Questioner
So the scene at the end of Oathbringer, when Odium is confronting Taravangian and he uses futuresight to expand upon the Diagram, we have this blacked out section with Renarin's name linked to it.
Brandon Sanderson
Yes.
Questioner
Is that because Renarin's abilities interfere with Odium's futuresight similar to how electrum interferes with atium?
Brandon Sanderson
Any time that someone else is seeing the future in the cosmere, it's going to have ripples against your ability. Like they are-- you can't-- It's the same sort of thing that if-- someone who has access to atium is going to mess up anyone else's futuresight in any way, because once you use that it's going to cause you to act differently, which then-- And remember futuresight is not very good in the cosmere anyway. But yeah, it's just gonna mess things up.
Questioner
Can Connection be inherited?
Brandon Sanderson
Technically, yes. But maybe not how you're thinking, but yes.
Questioner
Is there anything you can tell us about where the listeners are? From Narak, after they--
Brandon Sanderson
Yes. They are still kind of in the area. They have made their way out through the chasms, out onto some floodplains on the other side.
Questioner
The way Sazed describes the people group [of Trell] in the first time he explains it and later on in Hero of Ages seems fairly different. Is that because of different perspective on religion, or how the religion is?
Brandon Sanderson
Let's just say that is intentional.
Questioner
The Luthadel guard in The Final Empire, the garrison leader, his name is Bevidon, which sounds suspiciously like Bavadin.
Brandon Sanderson
It does.
Questioner
Is there any connection there?
Brandon Sanderson
RAFO.
Hoiditthroughthegrapevine
*written* Is Felt and agent of Harmony? If not, is he a member of a secret society that we have seen?
Brandon Sanderson
*written* Felt is different in his allegiance depending on the part of his life.
*spoken* Felt's allegiance has changed at various times during-- yeah, we'll just say that. His allegiance has changed over the years. There are times he's been a rogue agent.
Questioner
The lighteyes-- Do their eyes actually glow or is it just blue or green?
Brandon Sanderson
No. It's a very pale blue or green though. You can tell pretty easily looking at them who's lighteyed and who's dark. They don't glow. So--
Questioner
It's otherworldly?
Brandon Sanderson
Some of them would look-- You would say otherworldly, but not impossibly. You can find people on Earth who have eyes the shade that they are. Not all of them, right? Because some of them are yellows and things like that that we don't have. But if you looked at them and they were here, you might wonder if they were wearing contacts but it wouldn't be unusual to find out they weren't.
Questioner
Is Shallan's truth, "I am hap-- It's okay that I can be happy?"
Brandon Sanderson
I'm going to dig into that, but this is a big part of it. Let me RAFO that because I'm not sure exactly how I'm going to express it as it goes along, but that sentiment is a huge part of what's going on with Shallan.
Questioner
I was expecting her to manifest Shardplate in the middle of her wedding because she had spoken such a core truth of her identity.
Brandon Sanderson
Let's just say that I'm being very careful about how I show off the first manifestations of Shardplate for narrative reasons.
Hoiditthroughthegrapevine
So were the Dawncities, the ones based on cymatic patterns, created using a supercharged combinations of the Surges of Cohesion and Illumination? Using Cohesion to make the ground liquid and using Illumination to create the frequency.
Brandon Sanderson
You are theorizing in the right direction.
The Young Pyromancer
Is the reason Renarin's name is greyed out due to a conflict of Fortune with Odium, similar to [an electrum] user fighting an atium?
Brandon Sanderson
Yes.
Questioner
Because of Glys' corrupted nature as a spren of Sja-anat, does that mean that Renarin's swearing different Ideals than the mainstream Truthwatcher ideals?
Brandon Sanderson
Um... I'll RAFO that for now. But there will definitely be some differences.
Questioner
Is Urithiru originally from Roshar, or did it come from somewhere else?
Brandon Sanderson
Ah, great question! It was built on Roshar...
Questioner
How would a man-made island show up in Shadesmar? Would it just show up?
Brandon Sanderson
It would show up usually as a regular island, depending on how long it's been there, and how people think of it, and stuff like that.
Hoiditthroughthegrapevine
If a Dysian Aimian had the Elsecaller honorblade, could just a single hordeling transition to the Cognitive Realm? 'Cause I think I've heard that a person couldn't just transition a single part of their body.
Brandon Sanderson
They could transition a single hordeling, but as it works right now, they would probably lose contact with the host and would become broken-off and no longer part of the hive. It's not truly a hive. But it would be like of your finger got cut off and sent to-- something like that. It would start acting independently.
Hoiditthroughthegrapevine
So would you have to have the preponderance of the Dysian Aimian transition to the Cognitive Realm? And the ones that stayed in the Physical Realm would be cut off?
Brandon Sanderson
Yeah. It would be bad for half-and-half to go. Let's say that, one thing that they would love to be able to do is to have a little more versatility there. Let's just say that.
Questioner
What was Paalm doing during Era 1?
Brandon Sanderson
I will answer that someday, so I'm going to RAFO it for now.
Questioner
Is the crem--is it natural--are the highstorms magically created and that's why--
Brandon Sanderson
Yeah the crem is there to keep the continent from washing away. So I had to add a magical element that, if it were not in the cosmere with magic, this would not work.
Questioner
Is that why the Weepings don't have crem, is that's a natural storm?
Brandon Sanderson
That is because I didn't want there to be too much crem at that point. These are all story structure things, instead. World-wise, I would say a little more natural, sort of blow off steam, there.
Questioner
Is the reason that the Fused have access to unlimited Voidlight because Odium is alive, and did the Radiants have that sort of access [to Stormlight] when Honor was alive?
Brandon Sanderson
Not exactly... They do not have access to unlimited Voidlight, how about that.
Questioner
What is your favorite curse word from your books?
Brandon Sanderson
Probably, "storming", it's the easiest.
Questioner
Are Kaladin and Shallan going to end up together?
Brandon Sanderson
Read And Find Out.
Questioner
In The Stormlight Archive, you've got the actual book The Way of Kings, are you planning to write it?
Brandon Sanderson
No, I am not. I feel like it would be an exercise that would take a lot of effort for very little value to the community or to myself. I like it also being open-ended so I can be like, "Oh, this should be in there," and then be like "Hey, here is a new quote from The Way of Kings".
Questioner
If you had to pick actors to play Kaladin, Lopen, Skar, Dalinar, and Rock, who would you pick?
Brandon Sanderson
I'm not sure if I could pick them all. I really like Dave Bautista for Dalinar, he is somebody that I think would do a really good job. I can give you that one; I'm not sure about the others.
Questioner
[Their question is] Why do you hurt Kaladin so? They're really sad by that. And why can't he be happy? And who the heck is Wit?
Brandon Sanderson
I hurt Kaladin because I tell the stories and the characters put themselves in the situations. Why can't he be happy? Kaladin has a hard time with happiness. He is working on it.
Questioner
Does Stormlight go into the Cognitive Realm during a highstorm?
Brandon Sanderson
RAFO.
Questioner
Who is Wit?
Brandon Sanderson
Wit is a character named Hoid, who existed before the gods of the various Cosmere planets were created, and was involved in that situation.
Questioner
What's the strangest thing you've made yourself an expert about for the sake of your books?
Brandon Sanderson
Eunuchs? I would not call myself an expert, but it is one of the odder things I have researched.
Questioner
Who is the oldest person in the Cosmere?
Brandon Sanderson
I've been asked this before, and I think I RAFO'ed it. Frost is up there. But I don't think Frost is actually the oldest.
Questioner
So to be determined?
Brandon Sanderson
RAFO.
Questioner
Who is Trell?
Brandon Sanderson
Trell? Depends on who you ask.
Questioner
He is the god that Wax... *inaudible*
Brandon Sanderson
Or a random person on Taldain, or someone referenced in Era 2, there are lots of different things that Trell could be.
Questioner
Any chance we are going to see some more of Silence in the Forests?
Brandon Sanderson
You will probably see Threnody again, but the book will not be about Silence.
Questioner
*groans* Maybe about Silence?
Brandon Sanderson
Probably not.
Questioner
Are you going to add space whales to the cosmere?
Brandon Sanderson
There will be things like that, but they won't actually be whales.
Questioner
Are you going to make a prequel to the Rithmatist series?
Brandon Sanderson
I'm not planning to right now. When I write more, you will find out more about the past also.
Questioner
You used the Julia Set as a basis for the map of Roshar; Is there any meaning beyond it, using the Julia Set? Or is more, "This is striking to me-"
Brandon Sanderson
The meaning is my fascination as a layman with fractals and equations. It is supposed to mean something in world; that Roshar was grown with a mathematical equation.
Questioner
But not specifically that one?
Brandon Sanderson
Not specifically the Julia Set. You can't learn much from the Julia Set.
Questioner
Do we ever get to see more of Threnody?
Brandon Sanderson
You should, if I can figure out when to get the Threnody novel in, it's going to be a lot of fun.
Questioner
Like you said earlier you are trying to finish some things--
Brandon Sanderson
Before I start new things. You wouldn't see it until Stormlight 5 is done, for sure.
Questioner
When you pictured Kelsier in the Mistborn Series, did you see him as a Christlike figure?
Brandon Sanderson
He sees himself that way, I do not.
Questioner
And the church that follows up after him, is that more like *inaudible*
Brandon Sanderson
It is hierarchical like some Christian churches are, but it is not meant to reference any specific church. I do not personally see Kelsier as... he has a more inflated opinion of himself than I think he should have.
Questioner
Your 2019 writing line up?
Brandon Sanderson
Stormlight 4 will take the entire year.
Wetlander
Do you have a single name that you use to refer to all the singers, and the listeners, and the Parshmen: that entire species?
Brandon Sanderson
Yeah, I usually use listener, but that's a cultural thing. So, I don't right now.
Wetlander
I keep struggling with what to call them as a species, and eeehhh are they all singers? I mean they aren't really all singers.
Brandon Sanderson
We'll settle on something eventually.
Wetlander
Okay, but we don't have anything right now.
Brandon Sanderson
Yeah.
Mailnaise
Adolin's sword in Oathbringer, its name is Maya, which I think is cool cause that's my name, but is that-- is she going to become more important?
Brandon Sanderson
That is what we call a Read And Find out. No promises, I can't say either way. Can't give you spoilers.
Questioner
From what I understand, Ruin and Preservation create the world together, and they created humanity as copies of the original humankind. So how did they give Allomancy to Scadrial?
Brandon Sanderson
Yes. So the magic systems are kind of built into the setting and the world. And there are certain natural pathways that exist, in the same way there are certain natural pathways for them to create life. Which is my explanation for why life is so similar on all the different planets, is that they're following natural pathways, and these magics are kind of the same way. For instance, Lightweaving predates the Shattering of Adonalsium. A lot of these other things are suggestive of magics that existed before that were built around Adonalsium. They weren't 100% created by the Shards, but they also do have the Shards' influence on them.
Questioner
Wayne... Which order would he be in?
Brandon Sanderson
It would take-- He would probably fit best as an Edgedancer, would be my guess. Most of the Orders would look very strangely upon Wayne, let's say that.
Questioner
If you had an AI like M-Bot with subroutines that simulate emotions, if it was written well enough, could it attract a spren?
Brandon Sanderson
I will RAFO that for now, I have been asked it a bunch. Let's just say, AI in the cosmere are going to be an interesting thing to explore. We will explore that.
Questioner
Both the languages described in Warbreaker and The Stormlight Archive contain a letter or glyph called the shash. Is that a consequence of both languages originating from a common root language on Yolen or is there something more complicated going on?
Brandon Sanderson
Less complicated.
Questioner
Are the Unmade and the spheres that contain them only on Roshar or are they in other planets in the cosmere?
Brandon Sanderson
You need to rephrase that question a little bit. Ask me again, remembering there's a big difference between the Rosharan system and the rest of the cosmere. There's three planets in the Rosharan system.
Questioner
*Gestures* Particularly in these ones.
Brandon Sanderson
It's possible that Unmade influence and existence would extend beyond Roshar.
Questioner
Can lerasium alloys grant Feruchemy?
Brandon Sanderson
It c--RAFO, we'll RAFO that.
Shqueeves
Do humans with singer ancestry have vestigial gemhearts?
Brandon Sanderson
RAFO. Good question.
Questioner
Do we know the other talents of Dusk's uncle's Aviar? Because he had three.
Brandon Sanderson
I don't think I've revealed those.
Questioner
Is it possible to form a bond with a Threnodite Shade?
Brandon Sanderson
Oh like a Nahel bond, a spren bond? RAFO.
Questioner
What would be your callsign in the Skyward [universe]?
Brandon Sanderson
Oh, my callsign? It would probably be--it's too long. "Mr. Prolific" is what they called me in college. Something like that.
JoyBlu
Szeth Son-Son. When did his name change from Son to Son-Son.
Brandon Sanderson
When he was made Truthless.
JoyBlu
Do we know the time of when he was made Truthless? How long has he been Truthless since the [Prologue]?
Brandon Sanderson
I know, but I'm not confident enough, because I rely on Karen so much to fact check my numbers.
JoyBlu
Is it like a couple of years or a lot of years. Recent?
Brandon Sanderson
I would say recent, but that's also subjective and relative.
JoyBlu
Because if he's lived a thousand years, then a hundred years could...
Brandon Sanderson
Yes, but he hasn't lived a thousand years.
JoyBlu
So, he's lived about thirty years...
Brandon Sanderson
Mmhmm.
R'Shara
Was Vo really the First Returned?
Brandon Sanderson
RAFO!
JoyBlu
Does Taravangian have any darkeyed grandchildren?
Brandon Sanderson
RAFO because because *sheepish laugh* I don't know for sure.
JoyBlu
An epoch, is that a standardized set of time or relative?
Brandon Sanderson
It is not a standardized set of time.
JoyBlu
So it could be variable like, when dad gets home from work til when leaves from work.
Brandon Sanderson
Well, that's not going to be one, but yeah... The epochs were way better defined in the original Way of Kings. I let them be more squishy.
JoyBlu
In the original Way of Kings, like a first edition?
Brandon Sanderson
No, in the Prime, that I read from.
