Book 2 speculation *Spoilers*

[Arcanist Lupus he/him]

Just a crazy thought, but what if Shallan created the shardblade when she killed her father? With something as valuable as a shardblade, it seems only logical that people would keep track of them, yet Shallan has one and nobody seems to know this. Some people have speculated that it is really the shardblade that the ghostbloods want back, but given the actions of the ghostbloods, it doesn't seem likely that they would put a shardblade in the hands of Shallan's father. If I recall (I don't have my copy with me so I can't check this), she describes her shardblade as a "fruit." This seems to be more in line with her having created it, not her having acquired it.

Also if she did create it by killing her father, this might explain why Syl dislikes shardblades.

I like your theory, but it has one flaw: Shallan is too curious by nature.

Let me explain. If Shallan created the shardblade when she killed her father, she would be doing something that she didn't know was possible. From what I know of Shallan, I think I can say that if Shallan was faced by something that she had thought was impossible, she would think about it, and try to learn about it. But she doesn't, throughout the course of WoK. Therefore, I think that the shardblade's presence was unexpected, but not earth shattering.

[Unworldly]

The above may be true, however, I think that Shallan has forcibly repressed her memory of that event (as much as she is able to, what with her excellent memory), and so might consciously choose not to investigate events surrounding her fathers' death - even if they were particularly puzzling.

That said, I hold more to the view that the Shardblade is like all others: an ancient relic, passed down through the generations, and that Shallan picked it up either just before, or just after, her father's death. My gut says it was directly involved in her father's death, though I can't work out why her memory contains so much blood if that's the case.

[Zas678 he/him]

I don't think so. It doesn't seem as though she has gaps in her memories- she just doesn't like thinking about it, and I think that she doesn't entirely think it was the wrong thing to do. I mean she did "murder" her father, but she doesn't spend time fretting about it, worrying if what she did was the right thing. Not nearly as much as stealing the Fabrial to save her family.

So, in her morals, she has a good reason for killing her father- she just doesn't want to think about it.

And she also isn't "whenever she thought of her father, she saw a pile of blood, with her father's head on it- then darkness. Shallan shuttered. She didn't remember much of her father's death- and she wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not."

But we don't have that. Shallan comes to no Revelation when she tells the Truthspren that she killed her father. She admits it. She isn't proud of it, isn't scared of it, and isn't too ashamed about it.

No, I don't think she's repressing the memories. She (and Brandon) are just avoiding them.

[prehistoricman]

I like your theory, but it has one flaw: Shallan is too curious by nature.

Let me explain. If Shallan created the shardblade when she killed her father, she would be doing something that she didn't know was possible. From what I know of Shallan, I think I can say that if Shallan was faced by something that she had thought was impossible, she would think about it, and try to learn about it. But she doesn't, throughout the course of WoK. Therefore, I think that the shardblade's presence was unexpected, but not earth shattering.

Shallan doesn't want others to know she has a shardblade. Considering that she didn't summon it even when her life was in danger I don't think she would even consider pulling it out when her life wasn't in danger if she knew there was the remotest possibility of her being spotted. Also, as Zas stated, she is most likely avoiding her memories of her father's death. Her shardblade is a massive reminder of it. I suspect that this may change in book 2 however as she stated that she killed her father to the truthspren.

[Catalyst21 he/him]

Shallan doesn't want others to know she has a shardblade. Considering that she didn't summon it even when her life was in danger I don't think she would even consider pulling it out when her life wasn't in danger if she knew there was the remotest possibility of her being spotted.

I disagree, if i remember correctly, Shallan had the thought that she didn't even think to summon her shardblade during that attack. To me this indicates that she has not had the blade long enough (or used it enough)to become used to it.

Also, as Zas stated, she is most likely avoiding her memories of her father's death. Her shardblade is a massive reminder of it. I suspect that this may change in book 2 however as she stated that she killed her father to the truthspren.

Take what I said above, and add in the following scenes:

• the scene where she calls the shardblade "the fruit of her sin"
  
• the image of her father lying facedown on the floor, dead, surrounded by blood
  
• the fact that the fabrial was found in his breast pocket, sheared in (3?) places
  
• the scenes with her disabled brother
  

and I emerge with a picture something like this:

[Cat's vision of how it happened]

Shallan's father is abusing her brother (possibly trying to kill him in a blind rage?) when Shallen walks in, grabs a sword off the wall, or a knife off the table, (or something to that effect) and rushing to her brothers defense. By this time the brother is unconscious, the father turns around as Shallen screams and he is killed (possibly on accident) by Shallen. In addition to killing her father, the fabrial is "sheared" at the same time. The father falls face down and his shardblade appears beside him, Shallan picks it up, bonding it. She hears her brothers coming and drops the blade, causing it to dissipate. Thus the brothers don't know about the blade.

[/vision]

[CrazyRioter she/her]

The thing that still confuses me is how the darn Soulcaster got sheared clean through, I doubt Shallan is strong enough to shear through metal with an ordinary weapon. But I'm convinced that her thoughts about the Shardblade indicate that she must have got it after her father was dead. I also doubt she slashed his corpse with the Shardblade after he was dead as then the corpse would have got cut into bits. Incidentally, I'd really like to know how her brothers think their father died, as I doubt they know she killed him.

[Cheese Ninja he/him]

Which is why I'm a fan of adding a 2nd person who died that night.

And a dead man in fine clothing, lying face-first on the floor, blood pooling around him.

page 582 .epub

She didn't specify that it was her father there. We could have that person be the original possessor of the shardblade, possibly killed by her father, and then Shallan could use the Shardblade to kill her father. This also might explain why they couldn't just sell the Shardblade to settle their debts. But overall it gives us more questions than it answers, so it's a pretty flawed idea.

[happyman he/him]

I can't help but feel that Shallan getting her Shardblade was somehow a direct result of her killing her father. Getting other people or events involved doesn't seem unreasonable, because whatever happened, it was very far out of the ordinary. On the other hand, calling the Shardblade the fruit of her most heinous sin essentially narrows the possibilities to her getting it from her father after killing him. So I don't know what to make of everything. All I do know is that Brandon has already outlined the events leading up to it, so it will all make sense when we know more.

[sillymuggle]

One hard thing to predict in specifics would be the effects of certain "late arrival" who turns up right at the end of book 1. I would speculate on the following general stuff though: that most people would have trouble accepting anything he says (despite his special sword), probably because it would go against Alethi customs / generally accepted customs. I bet Kaladin would want to talk to him though - I'd expect he'd find out about him quite quickly and would likely have access. Maybe Kaladin will (secretly) start to believe much earlier than anyone else but will keep it to himself to protect his own secrets. However, I'm sure some things our late arrival will say will be proven true during the course of the book, forcing people to take him more seriously.

I think Dalinar more likely to catch wind of him first since he showed up in his homeland and he is highprince. I also feel like he would be the one most likely to take the guy seriously because of his visions.

[CrazyRioter she/her]

I think Dalinar more likely to catch wind of him first since he showed up in his homeland and he is highprince. I also feel like he would be the one most likely to take the guy seriously because of his visions.

this is probably true, though I don't think Dalinar will be able to do anything about it openly for political reasons (people are already spreading tons of rumors about him, and thinking he's unhinged or something, it'd get worse if he takes the guy seriously when everybody else thinks he's a random crazy dude.), buuuuut he might discreetly send somebody *cough*Kaladin*cough* to find out more about the guy, and then interesting stuff will happen.

[dj26792 he/him]

But he is taking a lot of control over the camp, as the High Prince of War and everyone there being in the war, politics will be a lot less significant, he'll still have to play a bit, but its unlikely that it will be a major concern for him, people will be hating him or loving him because of what he's doing and regardless of how he acts towards the 'late arrival' that will be true, and I think he is smart enough to realise that and do whats right, thats sort of the whole point of his honour system, the right thing is more important than the easy thing, or the politically correct thing.

I expect he will do the right thing and people will try and cause trouble for him about it and that will be (one of) the sources of conflict in the book

[Arcanist Lupus he/him]

Don't forget, Wit is with the "late arrival". I think he gets the first move on that front of the story.

[Crimson Ether]

Something i do not agree with is Syl disliking all shards. she says that she disliked Dalinars shard perhaps shards have a second ability imbued with them... i got thinking about this when dalinar was getting sickness from killing parshendi perhaps the sword dalinar had gives him a thirst for battle and this is why syl dislikes his particular blade?

Kaladin i foresee will receive a shard its quite inevitable i do believe his shard (Possibly dawnshard) will be in the form of a Spear though. Reason he would not take the first shard he won it didn't feel correct to him he is a master of the spear to learn a totally new fighting style seems rather counterproductive

my biggest curiosity still will remain the black sphere that szeth was given and hid. i forsee this having the biggest impact in the story by far

[Chicken]

For all we know, that's a Raysium nugget. Or an 8ball fabrial. I'm pretty sure we won't even hear about it for a loong time.

[Crimson Ether]

my first thought was it contained Midnight essence but it seemed a little to important for that

[CrazyRioter she/her]

I agree that Kaladin will end up with a Shardblade and Shardplagte eventually. but it won't happen for a few books. I think a Shard-naginata (Japanese weapon that's basically a spear with a short sword blade on the end) would be awesome, but I don't know if that will happen.

Who says Midnight Essence isn't part of Odium's power?

[Crimson Ether]

it defiantly could be a part of Odium i just believe midnight essence to be some form of the "Old magic" or even the sphere containing "old magic" back in one of Dalinars flashbacks the radiant said that Midnight essence was RELEASED and had no part of a deslation this could very well mean the sphere which contained a black light in the middle is some form of a container?

one thing about the sphere. it guarantees Szeth will survive until the location of its hiding space is revealed i also believe "The most important words a man can say" thing will come up between Dalinar and szeth.

I still very much believe it was just Dalinars blade that syl did not like i just finished the chapter where Andolin confronted the soldier who was assaulting the whore (Excuse my language)and syl did not seem to have a problem at all with Andolins shard as far as i could see.

Possible reasons behind this is still unknown but i remember passages of people talking about dalinar before he started to read the way of kings where he was truly frighting at a young age could this have been the swords influence over powering his young mind until he became wiser to see the injustice that a shard blade could cause? reason being towards the end using the sword upset him tremendously it seemed.

Wouldn't it be quite funny if that was one of the dawnshards and it corrupted sadeas? To me sadeas is a main plot point in this series now. we cannot avoid him in future books with him being a full shard bearer now and the grudge between him and Dalinar.

wow sorry for the rant this is a bit more winded then i thought haha

[Chicken]

I still very much believe it was just Dalinars blade that syl did not like i just finished the chapter where Andolin confronted the soldier who was assaulting the whore (Excuse my language)and syl did not seem to have a problem at all with Andolins shard as far as i could see.

Assuming this is true, the reason might be Dalinar's youth spent as a warmongering bloodthirsty gloryhog corrupting his Shards. Adolin has never been a vicious bastard and he didn't kill someone for the Shards, so his stuff are clean. And he even came to war out of his devotion to Dalinar (he thinks about that somewhere in the book).

Edited November 11, 2011 by Chicken

[dj26792 he/him]

I think another thing to consider about Dalinars revulsion at fighting, he was never revolted by the fighting perse, he was revolted by the pointlessness of the fighting and the dishonourable nature of it. (I think...) After all when it comes down to the wire at the end he enjoys the fight, because he is fighting for the right reason, to protect his men and lead them to safety, its an honourable battle and he is content to fight, satisfied even knowing that he is doing the right thing.

[shardbearer589]

I personally think the fight will result in Kaladin SOMEHOW gaining control of Szeth's oathstone(most likely with the help of Syl) and then commanding him to stop his attack. Then I think Dalinar and his people will interrogate Szeth thus finding out about the crazy kings plan. Since both Dalinar and Kaladin have showed immense honor throughout SA1 I think they will use their temporary power over him to release him from his oath as truthless, then give him the option to fight alongside them, which I think he will reluctantly accept. Upon having Szeth on their side it becomes only a matter of time before its revealed that both Szeth and Kaladin have special powers(which most likely is revealed in the fight itself) and then results in Szeth training Kaladin on how to better control his new found powers. Atleast I hope this happens because i feel really bad for Szeth since he seems like a genuinely good person caught in horrible circumstances, and i highly doubt Sanderson would consider killing off any main characters just 2/10 of the way in. The only thing for certain is that a meeting between them is inevitable..i just hope neither Dalinar, Adolin, Kaladin, or Szeth die as a result.

[CrazyRioter she/her]

how's Kaladin going to get hold of Szeth's rock in the middle of the fight? It's all the way over in Khaarbanth(spelling) with King T. more likely Kaladin and Adolin will beat the crap out of Szeth and chain him to a wall, then they will find out about the rock, and somebody will go steal it. or Szeth will finally just say "screw this crap" and join up with Team Honour and Justice of his own free will.

[shardbearer589]

The thing that still confuses me is how the darn Soulcaster got sheared clean through, I doubt Shallan is strong enough to shear through metal with an ordinary weapon. But I'm convinced that her thoughts about the Shardblade indicate that she must have got it after her father was dead. I also doubt she slashed his corpse with the Shardblade after he was dead as then the corpse would have got cut into bits. Incidentally, I'd really like to know how her brothers think their father died, as I doubt they know she killed him.

I was originally going to say that maybe she did slash the corpse thus damaging the soulcaster without doing harm to her fathers body,but that would have been dumb since a Shardblade can indeed cut through dead flesh. So maybe the deathblow killed her father and sheared the soulcaster, which would still result in her father's corpse not being cut into bits.

[ulyssessword he/him]

i highly doubt Sanderson would consider killing off any main characters just 2/10 of the way in.

I'm not so sure about that, after all: (Mistborn:Final Empire spoiler)

Kelsier dies 1/3 of the way through the Mistborn series.

[Arcanist Lupus he/him]

I'm not so sure about that, after all: (Mistborn:Final Empire spoiler)

Kelsier dies 1/3 of the way through the Mistborn series.

Not like he leaves.

I think Szeth is going to stay an antagonist (at least to Kaladin and crew) for a couple of books now. I realize we want him on the team, but I just don't think it's practical or likely.

[hoser he/him]

What a great thread! There are so many amazing confrontations already set up. I can't wait!

I keep thinking of Szeth going to kill Dalinar.

He is instructed to start right away and to do it "brutally". I assume brutally to mean publicly and with great collateral damage.

The first question is whether he meets Jasnah and Shallan on the way. Jasnah has chartered a boat to take her and Shallan to the Shattered Plains. Looking at the map, the boat will presumably go to Karanak in Alethkar and then they will caravan to the Shattered Plains. Conceivably one could also travel overland through the frostlands or boat to the end of the unnamed bay in the frostlands and caravan from there, but I imagine the frostlands to be somewhat difficult. Will Szeth be on the same boat and/or caravan? Jasnah could get suspicious. I doubt Szeth would kill them unless he had to. Potential hilarity.

Next, Szeth has to sneak into the warcamps. The Alethi are going to be wary of Shin, Kaladin knows him and Kaladin is going to be looking for people trying to assassinate Dalinar. More potential hilarity.

Finally, Szeth has to perform the public assassination. Szeth seems skilled enough to best Kaladin, but Kaladin may have certain advantages:

1. He may be able to use stormlight more efficiently (particularly if he has learned the third Windrunner oath)(this assumes that Szeth is getting his Windrunner powers from the Honorblade he carries and not the "Nahel Bond").
   
2. Szeth is in his mid-thirties and will have been slowed from his physical prime.
   
3. The other bridgemen may have developed some Windrunner abilities and may thus help.
   
4. The assorted developing Radiants may absorb all the available Stormlight and leave him stranded.
   
5. Dalinar, Adolin, Renarin, Elhokar, Jasnah, Shallan could all help.
   

Great hilarity.

I envision a conflict where he runs out of Stormlight and is then at the mercy of Adolin. No-one can be imprisoned with a Blade, of course. He could be confronted with the choice of giving up his Blade or being killed. He would have to choose to violate one of the rules that bind him to his Stone, which could be a problem for his already cracked mind.

I don't want to go any further with my fantasies when we all know that Brandon will come up something infinitely better.

We know from interviews that Szeth and Dalinar will eventually have their own books and that Szeth is not getting his windrunner abilities from surgebinding. Hence, Szeth will not succeed in killing Dalinar and he will be transformed into a true Radiant eventually.

Edited December 2, 2011 by hoser