Recent entries

    Prague Signing ()
    #3101 Copy

    Paleo

    In Allomancy, bad alloys can be detrimental to you, can make you sick and stuff like that. Does it also apply in Feruchemy or generally impurities, do they apply?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Not as strongly.

    Paleo

    How would they apply? Is it more like a smaller charge or?

    Brandon Sanderson

    It would just take less of a charge. It wouldn't make you sick.

    Prague Signing ()
    #3103 Copy

    Paleo

    When you store multiple memories in a coppermind is it still technically one large coppermind or could you say it's more like a ton of "virtual" metalminds, because you're technically tapping individual ones?

    Brandon Sanderson

    More like the second. I would say that's accurate. I mean I'm not sure that really aligns one to one but it is another good model, though.

    Prague Signing ()
    #3105 Copy

    Paleo

    Then we also talked about, theorized about unkeyed metalminds - that is Identity-less ones that anybody can that has the power can tap.

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yeah.

    Paleo

    We also were wondering is it like, we compared it to cryptography and encryption, stuff like that. Is it just that like, your Identity is sort of this unique encryption key.

    Brandon Sanderson

    And you need a key to you getting it. That's a valid line of theorizing. It is not exactly but it's close enough to be a good model.

    Paleo

    And would an unkeyed metalmind theoretically be capable of storing a little more than a keyed one.

    Brandon Sanderson

    Oh, because of yeah.

    Paleo

    Because it has to... Is it inherent to the Investiture or is it like an extra bit?

    Brandon Sanderson

    I'll RAFO that, mostly because I haven't considered that yet.

    Prague Signing ()
    #3106 Copy

    Paleo

    All right, regarding the 'Wisdom Shard' again. We have one quote where Hoid... I'll just cite it: "Some men, as they age, grow wiser. I am not one of those, for wisdom and I have always been at cross-purposes." Is he referring to that Shard there... or the Vessel?

    Brandon Sanderson

    *thumbs up, grins* ... Yes.

    Prague Signing ()
    #3107 Copy

    Paleo

    We tried to develop a theory of what a metalmind actually is, and we know that splitting a metalmind can halve the charge effectively or divide the charge.

    Brandon Sanderson

    It can divide the charge although it makes it much harder to, yeah.

    Paleo

    But is it actually physical... is the charge concentrated physically at one point or is it more like a gas so it diffuses?

    Brandon Sanderson

    It diffuses.

    Prague Signing ()
    #3108 Copy

    Paleo

    Do you actually store something related to...do you store the actual attribute or do you only store like an Investiture representation of an amount...

    Brandon Sanderson

    You store the Investiture representation.

    Paleo

    So the metal is just the focus that says this will turn into this.

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yeah.

    Prague Signing ()
    #3109 Copy

    Paleo

    Then I was wondering about the Dysian Aimians or the Sleepless. Do they reproduce at all, and if so how does it work? Like is it that one... is it asexual if they do?

    Brandon Sanderson

    So they reproduce, yes. But reproduction for them has a variety of terms. They can breed specific cremlings for specific purposes over time if they want to. They can also exchange cremlings if they need to, in order to improve their genetic diversity. Creating a new one is a different experience but yes. In fact, they... I've written sections, not for the books yet but where I talk about them developing and over evolving one of their cremlings to do something new.

    Paleo

    Okay. If they do reproduce does it require two of them or is it more like they breed enough and then they split one off.

    Brandon Sanderson

    That's a RAFO for now, but the individual's consciousness is an interesting thing for them.

    Prague Signing ()
    #3111 Copy

    Paleo

    You also said... somebody asked whether there are points in Shadesmar where you could instantly travel across diametrically opposed points on a planet.

    Brandon Sanderson

    Right, there has to be.

    Paleo

    Of course, I heard topology last year in university and it's all about mappings and stuff like that and so I was wondering just how continuous - if you know math term - the mapping from like the Physical Realm to the Cognitive Realm is.

    Brandon Sanderson

    It's not very. You'll notice already elevation is not mapped, you can find points in the books already where someone appears closer to the sea level and things so it's not very... there's a lot of bending going on and it gets worse or more obvious the further the series goes. Not a one to one correlation, not even close.

    Paleo

    So it's not just that it's very compressed it actually doesn't match some things.

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yeah, no. Imagine that things in the Physical Realm are mapping to places in the Cognitive Realm but not, they're not alternate dimensions of one another that are overlapping one to one.

    Prague Signing ()
    #3112 Copy

    Paleo

    On the Discord also they tried to... because the moon is always like on the horizon and they did the math and technically it's possible but it would have to change its inclination I think through one hundred degrees every turn. Is it natural or is it also maintained by...

    Brandon Sanderson

    It is also maintained by the system. We ran the math on that one too. It, like, the Rosharans also are not in a stable orbit but this one's even less in a stable orbit, let's just say that.

    Paleo

    Somebody did like the universe simulator thing and somebody ran it to Roshar and they said it crashed into each other.

    Brandon Sanderson

    I mean they would, we find we got like ten, no like a hundred thousand years before it happens but yeah, the moons are very not stable on Roshar, let's just say that. I'm not convinced that the continent is stable either. On geological terms I don't think... if Roshar were as old as Earth is, you would not have a continent, is what I think. Even with the crem and stuff.

    Paleo

    The crem isn't enough... you said before that it shifts east?

    Brandon Sanderson

    That's what I think, I haven't done the math but that's what my instinct says that it wouldn't be enough. But we'll leave that for people who actually run the math until they... because I do not have time to get a degree in ecological science.

    Prague Signing ()
    #3114 Copy

    Paleo

    In May, in Germany, you told me that... or I asked whether Wisdom was a Shard, and you said it was or something like it, and that wisdom was close to an intent of a Shard, and you also told me that it has realized that survival isn't necessarily the most important thing for it. I wanted to ask whether it has realized that over time or was it from the get go?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Over time.

    Paleo

    Okay, so then naturally, my next question: Is it the survival Shard?

    Brandon Sanderson

    RAFO.

    Paleo

    And then somebody actually came up with another good probable name. Is Prudence close?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Prudence sounds an awful lot like a Shard name. That's some excellent theorizing there.

    Prague Signing ()
    #3115 Copy

    Paleo

    So we know that aluminum resists Investiture or blocks Investiture in some cases. Does it act like radiation protection like lead or something that actually gets deteriorated while it's resisting something or is it like, does it just interfere?

    Brandon Sanderson

    RAFO, good question.

    Prague Signing ()
    #3117 Copy

    Questioner

    Do you need to love writing to be a writer?

    Brandon Sanderson

    I think a lot of writers hate writing so I don't think it's required. I know a lot of writers who hate writing but love to have written if that makes sense. A lot of writers do love writing but a lot of writers love to have written.

    Prague Signing ()
    #3122 Copy

    Questioner

    Is Hoid real, or is he just a fantasy form.

    Brandon Sanderson

    Is Hoid real? Hoid is real in the books.

    Questioner

    In the books, yes. So the characters are not hallucinating him.

    Brandon Sanderson

    They're not hallucinating him. We're not pulling a Fight Club or anything on you.

    Prague Signing ()
    #3123 Copy

    Questioner

    I was interested if, the Wax character, if he was inspired a little by Sams Vimes by Terry Pratchett.

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yeah, absolutely. Vimes had a deep effect on me as a writer so any time I'm writing a copper you'll end up with some Vimes but I'd say Wax has a little extra Vimes, so does Dalinar, Dalinar's got a bit of Vimes in him to.

    Prague Signing ()
    #3124 Copy

    Oversleep

    Why do Fused accelerate slower than the Surgebinders?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Fused accelerate [slower than] Surgebinder's because they're expending less energy.

    Oversleep

    It doesn't have to do with the Braize gravity?

    Brandon Sanderson

    No, it does not have to do with Braize's gravity, that's a good question. That's actually a really clever way to ask.

    Oversleep

    Yeah, cause I thought the planet was smaller so.

    Brandon Sanderson

    Clever, very clever but no, it is not to do with that. You'll find other explanations but they can expend less energy, they can afford to spend less energy. They can only afford to expend a little bit of energy so that's the way to say it.

    Prague Signing ()
    #3125 Copy

    Oversleep

    Okay now I have one about Shard avatars, like Autonomy's. Is it possible for one to form without the Shard's Vessel directly making it, so independent...

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yes, it is. They would be aware of it, however. They couldn't not be aware of it, but it could arise without their direct and conscious decision to do so.

    Oversleep

    And the one on First of the Sun, is it by Autonomy's direct...

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yes, that is directly created.

    Prague Signing ()
    #3126 Copy

    Questioner

    Before the Shattering, were people already able to worldhop from Yolen to the other planets like Roshar, and so on?

    Brandon Sanderson

    It was possible, it did not happen nearly on the extent that it happens now. It's possible. I would say that, I don't know if there, yeah very very very few instances.

    Prague Signing ()
    #3127 Copy

    Questioner

    Lightweaving on Roshar, is it more of a Physical thing or Cognitive Realm thing?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Lightweaving? I would say it's a hybrid between the two.

    Questioner

    So there's a Physical effect, but also a Cognitive component to that?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yes, and then even a little bit of a Spiritual component. Lightweaving tends to involve, I'd say it's mostly Physical. Mostly you're not changing what someone's mind is, but you're actually changing light. Mostly Physical, but Lightweaving in particular has a lot like- you'll see weird things happening with Lightweaving on occasion, that are kind of a little bit of Cognitive and Spiritual influence that's happening. So keep your eyes on that. Yeah, I would say, if you're asking is light actually being changed yes, it is.

    Prague Signing ()
    #3129 Copy

    Questioner

    So after Nightblood was used pretty obviously in Thaylen City does Zahel [or Vasher] know?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Where Nightblood is? Zahel is pretty sure where Nightblood is; Vivenna does not know. She's on the look out let's say.

    Questioner

    I guess it's hard to get back from Shadesmar.

    Brandon Sanderson

    It is. She had some plans and that didn't work out.

    Prague Signing ()
    #3130 Copy

    Questioner

    I have a question for the world of Steelheart. How do the electric sockets work if everything is steel?

    Brandon Sanderson

    How do the electric sockets work? They needed to be rebuilt for the electric sockets to work, but you can also get down far enough where the builders, the machines, have rebuilt everything and so that wouldn't all have been turned to steel. Some of that has been dug out and reworked and rebuilt. There are some pretty crazy things that happened. 

    Prague Signing ()
    #3131 Copy

    Questioner

    Another friend, she wanted to know about if you ever heard about Warhammer-esque game based on your books, like the Shadow Titan for example at Quality Games?

    Brandon Sanderson

    I have indeed. I have considered and thought about it. Whether it will happen or not we're not sure, but I think that a Shattered Plains war game is likely at some point.

    Prague Signing ()
    #3132 Copy

    Questioner

    So I wanted to know if the asteroid belts around some planets are because of Splintering of a Shard there?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Okay, one more time. If the what?

    Questioner

    Asteroids belts around some planets.

    Brandon Sanderson

    Are caused by the Splintering of Shards? So the Splintering of Shards has had cosmological effects; you should not assume that most asteroid belts are caused by the Splintering of a Shard.

    Questioner

    Yeah, you know most of the planets, I think all of the planets where the Shards were Splintered have asteroid belts. So is it like the physical manifestation of the Splintering?

    Brandon Sanderson

    You should not assume that all planets that have that are the result of a Splintering of a Shard but the Splintering of a Shard can have such an effect.

    Prague Signing ()
    #3133 Copy

    Questioner

    So, the establishing of the Knights Radiant followed up the Surgebinders. So I had a question about Renarin - Is he closer to the modern day Radiants power-wise, or the pre-Knights Radiant Surgebinders?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Renarin?

    Questioner

    Because he's weird right?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yeah, he is weird. Is he closer to pre-Knights Radiant Surgebinders or to modern Knights Radiant? I'd say closer to modern Knights Radiant, is what I would say... but it's a tough call.

    Footnote: The questioner seems to be distinguishing between the formal establishment of the Knights Radiant by Ishar, and Spren-based, Honorblade-copied Surgebinding before then.
    Prague Signing ()
    #3134 Copy

    Questioner

    How behind on word goal are you right now?

    Brandon Sanderson

    I have like 28 working days left before the end of the year and I would have to write 5,000 words a day of each of those so I'm somewhat behind. I'm about right now somewhere around 15,000 words behind. When I get back from this tour I'll be somewhere around 35,000 words behind so I'll have to try to catch that up. We'll see, we'll see if I do it.

    Prague Signing ()
    #3135 Copy

    Questioner

    *translated* In Feruchemy, if someone's existence is being in--stored in it, is it as a whole?

    Brandon Sanderson

    It is little pieces of Investiture filtered through their mind and their soul. *waiting for translator* You could say it's a little piece of them, but it's not the whole them.

    Prague Signing ()
    #3137 Copy

    Snoxcatko

    Roshar--it's obviously, it is or it seems to be in the Southern Hemisphere. Is there something else in the world?

    Brandon Sanderson

    There are no other continents. It's not completely--it is Southern Hemisphere--but I think we inch up above the equator, don't we?

    Isaac Stewart

    Just a bit, just the islands. They kinda curve over the equator.

    Brandon Sanderson

    There are no other continents but there might be other smaller landmasses.

    Prague Signing ()
    #3138 Copy

    Snoxcatko

    At the end of Words of Radiance, when Hoid met Jasnah, he said he wasn't scared of the Shardblade at all. Is that just because he has enough Investiture to heal himself or is there something else going on?

    Brandon Sanderson

    There's multiple reasons but you're theorizing along the right terms.

    Prague Signing ()
    #3140 Copy

    Snoxcatko

    Can people from another world like Scadrial or Sel become a Knight Radiant.

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yes.

    Snoxcatko

    Is there some like special conditions in world?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Nope. You just have to be chosen by the spren. So because the spren are involved then the requirements are a little different for Roshar. But to became an Awakener, you just need to get the Breath so you could pick it up on Nalthis also pretty easily.

    Prague Signing ()
    #3142 Copy

    Questioner

    Is the Stormlight Archive 4 release looking good, is it going to release next year?

    Brandon Sanderson

    It's looking pretty good. It depends, I wrote a little bit, worked on it here in Prague. I have to get a couple extra days snuck in, we'll see. You're going to have to watch, it will come down right to the last few days I think so we'll see. It's still possible, it's looking good but I can't promise.

    Prague Signing ()
    #3143 Copy

    Questioner

    My friends would like to know if you can Awaken liquids?

    Brandon Sanderson

    This is almost impossible.

    Questioner

    Almost impossible?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Almost impossible, but not fully impossible, but basically impossible. Particularly if you're talking about just a liquid, not in a container, anything like that. Technically, you can kind of Awaken a dead animal, which will have some liquid in it and stuff. But if you just want to Awaken like--

    Questioner

    A bowl of water?

    Brandon Sanderson

    A bowl of water, almost impossible.

    Prague Signing ()
    #3146 Copy

    Oversleep

    Ire and their fortress on Scadrial. 

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yes.

    Oversleep

    Is it still there?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yes, it should be, yes.

    Oversleep

    Sazed is aware of it?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yes.

    Oversleep

    Okay, do they have on other planets?

    Brandon Sanderson

    They have outposts but you will rarely find something as highly well constructed as that.

    Prague Signing ()
    #3147 Copy

    Oversleep

    So you have said previously that you could categorize metals in Feruchemy like 8 Physical, 4 Cognitive, and 4 Spiritual. But the Hemalurgy chart says they are Hybrid <Feruchemy> metals so...

    Brandon Sanderson

    So they are what?

    Oversleep

    The Hybrid metals.

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yeah, remember that all of these categorizations are by in-world philosophers doing their best to come up so you can decide how you want to categorize them, alright.

    Prague Signing ()
    #3149 Copy

    Questioner

    Can you tell me anything about the Elsecallers we don't know yet?

    Brandon Sanderson

    They should be able to get back out of Shadesmar without having to find a perpendicularity, but Jasnah doesn't know how to do it yet. She should be able to do that, she just hasn't figured it out.