Popular Post WeiryWriter Posted December 24, 2014 Popular Post Report Share Posted December 24, 2014 Edit: Unfortunately this speculation has been disproved. The plague in the Purelake is actually just the common cold, which was introduced by worldhoppers. At the very end of Words of Radiance, Dalinar makes an off-hand reference to there being a plague in the Purelake. We really don't know anything about it beyond its mere existence (and even that is non-emphasized, I completely missed it in my initial read-through). I've recently been giving it some thought though, and I've randomly speculated a possible cause. We know that the Purelake is home to "magic fish" that appear to be an important part of the Purelaker culture and diet. These magic fish are a result of symbiotic bonds with spren. My speculation is this: Is it possible that Voidspren have been hijacking these bonds (or alternatively the natural spren are being corrupted in some way) and instead of bestowing some gift they are making people sick? So, thoughts? 21 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chaos Posted December 24, 2014 Report Share Posted December 24, 2014 I like that theory a lot. Makes sense to me. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moogle Posted December 24, 2014 Report Share Posted December 24, 2014 (edited) I expect there's a more mundane explanation in that Taravangian is poisoning them all. He can swoop in and be a hero and save it with his legions of doctors, and then add it to his rapidly expanding empire. The timing doesn't quite fit voidspren - Dalinar remarks on the plague five days after the Everstorm was summoned, which would be a very small amount of time for a plague to start up and have it be recognized as such and have the information travel to Alethkar. The Everstorm wouldn't have hit the Purelake for a few days, either. (Assuming that the plague would have been started after the Everstorm was summoned, anyways. I guess voidspren might have been able to do things before that?) Edited December 24, 2014 by Moogle 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
High prince of geeks Posted December 24, 2014 Report Share Posted December 24, 2014 The reason that it is so understated now is that it is just starting. like "I heard a few people in south Africa have Ebola". its foreshadowing. Mabey in the next book it will be more prominent. I think that that Taravangian will show up with doctors, but it is voidspren, and will use this as an opportunity to study them. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AerionBFII Posted December 24, 2014 Report Share Posted December 24, 2014 Is it strange that some of the parts i most look forward to in SA is the Interludes? Fantasy is my favorite genre but the absolute master world building and pure detail put into SA is truly exceptional. I always had a theory about the Desolations, it seems strange to me that it would suddenly kick off as one large battle for humanity perhaps the Desolation comes in waves/stages? Like Plague in the Purelake, Spren start acting up, the changes in weather patterns and directions of Highstorms...Like generally just build up before an explosion... Perhaps this is the first stage of the Desolation? 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dvoraen Posted December 25, 2014 Report Share Posted December 25, 2014 (edited) Is it strange that some of the parts i most look forward to in SA is the Interludes? Fantasy is my favorite genre but the absolute master world building and pure detail put into SA is truly exceptional. I always had a theory about the Desolations, it seems strange to me that it would suddenly kick off as one large battle for humanity perhaps the Desolation comes in waves/stages? Like Plague in the Purelake, Spren start acting up, the changes in weather patterns and directions of Highstorms...Like generally just build up before an explosion... Perhaps this is the first stage of the Desolation? I think the world has been building up to a Desolation for some time. This has been hinted at in the visions (specifically, signs such as Midnight Essence attacks). The implication being, that the Unmade are active in the world again being that big hint one is coming. This begs one question I've had, though, that if the Unmade are a harbinger of a Desolation, why haven't there been reports related to the others for the past six years, as we only know of the presence of Moelach and Nergaoul at this time? Edited December 25, 2014 by dvoraen 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrick Star Posted December 25, 2014 Report Share Posted December 25, 2014 I think that this is related to Dalinar's Purelake vision with the giant obsidian castle. We have the death rattle where the darkness builds a palace, what if that's an actual palace? The plague could be related to it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dvoraen Posted December 25, 2014 Report Share Posted December 25, 2014 I think that this is related to Dalinar's Purelake vision with the giant obsidian castle. We have the death rattle where the darkness builds a palace, what if that's an actual palace? The plague could be related to it. Part of the trouble with the Purelake fortress is: we don't know when that vision took place. It could have been multiple Desolations past, long enough to have been written out of history entirely (no one remembered it because of the death toll and destruction of civilization and recorded history). All it really was, was an infomercial about Sja-anat, I thought, and thunderclast animation. That's the main idea aside from Honor's statements, which were more of the same of Dalinar's previous visions. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawnshard Posted December 25, 2014 Report Share Posted December 25, 2014 I thought the plague might be related to one of the unmade waking up. I think that it belonging to Taravagian is possible but not likely. It is really hard to poison a nation, especially one spread out over a massive lake. They aren't all concentrated in one area. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AerionBFII Posted December 25, 2014 Report Share Posted December 25, 2014 I think the world has been building up to a Desolation for some time. This has been hinted at in the visions (specifically, signs such as Midnight Essence attacks). The implication being, that the Unmade are active in the world again being that big hint one is coming. This begs one question I've had, though, that if the Unmade are a harbinger of a Desolation, why haven't there been reports related to the others for the past six years, as we only know of the presence of Moelach and Nergaoul at this time? My thoughts exactly!! I always assumed it was on the verge of happening and drawing closer, Nin and Wit seem to know whats happening before the signs become visible but they are a lot older and more experienced as Wit is ancient and well versed in Cosmere happenings and Nin has first hand experience with Desolations and their signs. The main trio are ignorant and are slowly becoming acquainted with this sort of thing. I agree with you that Roshar has been building up to a desolation for some time but the signs are only just becoming more obvious to the untrained eye. I believe people and organizations like The Ghostbloods, The sons of Honor, and The Diagram Troupe have noticed or are actively trying to bring a desolation about out of malice or ignorance i cant say but they know. Some have realized that Moelach is the cause of the Death Rattles or Nergaoul who induces the Thrill like Mr.T but these aren't common knowledge but they have been noticed unfortunately by the wrong people. We know from references from Nohadon that Yelig-Nar who, is also a confirmed member of the Unmade exists but i don't think he has been mentioned or hinted to be active yet. *Yelig-Nar - "Yelig-nar, called Blightwind, was one that could speak like a man, though often his voice was accompanied by the wails of those he consumed" (Jasnahs notebook.) It also broke into Nohadon's chancery and slaughtered all the wordsmen. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrick Star Posted December 26, 2014 Report Share Posted December 26, 2014 @WEZ313 My theory (not mine, but forget whose it is) about Yelig-Nar is that he was in the black sphere that Gavilar gave Szeth, and has been harassing Szeth since that night. If so, he's definitely active. Trapped, but active. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dvoraen Posted December 26, 2014 Report Share Posted December 26, 2014 (edited) @WEZ313 My theory (not mine, but forget whose it is) about Yelig-Nar is that he was in the black sphere that Gavilar gave Szeth, and has been harassing Szeth since that night. If so, he's definitely active. Trapped, but active. Though we do have a WoB that seemed like it shot down that theory: http://www.17thshard.com/forum/topic/20500-orem-library-signing-on-december-6/page-2#entry203408 So, I don't think Yelig-nar was imprisoned in a sphere. While the Unmade seem to share characteristics with spren, I also agree that the term 'spren' is used a bit too freely to describe intangible entities. I think the Unmade could be imprisoned (likely via a Dawnshard), but if the sphere was indeed imprisoning one of the Unmade, my money is on Nergaoul. What I really want to know, though, is whether the beings Kaladin saw in the highstorm were either two of the Unmade, or Odium's divine form with one of the Unmade. Edited December 26, 2014 by dvoraen 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrick Star Posted December 26, 2014 Report Share Posted December 26, 2014 Though we do have a WoB that seemed like it shot down that theory: http://www.17thshard.com/forum/topic/20500-orem-library-signing-on-december-6/page-2#entry203408 STORM IT!!!! Dang, I hope he's just trolling, or bending the truth. Darn. But I wouldn't be surprised if an unmade COULD be put in a sphere. We already saw Venli capture a stormspren in one. And I think that Kal saw two of the unmade moving towards stormseat in the highstorm. The timing lines up perfectly with the parshendi's adoption of stormform, and Eshonai said that she doing so would attract the attention of the unmade, hence why they are heading there. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curiosity Posted December 26, 2014 Report Share Posted December 26, 2014 (edited) Don't forget that this Desolation is completely different from the rest of them, as Jasnah said in the last chapter. I find Weiry's theory most plausible, since Eshonai bonded with a spren before the Everstorm, so the fish could have been hijacked by the spren, assuming that they just bond with whatever spren they find, and don't choose like the Parshendi. Off topic: I just had a funny image of the Fish Radiant. Edited December 26, 2014 by Curiosity 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dvoraen Posted December 26, 2014 Report Share Posted December 26, 2014 (edited) RE: Curiosity's spoiler block. More precisely, the Desolation is beginning differently than before. We don't yet know exactly how it happened in the past, but this time, it seemed as if the Everstorm(s) will be the delivery device for the Voidspren, rather than what I suspect was simply the Unmade becoming active/awake/empowered and enslaving the listeners into the soldiers. Edited December 26, 2014 by dvoraen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrick Star Posted December 26, 2014 Report Share Posted December 26, 2014 Off topic: I just had a funny image of the Fish Radiant. You've seen the stoic visage of Dalinar, the unrelenting determination of Kaladin, and the cold ruthlessness of Nalan. But now, there is a radiant of a different kind. He is the chosen one, the champion of honor, he is... Bubbles. Watch him SCALE insurmountable heights, GILL legions of voidbringers, FINish the cycle of desolations, and become the SEAvior that Roshar needs! 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quiver Posted December 26, 2014 Report Share Posted December 26, 2014 You've seen the stoic visage of Dalinar, the unrelenting determination of Kaladin, and the cold ruthlessness of Nalan. But now, there is a radiant of a different kind. He is the chosen one, the champion of honor, he is... Bubbles. Watch him SCALE insurmountable heights, GILL legions of voidbringers, FINish the cycle of desolations, and become the SEAvior that Roshar needs! Aquaman is the best Knight Radient. This is my new head canon. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrick Star Posted December 26, 2014 Report Share Posted December 26, 2014 Aquaman is the best Knight Radient. This is my new head canon. NO. HE IS. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WeiryWriter Posted January 22, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 22, 2015 So, update on this. I asked stormfather on tumblr to ask about this and according to Brandon I'm wrong. The plague was caused by worldhoppers introducing the common cold. 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blaze1616 Posted January 22, 2015 Report Share Posted January 22, 2015 (edited) So, update on this. I asked stormfather on tumblr to ask about this and according to Brandon I'm wrong. The plague was caused by worldhoppers introducing the common cold. You know, I was hoping that this plague would become some major issue that must be dealt with within the novels, but this...this is even better. Edit: Let me rephrase. I was expecting the plague to be related to the Desolations. Not something as simple as what Europe did to the Americas. Edited January 22, 2015 by Blaze1616 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cam Posted January 22, 2015 Report Share Posted January 22, 2015 So, update on this. I asked stormfather on tumblr to ask about this and according to Brandon I'm wrong. The plague was caused by worldhoppers introducing the common cold. Well played, Sanderson. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arondell Posted January 22, 2015 Report Share Posted January 22, 2015 So, update on this. I asked stormfather on tumblr to ask about this and according to Brandon I'm wrong. The plague was caused by worldhoppers introducing the common cold. I recall the letter in WoR saying that Hoid tended to tow chaos behind him like a corpse being dragged by one leg through the snow. Granted we can hardly blame Hoid for this but it is a consequence of his presence on Roshare. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oudeis Posted January 22, 2015 Report Share Posted January 22, 2015 The quote is interesting... it implies that people on Roshar rarely get sick, because Investiture is so high. Combining this with the Interlude from Words of Radiance which says that the listeners grow rockbuds superfast by shining stormlight on them... does it make you healthier just to have stormlight shine on you? Like as though you were infusing an infintesimally small bit of Stormlight? Enough maybe that spending all day illuminated by spheres might be just enough to keep you healthier on average than people from other Shardworlds? 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kurkistan Posted January 22, 2015 Report Share Posted January 22, 2015 An interesting parallel, Outis. I could buy it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
natc Posted January 23, 2015 Report Share Posted January 23, 2015 The quote is interesting... it implies that people on Roshar rarely get sick, because Investiture is so high. Combining this with the Interlude from Words of Radiance which says that the listeners grow rockbuds superfast by shining stormlight on them... does it make you healthier just to have stormlight shine on you? Like as though you were infusing an infintesimally small bit of Stormlight? Enough maybe that spending all day illuminated by spheres might be just enough to keep you healthier on average than people from other Shardworlds? Also kind of explains why has been no mention of medically trained professionals that do things other than surgery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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