The Question he/him Posted March 8, 2014 Report Share Posted March 8, 2014 (edited) While reading Ym's interlude in WoR this bit stuck out at me: "One being," Ym said. He set aside that shoe and got out another. "Long ago, there was only One. One knew everything, but had experienced nothing. And do, One became many-us, people. The One, who is both male and female, did so to experience all things." Sound to me like he is describing Adonalsium and it's creation of the universe. "We are Iriali, and part of the Long Trail, of which this is the fourth land." The world's we've seen in publication order are Sel, Scadrial, Nalthis, and Roshar. I think this is a meta-textual clue as to the importance of this bit. "Eventually, all will be gathered back in- when the Seventh Land is attained- and we will once again become one." - Ym According to the Coppermind list of Shardworlds, there are eight major Lands: Yolen Taldain Sel Scadrial Nalthis Roshar Braize Ashyn My theory is that the Iriali are a tribe of nomadic people who have, as a group, traveled to the various Shardworlds. The Long Trail is the path which they take across The Cosmere. I'm afraid that I can't explain the discrepency between the Seventh Land and our eight worlds. Edited March 8, 2014 by The Question 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aminar Posted March 8, 2014 Report Share Posted March 8, 2014 While reading Ym's interlude in WoR this bit stuck out at me: Sound to me like he is describing Adonalsium and it's creation of the universe. The world's we've seen in publication order are Sel, Scadrial, Nalthis, and Roshar. I think this is a meta-textual clue as to the importance of this bit. According to the Coppermind list of Shardworlds, there are eight major Lands: Yolen Taldain Sel Scadrial Nalthis Roshar Braize Ashyn My theory is that the Iriali are a tribe of nomadic people who have, as a group, traveled to the various Shardworlds. The Long Trail is the path which they take across The Cosmere. I'm afraid that I can't explain the discrepency between the Seventh Land and our eight worlds. There will be 10 Shardworlds someday... That said, the Iriali certainly sound like this isn't their first shardworld. They all have golden eyes and their path sounds unique. But Roshar was the 4th Shardworld Bradon wrote on... Maybe it's just the one after Yolen... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HydrogenAlpha he/him Posted March 8, 2014 Report Share Posted March 8, 2014 I think we can eliminate Yolen as the 7th land, because the skullmoss wasn't really nice to it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Argent he/him Posted March 8, 2014 Report Share Posted March 8, 2014 I arrived at similar conclusions when I was reading the story, so hopefully there will be a kernel of truth somewhere in it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterAhlstrom he/him Posted March 8, 2014 Report Share Posted March 8, 2014 It is not a meta comment. 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seerow Posted March 8, 2014 Report Share Posted March 8, 2014 It is not a meta comment. Crusher of hope and dreams. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morsk he/him Posted March 9, 2014 Report Share Posted March 9, 2014 (edited) Crusher of hope and dreams.That just means it's not based on publication order. I think? I've wondered about this since we first got a partial reading of the Ym Interlude. Everyone on Roshar thinks of it as at least a second land, after the loss of the Tranquilline Halls. The few with cosmere awareness might recognize it as a third land, after Yolen. (Unless Yolen is the Tranquilline Halls. We don't know. Most people seem to think it's Braize though.) Humans originated on Yolen, so the Iriali can't have come from anywhere prior to there. But there could be missing steps between Yolen and the Tranquilline Halls maybe, making Roshar a fourth land. Ashyn could be involved. Or it could be imaginative; the religion could incorrectly believe that Iriali have origins preceding Yolen, or consider everyone's unity with the One to be a "First Land". The Seventh Land part could be imaginative too. Hoid seems to believe part of this religion, because he tells Jasnah to look for God in the hearts of men, and means it literally while she accepts it as a metaphor. If the religion is that old and still has the basics the same, it's probably onto something. On the other hand, Hoid refers to the God Beyond, but Ym doesn't like thinking in terms of gods, so there are differences. Edited March 9, 2014 by Morsk 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-Deleted- Posted May 3, 2014 Report Share Posted May 3, 2014 That quote tuck out for me too! Clearly i'sa reference to Adonulsium, but the primary reason I stuck out to me is Ym's philosophy and how he presents it. It reminds me of the philosophy many of the thins I love hold. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Levian Posted May 3, 2014 Report Share Posted May 3, 2014 Off topic but about Ym - does it seem too coincidental that in two of the most popular fantasy books in recent time have two very specifically similar non-important characters? in The Name of the Wind, Kvothe visits a shoemaker and from his dialogue it seems that he helps homeless kids out by giving them shoes. In WoR Ym does the same thing, only it's confirmed that he's helped out a bunch of them. Not that it's important or matters at all, I just find it funny. I wonder if Brandon had always intended to include a shoemaker who helps out homeless kids, or if after reading Name of the Wind (I'd be VERY surprised if he hasn't read it) it subconsciously (or deliberately) stuck in his mind when he was writing up Ym's story. Not that I'm implying that there was any plagiarism or copying of ideas mind, just a funny coincidence. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxal she/her Posted May 3, 2014 Report Share Posted May 3, 2014 Off topic but about Ym - does it seem too coincidental that in two of the most popular fantasy books in recent time have two very specifically similar non-important characters? in The Name of the Wind, Kvothe visits a shoemaker and from his dialogue it seems that he helps homeless kids out by giving them shoes. In WoR Ym does the same thing, only it's confirmed that he's helped out a bunch of them. Not that it's important or matters at all, I just find it funny. I wonder if Brandon had always intended to include a shoemaker who helps out homeless kids, or if after reading Name of the Wind (I'd be VERY surprised if he hasn't read it) it subconsciously (or deliberately) stuck in his mind when he was writing up Ym's story. Not that I'm implying that there was any plagiarism or copying of ideas mind, just a funny coincidence. The Name of the Wind was published years before Brandon started writing WoR so I would be surprised if he hasn't read it before. It could be Brandon intended it as a wink to Rothfuss. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kaellok he/him Posted May 4, 2014 Report Share Posted May 4, 2014 I'm pretty sure I remember there being mention of a draft of WoR that referred to Zahel as Vasher, from way back in 2006. The Name of the Wind was first published in 2007. However, knowing that Brandon really enjoys Rothfuss's work, I certainly wouldn't say that this scene wasn't included as a wink towards Rothfuss. Or it could be one of those weird coincidences, like SA Book 3 and Kingkiller Book 3 having virtually the same planned title, and a race between the two authors to who can get theirs to print first and claim the prize (of most awesomest title ever). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oversleep Posted February 12, 2016 Report Share Posted February 12, 2016 Ym is not only a worldhopper, but comes from a different multiverse. Kingkiller's Chronicles confirmed to be sort-of-cosmere.I have never noticed that similarity until now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DreamEternal Posted February 12, 2016 Report Share Posted February 12, 2016 Or it could be one of those weird coincidences, like SA Book 3 and Kingkiller Book 3 having virtually the same planned title, and a race between the two authors to who can get theirs to print first and claim the prize (of most awesomest title ever). Except Stones Unhallowed is far more ominous sounding than Doors of Stone, and Brandon changed book three to Oathbringer, switching the order of Szeth and Dalinar's books. Perhaps it was done to give Pat a chance? Not everyone can keep up with the Sanderbot Legion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meg Posted February 12, 2016 Report Share Posted February 12, 2016 There was an identical answer from Peter once before, as can be read here. Might somebody declare what a "meta comment" is? I don't get it, sorry. My only imagination is that Peter meant it as the Long Trail is not part of the cosmere but only something on Roshar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shardbearer he/him Posted February 12, 2016 Report Share Posted February 12, 2016 Meta means self referential. In other words, if that comment was meta, it could be referring to the publishing order of the books. Meta is when a video game character says "Push x to swing your sword" or "Check you stats to see if you can wear this armor". Meta would be if Brandon really did write himself into the books as Hoid or Adonalsium. Meta is that guy on House of Cards breaking the 4th wall and speaking to the audience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King's Twit he/him Posted February 12, 2016 Report Share Posted February 12, 2016 So a non-meta version of this would just be that they are a Worldhopping civilization that is now on their fourth planet, Roshar, and who have a cultural religious belief in the seventh world that they travel to being their end, when Many becomes One again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meg Posted February 12, 2016 Report Share Posted February 12, 2016 Thanks to both of you. I might have an inkling now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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