Theoryland of the Wheel of Time

Just got back from the signing. It was a ton of fun, met a bunch of Sharders and it's really cool to see Brandon speak in person and to actually talk to him. He really is an awesome guy. :D

Anyway, you guys don't want all this mushy stuff: Let's get to the questions! ;)

Ah, that's a good question. And, um.. the wound would not be able to heal around the aluminum, but once the aluminum came out, and was gone from the system, they would be okay.

Kurkistan

Wait, is that a Bloodmaker, not a Thug?

Brandon Sanderson

Oh, you're talking about Thu— Oh, okay. Yeah, ummm... It would work similarly, but it really wouldn't really have a huge effect on them.

Kurkistan

Ah, okay. 'Cause Peter was implying that there was some weird aluminum interaction with Thugs.

Brandon Sanderson

What was he thinking of... There is some weird interaction but—

Kurkistan

< rudely interrrupts > In the wedding scene [in Alloy of Law] Wax thinks that they would have aluminum bullets to deal with Thugs and I was like "oh that's a typo" and Peter was like "oh no it's not..."

Brandon Sanderson

No no... That would just be—it's like I said: healing it until the bullet is gone. It's just the same as the Bloodmaker.

Kurkistan

< Various pleasantries from me apologizing for all the confusion >

Each spren is based on the Ideal of Fire.

Kurkistan

And is that sitting in the Spiritual Realm?

Brandon Sanderson

Yes, we're using sort of a Platonic Ideal, and that concept is in force, so < sounds hesitant > "yes", but [spren] are manifestations of it.

Kurkistan

So these Ideals in the Spiritual Realm: Divine Breath, does that heal by accessing some Ideal of Human Health: so a guy who had never had a tongue and doesn't know how to speak all the sudden has a tongue and can speak? [Note: Talking of Susebron here]

Brandon Sanderson

You are... < LONG pause > You are, um, on the right track.

Kurkistan

Okay...

Brandon Sanderson

Because the Breath is... eh. How can I explain this? You are, yeah... So... So each Breath is a shade of deity, right?

Kurkistan

Yeah.

Brandon Sanderson

And each Breath incorporates into it this sort of idea of being endowed by the deity Endowment, correct?

Kurkistan

Yes.

Brandon Sanderson

And so each Breath you hold brings you one step closer to becoming like that, and so what you're saying is... is "yes", kind of true, yes.

Kurkistan

But it's like within the Breath, not sitting off by itself—

Brandon Sanderson

Yes, yes yes exactly.

So, I have... So exiting a speed bubble, while it's going, has weird ramifications on lots of things. It would be really hard to punch somebody through a speed bubble—

Kurkistan

So would the surface like distend around his fist——< Illustrates with fist "stretching out" invisible film >

Brandon Sanderson

It's going to steal your momentum, but if you actually managed to do it, then—yes. Anything in the speed bubble that's touching through is counted as being as part of the speed bubble.

Kurkistan

Okay, so the bubble would end here < Draws invisible surface in the air > and his fist would be out there < Illustrates by "punching" arm through the fake surface, demonstrating the fist extending past the bubble while he arm is within >, but still fast?

Brandon Sanderson

Yes.

Kurkistan

Oh okay, thank you.

Brandon Sanderson

That's how I would imagine it so far.

Kurkistan

But the bubble does end at [the same place still, with the fist extending out past its boundary].

Brandon Sanderson

The bubble does end, yes.

Kurkistan

< Makes pleasantries and goes to leave, foolishly putting phone in pocket and so obscuring audio a bit >
—[EDIT: Cleaned up last question based on better recording. Thanks :) ]

Brandon Sanderson

And when you're punching through, it's going to—your momentum is gonna'—you're going to lose momentum and get a ricochet, because you're lurching from—< notices Kurkistan (very foolishly) acting like he's about to leave > anyway... I'll let you figure that one out on your own.

Note: I did have a few more pleasantries in there, but cut them out for clarity's sake. ;)

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So that's that. There were some cool questions other Sharders asked, but I'll let them speak for themselves. :)