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Yamato

Will you ever go into more detail about the dead original shardholders? I'd love to know what kind of people Tanavast, Ati, and Leras were.

Brandon Sanderson

They will all be characters in the Dragonsteel series.

Questioner

In the Scadrial essay, it says specifically that the Shardholders were humans. Does that imply that there can be nonhuman Shardholders?

Brandon Sanderson

Yes

Questioner

Are any of the Shards we have seen nonhuman?

Brandon Sanderson

The Shards you have seen? I will RAFO that.

Questioner

And that doesn't just count the way that Shards twist people.

Brandon Sanderson

No, no, no. There were three races on Yolen.

Questioner

And all the Shards we've seen, you're not gonna answer?

Brandon Sanderson

I'm not gonna answer, but there are three races on Yolen. There's humans, there's Sho Del, and there's dragons.

Questioner

So, kandra and koloss are considered different races?

Brandon Sanderson

They are considered different races, but they did not exist when Adonalsium was Splintered.

Mason Wheeler (paraphrased)

Before the Shattering, the original 16 Vessels, how Cosmere-aware were they and were any of them worldhoppers? 

Brandon Sanderson (paraphrased)

In the current continuity, they were not worldhoppers.  Well... the dragons were the most Cosmere-aware.  They might have been off-world.  Might have.  

Questioner

Did the original sixteen Shardholders [Vessels] all know each other?

Brandon Sanderson

Yes they at least-- Yes, I would say that they did.

Questioner

Does any of the Sixteen actually like Hoid anymore?

Brandon Sanderson

Yes.

Questioner

They say Ati was good, but Ruin turned him evil. Are they any evil people who picked up a Shard that turned them good?

Brandon Sanderson

RAFO. Good question!

Aaronator17

I was wondering whether any of the Vessels are blood related?

Aside from the romantic relationship between Honor and Cultivation I'm not sure that we know anything about the relationships that others have with each other within the group of 16, and it would be interesting to know.

Brandon Sanderson

I'm saving most of this for Dragonsteel, I'm afraid. So RAFO.

CameronSouri

Will all shardholders from all the worlds/realms eventually meet in one "place"?

Brandon Sanderson

They have been in the same place before. Many are dead now, though.

Questioner

So, in Warbreaker, Awakened items have to emulate humans. Why is that?

Brandon Sanderson

It's a matter of perception on the people using the magic. And there are ramifications on the fact that the Shards themselves were all once humanoid.

PallonianFire

Was Bavadin nonhuman?

Brandon Sanderson

RAFO. There is at least one Shard who wasn't human, but I'm not ready to reveal who was or wasn't just yet.

Wetlander

Were any of the original Shardholders related? We know that Honor and Cultivation were romantically involved, but were any of them brother and sister or child/parent?

Brandon Sanderson

There was at least one relationship of that style.

Paladin Brewer (paraphrased)

Is Hoid related to any of the 16 original Shardbearers?

Brandon Sanderson (paraphrased)

RAFO

Green Hoodie Mistborn

Is Reya Cultivation's name?

Brandon Sanderson

No.  (Sorry)

Force Paradox

Do any of the Shards regret becoming one?

Brandon Sanderson

Yes. I would say yes.

Paladin Brewer (paraphrased)

Which of the 16 original Shardholders know Hoid the best?

Brandon Sanderson (paraphrased)

RAFO

Paladin Brewer

We know that Hoid was offered a Shard and turned it down. Was he offered a specific Shard?

Brandon Sanderson

He was. There is one of the Shards that he would've-- yeah.

Paladin Brewer

Would he have been the 17th person or did someone take his place?

Brandon Sanderson

No. Someone took his place.

Questioner

Are there any fain or formerly fain holders of a Shard of Adonalsium?

Brandon Sanderson

What an excellent question! It's a card, it's a RAFO card.

Brandon Sanderson (paraphrased)

Brandon said offhandedly, "It is not random who got which Shard." Also, Shards very rarely change hands. Brandon emphasized the "very" there.