to have you with us, Dalinar. Welcome.

Dalinar accounts for about 100 known shardblades. About 40 for each of Alethkar and Jah Keved and the rest dispersed throughout Roshar. I think it is safe to say that we know of at least 5 or 6 that are not known openly (Szeth, Shallan, Darkness, 1 or 2 of Darkness's henchmen, and Lyss). That being the case, I would expect that there are many other blades secretly held. Though, I would expect this number to be significantly less than 100. I doubt any new plate or blade have been created lately. It seems unlikely that without the ideals, surgebinders would not be able to create blades or plate. Spren have only began bonding again in the last 5 or so years. Add to that, there is a group of people out there hunting and killing surgebinders. By developing and following the ideals, it seems that the surgebinders would make themselves conspicuous and easier to find/target. These things add up to very few surgebinders and even fewer who have significantly progressed in the ideals. Now, all that is only pertinent if the plate and blades are generated as a result of the bond and the ideals. If Cultivation (or Odium) are distributing blades, then all bets are off. But, it sounds like Odium is still standing back for the present and it also sounds like Cultivation is still checked out for the present (which I suspect will remain unchanged until book five).

I seriously doubt that repeating the ideals by regurgitation or reading off of a page would have any effect at all. The words of the ideal come into the mind of the KR acolyte, if you will, spontaneously. It is only when this happens that the words of the ideal appear to have any effect.

According to Ishikk, the Purelake drains "into pits and holes when the storms" come. Since he has lived his life at the Purelake, I would trust him on this.

Nice!

Hi Catt. Welcome to 17S. Glad to have you with us.

Welcome, Connor. Glad to have you with us.

I always just clicked the quote button in each post that I wanted to reference and formatted accordingly.

Hi Spencer. Welcome to 17S. Like you, this is the only online presence I have. But, it is a great community and we are glad to count you among us. For your edification, here is a quick primer on how the business works here. If you wish to put something in spoiler tags, simply enter the following code without the * : [spoiler*] Spoilier text you wish to be in the tag You'll also notice that at the bottom right of each post is a multiquote and a quote button. Personally, I have no idea what the virtues or functions of multiquote are. But, if you wish to reference text from someone's post within the thread you are posting in, press the quote button and the text of their post (less any quotes they had in their post) will appear in the 'Reply to this topic' text entry box. You then can edit out bits that distract from the portion you wish to reference if you desire. If you wish to quote text that is external to the thread, you'll notice that in the text entry toolbar there is a button which resembles a speech bubble from a comic strip. Click that and you get a generic quote box which you may fill with any test you like. To create a link in your post, you'll notice a button in the text entry toolbar which resembles a chain with a green circle. Highlight the text which you wish to turn into a link (e.g., source, go here, etc.), push the chain-like button, and then paste the URL for the link in the prompt that pops up. You may also find smiley faces and such useful to give clarity to your comments (particularly to let people know if you are joking or whatever). To access a selection of these smiley faces (or emoticons), click the happy face button in the text entry toolbar. Lastly, I will note the reputation system. You'll notice that below each persons profile picture there is a green or grey (hopefully not red) box with a number and a title. This is a fun little system that allows the community to give you brownie points for posts that you make that they think are poignant, clever, funny, or whatever. To give said brownie points, I again direct your attention to the bottom right corner of member posts. You will see an up-arrow in a green box and a down-arrow in a red box. If you like a post for whatever reason simply press the green up-arrow button. It is up to you to decide under what conditions you will press the red downvote button. For me personally though, I only do this if someone's posting is offensive or insulting in some way. Some general etiquette, if you just posted and wish to say something more before someone else has happened to post, it is customer to click on the edit button in the post you just made and add the information you wanted to say. If it has been a day or so since your previous post, a double post (a new post directly adjacent to a previous post) is perfectly acceptable. I hope this is helpful. I look forward to hearing from you.

It is largely believed that each type of spren is attracted by the embodiment of the ideals of their associated KR order. Thus Syl was attracted (most notably) by Kaladin's desire to protect others. Edit: I think it is premature to call Shallan a liar. The only deception we have seen from her so far is that her father is dead, not ill, and her deception of Jasnah in order to steal the soulcaster. Each of these deceptions was undertaken in an effort to save her family. This does not yet qualify her as a liar in my view.

Wow, that makes two unrelated Star Wars jokes in the same thread. Not bad.

Cool beans.

The quote saying, "[t]hey changed, even as we fought them" suggests to me something more in front of there face than your interpretation. But, I can accept the interpretation you offer. It does not seem to be ruled out.

It was a joke, son.

If it is nothing special, then why did you post your denial TWICE! I think I speak for the entire population here in saying, "We demand to know the things which Hoid does."

The fear of their dark gods and the perception of the danger of using the more powerful forms are definitely things that must be considered. As to connection to the Dawnsingers, I made that connection, not Alice. I mused on the combination of listener in possession of a Dawnshard becoming a Dawnsinger. This is not mutually exclusive with the listeners being capable of being taken over by Odium or his minions any more than saying warform is evidence against mateform. As to the change like the flame dances epigraph, you did not account for how the listeners could change without a storm. IIRC a storm is necessary for the listeners to change form. This is why listeners in warform are doing art. Everyone takes a turn at art, but they can't be spared from warform for it because they may be needed for battle at a moments notice. If they could change will-he-nill-he, then they could use a form more amenable to artistry for art or other tasks and change to warform if necessary. I do agree with you, though, that the Thunderclast interpretation is tenuous at best.

That would be nice. Peter?...Peter. Can we diligent but lacking souls get access to that deleted scene now that it appears to have been released?

Not necessarily. The forest moon of Endor is habitable.