Found 243 entries in 0.373 seconds.
Questioner
Can you tell me about the mechanics of Nightblood's revulsion vs. compulsion magic?
Brandon Sanderson
What do you want to know?
Questioner
Is it like Rioting? Like in--
Brandon Sanderson
Yes, Rioting is a good parallel to that.
Questioner
Is agency being taken away?
Brandon Sanderson
I wouldn't say agency is taken away but it depends on how you view Rioting, right? If you are enhancing someone's emotions-- Here is the question for you. If someone is feeling depressed, is their agency being taken away? And this is a question that our society has a really bad answer to, right? So if you are being Rioted, strict-line I would say no, your agency isn't being taken away, but you are certainly under the influence of another force which is taking certain emotions you might have and emphasizing them a great deal.
Questioner
So is it the same kind of push that makes a virtuous person want to vomit?
Brandon Sanderson
Virtuous might be the wrong way to put it. But yes, that sort of thing is related. It's related to Nightblood and it's related to how he was created and all of those sorts of things.
Questioner
What would happen if you released Nightblood in a highstorm?
Brandon Sanderson
I'll RAFO that for now. It's an intriguing question though, I approve of that question.
DoritoJH
What would happen if Nightblood were wielded inside of a perpendicularity for a significant period of time?
Brandon Sanderson
Bad things. Depends on the perpendicularity. He could probably collapse a perpendicularity, so bad things would happen.
Nameles36
Why was it that Vasher was able to throw Nightblood while fully drawn but Szeth couldn't even drop him
Brandon Sanderson
So it may have been part to why Nightblood has less an effect on Vasher in general than the other people, but there's also a little of a bit a measure of experience... but there's some other stuff going on with Vasher.
AllomancerSam
Were Vasher and Nightblood separated before going to Roshar, or after?
Brandon Sanderson
After.
Brandon Sanderson
Lightsong Thinks about How Hallandren Wouldn't Fall
He's wrong here. If he hadn't intervened and taken responsibility, the God King would have died, and another Manywar would have begun. It would have ended with Hallandren in flames, destroyed by the advancing Idrian coalition, who by then would have gained the secret to creating swords like Nightblood from Yesteel, who is hiding in one of the kingdoms across the mountains and who secretly knows what Vasher did to create the sword. He would have brought his kingdom into the conflict. And the world would have burned.
Questioner
Now I just gotta know how [Nightblood] got there.
Brandon Sanderson
Yes, you do. There will be some hints in the next book.
Pagerunner
Is Nightblood like the Tzai Blows... from Dragonsteel, where he pulverizes a Spiritual aspect, and it has a result on the Physical? Is that what he does, popping into smoke?
Brandon Sanderson
Yes, he is attacking directly at the spirit.
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.
Questioner
What happens if a kandra eats Nightblood?
Brandon Sanderson
That would be bad for them.
Questioner
I want to know if Nightblood can be killed in the same way as a spren.
Brandon Sanderson
Well, that's a RAFO. Nightblood does not have the same spren bond, and so the renouncing of Oaths is not going to affect him, but there are certain things that could.
Questioner
(paraphrased)
What would happen if Nightblood was drawn in the Spiritual Realm?
Brandon Sanderson
(paraphrased)
Trademark, REALLY bad thing.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Questioner
Can you become a Nightblood savant?
Brandon Sanderson
Um... No, I don't think that would work. Just the way that things are working, probably not. Whether Nightblood is savant or not... But you probably could not become a savant of Nightblood.
Argent
You've said that there are three types of Blades in The Stormlight Archive. We've seen "dead" Shardblades, Honorblades - is the third type the "living spren" Shardblades, or is there another type we haven't seen?
Brandon Sanderson
Nightblood is a very unique kind of Shardblade, but IS a Shardblade.
Questioner
How does Nightblood work on Roshar?
Brandon Sanderson
Well Nightblood feeds on Investiture, which is the general life-force/magic-force in the cosmere and so he can feed on basically any source of magical energy.
Questioner
And do other magics work on other worlds?
Brandon Sanderson
I've been describing it lately more like you see DC current and AC current, where they're similar things but slightly different. It is possible to make magics work on other planets, some it's easier than others.
Questioner
My brother and I disagreed, at the very end of Words of Radiance, the sword that-- Is it the same as in Warbreaker?
Brandon Sanderson
Yes it is, in fact Vasher is in the book.
Questioner
Is that Vasher?!?
Brandon Sanderson
No, look for somebody making color metaphors and when they are waking up they feel like they can sense other people's presence and things like that. There is one character who is Vasher. He doesn't go by that name anymore.
Questioner
Are we going to see a clash between Nightblood and a Shardblade anytime soon?
Brandon Sanderson
Yes.
Questioner
What metal is Nightblood's sheath made out of?
Brandon Sanderson
Nightblood's sheath is aluminum.
Questioner 1
What would happen if you used lerasium as a spike for Hemalurgy?
Brandon Sanderson
Oh lerasium as a spike for Hemalurgy? Um lerasium as a spike for Hemalurgy--
Questioner 1
Would it work or would it just not work?
Brandon Sanderson
No I mean it would work--
Questioner 1
If you were to place a lerasium spike would you transform into a full Mistborn as opposed to--
Questioner 2
Well it can also steal powers, not just grant them, right?
Brandon Sanderson
Um, right. The thing about it is you're trying to Invest something that is already very Invested, which always has weird effects. So while you could do it, it would be a gross waste of the potential. It's like using a nuclear bomb as a paperweight. It is functional but--
Questioner 1
Does that mean it would be hard, for example, to make Nightblood stick something? Because--
Brandon Sanderson
Yes it would be very hard to make Nightblood stick to something. The amount of Investiture in Nightblood is--
Bystander
Astronomical?
Brandon Sanderson
Yes. Larger than most things you've seen. So Pushing on Nightblood, really hard.
Just another guyn
If an Elantrian were to get a hold of Nightblood and draw it, how would Nightblood react to that-- What kind of power would be unleashed?
Brandon Sanderson
So Nightblood needs kinetic Investiture to feed upon. The Elantrian would have to be able to get a conduit to the Dor to feed Nightblood or Nightblood would just eat their soul.
Just another guyn
So if they used AonDor to fuel Nightblood--
Brandon Sanderson
There are some types of AonDor that would work, and there are others that would not.
Just another guyn
And would Nightblood just keep going until either the Aon was--
Brandon Sanderson
He would dissolve the Aon as he drew the power from it.
Just another guyn
So it wouldn't just empty the Dor?
Brandon Sanderson
No, it would not empty the Dor.
Rainier
Who had custody of Nightblood before Nale?
Brandon Sanderson
Read and Find Out.
Brandon Sanderson
Old Chaps
I love having random little viewpoints like these in books. I don't do them often, usually just once or twice a book. But I was excited to write this one, as Chaps has a very interesting way of thinking. Dance, dance, dance. I didn't plan him into the book specifically; I simply wrote this scene as it arrived and I knew someone had to fetch Nightblood. I'm always pleased when a little glimpse like this gives us such a distinctive feel and flavor for a character, though.
Nightblood is better at communicating with people who are mentally unhinged. He can influence them more easily. Really, Denth, you should have known to toss Nightblood someplace far deeper than the shallow bay.
Questioner
(paraphrased)
Will Vivenna, Vasher and Nightblood reunite?
Brandon Sanderson
(paraphrased)
RAFO
Questioner
With Nightblood coming in [to Words of Radiance] does that produce a magic system from a different book or does that stay separate?
Brandon Sanderson
It will stay separate.
Questioner
So at the end of [Oathbringer], how aware is Odium of what Nightblood is and can do?
Brandon Sanderson
Modestly.
Questioner
Taking the sheath, that kind of thing?
Brandon Sanderson
He knows. I would say more than modestly, he is well aware.
Rhandric
Is Vasher trying to find Nightblood?
Brandon Sanderson
Vasher misses Nightblood and feels responsible for him.
Questioner
What’s your most terrifying character, and why is it Nightblood?
Brandon Sanderson
Ha. Nightblood is pretty terrifying… You know, an object created to destroy evil but doesn’t know what it is?
Questioner
When you brought it back...I had <to like shut the book> a little bit and like, scary.
Brandon Sanderson
I wanted you to think that Nightblood in the hands of Szeth should be one of the most terrifying things that you have ever contemplated.
Questioner
Could Nightblood theoretically be turned into a Hemalurgic spike?
Brandon Sanderson
The problem with that is that Nightblood is already invested, so it depends on your version of ' Hemalurgic spikes'. Piercing someone's body with Invested metal can have weird effects all through the Cosmere, but ripping off a piece of a person's soul using an un-Invested spike to Invest it and create one is different... we're talking about two different things, right. So there's the.... so what is a Hemalurgic spike? For instance if you've got a spike that's Invested and you stick it into a Kandra on Scadrial it will still work as an Invested Hemalurgic spike. Making a new Invested spike by ripping off a person's soul, that's a different process and a little more difficult to accomplish and requires some specialized knowledge.
Comatose
Was Nightblood black before being awakened by Shashara?
Brandon Sanderson
No.
Questioner
What would happen if Nightblood was drawn inside of a perpendicularity?
Brandon Sanderson
It depends on the perpendicularity. It has a good chance of collapsing it.
platysaur
Well Mr. Sanderson, I finally finished Words of Radiance as well. I thank you for answering previous questions of mine on this thread.
I didn't read Warbreaker but I intend to. That said, if I don't get to it (college is quickly approaching now), will it be a setback? I know that Szeth's sword is now a character from Warbreaker, but I don't want to be at a disadvantage if I can't get to it.
Brandon Sanderson
If you don't read Warbreaker, I doubt you'll be confused. I wrote Warbreaker as a prequel novel (after writing the original draft of The Way of Kings) to give some backstory to side characters I knew where cosmere-aware, but the story should work just fine without having read it.
Questioner
If you took Nightblood into the Cognitive Realm, what would he look like?
Brandon Sanderson
RAFO, and yes, he has been taken into the Cognitive Realm before.
Questioner
More specifically, would he stay a sword or would he give himself a sort of...
Brandon Sanderson
That's a RAFO... that's the RAFO. Just make sure when you go through that perpendicularity, he's in a sheath. Otherwise, bad things happen.
Questioner
There would be a difference, you say?
Brandon Sanderson
Yeah, bad things would happen if you took Nightblood through.
Questioner
(paraphrased)
Why is Vasher on Roshar? Is he trying to get back Nightblood?
Brandon Sanderson
(paraphrased)
Kind of a RAFO. I won't go into all his reasons right now but there is one thing that was difficult to get on Nalthis that is much easier to get on Roshar. Going to Roshar solved that problem for him.
Questioner
What metal is Nightblood made out of?
Brandon Sanderson
Uh, RAFO.
Chaos
When Nightblood killed the Fused, are those Fused souls retrievable?
Brandon Sanderson
RAFO.
PhantomMonstrosity
(paraphrased)
Let's say some Mistborn jerk tosses Nightblood into the mists. What happens?
Brandon Sanderson
(paraphrased)
I suspect the mists would pull away from Nightblood, though he'd try to feed on them.
Questioner
Are you going to explain how Vasher gets to the Stormlight...
Brandon Sanderson
I will.
Questioner
Is that gonna be Warbreaker 2?
Brandon Sanderson
Warbreaker 2 is where I'm looking to do it.
Questioner
Okay, cool.
Brandon Sanderson
Yep. *pause* I will at least give hints.
Questioner
I have a question about Nightblood. I think I heard that-- Something you said in a Q&A that it is related to a Shardblade, or was a Shardblade?
Brandon Sanderson
Yeah… So Nightblood. Vasher visited Roshar, saw Shardblades, came back and tried to make one. With what he knew of his magic. That's the short version of it. Kind of simplifies things, but yes.
Brandon Sanderson
Nightblood
Nightblood's name, by the way, is supposed to sound kind of like the names of the Returned. I played with various different ways for his powers to manifest. I liked the idea of him driving those who hold him to kill anyone nearby. It seemed to work with the concepts that have come before—a kind of unholy, sentient mix of Stormbringer and the One Ring.
The strangest thing about him is the idea that his form isn't that important. The sheath is like a binding for him, keeping his power contained. So drawing him out isn't like drawing a regular weapon, but rather an unleashing of a creature who has been kept chained.
Once that creature is unleashed, he becomes a weapon—even if he's unleashed only a little bit. The sheath itself turns into a weapon, twisting those around it. You don't need to stab someone with Nightblood to kill them; smashing them on the back with the sheath works just as well. It will crunch bones, but beyond that, merely touching them with the sheath when the smoke is leaking can be deadly.
Questioner
How did Nightblood get on Roshar?
Brandon Sanderson
RAFO.
ebilutionist
Hey, Brandon, is there any chance you could tell us something about Nightblood? I'd definitely love to know more about it/him/her.
Also, I recently went through the Warbreaker annotations and found the part where you mentioned that had Lightsong not done what he did, the Hallandren would have been destroyed by the Idris in another Manywar, with the latter having obtained Awakened blades from Yesteel.
Did Yesteel gain the ability to create Awakened swords from Shashara's own research, or did he discover it independently?
Brandon Sanderson
These are questions that I intend to answer in future books, I'm afraid. So RAFO. (sorry.)
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*
BeskarKomrk
(paraphrased)
How much of Nightblood's personality and effects come from the Command he was given?
Brandon Sanderson
(paraphrased)
A moderate amount
uchoo786
So just for clarification, once Nightblood consumes investiture, that investiture gets recycled? That's what I've always assumed. That it enters the cognitive/spiritual realm?
Brandon Sanderson
The investiture he consumes is not gone forever--it's not leaving the system, so to speak.
Argent
(paraphrased)
How is it that Nightblood, who is merely a near-sentient awakened object, was able to read minds, something a Shard like Ruin was unable to do?
Brandon Sanderson
(paraphrased)
It requires bonding (with the person whose mind is to be read) to read minds.