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
If Allomancy works once the planet is left, does that mean that the FTL travel will have the vessels carrying a portable Shard? How will the energy of that Shard affect things where they travel to?
Brandon Sanderson
You're just going to have to get a real RAFO on that one, 'cause that book is a long ways away.
Jason
Can one give the Command, “divide and do thing X”, for Awakening? How many Breaths would it take to do something like a straw mannequin, how small could you get the pieces, how would you retrieve the Breath?
Brandon Sanderson
I’m afraid I would have to pull out my notes. I mean I wrote that book a few- 2006, and so we’re nine years away from me writing that magic system. I, I have it all in the notes, but I can’t off the top of my head rattle it off for you. People use Awakening so infrequently now in the cosmere, it’s just on the one planet with the occasional worldhopper, that I just go to my notes and get it out when I need it.
Questioner
If you, Brandon Sanderson, as a person were able to be gifted just one set of powers from any of your book series what would you have and why? How would you use them? Save the world? Become a tyrant?
Brandon Sanderson
I would probably pick *slight pause* Channeling from The Wheel of Time. No, I’d just be Doctor Manhattan. Sorry, he’s like all powerful, right? How would I use them? I would hope that I would save the world, and not become a tyrant.
Questioner
Are the character’s ages given in Stormlight Archive Rosharan years, or Earth years?
Brandon Sanderson
They’re Rosharan years. So, people are actually, it’s a little bit off from our, our world, a Rosharan year is 500 days, but the hour, the days are a little shorter, anyway they end being like when, when S- when Kaladin’s age is mentioned, in our world, he’d be a few years older.
Questioner
What is Perfect State about?
Brandon Sanderson
Well, Perfect State, is about, the question I had was, what if the best way to make the most people happy in the univ- in the world was to create for every person their own individualized simulation, so they basically could live a fantasy novel. You, you’d take them when they were a baby, put them in this simulation, it’s kind of like, you know, The Truman Show, where something like this, except the whole world is designed to be awesome, so that they could have a wonderful, cool life, and, what would that be like? Less you know, like, manipulating them, or, ruining their life, or you know, putting them into a simulation to, to control them, and more, here’s you get to be the most important person in the world and grow up that way. So yeah, that, that’s kind of the premise.
Smolderwolf
Do [you] have an ultimate ending in mind for the cosmere?
Brandon Sanderson
Yes I do!
Andrew
Does Allomancy work the same way when someone has left the planet?
Brandon Sanderson
Uhhhhhhhm, generally... yes.
Jordan
What’s the status on White Sand graphic novel?
Brandon Sanderson
It’s going very well, we have pages of it turned in, I don’t know I think it’s still a year away, but it’s, it’s looking really good.
Andrew
Will White Sand still be considered an adaptation, or will it be considered canon, the canon version of its content?
Brandon Sanderson
Right now I’m declaring the White Sand graphic novel to be the canon version of its content. We will see how that goes, but that’s what I’m planning right now.
Questioner
Does First of the Sun have a Shard or a Splinter?
Brandon Sanderson
First of the Sun does not have a Shard. First of the Sun is one of these planets that was created, in the cosmere I’m considering a low magic planet, not under the direct influence of any Shard.
Questioner
Besides the confirmed Knights Radiant at the end of Words of Radiance have we seen any characters that share the same orders with the current knights?
Brandon Sanderson
Oh boy, you’re putting me on the spot. N-n-n-n-n-n-n-yes you have. Yes. You’ve seen, I think you’ve seen several actually, but, yeah.
Questioner
Is there a formula on Nalthis for Breath consumption per Awakening? For example, how many Breaths does it take Vivienna to Awaken a scarf?
Brandon Sanderson
Yeah, I have that in my notes, it’s been a long time since I’ve written on that book, yes, there was a formula for me and I will use it when I write the sequel.
Jason
What can we expect from Dark One, specifically what kind of magic system?
Brandon Sanderson
the magic systems in Dark One, focus on, right now, on a person who can steal people’s souls and use them to make magic objects, mixed with an electricity type world, where the ground is electrified, and animals, plants and animals, have an, a symbiosis with electricity, like you’ll see a tree that has a Jacob’s ladder going up it, or you’ll see ah, a beast that uses spittle like a taser, that should be the next book that I work on for Random House after the Steelheart trilogy, so we will see.
Questioner
Does the Iriali religion relate to the Shattering?
Brandon Sanderson
I'm going to RAFO that.
Questioner
What happens if a kandra eats Nightblood?
Brandon Sanderson
That would be bad for them.
Jason
Can kandra absorb living matter, non-organic matter?
Brandon Sanderson
They do absorb living matter, but it’s more what can they eat. So, chasmfiend carapaces, they probably couldn’t digest.
Questioner
In transitioning from Merin to Kaladin, was there any plot sacrifices that were particularly difficult for [you]?
Brandon Sanderson
No. I had been disappointed enough in the way that Merin turned out in the original draft of The Way of Kings, that transitioning to someone more vibrant and more interesting in Kaladin really didn’t feel like a sacrifice to me.
Andrew
Can [you] tell [us] when [we] will see Cohesion and Tension Surges? Will [we] see it in Stormlight 3?
Brandon Sanderson
You are unlikely to see very much of it at Stormlight 3. That is dealing more with characters on the, in the back five, but you will probably see a little bit of it.
Smolderwolf
Do worldhoppers in the cosmere teleport between planets, or physically travel the space between?
Brandon Sanderson
Both are possible.
Jason
What's the favorite title from my books?
Brandon Sanderson
Oh, I would say brightlord is my favorite. I really like how brightlord works.
Michael
Have you decided whether it'll be Dalinar, Szeth, or Eshonai as the focus of Stormlight 3?
Brandon Sanderson
Nope, I’m writing Calamity right now, and when I’m done, and I’m, the first thing I will do is go to Stormlight 3, and I’ll start writing on the flashback sequences for all three and decide which one matches the best.
Questioner
What's the range influence of a Shard's power in the cosmere?
Brandon Sanderson
Ahh, it varies.
BlackYeti
(paraphrased)
There's some similarity in the effect of Hemalurgy and the Dakhor magics. What would happen if you were to try combining the two?
Brandon Sanderson
(paraphrased)
You would have some pretty evil dude, I would expect.
BlackYeti
You've said before that the Horneaters are hybrids, half-human--
Brandon Sanderson
Not really half any more, but yeah.
BlackYeti
Are there any other hybrid creatures, would you consider the koloss to be this? Koloss-blooded.
Brandon Sanderson
Not really, I don't consider them, but the Herdazians also have a bit of Parshendi in them.
BlackYeti
Kandra, you're not getting any more of those. But they can die, so what's stopping them from creating new kandra out of the mistwraith just by recycling the Blessings?
Brandon Sanderson
That is mostly just cultural.
*paraphrased* In The Bands of Mourning, you might expect to see kandra using other kandra's spikes.
BlackYeti
Suppose you had a full Feruchemist, who got enough Breath to reach the Fifth Heightening. What would happen if he started storing in atium?
Brandon Sanderson
Hehe-- I'm going to RAFO that one.
BlackYeti
With most magic systems, you've said that you need some sort of gap in your soul for the Investiture to get in. On Nalthis, there's obviously a bit of it that they can give away. Is this how Vasher is able to get Stormlight?
Brandon Sanderson
Oh, is this-- Yeah.
BlackYeti
In The Final Empire, Kelsier says that it will take 300 years before atium grows back in the Pits of Hathsin. How does he know this?
Brandon Sanderson
I think it is mentioned somewhere else how long it takes a crystal to regrow, and he's just basing it off of, in the past, when a crystal is damaged, how long it takes one to come back... I'm pretty sure that that is even mentioned somewhere, but if not, that's just how he knows.
BlackYeti
Regarding Vasher... what was his name before he Returned?
Brandon Sanderson
That is a RAFO, but just a minor one... Vasher's past is a factor in Nightblood the book, and so I'm staying away from all answers about that.
EmagSamurai (Paraphrased)
I asked for something about honorblades that we don't already know.
Brandon Sanderson
One Herald (other than Taln) kept his honorblade (or, at least, took it back)
inksplattersandearlyhours
(paraphrased)
I told him I was curious about what he was going to do with Moash after Words of Radiance.
Brandon Sanderson
(paraphrased)
He raised his eyebrows and exchanged a look with his publisher (who started laughing- which- in joke? incoming plot twist? who knows).
Then he promised that there would be Moash POV in the next book!
Jaller
(paraphrased)
The last question I asked was if anyone had tried to include Allomantic metals in cooking.
Brandon Sanderson
(paraphrased)
Brandon said that other than Wax putting steel in whisky, he didn't think so.
Jaller
(paraphrased)
I also asked Brandon about that part in the Wandersail chapter of [The Way of Kings], where Syl leaves Kaladin before he meets Hoid because she gets a bad feeling. I wanted to know whether this related to why Vin decided to not meet Hoid in [The Hero of Ages].
Brandon Sanderson
(paraphrased)
He said that they both got a certain impression from him, but wouldn't say whether or not it was the same thing, and stated I would have to RAFO what that was exactly.
Jaller
(paraphrased)
I asked Brandon whether kandra could replicate Parshendi carapace.
Brandon Sanderson
(paraphrased)
He said they couldn't.
Jaller
(paraphrased)
I asked whether or not it was to do with the same thing as hair and if that was the reason why.
Brandon Sanderson
(paraphrased)
He said sort of, yes.
Maffu17
(paraphrased)
Do Splinters have to be sentient to be considerate as such?
Brandon Sanderson
(paraphrased)
He did clarify that Splinters don't have to be sentient to be Splinters.
Maffu17
(paraphrased)
Can you define the Ars Arcanum Author's term Initiate?
Brandon Sanderson
(paraphrased)
He said Initiation was deliberately vague and didn't define it.
CthuluSpren
(paraphrased)
Could you tell me anything about the other [Dysian] Aimians?
Brandon Sanderson
(paraphrased)
You'll be surprised when you see them, they're barely humanoid.
CthuluSpren
(paraphrased)
Could Wax, Vin, or the Lord Ruler burn Nightblood?
Brandon Sanderson
(paraphrased)
Firstly, you're assuming Nightblood is not Allomantically inert, but if it was, it would be like trying to burn someone else's metalmind.
luke.spence
(paraphrased)
How many parties were there to the original Oathpact?
Brandon Sanderson
(paraphrased)
The Heralds and Honor. They thought that by walking away from their oaths, that it would break the Oathpact. They're going to find out that it's not quite as broken as they had previously thought (meaning the Heralds).
luke.spence
(paraphrased)
You mentioned that human can’t bond Honorblades, but Nalan tells Szeth that his bond with his Honorblade has been broken. Can you clear this up?
Brandon Sanderson
(paraphrased)
Humans CAN bond Honorblades. There's a crucial difference between Honorblades and Shardblades. When you drop an Honorblade, it does not disappear, even if it has been bonded. A Shardblade will disappear when dropped.
Brandon Sanderson
(paraphrased)
An invested object resists any attempt to put additional investment into it. Just like you can't pull metal that's inside a person's body. When the Shardplate cracks, the streams of Stormlight that you're seeing are actually the plate doing what it's supposed to: healing itself. So, theoretically, you could maybe pull a tiny fraction of that Stormlight out, but you can't just stick your hand up to the outside of the plate and retrieve it. However, if you have the plate open with the gem exposed and you were to touch the gem, then you could pull the Stormlight from it."
luke.spence
(paraphrased)
Are the Heralds actually aware that Taln is back?
Brandon Sanderson
(paraphrased)
Are the Heralds aware that Taln is back? Uh, you're implying that this person actually is Taln. *smiles* Which is not guaranteed. It's not guaranteed. However, the return of the Voidbringers does indeed indicate to them, in their mind, that he would have returned.
darkanimereal1
(paraphrased)
So they assume because the Voidbringers are returning--
Brandon Sanderson
(paraphrased)
Because the Voidbringers are returning, would be a clue to them that Taln has returned.
luke.spence
(paraphrased)
How much Stormlight equals one Breath? Do you have an actual ratio?
Brandon Sanderson
(paraphrased)
I have a ratio. It's not on me.
darkanimereal1
(paraphrased)
Okay, that's a Peter question again.
Brandon Sanderson
(paraphrased)
Yeah, well, I may not answer it even then.
luke.spence
(paraphrased)
What caused a Desolation to end? Was it just the defeat of Odium's forces? Because the Desolations start when the Heralds break under torture.
Brandon Sanderson
(paraphrased)
Because the Heralds can no longer be in existence. There is a certain period of time that they can be there, and after that, if they're there, they will start a new one. So the Heralds do need to leave for a Desolation to end
darkanimereal1
(paraphrased)
Oh. So they've got a time limit.
Brandon Sanderson
(paraphrased)
They do. Otherwise the Desolation will start again. What they discovered is not all of them have to. As long as one remains, the Desolation will not start again.
luke.spence
(paraphrased)
So, by the nine leaving, did that actually break the Oathpact for them? Did it change the cycle of Desolations?
Brandon Sanderson
(paraphrased)
They have not completely broken the Oathpact, despite what they may think.
darkanimereal1
(paraphrased)
Did Taravangian go to see the Nightwatcher before or after Gavilar's assassination?
Brandon Sanderson
(paraphrased)
Um, oh man. I'm going to have to look at my timeline. I believe it's before, but I can't guarantee I'm right, because these things are all happening around the same time.
darkanimereal1
(paraphrased)
Because he says that Gavilar confided in him the night of.
Brandon Sanderson
(paraphrased)
Ooooh, you're right. Nope, it's after. It is after. You can send that question to Peter so we can confirm it. There might be something I'm forgetting about Taravangian.
darkanimereal1
(paraphrased)
The Weepings--Shallan and Kaladin react very differently to them.
Brandon Sanderson
(paraphrased)
They do.
darkanimereal1
(paraphrased)
It just seems to me that the Weepings feel very close to Cultivation.
Brandon Sanderson
(paraphrased)
The primary thing you’re noticing -- and I'm not going to say there's not any magical influence -- but the primary thing you're noticing is that Kaladin has seasonal affective disorder and Shallan likes the rain. That's the primary thing you're noticing. I like the rain--my wife hates it. My wife gets depressed when it rains and I love when it rains.
Questioner
(paraphrased)
Please don't tell me you're going to do a love triangle between Adolin, Kaladin, and Shallan.
Brandon Sanderson
(paraphrased)
*carefully* I'm not a fan of the traditional love triangle. However, I am fond of conflict in relationships.
darkanimereal1
(paraphrased)
So, the Purelake in Shadesmar is mountainous. Does this in any way have to do with the fact that the Purelake is so shallow?
Brandon Sanderson
(paraphrased)
No. I haven't yet discussed the nature of the relationship between Shadesmar and the Physical world.
darkanimereal1
(paraphrased)
So, when Dalinar has his vision in what he assumes in the Purelake, he sees an obsidian fortress. Is that fortress in any way related to the fact that the Purelake in Shadesmar is mountainous?
Brandon Sanderson
(paraphrased)
No.
CorwinofAmber
(paraphrased)
So one of the things I really like about this is that in the Ars Arcanum and the blurb on the back of the dust jacket, they're not just Brandon Sanderson explaining the magic system, or Brandon Sanderson summarizing the book for casual perusing, they're written in world by characters in the world, and I was wondering if you could tell us or give us a hint as to who wrote the dust jacket.
Brandon Sanderson
(paraphrased)
I can tell you it's not the same person as who’s writing the Ars Arcanum, and neither of those are Hoid. How about that? That gives you something. I had to fight to get in world text on the back cover. I personally really don't like summary blurbs. Those summary blurbs are either bland or they spoil too much, and they really get on my nerves. They're marketing copy, not author copy. And so I fought and I fought and I fought. I won with Elantris, getting the prologue on the back of the hard cover, but then they didn't do that for the paperback. But for the hardcovers of these I won, so I'm glad you appreciate that—I intend to keep doing that. But yes, they're being written in world by a group of people on Roshar.
