vikorr

In one of the new chapters, Dalinar thinks that 'an old friend' is on his way to the Shattered plains that may solve his problems. Considering Galivar's conspiring with Amaram, and that Amaram is indeed on his way to the shattered plains - it seems that Amaram the 'old friend'. That could cause a problem.

Hi All I started this as a reply to 'Parshendi Genocide' and then figured it needed a topic all of it's own. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I've always had the thought that Kaladin was going to be key to this whole book, and in particular, the Parshendi's role in the whole book, for the following reasons : - The Parshendi refer to him a 'Neshua Kadal' and seem to fear him (or perhaps fear & rever him, considering their reaction when he saved Dalinar, and they stayed put around him). I see no reason why they would fear him as a baselevelsurgebinder over a shardbearer...it appears to be prophecy - The Parshendi are honourable - Kaladin finds the Parshendi honourable, and respects them - Dalinar must select a Champion (this has been said to him twice now) (Speculation: "Neshua Kadal" means 'Champion', which may be more fearful than a shardbearer, if he's meant to take on Odium's champion) Now combine WoK with the new chapters from WoR and we see that : - Kaladin 'rescued' Shen, and did not treat him like a slave - Kaladin & Bridge 4 accept Shen as free, and not a slave...this is absolutely unprecedented - Shen has started acting differently...just slightly more free - Kaladin is inquisitive, and even compassionate with Shen about his people. So yeah, I think Kaladin (incl. Shen) is key to the fate of the Parshendi, and by extension, to the Human Race.

I realise...I was saying that she just likes the concept of 10, because higher than that is unlucky. I'm guessing that if she found 11 apples, she'd still say she only found 10.

I like Isomere's suggestion. And I doubt that she's 10...she just doesn't want to acknowledge any age older than 10, because she can't count it on her two hands, and that's unlucky.

According the the quotes, Brandon did not say 'Herald of the Almighty' but just 'Herald'...Taln is known by everyone as a Herald in name, and still serves a Heraldic Function & Heraldic curse (getting tortured every day), so I don't see how he could not be a Herald. It'd be a hard slog to convince anyone that Taln being tortured for numerous centuries is not a Herald as soon as he arrives, Heralding the Everstorm (and if he hasn't arrived, he's still getting tortured)

I think there are two easier reasons for the 'Centuries, perhaps Millenia' quote : 1. Brandon didn't quite think the quote through 2. It's impossible to keep track of time if you are constantly tortured...the difference between 10 years of torture and 100 years of torture may not be as graspable as you think - to the person enduring the torture.

Has anyone else had the idea that Amaram is the embodiment of the old 'morality' of Alethkar, while Kaladin is the embodiment of the New? (moreso than Dalinar, who did not come by it as instinctively as Kaladin & apparently doesn't have an Honourspren) The inevitable meeting between the two, I think is set up to be a clash of old & new moralities (not necesarily an overt one though).

One of the Chapter Headers has something like 'the burdens of 9 become mine. Oh almightly release me.' (that's close, not perfect) - said in a way that makes it almost certain it was Taln speaking. So he is aware that the others abandoned him. Why is it inaccurate? Everyone, even in these forums, still calls them Heralds. Taln still bears every hall mark of being a Herald. He still holds the oathpact in place, which was a function of the Heralds etc...and arguably returned when Heralds are supposed to return (if it is indeed Taln)

If the shard was splintered, I wonder who she would have to share eternity with?

+1 on Macen's thoughts

Uh, evil bad deed/s, and apparently lots of good deeds. The poll doesn't acknowledge the complexity of human nature.

Actually, as a root cause this is fine and perfect (I have to say that - it's pretty much what I said earlier)... ...it's the outcome that can become complex. Everyone knows that Honourspren are the living embodiment of integrity - so their word carries a LOT of weight. But as with any truth - truth is dependant on what you perceive, rather than fact...and Cryptics no doubt highlight Honoursprens 'naivete' and 'lack of understanding'...while honourspren highlight Cryptics deceptiveness and label them 'lie spren'. So if you have a complex matter under debate, and : - Honourspren tell you A - which you know they absolutley believe when they tell you A, and; - Cryptics tell you B- which you believe they have the better powers to perceive and understand - but you don't know if you can trust them re B ...which sprens do you believe when the fate of the world is riding on it? And that's only one of the ways it can play out. And over time you'd find other spren taking sides...and that creates a whole set of politics in itself.

Hi Argent - that is a really juicy remark. Wouldn't it be absolutely cool if Odium sent some imposter? ...it bothered me just a little that 'Taln' appeared. Heralds are meant to appear just before a desolation. And 'Taln' says it has come - but seriously - the Everstorm is like The Last Battle - it can't happen until the end of the book. So what's the go?

I think that the disagreement would only be part of the 'complex conflict', if at all...and by 'at all', I mean that it would be more symptomatic of the wider conflict, than a root cause (they are two very different spren in philosophy/outlook) Also, It appears that Shallan saw them in their own realm, and they were confused about it, saying 'What are you?" (then she replies 'I'm terrified')...why would they need to ask that question if they had chosen her and knew about her? The question 'what are you?' makes more sense if she shouldn't be able to see them in the cognitive realm while she is in the physical. But then again, it appears Elohkar can do the same... ...but, it's obvious that she can see, and hear, into the cognitive realm, with them being their normal cognitive shape, and speaking to her from there.

What I meant by the reference to Cryptics, is that they appear to thrive on hidden truths. And they don't view the world the way Honorspren do...Shallans murder of her father is no problem to them...but her telling them that she's a murderer is a big deal to them, because the general public doesn't know it. That Shallan is a thief is no problem etc...so they appear attracted to hidden motivations that the general public sees her as something else. Wouldn't the recreance actually be attractive to Cryptics, because the Knights Radiant : - had hidden motivations for it, and - the general public sees them as something else? Perhaps then, under your theory, they are only attracted to people who have secrets (no matter how dark) and are still liked... it's possible. That's only a few hundred people...after all the fallout, thousands, then hundreds, then perhaps millions, viewed it differently. What do you think those who won shardsets did...after they were forced to kill their comrades to keep them?...did they wonder off, now fearful that others would try to take their shards (ie kill them) while they slept? (especially after hearing what happened as feverstone)...what is a murderers only safe way to keep himself alive, and his shardset?

I think I mentioned in another thread - different spren likely react differently to events in the world. A Cryptic would appear to be the most pragmatic of spren (as well as the most complex, and perhaps the most dangerous)

You know...ever since that hint about Honorspren & Cryptics having a conflict, I've been most interested in what happens when Kaladin & Shallan meet (or more precisely, when their spren meet)

Hi Bartbug, Nice theory...and I think a lot of it is correct (not sure about the Recreance). But what about Shallan and Cryptics? Edit : it still may hold true for honorspren...which were the major sprentype at Feverstone Keep.

Ah, found the quotes, thank you google ! Chapter 9 And further into the chapter : Kaladin was in the army for at least a year to this point... without a bond - Syl loses her memories...but she remembers multiple times this happening...so it appears that Syl has already bonded to him...it's just not obvious yet. There is also this quote from Chapter 47, when Kaladin is defending Cenn, in Amaram's army : Kaladin notes there are times when he feels extra energetic and extra powerful. And from the way it's written, he was also holding his breath...even after the fight finished. All three things are associated with holding stormlight : extra power, energy, and not needing to breath. And holding stormlight is associated with the bond. In the same chapter, a 'windspren' temporarily binds a moneypouch to Kaladin, and then is seen to zip away. The last part of this chapter - is when Kaladin kills the shardbearer. So while not definitive - Syl was almost definitely bonded to Kaladin already - prior to him killing the Shardbearer. ...and Kaladin is also 'not surprised' that he managed to do so.

It's always possible that different spren are attracted to different things. In the case of Syl - it wasn't the giving up of the shardset that attracted her. Somewhere in the book she said to Kaladin that it was the gratitude of the other men towards him that attracted her to him....this is a rather important distinction that many miss - because it wasn't Kaladins reactions (per se), but rather, numerous other peoples emotional response to Kaladins actions that attracted Syl to Kaladin.

Ninja Numero Uno !

Hi Moogle, This is a topic that interested me also, seeing as other fabrials seem to have a very defined use...but soulcasters seem much more flexible. I will note that in all the examples you provided - the object was changed into a fairly simple simple object - even if it was complex in the first place. And I always figured that the Barracks were soulcast from casts/moulds (either made up of mud or crem), hence the simplistic forms. Also, when Jashnah soulcast Shallans blood, she asked for a garnet. There are 10 essences, and they are related to a gemstone each. I would make sense that each stone has a limitation. As for Jasnah cracking the gemstone when she killed those thugs - that may well have to do with limitations of soulcasting. After all, Kaladin would have killed them with barely breaking a sweat or needing stormlight, but what Jasnah did apparently put great exertion on the gems.

Yep, WoR will hopefully offer a lot more information. It will be interesting to see the outcomes.

Uh, Dalinar does not show one iota of being dumb- he acts as a general, and conquered a land. Generals tend to be among the most intelligent and observant of people. He is now extremely honourable, and naive - but that isn't the same as dumb (no doubt cryptics would disagree). He's also assuredly seen more fabrials than we have. And he wouldn't tell Navani (who invents fabrials and means a hell of a lot to him) that he was certain they didn't have fabrials, unless he was certain. He was resting and focused - he described the gems perfectly...he's not going to forget (he's a soldier and general, and thinks about the implications of battlefield events) Knights Radiant could have called any form of stormlight healing 'regrowth', and we don't know the last surge...so no it didn't have to be a fabrial.

Where in any of the visions, is a soulcasting fabrial used?