PadraicSeebrr
(paraphrased)
At the very end of A Memory of Light, when a certain character walks off with his pipe, how does he manage to light it?
Brandon Sanderson
(paraphrased)
I don't know as Robert Jordan never told us, but what I think is that it was because he touched the Pattern.
PadraicSeebrr
(paraphrased)
Why didn't Dalinar get Surgebinding from bonding Taln's Honorblade?
Brandon Sanderson
(paraphrased)
You assume Dalinar held Taln's Blade.
PadraicSeebrr
(paraphrased)
Is Odium influencing Kaladin in a similar way as Ruin was influencing Vin?
Brandon Sanderson
(paraphrased)
No.
PadraicSeebrr
(paraphrased)
Is Cultivation's Shardpool on the Horneater Peaks? Is Honor's Shardpool the Origin?
Brandon Sanderson
(paraphrased)
I don't want to say where the Shardpools [Perpendicularities] are yet, good guesses. RAFO.
Questioner
(paraphrased)
Why did Kaladin's forehead scars never heal?
Brandon Sanderson
(paraphrased)
Stormlight healing has a lot to do with how one sees oneself.
Questioner
(paraphrased)
How about the other way around? Can a Parshendi bond a Knights Radiant spren?
Brandon Sanderson
(paraphrased)
Historically, the Parshendi were not made Knights Radiant, or the parshmen weren't.
Questioner
(paraphrased)
Can they become squires maybe?
Brandon Sanderson
(paraphrased)
Historically they did not, but it's not impossible.
Questioner
(paraphrased)
Can anyone other than a Parshendi bond a Voidspren? Like, can a human bond a Voidspren?
Brandon Sanderson
(paraphrased)
That is theoretically possible but humans are not good at bonding spren in the same way.
PadraicSeebrr
(paraphrased)
Are the Parshendi of Honor?
Brandon Sanderson
(paraphrased)
No.
Brandon Sanderson
(paraphrased)
He RAFO'd any questions about where the Shardpools [Perpendicularities] are.
Questioner
(paraphrased)
In the chapter 84 code, does the sequence 111 denote a special character such as a space between words?
Brandon Sanderson
(paraphrased)
I do not believe there is a 111 to separate words unless it was added by Peter when I wasn't looking. I will say this, the key is in another epigraph.
Questioner
(paraphrased)
Is there a region-based magic like Elantris on any of the other worlds?
Brandon Sanderson
(paraphrased)
The Aon magic is unique to that planet because it is intrinsic to the Shard that created it, but you could theoretically hack the magic system so that AonDor would work on another planet.
Questioner
(paraphrased)
Is it possible to steal Stormlight?
Brandon Sanderson
(paraphrased)
It's theoretically possible.
Adam S
(paraphrased)
The ending of Mistborn was hidden in the first chapter epigraphs. Is there something similar to that in The Way of Kings?
Brandon Sanderson
(paraphrased)
There is, but they are hidden in different places. The last chapter of The Stormlight Archive is somewhere in these two books.
Questioner
(paraphrased)
Can a Hemalurgy chart be made?
Brandon Sanderson
(paraphrased)
Yes. We will make one eventually.
Questioner
(paraphrased)
Will there still be Hemalurgy in the Alloy of Law series?
Brandon Sanderson
(paraphrased)
Yes.
Questioner
(paraphrased)
Are there one or two Shardpools [Perpendicularities] on Scadrial?
Brandon Sanderson
(paraphrased)
RAFO.
Questioner
(paraphrased)
Demoux is the only worldhopper we've seen that inherently ages. Is there something about worldhopping that makes someone not age?
Brandon Sanderson
(paraphrased)
There are ways around that. It is not intrinsic to the process. You would need to do something special.
Questioner
(paraphrased)
Is the Nightwatcher a spren of Cultivation in a similar way that the Stormfather is to Honor?
Brandon Sanderson
(paraphrased)
The Nightwatcher is not Cultivation but is related. You're on the right track.
Questioner
(paraphrased)
Are the Parshendi of Cultivation?
Brandon Sanderson
(paraphrased)
Not originally.
Questioner
(paraphrased)
Are the Parshendi of Odium?
Brandon Sanderson
(paraphrased)
Not originally.
Questioner
(paraphrased)
Is Hoid the most knowledgeable about what's going on in the cosmere?
Brandon Sanderson
(paraphrased)
No, Khriss is the most aware by a long shot. Nazh knows a lot as well. Hoid might know more than Nazh but he is pretty in the know as well so it's close.
Questioner
(paraphrased)
Have we seen Cultivation's magic?
Brandon Sanderson
(paraphrased)
Yes.
Questioner
(paraphrased)
Lift is my favorite character even though she was only in that one chapter.
Brandon Sanderson
(paraphrased)
You will see much more of Lift in the future. Lift is seeded there because she will be very important later on.
Questioner
(paraphrased)
Feruchemists that can store Investiture, would they be able to then use that to power Allomancy with say Stormlight?
Brandon Sanderson
(paraphrased)
RAFO.
Questioner
(paraphrased)
Why were all the Shardblades swords when they can take on any weapon form they want? Would they all revert to swords when they die?
Brandon Sanderson
(paraphrased)
When they die they'd revert to the basic form which was a sword since they were patterned after Honorblades.
Questioner
(paraphrased)
If a non-Windrunner picked up Jezrien's Honorblade would they gain Windrunner powers as well?
Brandon Sanderson
(paraphrased)
Yes.
Questioner
(paraphrased)
If a Windrunner picked up that blade, would their abilities be enhanced?
Brandon Sanderson
(paraphrased)
There would be some compounding but strength is not as much an issue with Surgebinding as is the strength of the spren bond and how much Stormlight you are using.
Questioner
(paraphrased)
How much more powerful is Nightblood than a regular Shardblade?
Brandon Sanderson
(paraphrased)
I haven't actually quantified that in my own mind so can't give an accurate comparison at this point. I will say that when he is fully consuming Investiture he can do some really freaky things.
Questioner
(paraphrased)
Can you write an unknown Ideal [in my book]?
Brandon Sanderson
(paraphrased)
They are still rough so this might not be the exact wording but: "I will stand when others fall."
Questioner
(paraphrased)
Why did you put Nightblood in The Stormlight Archive?
Brandon Sanderson
(paraphrased)
Nightblood and Vasher were in the original version of The Way of Kings before I wrote Warbreaker. Warbreaker in a way was actually introducing those two characters I'd already created.
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
(paraphrased)
Are the Ghostbloods accounted for in the Diagram?
Brandon Sanderson
(paraphrased)
The Ghostbloods are in the Diagram.
Questioner
(paraphrased)
If Hoid were to hold an unsheathed Nightblood, would he feel sick?
Brandon Sanderson
(paraphrased)
*Loud laughing* RAFO.
Questioner
(paraphrased)
Were the Heralds born on Roshar?
Brandon Sanderson
(paraphrased)
RAFO.
Questioner
(paraphrased)
What is the Realmatic composition of Investiture?
Brandon Sanderson
(paraphrased)
Investure is intended to be the building blocks of the cosmere so I would say for the most part it transcends the different realms. Probably more of the Spiritual if anything but more accurately it transcends them.
Questioner
(paraphrased)
Where was Pattern before Shallan drew him?
Brandon Sanderson
(paraphrased)
He was around. The bonding process had started when Shallan was young but then she pushed him away and he withdrew mostly to the Cognitive Realm until the bonding was started again and she pulled him fully into the Physical when she drew him.
Pinpoint
(paraphrased)
Belief has had a lot to do with the cosmere. (for example in Warbreaker. The appearances of the Returned had a lot to do with belief) Will belief have a big part to play in The Stormlight Archive?
Brandon Sanderson
(paraphrased)
It already has. The two scholars measuring the spren.
Pinpoint
(paraphrased)
Does Dalinar have Surgebinding abilities?
Brandon Sanderson
(paraphrased)
RAFO.
Pinpoint
(paraphrased)
If Hoid got beheaded, would his body grow a new head?
Brandon Sanderson
(paraphrased)
Yes.
Pinpoint
(paraphrased)
What if Hoid got cut by a Shardblade?
Brandon Sanderson
(paraphrased)
The Shardblade cuts the soul and what Hoid does heals the soul.
Pinpoint
Can Shardblades kill spren?
Brandon Sanderson
Theoretically, yes.
scm288
(paraphrased)
So, I don't actually own a hardcover copy of The Way of Kings, but I did notice when looking at one that there's a map of Shadesmar... And that the map shows that Shadesmar geography is precisely aligned with Roshar's geography... So I'm just going to assume that other planets we've visited so far also have realms of Shadesmar that are aligned geographically.
Brandon Sanderson
(paraphrased)
That's very clever of you! *smiles* Very clever...
scm288
(paraphrased)
So I guess my follow-up question is: is Elantris a Dawncity?
Brandon Sanderson
(paraphrased)
Hmm. I could see where your reasoning could come to that conclusion, but no. No, that's not it. But your earlier extrapolations are in the right direction.
Chaos
(paraphrased)
I asked Peter at the release what was the Shadows for Silence planet name.
Peter Ahlstrom
(paraphrased)
It is Threnody.
Chaos
I asked Brandon to write in my book something about that opposing force.
Brandon Sanderson
There was a weapon created by the opposition of Adonalsium.
Dalenthas
Was Kelsier under Ruin's influence as well? It seems to me that destroying the Pits of Hathsin (and thus preventing Ruin's power from leaking) is something that Ruin would want to happen...
Brandon Sanderson
There is a short story forthcoming which will deal with Kelsier, the days after he Snapped, his training, and what influence (if any) Ruin had on him. Most likely, this will appear in the Mistborn RPG coming out next year. So I'm afraid that's a RAFO.
Dalenthas
Does the Well of Ascension still exist in the new world? Or is it no longer necessary? I assumed that Preservation collected there like Ruin collects in the Pits of Hathsin, so if Atium keeps forming then the well should keep filling...
Brandon Sanderson
The Well (and the small wells in the Pits) is no more. For now at least.
Dalenthas
With all the talk about action and reaction and whatnot, will some force form to counter Sazed's new Ruin/Preservation mix? It seems to me like the whole nature of the world can't stand to have one person unopposed.
Brandon Sanderson
Ruin and Preservation were not the only Shards of Adonalsium, though they are the only ones on Scadrial at the moment. Sazed's ability to be both at once is actually something I drew from Eastern mythology, where it is believed that the ability to contain two opposing forces at the same time represents ultimate harmony. The Buddha, for instance, was said to have performed the miracle of producing both fire and ice from his hands at the same time.
Chaos
Is "Scadrial" the proper name to refer to the Mistborn world?
Brandon Sanderson
Scadrial is indeed the name of the planet
Dalenthas
Did Sazed leave information about how his new religion should be run for Spook and the others to find? His note to Spook implies that there is an afterlife...
Brandon Sanderson
Sazed didn't immediately leave this, as he was too focused on other things. The next period of time will be difficult for Sazed, as he essentially sees himself as an avatar of deity—the force of Preservation—and not God with an upper case letter. He's still not sure what Truth is 100%. And there is an afterlife, but it's probably not what you're thinking. In other words, Sazed has not touched Heaven or Hell, and actually doesn't yet know what the final beyond contains. He has, however, run into some people who have been sticking around something of a middle place. It's related to the larger cosmology, and I'm afraid that I'll need to RAFO anything further.
Dalenthas
Was TenSoon more susceptible to Ruin's powers than the other Kandra because he took OreSeur's Blessings?
Brandon Sanderson
Yes, he was. However, the Blessing of Presence actually enhanced his mind to make him more resistant, so they balanced out.
WeiryWriter
Brandon is pretty good at including people as cameos (such as much of Bridge Four being his friends). Has he given you a cameo in the cosmere, or one of his other books, or do you know if he has any plans for one (because you totally should have one).
Ben McSweeney
You know, I don't think he has... if he did, nobody's told me and I haven't caught it. Of course, I already get name-checked in every book both in the acknowledgements and in the credits. And in a certain sense, I suppose I'm there every time my work is on the page.
WeiryWriter
You've mentioned in the past that you'd really like to do an art book of all the unused and supplementary art done for the Stormlight Archive that doesn't make it into the books. Are there any other projects that you'd love to do, if not now than at some point in the future?
Ben McSweeney
Well, as an animator/storyboard artist by day, it's no surprise that if Stormlight were to be optioned for animation I'd want to be all over that in as great a capacity as allowed. But that's kind of a cheat answer... I'd like to do more comics work, if I could find a way to make it balance. I've been enjoying the hell out of Gary Gianni's work in George R.R. Martin's new collection of the Dunk & Egg novels, a project like that could be fun. Honestly, right now I'm in a nice place with a lot of fun stuff on my lap, so as long as I can keep that rolling I'm feeling good.
mooglefrooglian
I loved the illustrations in WoR, and the broadsheet in Shadows of Self.
I'm wondering if it's possible to put more art in the books in the future. Are there limits in terms of printing costs to putting more art in things like the Stormlight books? Do you guys think the amount of art you have in the books now is perfect?
Something like an image for every chapter seems like it would be wonderful in my opinion. For example, a picture of how the bridges were held/carried during the first scene involving them in WoK (because I found that confusing).
Ben McSweeney
We actually did bump up the number of illustrations between book I and book II, but as you may know we also ran right up against the actual page-count maximum in Words of Radiance. The printer literally could not manufacture a book with more pages, we maxed 'em out.
We're never going to cut Brandon's text in favor of the art, 'cause we're not crazy, but we want to put as much in there as we can. We're probably not going to reach the point of an illustration for every chapter, but I don't think we'll be cutting back soon either.