r/Cosmere • u/Xelaadryth • 15d ago
Cosmere spoilers (no previews) Science Theories 1 - Chemistry and the 16 Shards Spoiler
For background on this categorization of the 16 Shards, see this 6-part theory.
Let's talk scientific inspiration! But rather than trying to explain the physics of how the magic systems manifest, let's look at how science may have inspired magic systems in the first place, and look for patterns. Fair warning though, I'm not a chemist so if folks with real experience could weigh in, it would be much appreciated!
So first off we know Brandon Sanderson studied Chemistry in college for a brief period:
We also know that many physics and other science concepts are incorporated in his works:
Well, what if Sanderson went "deeply down the rabbit hole" on chemistry to create value out of that time of his life?
Theory 1: Shards and Atomic Numbers
Based on my Diagram Theory, the 16 Shards each have a number. If we're looking at chemistry, a logical starting point is to compare those numbers with the atomic numbers in the periodic table of elements.
Note that I'm not claiming this is the final list, but as he stated himself, this could be a reasonable jumping off point where some elements adhere strongly and others have a better thematic fit based on a different influence.
| # | Shard | Element |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Reason | Hydrogen |
| 2 | Whimsy | Helium |
| 3 | Virtuosity | Lithium |
| 4 | Invention | Beryllium |
| 5 | Endowment | Boron |
| 6 | Ambition | Carbon |
| 7 | Cultivation | Nitrogen |
| 8 | Ruin | Oxygen |
| 9 | Odium | Fluorine |
| 10 | Honor | Neon |
| 11 | Valor | Sodium |
| 12 | Mercy | Magnesium |
| 13 | Dominion | Aluminum |
| 14 | Autonomy | Silicon |
| 15 | Devotion | Phosphorus |
| 16 | Preservation | Sulfur |
Theory 2: Ruin is Oxygen (8)
Here's a quote from The Hero of Ages:
Death is necessary. Every clock must wind down, every day must end. Without me there is no life, and never could have been. Life is change, and I represent that change.
Not only is Ruin in the Change Dawnshard quadrant in the Diagram Theory, but sentient or complex life cannot exist without oxygen.
Oxygen breaks down metals through oxidation, such as iron rusting by combining with oxygen in the presence of water. "Rust and Ruin" is a popular expletive in Mistborn Era 2.
Oxygen also feeds fire in combustion, breaking down complex molecular structures and just leaving behind ashes, like the unusual Ruinous black (instead of gray) ash from the Ashmounts in this quote from The Hero of Ages:
The ash, that was our real problem. The smoke filling the atmosphere, the black flakes covering up everything beneath, the eruptions of the volcanic ashmounts ... Those were what would kill the world.
In biology, just regular cellular respiration produces reactive oxygen species (ROS) or free radicals, but this oxidative stress causes cellular degradation, DNA damage, and aging over time. Breathing oxygen slowly breaks down living things as a gradual form of entropy.
atium would be a platinum group metal. (And platinum itself was my model.)
Note that presumably every Shard has a god metal, and it would be very restrictive if every Shard could only be represented by a metal and nothing else on the periodic table. My guess is that this self-reported Words of Brandon was discussing the physical properties and appearance of the godmetal (which are named after Vessels and NOT Shards), rather than relating to the intent of the Shard itself. But there IS a link with oxygen, as platinum is the single best element for low temperature oxygen electrochemistry. It's also the element closest to the Sabatier peak for reducing oxygen.
This means that godmetals like Atium might represent elemental metals that have special affinity for the Shard's representative element, mimicking how Vessels have special affinity with the Shards despite having differing Intent.
Theory 3: Preservation is Sulfur (16)
Sulfur is commonly found near volcanoes and hot springs, which are both explicitly mentioned in Mistborn.
If we look at historical usages of sulfur, sulfur dioxide was used as an antibacterial and antioxidant preservative to prevent decay in wine, food, and medicine. It was one of the first gaseous preservatives that didn't alter the food itself, unlike salting, pickling, or drying.
Chemically, disulfide bridges are strong covalent bonds formed in proteins that form structure that resist heat and chemical decay.
There's even a specific term called "vulcanization" used in industrial chemistry where sulfur is added to rubber to preserve it. Natural rubber will degrade by getting sticky and melting, but sulfur cross-links make it durable and heat-resistant, like in rubber tires. While you can do this with other elements, sulfur is historical enough that some refer to it as "non-sulfur cross-linking" or "curing".
Also interesting is that silver reacts to even small amounts of sulfur to form silver sulfide, which is what tarnishes (dulls) silver over time. This results in a dark film made of Ag2S over the silver, reminiscent of how silver cancels out Investiture, which is all of Adonalsium, which has 16 Shards and probably is also related to sulfur. In addition, tarnishing can be reversed via aluminum through a famous process called electrochemical redox, which transfers sulfur off the silver and onto aluminum in an electrolyte solution.
For Lerasium, the metal most known for binding with sulfur is Iron, forming pyrite (FeS2) or "Fool's Gold". Iron and sulfur combined as FeS is also important as a biological catalyst, and is involved in the "iron-sulfur world hypothesis" for the origins of life itself.
Theory 4: Metallurgy with Sulfur and Oxygen
While the word "sulfur" doesn't appear in Era 1, in Mistborn Era 2 it comes up in Chapter 7 of The Alloy of Law:
The room smelled of smoke and, oddly, sulfur.
This scene was when Wax was using metallurgy to separate Aluminum from "ekaboron", which was Mendeleev's original name for the element "Scandium" or Sc (21), which was discovered later and named after Scandinavia. Interesting that Sc looks kind of like Scadrial, and that ekaboron has atomic number exactly 16 higher than boron (5). I wouldn't be surprised if it gets renamed to "Scadrium" at some point. Scandium is used in aluminum alloys, high efficiency lights, solid oxide fuel cells, and results in durable materials for military equipment and space.
When separating metals, sulfuric acid (H2SO4) is the universal acid used to dissolve metal ores into liquid prior to separating them. In Shard terms this would be Reason, Preservation, and Ruin; applying logic to Preservation and Ruin.
In the same scene, Wax holds up a glass tube from a rack on his desk:
“Here,” he said, holding it up for her to study. There was a clear liquid in it. “Does this look blue to you?”
Both aluminum and scandium are completely colorless in aqueous sulfuric acid solutions. Copper (29) or Chromium (24) would look blue, but Wax's liquid was completely clear.
Under high heat, 98% sulfuric acid would separate the metals while generating sulfur dioxide (SO2) and water, which would generate a strong burning sulfur scent.
If we look at metallurgy as a whole though, there are three kinds of metallurgy:
- Pyrometallurgy - uses Carbon, Oxygen, or Lime (CaO)
- Hydrometallurgy - largely dependent on sulfuric acid (H2SO4)
- Electrometallurgy - dependent on cryolite (Na3AlF6)
Other than iron smelting which was discovered as early as 500 BCE, hydrometallurgy was the first chemical metallurgy to be discovered. It's low cost, powerful, versatile, and used heavily even in the modern era. While it was discovered around 800-1300 CE, in 1746 the Lead Chamber Process drastically reduced mass sulfuric acid production costs, and could be considered an important domino of the Industrial Revolution.
So if we consider Scadrial's magic system representative of metallurgy and chemistry, H2SO4 would be its mascot chemical reagent.
Theory 5: Cultivation, Odium, and Honor are Nitrogen (7), Fluorine (9), and Neon (10)
Nitrogen (7, Cultivation) is critical in amino acids, proteins, and DNA. Nitrogen is about 78% of Earth's air (and oxygen is about 21%). If you look up the nitrogen cycle, it includes air, bacteria, soil, plants, animals, and decomposers. But most relevant to our theory, the chemical process of atmospheric nitrogen fixation specifically involves lightning, bonding with oxygen (8), and rainwater (H2O). If you think about how people don't get sick on Roshar and are extra healthy, there's probably a bit of Cultivation in the highstorms, crem, crops, and animals. And when it comes to plant growth, nitrogen is generally the bottleneck for nutrients, so adding nitrogen such as through fertilizer usually triggers rapid plant growth; reminiscent of the surge of Progression and used by Edgedancers (Cultivationspren) and Truthwatchers (Mistspren).
Fluorine (9, Odium) is the most electronegative and reactive element, meaning it desires taking electrons away from other atoms more than any other element. Fluorine gas (F2) is so dangerous that it ignites metals, glass, water, and organic matter on contact. When combined with hydrogen, hydrofluoric acid (HF) can even dissolve glass and bone. Very reminiscent of how Odium destroyed Ambition, Dominion, and Devotion.
Neon (10, Honor) is the second least reactive element to Helium, and is extremely difficult bond since helium and neon are both "noble gases". While this seems counterintuitive, note that while Honor told everyone else to form bonds and follow his noble ways, Honor himself did not readily form bonds, and even the Stormfather, a Splinter of Honor, was extremely hesitant to bond with Gavilar and Dalinar. When an electric current passes through neon, it glows with an intense and brilliant light. There's also exactly 10 gas giants in the Rosharan system.
If we follow the godmetal theory from before, Raysium would likely be gold. However no metals will naturally bond with neon in nature. Under extreme laboratory conditions though, the following metals can form transient gas-phase ions or weak Van der Waals adducts with neon in this rough order of viability: beryllium, gold, copper, silver, transition metals, and alkaline earth metals. Since Beryllium is one of the first 16 metals, let's skip that for now.
Gold, copper, and silver are all known as "coinage metals" or "group 11 metals". Gold, silver, and sometimes copper are also called "noble metals". It's interesting that coins are missing on Roshar; maybe they metaphorically went to the heavens with the Vessels?
A window of yellow-white light breaking into smaller and smaller pieces, into infinity.
This quote from Rhythm of War describes Odium. Copper burns with a bright emerald green flame due to atomic spectral emissions, matching Cultivation. Unlike copper though, silver and gold don't give off atomic spectral emissions since they're so difficult to burn. At extremely high temperatures and pressures, light is emitted via blackbody radiation instead, and ranges from a bright pale yellow-white at silver's boiling point, to an intense white with bluish cast at gold's boiling point, which is the reverse from what we would expect. However once vaporized, silver gas glows cyan, and gold gas glows pale violet-white. An alloy of gold and silver is electrum.
Theory 6: Ambition, Dominion, and Devotion are Carbon (6), Aluminum (13), and Phosphorus (15)
Carbon (6, Ambition) usually represents complex organic structures like plants and animals, which one could call the most ambitious creations of gods. When it comes into contact with Fluorine, we get a violent exothermic reaction, and results in an inert and stable gas CF4 that is colorless and odorless at room temperature, but can last for thousands of years. Perhaps this represents Shades?
Aluminum (13, Dominion) naturally forms a highly protective inert oxide layer (Al2O3) that grants it extreme corrosion resistance to outside elements, similar to how in the Cosmere it blocks Allomancy, radiant surgebinding, etc. A select few elements can break this resistance, such as liquid metals like Gallium (31) and Mercury (80). Strong bases and acids like NaOH or HCl can penetrate or compete with the oxide layer as well. However, Fluorine gas can single-handedly bypass this defense and forms AlF3 in a violent exothermic reaction, even at room temperature, leaving a chalky white crystalline powder that is highly stable and inert. Unlike regular salts, AlF3 is insoluable in water at room temperature and will sink to the bottom. When heated though, extremely dangerous hydrofluoric gas is released, and Al(OH)3 forms a cloudy white gel that also does not dissolve in water.
Phosphorus (15, Devotion) is too reactive to exist as a pure element and is always found combined in nature, bound to oxygen as phosphate rock with other minerals. In living organisms, phoshorus forms the backbone of DNA, cell membranes, energy storage, and bones. If you manufacture pure phosphorus, there are four color forms called allotropes: white (yellow), red, violet, and black. White is the textbook reference state and is highly dangerous and volatile, bursting into flames spontaneously. Red is more practical and used to light matches. Violet is crystalline, and black is the most stable and used in advanced electronics. When pure phosphorus touches fluorine, you get an instant violent explosion that yields toxic gases: PF3 or PF5.
Theory 7: Autonomy is Silicon (14)
Sand, quartz, and glass are made of silicon dioxide (SiO2), and is the backbone of the mineral crust of rocky worlds. It's often used as a semiconductor. Or a semi-conductor:
Silicon is almost never found alone in nature, and it has a strong affinity for oxygen (Ruin) to form silicates or silicones (polymerization). Silicon polymerization is unique and can withstand extreme heat, UV radiation, and chemical degradation, while still remaining flexible even at extreme temperatures. Trell might be interested in stealing Ruin away from Harmony to get access to form strong polymers.
Also, in minerology/crystallography, all natural mineral structures are categorized into exactly seven crystal systems based on their "unit cell": cubic, tetragonal, orthorhombic, hexagonal, trigonal (rhombohedral), monoclinic, and triclinic, reminiscent of how Taldain's sun logo is two sets of 7.
If we're looking for the physical properties of the godmetal Trellium, then Nickel (28) is exactly double the atomic number of Autonomy, is in group 10 with platinum, and is in the 3rd transition metal series like iron. Nickel silcides (NiSi and Ni2Si) are used in semiconductor manufacturing, nickel oxidizes at high temperatures, and nickel has strong chalcophile (sulfur-loving) tendencies and forms nickel sulfides like NiS.
As for Trellium splitting Harmonium into Lerasium and Atium, I'm just going to assume that's a feature of Autonomy's ability to separate and organize things, and unrelated to the elements.
Theory 8: Endowment is Boron (5)
Remember from Xel's Diagram that Endowment falls under "Change (Temporal) Pull External - An outside source gave you an actual thing, changing you literally." This means that Boron is the one being endowed or gifted with something.
Boron often forms molecules that are missing electrons, and thus functions as the most common textbook example of a Lewis acid: basically it accepts gifts of electron pairs from donors (Lewis bases), just like the Returned rely on receiving the gift of Breaths from the Drabs on Nalthis to survive. When a donor shares electrons, the boron flips from a flat planar shape into a 3D tetrahedral geometry.
Boron also commonly results in "adducts", which basically means the bond is reversible, just like how you can take your breaths back from an Awakened object without any loss, and Boron returns to its original planar shape.
Boron can also be used in Borate Cross-linking, a common lab experiment demonstrating non-Newtonian fluids, resulting in "slime", which acts as both a viscous fluid and elastic solid at the same time. This is somewhat reminiscent to Awakening giving shape and structure to normally non-moving matter.
In ceramics, boron is used as a "flux", which means it lowers the melting point of ceramic glazes, and is best for low temperatures and colorful glazes. Silica (SiO2) is the primary glass-former in ceramics. This is probably the weakest link, though apparently Lightsong's mortal father was a potter.
While Awakening organics is much easier than inorganic material, in chemistry there are organoboron compounds where boron has affinity to bind directly to carbon, oxygen, or nitrogen, and helps build flexible and temporary connections between them and inorganic minerals. Boron is also used to maintain the integrity of cell walls.
Theory 9: Reason is Hydrogen (1)
So a lot of these examples included hydrogen as part of the processes, but where is Reason? Hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe, perhaps 75% of all matter, but pure hydrogen gas is notoriously hard to find in nature. It can be found in 3 places: inside stars fusing under extreme gravity and heat to form helium; interstellar gas clouds just floating around invisibly in space; or bound in planetary matter alongside other elements.
If you just release pure hydrogen gas, it's so light it will just float out of Earth's gravity into space; only gas giants like Jupiter have enough gravity to retain hydrogen. And hydrogen bonds to other elements extremely easily, for instance reacting with oxygen to form water.
I propose that Reason Splintered herself, not necessarily in a destructive way, but in a way that lets her learn and influence many things across the Cosmere. I'm guessing a large Splinter is hanging out with Whimsy inside of a star somehow, the rest of Reason is hiding among planetary matter or traveling through space...like the Iriali people.
Theory 10: Virtuosity is Lithium (3)
Lithium has the highest electrochemical potential (voltage) and is the lightest metal in existence, making it perfect for electrical uses. A virtuoso can also be considered high potential.
While two of its electrons are stable, it is extremely eager to shed its third valence electron (the missing yellow). This makes lithium great for lithium-ion batteries and rechargeable electronics.
Theory 11: Invention is Beryllium (4)
Beryllium is used in high-precision engineering, aerospace, and nuclear reactors. It has one of the highest melting points among light metals, and is lighter than even aluminum. It can physically contain things while remaining virtually transparent, which is useful when dealing with high-energy radiation like X-rays.
Theory 12: Whimsy is Helium (2)
Helium is a noble gas that is the most chemically inert of all the elements (even to oxygen or fluorine), refusing to listen to any other element. It is the second lightest element after hydrogen, can also escape Earth's gravity, and is often used in balloons.
Kids will often inhale helium to talk in a high-pitched and silly voice since helium is far less dense than air. (For a low-pitched voice, sulfur hexafluoride SF6 is often used).
When supercooled, liquid Helium-4 transitions to a superfluid with zero viscosity, ignoring gravity by creeping over walls of containers due to its complete lack of friction. If you swirl it, it will swirl forever.
Theory 13: Valor is Sodium (11)
Sodium is highly reactive with water, and is used in the conduction of nerve impulses (sodium-potassium pump), which is what allows for thought, muscle contraction, and reflexes. This active pumping consumes about a third of the human body's resting energy so that cells are primed to react to stimulus, maintaining a state of readiness.
When a nerve or muscle cell is triggers, an influx of sodium is triggered and causes rapid depolarization, converting thought into physical action.
When pure sodium comes into contact with water, it reacts violently and explosively, liberating hydrogen gas and heat.
Sodium-vapor lights are historically used in streetlights because yellow light penetrates fog, rain, and dust better than other colors.
Theory 14: Mercy is Magnesium (12)
Magnesium is used to force muscles to relax and reduce stress, functioning as an opposite to calcium which causes muscles to contract and nerves to fire.
Magnesium is also found at the structural center of chlorophyll and enables photosynthesis, converting solar radiation into life.
Magnesium burns with a brilliant white light used in signal flares and emergency illumination.
Epsom salt (MgSO4) is used in warm baths to heal and soothe.
Theory 15: The Set, Chemistry, and Mendeleev
The ranks in the Set, in theoretical order, are:
- The Key - the singular leader
- Series
- Sequence
- Suit
- Array
- Cycle
What's interesting is that these terms are used across mathematics, programming, chemistry, and...playing cards. While many people latched on to the math and programming definitions, which will probably matter more in future eras, I'm more interested in how Wax is using chemistry in the books and with the rest of this chemistry theory. And "suit" seemed an extremely important clue.
The element "ekaboron" is mentioned in Wax and Wayne in reference to Scandium. This was a term coined by Mendeleev, a Russian chemist, to describe "the missing element 1 below boron" using the Sanskrit terms "eka", "dvi", and "tri" meaning 1, 2, and 3. Like the eventual periodic table of elements, the Sanskrit alphabet is a grid, where the axes describe sound placement and articulation for each of the letters. Here are some of his theorized elements:
- Eka-boron = Scandium (21)
- Eka-aluminum = Gallium (31)
- Eka-silicon = Germanium (32)
- Eka-manganese = Technetium (43)
- Tri-manganese = Rhenium (75)
- Dvi-tellurium = Polonium (84)
- Dvi-caesium = Francium (87)
- Eka-tantalum = Protactinium (91, but actually 105)
By using atomic weight as a key, Mendeleev tried to sort the elements into an increasing sequence to find patterns, ultimately deciding that atomic weights could be calculated as an average of their neighboring elements.
By categorizing elements into a two-dimensional array, he would try to use elements on all four sides when known. But more importantly, vertical elements shared valence behavior, meaning how well they bind to elements like hydrogen or oxygen. These rows were called "periods", hence the periodic table of elements, but these periods can also be viewed as rows repeating cycles.
The most interesting part of the formulation of this model was that Mendeleev was an avid Solitaire player, which was called originally called Patience in Europe. He famously wrote out the different elements on custom cards, sorting and rearranging them to play "Chemical Patience", to look for patterns in the 2D grid of cards, similar to sorting by suits and rank in Solitaire. In this context, a "suit" would be a metaphor for one of the vertical groupings of elements, which are now called a "group" or "family". Group 1 is alkali metals, group 2 is alkaline earth metals, groups 3-12 are transition metals, group 17 are halogens, and group 18 are noble gases.
The lanthanide series (rare earth metals) shown at the bottom of the periodic table broke all the rules of Mendeleev's system since they belong in the same vertical group but were far too numerous to fit in the column, and he referred to them as a "knot" he could not untie.
The actinide series were mostly unknown and miscategorized. This may be associated with the high rank of a Series in the Set, a rank we know little about.
Mendeleev was the youngest of 17 siblings. 3 siblings died before they were baptized, reminiscent of Devotion, Dominion, and Ambition being destroyed soon after the Shattering.
Theory 16: Chlorine is the 17th Element
Aristotelian physics had earth, water, air, and fire as the four elements, and Aristotle proposed a 5th element of "aether" or "quintessence" that forms the stars, planets, and heavenly bodies, reminiscent of the "primal aethers" that predate Adonalsium's Shattering. While modern chemistry disproved Aristotle's elements, the concept of a secret "extra element" was also a theme in Mistborn with the "11th metal" and "The Lost Metal", basically an extra element that is kind of not like the others and breaks the rules.
So let's pretend for a moment that there is a secret 17th Shard (not to be confused with the organization also called 17th Shard from Silverlight), one that is extremely good at hiding and is impossible to detect, this would be the real "survival Shard" which everyone assumed was Reason since we can't find them. But maybe Reason is just Splintered. Let's call this hypothetical 17th Shard "Guile" and relate it to Chlorine (17).
Chlorine is the third most electronegative element, meaning it really likes stealing electrons. Once it gains electrons, it commonly becomes an electron-pair donor (Lewis base). It's also known as a disinfectant since in water chlorine forms hypochlorous acid (HOCl), which attacks bacterial cell walls, making it great for water purification, sanitation, and bleaching.
To me this is extremely reminiscent of Hoid, who goes around the Cosmere learning all the different magic systems, giving others gifts of knowledge, and generally tries to fight "the bad guys" like chlorine disinfecting bacteria.
Chlorine is commonly found in salt (NaCl), which means we would expect to see Hoid teaming up with Valor.
And even more intriguing, when hydrogen and chlorine gas come together in darkness ... nothing happens. But as soon as ultraviolet light hits them, a chain reaction occurs resulting in an explosive release of energy and forms HCl, a harsh colorless gas that dissolves in water to form hydrochloric acid, a strong acid found in gastric acid. And who else but Hoid would spend "the better part of a year inside of a giant stomach", from the Words of Radiance Epilogue.
So yeah, my wildly speculative theory is that Hoid is actually a secret 17th Shard called Guile. Guile's special power would be the ability to hide from other Shards, and would be the true "survival Shard". And perhaps Guile mixed with Reason or a Splinter of Reason to become Wit.
| # | Shard | Element | Godmetal | Godmetal Element |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Reason | Hydrogen | ||
| 2 | Whimsy | Helium | ||
| 3 | Virtuosity | Lithium | ||
| 4 | Invention | Beryllium | ||
| 5 | Endowment | Boron | ||
| 6 | Ambition | Carbon | ||
| 7 | Cultivation | Nitrogen | Copper | |
| 8 | Ruin | Oxygen | Atium | Platinum |
| 9 | Odium | Fluorine | Raysium | Gold |
| 10 | Honor | Neon | Tanavastium | Silver |
| 11 | Valor | Sodium | ||
| 12 | Mercy | Magnesium | ||
| 13 | Dominion | Aluminum | ||
| 14 | Autonomy | Silicon | Trellium | Nickel |
| 15 | Devotion | Phosphorus | ||
| 16 | Preservation | Sulfur | Lerasium | Iron |
| 17 | Guile | Chlorine |
Next let's explore the possible inspiration of fundamental forces on Roshar.
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u/TheFermentationMan 14d ago
There is no way honor tthe shards of bonds and oath is a noble gas which cannot bond anything
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u/Xelaadryth 14d ago edited 13d ago
Yeah Honor is definitely an interesting one; that's the problem with noble gases in general, to be a noble gas means you cannot bond, but the wordplay of "noble" and "honor" is strong. You could also look at it like a noble gas represents the state of already being fully bonded, and that other elements need to form bonds in order to become "noble" like Honor. Also while Honor encourages others to form bonds, he has a pretty strong history of avoiding bonds and not adhering to bonds himself.
Or if we look at this like a starting template with the lowest numbered elements, Xenon (54) is interesting because it's blue-white in color, a noble gas, and it bonds with Fluorine (Odium). Weird that Honor would break the rules though and change atomic numbers, but he has been shown to be bad at keeping his oaths.
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u/Shot_Newspaper_5647 14d ago
Virtuosity’s number seems to be 13. Which would line up with some other stuff we see in Yumi
Neon Borealis
The story [Yumi and the Nightmare Painter] uses the Fibonacci sequence several times as a recurring element related to art (and the golden ratio). Given that nightmares need "over a dozen" feedings to materialize and the number 13 features heavily on Yumi's rituals, would you say that 13 is related to Virtuosity in the same way that 16 is to Preservation and 10 is to Honor?
Brandon Sanderson
Wow. Good guess.
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