The Way of Kings: Re-read

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A caption says Urithiru obviously couldn't be placed in Alethela, it had to be placed westward, in the place nearest to Honor. So it was known the Alethi would not or do not have Honor. And Honor is westward, maybe Shinovar?
 
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Does anyone know what the Double Eye is, it has something to do with Vorinism

I think its based on symmetry-thing they have. Even their names are often (kind of) symmetrical like Shallan, Kalad, Jasnah. In the appedix was this poet and its analysis which tells us a bit of this symmetry-idealism. Could be related to that.
 
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Yea, I remember reading that. But Jezreal, a Herald I believe, isn't symmetrical. Maybe unrelated to Alethar
 
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Does anyone know what the Double Eye is, it has something to do with Vorinism

The mention of it in the Appendix is:

The preceding list is an imperfect gathering of traditional Vorin symbolism associated with the Ten Essences. Bound together, these form the Double Eye of the Almighty, an eye with two pupils representing the creation of plants and creatures. This is also the basis of the hourglass shape that was often associated with the Knights Radiant.

I wish we had more information about how the Essences are "bound together" into this symbol. Are the two 'pupils' two of the Essences, or do all ten create the surrounding eye and the pupils solely represent creation? I'm inclined to believe the latter, but I think on 17th shard they disagree with me :shrug
 
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I agree that traditonal Vorinism is imperfect, I believe Jasnah and Shallan will prove that at some point. I think that Vorinism has picked up elements from the KR, Alethela, and other traditions that predate the religion, but have misinterpreted or merged with other beliefs (i.e. Easter, the resurrection mixed with spring renewal celebrations).

To me your statement is true, that the eyes solely represent creation, or it could be the Creators themselves. And if the Almighty is indeed dead as we who have re-read so far agree on, then the eyes have to belong to the Stormfather and someone else. The Stormfather only seemed to have one eye when he looked at Kaladin. The other eye may belong to whoever the Cultivator is. The Stormfather creates the chulls and their related species, rockbuds, and other life forms that have adapted to the storms. The other eye may belong to the Cultivator of earth-like life forms like in Shinovar and the Purelake. I tend to think the other eye is in the Purelake, since the map Roshar shows the Purelake as looking like the eye of a hurricane, and the storms do not effect the Purelake or the lands west of it. Also the eye the looked at Kaladin was in the eye of the storm.

At this point, I haven't seen enough evidence to show the eyes are a part of the ten essences. They may be bound to the Essences, but not two of the ten.
 

Eluial Aldaran

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There were some really interesting answers in Brandon's AMA today, but this one in particular caught my eye:

Is Kaladin naturally stronger than Szeth in using Stormlight? Szeth can only hold onto it for a few minutes, but Kaladin has been shown to hold onto it for much longer. Or does it have to do with Kaladin having a spren?

Ah, so you all noticed that, did you. :) Glad you did. I have like a dozen things I nearly posted here, but all of them spoil a scene in Words of Radiance. So I'll just zip it for now.
 
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A battle would be epic, when Kaladin reaches his full potential. I'd like to see them fight on the same side together also, and see what kind of damage they can do fighting side-by-side.
 

Megana Vallentin

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Wow, it would be an epic battle whether they fight against each other or on the same side. I can't decide which I'd rather see!
 

Eluial Aldaran

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I want to see them fight against each other to a draw, and then join sides and whoop everyone else's ass! :P
 

Megana Vallentin

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That's actually what I was thinking, Eluial! Or have their fight dramatically interrupted by something so huge that it makes them join sides.
 
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Yes! ^this. Have their battle interrupted by the Voidbringers, and then they fight together
 
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Yay, great notes Eluial! I wonder about the dark sphere / Smokestone too, but no ideas.

I've now finished chapter 11 Droplets, and had totally forgotten these:

-Shallan has a shardblade
-the significance (supposed) of her older brother Helaran. He's supposed to be dead (Shallan's father proclaimed so), but I'm sure he is not, and will reappear later. (Or if he's really dead he could be the Hommage à Asmo)
-I had also forgotten how much I *hated* the Brother Kabsal character...

About the characters... Shallan seems a bit odd to me. She's frequently described as shy, sheltered, prudish, and even timid. But still she kind of becomes mouthy very easily, after just a little encouragement. With the sailors it's understandable, she's been with them for months now, but with Brother Kabsal and Jasnah Kholin, too? They're (at least now when she's just met them) very big authorities to her, after all. Renowned scholar, the King's sister and heretic plus a religious authority.

I'm not saying that shy people can't be witty or sarcastic, but I'm not entirely sure if it's credible that she blurts out so easily. I dunno. I love her dedication, and her comments too but right now she seems a very odd character. I think if she'd just think the sarcastic comments (at first with new people anyway) it would be more credible. What do you all think?

More character thoughts later. :)


Just to clarify, the present theory is that Nan Helaran is the shardbearer who Kaladin killed. This is also likely the Asmodean reference to which Brandon made a reference. Read the timeline of both incidents. Kaladin kills the shardbearer nine months before and Nan Helaran also disappears around the same time. Also the physical description of the shardbearer fits Nan Helaran as both are described as Veden. Also, this is my first post and I'm a fan both of The Wheel of Time and The Way of Kings
 

Taika Vinh

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Hi and welcome! :)

I hadn't even thought of the shardbearer Kaladin killed. :laugh: Sounds pretty plausible. Also, I think I'll need to skim the book once again before the Words of Radiance is out, I've already forgotten lots of stuff (again).
 
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Personally, I'm not sold on Jasnah's theory - it sounds so good, and it fit together so well at the end of my first read-through, but there's still some things that I'm just not sure of. For example, Szeth says in the beginning that Voidbringers can hold Stormlight perfectly, which doesn't fit with the Parshendi at all (at least that we know of so far). One theory that sounds good to me is that the chasmfiends are, indeed, the Voidbringers, but not yet - they need to grow in the chrysalises first before they reach that state. If that's the case, then it makes sense that the Parshendi would want them dead, as well, and would hunt them as the Alethi do. If they know that the chasmfiends grow into something worse, the gemhearts would be just a bonus to collect after neutralizing the potential threat.

Even if they aren't the Voidbringers, I still feel like they turn into something so terrible that it's better that the two parties on the Plains keep them from maturing further. I like the point that their gemhearts need the Highstorms to stay infused - perhaps that intake of energy is what's necessary to transform into their next stage?

The Parshendi/Parshmen debate still flummoxes me. They're obviously related somehow, and it makes sense to me that something could "trigger" them out of their docility into something like the Parshendi - which would be terrible to Roshar, since the Parshmen are so ingrained in their culture - but we don't know enough yet to do anything but extrapolate. Unfortunately!

Read Eshonai interlude in the following link:
http://www.17thshard.com/forum/topic/3710-words-of-radiance-readings/
It's written from the viewpoint of a Parshendi
 
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