Questioner
God-King versus God-King. Susebron versus Rashek, who comes out on top?
Brandon Sanderson
Rashek, probably.
Questioner
By a lot or a little?
Brandon Sanderson
Well, here's the thing. I think Susebron is at the disadvantage in almost every situation.
Questioner
Okay. How so?
Brandon Sanderson
Rashek has been alive longer. Rashek knows what he's doing. Rashek has martial training. Rashek has killed a lot of people, Susebron never has. Fewer scruples. His magic is way more combat-oriented. He can get out of range a lot easier. He has power emotional Allomancy, which Susebron would *inaudible*.
Granted, he's got so much investiture, he may be able to shrug that off. But still, I would put Rashek at the advantage.
Questioner
How do puns work with all-
Brandon Sanderson
How do what work?
Questioner
Puns, because they're speaking different languages?
Brandon Sanderson
Oh, yeah, the books are in translation; you have to imagine I am the translator, and what I am doing is, I am searching for something in our language that best replicates what they said in their language. That is the same thing for things like Veristitalian and stuff like that that uses Latin in our world. That's indicating it's using a similar older language in their world to build the thing. So you have to understand Wit doesn't actually say that exact pun, he says something that is a pun that I translate into English into a similar pun.
Questioner
Is there anything you can tell me about the Deeper Ones?
Brandon Sanderson
About what?
Questioner
The Deeper Ones?
Brandon Sanderson
No, unfortunately. If I write the Threnody novel, they will be involved a great deal, how about that?
Questioner
I noticed that in the Stormlight Archive the spren act in a quantum physics-y way--
Brandon Sanderson
That's intentional!
Questioner
Is that gonna play a role--
Brandon Sanderson
It will indeed play a role. It's relevant.
Questioner
On Roshar, if a Herald were to die, to not-really-come-back die, would it possible for someone to take up the mantle of that Herald?
Brandon Sanderson
You're gonna need to read and find out, because this is the first time that happened was at the end of Oathbringer.
Questioner
Because he is dead--
Brandon Sanderson
He is dead dead.
Shallan's Ward
My other question was, has Hoid ever or would Hoid ever dress in drag?
Brandon Sanderson
Yeah, and he has... Multiple times!
Khyrindor
The lighthouse guy was Ire? In Oathbringer?
Brandon Sanderson
Yes.
Khyrindor
And he was the same Elantrian that they put in the Shardpool at the end of--
Brandon Sanderson
Yes, he is the same person.
Khyrindor
And was he Ire before--
Brandon Sanderson
He was not before then.
Khyrindor
So, I was hoping to get a confirmation on Mraize's age?
Brandon Sanderson
I'd probably-- Well, what did I say before?
Khyrindor
Not sure, I was just asking the question.
Brandon Sanderson
Okay good, I didn't think that I had confirmed this. I'm going to RAFO it.
Khyrindor
Like, is he older than a normal person?
Brandon Sanderson
I will RAFO it, yeah. Let's say though, that, though he has been off-world, he himself is a Rosharan.
Khyrindor
A Roshar native?
Brandon Sanderson
Yeah.
Khyrindor
If the Ire had managed to get Preservation, what would Ruin's reaction have been to that?
Brandon Sanderson
*chuckles* What would Ruin have thought about that? I don't think Ruin would have been a fan.
Khyrindor
Would he have been able to deal with it?
Brandon Sanderson
Deal with it? I can see potentials where he both could and couldn't deal with it. I do not-- I don't think the Ire were one hundred percent prepared for what they were trying to do. How about that?
Questioner
How strong is Endowment's futuresight in comparison to other Shards?
Brandon Sanderson
RAFO.
Questioner
Does Khriss know the intents of the sixteen Shards at the time of the essays?
Brandon Sanderson
At the time of the essays, Khriss would-- Yes, Khriss would know all sixteen intents.
RandyD
Can a Shard just--like, say someone is using their magic system--can they stop the power from them being able to use it?
Brandon Sanderson
No, that's a bit like stopping the laws of physics. So, while they can circumvent laws of physics and things like that, but if you wanted to stop someone from using magic, smiting them would be the efficient way of making that happen, if you are capable of it in the system.
RandyD
We've seen, let's say, Ruin and Preservation talking to people--they have limitations on that. Do other Shards share these limitations?
Brandon Sanderson
There are limitations-- All Shards have some interesting limitations that we will get into as we go.
RandyD
Can a Shard just smite someone? Like, "Boom, you're dead," and they die?
Brandon Sanderson
So, Shards can do this, depending on where they are. For instance, Odium can't, but Endowment could.
Khyrindor
Did the Five Scholars ever speak directly with Endowment in a way that they would remember?
Brandon Sanderson
*thinking noises* I'll RAFO that.
Khyrindor
Odium seems to have a bad track record when it comes to killing Shards. He was wounded versus Ambition, and he's trapped on Roshar. Yet, he's credited in killing Devotion and Dominion. My question is: was Autonomy significantly involved and would Odium have been able to do it on his own and still be okay to--
Brandon Sanderson
RAFO. It is dangerous to attack a Shard with one Shard. Let's say that. And a wise Shard would try to avoid that confrontation unless there are specific reasons they think they would have an advantage.
Khyrindor
Was Felt cosmere-aware during Era 1?
Brandon Sanderson
Yes.
Khyrindor
Was he directly involved in the interplanetary trade through the Pits?
Brandon Sanderson
He was involved. Whether directly is the right term or not I will not say.
Khyrindor
And is he part of the Seventeenth Shard?
Brandon Sanderson
He has been a member of various different groups and had various different motivations over the years. I would not put him, right now, as a member of the Seventeenth Shard.
Khyrindor
As in, like, Stormlight Archive--
Brandon Sanderson
As of Stormlight Archive Era: Not a member of the Seventeenth Shard. Obviously--well, I won't go any further on that.
Questioner
Did the game developers for the Witcher franchise get back to you?
Brandon Sanderson
They never did. I didn't expect them to, though. I was not calling them out. I was specifically just saying that if somebody asked me, I would. It's not like I was...I was trying to bury that. It went way bigger than I wanted to. But I think they already knew. I have made it clear to them I'd enjoy working with them.
Questioner
Does Stormlight drain faster in a vacuum?
Brandon Sanderson
No. Good question, I haven't been asked that before.
Questioner
In the prologue to Way of Kings, when Szeth kills Gavilar, Gavilar says, "Tell Thaidakar he's too late." What's Thaidakar too late for?
Brandon Sanderson
*Evil laugh* RAFO. You'll find out. It's coming, not too far away.
Questioner
Is the gold blade that Odium has, his equivalent of an Honorblade?
Brandon Sanderson
Not quite.
Questioner
In Mistborn Era 1, they don't...aluminum in real life can only really be refined through the use of electricity.
Brandon Sanderson
You can actually get it before that. For instance, Napoleon had a set of aluminum dinnerware that he gave to the really fancy guests. If you weren't fancy enough, you got the gold. So they could get it in elemental form without electrolysis or whatever the process is. You could get it, but you couldn't make it. It was extremely rare till the modern era.
They have started to figure out that process in Mistborn, and it soon is going to become really common.
Questioner
Once aluminum is dirt cheap like it is--
Brandon Sanderson
That changes the world a whole bunch!
Questioner
Do you play those [Blizzard games]?
Brandon Sanderson
Yeah. They tried to get me to write for them. Back before Overwatch became Overwatch, when it was their next MMO game, Titan, they brought me in and were trying to convince me. And they were good books, but I just could not spare the time.
Questioner
How did Nightblood get from Warbreaker to Oathbringer.
Brandon Sanderson
He was carried.
Questioner
How?
Brandon Sanderson
RAFO! He was carried by someone.
Questioner
What book will you have to read to find out?
Brandon Sanderson
You will find out eventually. Nightblood, the sequel to Warbreaker will include some, Stormlight books will also include some.
Brandon Sanderson
Me making a book about someone is not a promise they'll live until that book. So the fact that Jasnah gets book ten does not mean necessarily mean Jasnah survives until book ten.
Questioner
Did Spook ever leave Scadrial?
Brandon Sanderson
RAFO.
Questioner
Khriss and Jasnah... are they ever gonna meet, because I feel like they'd be the ultimate power couple.
Brandon Sanderson
They would get along smashingly, is what I feel. I won't say if they're ever going to meet or not, but I do feel that they would get along.
Questioner 1
Can people not from Roshar bond with spren and get the Shardplate and whatnot?
Brandon Sanderson
RAFO. Well, okay. You don't need me to RAFO on that. You have seen someone not from Roshar bond a spren. You have seen that much happen.
Questioner 2
We know for sure that Hoid is a Lightweaver.
Questioner 1
Do we know that?
Brandon Sanderson
Hoid has bonded a spren.
Questioner
Is the Sibling a Singer?
Brandon Sanderson
The Sibling is not, good question.
Questioner
Does aluminum negate magic systems in all the--
Brandon Sanderson
Not exactly, but it has very weird-- it has interesting effects, how about that, in all places.
Questioner
Is Bavadin a dragon? Was she originally a dragon?
Brandon Sanderson
RAFO.
Questioner
So Lift gets her awesomeness from food. Is that a Lift thing or is that an Edgedancer thing?
Brandon Sanderson
That is a Lift thing. She is a very specific thing, and what she is will come out more, as the series progresses. It's not just a little one-off, there is actually something more behind it, but it is not an Edgedancer thing.
Questioner
I was starting to think that maybe there was something that Cultivation's people had their own kind of Heralds, that had their own alternative energy so--
Brandon Sanderson
It's going to probably take until Lift's book to start to dig into it too much, but it isn't that far off, 3 books.
Questioner
*laughs* Only 3 books?
Brandon Sanderson
Yeah, she is 6th.
Questioner
Are there currently any Shards, besides Harmony, that are not held by their original Vessel?
Brandon Sanderson
Yes.
NotarySojac
If you shine a red light on a white wall, could you use the color from that to Awaken?
Brandon Sanderson
Ooh, good question! I would say you would end up leeching the color out of the lightbulb that you were shining through.
Questioner
Is a chull able to receive some form of Investiture? ...I'm thinking of Scadrial... Would it have the presence of mind to be able to use the abilities?
Brandon Sanderson
Not as it is right now. But you can see in the way that Ryshadium are working that we have animals that are reaching beyond-animal intelligence. Aviar are the same way. And it is possible to assume that you could get to the point where you could use such powers. But none of them are there yet. But the Aviar kind of use their powers, so I guess some of them are. So, yes, I will say that's possible.
Questioner
Were humans the first sentient race in the cosmere?
Brandon Sanderson
Tied. So technically, it depends on what you count, if you count tied for first as first.
Questioner
What happens if you become an atium savant?
Brandon Sanderson
I've RAFO'd that in the past, so I'll RAFO it now
Questioner
Do any of your characters have afros?
Brandon Sanderson
Yes, there are characters with afros.
Questioner
Did you have trouble killing Vin?
Brandon Sanderson
No, because by then, I was well prepared for it. I was worried about what the response would be, but it wasn't hard for me to do, because that was the story. Sometimes, when I'm doing this, I've outlined for a long time, I've planned it for a long time, it's almost more like I'm writing history, if that makes any sense.
Questioner
When am I gonna get my Warbreaker to Stormlight Archive crossover book?
Brandon Sanderson
Nightblood will bring you a lot closer, but I can't promise when I'm gonna write that.
Sunbird
How do you pronounce the name of Elhokar's wife?
Brandon Sanderson
Aesudan (ˈe͡isudan).
Questioner
So Skyward, do you consider it science fiction or science fantasy?
Brandon Sanderson
I consider it-- Is Skyward science fiction or science fantasy?
I generally separate the plot archetypes in my head from the genre trappings, and a lot of times people have plot archetypes that are science fiction. I do a lot of science fiction plot archetypes with fantasy settings. That's what Elantris is, right? The plot archetype is about information and researching information and coming to a scientific understanding of something that happened in the past so you can use it to fix the future; science fiction plot archetype fantasy setting for Elantris.
Skyward's backwards, right? It's the fantasy plot archetype. It is the the coming of age struggle against society through use of a fantastical boon to prove yourself, right? Very kind of classic fantasy thing but the trappings are science fiction. So I don't know that I look at these things the same way. Like, Stormlight, the Bridge Four sequence is an underdog sports story with fantasy trappings. That's the plot archetype...
As a writer, where I would shelve it? I would shelve it in science fiction because the trappings are usually-- And because of that. I would shelve Star Wars as science fiction, even though Star Wars is very much mystical, fantastical plot archetypes going on. Shelve it with where the genre trappings are, that's just for our sanity right? So we can know what box to put things in. Just for ease of discussing it and things like that. Nothing ever matches either genre trapping or plot archetype. It's just there for us to be able to have the framework to talk about it.
Questioner
How does the destructor blast for a Poco not destroy its own shield?
Brandon Sanderson
In Skyward, I have the shields work directionally, the same way a lot of science fiction does. Like you could fly out of a hangar bay that has a shield on it, but you can't fly back into it unless they change the frequency and stuff like that. That's how those are working for me. They will let things not come in but will let things go out... It's Sci-Fi technology that's kind of an old stand-by for how shields work and I just kind of rely on that one.
Shallan's Ward
Will casinos ever get big on Scadrial, because of chromium Feruchemy?
Brandon Sanderson
Let's just say that Era 3 is going to have lots of fun with a world that has magic like that accessible to people.
Questioner
So there's a certain very long chapter in A Memory of Light. There's also a certain very long chapter in Oathbringer. I'm assuming you used similar techniques; both are very effective. Did you come up with that when writing Memory of Light or were you inspired by someone else for doing that?
Brandon Sanderson
Nope, that was something I had wanted to do.
So the question is, there's a very long chapter in A Memory of Light that was done very deliberately. I've used this before and in other books. Oathbringer does one, not nearly to the extent, but there's a certain point in A Memory of Light—and this was me, this was just kind of my love of trying to make the form of a novel match what I'm trying to get across with the novel.
In A Memory of Light, there was a point where the characters could not set down their swords and take a break, and I wanted to make sure that part was not divided up, to encourage as many readers as possible to have to push through it, even if it was kind of late at night *crowd laughs*, to get to the chapter break, so that they would feel some of the same feeling that the characters were feeling. And that's just my writerly way to get that across. In Oathbringer, it was more like, "This is where the breaks fit most naturally." I wasn't trying to do the same thing, but it's a similar sort of thing, where I want the momentum to not have a break until a certain point in the story. I don't anticipate ever doing-- The one in A Memory of Light was like 90,000 words, which, if you're unaware, an average novel is 80,000 words. So there is a novel-length chapter in A Memory of Light. And so, yeah-- *playfully* eh.
Questioner
As Professor Sanderson, do you get situations where past students have success but you don't really care for it and how do you handle it?
Brandon Sanderson
That has not happened to me. The students who have gotten published, particularly lately-- To get into my class at BYU, you have to submit an application and chapters and there's a three-day window and we get a hundred applications and we take fifteen. These days, about a third of those students that get in tend to be what we call, "continuing education," meaning they are people who have gone to BYU and take only that class. Oftentimes, they move to Provo to take that class. So there's some pretty stiff competition and the writers who are in the class these days are really good.
But even in the older days, the people who got published, you can usually tell, and even if you can't, I mean, there's not a lot of writing out there that I can't read and say, "Wow! I understand how someone appreciates this," right? Part of, I think, being a writer and an artist is learning to appreciate things, even if you don't necessarily care for them, to be able to recognize, "This is good and someone is going to love this. This has craft, even it's not something that I particularly enjoy." But none of my students have even been there. All the ones that have gotten published, I'm like, "Wow, this is a great book." So, maybe someday I'll have to deal with that, but I haven't really had to deal with it so far.
Questioner
Will the flying ships in Navani's sketchbook be showing up soon?
Brandon Sanderson
RAFO.
Questioner
Did Dalinar reincarnate Honor at the end of Oathbringer?
Brandon Sanderson
RAFO
Questioner
Are there any Sleepless spies on other planets?
Brandon Sanderson
Sleepless are not confined to Roshar.
