Questioner
(paraphrased)
Hoid was once offered a Shard, but he refused it, right?
Brandon Sanderson
(paraphrased)
Yes.
Questioner
(paraphrased)
Was it right after the Shattering?
Brandon Sanderson
(paraphrased)
Yes. It was during the events. I wouldn't necessarily say "right after", it was during this process. I would say this is a RAFO before I finish writing at that time. (Not sure if I understood the last sentence right, but I think that's what he said)
Questioner
(paraphrased)
And who took this Shard instead?
Brandon Sanderson
(paraphrased)
RAFO.
Questioner
In Warbreaker: the magic system is really visual, and when heightened people are around, the colors get really saturated and I was wondering about blind people or color blind people. How can they perceive the effects of Investiture?
Brandon Sanderson
Their minds would interpret it in a way that works for them. Their brain would come up with some way to interpret the sensory they're getting. And so the color blind...The colors are still going to saturate, but saturate in a way that they can tell. Not being color blind it is really hard for me to describe. But I read about it, and at least that's the rule I have for myself in the head. For an actual blind person this is going to be a magic system that's harder to use. Just having a disability, unfortunately. But it also gives perfect pitch, and I think that partially their auditory senses would compensate to a degree, but it's going to be a harder magic system to use. I'm sure they could find a way to work around it.
Questioner
(...) like Hoid saying he got his life as words on a page.
Brandon Sanderson
It can be taken both ways, but it is actually literal. I'm not sure how much I can say about this, but... Let's say that it's referencing where he got his nickname/pseudonym.
Questioner
I thought he maybe stole a character from a book and (hid himself? indistinctive...)
Brandon Sanderson
It is something like that. People think it's like a big wink breaking the 4th wall, but at the time I was just looking back at his past and wanted something I could say that is esoteric and referenced his past.
Questioner
There's a scene where you can see from the perspective of Nan Balat, Shallan's brother, where he's maiming an insect. It's described as soothing his aches. Is that in any way related to how Kaladin feels depressed and down during the Weeping even in his early childhood?
Brandon Sanderson
What's happening to Nan Balat is magically enhanced. What's happening to Kaladin is mostly just chemical depression. Be he is really too young to be diagnosed with depression during some of these events, but he's got the seeds in there. So Kaladin is not magically depressed. Kaladin is just legitimatly a person with depression. Nan Balat... What's up with him is... ah... being exaggerated by certain forces moving in on Roshar. (last bit is a bit indistinctive)
Questioner
In the later eras of Scadrial, will there be metal music and will Hoid like it?
Brandon Sanderson
Yes and yes. I am planning a protagonist who's a metalhead for a book, not a Cosmere book. We'll see if I ever get around to doing that.
Questioner
Will we see any more of David and Megan in the future?
Brandon Sanderson
It is likely that you will. If I write another book directly following, it will be about Mizzy. So she would be the main viewpoint character, and you would see the others in relation but it would be her story.
Questioner
Would Kelsier approve of what Taravangian is doing?
Brandon Sanderson
No. He would not. He would understand it, but he would disapprove.
Questioner
Do you have any plans on showing what's happened to Kelsier after Secret History?
Brandon Sanderson
I do have plans. I cannot guarantee it, it's a side project, but I do have plans.
Questioner
You said that there were some things in the Cosmere that happened accidentally. What was one of them?
Brandon Sanderson
Shard pools is a good example. So when I started writing Elantris I knew I would have these concentrations of power. But I didn't know how I'm going to use them exactly. Like what's the connection... This was way at the beginning. By the time I had Mistborn, I knew all this. I knew I had a well of power there. What does it do? Shardpools are a good example of writing into the story and figuring out how the magic works bei actually playing with it.
Questioner
And how does Copper compounding work? Memories can't really get (indistinct...)
Brandon Sanderson
Let's just say that some sorts of compounding are more effective than others.
Questioner
You have this technical approach to Allomantic powers. But Feruchemy seems to me very different. So it's not very logical that you can store up health. What is health?
Brandon Sanderson
Well. I feel that it is. But it has its own definitions. In the Cosmere perception - I don't know if you know...
Questioner
Yeah.
Brandon Sanderson
... it really affects... It's kind of more like a concept of heallth. The idea of your body's ability to recuperate quickly. The magic system translates to your body's ability to match your spiritual self. When that is depleted, your body in the Cosmere starts to stray (? a bit indistinctive in the recording). Foreign things can get into it, diseases get into you, and your spirit can get a little more corrupted. Your body getting corrupted, your spirit's not getting corrupted. You get it, and it makes you extra connected to your spiritual sense. Your body moves to match it closely and better.
Questioner
So the same about speed and ...
Brandon Sanderson
Those are a little different. But each has their little behind the scenes explanation for myself. The problem is... The physics of it is very Cosmere-physics for Feruchemy, whereas for Allomancy it's a lot more out world physics with a different power source. We're changing that. But the physics do work for me. But obviously it's magic, so I'm breaking them anyway.
Questioner
How did you come up with the idea of evil librarians?
Brandon Sanderson
Because I thought it was so funny. I picked the thing I thought was the most ridicilous. They are super crazy. That's the goal. Just do something very different.
Questioner
(paraphrased)
About the character he enjoys writing the most
Brandon Sanderson
(paraphrased)
Probably Wayne
Questioner
We've been wondering how to exactly pronounce Sazed.
Brandon Sanderson
Inworld people say both. Kelsier says Say-zed, Sazed says something like Sayzed. (Sorry, I have no idea how to transcribe it ^^ Kelsier's intonation is more on the second syllable, whereas Sazed himself says it more in a slur?)
Questioner
Glys, Renarin's Spren, is he a Cultivation Spren?
Brandon Sanderson
RAFO.
Questioner
Could you say that he is equally bonded to a different entitiy/to a different Shard like Sylphrena is bonded to Honor?
Brandon Sanderson
You're asking... Is his like the windspren?
Questioner
I mean allegion to his aspect.
Brandon Sanderson
Are you still talking about Glys?
Questioner
Yes. Sylphrena is like 100% of Honor. Is Glys like 100% anything?
Brandon Sanderson
RAFO.
Questioner
When Adolin snapped, I noticed your wording. Those... The term snapping...
Brandon Sanderson
No. Good question. He did not gain Allomantic abilities.
Questioner
Well - Spren bonding abilities...?
Brandon Sanderson
Well no. That was not used magically.
Questioner
Could you spike a hordeling?
Brandon Sanderson
Yes. Spike means getting something out, spike means get(ting?) something in? I think that both is viable. I think you can, yeah.
Questioner
If you would spike something in, would the whole Aimian get maybe an Allomantic ability?
Brandon Sanderson
Mostly, this would probably change the hordeling. And they may lose contact to it. It could fiddle with the Connection to the point that they can no longer link. That's gonna be my answer right now, that spiking a hordeling would separate it from the group mind.
Questioner
You recently compared the Aon Dor to a programming language of some sorts. Could you actually go one step further and build something like a curcuit board?
Brandon Sanderson
The difficultiy with all of that is that you have got to remember that the magic as they understand it right now only works based on Elantrian intention and activation. There were basically these sorts of things, but the switch has to be flipped by an Elantrian. Those things existed in Elantris.
Questioner
It's just that I think that Elantris itself could be some sort of a really big circuit board.
Brandon Sanderson
That may be a little too far for what Elantris is, but there are places in Elantris which are just what you are describing.
Questioner
I think I am one of the few people who really like Elhokar. He's a king who actually asks a lowly Darkeyes two times how to be a good ruler. What's your opinion on him?
Brandon Sanderson
I think Elhokar is maligned by a lot of people. He was put in a hard situation, inheriting from a really great king and having a really domineering uncle. He is a little arrogant, a little full of himself, but thats natural for his position. And I am very fond of Elhokar.
Questioner
The visions Dalinar gets in WoK always struck me as odd - you don't just look at the past, you are able to act within this experience. Now we know that Gavilar was also on the way to being a Bondsmith - was he acting in a different way? Were the visions only basically the same but different in the end depending on the personal reactions? Is this something like a test?
Brandon Sanderson
He did see the same visions. They were the same thing. But... I will say that his reaction to them were very different from Dalinar's reactions to them. Anyway it was difficult for the Stormfather without a bond to determine/to tell the difference between very easily. When Spren are bonded, they gain a lot more ability to understand the world around then, so you'll find out soon more stuff about this in the third book.
Questioner
At the end of “Alloy of Law” Marsh tells Marasi he is giving the diary to Wax because “.. he does my brother's work”. At this time it was a reminder of Kelsier, but with Secret History and the third book out why does Marsh think we need someone to do his brother's work? Isn't Kelsier doing that himself?
Brandon Sanderson
Well. (laughs) Marsh is of multiple minds on what's happening with Kelsier at this time. When he's referencing his brother's work, he's specifically tells Marasi speaking to the lore of the Survivor. Like he's specifically talking to somebody, and he does believe this. He may not think that Kelsier is doing Kelsier's work anymore. But that depends on... You will see interaction between Marsh and Kelsier in the future.
Questioner
Did the Shattering of Adonalsium have a chance of a breakdown of the magic system on the planet of its creation?
Brandon Sanderson
There was an effect. Breakdown might not be the exact right phrase, but it could fit, but there was definitely an effect.
Questioner
Would there be a new effect if an Allomancer burned the metal of Paalm's spike?
Brandon Sanderson
RAFO. Excellent question
Questioner
Is Endowment agreeable with the Nalthesian using her gift to feed the Returned?
Brandon Sanderson
Yes.
Questioner
What with the deaths of Denth, Shashara and Arsteel - I can't see them giving their Divine Breath away. Isn't this the reason why they Return?
Brandon Sanderson
That's a RAFO, obviously.
Questioner
And there's one last question if I may: I'm really into swords and such. I couldn't help but notice king Elhokar's Blade. It's just... All the others are ornamented, and they may have some glyphs, but it is the only one where it is explicitly it is told that there are ten fundamental glyphs on it which are the glyphs of the orders. I read some of the chapters from Dalinar from Unfettered II, and I know how he got it for Elhokar. Is there also some more backstory to this Blade?
Brandon Sanderson
There's a backstory to every Blade and every one of them is special, that's the problem. But I will be exploring the origins of some of the Blades. Eventually. Not a ton, but a little bit.
Questioner
As it is ornamented in such a way... Could it be related to a Bondsmith?
Brandon Sanderson
Bondsmiths didn't have Blades.
Questioner
All of them? It's just... Maybe it was just the Stormfather...
Brandon Sanderson
No. That's a really good guess. Really good guess. I'm gonna RAFO Bondsmiths because you gonna learn a lot about them in the next book because it's the Bondsmith's book. That's a really good theory, but it's not true.
Questioner
But maybe there is at least something to it.
Brandon Sanderson
But there's a reason to it, why it has all the 10 orders.
Questioner
Would it actually be enough to get to Silverlight University for an application or do you need to...
Brandon Sanderson
Oh no lots of people live there. It would not just be enough to get there. There are actually people in the city. It's a fully functional city.
Questioner
Another “physics” question: We have the Surges of Cohesion and Tension. And I'm really not sure what the difference is in that.
Brandon Sanderson
You'll see when I do this. It's a RAFO. And I play with them anyway a little differently in each order anyway. So what they do... I'll let you figure it out.
Questioner
It's just like when you enhance the tension of a water surface... (..)
Brandon Sanderson
Surface tension is what you're talking about. I'm gonna RAFO. But you're theorizing in correct directions.
Questioner
The Division Surge: does it actually split atoms or does it split the bonds of molecules?
Brandon Sanderson
It splits the bonds of molecules, it does not split atoms.
Questioner
That would be completely overpowered.
Brandon Sanderson
I have done an atom splitting magic originally in Dragonsteel. And wooow it was overpowered. So really, this is fiddling... You'll see what it does when I use it, but we'll not be splitting atoms. We're not creating nuclear reactio... or fission, so.
Questioner
I'm looking for a Nightblood drawing for a tattoo but i can't find any official artwork.
Brandon Sanderson
We don't have any official artwork. Ben McSweeny may have made some sketches of his own, so if you contact him on reddit he is 'Inkthinker'. He does a lot of the sketchbook pages. If you look in this for the one who did Shallan's sketchbook he might have one that he's done on his own, tell him he can send it to you if he has one, I think he might have one but we don't have an official yet.
Questioner
How would - just really generally - the Ghostbloods react if they found or met Hoid?
Brandon Sanderson
(laughs) They... Some people among them know of him.
Questioner
So they know he's around.
Brandon Sanderson
Some of them do, not everybody. But they are aware of his existence. At least in lore, they don't always... Not all of them have connected the King's Wit to this person's lore, does that make sense? So what would they know? They'd probably want to get him and interrogate him. They would want to know what he knows, but he is really slippery and it's hard to get out of him what he knows.
Questioner
I was wondering if the Chasmfiends have... like their own Gemhearts...
Brandon Sanderson
Yes.
Questioner
It's probably not a coincidence that emeralds that can hold most of the Stormlight. So are Chasmfiends, do they take energy from Stormlight?
Brandon Sanderson
Yes, yes, yes, yes. That's part.
Questioner
So there is a huge energy source there, they can supply it with eating so...
Brandon Sanderson
It is actually most beneficial during their metamorphisis, as you'll notice that the chrysalises are not as big as they get, and so yeah. They depend on the Stormlight and they depend on the Spren that they are bonded to keep them from crushing themselves. So Chasmfiends couldn't exist off world for multiple reasons.
Questioner
I'm guessing that for Chasmfiends the absorption of Stormlight is different because there is a whole shell thing that is thick.
Brandon Sanderson
Yup, yup.
Questioner
I was wondering: Stormlight doesn't cross walls, because people put their spheres outside. But it crosses the glass of the spheres. Is that material dependent or...
Brandon Sanderson
It's thickness dependent. In the third book there's actually a little place where it's mentioned. Some people put it right inside a little, kind of thin rock portion and the Stormlight can still reach it. So I did that quite intentionally.
Questioner
Will there be possibly any books which play on Yolen?
Brandon Sanderson
Yeah, the Dragonsteel books will be on Yolen. And it's possible that Yolen will be involved later on
Questioner
I know that in Dragonsteel there's a lot about Hoid.
Brandon Sanderson
Yes.
Questioner
Do you have any guess when you will revision(?) Dragonsteel?
Brandon Sanderson
Yeah... My plan is right now to finish Stormlight, then do Dragonsteel, then do the last Mistborns. So it's kind of far away.
Questioner
(indistinct, about Hoid and the black seon)
Brandon Sanderson
Yes, the Skaze.
Questioner
What's the seon's name?
Brandon Sanderson
Well, it's one of the skaze. And I haven't... So... I have a name in my notes, but I haven't decided if I want to canonize it yet. RAFO. I'd have to even look it up now, but I've got it.
Questioner
If you were entrusted with a Shard of Adonalsium, which Shard?
Brandon Sanderson
Ummm... Heh heh heh... maybe Ingenuity.
Brandon Sanderson
Szeth was in the original The Way of Kings. I love the idea of someone doing terrible things for what he sees as noble reasons; he feels he has to do those things.
Brandon Sanderson
Jasnah's role in Oathbringer won't be major, but won't be a minor one either; she will eventually reunite with the main cast.
Questioner
So, is she [Rysn] going to get a novella maybe?
Brandon Sanderson
Rysn is probably not going to get a novella but Rysn is a character who's going to have a nice novelette in each story, in the interludes. Maybe not quite to novelette length on each of them but she, in each of the first five books you will get a scene from Rysn.
Questioner
I think she's a very interesting character because in a way she epitomizes what you just said about being exposed to different cultures and--
Brandon Sanderson
Right, that's kind of her thing, is she goes and visits the different cultures of Roshar.
Questioner
And then we get to visit them too.
Brandon Sanderson
Yeah. She's got a potted plant, she's got some grass actually, there's some grass that doesn't respond to the storm. So she's one of my favorites, I intend her to be in each of the interludes and have her own kind of little story running through the books.
Questioner
So now we know, when you think about--
Brandon Sanderson
Absolutely, there is a Rysn point of view in Oathbringer.
Questioner
Do any of the worldhoppers that we've met so far-- Do they all just use this sort of perpendicularity to travel?
Brandon Sanderson
Perpendicularity is the primary way to get between planets.
Questioner
But are we going to get a conventional inter-planetary travel, like based on Allomancy maybe?
Brandon Sanderson
You have seen conventional inter-planetary travel in Arcanum Unbounded, in the story Sixth of the Dusk, which takes place many hundreds of years after most of the stories in the cosmere. So yes.
Questioner
Ok so that's where it's--
Brandon Sanderson
Yeah there's actually space travel involved in that story but not from the main characters, they just reference them, but yes.
Questioner
Two questions about the mechanics--well, actually, a bunch of questions--would a Shard's magic change if they moved to a different world?
Brandon Sanderson
That's a RAFO.
dragonssleepinfire
In Words of Radiance--
Brandon Sanderson
Yes?
dragonssleepinfire
After Eshonai bonds the stormspren, she starts hearing this screaming voice in her head.
Brandon Sanderson
Yes?
dragonssleepinfire
Is that her voice?
Brandon Sanderson
Well, um… It is a combination of her voice and something that is happening with Roshar, and at the end of the next book you'll get a big clue.
Darkness
(paraphrased)
What does antiseptic look like in the Cognitive and would it frighten away any rotspren or grinders there?
Brandon Sanderson
(paraphrased)
Mmm… no it would look like a bead unfortunately. You could manifest it, like how you see Kelsier doing with stuff but really… no. Maybe if you got some antiseptic in [into the Cognitive Realm], the rotspren might recognize it but just the soul of it, no.
Darkness
(paraphrased)
Will Jasnah's sisters show up in the present day arc?
Brandon Sanderson
(paraphrased)
Jasnah sisters… Oh… OH! The other… Veristitalians. Um… yes. You will actually meet two more Veristitalians in the next book!
Darkness
(paraphrased)
Previous to the heralds giving up, could the Desolations be mathematically predicted, kind of like highstorms?
Brandon Sanderson
(paraphrased)
Umm… no.
Darkness
(paraphrased)
Did the person Sigzil tried to kill actually die, and then afterward become not dead?
Brandon Sanderson
(paraphrased)
We'll RAFO that, mostly because I intend to dig into Sigzil's past more.
Darkness
(paraphrased)
Ok so you're probably going to RAFO who it was?
Brandon Sanderson
(paraphrased)
Yeah… mmhmm… but we do get a Sigzil viewpoint in this next book so…
Darkness
(paraphrased)
Good! I like Sigzil.
Darkness
(paraphrased)
Was Ivory watching when Shallan was in Jasnah's bathing chamber and that whole swap thing kind of went down… what did he relay to Jasnah…?
Brandon Sanderson
(paraphrased)
Umm… he would've been there… but I don't have an answer for that, mostly because I haven't considered it.
Darkness
(paraphrased)
Was it Syl or was it Kaladin himself that made things stick to his hands in the beginning? Are honorspren able to use a rudimentary form of the adhesion surge?
Brandon Sanderson
(paraphrased)
Yes, they are. Windspren are too!
Darkness
(paraphrased)
Did any metal break off when Gaz lost his eye?
Brandon Sanderson
(paraphrased)
Did any metal break off?
Darkness
(paraphrased)
Like… in him…
Brandon Sanderson
(paraphrased)
Oh in him… you mean… no he doesn't have a Hemalurgic spike. Gaz is mostly what he seems to be.
