Found 274 entries in 0.366 seconds.
Nashan'Elin
(paraphrased)
Szeth refers to Nightblood as sword-nimi. What is the -nimi ending?
Brandon Sanderson
(paraphrased)
It is an honorific.
Nashan'Elin
(paraphrased)
And why does he call it "sword", and not by its name?
Brandon Sanderson
(paraphrased)
It has not told him its name.
JHTheHurricane
Would the metal an Allomancer burns if he was charging Nightblood with Investiture affect the relative power of Nightblood, say if you are burning duralumin or atium Nightblood would be more powerful than if you were burning bronze or zinc?
Brandon Sanderson
Excellent question, actually!
Nightblood, as I've written him now and as I intend to keep him, feeds of the investiture--but isn't really strengthened by it. Meaning, it doesn't matter to him what the food is, it's all just food to him.
Questioner
What metal is Nightblood's sheath made out of?
Brandon Sanderson
Nightblood's sheath is aluminum.
Questioner
How soon until we found out why Vasher and the sword got split up?
Brandon Sanderson
Oh why they got split up. Not this book [Oathbringer]. But soon-ish.
Brandon Sanderson
Nightblood Origins
I've been wanting to do a book with a talking sword for some time. Sentient objects are a favorite theme of mine from fantasy books I've read, and I think you'll probably see more of them in future books from me.
The magic sword is its own archetype in fantasy, even if there haven't been any good magic sword books among the big fantasy novels of recent years. Perhaps that's because Saberhagen and Moorcock did such a good job with their books in the past. I'm not sure. (I don't count appearances of magic swords like Callandor in the Wheel of Time. I mean books with major parts played by swords.)
Anyway, that's a tangent, and I'm certain that half the people reading this can think of examples and exceptions to what I just said. Either way, this is a theme I wanted to tackle, and the magic system of this world lent me the opportunity.
Nightblood is another favorite character of the readers. I think his personality works the best out of any non-viewpoint character I've ever written. He doesn't get that much dialogue in the book, but it is so distinctive that it just works.
Questioner
If Nightblood was on Roshar—for whatever reason—would it be a Shardblade essentially, like would it func--
Brandon Sanderson
Yes. They are exactly the same thing. [...] Nightblood is indeed a Shardblade, basically the exact same thing. Though he is a Shardblade that is twisted and he is a lot more powerful than your standard.
Bridge4AM
(paraphrased)
How significant is it that Nightblood has a metal sheath?
Brandon Sanderson
(paraphrased)
It is significant.
Walin
Does Nightblood contain any of Ruin's Investiture? Like, not atium, but...
Brandon Sanderson
Yes, technically; and I'm not wiggling around that, because technically, location in the Cosmere and who belongs to what gets really weird, right? Because Ruin's Investiture is everywhere--but I'm not talking that way. I'm talking the way you actually mean it.
Questioner
If you held out Nightblood in the mists on Scadrial what would happen?
Brandon Sanderson
Nightblood would probably start feeding on the mists on Scadrial.
Questioner
Would it pick up the Shard?
Brandon Sanderson
No, that's not how that works.
Questioner
Is [Nightblood] like, the Shardblades, kind of thing?
Brandon Sanderson
It is. So, what happened is: Vasher, who was involved in the creation of Nightblood, visited Roshar and came back with this knowledge, and they tried to create something.
Questioner
So he based it off those?
Brandon Sanderson
Yes. And they got it kind of right.
Tim
Nightblood's intent is to destroy evil. Since it consumes Investiture, does it view Investiture as evil?
Brandon Sanderson
No, it does not. Nightblood has trouble deciding what is evil. It is getting better, more and more, but it wouldn't view Investiture itself as evil.
NewbSombrero
Is the risk of Vasher dying from wielding Nightblood unsheathed too long because Nightblood would consume his divine breath or does that also extend to those who are not Returned?
Brandon Sanderson
Yes, and yes, it does apply to others.
Questioner
Is Nightblood more or less susceptible to damage and/or death when he's satiated on Investiture?
Brandon Sanderson
Satiated, he's much less dangerous. More susceptible, I would say by technicality, yes. When he's full, it's gonna be harder for him to pull in things, so all sorts of things could happen. So yes. But it's not that he's weaker, it's not like the metal is easier to break or bend, it's more that he's not as likely to suck your soul.
Questioner
So he behaves more like a regular sword.
Brandon Sanderson
Yeah, a little bit more. Still, for human levels of Investiture, still really dangerous to touch him. He's satiated, but if he's at 100%, and the amount of you he could eat represents 0.001%, the moment a little of that wears off, you're gone. So still would not be picking him up in most cases, just out of that, "Oh! He got a little hungry again!" But in terms of larger, grand scale Shard stuff, much safer to handle.
bubblebooy
Could one negate the negative effects of wielding Nightblood with an aluminum gauntlet?
Brandon Sanderson
*hesitantly* This is theoretically possible, but you also wouldn't get some of the benefits. But many of the benefits are not being utilized by people who draw Nightblood. So to some of them, it would be... you wouldn't be able to notice the difference.
Questioner
How's Nightblood going to react to Szeth's spren?
Brandon Sanderson
Hmmmm! I'll give you a RAFO on that, here's your card.
Forger
(paraphrased)
Is Nightblood a Dawnshard?
Brandon Sanderson
(paraphrased)
He is not.
Questioner
When Zahel worldhopped to Roshar, did he ever do that before Warbreaker?
Brandon Sanderson
Yes, in fact Roshar was where the idea for Nightblood kind of came from.
Questioner
Will you ever write about that?
Brandon Sanderson
I will probably reference it in future books and maybe I'll do some flashbacks, but I haven't decided. I'm unlikely to write a book that covers that time period on its own.
Questioner
If Vasher and Shashara had Awakened a non-weapon in exactly the same way as Nightblood (say a shield), would the object exhibit the same properties as Nightblood?
Brandon Sanderson
So, if you said "destroy evil" to a shield... no, it wouldn't be exactly the same. The Command is the most important part of all of this, but the shape, how the weapon perceives itself, how you perceive it, is all gonna play into this. They're playing with some real dangerous stuff when they made Nightblood. And it didn't go as intended.
Questioner
I'm concerned that that bloodthirsty sword is off on his own again.
Brandon Sanderson
He, ah, he is, he is in dangerous hands right now, let's just say that.
AllomancerSam
If someone created another Awakened sword, just like Nightblood, with the same process, and then brought it to fight Nightblood the same way, would they destroy each other?
Brandon Sanderson
RAFO!
Questioner
How did Nightblood get from Warbreaker to Oathbringer.
Brandon Sanderson
He was carried.
Questioner
How?
Brandon Sanderson
RAFO! He was carried by someone.
Questioner
What book will you have to read to find out?
Brandon Sanderson
You will find out eventually. Nightblood, the sequel to Warbreaker will include some, Stormlight books will also include some.
Comatose
Was Nightblood black before being awakened by Shashara?
Brandon Sanderson
No.
Questioner
I was curious if Nightblood was the only one of its kind, or if Vasher and Shashara have made any others.
Brandon Sanderson
That's a RAFO. Good question. Very good question. There was a point in time when Nightblood was the only one of its kind, and it may have continued until now.
Questioner
(paraphrased)
Is Nightblood an aluminum-titanium alloy?
Brandon Sanderson
(paraphrased)
No, he's something else. RAFO
Questioner
Could Nightblood receive a boon and a curse from the Nightwatcher?
Brandon Sanderson
... She could try. I have no idea how that would turn out. I think it would take them and nothing would happen, would be my guess.
Iceblade44
if you were to chuck Nightblood into a Shard that had the intent of Evil would Nightblood splinter it?
Brandon Sanderson
Splintering is a completely different process from what Nightblood does. :)
BeskarKomrk
(paraphrased)
How much of Nightblood's personality and effects come from the Command he was given?
Brandon Sanderson
(paraphrased)
A moderate amount
Questioner
What about [Nightblood] compared to a Shardpool?
Brandon Sanderson
Nightblood compared to a Shardpool? Depends on the Pool.
18th_Shard
Does a Herald using an Honorblade consume the same "dangerous" amounts of Stormlight?
Brandon Sanderson
Honorblades are less efficient; this doesn't change when a Herald uses them. (But they have other advantages.)
uchoo786
Are Honorblades closer in power to Nightblood than they are to Shardblades made from Spren?
Brandon Sanderson
Hard to say. They're all similar, but at the same time, very different. And in a way, Nightblood is what you might call a "Third Generation" blade.
uchoo786
Ah gotcha. And in this analogy, Honorblades would be 1st gen and Sprenblades would be 2nd gen?
Brandon Sanderson
Yes.
Questioner
So we know that Nightblood was created by people who had some knowledge of Shardblades.
Brandon Sanderson
Mmhmm.
Questioner
But we also know that Nightblood consumes Breaths when it's used.
Brandon Sanderson
Yep.
Questioner
So do Shardblades require that kind of energy? It doesn't seem like they--
Brandon Sanderson
No.
Questioner
So why are they different?
Brandon Sanderson
Because they were made with different magic systems, by different people, and different styles.
Questioner
What can you tell us about Nightblood's sheath?
Brandon Sanderson
What can I tell you about Nightblood's sheath. That it's cool. *laughter* It's a little bit different. Good question. I can tell you it's made of an unusual material.
Heartlight
What is Nightblood's opinions on gender, and who decided on him having he/him pronouns?
Brandon Sanderson
Nightblood is fascinated by gender, and trying to figure it out. Unlike spren like Syl, Nightblood has not self gender assigned as an influence of interacting with humans. That said, Vasher was probably the one who just started calling him He, so if you want to take the issue up with anyone, go to him.
Questioner
What metal is Nightblood made out of?
Brandon Sanderson
Uh, RAFO.
Questioner
In Rhythm of War, Nightblood broke off a piece of an Honorblade. Could you technically pulverize an Honorblade to the point it wouldn't exist? If so, what would happen?
Brandon Sanderson
You could pulverize an Honorblade to the point that it wouldn't exist. You would basically need to repair it with Investiture, and if you didn't, it would happen, the same thing that happened to Shardplate. You would be making... basically it's changing form. Either you would end up with a bunch of dust made of a God Metal, which you could do stuff with, or you add Investiture and reconstitute it, or you get it to change back into its other states. Those are all possibilities.
Questioner
Who can consume more Investiture, Nightblood or Chiri-Chiri?
Brandon Sanderson
Nightblood. Chiri-Chiri would get full a lot faster.
Questioner
[Was] Vasher the one who brought Nightblood to Roshar? *sensing an incoming RAFO* Come on, please!
Brandon Sanderson
*laughs mercilessly* That's a RAFO.
Brandon Sanderson
Nightblood and Vasher Interact as He Sneaks into the God King's Palace
Note that Nightblood is capable of more change than Vasher assumes. Vasher has a bit of a blind spot when it comes to Nightblood. He makes assumptions he wouldn't make regarding other people or elements of Awakening. It's hard for him to regard the sword without bias. If you want to know more about this, read the sequel. (Er, if I ever write it.) Which is tentatively named Nightblood.
Questioner
Was Nightblood a massive waste of Investiture?
Brandon Sanderson
There are lots of people of that think Nightblood is a massive waste of Investiture.
Argent
Can a sentient object be created on Roshar? By just-- In a way similar to how the Scholars created Nightblood?
Brandon Sanderson
Oh?
Argent
No?
Brandon Sanderson
No I wasn't saying no I was saying well that's kind of what the Shardblades are.
Argent
Kind of.
Brandon Sanderson
Mmhmm.
Questioner
Is Nightblood a spren?
Brandon Sanderson
There are some who would define Nightblood as a spren. I would not. I would define Nightblood as something else.
Questioner
I assume I'm going to learn a lot more about this in Stormlight 3 but Nightblood, is he more dangerous or less dangerous now that he-- obviously he needs Investiture that is why *audio obscured* any Investiture?
Brandon Sanderson
I'd say more dangerous, a little bit easier to get the Stormlight.
Questioner
I assumed I'd learn a lot more about him...
Brandon Sanderson
You will, and he's pretty dangerous, but he is also less dangerous because other people have Shardblades, if that makes sense.
Questioner
Is Nightblood going to out Vasher or Vivenna on Roshar?
Brandon Sanderson
Is Nightblood going to what-- out them?
Questioner
Yeah.
Brandon Sanderson
Nightblood, you can never quite tell what Nightblood is going to do. And so I would say there's a high likelyhood that if that opportunity came, that he would do so.
Questioner
On the coppermind it states specifically that Nightblood is fueled by Investiture, would that mean that an Allomancer burning, say, steel, could then [draw] Nightblood and fuel it off of that?
Brandon Sanderson
Yes, Nightblood would feed off that Kinetic Investiture, you could make that work. You would have to keep that portal open, and he would eat the power instead of whatever you were planning to do with it, and when you ran out of metal he’d kill you.
Questioner
Would that also work with say...whatever you have in a Coppermind or metalmind?
Brandon Sanderson
Yes, yes, theoretically you could make that work too. That’s an excellent question, you’re the first to ask that.
Questioner
Can you create a Shardblade with Breath?
Brandon Sanderson
Yes. That’s what Nightblood is.
Gagylpus
(paraphrased)
How does Nightblood work on Roshar?
Brandon Sanderson
(paraphrased)
Nightblood consumes any Investiture within the person, ultimately consuming their innate Investiture.
Oudeis16
Could a typical Awakener give Breaths to Nightblood?
Brandon Sanderson
Yes.
Oudeis16
Could it use those Breaths to Awaken?
Brandon Sanderson
No.
Questioner
If an Allomancer drew Nightblood, would it eat the metals first?
Brandon Sanderson
Only if they were burning it.
Questioner
At the time, otherwise it would go straight through and eat them?
Brandon Sanderson
Yeah it would just eat them. Yeah. If they were burning the metals, it would burn through the metal, and he would take the power instead of you gaining whatever ability you were trying to get from it.
Questioner
Who he be able to use the metal power or would he just eat it as...?
Brandon Sanderson
He would just take it as raw Investiture.
onelowerlight
What first gave you the idea for Warbreaker? What was your first inspiration for it?
Brandon Sanderson
WRBRKR came from a lot of sourcres. Siri and Vivenna were side characters in a book I never finished.
Vasher came from the line that starts the book. No space to post it here, but give it a read.
Nightblood came because…well, I just wanted to have a talking sword.
Questioner
What’s the most dangerous non-Shard thing in the cosmere?
Brandon Sanderson
Nightblood’s up there, Hoid is up there, but not deadly dangerous, a different type of dangerous, yeah no, what we know of, right now, those, those are in the running. Chasmfiends, chasmfiends are pretty nasty. Whitespines are a little more nasty probably. The… the Unmade are pretty nasty. Yeah. There’s a couple of mercenary troops that you haven’t met yet that are really quite, quite dangerous, I would list them as well.
Chaos
When Nightblood killed the Fused, are those Fused souls retrievable?
Brandon Sanderson
RAFO.