the.fulgid
During his conversation with Shallan, Wit said that, "Failure is the mark of a life well lived," and I'm glad that you shared that because this question has been on my mind a lot, and he says, "And in turn the the only way to live without failure is to be of no use to anyone." Is there anything Hoid has failed at that we haven't seen on screen that you would be willing to share?
Brandon Sanderson
There are certain people he thought he was going to be able to help who ended up not surviving.
the.fulgid
Would you be willing to share the failed process that Hoid used to attempt to become an Elantrian?
Brandon Sanderson
No.
Questioner
And at the planet they crashed on [Detritus] have Earth gravity?
Brandon Sanderson
Yes, it is basically Earth gravity. Within reasonable comparisons. Same with air density.
Questioner
She wanted me to ask you if Soulcasters end up in Shadesmar when they *inaudible*?
Brandon Sanderson
Not necessarily.
Questioner
At the last signing event, I was asking about a Shard[blade] and paint, if it disappears, comes back, what happens? You said the paint never disappeared with it. But you seemed intrigued by other possibilities, and then I thought of some too. One of them would be a foundry, showing people how to make weapons, you put your Shard in the sand, make a sword in there, dismiss it, fill it with your molten metal, stuff like that sounded like...interesting ideas.
Brandon Sanderson
I like that, I like that a lot.
Questioner
You know how the BioChromatic Breaths is like more soul? If you were to get hit by a Shardblade while having several of them, could you take more hits before you lose the soul from your body?
Brandon Sanderson
I'll RAFO this. Good Question.
Questioner
What would a kandra without a body look like?
Brandon Sanderson
A kandra without a body is kind of a blob. It's a pile of muscles. It looks pretty gross.
Questioner
Can a coppermind be Awakened?
Brandon Sanderson
This is possible.
Questioner
With the memories already in it?
Brandon Sanderson
This is going to be harder because those memories are going to be keyed to someone else, who, by nature, would not be the individual that it was made into. You would have to key those memories to who the metalmind was becoming. There would be an extra step in there; It wouldn't just naturally be that way. We're talking wild, wild, these are possible, but far out, stuff. Possible, but there is an extra step in there.
SpaceGodPerson
Are there any plants that can eat Investiture that can naturally develop?
Brandon Sanderson
Yes. Good question!
xnkvbo
If an Awakener with Perfect Invocation turns something white, can they or another Awakener then use the white thing back to gray, back to white.
Brandon Sanderson
I actually thought about this. My answer ended up being a no.
xnkvbo
Can you give a little explanation why?
Brandon Sanderson
I will delve into it more as I delve into the nature of color and why it's relevant to multiple magics in the cosmere. So it's a RAFO.
xnkvbo
Are there any different effects on a larkin depending on what kind of Investiture it eats?
Brandon Sanderson
Yes, but they are not enormous.
Chaos
You have said the fandom puts too much emphasis on the Lord Ruler's children. Is that because the Lord Ruler suppressed his ability to pass on his abilities to them?
Brandon Sanderson
No.
Chaos
Brandon, that makes no sense. What? Now I'm even more upset. It's actually my fault, 'cause I keep telling people that the Lord Ruler's kids should be important, so you can blame me.
Brandon Sanderson
People can be important and not be cosmere-relevant.
Chaos
Yeah, but they'd be like super-powerful Mistborn!
Brandon Sanderson
Yes, who died nine hundred years ago!
Chaos
But he spent so much time getting Feruchemy away from Allomancy!
Brandon Sanderson
Yeah, that's true.
Questioner
I've heard this theory passed around, and I just want to see if you'll confirm it or not. Are you actually a bunch of tiny writers in a coat, or--
Brandon Sanderson
No, no, no, I'm a bunch of robots programmed to create books. The "tiny writers" one is completely false.
Questioner
Do you know the value of a heliodor and a smokestone and all that, the relative values?
Brandon Sanderson
Peter does. I wrote it out once and now I have him just fact-check it for me when I write the books. So I will often say, "Worth about this much, give me the right money and change". So I made the original guide that they follow, but nowadays I don't have to use that; I can just bracket and say, "Something worth about this much".
Questioner
In Shadesmar, the solid and liquid phases are inverted. So, in the Spiritual Realm, is it something to do with solid and gas phases, or is it not the same at all?
Brandon Sanderson
It is not quite where you're going, but I like the way you're thinking.
Questioner
So then what's the reason that they can't travel to the Spiritual Realm?
Brandon Sanderson
The Spiritual Realm is not a place.
Questioner
How was Vin able to use the mists against the Lord Ruler even though they hadn't been keyed to her?
Brandon Sanderson
That-- You are making an assumption there, and so tell him he might be making the wrong assumption.
Questioner
Has Jasnah come up with her armor? Because there's a part where they say that geometric shapes were kind of disappearing and it wasn't like someone changing like they normally would.
Brandon Sanderson
I will RAFO that for now.
Questioner
How do you think Kelsier really feels when it's revealed that the skaa really are different from the other ruling--
Brandon Sanderson
So-- *pause* I would call it still a matter of debate whether they are or aren't. Whether they were is a different matter of debate, right? But I would say that a lot of the things that were claimed about skaa were not accurate. Some of the things claimed about them were, and that is part of what makes it subject to debate. And Kelsier is very good at not accepting answers he doesn't like.
Questioner
Any idea when we'll learn more about The Lost Metal?
Brandon Sanderson
Yeah, probably middle next year you'll know more about it. It's going to depend on how working on Stormlight 4 goes.
Questioner
Are the humans who arrived on Roshar at the first Desolation refugees from the Evil on Threnody?
Brandon Sanderson
No. Good question. Excellent question.
Questioner
I see Shai as one of the founding members of the Seventeenth Shard trying to hunt down Hoid. Is there any--
Brandon Sanderson
I'm gonna RAFO you on this. I'm gonna RAFO you on that. I'm not even going to say whether or not she ever managed to get off planet, even.
Questioner
Are we gonna get to figure out how Vivenna got to Roshar?
Brandon Sanderson
You are, eventually. It may take me a little while, but I will get to it.
Questioner
How do you decide whether or not a story is part of the cosmere?
Brandon Sanderson
There's a couple dividing lines. If it mentions Earth, I'm not gonna put it in the cosmere, because I don't want any sort of relationship there. At that point, the dividing line becomes, does the magic fit the cosmere, and is the story one that fits the cosmere, right? I made the decision very early on, I wasn't gonna try and force everything in. So if it's a natural outgrowth of the stories I'm telling in the cosmere, then I will go that way. I'm usually more finicky about pulling them out than putting them in. There are very few stories I've put into the cosmere, and I've pulled a ton of them out.
Questioner
I was wondering what your thoughts on cosmemes are.
Brandon Sanderson
Cosmemes? I think they're hilarious and we can only aspire to the greatness that is trebuchet memes or prequel memes. Someday, perhaps, we, too, will be great.
Questioner
Can a metalmind be made into a sentient object?
Brandon Sanderson
It's already got Investiture in it? Yes.
Slowswift
Has the Cognitive Realm of Scadrial changed at all since Sazed redid everything?
Brandon Sanderson
I'll RAFO that, I'll RAFO that.
Questioner
If you had to make any of your books into a musical?
Brandon Sanderson
Ooh. Well, since we already have a canonical version of The Hero of Ages as a musical in the Mistborn world, in one of the broadsheets, we would have to go with that, we would have to do the version in-world.
Questioner
I think Warbreaker would translate the best.
Brandon Sanderson
Yeah, that's probably true. If you want a real answer, that's probably true. It's probably the best.
Questioner
In Warbreaker, is the picture that Lightsong saves the same picture that Kaladin finds in Celebrant?
Brandon Sanderson
*Presumably gives RAFO card*
Questioner
With a cadmium or bendalloy savant, would they be able to impact the amount of time that they can compress or expand?
Brandon Sanderson
Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Questioner
So they could fit-- Theoretically they could make-- fit more time into the same amount of metal.
Brandon Sanderson
Oh, that's what you're asking. Yeee-- *pauses* So, yes, technically, because... Yes, but mostly what that's going to do is going to influence your strength and how much you can multiply--
Questioner
The size of the bubble?
Brandon Sanderson
The size of the bubble and the amount of time, like when you flare, you are pressing more time into it and a savant is gonna get really good at that. They're gonna get good at changing the bubble and the shape of the bubble, they're gonna get good at some of the other things involving the bubble. It does technically, as you become a savant, does mean you're able to squeeze a little bit more out of your metal, because that's just how it works, but that's not the main effect.
Questioner
Any progress on making any visual adaptations of any of your works?
Brandon Sanderson
The closest right now is actually probably Snapshot, which is a lesser-known novella of mine. That's at MGM, we have a really good script, and they're about to announce a director very soon.
Questioner
Is Yaalani a character in any other stories?
Brandon Sanderson
Right now, no. Good question.
Questioner
Does not seem like a Eelakin name. And there are people in Stormlight who seem to have aviar.
Brandon Sanderson
Yeah. People in Stormlight do have aviar. That has happened. But let's just say, during Stormlight era, getting things on or off of First of the Sun is really hard.
Questioner
Are spren able to visit other planets than Roshar?
Brandon Sanderson
So, spren are, because of the nature of their Investiture, connected too strongly to the planet to normally get off. That doesn't mean it couldn't happen, but I will just say, normally no.
Questioner
So the Cognitive Realm, or whatever that sort of like-- is that different on other planets?
Brandon Sanderson
Yes. It looks different on each planet, partially based on perception.
Questioner
Have you thought of the implications of Pulsers, or cadmium Mistings, in space travel?
Brandon Sanderson
Yes, I have.
Questioner
Because you could slow down the time bubble around the ship and extend your life span during long journeys.
Brandon Sanderson
Yes, I have thought of that.
Questioner
I noticed in the end of Oathbringer, right before Dalinar goes all Unity on us, that his fabrial gets ripped off his wrist. Is that significant?
Brandon Sanderson
Yes. Maybe not for the reason you're thinking, but it is.
Questioner
As I read about the Parshendi, can't help but think of indigenous peoples. How do you deal with that and respecting the whole experience of colonization?
Brandon Sanderson
I think one of the things I have to do is embrace it. Like, if I just ignore it, it's worse, and so that's why I've tried to dig into and kind of acknowledge the issues. I mean, it is a minefield, right? I'm wandering into a minefield by writing a story that is basically based off of--
Questioner
American colonization?
Brandon Sanderson
Yes. But at the same time, ignoring it wouldn't work. And the thing about it is, most cultures in our world, this is a question they had to deal with. Whose land is it? I mean, we're still fighting this war--we, I say, we aren't--but war is still being fought in the Middle East over whose land is it, and it's both of theirs, right, depending on how far you go back. And things like that, and so I think ignoring it is the wrong thing to do. But I also think there's a danger in trying to present an answer that is too easy, and so that's the line I have to walk. Embrace it, talk about it, not present an answer that is too easy, present multiple sides on it. It's kind of like the same way like the people in Roshar are both incredibly racist and incredibly sexist, right? Writing people who are racist and sexist without the narrative itself bolstering those sorts of those things is really hard. But, you know, we sign up to do hard things, and if I fall on my face, the best thing I can do is just acknowledge that I've fallen on my face, as I have done in the past.
Questioner
How is the Cognitive Realm of Nalthis?
Brandon Sanderson
Yes, Nalthis. I'm gonna RAFO that. You will see it before too much longer, I hope.
Questioner
The missing number of Shardblades. I just want to confirm that, when the Blades were abandoned, that all of them stayed in the Physical Realm. My question is, did some just evaporate?
Brandon Sanderson
Ahh, good question. They did not evaporate.
Questioner
Has Hoid been in contact with Harmony in the timeline so far? Like, physically.
Brandon Sanderson
Physically in contact with Harmony in the timeline so far? "Physically" as it relates to a Shard is a difficult thing to say, but I would say that yes, they have interacted.
Questioner
Is Nightblood going to out Vasher or Vivenna on Roshar?
Brandon Sanderson
Is Nightblood going to what-- out them?
Questioner
Yeah.
Brandon Sanderson
Nightblood, you can never quite tell what Nightblood is going to do. And so I would say there's a high likelyhood that if that opportunity came, that he would do so.
Questioner
For Hoid: how old is he at the end of Oathbringer?
Brandon Sanderson
Very old. *gives RAFO card* Here you go, here's your card.
Questioner
When Shallan is telling the story about the girl and the wall, she said that her hair was white. Does that matter in any way?
Brandon Sanderson
Yes.
Questioner
Are the Shinovars-- Shin people hair white?
Brandon Sanderson
They are not all white, but I'll RAFO the further question.
Furamirionind
Is it possible to splinter a spren?
Brandon
Yes. That is theoretically possible.
Shallan's Ward
While Sazed holds Preservation and Ruin, could his intent change from Harmony to Discord?
Brandon Sanderson
It is possible
JoyBlu
Jezrien: he was killed with this little thing. Was it made specifically custom to him? Would it have killed anybody else?
Brandon Sanderson
RAFO.
Questioner
Would Hoid be able to harm a Herald or a Cognitive Shadow?
Brandon Sanderson
Um, so, he is curious about this too. I don't know if I should canonize this. Let's say: odds are, no. Cosmere scholars would guess no.
Stormlightning
So Hoid has some sort of magical compulsion that doesn't allow him to hurt people.
Brandon Sanderson
That is correct.
Stormlightning
Is there any other involuntary compulsions he has that would stop him from doing things he'd like to? "Involuntary compulsions" being the kicker there.
Brandon Sanderson
I'll RAFO that.
Stormlightning
Is there a limit to hordeling size? Like what the size of one is?
Brandon Sanderson
Yes.
Stormlightning
Should I be worried about whitespines being a hordeling?
Brandon Sanderson
They are not a hordeling.
Stormlightning
So what's the size limit?
Brandon Sanderson
Fist-sized is about how big they get.
Stormlightning
And how many can you have? For one.
Brandon Sanderson
Lots. More than you have seen on screen.
Questioner
What would happen if Hoid held Nightblood?
Brandon Sanderson
Uh, Hoid would not do that. Hoid would stay very far away.
Stormlightning
Not even hold it??
Brandon Sanderson
He would stay really far away. There are very few things in the Cosmere that Hoid is afraid of, and Nightblood is one of them.
Stormlightning
I thought he'd be afraid of the blade end.
Brandon Sanderson
So let's just say if very, very, very few things in the Cosmere had a chance of destroying you, you wouldn't even pick one up. You'd try to be in a different room entirely.
R'Shara and Sunbird and JoyBlu
*Whispering about Nightblood being able to destroy Hoid*
Brandon Sanderson
I didn't say, I said theoretically. I said "had a chance of", I did not confirm. Hoid doesn't know. But there's a chance, and so he is not going to risk that.
Stormlightning
Can you coppermind muscle memory?
Brandon Sanderson
No. Good question, I've haven't ever been asked that before.
Questioner
The second set of Stormlight books, [six] through ten, will that-- will those be more focused on the Heralds' point of view, is that the idea?
Brandon Sanderson
Yeah, so Taln and Ash, who are both Heralds, are going to be main characters, and they'll each get books dedicated to them. The characters who survive the first five will still be main characters as well, but it's gonna turn more on what happened with the Heralds and things like that. The first five are turning more on what happened with the Knights Radiant and then the last five are more what happened with the Heralds... 'Cause we'll get flashbacks to the time of the Dawnsingers and things like that.
