Found 229 entries in 0.261 seconds.
Questioner
So Honorblades: Can they actually be bound? ...Can you bind to an Honorblade or not?
Brandon Sanderson
Yeees you can, but it's not exactly the same thing.
Questioner
It's not exactly the same thing as a regular Shardblade?
Brandon Sanderson
Yeah... In some ways they're more powerful in some ways they're a prototype, if that makes sense.
paperstones
Could a seon or a skaze turn into some sort of Shardblade on their home planet?
Brandon Sanderson
That is theoretically possible. They work under the same fundamentals but they would need to have something to pull them more into the Physical Realm.
Excelsius
What's the biological reaction of a limb cut by a Shardblade, because they don't start to rot after being cut?
Brandon Sanderson
Yeah they don't start to rot, so the bloodflow is still happening. The limb is still attached, it's not going to rot off, but the soul is dead. This is a thing that can happen in the cosmere that can't happen here. Because you have Spiritual, [Cognitive], and Physical DNA. Your soul's been severed in that part, and it just flops around. You can't feel it, you can't control it. It's something that, again, couldn't happen here.
What would happen if Nightblood and a Shardblade hit each other?
RAFO.
Questioner
You know how the BioChromatic Breaths is like more soul? If you were to get hit by a Shardblade while having several of them, could you take more hits before you lose the soul from your body?
Brandon Sanderson
I'll RAFO this. Good Question.
Questioner
I'm curious. Are any of those rare metals from Mistborn on any other world?
Brandon Sanderson
So, not those exact metals, unless they've been taken off-world. But there are other metals like them that you could find.
Questioner
So they could have Allomantic lore?
Brandon Sanderson
They theoretically could...
Let's just say it's not a coincidence that you find Investiture manifesting as metal on other places. Such as Shardblades, as well.
crucix
Probably a RAFO question but why does Syl have an aversion to shard equipment? Is it something inherited from Kaladin's interaction with shardbearers?
Brandon Sanderson
RAFO. (You'll will find out eventually.)
blan_Ryan7
loved Way of kings, can you say where shard blades go when not summoned or is it a Rafo
Brandon Sanderson
It is RAFO, but one that will be answered for sure.
Jeremy
(paraphrased)
Syl gives Kaladin the choice to have any number of weapons or a shield. Pattern can be equally a sword or a small knife. Are spren limited to being items of war or could they be put to other uses? Could the surge binders less geared toward battle use their spren to make ladders, rope, etc?
Brandon Sanderson
(paraphrased)
No, this is not restricted to articles of war.
Questioner
So could somebody using maybe a duralumin Push or Pull, or just a strong Allomancer, take control of a Shardblade?
Brandon Sanderson
The more heavily Invested something is, the most-- the more <release?> other forms of Investiture? But as we have proof in Mistborn you can Push and Pull on metalminds, you can Push and Pull on even a spike that’s inside of somebody. If you have the strength. So it's kind of pushing against the strength of the Investiture.
VindicationKnight
If a person in the Cosmere built a fully sentient and sapient robot would that robot have a soul? How would it interact with Shardblades?
Brandon Sanderson
Yes. It would interact with Shardblades the same way that Spren do.
VindicationKnight
How does a Shardblade interact with a Spren?
Brandon Sanderson
Shardblades cut on all three realms. I'm not going to say too much here, though I might note that it's possible a robot like you say would act more like nightblood than anything else--depends on what is involved in the creation, and how you determine the difference between a robot and a golem for these purposes.
Yata
Could a filled (fully feruchemical charge) metalmind block a Shardblade (or at least, resist a bit)?
Brandon Sanderson
Yes, it could. Excellent question.
Questioner
Can I ask you real quick: Where Warbreaker falls in Stormlight Achive?
Brandon Sanderson
Warbreaker is before Stormlight Archive. Vasher, before Warbreaker, had been to Roshar.
Questioner
Okay, that's what I needed to know. Nightblood.
Brandon Sanderson
Nightblood was patterned off of things that Vasher and the others saw on Roshar.
Questioner
Do Shardblades cut as well as like an ideal wedge in a perfect world or better than that?
Brandon Sanderson
I would say better than. Because they can cut the spirit, too. The soul.
Questioner
So... Shardblades are modeled after Honorblades. Are Honorblades modeled after something else?
Brandon Sanderson
The Honorblades were provided for the Heralds. The person doing the providing was aware of certain things. So, yes, but not really. I think it is-- I can answer a "yes," but it's more like a big asterisk.
Questioner
Szeth says in the first Stormlight book that he can't heal from a Shardblade--
Brandon Sanderson
He can't.
Questioner
So when he got cut he couldn't heal that...
Brandon Sanderson
No. Not with his powers.
Questioner
Not from an Honorblade.
Brandon Sanderson
Not from an Honorblade.
Questioner
So, Shardblades, they're dead spren, but Syl came back. Is there any way for Shardblades, the spren who are Shardblades, to come back?
Brandon Sanderson
Mmm... You'll have to read and find out.
Oneyespike
(paraphrased)
Can a Shardblade interrupt iron or steel lines?
Brandon Sanderson
(paraphrased)
*after mulling it over a bit, he was very interested in this question* "It would be theoretically possible, because steel lines manifest themselves on the Spiritual Realm. Also, there are other things that can cut/interfere with steel lines."
Lance Alvein
(paraphrased)
Can you confirm if the scene with Taln at the end of Way of Kings is entirely in Hoid's perspective? There was some discussion that it might not be, since Taln's Honorblade was called a Shardblade.
Brandon Sanderson
(paraphrased)
That entire scene is in Hoid's POV, and the reason for it being called a Shardblade is because Honorblades are Shardblades.
Questioner
And there's one last question if I may: I'm really into swords and such. I couldn't help but notice king Elhokar's Blade. It's just... All the others are ornamented, and they may have some glyphs, but it is the only one where it is explicitly it is told that there are ten fundamental glyphs on it which are the glyphs of the orders. I read some of the chapters from Dalinar from Unfettered II, and I know how he got it for Elhokar. Is there also some more backstory to this Blade?
Brandon Sanderson
There's a backstory to every Blade and every one of them is special, that's the problem. But I will be exploring the origins of some of the Blades. Eventually. Not a ton, but a little bit.
Questioner
As it is ornamented in such a way... Could it be related to a Bondsmith?
Brandon Sanderson
Bondsmiths didn't have Blades.
Questioner
All of them? It's just... Maybe it was just the Stormfather...
Brandon Sanderson
No. That's a really good guess. Really good guess. I'm gonna RAFO Bondsmiths because you gonna learn a lot about them in the next book because it's the Bondsmith's book. That's a really good theory, but it's not true.
Questioner
But maybe there is at least something to it.
Brandon Sanderson
But there's a reason to it, why it has all the 10 orders.
Questioner
You've said that Shardblades can be made in other magic systems. So if it's not like a Shardblade from Roshar, what makes it a Shardblade?
Brandon Sanderson
The "Shard" refers to the heavy Investiture of a Shard of Adonalsium. Most of what you’ll see will see are the Roshar ones, but it is technically possible to make them out of the other magic systems. It's going to be a heavily invested magical weapon, is kind of how I would define it.
Questioner
So are the Bands [of Mourning] one?
Brandon Sanderson
I would not call them one, but they are close. They're not Invested enough.
Questioner
(paraphrased)
When spren die, they kind of become part of everything, so why did, when the Knights broke their oaths, why did they stay as Shardblades?
Brandon Sanderson
(paraphrased)
They had been bound into that form by those oaths. The oaths are broken, but it's like they’re cracked. Does that make sense? Like, there's still something holding those spren and that's what made them *inaudible* It would have been better if they had actually died, does that make sense? But they couldn't-- they're bound in that form.
Questioner
(paraphrased)
But their consciousness is still, like, gone?
Brandon Sanderson
(paraphrased)
They still have a consciousness, some of them. To an extent.
Questioner
(paraphrased)
That's why the screaming happens.
Brandon Sanderson
(paraphrased)
Yes.
awakenedtassel
Here's one that's been on my mind for a while. You've said that Shardblades can take forms other than weapons/shields. Have we seen this happen in the series so far?
Brandon Sanderson
Yes.
wesem
Just realized what Shardblades remind me of..
In my head, they remind me a lot of Keyblades from Kingdom Hearts. The blade appearing out of nowhere when you hold out your hand seems rather similar. They're also both highly coveted in their universes and for both types each blade is different from the next (I think). Just wanted to see if anyone else noticed this or if I'm just crazy and have had way too much time to think waiting for Words of Radiance.
Brandon Sanderson
Shardblades aren't inspired by keyblades specifically, though there is a core inspiration that might be shared by both myself and the creators. While I did play the first kingdom hearts game when it came out, the first draft of The Way of Kings was well under way when the game was released.
However, I did play all of the final fantasy games--I had the first on original Nintendo, so get off my lawn, you kids. The origin of Shardblades relates to fantasy games and art in general, and the concept of the stylized sword which is also horribly impractical.
In a lot of my writing, I react toward or against the fantasy archetypes of my youth in the 80s and 90s. When designing the Stormlight Archive, one of the things I asked myself was, "Can I make a situation where these oversized, over-stylized blades are actually practical? Why in the world would you need a weapon like that? And how do you actually use one?"
Making the blades summonable seemed one of the only ways that carrying one around would be reasonable.
Questioner
You know the sparring guards, for the Shardblade training, the guards they put on the Shardblades. Are they made of aluminum?
Brandon Sanderson
So, they are not. Peter will not let me make them made out of aluminum. He's my continuity editor, he keeps me honest. I tried to get them to be aluminum, but there are reasons why they can't be. So we had to make them their own weird little thing, unfortunately. But you could make a sheath out of aluminum for a Shardblade that would work.
He keeps me honest, so it's good, but I did try to fit them in that way.
Questioner
Could a bloodmaker heal a Shardblade wound?
Brandon Sanderson
Could a...whatmaker? Oh, could a bloodmaker heal a Shardblade wound? Um, yes, yes they could. So, what...so, yes, this is possible. (Long pause) Is it possible? I haven't actually thought about it. I have to work through the mechanics of the magics. Jury's out. Jury's out. I've gotta go and look at the actual mechanics, so I'm gonna "jury's out" on that one. That's a read and find out as, you would think I'd figured that one out, because I'm planning for the conflicts but I haven't, like... So what's happening with the healing on Roshar is that they are using Stormlight to bridge the severed soul and glue it back together, right. So, the magic of bloodmaking is different to an extent, in that it is prompting healing directly from the body, right... I'm gonna go with yes, until I look at it but, jury's out.
Questioner
Would Allomancy affect Shardplate or Shardblades?
Brandon Sanderson
It cannot affected Shardblades. Well, "cannot" is a strong word. Things with innate investiture are much more difficult to affect with any of the magics at all. Which is why it's very hard, for instance-- Szeth is not able to bind people, or Lash people wearing Shardplate to the ceiling. In the same Allomancy would not be able to Push on it without some help. Duralumin and a really strong [Steel]Push could probably do it.
Questioner
I was just wondering if it's actually metal.
Brandon Sanderson
Oh yes. It is metal-ish... it is metal enough for Allomancy to work on it.
Is it possible for a non-native being to use a Shardblade?
Yes.
Questioner
So, the Shardfork. A very versatile, Shard-whatever. Would it be possible to do, like, a Shardrock, or something, that would go in a catapult?
Brandon Sanderson
Yeah, it has more variety than people would think, but it isn't limitless, what they can become. But that would totally be possible.
Questioner
And what would a Shardrock do if it hits you?
Brandon Sanderson
Uh, bean them on the head and be really strong. If you can get into the spirit, if you can start getting past the skin and stuff, you can do some serious damage.
Questioner
So the shape of the Shardblades of the spren that pretty much die and leave them afterwards, are they specific because of something? Or just because that's how the Radiant used them, in that shape?
Brandon Sanderson
It is a mixture of how the Radiant views them, and how-- Their nature. It's a mixture of their nature and how the Radiant views them.
Questioner
Were they still able to shape them however they want? ...The Shardblades.
Brandon Sanderson
Originally? Yes.
Questioner
Shardblades are essentially spren that have died--
Brandon Sanderson
Not all of them have died but yeah.
Questioner
Oh, my question was if they could be revived?
Brandon Sanderson
Um this… According to the understanding of those in-world it would require the same person who broke their oath. So it would be possible if any of them were still alive. I'm not ruling out other ways, but that's how it's understood by--
Questioner
It would be the traditional way.
Brandon Sanderson
Yeah, mmhmm.
If a Shardblade was used on an Awakened object, would it physically harm the object, destroy the Breath, or a combination of the two?
You will someday know.
ladrac1
What, if anything, would happen if you swing a Shardblade through a seon?
Brandon Sanderson
So, seon would not like being- a Shardblade swung through them, how about that. A seon would not enjoy that. Spren don't enjoy it either. That isn't necessarily going to kill either of them, but they're not going to like it.
Questioner
Could a shadow from Threnody be manifested as a Shardblade?
Brandon Sanderson
RAFO.
Questioner
(paraphrased)
Why were all the Shardblades swords when they can take on any weapon form they want? Would they all revert to swords when they die?
Brandon Sanderson
(paraphrased)
When they die they'd revert to the basic form which was a sword since they were patterned after Honorblades.
Cognizantastic
As I understand it, Nightblood is most comparable to a Shardblade. However, unlike a Shardblade, Nightblood requires constant input of Investiture in order to realize his full destructive potential. Why is this?
Brandon Sanderson
Vasher kind of hacked in order to imitate another magic system. Shardblades are organic parts of the world they are on, but Nightblood is a bunch of souls stuffed into something. Nightblood is like a Frankenstein.
Questioner
I was wondering, is Nightblood a Shardblade?
Brandon Sanderson
Nightblood is an attempt by someone who didn’t know how Shardblades were made to create a Shardblade using a different magic system.
Questioner
This actually came out of a panel today. You'd originally said that Nightblood is way more powerful than a regular Shardblade, but at the time that question was asked of you we didn' know about live Shardblades, we only knew about dead Shardblades. So is that still true, now that we know we have at least two--
Brandon Sanderson
Oh he is more powerful than a regular Shardblade. *groaning and laughter* that is 100% still true.
Moderator
How does Nightblood compare to a more living Blade?
Brandon Sanderson
More living Blade? Hehe, you’re asking the same--
Moderator
No I'm asking a different question. *laughter*
Brandon Sanderson
Well, let's just RAFO that one.
Questioner
I imagine living Shardblades represent the people they're bonded with. If the person changed over time, would the design of the Shardblade change? For example, with holiness being symmetrical, and somebody was holy, that's gonna be symmetrical. If they became unholy, would their Blade become unsymmetrical?
Brandon Sanderson
It's gonna depend on their perceptions of themselves and their spren's perceptions of them. But yes, it can change over time.
Questioner
We were wondering about the stances and I was wondering if you could match them?
*unfolds image*
Brandon Sanderson
I would have you email it to us, because Ben McSweeney made the final call as he drew these, on which one was which. While I had notes on each of them, he matched the stances to them, and so it would be really easy for me to get them wrong.
zhbidg
Related to Kaladin's abilities and their application to medicine, is a Shard-scalpel possible, or does a Sylblade of any kind have to do the whole burning-eyes deadened-limbs thing that Shardblades do?
(actually, I bet this is going to be addressed in the book, unless my memories of lore are insufficient and this is a silly question that is already answered if I look closely enough.)
Brandon Sanderson
It's not a silly question--and while it's not answered in the books, the topic (or at least ones similar to it) is discussed. So I'll RAFO for now.
Thedingerdonger
Elhokar's Shardblade has all ten orders.
Ben McSweeney
Just to stir the pot for giggles, I can confirm that Brandon specifically called for that particular detail. Hence the extra bit of the glyphs next to the Blade.
Could not tell you why though... he never told me! :)
Every Blade depicted in the Shallan art so far (except perhaps that cleaver-looking beast in the dueling drawing) went through multiple design passes. He definitely cares how they're depicted.
derioderio
Are the two Shardbearers sparring at the bottom of the page holding Mayalaran and Oathbringer?
Ben McSweeney
Not Oathbringer for sure, because we have a particular Oathbringer design. That chopper is of no particular provenance at this time, at least that I know of.
Though it's not unheard of for Brandon to pick a design that I had thought of as being "throwaway" and elevate it to something significant. :)
Questioner
With Syl being able to be revived, is Adolin ever going to be able to revive his own blade, or--
Brandon Sanderson
Ah, that would be very difficult, because the original-- in most cases, the original person who broke the oath would have to be the one.
Brandon Sanderson
(paraphrased)
Shardblades can be willed down. We see this with Dalinar slamming the Shardblade down into the stone at the end of the Way of Kings.
Zas678
Did Vasher visit Roshar before the Recreance? Because he had-- *Brandon mumbles question* Because he had to see Shardblades, and... presumably live ones.
Brandon Sanderson
Yeah... I'll RAFO that. I'll RAFO that. It is an assumption that he had... He doesn't necessarily have to have seen alive ones. He could have heard records of them.
Zas678
Okay. Because I've tried to make out a timeline, to be like, "Okay, if this is here..."
Brandon Sanderson
Kara has a timeline-- Not Kara-- Karen has a timeline in hand. But I would have to look at it to give you exact dates, but yeah.
Zas678
Okay. So you didn't have to see...
Brandon Sanderson
He did not have to see.
Questioner
If something is heavily Invested, it's harder for a Shardblade to go through it, right?
Brandon Sanderson
Kind of. It depends on the kind of Investiture and things that are going on. But yes. If you want to block a Shardblade... Like a metalmind would be a good thing to use to fight a Shardblade.
Questioner
A person with a lot of Breath, like the God-King, would you be able to chop them with a Shardblade or no?
Brandon Sanderson
It's going to get very tricky on that, so I'll RAFO that for now. Let's just say that there are things. For instance, a Shardblade excising someone who's been Hemalurgically spiked is a theoretical possibility.
Snipexe
Why are all the dead Shardblades blades?
Brandon Sanderson
That will be answered eventually, so I'm gonna RAFO that for now.
Questioner
With aluminum resisting Shardblades, could you plate Shardplate with aluminum and have extra resistance, or would that be too thin to really even do anything?
Brandon Sanderson
This would probably not be very effective. Maybe in modern times, you could, but honestly you'd be better off just building aluminum armor for someone else. It's not gonna add too much to the Shardplate and to what the Shardplate's already doing and it might just interfere too much with what you're trying to do anyway. It would be worth experimenting with, but I don't think it's gonna end up doing too much.
Questioner
What inspired the sword stances in The Way of Kings? Windstance and stonestance--
Brandon Sanderson
Yeah, it was old-school, what they call-- the old books that you would see-- sword training guides. Where you would see a guy in a stance, and then go like this, and things. I just thought they were really interesting, and I developed the stances around that.
Bridge4AM
(paraphrased)
What would happen if you tried to cut aluminum with a shardblade?
Brandon Sanderson
(paraphrased)
A shardblade would not cut aluminum.