Undercoverwillshaper
So you had had a Word of Brandon that had said that Tien was on his way to becoming a Lightweaver. My question is, did he ever actually become a Lightweaver; did he speak an Oath, and if so, did he bond with a Cryptic?
Brandon Sanderson
That's an excellent question. If you look closely through the first book, you will see Tien having some slight Lightweaving effects. In the back of my head, he was where Kaladin was during most of the first book, where it wasn't really official but there was a spren hanging around. He was very close to-- by the time he left, already done that. I would say he never actually managed to get that bond working... Otherwise, perhaps, things would have played out differently than they did.
Stormlightning
Are Hoid and the Set aware of each other?
Brandon Sanderson
Yes, but I wouldn't say the Set as a general rule, but members of the Set.
Stormlightning
How do they feel about each other?
Brandon Sanderson
Some various shades of loathing.
Stormlightning
On both sides?
Brandon Sanderson
Yes.
Stormlightning
Where is Hoid on the religious scale about the Beyond?
Brandon Sanderson
That's a RAFO.
Questioner
What's your greatest ambition?
Brandon Sanderson
Become Stan Lee.
Questioner
Are you planning on doing more from Threnody?
Brandon Sanderson
Yes. I've got a Threnody book. Silence won't be in it. But there's a Threnody book.
Questioner
Like a full size?
Brandon Sanderson
A full size novel, on Threnody. 'Cause there's a group I need to get a book out about because they're relevant later on, that you need to know who they are.
Questioner
Can you make a Hemalurgic spike and get two people at the same time?
Brandon Sanderson
So, it's going to Invest from the first one and then potentially spike it into the second one, what it is stealing from the first, generally is what's going to happen.
Keeper Exile
If Wayne and Lift were to meet, what would their reactions be?
Brandon Sanderson
They would get along spectacularly together and would end up trying to one up each other back and forth and back and forth.
Keeper Exile
Would a Coppercloud at all affect how spren act?
Brandon Sanderson
Yes.
Questioner
I was wondering about how Alcatraz book 6 is coming along?
Brandon Sanderson
Its coming along really well. It's almost done. I've written my half, Bastille hasn't finished her half yet. Otherwise known as Janci -- A friend of mine that I'm co-writing it with so that I can blend the voice and make it sound a little more distinctive. It was sounding too much like Alcatraz, so I wrote a big chunk of it, and then I asked her to write a big chunk of it, and she is smoothing the voice together. I think she is near the last chapter of it, of the chunk she had been writing... It's going to be really cool. The ending that I have, it's really zany and it's really crazy, but it is great.
Undercoverwillshaper
Are we going to see any of the truths that Wit-- that Hoid speaks in [Stormlight 4]?
Brandon Sanderson
*slides RAFO card across table*
Undercoverwillshaper
Does/is Jasnah gay?
Brandon Sanderson
Jasnah prefers to keep her sexuality a subject of non-discussion. That is how Jasnah would answer. She would rather not discuss her sexuality.
GyozaGuy
Allik Neverfar has those medallions that let him to talk to people in their language, but he has an accent because it knows his parents aren't from that area. So I'm wondering, if he and his parents are both using those in a foreign land, does he no longer have an accent and his parents would?
Brandon Sanderson
I would say that they would both still have an accent.
GyozaGuy
So it's not connected--
Brandon Sanderson
It's connecting to the soul of his parents and it's kinda picking that out. There are ways around that. If you are really good with the way Connection works and things like that. Obviously you've seen Hoid speaking without an accent all over the place. The medallions are kind of a crude, early version of doing that sort of thing, not really in control of the magic more, and so I wanted to build in some little indications that things are not quite as fluid as they will someday get.
GyozaGuy
So it's more of a hack and not a rewrite of the Connection.
Brandon Sanderson
Yeah, exactly.
Bluebar
It's not a direct link from them to the Investiture.
Brandon Sanderson
Yeah. If you find someone who's using the magic themselves, you'll see that they-- like Dalinar didn't have, the people who spoke with Dalinar didn't have accents when he was using the same sort of Connection magic to give them linguistics and things like that.
Stormlightning
You've talked about how Hoid really appreciates his new Lightweaving abilities, but what about the Soulcasting side of things?
Brandon Sanderson
So, you'll have to see.
Stormlightning
Is he excited about that, or does he already have all of that?
Brandon Sanderson
No, he doesn't have all of that. He knows more than a lot of people do, and knows to be more-- frightened of Soulcasting than others are. Frightened is perhaps the wrong term. Wary.
Questioner
What was your motivation behind-- for killing Elhokar and simultaneously ripping my heart out?
Brandon Sanderson
So, it was-- I never feel like I'm killing characters, I'm letting characters take risks and I'm letting other characters have agency to do the things they're doing in the books. That whole plot cycle was more-- less me killing someone off and more me letting Moash go down the dark path that he have been demanding that he go down.
Questioner
Okay, but you realize half the fandom-- or the whole fandom practically wants him dead now.
Brandon Sanderson
Yes, yes. Well, they should! He made a very, very bad decision, and he deserves everything that the fandom is throwing at him.
Questioner
So, when the group was in Shadesmar, Adolin's sword seemed to kind of take on a life of its own and attack him. Is it possible for a dead spren to come back?
Brandon Sanderson
They would say no, in-world. I will say RAFO.
Questioner
Does Marsh know much about what Kelsier's doing during Arcanum Unbounded?
Brandon Sanderson
Yes.
Questioner
Okay. Anything else on that, or just a yes until further--
Brandon Sanderson
Yes. He knows. He's aware.
Questioner
I'll read into it. It's probably on 17th Shard or something.
Brandon Sanderson
That's just me, that's not in there anywhere. He's aware, but he's - yeah, yeah. He wasn't aware of all the stuff like he is by now, though, that's what I'll say.
Questioner
You've stated before that Denth's ability to change is hair color is independent of him being Returned? So meaning he has the Royal Locks. Are Siri and Vivenna descended from him, or just a separate line of the same family tree?
Brandon Sanderson
I will RAFO that. But he does have the Royal Locks, so you can at least assume that they're related, at the very least.
Questioner
I'm gay, and I thought it was really cool that you had a gay bridgeman. Do you have any other LGBT stuff, your characters--
Brandon Sanderson
Yeah. Mistborn series has Ranette, who's LGBTQ--
Questioner
Is she?
Brandon Sanderson
Yes. It's, you know, you'll... So that's in the Wax and Wayne books, I don't know if you've read those.
Questioner
Yes, yes, I remember her, okay.
Brandon Sanderson
So yes, we've got her, we've got him, there are others that will show up here and there. Drehy is kind of special in that he's a very good friend of mine that I put into Bridge Four, so he's one of the ones that I kind of say "is it okay if I do it like this? Is it okay if I do it like this?" I kinda let him voice his character and things like that sometimes.
Questioner
I have a question about the Sibling, actually. So, do you-- Can you say something about who or what the Sibling is?
Brandon Sanderson
Who or what the Sibling is? I can tell you, the Sibling will be a matter of discussion in a future novel of The Stormlight Archive. That's a RAFO. You will find out a lot more as the narrative progresses. The Sibling is very relevant, but I don't want to say too much right now.
Questioner
There is a lot of rumors that there's something going on...
Brandon Sanderson
..Saying too much about the Sibling is gonna give big spoilers, so I'm just gonna stay quiet on it, alright?
Questioner
So I was wondering, can Siri and Vivienna, does their hair change to unnatural colours, like pink and green--
Brandon Sanderson
It can. Yes.
Questioner
What would elicit that?
Brandon Sanderson
Well, I would have to go back to look at my notes, honestly. I would expect you could get green by eating something that made you sick, right? They're gonna associate these colors partially with associations that people are putting on them, the same way that spren are acting like the associations that people give them, but I would have to look at the culture, because in their culture, they may not associate green with disgusting the same way we do, right, if that makes sense. So that's why I'd have to look at the notes. These things are partially based on their own interpretation.
Questioner
At the end of Oathbringer, or near the end, Kaladin is talking to Syl about not getting Shallan or whatever, and he says that she really just reminded him of someone, who is it that she reminded him of?
Brandon Sanderson
She reminded him of Tien, his brother, because his brother was a burgeoning Lightweaver, and Lightweavers, you'll notice, when they're around someone, that person starts to act a little bit more like a little bit of their best self. There's a bit of, also, counteraction to feelings of darkness and despair, it's just a natural Lightweaver sort of thing. And so, part of what Kaladin was drawing from Shallan was that feeling. I think it could've totally become love. And he's now cutting that off, he's saying it couldn't at all have become-- it could have. But that was part of what was drawing him in.
Stormlightning
So about the Girl Who Looked Up, when her hair turns white, I'm just wondering, was that a Shallan-caused thing, or was that external?
Brandon Sanderson
External.
Stormlightning
It was nothing to do with her?
Brandon Sanderson
Everything in that had something to do with her.
Stormlightning
But she didn't cause it? Subconsciously or otherwise?
Brandon Sanderson
Well, she was involved, but the original source of that-- Yes, she is involved in that--
Stormlightning
But she didn't know something that caused it, even way back in her memory?
Brandon Sanderson
No, no. You're going the wrong direction for that.
Questioner
How did Hoid get the name Cephandrius?
Brandon Sanderson
Cephandrius? Cephandrius is one of his very earliest aliases. Not his real name, but very soon after he stopped using his real name.
Questioner
Okay. Is there any relation to his real name? With that?
Brandon Sanderson
I will give you a RAFO card.
Questioner
The Expanses, in the map: We already know that Densities is Sel, Vapors is Scadrial, Vibrance is... Nalthis, and Broken Sky is Taldain, right?
Brandon Sanderson
I have not confirmed that Broken Sky is Taldain.
Stormlightning
That's the only one you don't want to confirm?
Brandon Sanderson
I have not confirmed that... Don't want to.
Stormlightning
Would the Ghostbloods try to recruit [a Sleepless]?
Brandon Sanderson
Um, the Ghostbloods would not trust a Sleepless.
Stormlightning
They wouldn't? So they wouldn't even try to get one?
Brandon Sanderson
They would not. They would expect a Sleepless to take over their organization or try to. And try to stay far away from the Sleepless.
Stormlightning
What about the Seventeenth Shard?
Brandon Sanderson
There are members of the Seventeenth Shard who would be interested in recruiting one of the Sleepless. Generally they represent a wildcard faction that a lot of other people are wary of.
Stormlightning
I guess Khriss and them just know about them?
Brandon Sanderson
Yes. The Sleepless are cosmere-aware.
Stormlightning
Are they worldhoppers?
Brandon Sanderson
There are Sleepless on many planets. They have mostly settled on Roshar for various reasons.
Stormlightning
How hard would it be for a Sleepless to imitate the larkin powers in one of their hordelings?
Brandon Sanderson
Oh, they would take generations and generations of purposeful attempts at mutating that out.
Stormlightning
Could they theoretically do it?
Brandon Sanderson
They could theoretically do it.
Questioner
Can Hoid eat?
Brandon Sanderson
He can, yes.
Questioner
And is there anything that he can't eat?
Brandon Sanderson
There are things he does not like. He would be-- Eating something that's still alive would be very difficult for Hoid. But he-- There aren't foods that would be forbidden to him by his particular ailment.
Stormlightning
Do larkins have a regular digestive system?
Brandon Sanderson
I'll RAFO that.
Stormlightning
Is the bird that talked to Allomancer Jak a kandra?
Brandon Sanderson
Haha, RAFO. Allomancer Jak thinks that it probably must be.
Stormlightning
Are you gonna say if it's an Aviar?
Brandon Sanderson
I'm going to say Allomancer Jak has a strange blend of trustworthiness and not. He doesn't think that he's lying when he says things.
Questioner
So...what is the safehand about-- Like how did that develop into a thing, having one hand being scandalous?
Brandon Sanderson
So it relates back to philosophical treaties written in world, long ago, where a woman was saying 'these are feminine arts, these are masculine arts'; that sort of thing. It was partially a way to control access to Shardblades, when Shardblades and Shardplate first entered the-- common people being able to have them because the Knights Radiant had abandoned them. At the same time there was a struggle for power over language, and this happened long ago. Really the reason is "humans are weird".
Questioner
Was Lopen ever actually a slave or did he just see a slave wagon walking by and was like, "Hey, can I join you guys?"
Brandon Sanderson
I'll get to his story eventually. But he did not spend a long time in a bad situation like some of the others did.
Questioner
*inaudible* One of the people just would walk up and it's like, "Hey, can I join you guys?"
Brandon Sanderson
It didn't happen quite like that but it is a little bit goofy.
Questioner
Does BioChromatic Breath cure color-blindness?
Brandon Sanderson
So... having enough Breath will interact very strangely with color-blindness. It won't heal it, necessarily, but it will have an interesting effect.
Questioner
Ah. I was hoping--
Brandon Sanderson
Are you color-blind?
Questioner
I am. So the entire time I read the book I was hoping it could cure color-blindness.
Brandon Sanderson
You will have an interesting time. I think you would be pleased with how it affects it.
Questioner
Will we ever see a color-blind person in the books?
Brandon Sanderson
I want to do one. I'm not sure if I'll be able to get it in there... but you will be pleased with how it happens.
Questioner
When did Vasher find out about Shadesmar and travel to Roshar?
Brandon Sanderson
I will try to cover this in the sequel to Warbreaker when I write it. So for right now, you get a RAFO card.
Steeldancer
(paraphrased)
According to General Relativity, there should be spatial distortion in speed bubbles. So, why does no one notice it?
Brandon Sanderson
(paraphrased)
There is spatial distortion in speed bubbles, that's why bullets are refracted when they enter a bubble. However, I played with it a bit, and ignore the redshift that should happen. The barrier of the bubble absorbs it, otherwise everyone would just be irradiated.
Steeldancer
(paraphrased)
Have you ever heard of the Alcubierre Drive?
Brandon Sanderson
(paraphrased)
Yes, I know about the Alcubierre drive.
Steeldancer
(paraphrased)
So, if we took two speed bubbles--mechanized, because Allomancers aren't powerful enough to pull it off--could we create a functioning Alcubierre drive?
Brandon Sanderson
(paraphrased)
You are theorizing in the right direction.
Steeldancer
(paraphrased)
Are we going to go to the Horneater Peaks in Stormlight 4?
Brandon Sanderson
(paraphrased)
RAFO.