Theory: The Tranquiline Halls

[Stormblessed]

We know that the Stormlight Archive is set in the cosmere, where the shards of Adonalsium exist. He know that with a shard (or at least with a combination of shards) a shardholder can create a world (like Ruin and Preservation did in mistborn). But in the WoK there is a belief that before arriving on Roshar (which was created by the Almighty) the people came from the Tranquiline Halls.

My theory is this: that whatever place existed before the shattering of Adonalsium is basically the Tranquiline Halls. We know that humans must have existed before the shattering, as those that inherited the shards are human. I have also read people's theories about how they believe that whatever world it was that Hoid and the Shardholders came from may have been destroyed by the shattering, or possibly a war between shardholders that would have inevitably followed (and i guess is still going considering Odium's actions. Considering the theology that the people were kicked out of the Tranquiline Halls by the voidbringers I am more inclined to believe that some war initiated by Odium was probably the reason for the mass exodus (and likely distruction) from the old world.

Anyway, however it happened, when the old world was destroyed, the shards separated, looking to establish their own worlds (usually in groups of two or three). Ruin and Preservation created their own humans, based on the design of the old world, while the Almighty (possibly along with cultivation) saved some humans from the old world (the Tranquiline Halls) and established on Roshar. To me this makes sense, and would be a good base to establish a whole religion around.

What are your thoughts?

[lexluthorxiv]

Huh, I like your theory. But if that's the case, then what shards created the Elantris world and the Warbreaker world?

Also, and slightly off topic, did anyone recognize the language in which Dalinar's "gibberish" was spoken? I was lucky enough to meet Brandon a few days ago and he mentioned a huge clue to the whole hoid/aldonalsium thing was that Dalinar's gibberish was a language we had heard before? Any clues where that might be?

[Stormblessed]

I believe that the shard from Warbreaker (i dont remember what the name of the planet) is Endowment, while the shards from Sel (planet Elantris is set on) are Skai and Aona.

[Eerongal]

I believe that the shard from Warbreaker (i dont remember what the name of the planet) is Endowment, while the shards from Sel (planet Elantris is set on) are Skai and Aona.

Skai and Aona are the shardholders on sel, not the shards themselves. Similar to how Ati and leras held ruin and preservation. Currently, we dont know what shards Skai and Aona held, i dont think.

[guy]

it could be that most of the worlds were already there and each shard just went and picked one to screw around on

[Stormblessed]

it could be that most of the worlds were already there and each shard just went and picked one to screw around on

Possibly. That might be true for planets such as Sel or the one mistborn is set on.

The way I see it, each pair of shards have different powers. E.g. Ruin and Preservation together create life forms. Apart they cant, but together they can create life forms. But they cant create planets and inanimate objects. On the other hand cultivation and the Almighty can create planets but can't life forms. Or maybe I'm just way off the mark.

Basically I saw that in WoK they said the Almighty created Roshar and brought humans to it, and in Mistborn I saw that ruin and preservation worked together to create humans and I thought hmm...

[happyman]

it could be that most of the worlds were already there and each shard just went and picked one to screw around on

Possibly. That might be true for planets such as Sel or the one mistborn is set on.

The way I see it, each pair of shards have different powers. E.g. Ruin and Preservation together create life forms. Apart they cant, but together they can create life forms. But they cant create planets and inanimate objects. On the other hand cultivation and the Almighty can create planets but can't life forms. Or maybe I'm just way off the mark.

Basically I saw that in WoK they said the Almighty created Roshar and brought humans to it, and in Mistborn I saw that ruin and preservation worked together to create humans and I thought hmm...

I'm pretty sure the Almighty claimed he created humanity himself.  If there is a balance between the three Shards in Roshar, that's probably not it.  Cultivation probably did plants, the third may have done something else (animals?) and the Almighty created humans.  Or something.

Also, who says Shards can't create on their own?  It's only Ruin and Preservation that have that problem, as far as I can tell.  Endowment probably created humanity in Warbreaker all on his(her?) lonesome.

Perhaps the Tranquilline halls is a reference to the world the way it was before Highstorms and the first Desolation.  A place so different from Roshar as it became, it eventually was interpreted as Heaven.  The Parshendi coming for the first time (along with all the other critters) would then be the first desolation.

[Stormblessed]

Also, who says Shards can't create on their own?  It's only Ruin and Preservation that have that problem, as far as I can tell.  Endowment probably created humanity in Warbreaker all on his(her?) lonesome.

I just think that the power to create humanity resting in one shard is just too much power for a shard to have. From a writer's perspective, you just dont want to create a being that powerful.

[Patriotic Kaz]

The shards powers help shape the personality of the wielder look at Ati who was once gentle and kind (or at least Hoid says so)

[happyman]

Also, who says Shards can't create on their own?  It's only Ruin and Preservation that have that problem, as far as I can tell.  Endowment probably created humanity in Warbreaker all on his(her?) lonesome.

I just think that the power to create humanity resting in one shard is just too much power for a shard to have. From a writer's perspective, you just dont want to create a being that powerful.

I don't see what's so powerful about creating a version of humanity, especially, say, if you are unable to create an ecosystem that they can live in.

And we still have the issue of Endowment.  I think we can safely assume that each Shard is limited in some way, but I just see no reason to assume that "Creating humans" is one of the inherent limitations.

[Patriotic Kaz]

They aren't humans but rather humanoids we don't know if they can interbreed or not. I doubt it as I seem to remember certain racial names.

[Munin]

Also, who says Shards can't create on their own?  It's only Ruin and Preservation that have that problem, as far as I can tell.  Endowment probably created humanity in Warbreaker all on his(her?) lonesome.

I just think that the power to create humanity resting in one shard is just too much power for a shard to have. From a writer's perspective, you just dont want to create a being that powerful.

For what it's worth, even Ruin alone could apparently create life. Keep in mind that Rashek was able to use the power of the Well of Ascension to create ash-eating microbes.

[Patriotic Kaz]

The well was of preservation, and he did not create but modified.

[Munin]

The well was of preservation, and he did not create but modified.

Oh, right. Got that backwards.

Also, it's possible that the other shards "created" humans by modifying pre-existing life on the worlds they came to. Since the Almighty is known as "He Who Transforms", that's likely something he was capable of.