Timewaster's Guide Archive

With the horses, I know they're imported from Shinovar en masse (read the interlude with the Thaylen merchant in Shinovar. The merchant comments on how most other merchant's purchase horses and take them back to Roshar to sell at very high costs, but her master doesn't.).
Likely they are fed and sheltered by the nobility who purchase them for warfare.
The rhyshadium, on the other hand, seems different. They are bigger, stronger and more intelligent. For some reason (can't remember why), I don't think they come from Shinovar, so these are probably your sneaky-hunter horses...  Likely have strong jaws. (Or strong hooves to smash open the shells then eat the innards)

The plate is distinctive, but it is painted. Plates natural state is slate-grey (which is how Dalinar keeps it). When you break it apart, as happened to Gavilar's (it was pretty much shattered) it regrows (I assume) slate-grey, and can easily be repainted or have the old design painted over. The plate is likely the plate that Elhokar wears.
You have, however, convinced me about the blade. Elhokar does not use Gavilar's blade. Perhaps the Parshendi took the blade, and the Parshendi shardbearer is the one who has Gavilar's blade?
The crazy Shallan-has-Gavilar's-blade theory does sound cool though. Just the Parshendi's is described as being flame-like, as is Gavilar's.
The Parshendi didn't take credit for the assassination until after the fact, so they likely would have relatively free access to the area during the confusion. Perhaps one of the Parshendi was sent to follow Szeth and confirm the body was dead/take the blade?

There's a "forest" beside Sadaes's warcamp from which he sells wood. The rest is soulcast by the king's soulcasters.

As has been said already, the Parshendi aren't soldiers. They are warriors. They are brave, skilled fighters, but they seem to lack leadership. As far as I can tell, the Parshendi don't have any military officers, everyone is of the same rank. Each warpair fights as an individual unit with some buddies, not as a military unit supported by an army. Because of this disorganized system,  it took them six years to try and stop a cavalry charge with a spearwall, and they only used it because it gave them a chance of capturing a shardbearer! They just don't think militarily, they don't innovate, they don't use tactics.
One more thing, keep in mind that there are ten highprinces, each with their own unique tactics. We've only seen two highprinces tactics. It's possible (if unlikely for reasons listed earlier in the thread) for one of these eight to use siege weapons or oil.

WHoa whoa whoa... That's a bit of a leap. If he was teleporting, he could have appeared anywhere. If he was going to appear on the Shattered Plains, why didn't Hoid just wait for him there? Wouldn't it have been easier?

No... Talanel was met by Hoid at Kholinar, the Alethi capital. I suspect that he had just ridden a Highstorm* from the origin of storms to somewhere in Alethkar, landed in a place with lots of bushes/trees (a Rosharian forest, perhaps) then run to the closest place where he knows where civilization will be, to the nearest dawncity. Kholinar.
Having ridden a highstorm and crashlanded, then run some distance, he is absolutely exhausted and collapses after entering the city.

*I seem to remember one of the mythological powers ascribed to the Knights Radiant was riding on the storms.

No no no.... Rock, with his culinary expertise, will invent Pepper spray. Kaladin will just use it! 

If you reread the prologue, you'll notice that Szeth recognizes "the King's brother" at one of the tables, either very drunk or already passed out (can't remember which). The "Have you seen me?" drunk is not Dalinar.