Tarion

I think there's a good example of the potential harm shown in the books. Chapter 35, the Alethi Soulcasters Now, they're not directly drawing in Stormlight, but they're still using it far, far more than anyone else in the series so far. I'm tempted to say that using Stormlight from gemstones carries something of the essence of the gem itself into you. Not normally a problem for Radiants (See how much juice Kaladin is able to get from even small numbers of low denomination spheres) but if Szeth were Surgebinding more, maybe he'd have taken on a gem-like appearance too.

Ruin may well have known. But that's not the same as being able to make use of it. If the Lord Ruler really wanted to keep it out of Ruin's hands, he'd have just hidden all knowledge of Chromium. No mines and no refining process means that even if Ruin was able to find a source of Chromium (Hard, given the difficulty Ruin has with metals), it would be a very intensive process to actually develop a supply of it. Given the relatively tight time constraints Ruin was under, I doubt it had time to set up a whole new mine and refinery, of a metal it couldn't even locate.

You know what's most interesting about this? We'll actually find out the name of his mother. In fact, it'll be an interesting counterpoint to Dalinar's book entirely.

I don't imagine siege engines would work out on Roshar. Sieges seem like a very bad idea, since everyone lives in a natural stronghold anyway, and your army is going to be exposed to the highstorms. Furthermore, it's basically impossible to cut off people's supplies - Soulcasting provides food and materials, and the highstorms provide water. Not to mention, what's going through a wall quicker - Your slow, vulnerable catapults, or the guy that can ride up to the wall quickly and slice straight through it? It changes the dynamics of the fight entirely. I also imagine that the components of most siege weapons (and ranged weapons in general) are going to be hard to maintain with the constant highstorms. It's going to take a lot of extra effort to keep them dry and usable. There's also the Thrill to consider. It seems to encourage the direct conflict of hand-to-hand combat, rather than the use of ranged weapons. Bows seem to be considered hunting weapons, and weapons of necessity rather than the true weapons of war. The only real role of the archers in the chasm battles is (IIRC) to soften enemy lines before the impact of cavalry/Shardbearers. Finally, consider that this may come down to the gender differences in Alethi society. War is a masculine pursuit, while technology is a feminine pursuit. That leaves very little crossover in the field of military technology. There's obviously some (See: Grandbows, Half-Shards) but they seem to be more about trying to design complements for (and eventually, improvements on) Shardplate rather than making genuine contributions to warfare. It may well be that Shardplate, as a core component of the duels that lighteyed women would watch, wouldn't be too deeply associated with warfare. It's part of lighteyed society, rather than something only tied to warfare. After all, remember Dalinar's reaction Malasha to wanting to come to see a battle and compare it to the audience of the duels, which seemed to include a mixed crowd.

Thanks, I'd completely forgotten that. I'm still not entirely willing to put it down entirely to Kaladin's mental health, but that's because it's coming to me that it could well be an Honor/Cultivation thing. Kaladin, who is more "of Honor" suffers during the Weeping, while Shallan is more of Cultivation and finds herself more creative. Most people are more balanced, and don't swing either way. But I'm basing that almost entirely on Shallan's line about feeling more imaginative. Still, SAD looks very reasonable in that context.

I was surprised with how much sympathy for her father I came away with. Sure, he ended up pretty monstrous. But I can see how he got there. He took the blame for killing his wife and her "lover", not as self-defence (as Shallan actually did it) but as murder. And it ruined his reputation. It destroyed his family's finances. It destroyed his relationship with his family. All to protect his little girl. I'm not surprised that making that sacrifice destroyed him.

Sorry, I didn't mean to imply that SSRIs are used to fix depression (God knows I wish they did), but rather that the medical attitudes towards mental health in modern medicine treat mental health issues in such a way that Stormlight could be a potential fix. Sure, we can't cure depression in the real world, but we also can't regrow limbs. As for Kaladin during the Weeping, I'm not sure we see enough other people during the Weeping to be sure. Don't get me wrong, I'm definitely leaning towards SAD (even if it's just SAD as a form of magical withdrawal) but I'm hesitant to put the problems of Sanderson's characters to mundane causes. I mean, I bought (Mistborn) . Trying not to make that mistake again.

If Vasher does have near-infinite Breath, then he's got a lot of potential on Roshar. Remember what the lighteyes do with their dead? That's a lot of potential army. On Nalthis, it wouldn't be economically viable, but if he's "refilling" with every Storm, then Breath won't really be a limit.

Honestly, I think that a lot of this is going to come down to the Cognitive Realm. If Roshar reached modern Earth level of technology, I wouldn't be surprised to see Stormlight being able to fix Kaladin's depression and SAD (Although, I'm still unsure as to whether he's suffering from SAD, or whether it has a magical component. The lack of Stormlight around the Weeping could well be something that effected everyone capable of the Nahel bond). On Roshar, that's "just how he is". On Earth, they'd be prescribing him SSRIs and he'd view it as a problem to be fixed, external to his self. Stormlight "might" fix the latter. So Renarin's epilepsy could well be fixed. Or rather, the underlying cause could be. But his autism isn't going anywhere.

Didn't he already use it in Elantris? And anyway, I think that it's more than just the "Autistic savantism" idea in Renarin's case. The setting already has drawn distinctions between using magic to see the future (Voidbinding) and using mathematics and intellect in order to predict the future (One is a certainty, the other is just a likely occurrence). It's why the Stormwardens are accepted, after all. It's a theme that continues with Taravangian. Even at his smartest, where he's able to make such accurate predictions so far into the future, he's limited. The future gets harder to predict as it goes out. Which is why he's making use of the murders, because that gives a certain knowledge of the future, through an Unmade. I think it's far, far more likely that the Truthwatchers do this sort of thing than they do the one thing we've been told absolutely certainly is of Odium. If nothing else, with all of his apparently Cosmere aware intellect and knowledge of the Nahel bond, Taravangian+ would have set out to find a Truthwatcher, rather than relying on the enemy for information. The only reason I can think he wouldn't be doing that is because they wouldn't add new information - They'd be doing the same thing as him. I'm also interested to see what's going on with his epilepsy. Kaladin noticed something unusual about it, but didn't have time to follow up on it. His medical skills are pretty solid, so if he's noticed something it probably means there's something to notice. Whether that means there's some underlying cause (that Stormlight is going to fix? Or is the Stormlight exacerbating it?), or whether it means that he's been misdiagnosed with epilepsy because he's actually suffering from an acute case of magic, I'll be very interested to see.

I might be misremembering, but I thought Vasher was just fine with a blade, just not as good as Arsteel or Denth, who were considered some of the best swordsmen in the world.

Rather than her being an Unmade, what if she's Bonded with one, or with a corrupted spren? If there was something of Odium in the spren she bonded with to go into Nimbleform, then she'd have been under the same influence as the Stormform Parshendi, ever since they first discovered Nimbleform, 3 years before Words of Radiance.

I think the Skybreaker's ability can be read two ways. I feel that we're meant to assume that the Skybreaker's unique ability refers to debate. But, it could well be that their ability refers to the ability to split the innocent from the guilty. Nothing says that the second epigraph follows directly from the first, only that it's on the same page. If there's another paragraph between the two, it would be easy for it to move onto a discussion of the Skybreaker's ability to spot guilt. Just look at what Nalan is able to do in Ym's chapter. Somehow, he's able to find out about a crime he committed as a child. Forty years ago. He's also able to follow Lift across a decent chunk of the continent. That seems like some sort of supernatural ability. Supernatural policing.

Nightblood is a Shardblade. What is a Shardblade but a Blade imbued with some of the power of a Shard? The fact that it's Endowment given through Breath, rather than Honor/Cultivation through a Spren that's powering Nightblood doesn't change things too much. Yes, in common parlance, a Shardblade refers to the specific weapons from Roshar, but "technically true" seems to fit Nalan as he is by the time of Words of Radiance. He's all about the letter of the law, after all, and skirting the truth seems fitting.

I suspect that Lashing in that way works Cognitively - Affecting the whole person. Otherwise, if nothing else, Kaladin could be enhancing his strikes by lashing his hands in a direction temporarily, to boost their power. If Szeth didn't think to do that, I'm guessing it can't be done - He had a very good grasp of his powers, as inefficient as they might be relative to the Radiants.

Their nature is interesting. We know that spren can use a bond with humans in order to develop sentience while in the Physical realm. What if each of them is just a Spren (One of each Order's spren, if they match up the Heralds) with a Nahel bond to Rayse? Their expanded power and corrupted nature comes from siphoning off some of Odium's power. The Stormfather, who describes himself as a Sliver of Honor, would simply be their opposite - A Spren who had bonded to Honor, and gained a significant portion of his power.

Voice, singular. Nightblood, who he carried for a good amount of time.

Just watch out. As I said, I'm not sure the Diagram will be perfect. It should be fine for general use, but I'd be very careful trying to use my transcription for codebreaking. A typo or two could really throw you out.

I think everything Renarin does makes sense if you believe that he doesn't trust his spren. He's come to the same conclusion as Lift - That he's bonded to a Voidbringer. Only he doesn't accept it as readily as she does. My conclusion (Listed in the Surgebinding/Knights Radiant thread) is that Truthwatchers have some way of predicting the future. Not by magic, like Voidbinding, but through pattern spotting and logical inference, the same way as Taravangian's Diagram. Imagine if you started being able to do that, in Alethi society? You'd keep it quiet too. There are some clues all the way in book one. Notice that he's the one most familiar with the Old Magic. He's the one that pushes for them to prove Dalinar's visions, and comes up with sound ways to do it. He isn't distressed at the thought of Dalinar seeing the past, but is less comfortable with the idea of seeing the future. Sure, it's not conclusive, but it makes sense. It's the research I'd be doing if I thought something was magically wrong with me. But then you get to Words of Radiance. He doesn't mention his issue with Shards, because Shards were designed to kill Voidbringers. What does it mean that he can't handle them? The logical conclusion, from what he knows, is that he's somehow tainted. He doesn't mention his predictions of the future, because he seems them as a curse. Seeing the future is "the essence of Voidbinding", after all. “I can see the future itself. Why? Why, Almighty? Why have you cursed me so?” He doesn't mention his healing, because it ties back to his spren. I'm guessing he joins Bridge 4 because his spren spotted Syl (Much as Syl spotted Pattern), and he wanted to find out more. I'm guessing his spren pushed him to it as proof that he's not evil. At the end of the book, with the revelation about the new Knights Radiant, he finally starts believing his spren, doesn't think he's evil anymore, and reveals himself.

Dalinar's oath could be Builder or Guiding. I really don't see a way to pick one of the two. However, my sticking point is that we've got 3 Orders who have access to Shadesmar and the Spren as a society. The Lightweavers, Elsecallers and Willshapers. Knowing that Elsecallers have a stronger connection makes it hard for me to see it as anything but the three orders who have some combination of Transportation and Transformation, with the Elsecaller's stronger connection coming from having both. Totellini - I like it. I think it's too early to call for sure, but I definitely like your reasoning.

On my way back through, skimming to transcribe the epigraphs, I could basically pick out "the good bits" based on whether I remembered the epigraphs. If I didn't, it meant that something too exciting was going on for me to take the time to read them properly.

So, post Words of Radiance, we have a much better grasp of Surgebinding. It turns out that a lot of what know up until now can be improved upon. Firstly, better names for the surges. Some of them felt a little bit off, and in some cases we’ve been using the names of one of the effects of the surge for the surge itself (See: Growth, for example. It’s actually the surge of Progression). They now feel far more like a list of universal forces. What we know now is that the ten surges are as follows: Adhesion: The Surge of Pressure and Vacuum Gravitation: The Surge of Gravity Division: The Surge of Destruction and Decay Abrasion: The Surge of Friction Progression: The Surge of Growth and Healing (Regrowth) Illumination: The Surge of Light, Sound, and Various Waveforms Transformation: The Surge of Soulcasting Transportation: The Surge of Motion and Realmatic Transition Cohesion: The Surge of Strong Axial Interconnection Tension: The Surge of Soft Axial Interconnection Stormlight is looking to be the most complete healing so far in the Cosmere. Capable of fixing long-term problems, such as lost limbs and poor eyesight. Also can heal Shardblade damage. Honorblades – As we suspected before the release, thanks to the previews, Honorblades grant a more inefficient form of the Surges associated with their Herald. The bearer drains Stormlight at a far faster rate, which Syl describes as dangerous. While we’re (at this point) unsure of the dangers, I think that looking at the Soulcasters (The people doing it, not the fabrials) in the Alethi warcamp is interesting. “Prolonged use of the Soulcaster had transformed the eyes so that they sparkled like gemstones themselves. The woman’s skin had hardened to something like stone, smooth, with fine cracks. It was as if the person were a living statue” (Pg 410). They’re the only characters (other than the proto-Radiants and Szeth) who are regularly using Stormlight. I’d hazard a guess that they’re using far more of it than even Szeth, considering that he only uses his for havoc, while they’re busy feeding entire armies and creating buildings. Orders of the Knights Radiant Windrunners Adhesion Gravitation Skybreakers Gravitation Division Releasers (“Dustbringers”) Division Abrasion Edgedancers Abrasion Progression 5th Order Progression Illumination Lightweavers Illumination Transformation Elsecallers Transformation Transportation 8th Order Transportation Cohesion Stonewards Cohesion Tension 10th Order Tension Adhesion We also know the remaining three orders are the Willshapers, the Bondsmiths and the Truthwatchers (Almost entirely from the excerpts from Words of Radiance in the epigraphs). Willshapers – Most likely to be 8th Order, as they have access to Shadesmar and they’re listed as having an affinity for the spren along with the Lightweavers and Elsecallers (epigraph to Chapter 53). That most likely comes from the Surge of Transportation, since both Transportation and Transportation are heavily tied to Shadesmar (With Elsecallers, the Order with both, having the strongest tie). Bondsmiths and Truthwatchers aren’t elaborated upon much in the book. However, I think it’s a reasonable to put the Truthwatchers as the 5th order (with access to Progression and Illumination) and the Bondsmiths as the 10th order (with access to Tension and Adhesion). I’ll be honest though, I’m doing that almost entirely by the natures of the Radiants of those Orders, and the nature of their Spren (The Stormfather is very close to Syl, without being quite the same, after all). Ym in particular sounds like a Truthwatcher though. I’m left with very little clue what’s gone on with Renarin though. He’s shown some abilities that make me wonder whether he’s actually bonded to a Voidbringer. Alternatively, he’s doing the same thing as Pattern, the Stormwardens and Taravangian (at his smartest) – Using intellect, pattern-spotting and mathematics to make accurate predictions logically, rather than using magic to actually see it. I’m not sure how that applies to Progression and Illumination (although, as I said, it is the close to what Pattern, a Cryptic does). Of course, if this is what is going on, then it’d explain why the Truthwatchers are said to have not spoken about what they do. If I were engaged in something that was remarkably similar to Voidbinding, I’d definitely keep it quiet, no matter how benign it might be in reality. Finally, we’re told that one of the ten didn’t engage in the Recreance, but instead “said they would not abandon their arms and flee, but instead entertained great subterfuge at the expense of the other nine”. I suspect that whichever order did this, went on to found the Stone Shamans. It’d explain their knowledge, their trove of Honorblades and their ability to reclaim Szeth’s Honorblade if he died - Being the only people with Surgebinding and living Shards would give you one hell of an advantage in the aftermath of the Recreance.

I put these together while waiting for the release. I did it by hand, so I apologise for any errors contained. Be particularly careful with the Diagram. I'm sure I've made a few mistakes there. Once I've got my digital copy, I'll go through and sort it out. I also failed to note down the specific songs that the Listener stanzas came from. I didn't realise it was from different songs until it was too late. Again, I'll fix it up sooner or later. To be perfectly frank, what has happened these last two months is upon my head. The death, destruction, loss, and pain are my burden. I should have seen it coming. And I should have stopped it. Our first clue was the Parshendi. Even weeks before they abandoned their pursuit of the gemhearts, their pattern of fighting changed. They lingered on the plateaus after battles, as if waiting for something. Soldiers reported being watched from afar by an unnerving number of Parshendi scouts. Then we noticed a new pattern of their penetrating close to the camps in the night and then quickly retreating. I can only surmise that our enemies were even then preparing their stratagem to end this war. The next clue came on the walls. I did not ignore this sign, but neither did I grasp its full implications. The sign on the wall proposed a greater danger, even, than its deadline. To foresee the future is of the Voidbringers. We had never considered that there might be Parshendi spies hiding among our slaves. This is something else I should have seen. I was unprepared for the grief my loss brought – like an expected rain – breaking from a clear sky and crashing down upon me. Gavilar’s death years ago was overwhelming, but this… this nearly crushed me. I seek not to use my grief as an excuse, but it is an explanation. People act strangely soon after encountering an unexpected loss. Though Jasnah had been away for some time her loss was certainly unexpected. I, like many, assumed her to be immortal. I wish to think that had I not been under sorrow’s thumb, I would have seen earlier the approaching dangers. Yet, in all honesty, I’m not certain anything could have been done. But understandably, we were focused on Sadeas. His betrayal was still fresh, and I saw its signs each day as I passed empty barracks and grieving widows. We knew that Sadeas would not simply rest upon his slaughters in pride. More was coming. Unfortunately, we fixated upon Sadeas’s plotting so much that we did not take note of the changed patterns of our enemies, the murderers of my husband, the true danger. I would like to know what wind brought about their sudden, inexplicable transformation. -From the personal journal of Navani Kholin, Jeseses 1174 Warform is worn for battle and reign, Claimed by the Gods, given to kill. Unknown, unseen, but vital to gain. It comes to those with a will. Mateform meek, for love to shard, Given to life, it brings us joy. To find this form, one must care. True empathy one must employ. Workform worn for strength and care. Whispering spren breathe at your ear. Seek first this form, its mysteries to bear. Found here is freedom from fear. Nimbleform has a delicate touch. Gave the gods this form to many, Tho’ once defied, by the gods they were crushed. This form craves precision and plenty. Dullform dread, with the mind most lost. The lowest, and one not bright. To find this form, one need banish the cost. It finds you and brings you to blight. Scholarform shown for patience and thought. Beware its ambitions innate. Though study and diligence bring the reward, Loss of innocence may be one’s fate. Artform applied for beauty and hue. One yearns for the songs it creates. Most misunderstood by the artist it’s true, Come the spren to foundation’s fates. Mediationform made for peace, it’s said. Form of teaching and consolation. When used by the gods, it became instead Form of lies and desolation. Stormform is said to cause A tempest of winds and showers, Beware its powers, beware its powers. Though its coming brings the gods their night, It obliges a bloodred spren. Beware its end, beware its end. Nightform predicting what will be, The form of shadows, mind to foresee. As the gods did leave, the nightform whispered. A new storm will come, someday to break. A new storm a new world to make. A new storm a new path to take, the nightform listens. Decayform destroys the souls of dreams. A form of gods to avoid, it seems. Seek not its touch, nor beckon its screams, deny it. Watch where you walk, your toes to tread, O’er hill or rocky riverbed Hold dear the fears that fill your head, defy it Smokeform for hiding and slipping between men. A form of power, like human Surges. Bring it ‘round again. Though crafted of gods, It was by Unmade hand. Leaves its forces to be but one of foe or friend. They blame our people For the loss of that land. The city once covered it Did range the eastern strand. The power made known in the tomes of our clan Our gods were not who shattered these plains. The betrayal of spren has brought us here. They have their Surges to human heirs, But not to those who know them most dear, before us. ‘Tis no surprise we turned away Unto the gods we spent our days And to become their molding clay, they changed us. Artform for colors beyond our ken; For its grand songs we year. We must attract creationspren; These songs suffice, ‘til we learn. ‘Tis said it was warm in the land far away When Voidbringers entered our songs. We brought them home to stay And then those homes became their own, It happened gradually. And years ahead ‘twil still be said ‘tis how it has to be. Smokeform for hiding and slipping ‘tween men. A form of power – like Surges of spren. Do we dare to wear this form again? It spies. Crafted by gods, this form we fear. By unmade touch its curse to bear, Formed from shadow – and death is near. It lies. The spren betrayed us, it’s often felt. Our minds are too close to their realm. That gives us our forms, but more is then Demanded by the smartest spren, We can’t provide what the humans lend, Though broth are we, their meat is men. But it is not impossible to blend Their Surges to ours in the end. It has been promised and it can come. Or do we understand the sum? We question not if they can have us then, But if we dare to have them again. Our gods were born splinters of a soul, Of one who seeks to take control, Destroys all lands that he beholds, with spite. They are his spren, his gift, his price. But the nightforms speak of future life, A challenged champion. A strife even he must requite. They also, when they had settled their ruling in the nature of each bond’s placement, called the name of it the Nahel bond, with regard to its effect upon the souls of those caught in its grip; in this description, each was related to the bonds that drive Roshar itself, ten Surges, named in turn and two for each order; in this light, it can be seen that each order would by necessity share one Surge with each of its neighbours. - From Words of Radiance, chapter 8, page 6 And when they were spoken of by the common folk, the Releasers claimed to be misjudged because of the dreadful nature of their power; and when they dealt with others, always were they firm in their claim that other epithets, notably “Dustbringers,” often heard in the common speech, were unacceptable substitutions, in particular for their similarity to the word “Voidbringers”. They also did exercise anger in great prejudice regarding it, although to many who speak, there was little difference between these two assemblies - From Words of Radiance, chapter 17, page 11 Now, as each order was thus matched to the nature and temperament of the Herald it named patron, there was none more archetypal of this than the Stonewards, who followed after Talenelat’elin, Stonesinew, Herald of War: they thought it a point of virtue to exemplify resolve, strength and dependability. Alas, they took less care for imprudent practice of their stubbornness, even in the face of proven error. - From Words of Radiance, chapter 13, page 1 Now, as the Windrunners were thus engaged, arose the event which has hitherto been referenced; namely, that discovery of some wicked thing of eminence, though whether it be some rogueries among the Radiants’ adherents or of some external origin, Avena would not suggest - From Words of Radiance, chapter 38, page 6 That they responded immediately and with great consternation is undeniable, as these were primary among those who would forswear and abandon their oaths. The term Recreance was not then applied, but has since become a popular title by which this event is named. - From Words of Radiance, chapter 38, page 6 This act of great villainy went beyond the impudence which had hitherto been ascribed to the orders; as the fighting was particularly intense at this time, many attributed this act to a sense of inherent betrayal; and after they withdrew, about two thousand made assault upon them, destroying much of the membership; but this was only nine of the ten, as one said they would not abandon their arms and flee, but instead entertained great subterfuge at the expense of the other nine - From Words of Radiance, chapter 38, page 20 But as for Ishi’Elin, his was the part most important at their inception; he readily understood the implications of Surges being granted to men, and caused organization to be thrust upon them; as having too great power, he let it be known that he would destroy each and every one, unless they agreed to be bound by precepts and laws. - From Words of Radiance, chapter 2, page 4 And thus were the disturbances in the Revv toparchy quieted, when, upon their ceasing to prosecute their civil dissensions, Nalan’Elin betook himself to finally accept the Skybreakers who had named him their master, when initially he had spurned their advances and, in his own interests, refused to countenance that which he deemed a pursuit of vanity and annoyance; this was the last of the Heralds to admit to such a patronage - From Words of Radiance, chapter 5, page 17 But as for the Bondsmiths, they had members only three, which number was not uncommon for them; nor did they seek to increase this by great bounds, for during the times of Madasa, only one of their order was in continual accompaniment to Urithiru and its thrones. Their spren was understood to be specific, and to persuade them to grow to the magnitude of the other orders was seen as seditious. - From Words of Radiance, chapter 16, page 14 When Simol was informed of the arrival of the Edgedancer, a concealed consternation and terror, as is common in such cases, fell upon him; although they were not the most demanding of orders, their graceful, limber movements hid a deadliness that was, by this time, quite renowned; also, they were the most articulate and refined of the Radiants. - From Words of Radiance, chapter 20, page 12 Yet, were the orders not disheartened by so great a defeat, for the Lightweavers provided spiritual sustenance; they were enticed by those glorious creations to venture on a second assault. - From Words of Radiance, chapter 21, page 10 These Lightweavers, by no coincidence, included many who pursued the arts; namely: writers, artists, musicians, painters, sculptors. Considering the order’s general temperament, the tales of their strange and varied mnemonic abilities may have been embellished. - From Words of Radiance, chapter 21, page 10 And now, if there was an uncut gem among the Radiants, it was the Willshapers; for though enterprising, they were erratic, and Invia wrote of them, “capricious, frustrating, unreliable,” as taking it for granted that others would agree; this may have been an intolerant view, as often Invia expressed, for this order was said to be the most varied, inconsistent in temperament save for a general love of adventure, novelty or oddity. - From Words of Radiance, chapter 7, page 1 In short, if any presume Kazilah to be innocent, you must look at the facts and deny them in their entirety; to say that the Radiants were destitute of integrity for this execution of one of their own, one who had obviously fraternized with the unwholesome elements, indicates the most slothful of reasoning; for the enemy’s baleful influence demanded vigilance on all occasions, of war and of peace - From Words of Radiance, chapter 32, page 17 Now, as the Truthwatchers were esoteric in nature, their order being formed entirely of those who never spoke or wrote of what they did, in this lies frustration for those who would see their exceeding secrecy from the outside; they were not naturally included to explanation; and in the case of Corberon’s disagreements, their silence was not a sign of an exceeding abundance of disdain, but rather an exceeding abundance of tact. - From Words of Radiance, chapter 11, page 6 As to the other orders that were inferior in this visiting of the realm of the spren, the Elsecallers were prodigiously benevolent, allowing others as auxiliary to their visits and interactions; though they did never relinquish their place as prime liaisons with the great ones of the spren; and the Lightweavers and Willshapers both also had an affinity to the same, though neither were the true masters of that realm - From Words of Radiance, chapter 6, page 2 There came also sixteen of the order of the Windrunners, and with them a considerable number of squires, and finding in that place the Skybreakers dividing the innocent from the guilty, there ensued a great debate. - From Words of Radiance, chapter 28, page 3 The considerable abilities of the Skybreakers for making such amounted to an almost divine skill, for which no specific Surge or spren grants capacity, but however the order came to such an aptitude, the fact of it was real and acknowledged even by their rivals. - From Words of Radiance, chapter 28, page 3 Twenty-three cohorts followed behind, that came from the contributions of the King of Makabakam, for though the bond between man and spren was at times inexplicable, the ability for bonded spren to manifest in our world rather than their own grew stronger through the course of the oaths given. - From Words of Radiance, chapter 35, page 9 Malchin was stymied, for though he was inferior to none in the arts of war, he was not suitable for the Lightweavers; he wished for his oaths to be elementary and straightforward, and yet their spren were liberal, as to our comprehension, in definitions pertaining to this matter; the process included speaking truths as an approach to a threshold of self-awareness that Malchin could never attain. - From Words of Radiance, chapter 12, page 12 So Melishi retired to his tent, and resolved to destroy the Voidbringers upon the next day, but that night did present a different stratagem, related to the unique abilities of the Bondsmiths; and being hurried, he could make no specific account of his process; it was related to the very nature of the Heralds and their divine duties, an attribute the Bondsmiths alone could address. - From Words of Radiance, chapter 30, page 18 Have you given up on the gemstone, now that it is dead? And do you no longer hide behind the name of your old master? I am told that in your current incarnation you’ve taken a name that references what you presume to be one of your virtues. This is, I suspect, a little like a skunk naming itself for its stench. Now, look what you’ve made me say. You’ve always been able to bring out the most extreme in me, old friend. And I do still name you a friend, for all that you weary me. Yes, I’m disappointed. Perpetually, as you put it. Is not the destruction we have wrought enough? The worlds you now tread bear the touch and design of Adonalsium. Our interference so far has brought nothing but pain. My path has been chosen very deliberately. Yes, I agree with everything you have said about Rayse, including the severe danger he presents. However, it seems to me that all things have been set up for a purpose, and if we – as infants – stumble through the workshop, we risk exacerbating, not preventing, a problem. Rayse is captive. He cannot leave the system he now inhabits. His destructive potential is, therefore, inhibited. Whether this was Tanavast’s design or not, millennia have passed with Rayse taking the life of another of the sixteen. While I mourn for the great suffering Rayse has caused, I do not believe we could hope for a better outcome than this. He bears the weight of God’s own divine hatred, separated from the virtue that gave it context. He is what we made him to be, old friend. And that is what he, unfortunately, wished to become. I suspect that he is more a force than an individual now, despite your insistence to the contrary. That force is contained, and an equilibrium reached. You, however, have never been a force for equilibrium. You tow chaos behind you like a corpse dragged by one leg through the snow. Please, hearken to my plea. Leave that place and join me in my oath of nonintervention. The cosmere itself may depend upon our restraint. They will come you cannot stop their oaths look for those who survive when they should not that pattern will be your clue - From the Diagram, Coda of the Northwest Bottom Corner: paragraph 3 One danger in deploying such a potent weapon will be the potential encouragement of those exploring the Nahel bond. Care must be taken to avoid placing these subjects in situtions of powerful stress unless you accept consequences of their potential Investiture. - From the Diagram, Floorboard 27: paragraph 6 AhbuttheywereleftbehindItisobviousfromthenatureofthebondButwherewherewhereSetoffObviousRealizationlikeapricityTheyarewiththeShinWemustfindoneCanwemaketouseaTruthlessCanwecraftaweapon - From the Diagram, Floorboard 17: paragraph 2, every second letter starting with the first Q: For what essential must we strive? A: The essential of preservation, to shelter a seeds of humanity through the coming storm Q: What cost must we bear? A: The cost is irrelevant. Mankind must survive. Our burden is that of the species, and all other considerations are but dust by comparison. - From the Diagram, Catechism of the Back of the Flowered Painting: paragraph 1 You must become king. Of Everything. - From the Diagram, Tenets of Instruction, Back of the Footboard: paragraph 1 The Unmade are a deviation, a flair, a conundrum that may not be worth your time. You cannot help but think of them. They are fascinating. Many are mindless. Like the spren of human emotions, only much more nasty. I do believe a few can think, however. - From the Diagram, Book of the 2nd Desk Drawer: paragraph 14 There is one you will watch. Though all of them have some relevance to precognition, Moelach is one of the most powerful in this regard. His touch seeps into a soul as it breaks apart from the body, creating manifestations powered by the spark of death itself. But no, this is a distraction. Deviation. Kingship. We must discuss the nature of kingship. - From the Diagram, Book of the 2nd Desk Drawer: paragraph 15 Obviously they are fools The Desolation needs no usher It can and will sit where it wishes and the signs are obvious that the spren anticipate it doing so soon The Ancient of Stones must finally begin to crack It is a wonder that upon his will rested the prosperity and peace of a world for over four millennia - From the Diagram, Book of the 2nd Ceiling Rotation: pattern 1 111825101112712491512101011141021511711210111217134483111071514254134109161491493412122541001012512710151910111234125511525251215755111234101112915121061534 - From the Diagram, Book of the 2nd Ceiling Rotation: pattern 15 But who is the wanderer, the wild piece, the one who makes no sense? I glimpse at his implications, and the world opens to me. I shy back. Impossible. Is it? - From the Diagram, West Wall Psalm of Wonders: paragraph 8 (Notew by Adrotagia: Could this refer to Mraize?) One is most certainly a traitor to the others - From the Diagram, Book of the 2nd Desk Drawer: paragraph 27 Chaos in Alethkar is, of course, inevitable. Watch carefully, and do not let power in the kingdom solidify. The Blackthorn could become an ally or our greatest foe, depending on whether he takes the path of the warlord or not. If he seems likely to sue for peace, assassinate him expeditiously. The risk of competition is too great. - From the Diagram, Writings upon the Bedstand Lamp: paragraph 4 (Adrotagia’s 3rd translation from the original hieroglyphics) 1173090605 1173090801 1173090901 1173091001 1173091004 1173100105 1173100205 1173100401 1173100603 1173100804 - From the Diagram, North Wall Coda, Windowsill region: paragraph 2 (This appears to be a sequence of dates, but their relevance is as yet unknown) TherehastobeananswerWhatistheanswerStopTheParshendiOneofthemYestheyarethemissingpiecePushfortheAlethitodestroythemoutrightbeforethisoneobtainstheirpowerItwillformabridge - From the Diagram, Floorboard 17: Paragraph 2, every second letter starting with the second

Sorry, just a minor question - When you say don't post spoilers until Tuesday... Tuesday where? Are we clear the moment the first timezone hits midnight? Also, is there much of a limit on the excerpts we can post, beyond commons sense? Because I've got all of the epigraphs compiled (which, believe me, would have been easier with a digital copy, but I figured this was quicker), and I'd like to post them for the purposes of discussion.

My issue here is that we just don't see enough Thugs. The vast majority of Pewter use in Mistborn comes from Mistborns, who are supplementing it with Tin, as well as using Iron and Steel. And the only instance I can think of a PoV character using primarily Pewter is the ambush by the Venture bastards at the election. And then it's against other Pewter users mostly, so it's counteracted. That said, I think the best way is to look at Shardplate. Would a Pewter burner survive a Shard-powered punch? I'm tempted to say not. Pewter just doesn't give that much durability - Remember that Thugs are in danger from people carrying sticks. That's kind of the point of Hazekillers. Kelsier takes quite a beating from a group of Hazekillers is book 1, and is left with multiple injuries from their canes that leave him in pain for the rest of the fight. If the impact of sticks carried by normal people is enough to injure pewter burners, and risk breaking their bones, I can't imagine them enduring a hit from a Shardbearer. They're vastly stronger than a man without Plate - Their kicks are capable of launching heavier-than-human bodies 30 feet. Whereas Szeth takes a direct blow to the face, and suffers pain but not injury. In fact, I quite like this fight for trying to judge the enhancements offered by Pewter. A squad of 8 people carrying wooden weapons are a serious threat to the armed and prepared Kelsier. A Mistborn so skilled that he's capable of taking on an Inquisitor. He's only able to win the fight because he's able to use Iron and Steel. In a purely physical fight, he'd have been killed. I can't imagine either Kaladin or Szeth being in that position. Even the Kaladin who's spent years without wielding a spear, as he is at the end of Way of Kings. Stormlight allowed Kaladin to take on "dozens" of Parshendi - A group of creatures skilled in combat and far stronger than men.