#eshonai/azure

[cosmereplay]

Day 21: Fantasy

Rated Teen for a mildly suggestive scene, Eshonai/Azure, mild Warbreaker spoilers, Oathbringer spoilers. Cross posted on ao3 Check out this art by @lamaery that inspired me!

“Curiosity, Resolve, Surprise,” Azure mused as she lay atop her wife. “I think that’s my new favourite combination.”

Eshonai ran her fingers through Azure’s hair, which had turned orange-red. “I can tell. I got the Rhythm of Victory out of you,” she murmured to Amusement, which Azure felt as both a pulse of vibration and a friendly yellow. After they'd worldhopped to Nalthis, something wonderful had happened between them. When Eshonai spoke to Rhythms, Azure experienced them as sound and colour at the same time. Eshonai said the same about the colour of Azure’s royal locks, that she experienced them as Rhythms.

So far, it had been a spectacular honeymoon.

Azure hummed in pleasure, nuzzling her wife's chest and hugging her close. I could almost fall asleep here, warmed by the sunlight...Then she caught the angle of sunlight as it hit the inside of the carriage. It was a deeper angle now, no longer touching their makeshift bed, made of the two carriage benches pressed together. 

“Oh colours! We’re nearly there!” 

She sat up and scrambled off Eshonai. She cleaned them up the best she could, then started throwing on clothes as she peeked out the window. “Don’t look yet,” she warned her wife.

Eshonai pointedly looked down, busying herself with getting dressed. Azure caught a drift of pale orange sound as she buckled her belt, and she couldn’t tell whether the anxiety was hers or Eshonai’s. It had been at least a hundred years since she’d been on Nalthis, let alone anywhere near Idris itself. She was half-surprised the kingdom was still standing; she had been fully befuddled by the fact that the main road was now solidly built and well maintained. 

“Is this what you wanted?” Eshonai asked her to Amusement. She'd covered her eyes with one of her sashes.

“Yes, that’s perfect,” Azure grinned, then turned and knocked sharply on the wall of the carriage. “Stop here!” she called out.

Slowly, they came to a stop, and by the time the coachman opened the door for them, they were ready. Azure went first, then took Eshonai by both hands and carefully led her down the steps to the ground, where Eshonai wrapped an arm around Azure’s back.

They took a few steps forward into the lush summer grass, dotted with purple and white flowers. The smell of the wind made Azure feel young and hopelessly naive. She breathed slowly, taking in the view of Bevalis, the capital city of Idris. 

It was as she remembered, a small city of thatched, single story buildings nestled in the centre of the valley. She could pick out the palace even at this great distance; it was still easily the largest building. She was surprised to see that the buildings were not all painted white; spots of colour dotted the city here and there. The sight made her smile.

“Well, oncemate? Can I look yet, or does Idris need to put its clothes on, too?” Eshonai joked.

Azure snapped out of her reverie. “Yes! Yes I think Idris is ready for you to see it. Here it is, the place where I spent my childhood.” 

She lifted the cloth from Eshonai’s eyes, and Eshonai gasped, looking up, down, slowly spinning, trying to see everything at once.

“Everything is so green!” she exclaimed to Joy. “And the fields are massive! Storms, the mountains are huge! Is that snow? How can they be green and snowy at the same time? Are there two different seasons happening at once?”

“Kind of,” Azure said thoughtfully, but Eshonai kept rambling, stepping forward and pointing.

“How does your city survive at the bottom of the mountains like that? Don’t the rains wash it out with every storm? Or do you not have storms here?”

“Not like Roshar.”

Eshonai looked up and breathed deeply, smelling the wind, and then she looked down, brushing the grass with her foot. “The plants here are so tame. I want to kick them,” she said to Joy.

Azure laughed. Eshonai’s curiosity, and her joy, were infectious. She could tell her hair was turning a scandalous yellow, and she didn't care one bit.

“I’ve got something even better,” she said, grinning at her wife. “We’ll pick them. Let me show you how to make a bouquet. It'll be almost as beautiful as you.”

Eshonai hummed to Joy, and Azure wondered how she could be so lucky, to find a woman who made everything yellow.

[lamaery]

some more art for femslash February featuring Eshonai and Azure being the best worldhopping girlfriends out there. Leshwi and Jaxlim sharing a passion for growth and gardening.

(sorry I just had to add this comment from discord 😆) and Sja-Anat and Evi which could be loosely seen as accompanying art to this ficlet by @cosmereplay

(disclaimer: non of these ships I came up with myself but they were suggested by the amazing people from the Bridge Four Discord, when I asked for potential couples to scribble pictures for) 😀

[gal-palanaeum]

Femslash February 2024 fic list

Thanks to everyone who wrote, commented, shared, and encouraged, we had a great Cosmere Femslash February 2024. This month we increased the number of Cosmere femslash fics by 30%! The best part is that you can do yuri duty anytime by checking out all Cosmere femslash fics on ao3, or browsing what we wrote during this year's event.

(Please note the rating before you click, and as always you are responsible to heed tags for triggers before reading.)

The list of fics is below the cut, organized by length:

The need for Trust by Elsefaller. Azure/Khrissalla, rated Teen, 12,000 words

Sealed with a Stamp by TrishyEves. Marasi/Shai, rated Explicit, 4000 words

The Rhythm of Awe by Hazekiller16. Eshonai/Azure, rated General, 3000 words

i thought the simberry jam made my intentions clear by TrishyEves. Laral/Lyn, rated Mature, 3000 words

Betting on Colms by TrishyEves. Marasi/MeLaan, rated Teen, 3000 words

Rhythm of Study by TrishyEves. Shallan/Eshonai, rated Teen, 2500 words

Karma by cosmere_play. Transfem Kaladin/Leshwi, rated Teen, 2000 words

The Perfect Mistake by TrishyEves. Design/Khrissalla, rated Teen, 2000 words

Diamond by cosmere_play. Ialai/Beryl, rated Explicit, 2000 words

Before You Go by cosmere_play. Laran/Lyn, rated Explicit, 1500 words

Anything For You by cosmere_play. Transfem Kaladin/Leshwi, rated Explicit, 1500 words

Partners In Crime by cosmere_play. Rushu/Venli, rated General, 1500 words

The Only One Who Deserves Her by if_one_of_us_falls. Aesudan/Aesudan, rated Mature, 1500 words (locked to registered ao3 users)

Made you smile by cosmere_play. Beryl/Darcira and Veil/Ishnah, rated Teen, 1500 words

Weapons by cosmere_play. Malata/Danlan, rated Mature, 1500 words

Your Voice by cosmere_play. Jaxlim/Leshwi, rated Teen, 1000 words

Plagued by the horrors by cosmere_play. Venli/Radiant, rated Teen, 1000 words

Haunting by cosmere_play. Jasnah/Shashara, rated General, 1000 words

Like Steelpushing by Elsefaller. Transfem Elend/Vin, rated General, 1000 words

Chose violence by Axehound (cosmere_play). Vin/violence, rated Mature, 1000 words

Alternate timeline by cosmere_play. Navani/Ialai and Ialai/Raboniel, rated Teen, 1000 words

It Still Bleeds by cosmere_play. Navani/Evi, rated Explicit, 1000 words

In the Shadows by cosmere_play. Evi/Sja-anat, rated General, 1000 words

Living dead by cosmere_play. Karata/Maare (from Elantris), rated Mature, 1000 words

Goddess by Axehound (cosmere_play). Devotion/Dominion (Shards), rated Explicit, 1000 words

Doomed by the narrative by cosmere_play. Tyn & Veil, rated Teen, 1000 words

Apocalypse by Axehound (cosmere_play). Chanarach/Vedel, rated Mature, 1000 words

And Then I Found You by cosmere_play. Navani/Raboniel, rated Teen, 1000 words

Copycat by cosmere_play. Design/MeLaan, rated Mature, 1000 words

Hands for Holding by cosmere_play. Eshonai & Bila, rated Mature, 1000 words

Your Life Is Mine by Axehound. Shallan/Danlan, rated Mature, 1000 words

Fantasy by cosmere_play. Eshonai/Vivenna, rated Teen, 500 words

Please Be Gentle by cosmere_play. Tindwyl/Allrianne, rated Mature, 500 words

Love is devotion by cosmere_play. Cord/Rysn, rated General, 500 words

In the Vastness by if_one_of_us_falls. Navani/Raboniel, rated General, 500 words

If Only by cosmere_play. Siri/Vin, rated Teen, 500 words

Come Back Soon by cosmere_play. Laral/Lyn, rated Teen, 500 words

A Gem by BlindRadiant. Transfem Adolin/Radiant, rated General, 250 words

[kidrat]

Way of Kings:

Shallan is bi for Jasnah

clear sexual tension between Dalinar and Sadeas

Jasnah is grossed out by men

Words of Radiance:

Shallan is still bi for Jasnah

Kaladin won’t shut up about Renarin’s pretty hands

Eshonai is ace as fuck

Renarin begs to join a group of affectionate muscly men

Pattern and Shallan discuss spren gender

Oathbringer:

Shallan is still bi for Jasnah

Kaladin laughs at the idea of himself having sex

Lyn exists

Lyn’s friend girlfriend defies gender roles by teaching herself to fight

Azure exists

Drehy has a boyfriend

Lopen implies he knows what it’s like to court a soldier

Kaladin is romance repulsed

Ialai thinks Evi is sexy

Elhokar is happy for Shallan to lightweave him into a woman

spren have four genders

The Big Straight Ship dies

identity is a major theme

The Stormfather has a sibling that goes by they/them pronouns

Pattern wants to marry Adolin

Syl is likewise obsessed with Shallan

In conclusion Roshar is getting gayer as we speak and I’m even more hyped for stormlight four

[basket-of-radiants]

Validity Masterpost

I hate that I felt the need to make this and I hate that there’s just so much content to put here. There is nothing about this masterpost and the fact that it exists that I like. Well here you go, a list of half the fucking posts on this blog. (This one’s chronological!)

Szeth (1/2)

Moash

Hoid

Dalinar

Lightsong

Pattern

Ati (1/2←check the notes on that one)

Odium

Venli

Blackthorn

Me

Evi (this is literally just the same as Lightsong’s)

Eshonai

Timbre

You

Re-Shephir

Azure/Vivenna

Nightblood

Elhokar

Syl

Renarin

Jasnah (1/2←I basically made the same joke twice here because I’m a very creative person.)

[esseastri]

Megan Reads Oathbringer (part 9)

Happy New Year, y’all.

“Heavy Fuel” by Dire Straits is a punk!Dalinar song, sorry, I don’t make the rules.

Part 9 encompasses pages 666-753 (previous parts)

Pray for the mountain internet, please, that it lets me do this liveblog without dropping tumblr every five minutes.

okay, but Elhokar is drawing a map and I’m suddenly vaguely desperate for Elhokar/Eshonai map buddies.

I s2g every time someone calls him “the bridgeman” I just hiss protectively. HE HAS A NAME

oh snap his baby’s name is Gavinor. that’s... listen bud, your dad doesn’t deserve to have anyone named after him, sorry.

“Nice work, Elhokar.” *Gloryspren* THIS CHILD NEEDS MORE ENCOURAGEMENT, PLS, HELP HIM. BE KIND TO HIM. HUG HIM.

“Storming lighteyes, Veil thought as she watched [the food distribution].” YEAH HON, THAT GOES FOR YOU TOO, NORMALLY.

Okay, no, not quite--Shallan would probably not go so far as to send her servants to get food that could be given to the poor instead of rich people, but like... the principle stands. Shallan does not recognize her own privilege half the time, and I guess?? that “Veil” noticing it... might? be a step in the right direction? But... probably not until she fuses her multiple identities back into one person.

And that doesn’t seem like it’s happening any time soon.

HOID

WHY ARE YOU WEARING SADEAS COLORS? 

aw yis. storytime.

Aight, can Hoid see through Lightweaving, or can he just recognize Shallan by like... her stance and the way she moves or? HOW COOL IS HE, IS WHAT I’M ASKING HERE.

“You look like you could use the opportunity to buy me something to eat.” HOID, PLS.

“I’m not stupid enough to get mixed up in religion again.” Again. Hoid, wth does that mean.

but dear god, Hoid as a Herald would be hilarious.

THE LAST SEVEN TIMES HE’S TRIED IT. WTH, HOID, OH MY GOD.

“The sum total of stupid people is somewhere around the population of the planet. Plus one.” “Plus one?” “Sadeas counts twice.” GOD BLESS, WIT.

wait, so he wasn’t lying about the promise? About “always being there when needed” but not always knowing where or why? hm. Interesting concept. That I kind of love and wish I’d thought of first.

“Who came with you?” “Kaladin, Adolin, Elhokar, some of our servants.” I thiiiink the other bridgemen would take offense at that, but sure. Whatever.

I’m...intensely amused that chapter 69 is titled “Free Meal, No Strings.” Because I’m eleven and crude as fuck.

Idk, Kaladin, they have a point: the world is ending, so you might as well party. You can be miserable and afraid, or you can be partying and afraid. I’d go with the second.

OH OOOHHHHH OH ADOLIN CALLED HIM “KAL” AND I DIED A LITTLE BIT INSIDE

MY BOY’S GOT FRIENDS AGAIN AND HIS FRIENDS ARE ADOLIN AND I’M CRY

(but dear god, the Kadolin is real)

Also, Adolin being stupidly happy about getting a new wardrobe is giving me life, I LOVE THIS RIDICULOUS FASHION BOY

HEHEHEH Adolin is going to bring Skar and Drehy pastries from the lighteyes party, that’S SO CUTE I LOVE THIS

“What?” “What what?” “You’re going drinking with bridgemen?” “Sure. Skar, Drehy, and I go way back.” “We spent some time keeping His Highness from falling into chasms.” I’M LIVING MY CROPS ARE FLOURISHING MY SKIN IS CLEAR THIS IS ALL I EVER WANTED THIS IS THE BEST THING THAT’S EVER HAPPENED TO ME I LOVE THIS I LOVE EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS.

“He felt good lots of days. Trouble was, on the bad days, that was hard to remember. At those times, for some reason, he felt like he had always been in darkness, and always would be. Why was it so hard to remember? Did he have to keep slipping back down? Why couldn’t he stay up here in the sunlight, where everyone else lived?”

The Megan-and-Kaladin-Think-the-Same-Exact-Way-and-It’s-Both-Comforting-and-Terrifying Trend continues. 

Sometimes people ask me why he’s my favorite and I just. Have literally never related more strongly to another person ever, real life or fictional. It’s wild.

ADOLIN COMING TO CHECK ON KALADIN WHEN HE FALLS BEHIND WORRYING.

THERE IS TOO MUCH. STORMING. KADOLIN. IN THIS BOOK.

I love that the phrase “and you’re lighteyed today” is a normal thing now. That it changes and he can just. change it. and they’ve all accepted it. I love it.

PUNCHY GUYS.

IT’S THE ACADEMIC TERM

SWORDY FELLOWS OR SPEARISH CHAPS. AXALACIOUS BLOKE.

bless these two nerds

“Adolin Kholin was simply a good person. Powder-blue clothing and all. You couldn’t hate a man like him; storms, you kind of had to like him.”

YOU REALLY REALLY DO. He’s infectious, this sunlight boy. And I adore him.

oh no

“Should have just gone to the party” YES YES YOU SHOULD HAVE. I’M WORRY.

also, why did the illusion wear off????? Shallan, what you do?

“The stew didn’t smell anywhere near as good as Rock’s.” HEHEH Nothing does, I’m sure.

I loooooove that Kaladin gets to tell the truth about Amaram now. Drag him, my boy.

the over-friendly wall guards are makin me nervous

I’m sure there are some good men here, and a lot of good soldiers, but... who are they and where did they come from and why are they all lighteyes and.... I have sooo many questions.

......I don’t remember if the squires’ eyes turn light when they’ve been flying with Kaladin.

I don’t think they do, but I don’t remember, and now I’m thinking...maybe the highmarshal is. some kind of Radiant whose squires are all...lighteyes?

hm

AAHH!!!!??? AAAHH!!???? A LADY SHARDBEARER!!!!!?? A LADY!!!!

Okay. That was a pretty dang good speech.

But who is shhheeee

Is she a radiant or is that an Honorblade???

Mmmmmm, Kaladin also thinks she’s a Radiant, but WHICH KIND? If she’s got a bunch of squires, it could be Windrunner, but... dangit, I just... really want to meet a Stoneward.

“In every way, she was the perfect Alethi wife--and her unhappiness crushed his soul.” IT SHOULD. SHE DESERVES BETTER.

I’m reaaaally glad that Evi recognized the Thrill as a bad thing. A monster crouching in her husband’s body.

“...the Thrill was your reward.” Reward? Dalinar, listen to your wife. Please. That is not a reward.

Dalinar, look at you go. You did try this before, the talking thing. You are talking to this angry kiddo, and you’re bad at it, but you’re trying. This isn’t very punk!Dalinar of you. I like it. I can see the bits of presentday!Dalinar poking through the Thrill-encrusted shell of punk!Dalinar. I like it.

This is such interesting character movement, gaahh.

Evi still deserves better though. “Because of a good woman’s tears” ugh the fridge doors are slowly swinging shut, aren’t they?

whhhhhhhhaaaaat

I mean, I’m not surprised, because it’s Sadeas and he’s Sadeas and of course he’s a fucking traitor, but

whhhhhhhhaaaaaaaaat

...........gross.

Shallan needs to stop getting killed, please. This is really gross.

NO, DON’T TRY TO TALK WITH A CROSSBOW BOLT IN YOUR FACE PLEASE THIS IS REALLY UNNECESSARY

I DID NOT ASK FOR THIS LEVEL OF HORROR NOVEL PLEASE TAKE IT BACK, BRANDON.

Kaladin “Good at Making Friends” Stormblessed being all sheepish at making friends easily when it took so much effort to make friends with Bridge Four, like... listen, buddy. YOU are excellent at making friends and these guys were all ready to be friends with you. The Bridge was not ready and you had to wear them down with your charm, and you did, and doesn’t that make it all the more precious that you are friends with them?

Also, I miss them. Are my boys okay, Brandon? How are they doing?

omg, Adolin, pls. Yellow?

The Wall Guards making fun of Adolin’s new wardrobe is DELIGHTFUL.

Kaladin: HELLO, FELLOW LIGHTEYES, FOR I AM SURELY A LIGHTEYES, YES INDEEDY, LOOK AT MY VERY LIGHT EYES.

Hi, I love Kaladin, I am not sure you know this about me.

“Yes, his suit was a little bright--but if they would merely spend five minutes talking to him, they’d see he wasn’t so bad.”

Kaladin.

Babe.

You’ve come. So. Far.

I’m so proud of him, oh my god.  

mmmm this food shipment stuff is so weeeiiirrd. where is it coming from? why is it going?? uuugghhhhh

Part of me is like, “I love that they call Azure ‘sir’ and use male pronouns because there is no gender on the battlefield! Everyone gets treated equal!” and most of me is like “fuck this, she’s a fucking lady in command and she deserves to be known.”

also, wtf, she had them attack a monastery? Okay, I get it, you want to control the Soulcaster, but like.... you didn’t just go in there a kill a buncha monks for it, did you?

OKAY, SO MAYBE IT IS AN HONORBLADE THAT WAS DEF MY THOUGHT

but which one.

We have the Skybreaker one.......so whose is this?

Unless it’s not.

I’m

confused. and worried.

Tell me things, Brandon!

OH. But then she wouldn’t need the Soulcaster...if she had an Honorblade for Soulcasting... so she went and got the Soulcaster to...keep up appearances? Hm.

....is it awkward that Stormlight Archive has, so far, been the story of several people slowly becoming atheist (Jasnah, Dalinar) or agnostic (Kaladin) as their lives fall to pieces around them and they slowly rebuild?

Kaladin is a Good, guys.

The best.

omg, okay, but the Swiftspren is just.... LISTEN, BRANDON, YOU CAN’T GO MAKING SHALLAN A ROBIN HOOD. DON’T DO ME LIKE THIS.

I feel so bad for Elhokar.

Buddy just needs some hugs, okay.

Okay, I know logically that Roshar is Bad At Horses, but somehow it never occurred to me that they wouldn’t have archers trained on horseback. Mounted archer is just... such a very Alethi thing, especially non-Shattered Plains Alethi. I didn’t realize, but of course they wouldn’t have that. Horses are too rare.

aight, I didn’t really think Sadeas had betrayed them THIS early on, but STILL, I was so hoping...

Still, rockslide ambush is... a pretty solid strategy for dealing with a Shardbearer.

Sucks for his elites tho. They did not deserve that. That’s shitty.

“They must know the punishment for broken oaths.” Huh. Even back then...

“for none shall remain to weep.” #YIKES, my dude. y i k e s.

punk!Dalinar needs to take a chill pill.

And maybe get some sleep.

Listen, if the Thrill is telling you not to sleep, yOU SHOULD PROBABLY SLEEP.

also, any time you are actually LISTENING to SADEAS? You should probably rethink your life and your choices.

Just saying.

So... presentday!Dalinar had a conversation with Taravangian, about sacrificing the few to save the many. That’s...sort of what Taravangian’s entire plan for world domination salvation rests on. But now here...at the Rift. This is 100% Sadeas’ argument: sacrifice the ten thousand commoners living in the Rift to make an example of their highlords to stop any rebellion further down the timeline that might result in more soldiers’ deaths. Which gives ...a really fascinating insight into just how incredibly far Dalinar has come. past!Dalinar is literally employing the exact plan that Taravangian is trying to do on a worldwide scale, and so he knows it. He understands the consequences that Taravangian can’t know and can’t anticipate and refuses to consider. And present!Dalinar learned from this, and knows what end these means lead to and...refuses. To do it again.

It’s SUCH an interesting character progression. And it’s absolutely fascinating to see it laid out in this order--to see the good, honorable man we know and love first and to see this...monster that he was and see exactly how very much he’s grown... It doesn’t excuse this bad period, the good he’s doing now, but maybe it explains it a little bit. Dalinar is getting a redemption arc and we didn’t even realize that he needed one until he’s almost done with it.

And that’s some badass non-linear storytelling for you.

Also past!Dalinar can get fucked by a cactus, holy shit, what an unbelievable fuck.

nooooo wonder Kadash leaves and becomes an ardent.

hoooooly shit.

“We’ve gone too far.” YA FUCKING THINK??

Meanwhile, Sadeas: “Nonsense!”

Fuck Sadeas, uuugghhhh I’m so glad he’s dead. UUGGHHH

what

the

fuck

THAT JUST HAPPENED.

Fun facts, y’all, the refrigerator is now on fire.

hoooollly fucking shiiiiiiit

WELP

[ekispoilsthecosmere]

Finished Oathbringer! In this post I’ll go over some of the notes I took while reading. There will not only be full Oathbringer spoilers, but also spoilers for other Cosmere books. Let me know if you have any answers or theories!

Prologue: Gavilar says that humans trapped a “crucial” spren, making (most) parshendi/listeners/singers unable to enter forms. Is this an Unmade? If so, how did they change forms before Odium arrived on the planet? Did the Everstorm free that spren, or “fix” the singers on its own? I think the latter, because of something mentioned later (by Syl, I think). The listener who bought Szeth heard a voice speaking to the Rhythms - probably Odium or an agent of his.

Chapter 8: Renarin seemed to recognize the description Dalinar gave of Odium’s Champion, but even after the revelation at the end of the book, I’m not sure exactly what he knew... Was he just surprised Dalinar had seen the same thing? Was the fact that Dalinar had seen it some kind of proof to Renarin that Dalinar was the figure in question?

Chapter 13: NO MATING

Chapter 16: The Stormfather mentions the movement of time together with other “forces”, like pressure and gravitation. Is there a time Surge? Are there timespren? Would timespren appear around an Allomantic time bubble? Near a black hole (though this might be moot, since there would be no people near a black hole)? Do timepieces use timespren, or are they mechanical and driven by a different type of spren?

Chapter 32: JAAAASNAAAAAAH MORE LIKE YES-NAH

Interlude 2: The ardent says his patron has a strict deadline upon a certain translation. This is most certainly Taravangian, based on the events towards the end of the book.

Interlude 3: Based on Eshonai’s personality, I think the spren looking like a ball of white fire is a Willshaper spren.

Chapter 33: Cephandrius is one of Hoid’s names. At this point I thought the sender might have been Frost, but that doesn’t match upcoming epigraphs.

Chapter 37: The epigraph writer mentions a pact. From later stuff, I assume the pact was that the Shards would keep themselves separated from each other. Rock can hear rhythms, faintly. Since Horneaters have some singer heritage, they are probably the actual Rhythms. Rock also mentions a relative traveling “the third divide”. Is that a place in the peaks, or does it refer to Shadesmar?

Chapter 38: The Stormfather says that the Surge of Tension (I think?) could serve Dalinar differently from Stonewards, which confirms that Surges can indeed work differently for different Orders, as many people have theorized.

Chapter 40: The epigraph writer mentions someone named “Uli Da”. It sounds like a former Vessel for a Shard - probably Ambition’s, based on how the writer thinks she was obviously going to be a problem.

Chapter 42: Hoid is described as the “bearer of the First Gem”. Sounds important!

Chapter 43: At this point, I hadn’t yet realized who was writing the epigraphs, but whoever it is seems to have a presence on Roshar - possibly a spren of some sort.

Chapter 46: This is when I realized the epigraph writer was most likely Autonomy - we know from WoBs that Autonomy has several avatars, which fits the plural pronouns. I guess that means that their Intent is driving them towards splintering themselves in a weird way, to create autonomous beings that somehow still regard themselves as part of the Shard.

Chapter 51: Which waters? The Origin? Why would Autonomy have “tests” on Roshar? Was my earlier assumption wrong? Considering who I think the next letter writer is, I think I was right about it being Autonomy. So what are these tests?

Chapter 55: This is when I realized the new epigraph author is most likely Harmony, and that Hoid has been writing to all Shards he thinks might be willing to help stop Odium.

Chapter 57: Harmony requests that Hoid should visit in person - is that why he returned in Era 2, or had he already talked to Harmony before that? LIFT LIFT LIFT LIFT

Interlude 4: The sleepless says that “There are those who could pull secrets from your soul”. There have been theories for a good while that something is wrong with Roshar’s afterlife - all the talk about the Tranquiline Halls, the Heralds returning from death, etc... And now, in this book, the souls of the Fused staying around. I had a theory that Radiants had somehow “accidentally” attached themselves to the Oathpact by copying the Surges granted by the Honorblades (and that that’s why the Recreance happened). Much of that theory has been debunked with this book, but some of it could still hold - maybe people who are close to the Surges get stuck in Damnation when they die. The sleepless also says that “the cost would be the ends of worlds.” Worlds, plural. Not just Roshar. Are they hiding a way to free Odium, perhaps?

Chapter 64: The Stormfather pretty much confirms what most Cosmere nerds had already theorized - that the heart of a highstorm, where gems are infused, is Honor’s perpendicularity.

Chapter 65: The Stormfather mentions “Spiritual Adhesion”. Can other Surges do that too? Like, I dunno, Spiritual Abrasion? LIFT STOLE DALINAR’S LUNCH

Chapter 67: At this point, when it was revealed that Elhokar could draw, I became more excited about him becoming a Lightweaver, which had already been heavily hinted towards before. I had no idea... Shallan thinks Hoid might be Lightweaving... which he is. It’s just a completely different magic system with the same name.

Chapter 68: The epigraph mentions “the Sibling” - is that the spren of Urithiru? Is it a Bondsmith spren? Hoid says there’s at least one god worshiping him... He usually doesn’t lie about those things...

Chapter 70: At this point, seeing the description of Azure’s shardblade, I thought it was either an Honorblade, or that Azure was a Radiant - in either case, if she wanted to both use her shardblade and not reveal it wasn’t a normal deadblade, she would have to keep it summoned, or find a gem to affix to it (which might not even work for non-dead blades). Before we got to see the blade, I thought maybe she had been the one to steal Taln’s blade, but his is very unique, so Kaladin would have noticed that it looked odd.

Chapter 74: Elhokar recognizes Pattern - even more clues to him getting closer to being a Lightweaver.

Sja-anat illustration: I think the reason hungerspren haven’t been corrupted is because people in the palace aren’t hungry, so the spren don’t get close enough for the Unmade to corrupt them.

Chapter 77: In the stormshelter, Kaladin flicks away an “odd cremling” - this is most likely part of a sleepless. It had a “strange tan pattern” on the back - probably to imitate skin.

Chapter 78: The old Radiants tried to deny the enemy their Voidlight - which at that point did NOT come from the Everstorm. So was it an Unmade instead? Is that the one in Gavilar’s sphere?

Chapter 79: AZURE IS VIVENNA!! She uses color idioms! Her NAME is a color! I don’t think I would have been able to figure it out earlier than this, but I’m glad I did it here and not later when it becomes more obvious. I thought she would have a much smaller role in the book.

Chapter 82: Shallan thinks Azure is younger than she expected... Weeeell....

Chapter 83: Azure’s weapon is Nightblood-esque, but much less destructive - maybe with a better Command, or a refined process. I think I suspected it before this (don’t quite remember), because Azure did call her sword a “she” earlier. “Azure had removed her cloak and wrapped it half around her left arm” - Probably Awakening at work, but to what end, I don’t know. Just for strength? Protection?

Chapter 84: The epigraph mentions Feverstone Keep - this is the keep Dalinar sees in his vision of the Recreance. Aesudan says that Gavilar had found one of the “ancient spren” - more implications that the black sphere does indeed hold one of the Unmade. The Diagram predicted that “One is almost certainly a traitor to the others” - Sja-anat revealing herself to Shallan basically confirms that this was about the Unmade. There were theories that it was about the Orders of the Knights, for example.

Interlude 8: Mraize mentions “aether”. This must be the aether of “Aether of Night”, an unpublished, non-canon Cosmere book. Before this I don’t think we knew if the concept of aether would come back in other books, so that’s nice to have. In any case, it’s most likely NOT a substance native to Roshar.

Chapter 89: Thinking of these dead spren walking around in Shadesmar... Could you “kill” a dead spren, making it impossible to be summoned?

Chapter 90: Nightblood says he doesn’t think Szeth is evil - we didn’t know this before, since at their first encounter, Szeth didn’t react in any of the two ways we’ve seen people react to Nightblood before (wanting to possess and draw the blade for “evil” people, and nausea for “good” people).

Chapter 92: Szeth says he heard a voice in his head when he was young. Was that a Radiantspren? An Unmade? Something else? From his “I hope things go better this time” I feel like a Radiantspren is more likely.

Chapter 93: “it seemed to Adolin that her scars had faded” - Breaths don’t give healing, do they? I think this must be Vivenna learning to use some additional perks of having the Royal Locks. It could be something else though! She says she’s hunting a criminal, who we know to be Vasher. And Nightblood. What did they do? I mean, Vasher was a criminal long before he and Vivenna met. They must have done something especially bad, right?

Chapter 97: The guy in the lighthouse immediately assumes Kaladin has breaths if he’s Invested - which either tells us that Nalthian worldhoppers are very common here, or that having breaths is the easiest way to become Invested. He uses “Merciful Domi” - a Selish expression.

Chapter 98: Nightblood mentions that Vasher teaches swords to people now - it is interesting that Nightblood knows that. That means the parted after Vasher started doing it, or that they have some kind of extra connection.

Chapter 99: Is this the first time in this series that a main character actually goes to the toilet? (Shardplates don’t count as toilets.)

Chapter 100: Taravangian mentions a metal that, in legends, can block shardblades. This seems to be confirmation that aluminium can indeed block shardblades - we had conflicting WoBs on that before. However, aluminium is known on Roshar - it’s an extremely expensive metal that can only be soulcast, not found naturally. So I feel like they should have known about that property, not just spoken of it in legends. Also, Taravangian says it “falls from the sky”... What?

Chapter 101: The captain mentions that his daughter ran off chasing stupid dreams - this sounds like typical foreshadowing. I think she went off to find a Radiant.

Chapter 102: I thought maybe the painting Kaladin saw was the exact same as the one Lightsong saw in Warbreaker (since he did tell the priests to not burn it), but they are described a bit differently. Both have figures in the middle, but Kaladin’s was described as red and white, while Lightsong’s was red on red. However, Lightsong had perfect color recognition, so he could have interpreted the painting differently. The name of the painter is mentioned in this book, but not in Warbreaker.

Chapter 113: This world that Surgebinders had apparently destroyed before, was that Ashyn? Or maybe even Braize?

Chapter 114: Dalinar thinks Felt must have some Shin blood, because of his eyes. In fact, it is because he’s a worldhopper from Scadrial (he was a spy for House Venture in Mistborn). We already knew that before, but this does tell us that Scadrian eyes would look kind of Shin-like for a Rosharan. Probably only because they both lack epicanthal folds, but I guess it could be something more than that too. The Nightwatcher mentions a Blade that bleeds darkness - does she have Nightblood at this point?

Chapter 118: What’s that on your fabrial? It’s the GOM JABBAR!

Chapter 119: Did Dalinar pull the Perpendicularity from the heart of the highstorm? Or is this a separate thing? The oath that Teft swears - the Third Ideal? When did he swear the Second? It’s not quite the same as Kaladin’s, in any case.

Chapter 121: So, the Fused souls stay around on Roshar. Could that be the work of another Unmade? Apparently we don’t know what the ninth one is, right? The knife Moash uses seems to be a Nightblood-esque blade too - one that cuts on all three Realms. But it’s also different - it doesn’t seem to have a mind. It also has a sapphire at the pommel - did Jezrien’s sould get trapped, instead of destroyed? We know singer souls can be trapped in gemstones, after all - why not human ones? The “Midius” Ash mentions is Hoid.

Chapter 122: Odium says that Dalinar was not supposed to Ascend. So at this point, Dalinar is probably “attuned” to Honor, just like Vin was to Preservation after holding the power in the Well. The big difference being, Honor is splintered. Apparently Renarin is a big oddity - why? Just because his spren is corrupted? Or also because Sja-anat is defecting? Some other reason? Listen, we’ve been saying for YEARS that Jasnah is Queen. The world is just catching up.

Epilogue: A little disappointed that Hoid never uses the word “coin”, since he did so in the previous two epilogues. Those are some pretty obvious references to Awakening there - I’m a bit surprised at how obvious Brandon is making it. After first Awakening the doll, Hoid touches it again and says “Forget what I told you before. Instead, take care of her.” Is that a thing you can do? Change Commands for something already Awakened? Or is he just being theatrical? And lastly, he picks up the spren who was bonding with Elhokar. Does he want to bond it himself? Which would be his Truths? Can you worldhop with a spren?

Phew, that was quite a lot of stuff.

[mistralrunner]

Running Reads Oathbringer: Part III.III

This part was a lot. I’m kind of drained. In a good way?

Spoilers for pages 686-751 below.

Free food is a good thing.

So stuff in the tower was failing before the Radiants left hmm

"The storm was a primal dance, an ancient song"

I really love these hints at music being deeply rooted in the magic of the world

Oh dear lashing is detectable not good

Same Kaladin same re: appreciating the long spear

Seriously the floating Voidbringer aesthetic

Oh no

Not a party

Sanderson needed an excuse for his fancy party scenes

I guess this is where Adolin will wear something other than a Kholin uniform

Adolin is freeee

Adolin calls him Kal?

Oh right Skar and Drehy saved Adolin after the battle with Eshonai glad to see they're friends now

Heh Kaladin's uncomfortable with false faces

Kaladin's feelings are relatable. I'm glad he is having more good days though. But it is hard to think that on the bad days.

Punchy guys pfft

I support Adolin and Kaladin being friends

Ah Kaladin being uncomfortable with being lighteyed

Oh no Kaladin you're ditching the plan already?

Is the Identity tied to Kaladin's brands so strong that the illusion failed or did he take in the Stormlight? Or something else took it? Or do you simply have to want the illusion for it to work.

Well, Kaladin actually may accomplish his mission but no one knows where he is oops. Oh wait Syl's around.

The Sibling? Division among the Radiants that was more significant than before? Perceived worthiness? Give me all the Radiant backstory.

Now will the Highmarshal actually be cool or is Kaladin going to be horribly disappointed

Well that's uncomfortable. “I'm going to avoid the lighteyes tent cause “ don't feel comfy there but hey this place is nice...and is also full of lighteyes”

It was said that the cities had a lot of low nahn lighteyes

It does make me more suspicious of this group though

Ooh the Cult of Moments tried to seize the gates

Hmm Radiant or something else odd about Azure

If he's not even from around here

Ugh I want to believe he's good but suspicion is healthy

Highmarshal Azure is female?

I LOVE HER ALREADY

Silver basket sword?

A Herald? Or a Radiant? Or a Worldhopper?

Well I'm glad Lyn and co got armed

So Azure knows her stuff about the Alethi wars prior to the Everstorm

Aaaa Kaladin thinking of Sah and co

He's going to be hurt so much if/when he finds out what happened

I'm guessing she's a Stoneward? I mean it’s not like the orders beyond Windrunners and Stonewards didn’t fight but those two are the best candidates

Woah did we actually skip a party scene? Or will there be more

“A Sign of Humanity” is a promising chapter title but I don't trust it

Nuuu Evi crying

Well at least Dalinar feels bad but still

Evi. Deserves. Better.

I keep forgetting that rockbuds can grow that large

Dalinar it's not about Evi admiring you. It's about her crying and being miserable because of your choices and deserving better

Go Evi for being the one with a conscience and praying for the rebels

Ugh rule by the sword cause clearly the Almighty favors battles ugh

"If they don't want to fight, they should give in to our rule"

Ughhhhhhh

How much does she notice of the Thrill

How much does the Thrill really have a grip on Dalinar

"Do not feed it."

She understands his duty but knows there's something deep soul wise at stake

The Thrill is not natural

Well at least he's talking first. It's been implied an atrocity happens here so probably not going to work.

"He builds. I destroy."

Oh dear

This is peak Blackthorn threatening

But he's trying!

A duel?

Wait

Oh that's why Sadeas was part of this memory

What game is he playing 

What game is Tanalan playing I'm confused

Well good for Edgedancers focusing on the displaced workers

Kholinar has a heartbeat? I mean it is ancient

Oh. Veil. Bleh.

Ooh Rockfall is pretty

Lightning should not do that yikes

"Veil took a deep breath, then let Shallan bleed back into existence"

That phrasing isn't worrying

Even with impersonating people she just met Shallan is going too deep this isn't good

Oh no even NPC is replacing her name pov this is aaaaaa not good

Ah food acquisition for the Cult infiltrating

Oh god she got tempted to entirely impersonate 

Shallan this is not good not good

Chulls aren't the best getaway vehicle

Well this is creepy and messed up if creative. 

I do find the voice impediment and the imperfect healing interesting cause I’m fond of fantasy healing that requires some degree of thought to work properly in certain cases

Aww Shallan is caring about people and not just greater good. I mean Veil. Ugh. Shallan.

Yay Wit is still in contact!

Aww the urchin she's in contact with also draws

Evernight is what they're calling Everstorms in the evening?

So the tower used to be protected from the Unmade? That does seem to be an important feature.

Yeah it is concerning that the protagonists are working so hard just to repel Unmade but they’ll probably just go somewhere else important

I like Beard

Kaladin joins yet another party but not as leader this time

So he has to periodically keep summoning Syl to keep the eye color?

Pfft disguised Adolin

Chouta!

Ah nuances of social stratification

Pfft Kaladin “It sure is nice being lighteyed as I, of course, have light eyes-like you, my eyes are lighter than the dark eyes of darkeyes”

Ah yes he does do the multiple summoning thing

And yet despite Kaladin not being great at lying he’s somehow pulling it off?

They're just all "you sweet summer child" to Kal

I feel like this is the book of Kaladin learning more perspectives and perhaps the next Windrunner ideal has to do with reconciliation cause protection isn't just fighting

Yeah the guard is disconnected from the people they supposedly protect

Yikes the cultists are self flagellating

They talked to the spren of the night?

Spren of changes and a new storm trying to supplant?

Yeah, really feel like Odium’s trying to replace all spren with his own

Would fit with his whole stance that he can’t leave the remnants of Honor around even though he already killed Honor

Ah Azure’s blade could still be an Honorblade

So is the Highmarshal just hiding identity or does Azure identify as a he?

Is there something deeper going on with Beard?

Oh god when you get close to the palace you hear voices beckoning you to join them and they can't take you unless you listen this is creepy

Pfft Kaladin's commander instincts

"Keep your head, and I suspect you'll end up as a squad leader before too long." He said it like a proud parent.

If only you knew Noro

Swiftspren? I like that name

Ooh are the gem colors related to the orders speaking cause sapphire is Windrunner that’s the only corresponding gem I know

Need to go back and look

Oh dear Shallan got a reputation

And of course it's attributed to a spren with the spren cult

I did not expect Shallan to become Robin Hood

Hey Pattern helping a few people is still good even if it's wrapped in a lie would be better if it wasn’t a lie of course

Although that does raise some concerns again about how the spren aren’t really about morality but about following oaths and how those limits can pose dangers even if they’re generally good guidelines

Shallan no what are you doing becoming Swiftspren in a city where things are already going weird with spren aaaaaaa

Like okay the costume is pretty cool

“A broken girl who lies” Who achieves so much and is so much more but only thinks it’s due to her not being herself.

Revel but of giving up and lethargy? That’s weird.

It's possibly anti Identity definitely anti fight against it

Oh no she's letting the voices in isn't she

Oh good she snapped out of it

I do think she's going to be vulnerable to this guy

But it knows her name not good

Oh nice one Shallan

Shallannnn "sometimes she felt like a thing wearing a human skin"

Aww Wit's leading cheerful songs

Why is he here though

Bad Veil no. No love triangle

There are different kinds of chouta?

Heh Elhokar finds Pattern familiar so it was Cryptics lurking around him in WoK

Aww giving Elhokar an inspiration drawing

“Only Red” does not bode well as a chapter title

Long distance runner elite archers are pretty cool

I want to know more about the Shin invasion

I'm concerned but I'm too happy and distracted about the description of these distance runners

30 miles a day is crazy. I mean I don’t know how different a Rosharan mile is from an Earth mile but still. That’s 210 miles/week. 100 mile weeks are crazy mileage. I’ve never crossed 50 miles/week without getting injured. But there are ultra runners around who I suspect do similar high mileage so it’s probably not unrealistic.

Anyways back to plot

Yeah about the trap I suspected

Well, that’s about the only way to make Dalinar's resolve to give into the Thrill worse

Nuuu not the distance runner elites

You were so cool even if your appearance was only for a few pages

But this took planning how did Tanalan know Dalinar would talk instead of fight

Is Evi involved? It doesn’t feel like she would do something like that.

Oh no Tanalan's men's eyes seemed to glow?

Thrill everywhere

Oh if the gemstone is cracked the Blade can't be dismissed?

Oh god he's going to go battlefrenzy with stab wounds and only a neck brace

Oh god the visions of armies of red mist

Like this is kind of cool cause any dramatic scene that has to do with traveling, walking, or running I have a weakness for but it’s so wrong and twisted

Oh scouts traitors

Oh shoot men, women, and children at the site of his great mercy yikes

l....

This is so horrible

I guess this is why we haven't heard of anyone from this place

Massacre

Just….

I should have known it was the logical

Conclusion of extreme after all

Boo Sadeas for encouraging it

Gavilar may not be the type of cruel to massacre a city of Alethi but he wanted to bring back a Desolation interesting how there are different kinds of evil

*hisses at Amaram being present here*

They're doing the bridgem-I mean ladder men here too really Dalinar

It really comes full circle from the Teleb scene and it's fitting Teleb is the one questioning this plan

The flamespren are altered? Not good.

Glad to know Dalinar had some shred of a conscience

The Thrill will never be satisfied

....

He actually did I suspected that was why he but I wasn't sure and aaaaa

You are nothing to the monster you unleash

Dalinar please take responsibility

He can hear screams

Like Szeth?

It's so poetic though

The warning signs when Dalinar slew some of his own men by accident

The fact that it shows how each person he slaughtered had meaning and weren't just faceless

I had suspected Dalinar killed Evi and that’s what messed him up so much about he death but I couldn't see Dalinar killing her by intent but couldn't think of how it would come accidentally on the battlefield

Dalinar killed his wife in the very place where he spared Tanalan and seized Oathbringer wtf

We haven't had a present day Dalinar pov since those memories came back and all of this came back didn't it ouch just as he was about to talk to his new wife

Yep I'm done for the night

Kind of just feel this deserves a pause in reading.

Wait one more thing

EVI. DESERVED. BETTER.

Okay now I’m done.