"It has been centuries since the fall of the ten consecrated orders known as the Knights Radiant, but their Shardblades and Shardplate remain: mystical swords and suits of armor that transform ordinary men into near-invincible warriors. Men trade kingdoms for Shardblades. Wars were fought for them, and won by them."
I'm actually very curious about these systems. I wonder if Brandon would use some rune-based magic systems...
that there are these weapons/armors that are sort of a big deal.
I read on some website...that there are these weapons/armors that are sort of a big deal.
I read on some website...that there are these weapons/armors that are sort of a big deal.
The Shardblades/Shard-armour-whatsits? How do you figure?
I mean, admittedly, I haven't read the sample chapters yet, but I have a feeling that the Blades and armour won't have that much of an impact on the story. MAYBE a few mentions here and there, in passing, but I doubt they'll tie into any of the book's plotlines.
If you read the prologue you'll realize that what you just said is a complete miss.I read on some website...that there are these weapons/armors that are sort of a big deal.
The Shardblades/Shard-armour-whatsits? How do you figure?
I mean, admittedly, I haven't read the sample chapters yet, but I have a feeling that the Blades and armour won't have that much of an impact on the story. MAYBE a few mentions here and there, in passing, but I doubt they'll tie into any of the book's plotlines.
really? I haven't read them either (I want to save it) but that sounds like they're crucial right off the bat, right?
Basically, yeah. But because they're super rare it's more like one side might have a plate OR a sword and the other side might have two.really? I haven't read them either (I want to save it) but that sounds like they're crucial right off the bat, right?
My understanding is that pretty much any battle in WoK's is decided by how many Shardknights each side has.
Its like if you are a normal army with two guys in Iron Man armor, you better hope that the other side doesn't have 3 guys in Iron Man armor. :D
Okay, so everyone failed their Detect Sarcasm checks...
I read on some website...that there are these weapons/armors that are sort of a big deal.
The Shardblades/Shard-armour-whatsits? How do you figure?
I mean, admittedly, I haven't read the sample chapters yet, but I have a feeling that the Blades and armour won't have that much of an impact on the story. MAYBE a few mentions here and there, in passing, but I doubt they'll tie into any of the book's plotlines.
Okay, so everyone failed their Detect Sarcasm checks...Nice reference.
I caught the sarcasm. It was pretty thick in my opinion.
QuoteReaders have met four shards other than Ruin and Preservation.Have we met these four by name, or just by influence? I can't think of a name that would go with the one that the Elantris lake is a manifestation of.
Hoid could be one? I know nothing his purpose other than that he shows up in lots of different books, sometimes begging and sometimes telling stories. Since most of these series happen on different planets (though two of them may happen on the same planet as each other), I'm assuming he has mad planet-hopping skills.
...Nightblood...
Ookla, I'm going to be tight lipped on this, as I don't want to give things away for future books. But I'll tell you this:
You've interacted with two directly.
One is a tough call. You've never met the Shard itself, but you've seen its power.
The other one you have not met directly, but have seen its influence.
there's going to be ten in The Stormlight Archive.What makes you say that?
Hoid is also most likely somehow connected to shard, however, if he is, it is not one of the previously mentioned six.
Actually, now that you say that... I somewhat recall reading that at one point or another. Has Brandon said whether Shards "cross" worlds? I'm guessing no, since there hasn't been any crossing of magic systems in the books, but would it be possible that a Shard created 2 different magic systems?I'd say so, I think of Feruchemy as the direct result of the powers of Preservation and Ruin mixing together, or at least their influences.
No Feruchemy doesn't have it's own Shard. Brandon has basically said it. At the time we had Warbreaker, Elantris, and Mistborn. He said we have seen (I can't remember the numbers exactly) 5 shards, 4 of which we've seen direct effects of. Something like that though I'm pretty sure I'm wrong about the numbers.
You've interacted with two directly.
One is a tough call. You've never met the Shard itself, but you've seen its power.
The other one you have not met directly, but have seen its influence.
That makes six cannon shards so far
there's going to be ten in The Stormlight Archive.What makes you say that?
there's going to be ten in The Stormlight Archive.What makes you say that?
I don't know where that came from. Apparently my mind wasn't all there when I wrote that post. Although something about it feels right so I'm going to make it my prediction for the number of shards in The Stormlight Archive.
I personally don't think Hoid is a Shard. He does clearly have epic powers, though.Hi, I'm Fireborn, and I approve this message.
The number of magic systems may also make a difference whether or not you count passive magic like enhanced tools as more than one "system".That may be what Brandon was referring to as "it depends on how you count it".
For instance, are Shardblades and Shardplate two separate "magic systems", or one, or do they not count because they are tools rather than skills or abilities?
RAFO...
;D
Tee hee :)
Well, there are ten Heralds, as the Prelude says.
Actually, now that you say that... I somewhat recall reading that at one point or another. Has Brandon said whether Shards "cross" worlds? I'm guessing no, since there hasn't been any crossing of magic systems in the books, but would it be possible that a Shard created 2 different magic systems?
I personally don't think Hoid is a Shard. He does clearly have epic powers, though.
My take is that the Shards output a constant, passive flow of magical energy that influences everything in its vicinity, specifically its world. This ambient energy changes humans, in the case of Allomancy, and certain aspects of the world, in the case of Hemalurgy. When multiple shards show up in the same world, their different energies produce additional effects, like Feruchemy.
Brandon said that the post which first reported this had several important errors and should not be counted as anything more than speculation.I personally don't think Hoid is a Shard. He does clearly have epic powers, though.
I seem to recall that hoid is bonded to a shard.
Brandon said at some point, talking about Mistborn and Elantris, that if you took people from one planet and transported them to the other, that they wouldn't neccessarily lose or gain any magic - it all had to due with the specifics of their genetics.
From what I understand, the genetics of the people on given planets determine their reaction (if any) to the influence of a shard's presence.
Brandon said at some point, talking about Mistborn and Elantris, that if you took people from one planet and transported them to the other, that they wouldn't neccessarily lose or gain any magic - it all had to due with the specifics of their genetics.
So to me, that means that the shards just put out a passive "magic" passive field. If you have the correct genetic structure, you can then take advantage of that field to perform extraordinary feats. Genetics play a big part in the magic systems. How much of a part I haven't really figured out, but there's definitely something.
My take is that the Shards output a constant, passive flow of magical energy that influences everything in its vicinity, specifically its world. This ambient energy changes humans, in the case of Allomancy, and certain aspects of the world, in the case of Hemalurgy. When multiple shards show up in the same world, their different energies produce additional effects, like Feruchemy.
My take on this is similar, but a bit shifted.
From what I understand, the genetics of the people on given planets determine their reaction (if any) to the influence of a shard's presence.
Brandon said at some point, talking about Mistborn and Elantris, that if you took people from one planet and transported them to the other, that they wouldn't neccessarily lose or gain any magic - it all had to due with the specifics of their genetics.
As a note here, the powers granted by all of the metals--even the two divine ones--are not themselves of either Shard. They are simply tools. And so, it's possible that one COULD have found a way to reproduce an ability like atium's while using Preservation's power, but it wouldn't be as natural or as easy as using Preservation to fuel Allomancy.
The means of getting powers--Ruin stealing, Preservation gifting--are related to the Shards, but not the powers themselves.
The powers of Ruin and Preservation are Shards of Adonalsium, pieces of the power of creation itself. Allomancy, Hemalurgy, Feruchemy are manifestations of this power in mortal form, the ability to touch the powers of creation and use them. These metallic powers are how people's physical forms interpret the use of the Shard, though it's not the only possible way they could be interpreted or used. It's what the genetics and Realmatic interactions of Scadrial allow for, and has to do with the Spiritual, the Cognitive, and the Physical Realms.
Condensed 'essence' of these godly powers can act as super-fuel for Allomancy, Feruchemy, or really any of the powers. The form of that super fuel is important. In liquid form it's most potent, in gas form it's able to fuel Allomancy as if working as a metal. In physical form it is rigid and does one specific thing. In the case of atium, it allows sight into the future. In the case of concentrated Preservation, it gives one a permanent connection to the mists and the powers of creation. (I.e., it makes them an Allomancer.)
So when a person is burning metals, they aren't using Preservation's body as a fuel so to speak--though they are tapping into the powers of creation just slightly. When Vin burns the mists, however, she'd doing just that--using the essence of Preservation, the Shard of Adonalsium itself--to fuel Allomancy. Doing this, however, rips 'troughs' through her body. It's like forcing far too much pressure through a very small, fragile hose. That much power eventually vaporizes the corporeal host, which is acting as the block and forcing the power into a single type of conduit (Allomancy) and frees it to be more expansive.