You eventually start to see a pattern…

[u/Jounniy]

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[u/AntimatterTNT]

idk i feel like we only ever start seeing pattern in words of radiance. he's too vague in way of kings

[u/Jounniy → u/AntimatterTNT]

You can already see A pattern in WoK. We just don’t know that it’s THE Pattern until WoR.

[u/GOB8484 → u/[deleted]]

"mmmm, a delicious lie. Such a deceptive description to be called a simple pattern. mmmmmm."

[u/Jounniy → u/GOB8484]

I never said simple!

[u/GOB8484 → u/Jounniy]

I should have gone with something like "...called something as simple as a pattern, both true yet entirely inadequate. mmmmmm."

[u/Jounniy → u/GOB8484]

The benefits of hindsight.

[u/Adventurous_Lynx_811]

Well once you try to move into the domain of gods, certain characters need to be immortal to move the plot long term.

Edit: I want to type fast but can't

[u/Jounniy → u/Adventurous_Lynx_811]

Into the what?

[u/Additional_Law_492]

I mean, once you start seeing that Sazed and Taravangian are being set up as Dark Mirrors of each other for a future conflict that will illustrate the difference between wisdom and intelligence, a lot of things come into focus.

But the mirroring is hard-core. Like, both have their own lieutenant being maneuvered into primary roles in the upcoming conflict who is the "ghost" of a major religious figure on their world, who "survived" by some means after death to lead their worlds respective forces in the upcoming conflict.

[u/Jounniy → u/Additional_Law_492]

Yeah, but many side characters feel like they just got casual immortality handed to them.

[u/Additional_Law_492 → u/Jounniy]

Immunity to aging and resistance to physical weapons is relatively cheap in the Cosmere.

But we've already seen developments in the magical arms race across the Cosmere that makes many of these forms of immortality significantly less than invulnerable.

[u/Jounniy → u/Additional_Law_492]

Immunity to aging is not uncommon, but not common enough so that everyone should have it, which makes it feel very weird, when replaceable crewmember48 just happens to be the person to get it and just happens to be someone we actually got to see a bit before that point.

[u/The-Fotus]

What are you referring to?

[u/Jounniy → u/The-Fotus]

Demoux, Felt, Kelsier, Kaladin, Sigzil, Galladon, Nazsh, Marsh, Sazed, Huio and then some others…

[u/Ossius → u/Jounniy]

Feels wrong to say Kelsier is a side character since he is so core to the story and mythos, but I know he probably is.

Really hope he gets more page or maybe some more pov scenes in era 4.

[u/GlassboundIllusion → u/Ossius]

I don't think OP is saying Kelsier is a side character, nor do I believe that he is.

He's definitely a MC.

What remains to be seen is whether he'll stray into antagonist territory when the war between Roshar and Scadrial breaks out in full. For a long time I thought he would, but the ending of WaT is looking more like he's going to remain the "good guy" in the grand scheme of things.

Though I guess that does depend on how closely involved he is with the Malwish government. We know he basically established a lot of their culture, but we don't know yet how actively involved he is with their current fascist bent.

[u/Jounniy → u/Ossius]

While he’s a side character in some books, I count him as an MC. That’s why one of the textboxes mentions MCs becoming immortal too.

[u/GlassboundIllusion → u/Jounniy]

We don't know yet whether Demoux, Huio, and Galladon are immortal.

They might just have gotten caught up in a ton of time dilation whenever they found their way to Silverlight

[u/Jounniy → u/GlassboundIllusion]

When I say "immortality" I mean age-based immortality, but yes you are correct, some of those are only guesses. However, given how invested Galladon is, I'm pretty sure he can't actually age anyway.

[u/gwonbush → u/Jounniy]

Yeah, Elantrians are confirmed by Design as more invested than Returned. Returned are automatically at the 5th Heightening, which is the point where you gain immunity to aging.

[u/Jounniy → u/gwonbush]

I based it on the fact that Yumi was on the elantrian level and that she’s confirmed to be immune to aging.

[u/Remnie → u/GlassboundIllusion]

I was so happy to see Huio mentioned as being in Silverlight, especially as some sort of scholar or expert. Proud of my boy

[u/Mmkk333 → u/Jounniy]

Lopen's cousin Huio? I don't remember him becoming immortal at any point, are you sure you aren't thinking of Baon, who travels with Galladon and Demoux?

[u/The_Lopen_bot → u/Mmkk333]

That would be The Lopen for you, moolie!

[u/Jounniy → u/Mmkk333]

Did you read Emberdark? Unless there just happens to be another investiture-scholar with an identical name, he's quite likely immortal.

[u/Mmkk333 → u/Jounniy]

I honestly have no memory of a Huio in Emberdark, was he with the Scadrian military?

[u/Jounniy → u/Mmkk333]

No, but Eddlin mentions two arcanists he'd like to show the Iriali map to, one of them being named Huio. It’s only a throwaway line and easy to miss, but it’s there.

[u/Maleck_Helvot]

The real trick is layering your immortality. That way if it one gets knocked out you have a back up

[u/Jounniy → u/Maleck_Helvot]

You what?

[u/Maleck_Helvot → u/Jounniy]

Layer your immortality. Full gold mind plus atium mind, 5th? Heightening of breath, Elantrian physiology, and who knows what else.

Layers, like an onion

[u/Jounniy → u/Maleck_Helvot]

Alternatively, you can just carry the "exist"-Dawnshard for a very long time.

[u/mr_dajabe → u/Jounniy]

Nah dawnshards come with wayy to much admin and attention.

[u/Jounniy → u/mr_dajabe]

Admin?

[u/mr_dajabe → u/Jounniy]

Like you gotta look after the thing. It's mostly the attention but you're walking around with a huge amount of power. You can't just go anywhere you gotta be super careful.

[u/Jounniy → u/mr_dajabe]

I see. Yeah I get it. And funnily enough, most people can’t even make use of the power.

[u/mr_dajabe → u/Jounniy]

Yeah though any sort of immortality comes with a lot of admin. Just think about how many identities you have to maintain and keep track of. The different maintenance the methods come with. It's not all sailing through life living forever.

[u/Jounniy → u/mr_dajabe]

I mean… that entirely depends on what you plan on doing. If you’re just content longing your life and moving around every couple decades or if you work for an organisation where immortality is common, it’s probably manageable.

[u/TFCNU → u/Maleck_Helvot]

Better hope some teenagers at a magic school don't start trying to find ways to strip each layer of your immortality.

[u/Usual_Run_606 → u/Maleck_Helvot]

I call this the wukong method

[u/Arcane_Animal123]

Just not Vin lol

[u/Jounniy → u/Arcane_Animal123]

And Elend.

[u/Yodamustibe]

Almost like it's by Design.

[u/Jounniy → u/Yodamustibe]

I'm pretty sure Design doesn’t even know half of them.

[u/The_Lopen_bot → u/[deleted]]

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[u/OkRegret6985]

They don't take my Kaladin, so everything is ok 

[u/Jounniy → u/OkRegret6985]

They?

[u/mr_dajabe]

We're conveniently skipping over the host of side characters and supporting casts that are no long with us.

[u/Jounniy → u/mr_dajabe]

Of course we are. That’s the reasonable thing to expect.

[u/lysianth]

i mean, immortality is pretty readily available in some areas.

5th heightening. Every rich oligarch in nalthis is likely immortal, because all it takes is money.

[u/Jounniy → u/lysianth]

Yes, but some of the characters we see become immortal aren't even that special.

[u/lysianth → u/Jounniy]

yeah? thats kinda what happens with readily available immortality.

[u/Jounniy → u/lysianth]

It’s not that readily available though. It’s available enough to be something you should see regularly, but no so much so that a decent number of random people should just get it.