Advanced Search

Questioner

What is the name or intention of Bavadin's Shard?

Brandon Sanderson

I have not revealed that yet. I don't think I want to get into that quite yet.

Argent (paraphrased)

Is Cultivation's Shardholder still alive.

Brandon Sanderson (paraphrased)

Good question, what do you think?

Argent (paraphrased)

I want to say, but that's based on my knowledge before I read Lift's interlude from Words of Radiance. Now I am leaning towards no. Based on that interlude, it looks like spren have essence from both Honor and Cultivation. It's almost like they exist in a spectrum, on one end of which is Honor, and on the other - Cultivation; so there are spren that are, for the lack of better example, 90% Honor and 10% Cultivation, and there are spren that are 15% Honor and 85% Cultivation.

Brandon Sanderson (paraphrased)

That's a very astute observation!

Argent (paraphrased)

And since we know that Honor is Splintered, then it might be the case that Cultivation is also Splintered, and their Splinters form the spren.

LeftImBorn (paraphrased)

Is Vax a good place to get vaccines?

Brandon Sanderson (paraphrased)

*laughs* The place where Vax would be is not at a place where vaccines have been developed.

Blightsong

Can you give us any information on Rall Elorim?

Brandon Sanderson

Uhhhm, no other than its called City of Shadows for a reason.

Questioner

Does a larkin with a... *inaudible* draw Stormlight from a Voidbringer... *inaudible*?

Brandon Sanderson

Ah! Would a larkin feed off a-- You will have to read and find out.

Brutal_murder

How was it that the Lord Ruler was able to speak into the minds of the Terris and ask them if they want to become kandra while he was wielding Preservation?

Brandon Sanderson

Lord Ruler... able to speak with the minds of the kandra...

Brutal_murder

At least TenSoon said in the text that he spoke directly into their minds.

Brandon Sanderson

Send that to me, I want to go to Peter for that one. I think we have an answer for that one, but I want to make sure I'm getting it right.

Questioner

Which of the roles Hoid has played is your favorite? And will we be seeing him in Dalinar's flashbacks?

Brandon Sanderson

So which of the roles played by Hoid is my favorite. I would probably say Dust from Warbreaker. I just like-- That's the most true storyteller he's been, kind of based on oral storytelling tradition and things like that.

I can't tell you.  You'll have to read and find out whether you'll find him in Dalinar's flashbacks or not.

R.E. (paraphrased)

Does Vasher have a different way of getting access to Stormlight than everyone else? Given that he has no spren, no honorblade and he isn't a squire?

Brandon Sanderson (paraphrased)

Yes. He can use Stormlight to stay alive, but it doesn't let him Surgebind.

R.E. (paraphrased)

Could Szeth get access to this method?

Brandon Sanderson (paraphrased)

Yes

R.E. (paraphrased)

And use it to fuel Nightblood?

Brandon Sanderson (paraphrased)

Yes he could.

R.E. (paraphrased)

Can you tell me what that method is?

Brandon Sanderson (paraphrased)

*smiles*

Mailnaise

Adolin's sword in Oathbringer, its name is Maya, which I think is cool cause that's my name, but is that-- is she going to become more important?

Brandon Sanderson

That is what we call a Read And Find out. No promises, I can't say either way. Can't give you spoilers.

Viper (paraphrased)

Are we going to find out soon if the Parshendi are actually of Honor?

Brandon Sanderson (paraphrased)

Yes. (You'll find out.)

Questioner

I was wondering about the Ryshadium. So, they can’t be tamed, so where do you go to [get them from]?

Brandon Sanderson

You will find out some of this in Book 3.

Chris King

What year did the Reod occur in the Elantrian calender?

Brandon Sanderson

Let's go ahead and-- Oh boy, Elantrian calendar?

...I don't have my wiki on me, I'm not going to-- I mean--

Questioner

So at the end of Words of Radiance Szeth gets Nightblood. But Nightblood on Nalthis will suck your Breath until you die.

Brandon Sanderson

Yes.

Questioner

So how can Szeth-- like presumably it takes whatever Roshar's form of Investiture is.

Brandon Sanderson

Yes.

Questioner

So how-- but wouldn't it kill Szeth?

Brandon Sanderson

So that's-- First off let's make-- let's mention this: no spoiler questions. That spoils the end of Words of Radiance.

Questioner

Oh, I'm sorry.

Brandon Sanderson

You're okay, but let's avoid spoiler questions. That one will specifically be answered in the next book. So you don't have to worry about that as much. That is a read and find out. That one-- but it's a read and find out that's very obviously the answer is coming.

Questioner

Why can't Rock see Renarin's spren?

Brandon Sanderson

That will be answered in [Oathbringer].

Questioner

If the spren turn into any weapon how come all the dead spren are Shardblades?

Brandon Sanderson

Good question.

Questioner

Read And Find Out?

Brandon Sanderson

It is a Read And Find Out.

Questioner

In the third trilogy of Mistborn, when they do space travel. If space travel possible with members of Scadrial be able to go to other places in the cosmere?

Brandon Sanderson

The answer is, "You'll have to see!"

Questioner

Will Dalinar have shardplate by the end of Oathbringer?

Brandon Sanderson

That's a spoiler.

Questioner

I guess... At what point or which book will Sixth of the Dusk eventually tie in to?

Brandon Sanderson

So... Heh...

Questioner

And if that is unanswerable, then how many years until that book comes out?

Brandon Sanderson

It's not unanswerable, but it's a ways off. The problem is that's a weird planet, and visiting it from Shadesmar is-- it just-- in the Cosmere Collection I'll talk about that, okay? It's a weird planet, and getting to it is interesting. 

Questioner

Okay...

Brandon Sanderson

There's no Shard in residence, but there's a Shardpool. But it's on... one of the most dangerous places... that exists. And so, let's just say it's not going to be relevant until you can regularly travel there somehow that doesn't involve popping up into a giant death trap.

Questioner

Okay, follow-up question though. How many people have tried to pop up, only to find out it was a death trap?

Brandon Sanderson

Go ahead and read what Khriss has to say about it.

Questioner

Does Roshone get his comeuppance?

Brandon Sanderson

More of what happened with Roshone is in the second book. He will at least be mentioned and you will find out more.

Questioner

I was just wondering, is Joel going to become a Rithmatist?

Brandon Sanderson

Is Joel going to become a Rithmatist. You get a card too! *laughter* For those who don't know The Rithmatist, my Young Adult book, the pitch for it, to myself, was "A Muggle at Hogwarts". It is the story of the son of the cleaning lady, who gets free tuition to the magic school, but doesn't-- has no talent-- He just doesn't have the ability himself. So he gets to go to this school, but can't use the magic. So you will have to see what happens in future books, and how it plays out.

Argent

Renarin, his visions of the future are they connected to one of his Surges? Both of them? Are they a side-effect of his order?

Brandon Sanderson

Umm...

Argent

Like I can kind of fit in the two of them...

Brandon Sanderson

Alright, how much of a spoiler do you want on this?

Argent

All of it.

Brandon Sanderson

*Incredulously* Really?

Argent

Is that even a question for me?

Brandon Sanderson

Do you want to know something secret that you then can't post?

Argent

*sighs* How-- Is it something that is going to come up in Book 3--

Brandon Sanderson

Yes.

Argent

--or later.

Brandon Sanderson

It comes up in Book 3.

Argent

I'll bear the burden.

Brandon Sanderson

You'll bear the burden meaning I can tell you?

Argent

I'm going to pause this actually... *Audio paused*

Questioner

Could I have you write the name of-- or the intent of the Shard that's hiding on it's uninhabited world away from everybody?

Brandon Sanderson

Mostly because I don't want to canonize these things and so I get locked into it and the decision is absolutely made. I haven't changed many of them, but I have tweaked them before. I've tweaked like how I wanted to represent the intent, so...

FeatherWriter

Can you tell me what the Truthwatcher spren are called, like do they have a name? I know it's not in Oathbringer.

Brandon Sanderson

Yeah, I'm not gonna canonize that yet. There're things I am still thinking about.

Questioner

So, in Sixth of the Dusk? Who are the people from the sky? Is that an R.A.F.O.?

Brandon Sanderson

It is. Someone you've seen before.

Oudeis

What is Wyrn’s or Hrathen’s seons’ names?

Brandon Sanderson

Um that is--

Oudeis

Or if you don’t know the name off the top of your head then what the Aon translates as.

Brandon Sanderson

Right. It’s been ten years, it’s in the notes. It will be important when I write the second ones.

Questioner

If Sazed got bored one day, could he split the two Shards he has?

Brandon Sanderson

Read And Find Out.

Questioner

So for right now, there are fifteen Shards?

Brandon Sanderson

Right now, there are sixteen Shards, but fifteen Vessels. Well, not even that, 'cause, you know.

Questioner

In The Way of Kings and Words of Radiance, you covered the relationship between Shardblades and spren...you never get around to Shardplate.

Brandon Sanderson

I’m saving that one on purpose, it’s a gun on the mantle, or armor on the mantle. So, you will eventually find out what’s going on there, okay?

Questioner

I currently have a pet theory--

Brandon Sanderson

Oh yeah? What is it?

Questioner

That... there's a-- That there was-- Whatever the fourth Shard that Odium [Splintered]-- People-- The people who founded Threnody were--

Brandon Sanderson

So you should read Khriss' introductions to the worlds in the Cosmere Collection.

Kurkistan

How exactly, Realmatically, is it tracked- like [for example] Aon Aon with these swirls and lines means "Arelon"?

Brandon Sanderson

I'm not gonna' explain that yet; I can explain how the shape is, but the whole relationship between the Aons and the magic and the landscape-

*Draws out/describes AonAon like in the book*

Questioner

So. Mistborn in Space. Sixth of Dusk...

Brandon Sanderson

Lot of people are wondering about that and I'm not answering that.

Questioner

About Hoid...

Brandon Sanderson

Yes.

Questioner

Is he a sand master?

Brandon Sanderson

Hoid? You will have to read and find out in White Sand! I'm not gonna answer that.

lunarubato

So alternatively, is Shinovar the way it is as a result of Cultivation's influence in any way?

Brandon Sanderson

You will find out answers to why Shinovar is the way it is.

Questioner

The Expanse of Vibrance… Nalthis?

Brandon Sanderson

*more grunting* You would be making a good guess, if you said that.

InsaneScotsman

During the perpendicularity scene in Oathbringer is it safe to say that what Dalinar did is akin to super powered versions of his surges? Tension to make the realms ductile and formable, adhesion to bring them together. I know the specific ability is unique to Dalinar but I'm fairly attached to this rationalization

Brandon Sanderson

I wouldn't immediately shoot down this particular theory. 

Argent

Lerasium grants all Allomantic powers when burned. Atium, when used as a spike, can steal any power. Is there a way to create a metalmind that can store anything?

Brandon Sanderson

There is a way to create a metalmind that can store anything.

Argent

Harmonium?

Brandon Sanderson

I’m not saying; I gave you an answer…

Rainier

Was the painting the same painting in Warbreaker?

Brandon Sanderson

*laughs gleefully*

Rainier

Because apparently it matters that it is or isn't

Questioner

What the heck happened, did Taravangian do to Wit?

Brandon Sanderson

You'll find out more in the next book. He stole a few of his Breaths, and they had memories attached to them.

Questioner

We both know that Hoid travels through space, but we’re not sure how he travels through time.

Brandon Sanderson

I haven’t answered that yet.  Let’s just say he’s not living every moment of it, not experiencing every moment of it.

Questioner

When Szeth Surgebinds, frost forms on his clothing. Why?

Brandon Sanderson

Ehhh, I’ll get around to talking about that eventually.

Blightsong

Can you shed some [light] on why Ruin's last words were "Vax"?

Brandon Sanderson

No, I can't, I mean I can but I'm not going to.

Questioner

So, in Steelheart, if you were going to have an Epic be good, who would it be?

Brandon Sanderson

If I were going to have an Epic be good in Steelheart, which one would it be? That it as big ol' R-A-F-O, which stands for Read And Find Out because I will talk about that through the course of the books. So you need to read Firefight, okay?

Zas678 (paraphrased)

Why did Bloody Tan see TenSoon (as the Survivor) and Marsh (as Ironeyes)?

Brandon Sanderson (paraphrased)

He said that he was not answering any questions on what Bloody Tan saw, or thought he saw.

Questioner

In The Stormlight Archive, Damnation is a physical planet, or place, to my understanding. The Tranquiline Halls seems a little less tangible, is it a physical place and will we see it?

Brandon Sanderson

So, Damnation and the Tranquiline Halls, are they physical places? In Rosharan mythology they are places, much like heaven and hell are places. Tranquiline Halls is-- and so they believe that they do exist, but they're not sure if they exist on this plane or the next plane, or things like that. And that's all I'm going to say about it.

Questioner

What would happen if a Parshendi were to attract a spren and bring it into the Highstorm? Like, an Honorspren of some sort?

Brandon Sanderson

Sapient spren have a choice of whether they get bonded or not, unless you entrap them some way. But simply attracting them...simply going into the Highstorm with one wouldn't work, what you said is 'attracted a spren', so, to answer that actually... The thing is, honorspren, all the spren of Honor and Cultivation, not honorspren capital, Honorspren or whatever... The spren that create the orders of the Knights Radiant have not, in the past, been attracted to Parshendi because of certain events in the past.

Questioner

*inaudible*

Brandon Sanderson

You'll have to Read and Find Out.

Questioner

With Dalinar as a Bondsmith, what does that mean his power is?

Brandon Sanderson

Ah, now that's a good question! That is going to be a R-A-F-O, because you have to read and find out. But I'll give you a card.

tiabwwtws

Kelsier went and touched Hoid, and then he [Kelsier] got hurt. Can you tell us anything about that?

Brandon Sanderson

Could I tell you? Yes. Will I tell you? RAAFFOO card!

Questioner

In the Celebrant Market, there's a nice piece of jewelry that's mentioned. 

Brandon Sanderson

Yes, I wouldn't call it jewelry, but yes.

Questioner

Say a spren in humanoid form there put that on, could they manifest in Roshar in their humanoid form?

Brandon Sanderson

So he's asking about the odd chain that's mentioned in the Celebrant Market. You are way off on this one. I'm going to say, point different directions than that on that one.

twixttwists

Since the dead spren are said to have been more or less "reabsorbed" into the cosmere, why did they leave behind physical shards at all?

Brandon Sanderson

We'll find out more about dead spren as the books move forward.

Kurkistan

Is there- have you come up with a Realmatic explanation for why light isn't affected by time bubbles besides handwavium "please don't burn people with microwaves"?

Brandon Sanderson

Peter's got one for us. 'Cause we were going to do redshift: like the actual original writing for it had redshifts; Peter's like "Dude, you will microwave everybody" I'm like "Oh man". So the handwavium of that: there is a real- there is an actual explanation, but it...

*they move to outside the store*

What's the middle of this question?

Kurkistan

Middle of the question was you were thinking about explaining the Realmatics behind light for time bubbles.

Brandon Sanderson

Oh right, right right right right. I can't because it spoils future books; like that's spoiler for Mistborn... 10?

Kurkistan/Argent

*laughter*

Brandon Sanderson

So... if you count the four Alloys, so really gotta stay away from stuff like that.

Kurkistan/Argent

That's fair/fine.

Questioner

Could the mantle of Herald be passed to another person. Could they--

Brandon Sanderson

Read And Find Out, I'm afraid.