Zmann966

We got glimpses that the Radiant Orders of yester-millenia were more than just full Radiants. And the methodology of "unlocking" powers with words definitely encourages the thought that becoming a Radiant is a process. It makes sense to me that Radiant Knights had squires and trainees, initiates and people who joined them with the intent to become a Radiant and went through boot camp and work to achieve their Nahel Bond, their Shardblade, and (presumably) their Plate. Such a system would very much support the "Radiants grouping together" and the fact that spren were more likely to bond those "grouped up" already. Think about it, to become a Windrunner you need to speak the words and live the ideals. Yeah you could do that on your own, and perhaps an Honorspren will be drawn to you and bond, but entire classes of initiates being groomed to live by the ideals and trained in combat and pushed towards this way of life of protecting others would draw Honorspren to them, bolster the ranks of the Order, and provide a very seamless "promotion" system from recruit to Radiant.

Calling the Crackpot theory now: Nale was in league with Treledees. The Pahn Kahl Rebellion was an inside job. Shardblades can't cut steel beams.

Awesome, thanks Volratho! I haven't had any trouble in the past with Libraries (as Librarians are—contrary to how they're stereotyped in movies—usually pretty nice and very glad to get people in, excited, and talking about reading,) so I assumed it would be okay... But having confirmation and contact is nice!

I wonder if Brandon would let me put a lavaliere mic on him... Hmmm...

@Volratho Whaddya think the our recording situation will be? I'll bring some equipment again, but I swear if we have to fight off angry bookstore clerks again, I'm not gonna hold @Argent back from whoopin' some chull this time.

Agreed. I mean, Argent is kinda weird, but the rest of the fans are pretty cool.

Yeah, I edited that in to my post after double-checking it, must have been while you were still writing yours.

My statements of fact are straight out of WoB. My theories were speculated based on the information provided both in the novels and by the man himself. My above rebuttal you quoted was that you attempted to find holes in my theories by shooting down the factual evidence as supported by WoB, not the speculative connections I made from them. So yes, some of what I stated was fact as you so like to embolden. But all arguments against my theories have been non-existent. You cannot dispute the literal definitions of Autonomy or of the information laid out by Brandon himself. But you also have not provided any emphasis against the connections I have pulled together in support of my speculation. I can't see any way Brandon could write "Autonomy" as an intent that bucks so strongly against its literal definition. There are, of course going to be some twists and turns to it, but the point I was attempting to make before being distracted was simple: There is so much conflicting and clashing, it can't be just Autonomy at work here. The only argument I see is that we have WoB stating he is the only Shard on Taldain... Of course, he could be the only shard currently on Taldain... Also, apologies. I thought the Paalm/Set/Autonomy connection was already confirmed due to the information provided in SoS and BoM. Apparently it IS still just a strongly-supported theory.

Agreed, there's a good reason this is "Unpublished Works" I mean, we definitely couldn't take Aether of Night completely for fact either, could we! lol

That may be the primary reason he used Paalm and is working through a few, well-placed servants, rather than a much larger interference. His Intent is pushing him to tear down the interfering shards, but in order to do so he has to interfere a bit himself.

It makes sense though right? They kinda DO feel like opposites when taken in pure, un-modified context of their dictionary definitions. I know Dominion also kinda has the dual-meaning specifically towards LAND you have control over (or "Domain") and we know that comes into play a lot on Sel with their "connection to the land" and stuff... It just makes me think that there's something more going on with Autonomy and some other Shard.

That's why I mentioned it, (though, we don't really KNOW anything of the dark side magic do we? Just lots more of hints and half-mentions.) and said that there's a lot more going on here. WoB states that Bavadin is Autonomy AND that Bavadin is the only Shard on Taldain. Yet we clearly have a breach in shardic-intent with Paalm and the fact that he is willing to interfere quite heavily in order to pursue a "higher form" of independence for the people of Scadrial. The fact that Taldain has a magic system at all undercuts the intent of Autonomy. And yes, as you said, the whole world seems to be based around the exact OPPOSITE of Autonomy. These are all facts from Brandon and the books. Unquestionable sources. Not to mention Autonomy is defined in the Dictionary, it's not my definition of Autonomy, but the definition. I don't know why you guys are arguing these facts at all; I've supported them throughout. My speculation concerns the WHY it doesn't fall so neatly into place around the intent of Autonomy, and why we've seen the Trell/Nalt connection so thoroughly saturated throughout the cosmere. There is something more going on here... What it is? Well... That's why I'm speculating. All the facts I laid out are exactly that: facts. My speculation begins with the idea that there has to be MORE than just Autonomy at work here. The disparate views of day/night and nalt/trell on Scadrial link up too perfectly with the tidally-locked Taldain and the intent of Nalthis' shard to be coincidence (and we all know there's nothing such as coincidence in Sanderson's novels) So that was my question: what do you think it is? Windrunner's splinter EDIT* sliver theory seems as likely as any, but do we have evidence of splinters being able to world-hop and resist the shard's intent to the point of having a nearly perpendicular purpose?

Nah, I said something. But the thing about shards is their shards form them and shape them, we have hints in Shadows of Self that Autonomy sees Shardic-intervention as something bad. Hence the reasoning behind trying to free the "sheeple" from Harmony. It feels like Autonomy would not only want independence, but to practice independence and non-intervention. How this translates to the magic systems of Taldain... I still have no clue. The fact that it HAS a magic system seems to countermand the idea that Autonomy lives his intent. But that's also countermanded with Paalm's words in SoS (seemingly, as the evidence points to Autonomy's intervention.) Autonomy, based purely on it's intent should be significantly opposed to Honor, as mentioned in the WoB, but also against Dominion, Devotion, Endowment, even Odium to an extent. Anything that exerts external influence, either through purpose or emotion, undermines the intent of Autonomy. So count me just as in the dark as the rest of you as to the state of the cosmere in this regard. But the Trell/Nalt/Autonomy/Nalthis/Night/Day/all that mumbo jumbo is too saturated within multiple points of the cosmere that they can't be sheer coincidence.

You just stated THREE different synonyms, and are claiming they're not? What is control if it's not over something? What is dedication if not to something? What is being self-functioning if not being abject of external influence? Simple answer: they're not. You can't control nothing, you can't dedicate to nothing, and you can't be autonomous without being free from external intervention.

Really? Because Devotion literally means dedicating your own personal cause/well-being/purpose to something else; Dominion literally means forcing your cause/purpose onto something else. Autonomy literally means in-action and non-intervention; Endowment literally means the giving of gifts or bestowing favor. And I am literally using 'literally' literally in this case, lol.

Trelagism makes perfect sense with Autonomy... The focus on astronomy, a science that explores a very autonomous aspect of the universe: the movement of the cosmic bodies. The purposefully vague doctrine that basically just says "discover the truth for yourself." If he's not Autonomy himself, then he's linked to it in a way FAR stronger than just a worshiper or cosmere-aware Taldanian. I like your theory of the Silvers of Autonomy, Windrunner Savant. If Bavadin holds/held Autonomy it would be a Shard of extreme non-intervention. But if Trell and Nalt took up pieces of the Shard, it could fit... Though, now that I think about it... Do we have a WoB about how many shards are on Taldain? And we're 100% SURE Bavadin is Autonomy right? It seems like Trelagism is focused on the night (uhh, duh! Originated in a tidal-locked world,) but the dayside of Taldain feels like it could be a completely different shard. Maybe one that was splintered, but it feels like Trell/Nalt are so saturated across the span of the cosmere that they have to be more than worldhoppers or Splinters... The idea just FEELS bigger... idk, but with Trell being associated with night/darkness/individualism on multiple worlds and Nalt having links to sunshine and excess and endowment... (It's RAFO'd but the connections are too numerous to just say that Nalt/Nalthis aren't linked.) Endowment/Autonomy are opposite shards by their nature, like Preservation/Ruin and Devotion/Dominion. There HAS to be more here than coincidence, and it all feels so much bigger than just some splinters.

There's the name I recognize! Haha, nice seeing you there. Here's to hoping Brandon comes through on his next tour and we can hang out in line again, lol.

I got you covered man. I don't do nearly as many cons as I used to (12+/year) but I'm still hitting up a few that he's at. It's where I got to sit and hang out and draft and chat for a few hours too, so I can see why he'd allow people to just keep throwing their questions at him. I'll keep that in mind though, most of my questions are theories of my own, I'm just gonna keep peppering him with them until I get pulled away. XD

CURSE YOU PETER! I love this theory! Ahh well, back to the drawing board.

San Antonio right? Did anyone do a recording of that event?

I blame myself. I can be really convincing in arguments, haha. I would like clarification though, both from the exact specifications of the Q&A where we got this "confirmed" and from the specifics around the "No" from Peter/Brandon. ITS NOT DEAD UNTIL I SAY IT IS~

http://www.17thshard.com/forum/topic/53260-an-interesting-wob-on-sel-and-threnody/?p=412036 *Picks mic back up gently, brushes it off* I guess more info still remains to be seen

No to the "planetary system" (which still leaves solar system) or No completely and utterly? Better question, does it count as the "same system" if Sel no longer exists? haha

http://www.17thshard.com/forum/topic/53249-san-antonio-questions-round-2/ *drops mic* Yeeeeeeaaah! I knew there was weight to this theory!

Maybe I'M an Epic too! With Future-sight and prophetic dreams! Hmm, what would Brandon's Epic name be then? If he sucked creativity and writing speed out of other people? Ooh! "Bestseller"