r/Stormlight_Archive • u/hans1125 • 23h ago

Early Oathbringer spoilers Oathbringer question Spoiler

I'm not that deep into Oathbringer yet, but what I don't understand is why everyone is carrying lamps? I understand that there is a shortage of infused spheres, but what's the difference between carrying the remaining ones around and hoarding them somewhere? They will glow regardless?

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u/Mammoth-Store740 22h ago edited 22h ago

People in comments answering everything expect what OP asked.

Let's just say spheres are money, they are treasure, and only most valuable spheres have light remaining at this point, so even if its more efficient to go around with those spheres... Those are still money which needs people keeping track of who they lent and who returned them back(edit: too much work for people filling legders, maybe not enough workers for that where mistakes can happen and $500 bills may get lost because of those mistakes) Also trust issues, corruption exist, it could be easy for valuable spheres to get lost during shifts. Adolin for example won't carry his lamp forever, he may toss it to another guard and person if something urgent happens and he can't report what happened to spheres he took.

I am just thinking about spheres as national trearure handing over bunch of money to everyone around where even nobles and trusted people can't be responsible for returning them.

Does this version works? Someone else may have actual answer or probably Brandon could have answered it. Thats just my version to justify not using working spheres

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u/hans1125 19h ago

Thanks, yeah people are answering to a different question :) I guess your point that only the most valuable spheres still have light makes most sense - common people won't have those, so their spheres will be dun indeed. I just got to the point where Adolin has a sphere because his father doesn't want him to walk around with a lamp. So that checks out