QuantumHarmonix

I think that it is due to a lack of proper training. So without someone more knowledgeable to guide them, they either have to wait until their spren is able to teach them or they learn from trial and error.

Seems like this should be a new thread, but what about permission to post some of the unpublished cosmere works?

Um doesn't this count as released? Words of Radiance: “Lift” (Excerpt)

I know there is a theory that the Heralds have become twisted versions of their ideals. What if they have also created twisted versions of the Knights Radiants to be their lackeys?

I think they refer to Kaladin in the interlude, but seem unsure if he is a surgebinder or has a honorblade. If Shen was a spy, I'd expect them to know that Kaladin is a surgebinder. With their shared songs I doubt they would need to pass messages, but it is possible that Shen hasn't reported in yet.

If Shen is a spy, why has he apparently not reported that Kaladin is a surgebinder?

This is a very odd topic, and one that I'm not sure I would think about with out this thread. With that in mind I just figured that at some point they had to tell parshmen to mate. They say that parshmen will just sit and die without orders, so I figure they have to be ordered to do everything. I don't think that parshmen or listeners require mateform to mate, just that it makes them want to mate.

Is there any reason you don't have any Heralds on the list?

What if Gavilar discovered the way of summoning Shardplate that Dalinar witnessed in the Starfalls vision? That would let him change very quickly.

This kind of fits into an idea I have about the Heralds. I think Honor and Cultivation created 10 spren to bind with the Heralds and give them surgebinding powers. Then the 10 names of the Almighty would be the names of those 10 spren.

Here is another thought. Ghosts are apparently a thing in the Cosmere, so what if Szeth becomes a ghost? That would let him be killed but still give his flashbacks.

What about a Highprince of Health? I also wonder who would control the police, would that be Justice, War, or Information? It seems like you might need a separate Highprince so that the ones capturing criminals are not the same ones prosecuting them.

I seem to remember that they wear gloves.

That makes me wonder how much protection the plate gives against Dustbringers.

So, Szeth has been keeping a journal?

I think it is possible that Elhokar could have decided to learn to read, if he was told about his fathers last message. I seem to remember them wanting to keep that quiet, and I don't remember if Jasnah included that part in her book about the incident. Regardless it seems weird to me, at this point in the series, to have more than one of each order of the Knights. That's why I lean towards him having a different type of spren. What if Elhokar's spren is making him see the Cognitive Realm in mirrors? And the reason he sees all the Cryptics is just because of all the lies in the war-camps?

Unless Szeth tells Kal about who gave him the stone. Then I can see Dalinar wanting to track the stone down, which would set Kal down that path as well. Plus if the blade does belong to Jezrien, I like Kal getting a hold on it for a while.

I kind of see Szeth dying after the fight with Kal. But before he dies he tells Kal about the stone, and asks for his sword to be returned to his people. That would lead to a kind of detective story about Szeth's life, with flashbacks when they discover something new about him.

I'm sure the King of a nation would have plenty of secrets that they hide from the general public. My problem is that I'm not convinced that Elhokar is seeing the same spren as Shallan, or that he is seeing them for the same reason. His description is fairly similar to Shallan's but the way in which they see the spren are very different. I don't see Elhokar drawing so I can understand him not seeing them that way, but why does Shallan not see them in mirrors? Personally I see the Cryptic's being attracted to any place where there are a lot of lies and half truths being used to hide the truth, that's why I think there were so many in Kharbranth. It seems to me that the war camps of the Alethi highprinces would be another location that would attract Cryptics. So my question would be why does Elhokar see spren in mirrors? Is he like Rock with a strange ability to see spren, or is that the way Cryptics appear to the inartistic?

Syl is against modern shardblades and them being used to kill people. If modern shardblade's represent the Radiant's broken oaths, I could see why a "Spirit of oaths. Of promises." wouldn't like them. I doubt she would have a problem with a true shardblade since it wouldn't represent the Radiant's failure, and would be mostly for destroying Thunderclasts not killing people. Plus she is not entirely against killing, she says at one point he helped men kill but thought it was right at the time.

I understand it all depends on what the software will let you do, and there will be limitations. I was going to suggest adapting the verification email if the welcome email wouldn't work. But as you have already thought of that, I guess all that's left is to wait and see what's possible. Thanks for considering my suggestion. I appreciate the work you do, and feel a little guilty about my suggestion making more of it.

I second that emotion, and emoticon .

Is it possible to send a Welcome to the 17th Shard email after successfully activating an account? I just checked and the only emails I've received are the activation one and one for forgetting my password. A welcome email could direct new users to the guide for general questions, and encourage them to post in the Introduce Yourself forum.

Sounds good, you might consider putting a link in the Introduce Yourself forum as well. I was also wondering if there was any way to add something like a read me first tag to the Welcome to 17th Shard guide? Edit: This is the first time I've been ninja'd

Thinking about how this would apply to surgebinders. First it seems like there would have to be an event that opens their spiritweb and drives them to take actions that attract a spren. The attracted spren is then able to fill that crack in their soul, and grant surgebinding powers in the process. Then when they realize an ideal of their order the crack is widened, which would allow more power to fill the crack.