Timewaster's Guide Archive

Quote from: Salkara on September 12, 2010, 06:04:34 AM

See, I took the Splinters of Aona to be the Seons and the Splinters of Skai to be the Skaze. Also, I don't think you're able to take up the power of a splintered Shard.

I like this theory.  To take it one step further - could the Spren be Splinters of the Almighty?  Notice that there aren't any spren in the prelude, and spren are associated with each order of Knight Radiant (aligning nicely with ROSHtafARian's theory).

Also worth noting - The shardblades and the shardplate.  What are they shards of?  If ROSH is right, then they could be splinters of the Almighty's power.  But what if they aren't?

...They are? I didn't know spren were associated with each order. Certainly makes sense considering Syl and the Surgebinders. But remember, Syl doesn't like how Shardblades feel. That's strong evidence, in my opinion, that the Shardblades are of a different Shard than spren.

Very interesting theory, for sure.

I have relevant quotes for these questions, not just mere speculation!

When does Way of Kings take place relative to Mistborn, Elantris, and Warbreaker? It may be that Sazed has been Shardholder for a while, or that Alendi isn't even born yet.

I thought I remembered the books were scattered all over the Overall Timeline. I think Elantris was either very early or late, comparatively.


Though maybe you're right, because now that I think about it, the epigraphs did seem to mention Ati as finished.

This is one of the answers we got in the 17th Shard interview which should* come this weekend. He said all the books have occurred in chronological order in the cosmere as they've been published. So Elantris, Mistborn, Warbreaker, then Way of Kings, in that order.

Also, Will found out at the Chicago signing that Odium went to Sel before the events of Elantris.

Next, for the actual question at hand, here's what I asked him in May:

Q: Will Sazed eventually go mad trying to hold two Shard's power at the same time (being pushed to two different Purposes simultaneously for millennia)? Why hasn't anyone else tried this trick before in the Cosmere?

ANSWER: No.  Since they're so opposite they work together to create a whole.  However, after a LONG time it would change him as a person.

So... there you have it, I guess?

whats odium? i've read all but way of kings in the adolsuim universe is it something in the way of kings?

Yes, this is probably quite spoilery. I strongly suggest you read it.

Oh, Szeth is awesome. Are you excited as I am that he'll be getting his own book? It's true

The Taravangian reveal was emotional, but it didn't match my horror when Sadeas betrayed Dalinar. That was just... God. I can't put words into that one.

Odium is the name of the Shard. (It's just a much more obscure word than Cultivation, Ruin, or Endowment, etc.)

Well, there's going to be ten different viewpoint characters like Kaladin (though there may be a second Kaladin book). Dalinar and Shallan, obviously, will get books. Szeth will get a book (squee!). Even with a second Kaladin book, that's five out of ten Stormlight Archive novels. [Source: that interview Josh, Mi'ch, and I did with Brandon for 17th Shard, which, um, hasn't come live yet. Soon!]

I'd think that Taln would get a very late book. Without him, we wouldn't get a unique perspective on certain things that have been lost forever. We wouldn't know as much about Hemalurgy in MB3 without Marsh's viewpoints, for example. I think that he will be a major character, but not for a while.

Maybe I'm missing something about Hoid, but how do we know that he fulfills conditions 1 , 3, 5, and 6? So far, he hasn't seemed like he was seeking help. As far as I'm aware, he hasn't expressed personal knowledge of any of the shardholders. He hasn't mentioned any motivations involving Rayse or Bavadin. And we don't know for sure if the people looking for him were from the 17th shard.

And it's unclear if he's even directly involved. At best, he's been an observer so far. A sarcastic observer, true, but that's basically it.

Uhhh, well, Brandon said that Hoid was there when Adonalsium was shattered. Thus, he's the only such candidate we know of who could possibly remember that their names were Ati or Rayse.

If you interpret things this way, certain other quotes no longer seem enigmatic. To wit:

“People see in stories what they’re looking for, my young friend.” He reached behind his boulder, pulling out a pack and slinging it on his shoulder. “I have no answers for you. Most days, I feel I never have had any answers. I’ve come to your land to chase an old acquaintance, but I end up spending most of my time hiding from him instead.”

He's come to Roshar, to chase an old acquaintance--Rayse--but he ends up spending his time hiding from instead, since Rayse controls Odium, and if Rayse finds him, Hoid will die.

Makes sense to me.

Furthermore, we know that the Seventeenth Shard planet hops, so if there are planet hoppers searching for Hoid, it's pretty logical that it's the Seventeenth Shard.

Falsifying it is as impossible as proving it, at this point, without a direct reveal from Brandon (which I don't see happening).

But the author could be any other Shardholder, really. Or anyone else with the ability to travel between worlds.

Well, I definitely don't think its another Shardholder, because Shardholders never seem to refer to other Shardholders by their original name, but by the Shard itself. Shards talk about each other not in terms of Ati, Leras, and Rayse, but Ruin, Preservation, and Odium. It's too consistent of an effect.

Whoever wrote the epigraphs is someone separate from Shardholders.