Questioner
Did Kaladin’s name come from anywhere in particular?
Brandon Sanderson
No. I'm sure the word paladin was in the back of my head, but it's not like he shares much with like an actual paladin. His name was Merin in the initial version and it was-- it didn't work, he wasn't a Merin and all the fans-- all the readers were like "this name just doesn't work" so I spent years hunting for the right name for him, and that's the one I ended up with. It's really based-- it's Kalak, which is the Storm-- not really the Stormfather but people y'know. Most of the names you'll find are based off one of the Heralds in some way. So he's KALA + DIN, Kalak and din is a suffix.
Isaac Stewart
We do have a meaning for it though. Can I tell them the meaning?
Brandon Sanderson
Ehhh, have we canonized it?
Isaac Stewart
We have canonized it, and we have told people before.
Brandon Sanderson
Then yeah.
Isaac Stewart
It means "Born unto Eternity".
Brandon Sanderson
...I mean, it means that in the same way that names mean something, like my name means-- But when they're naming him that they aren't thinking that. What they are doing is picking one of the Heralds and making a name out of it. But my name technically means "Dweller by the Beacon", but really what it means is "He was the son of Alexander".
Questioner
Does Shai become a worldhopper in The Emperor's Soul?
Brandon Sanderson
Not in the actual book The Emperor's Soul.
Questioner
But in the future?
Brandon Sanderson
*silence*
Questioner
RAFO?
Questioner
Could a Forger re-write their history to adjust the kind of metal they burn as an Allomancer?
Brandon Sanderson
They could, but it actually wouldn't do anything, because the magic would not be able to replicate the other magic.
Questioner
So they would not be able to re-write history in the necessary way?
Brandon Sanderson
They would not be able to. I mean they could, but it wouldn’t have an effect, does that make sense? It would do nothing, it would be like you can create the stamp, the stamp would look like it was working but you just wouldn't end up with Allomancy.
Questioner
Do other Shards have [intents?] like Honor with the Heralds and [Odium] with the Unmade?
Brandon Sanderson
Do others have things like that?
Questioner
Yeah.
Brandon Sanderson
Yes, there are other things like that.
Questioner
Could you Awaken a Shardblade?
Brandon Sanderson
Uhhhhhh yes but it would reeeeeaaaalllllllyyyyy hard. Theoretically possible.
Questioner
Hypothetically could Nightblood Splinter a Shard?
Brandon Sanderson
Uh, Splintering a Shard takes more power than Nightblood has.
Questioner
The Letter in Part 2 of The Way of Kings, is that written to the Survival Shard?
Brandon Sanderson
To the what?
Questioner
The Survival Shard.
Brandon Sanderson
No.
Questioner
The cover of, the front cover of any Way of Kings books, there's the little engraving, are those Honorblades?
They are the symbols of the various orders of Knights Radiant stylized as Honor-- as Shardblades.
Questioner
Oh, okay. That makes a lot more sense, because I've seen the symbols on the back...
Brandon Sanderson
*pointing at the book* So it's this symbol right here is the same symbol as this.
Questioner
Right, it's just a little more expanded and stuff down the blade. Wow.
chasmfriend's daughter
What does Glys look like?
Brandon Sanderson
I have intentionally not told you.
chasmfriend
Wow, okay.
Brandon Sanderson
*pause* It is pretty relevant, what Glys looks like.
chasmfriend's friend
How about, how many worlds has Vasher visited?
Brandon Sanderson
How many worlds has Vasher visited? He has visited fewer than half-a-dozen, so fewer than six.
chasmfriend
Who is Lady Truth?
Brandon Sanderson
Well, who do you think Lady Truth is?
chasmfriend
Tindwyl is who I hope it is. *long silence* Why is that a secret?
Brandon Sanderson
Because there are certain things I am not sure how much more I want to say in the books, or how much things-- So it's not that it needs to be a secret or something big and mysterious is happening, but it's because if I speak now I risk undermining things that I might do and I don't want to risk that even if there's a decent chance that whatever I say won't have anything to do with it. So a lot of times my RAFO's are "I know the answer to this, it's not a big secret, but I am not ready to just pin it down". Does that make sense? You've already pried a couple important things out of me so...
chasmfriend's son
Is there a finite amount of Investiture?
Brandon Sanderson
Yes.
chasmfriend's son
So is Nightblood consuming it?
Brandon Sanderson
Yes. Very, very slowly.
chasmfriend's friend (Paraphrased)
My friend asked for Brandon to write something about Harmony in her Alloy of Law.
Brandon Sanderson
There's another name Harmony could go by if he weren't able to control the conflict between his halves… *to Zas* Have you guys figured that one out yet? Oh, I'm not going to say anything. You have it on recording… I was pretty sneaky with that one so I don't know if you have it or not.
chasmfriend
*written* Why did Vasher Return? What did he want to accomplish?
Brandon Sanderson
You know what you’re going to get in this one.
chasmfriend
I have a feeling. That's okay.
Brandon Sanderson
Come on, someone I'm going to write another book about?
chasmfriend
But that's in the past though, right?
Brandon Sanderson
It is, but his past is-- It is a good question. It is an important, relevant question, relevant to who he is.
Questioner
Are you going to do another book for Perfect State? ‘Cause that sucked me in.
Brandon Sanderson
A lot of people really want more.
Questioner
It made me so mad. "Stop writing novellas! I need more information on this."
Brandon Sanderson
The big secret on that is that Sophie, the one-- is actually his nemesis. So the robot was not actually a robot, it was a VR thing that she was controlling...
Questioner
So are you going to write another?
Brandon Sanderson
I don't know if I will, I don't know if I will. So you didn't actually get to see Melhi, his nemesis getting to play with him in-person and things like that. So there's layers there that are kind of complicated.
Questioner
Like even with the cosmere novella you released Shadows for Silence in the Forests of Hell, that one I was like "Why are these so short?!" I'm not used to this.
Brandon Sanderson
That world is important to the cosmere, so that world-- Silence herself you won't see any much more of, but that world itself is very cosmere relevant.
little wilson
Are Ruin and Preservation separate in Sazed or are they fully combined together like can he give one of them, or does he have to give both.
Brandon Sanderson
They are not fully combined. I mean that's not the way this works. He could pull off a piece of one even and make-- stuff like that. That's totally, totally viable. I mean it's basically what happened with the spren. The spren existed before even Honor was destroyed and things like that.
little wilson
So, did the-- my gosh, on Sel-- the Aons-- not the Aons-- the seons did they exist before the Splintering?
Brandon Sanderson
They did not. That's a good question. But they are not the majority of the power. They're just little pieces, they are like the sparks when something gets destroyed. The sparks are not the majority but they are the sparks that were thrown off, if that makes sense?
little wilson
Are Trellism and Trelagism the same religion?
Brandon Sanderson
Uuhheha, that's a RAFO too.
little wilson
Is it the same god in both?
Brandon Sanderson
Let's just say that… who Trell is and what happened is a matter of some interest in the cosmere and amusement to me.
little wilson
Which eye did Gaz lose?
Brandon Sanderson
Which eye did Gaz lose? Did I go back and forth on that?
little wilson
I have no idea.
Brandon Sanderson
Okay, that's a Peter. I thought it was the left eye but if i did it wrong… It's entirely possible. I have no idea. It's in my notes.
little wilson
How did he lose it?
Brandon Sanderson
Well that is a RAFO! That is definitely a RAFO.
little wilson
Can a Mistborn turned into a Lifeless still use Allomancy?
Brandon Sanderson
*long-ish pause* Uh, no.
little wilson
So I would assume that is the same for a Feruchemist?
Brandon Sanderson
Yeah if you-- taking some-- Yeah. No they can't.
little wilson
Can a Shardblade-killed body be turned into a Lifeless?
Brandon Sanderson
Can a Shardblade-killed body be turned into a Lifeless. Yeees, it can be re-Invested. Yes.
little wilson
Are there any side-effects to doing so?
Brandon Sanderson
Uhhh, there would be side-effects. I won't tell you what they are. They would be minor, minor, mostly inconsequential side-effects.
Questioner
The effects of trellium on the bendalloy? Those are going to RAFO'd
Brandon Sanderson
They are. I'm sorry. These are the sorts of things the future series will be dealing with.
Questioner
Will we ever see anything else of Shai?
Brandon Sanderson
Yes, someday-- You may not see another novella of the same style but you will at least see her in books somewhere.
Questioner 1
Can you tell me the name of Dalinar's wife?
Brandon Sanderson
Well… I can but I'm not going to, because it's not that big a deal but it is something for him in the books. I would just rather you read it in the books, but you will find out.
Questioner 2
Will it be in the third book?
Brandon Sanderson
Well in the flashbacks he doesn't have that issue so when you see her from his viewpoint in the flashbacks he can say her name and he can hear it. So the flashbacks involve him meeting her and things like that, so you'll know her name then. And it's not like some big secret like "Oh her name--" but I would rather you just read it there.
Questioner
How do koloss breed with humans, because you say in Alloy of Law that one of the--
Brandon Sanderson
What happens is the koloss breed with each other and a koloss-blooded is the result, because a koloss needs the Hemalurgic spikes to make them full koloss. So if two koloss breed you get a koloss-blooded, which is basically a human with some weird genetics in them and if they choose to go through the transformation to full koloss they will become one.
Questioner
So you initially said that you had started the first third [of Shadows of Self] and then you took a break for two years.
Brandon Sanderson
Yeah, mmhmm
Questioner
I kind of get the feeling that in the first third The Set was supposed to be the Big Bad villain of the second book and then you massaged it into the kandra. Is that the case or--
Brandon Sanderson
No the kandra was always planned as the second book villain. When I sat down to do the outline of the three, that is when I decided-- So yeah it was the kandra. The big change is that Marasi wasn't working at all, that's probably one of the reasons I stopped it. I had to rebuild her from the get go in that one, and she works much better in the revision. I was pushing her in the first draft more toward lawyer/attorney stuff and it just wasn't working, it's not where she wanted to go.
Questioner
Not to bring up Rithmatist, do you think it is just going to be the two books or--
Brandon Sanderson
I plotted it at three, so it is probably going to be The Rithmatist, The Aztlanian, and then I-- The Nebraskian? But I have to find some goofy thing so it's not necessarily Nebraskan...
Questioner
So are any characters, like Vasher, going to be in any of your other books?
Brandon Sanderson
Well, Vasher is in Words of Radiance.
Questioner
Yeah, I knew he was in Words of Radiance. Is he going to show up more in that? Have more importance?
Brandon Sanderson
He is not going to have a huge role, he'll have a little one. Normally I try to confine people who are interfering in other series to their own series, if that makes sense?
Questioner 1
I just notice that in the newer Mistborns that some of the older Mistborns, on the metals, aren't there a couple metals that are missing?
Brandon Sanderson
Yes. There are. They didn't quite understand the-- all things, just like we don't understand all science, and as the series progresses you will see that table become even more intricate as it becomes more and more scientific.
Questioner 2
So this series is a step modernized? I've only read the original.
Brandon Sanderson
This one is a step modernized, still all the magic and stuff, but it's kind of mixing gunslinging and Allomancy. There's going to be another series that's going to be 1980's level technology where you'll really see things start to modernize, and then there's a science fiction series. Eventually.
Questioner
If you were to place yourself in the... what Knight Radiant-- what Radiant Order would you be?
Brandon Sanderson
Mmmmm.
Questioner
It's a hard question.
Brandon Sanderson
Yeah that is a hard question. I probably naturally, I think the best fit would be Lightweaver but it could be Bondsmith depending on what mood I'm in. You'll have to read that one… Dalinar becomes one at the end.
Questioner
We don't know much about them yet. What do they do? There's only three though, right?
Brandon Sanderson
Right now? There's-- yeah. But there's also Lift, who's an Edgedancer--
Questioner
No, I mean three Bondsmiths.
Brandon Sanderson
Oh, yeah. There aren't very many, ever.
Questioner
How hard is it to write about the death of a character? Like when you wrote about Kelsier, and Vin had to go through the aftermath--
Brandon Sanderson
It's, to me, pretty hard. The thing is, it's harder for me in the planning because by the time I reach it in the books I'm usually well-prepped for it because I'm an outliner so I know before I start. It's not like in the moment. Once in awhile, I'll have to go and rebuild the outline, y'know, this person has to not make it but usually I know it very early on. But it can be hard, for sure. But it helps like, that I know their whole life, you know what I mean? I don't just get the glimpse of the story, I know everything about them. And you do know that there are hints of Kelsier in Book 3 Mistborn, he was around doing some stuff.
ccstat
Prior to Words of Radiance, when did Wit last get a hug?
Brandon Sanderson
It had been a long time.
ccstat
Does the Everstorm deposit crem? If so, is it the same as highstorm crem?
Brandon Sanderson
RAFO!
KalynaAnne (Paraphrased)
I asked for something about Kaladin.
Brandon Sanderson
Kaladin has known multiple Lightweavers.
ccstat
In Shallan's drawings during the course of The Way of Kings, she sees multiple Cryptics. Were there other Cryptics accompanying Pattern in those drawings?
Brandon Sanderson
Yes.
ccstat
Were they approving of Pattern's choices.
Brandon Sanderson
Yes. The Cryptics are much like what is happening with Lift, where there is more of a conscious effort on their part. As opposed to what is happening with Syl or Jasnah where there is hesitance. What the Cryptics are driven to do is in part because of what a few of their members have been experimenting with.
ccstat
Vasher uses Awakening in a very interesting way, off-stage, to modify the memories of the girl he rescues. Can Hemalurgy do the same thing if used carefully?
Brandon Sanderson
*long pause* No, I don't really think that it can. Nobody has asked that before, but just looking at the way the magics work, I don't think that is something that Hemalurgy is capable of doing.
ccstat
Have you considered publishing the rules for Tarachin?
Brandon Sanderson
...I have not, but it's possible.
ccstat
Can a skilled Smoker choose what they mask?
Brandon Sanderson
No one's figured that out yet.
ccstat
Can a Seeker, standing outside a Coppercloud, that is between them and another Allomancer, can he sense the person standing on the other side of the Coppercloud?
Brandon Sanderson
Yes, but he might get some interference.
Ben McSweeney
Would you sense the cloud itself, like "Hey, there's a cloud between me and what I'm looking at"?
Brandon Sanderson
If you know what you're doing, you might be able to say something is interfering, but you wouldn't be able to determine what. There are multiple things that could cause that, for instance-- Most of them are only-- That they would be able to-- Yeah, there are multiple things that could cause that. Like, for instance--
Ben McSweeney
Big buildings?
Brandon Sanderson
Well, aluminum.
ccstat
Are spren equally visible to native Rosharans and worldhoppers?
Brandon Sanderson
Are they equally visible-- It is cognitive things that pull them out, not the native investiture of the people who live on Roshar.
ccstat
In Mistborn, Vin had a set of sapphire jewelry. If Demoux had brought those to Roshar, would they be infused by a highstorm?
Brandon Sanderson
Yes.
ccstat
Are gems in those mined or exclusively from gemhearts?
Brandon Sanderson
Some are mined. Mining is not easy on Roshar.
ccstat
There's been some discussion about spheres, on Roshar. Are they made by glassblowing or by Soulcasting?
Brandon Sanderson
They can be made either way.
Questioner
When you do get around to giving us Hoid's story is it going to be like Ender's Shadow type of thing where you're filling in the gaps?
Brandon Sanderson
You know I know that stuff, but I don't plan to do it that way. I plan to do his backstory more as his own story because while I really like Ender's Shadow, most of the things like that I haven't enjoyed as much. Plus, it would take me books and books and books to do it. We'll see. I haven't closed the door on that idea, but I'm not planning on it right now. There are parallel things like that I am planning to write, but it's not Hoid.
Questioner
Apparently that’s the southern continent, are we going to see the northern continent?
Brandon Sanderson
What, on Roshar? Roshar is only-- it is a pangaea. On Scadrial, you've got a lot more going on-- That's the Mistborn world. So you will see multiple different continents there.
KalynaAnne
Lines of Vigor, do they behave like light waves?
Brandon Sanderson
Yes.
KalynaAnne
So a higher frequency means it’s better at penetrating, lower frequency transfers energy and moves stuff?
Brandon Sanderson
Yes.
Ben McSweeney
Nice, I didn't know that one.
KalynaAnne
So, when they bounce off Lines of Forbiddance, do they follow laws of reflection?
Brandon Sanderson
Yes.
Ben McSweeney
They should always reflect at the same angle. Think of, like, a pool table.
KalynaAnne
If a Line of Vigor is moving from concrete onto asphalt, is it changing?
Brandon Sanderson
It's going to act like light transferring to a new medium.
KalynaAnne
So it refracts?
Brandon Sanderson
It's going to-- Yeah, it's going to refract.
KalynaAnne
So it changes speed as it moves?
Brandon Sanderson
Yep. So you get a different wavelength, or whatever, once transfers onto a new medium.
KalynaAnne
If you use different circle centers rather than the orthocenter, you can do 9-point conic constructions and make 9-point ellipses?
Brandon Sanderson
Yes.
KalynaAnne
Is that valid?
Brandon Sanderson
I would say yes, that could be valid.
Ben McSweeney
Wasn't there a rule about ellipses being a little--
Brandon Sanderson
Yes, they are a little less strong.
Ben McSweeney
--they're weak because the long sides are weaker than the short sides.
Brandon Sanderson
Yeah, but this would work. There's not much reason to use it because the other is naturally-- has a stronger integrity than this, but you could theoretically do that. The defenses that make use of an ellipse make use of the strengths of an ellipse already. But yeah that would be possible.
Ben McSweeney
With an ellipse you are asking for your opponent to flank you and come at you from the sides. And then if he pushes your circle out you're in trouble.
KalynaAnne
So when you have multiple points, that are like a point where there are multiple things, could you bind multiple things to that point?
Brandon Sanderson
Um yes, and you can always bind multiple things to a point--
KalynaAnne
Oh you can always bind--
Ben McSweeney
So you can bind a chalkling and a circle to the same point?
Brandon Sanderson
Yeah, but it's going to make it weaker, so you don't usually want to do it. 'Cause you are better off to just stick circle on and get multiple points on of that...
KalynaAnne
But if it had multiple ones, would that make it less bad to join two?
Brandon Sanderson
No.
KalynaAnne
So it doesn't--
Brandon Sanderson
It doesn't. Good question!
KalynaAnne
So, 9-point circles are important... You can get all the different point placements as special cases of the nine point circles.
Brandon Sanderson
Uh-huh.
KalynaAnne
You can also get 5 point; is that valid Rithmatically?
Brandon Sanderson
Yeah, that would work.
KalynaAnne
And 8-point?
Brandon Sanderson
8-point they haven't done very much experimentation with.
Ben McSweeney
But you could!
Brandon Sanderson
But you could, yeah.
Questioner
We got a RAFO ticket so--
Ben McSweeney
Did you actually get a card? Those are so cool. I've only gotten one, and I've been working for this man for five years.
Questioner
You have to ask more questions
Ben McSweeney
I basically have to hit him at a signing and then I'm not supposed to be taking them from the fans.
Brandon Sanderson
Right. The thing is, he can have the answers he wants.
Ben McSweeney
I get some. You RAFO'd me once.
Brandon Sanderson
I RAFO'd you once.
Ben McSweeney
I actually think that's how I got the card. 'Cause I did it and you were like "No."
Questioner
If you had to be stranded on an island with Patrick Rothfuss forever, who would drive the other one more mad?
Brandon Sanderson
Ummmm, boy...
Ben McSweeney
That's a pretty good one.
Brandon Sanderson
It is a pretty good one. I don't know who'd crack first. We're both kind of quirky guys, we both have our writer's egos. I would just fear for a third person trapped with us. *laughter* We'd just go to our separate sides of the island and write books for each other.
Ben McSweeney
You'll just yell at each other about where is your next book. "I finished mine, where's yours!"
Brandon Sanderson
It's in the sand over here, where's yours...
