Ryshadium Discussion

[UltimateArchivist He/Him]

Do Ryshadium have gemhearts? He have heard of their stone hooves and their strength; seeming adaptions to the beautiful tempest that is Roshar. But we also have heard of them bonding spren, musicspren specifically. Do these spren reside in a gemheart like they would in Singers, or are Ryshadium too closely related to humans to have gemhearts?

The Ultimate Archivist

[Treamayne]

1 hour ago, UltimateArchivist said:

Do Ryshadium have gemhearts?

This is, as yet, unclear. The WoBs:

Spoiler

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Questioner

What effects does a spren bond have on a Ryshadium? Sapience, or more?

Brandon Sanderson

It increases their intelligence a great deal and gives them a little extra hardiness to survive in Roshar. And in exchange, the spren gets pulled into the Physical Realm, which they really like.

Tor Instagram Livestream (Nov. 25, 2020)

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Questioner

Would a macaw be able to become a Radiant? Or do you need sentience?

Brandon Sanderson

You need sapience. A macaw could not become a Knight Radiant. A macaw could, theoretically, enter a symbiotic spren bond, which would have different effects. Like, Ryshadium or even most of the larger greatshells don't have sapience. But a lot of creatures on Roshar do have what I would term an in-between step between human-level intelligence and animal-level intelligence on Earth. Ryshadium are in this; chasmfiends, as well, are smarter than an animal can get on Earth.

Tor Instagram Livestream (Nov. 25, 2020)

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Questioner

Do Ryshadium have gemhearts?

Brandon Sanderson

Um... I'll RAFO that for now. I'm just kind of staying really dodgy about Ryshadium, on purpose. I will dig into them later on.

Oathbringer London signing (Nov. 28, 2017)

 

can be thought to imply the possibility, especailly as they are compared to chasmfiends, which we know to have a Gemheart (Axehounds as well - See below) but since it is likely they are decended from Shin Horses (themselves descended from horses brough from Ashyn) it also seems unlikely. Afterall, herdazians and Horneaters are both half-breeds and neither race is known to have a gemheart adaptation. 

Spoiler

LiftIRL

Do axehounds have gemhearts?

Brandon Sanderson

Do axehounds have gemhearts? Yes, but they're very small.

ICon 2019 (Oct. 15, 2019)

TLDR: There are hints that Ryshadium may have developed a gemheart; but there is not yet any confirmation for any "immigrant species" having developed a gemheart, including (potential) half-breeds like Rhyshadium (assuming parallels between their stone hooves and herdazian fingernails mean a similar "evolutionary" path).

Edited April 17 by Treamayne
SPAG/Clarity

[UltimateArchivist He/Him]

1 hour ago, Treamayne said:

This is, as yet, unclear.

Ah. So not a no, but simply not enough information. I see.