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Your search for the tag 'Ruin' yielded 82 results

  • 1

    Interview: Nov 17th, 2009

    Peter Ahlstrom

    This week's Writing Excuses podcast covers the business of writing comics, again with Jake Black filling in for Brandon (whose we-don't-ever-discuss-it stint writing the webcomic "American Bachelors with Mecha(s)" is not nearly as relevant as Jake Black's professional experience in the industry).

    In the most recent Mistborn 3 annotations, Brandon talks about Preservation's power and the working mechanism of Hemalurgy. He specifically does not say anything about Adonalsium. Writers can be so cruel.

    Tags

  • 2

    Interview: Aug 4th, 2011

    Question

    I'm relatively new to fantasy. For the Mistborn series, I'm curious: do you find out the origins of Ruin and Preservation?

    Brandon Sanderson

    ...Eventually, eventually. You should talk to these guys. (signals to 17th Sharders) They'll talk your ears off, and then some. Eventually perhaps you will.

    Mi'chelle

    (laughter) Liar!

    Questioner

    But not yet.

    Brandon Sanderson

    Well, they know some things.

    Mi'chelle

    Mi’chelle: Just go to 17thshard.com and plan a LOT of time.

    Brandon Sanderson

    They've got big theories because all my books are connected, so yes. They have lots of theories talking about that.

    Last question.

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  • 3

    Interview: Nov 21st, 2011

    Question

    Were Ruin and Preservation two shards or one?

    Brandon Sanderson

    They were two shards. Harmony is considered a shard, although it’s really two, in the same way that a king of two countries would still be considered a king.

    Tags

  • 4

    Interview: Aug 31st, 2011

    Reddit AMA 2011 (Verbatim)

    Dovienya ()

    I'm not going to waste Brandon's time with this—maybe someone else can answer.

    Regarding the ending of the Mistborn Trilogy: What was up with Ruin having red hair? Is that significant? Does it mean that Ruin was originally a human who gained his powers somehow? My friend thought that Ruin was actually another red-haired character in the series, though I don't remember his name. I think he was a minor captain or something.

    (My apologies for how vague this is—it's been a while since I read the series)

    Phaz

    That is on the right track. Do some reading up on Adonalsium and the Cosmere if you are interested.

    Dovienya

    Will do, but I have to be honest—there is something off putting about having to do internet research to truly understand the ending of a book/series.

    Brandon Sanderson

    I try to make all of the cosmere stuff "bonus material" so to speak. I don't think it's essential to understanding Mistborn to know Ruin's origin. Those who want expanded information can find it, and theorize upon it. However, I intend to warn people up-front before writing any book where you have to know this to understand it.

    Within the realm of Mistborn only, all you really need to know is that someone was holding this power—and that the 'individuals' of Ruin and Preservation were people, changed by the power they held. It holds to the theme of the story, with what happens regarding Sazed and other characters.

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  • 5

    Interview: May, 2010

    Chaos

    Are Shards all paired? Does Endowment have a counterpart?

    Brandon Sanderson

    RAFO. Also, yes and no. Not all Shards have perfect counterparts like Ruin and Preservation.

    QUESTION

    Why were Ruin and Preservation linked together?

    BRANDON SANDERSON

    Because they're such perfect opposites. Basically it's just an opposites attract thing.

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  • 6

    Interview: Jul, 2009

    Anusien

    Why did Lord Ruler not destroy the logbook knowing what trouble Ruin could cause with it?

    Brandon Sanderson

    A few reasons. First, Ruin had his fingers in the Lord Ruler’s soul by then already. Subtle things are easier to influence. He played off the Lord Ruler’s natural nostalgia and desire to hold onto something so important to his past.

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  • 7

    Interview: May, 2010

    Chaos

    Does Ruin have a pool, similar to Preservation's pool with the Well of Ascension and Skai's pool in Elantris?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yes. His pool is the pits.

    Footnote

    This most likely means the Pits of Hathsin.

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  • 8

    Interview: Jan, 2012

    Ace_of_Face (Reddit.com)

    Hey Brandon! As much as I want to fan-gush, I'll keep it short so you can get back to your A Memory of Light drafting.

    How was Sazed/Harmony able to communicate with Waxillium near the end of the book? During the original trilogy, Ruin could occasionally implant thoughts into people's minds, but he couldn't just listen in whenever he felt like it. Is Harmony just way more powerful?

    Brandon Sanderson (Reddit.com)

    There is interesting discussion about this one below, which I like to see. I thought this might spark some discussion. Remember that human beings were given more of preservation than Ruin during their creation, which led to Preservation eventually being overwhelmed by Ruin. That was the bargain; people would be of preservation at their core, but in turn Ruin got to claim the world once Preservation wound down.

    Another factor to consider here is that Wax was given a special earring designed for communication with a being that he actually worships.

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  • 9

    Interview: Jan, 2012

    zas678 (reddit.com)

    Why on earth does Marsh have a Feruchemical Atium Spike? You've said that Ironeyes is in fact Marsh. Did Ruin spike someone for him? Or did Sazed grant him the power?

    Brandon Sanderson (reddit.com)

    Dead inquisitors Vin killed. Some were granted the spike for reasons I haven't spoken of yet.

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  • 10

    Interview: Oct, 2008

    Agate (15 October 2008)

    I can guess two possible options for the Kandra.

    1. God Sazed endowed the gift of presence on the now mistwraiths.

    2. Some of the Kandra survived in the cave with the Terrisman and people of the city, along with the small mistwraiths, these are re-born with the spikes they pulled out during the resolution.

    I can imagine too that some Kandra on assignment may have hidden in the shelters with the rest of humanity.

    Brandon Sanderson (15 October 2008)

    The Kandra.

    Yes, they live. The people were smart enough, eventually, to replace their spikes. (And there were a couple who were on assignment who made it to storage caches.)

    However, there will likely never be any more of them, since Hemalurgy is required to make them. They are now some of the few people who can communicate directly with Sazed, who—like Ruin—can whisper to people most easily when they are connected to him via spikes. With some speculation, you can probably guess what kind of roles the Kandra will end up playing in future books.

    KAIMIPONO

    On a broader level, is hemalurgy officially dead, then? Or is it still extant in some Ruin-free (but still messy) form? (If it's gone, is there any imbalance since Preservation's magic power is kept and Ruin's isn't?)

    BRANDON SANDERSON

    Is Hemalurgy dead? No, not at all. It, like the other two powers, was not created by Ruin or Preservation, but by the natural state of the world and its interaction with the gods who created it. It still requires the same method of creation, but very few people are aware of how it works.

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  • 11

    Interview: Oct, 2008

    Kaimipono (15 October 2008)

    Also, are koloss just naturally bad-tempered, even without Ruin's influence? Cause the koloss are still taking swipes at Sazed immediately after the merger. (And, does Sazed zap all the koloss? Did they all get toasted by the sun? But what about Human and his friends underground? Are there still koloss around? Just wonderin'.)

    Brandon Sanderson (15 October 2008)

    Koloss were bad tempered before Ruin's influence, though he certainly made them worse. They were designed by the Lord Ruler to be aggressive, so aggressive that they would destroy themselves if they got loose and away from him. (This was intentional. Note that he didn't give the spark of humanity in them enough credit, and they managed to overcome this and 'evolve' in a way to keep their species going, even after he died.)

    There ARE still koloss around, though many of them were vaporized. Human is alive. Sazed took pity on them, however, and they have been transformed. They are now a race that breeds true, like the Kandra, and have different thought processes from what they once had. You'll see more of them in the sequel series.

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  • 12

    Interview: Oct, 2008

    Chaos (15 October 2008)

    Do all three Metallic Arts still exist after the events of the book? Are Allomancy and Hemalurgy slightly degenerated now that Ruin and Preservation are dead, or does Allomancy still draw upon Preservation's power (just held with Sazed now)?

    Brandon Sanderson (15 October 2008)

    Allomancy, Feruchemy, and Hemalurgy all work as they once did. However, now they are more directly affected by the presence or absence of the mists, which will slowly return to the world but not be of the extent they once were. (The mists are now an extent of Sazed's power, and where they roam, he is better able to influence things. There will also be two kinds of mists.) Note that in the future, Feruchemy powers will start to fracture and split, creating Feruchemical "Mistings."

    Yes, this means that in the future series, it will be possible for a person to have one Allomantic power and one Feruchemical power. It will create for some very interesting mixing of powers.

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  • 13

    Interview: Oct, 2008

    Chaos (15 October 2008)

    How were the Terris Prophecies created in the first place? Every other magic related thing is quite logically explained in terms of Ruin and Preservation, except that one.

    Brandon Sanderson (15 October 2008)

    The Terris prophecies were created by Preservation before he attempted his imprisonment. He knew that he wouldn't be able to do much for the world after he did what he did, and he foresaw a LOT of what was to come.

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  • 14

    Interview: Oct, 2008

    Chaos (15 October 2008)

    When did Preservation decide to imprison Ruin in the Well? No need to be specific, I should think. A simple "Near Alendi's time" or "Way before Alendi's time" would suffice, or whichever time of reference you want to use.

    Also, this one is not a question, but nice Hoid reference in there. I especially like it how the Ars Arcanum refers to Slowswift as "bears a striking resemblance to a well-known storyteller." I'm on to you...

    Brandon Sanderson (15 October 2008)

    Way before Alendi's time. Hence the need for the prophecies. But Ruin managed to corrupt them.

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  • 15

    Interview: Oct, 2008

    zchance (15 October 2008)

    I'm surprised no one else has asked but does this new world have atium? If atium was the body of Ruin then it would seem when Sazed took up Ruin's power he would have reabsorbed all of the atium. New atium then would be bits of Sazed's new powers and weaken him with each newly formed bead. It would seem then that if atium exists it would be much rarer, and mean that Sazed would not be able to control this process.

    I guess I am trying to understand why he would want to allow any atium to make its way into the hands of people or rather out of his control?

    Brandon Sanderson (16 October 2008)

    It's theoretically possible for atium to appear in the future, but right now Sazed has no plans to release any of it to the people. It is, effectively, now something of myth and legend.

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  • 16

    Interview: Oct, 2008

    Dalenthas (15 October 2008)

    Was Reen named that specifically because its so close sounding to Ruin, or is that a coincidence?

    Brandon Sanderson (16 October 2008)

    Coincidence.

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  • 17

    Interview: Oct, 2008

    Dalenthas (15 October 2008)

    Did the Lord Ruler have any Hemalurgic spikes in him? It would seem he'd need to for Ruin to influence him, but it wasn't mentioned. Or did his bracers work as spikes?

    Brandon Sanderson (16 October 2008)

    His arm bracers, which pierced his skin, were his spikes.

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  • 18

    Interview: Oct, 2008

    Dalenthas (15 October 2008)

    Was TenSoon more susceptible to Ruin's powers than the other Kandra because he took OreSeur's Blessings?

    Brandon Sanderson (16 October 2008)

    Yes, he was. However, the Blessing of Presence actually enhanced his mind to make him more resistant, so they balanced out.

    Tags

  • 19

    Interview: Oct, 2008

    Dalenthas (15 October 2008)

    With all the talk about action and reaction and whatnot, will some force form to counter Sazed's new Ruin/Preservation mix? It seems to me like the whole nature of the world can't stand to have one person unopposed.

    Brandon Sanderson (16 October 2008)

    Ruin and Preservation were not the only Shards of Adonalsium, though they are the only ones on Scadrial at the moment. Sazed's ability to be both at once is actually something I drew from Eastern mythology, where it is believed that the ability to contain two opposing forces at the same time represents ultimate harmony. The Buddha, for instance, was said to have performed the miracle of producing both fair and ice from his hands at the same time.

    CHAOS

    Is "Scadrial" the proper name to refer to the Mistborn world?

    BRANDON SANDERSON

    Scadrial is indeed the name of the planet.

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  • 20

    Interview: Oct, 2008

    Dalenthas (15 October 2008)

    Does the Well of Ascension still exist in the new world? Or is it no longer necessary? I assumed that Preservation collected there like Ruin collects in the Pits of Hathsin, so if Atium keeps forming then the well should keep filling...

    Brandon Sanderson (16 October 2008)

    The Well (and the small wells in the Pits) is no more. For now at least.

    Tags

  • 21

    Interview: Oct, 2008

    Dalenthas (15 October 2008)

    Was Kelsier under Ruin's influence as well? It seems to me that destroying the Pits of Hathsin (and thus preventing Ruin's power from leaking) is something that Ruin would want to happen...

    Brandon Sanderson (16 October 2008)

    There is a short story forthcoming which will deal with Kelsier, the days after he Snapped, his training, and what influence (if any) Ruin had on him. Most likely, this will appear in the Mistborn RPG coming out next year. So I'm afraid that's a RAFO.

    Tags

  • 22

    Interview: Oct, 2008

    Sylos (15 October 2008)

    I was happy when Elend finally burned duralumin with atium. I was holding my breath hoping that someone would eventually do it. However we didn't really get any info as to what Elend experienced. Does a duralumin-enhanced atium burn allow a person to see significantly farther into the future? If so, being that Elend's army was dying all around him did he get to see into the afterlife? Also if you could tell us what he saw that would be awesome. Did something he saw make him not want to avoid Marshes strike?

    On a similar note if someone burned electrum with duralumin would they get to see significantly into their own future?

    Brandon Sanderson (16 October 2008)

    There is much here that I can't say, but I'll give as much as I can. Elend saw Preservation's ultimate plan, and Elend's own part in it. What he saw made him realize he didn't want to kill Marsh, and that his own death would actually help save the world. Like a master chess player, he suddenly saw and understand every possible move his enemy could make. He saw that Ruin was check-mated, because there was one thing that Ruin was not willing to do. Something that both Elend and Vin could do, if needed. And it's what they did.

    So, in answer to your question, Elend stayed his hand. This is one of the reasons why I changed my mind and decided that Marsh had to live through the end of the book. Elend spared him; I needed to too.

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  • 23

    Interview: Oct, 2008

    VegasDev (16 October 2008)

    Alendi's "Piercings of the Hero"?

    Brandon Sanderson (17 October 2008)

    This is part of the manipulation Ruin did during the classical era on Scadrial, before the coming of the Lord Ruler. Piercings, and Hemalurgy, were part of the world before the coming of Allomancy in its modern form. Then, they were seen as a means of communicating with deity—which, indeed, they were. Ruin manipulated this to make sure any Hero of Ages who came would be under his influence. The reference is included mostly to indicate that yes, Alendi was under Ruin's influence. He ignored Rashek, though. (At least, right up to the moment when everything went 'wrong' for Ruin, when Rashek killed his chosen Hero of Ages.)

    Tags

  • 24

    Interview: Oct, 2008

    VegasDev (16 October 2008)

    The other lake in Alendi's bumps?

    Brandon Sanderson (17 October 2008)

    A manifestation of Ruin's gathered consciousness, much like the dark mists in book two. The lake was still around in Vin's era, but had been moved under ground. (Note that the Well is a very similar manifestation. You've also seen one other manifestation like this....)

    PETER AHLSTROM

    Such as...this?

    The "lake" was barely ten feet deep—more like a pool. Its water was a crystalline blue, and Raoden could see no inlets or outlets.
    If that's what you're hinting at...I never thought of the connection before! I just kept thinking of Aether of Night, and never thought of this pool at all.

    BRANDON SANDERSON

    Both are accurate, but the first is what I meant, as most people here don't have access to Aether.

    CHAOS

    I'm also thinking that the Dor in Elantris is another Shard of Adonalsium. Certainly in the Elantris world, where the Dor came from is rather ambiguous, which I expected it would be. Of course, if other Shards of Adonalsium do exist, the Dor could have come from that source.

    BRANDON SANDERSON

    I will RAFO from here on the other Shards of Adonalsium, as it would be better for me not to give spoilers. Please feel free to speculate. Readers have met four shards other than Ruin and Preservation.

    PETER AHLSTROM

    Have we met these four by name, or just by influence? I can't think of a name that would go with the one that the Elantris lake is a manifestation of.

    Hoid could be one? I know nothing his purpose other than that he shows up in lots of different books, sometimes begging and sometimes telling stories. Since most of these series happen on different planets (though two of them may happen on the same planet as each other), I'm assuming he has mad planet-hopping skills.

    ...Nightblood...

    BRANDON SANDERSON (20 OCTOBER)

    Ookla, I'm going to be tight lipped on this, as I don't want to give things away for future books. But I'll tell you this:

    You've interacted with two directly.
    One is a tough call. You've never met the Shard itself, but you've seen its power.
    The other one you have not met directly, but have seen its influence.

    CHAOS (18 OCTOBER)

    I thought Nightblood was explained sufficiently for my tastes in Warbreaker, so I doubt that it is a Shard, but I've been plenty wrong before. Also, I don't know if Hoid could even be a Shard. Certainly he has mean planet-hopping skills, but I don't know what purpose a celestial storyteller would have in this universe. He doesn't really have the same kind of power as Ruin or Preservation did, so normally I would rule him out right off the bat. But it is possible that these Shards come in many shapes, not just in the near-deific quantity Ruin or Preservation had. I think it's a bit of a stretch to say Hoid is a Shard... but, then again, I don't have any ideas for what those four other Shards are.

    Maybe Hoid is just a traveler trying to find remnants of Adonalsium and stories about them. He doesn't need to be a shard, I suppose.

    BRANDON SANDERSON (20 OCTOBER)

    This is slightly a tangent, but here is a relevant chunk from the Warbreaker Annotations. As this won't be posted for months, I'll put it here as a sneak preview.

    Chapter Thirty-Two

    This whole scene came about because I wanted an interesting way to delve into the history. Siri needed to hear it, and I felt that many readers would want to know it. However, that threatened to put me into the realm of the dreaded info dump.

    And so I brought in the big guns. This cameo is so obvious (or, at least, someday it will be) that I almost didn’t use the name Hoid for the character, as I felt it would be too obvious. The first draft had him using one of his other favorite pseudonyms. However, in the end, I decided that too many people would be confused (or, at least, even more confused) if I didn’t use the same name. So here it is. And if you have no idea what I’m talking about. . .well, let’s just say that there’s a lot more to this random appearance than you might think.

    CHAOS (17 OCTOBER)

    Brandon, I believe in one of Sazed's epigraphs, he actually called it "Adonasium" rather than what you are referring to here, which is "Adonalsium". I'm thinking that's just a typo, right?

    I don't suppose you could tell us which book series of yours will tell us more about Adonalsium, would you? You know, just so us theorizers on the forum know when to properly theorize about these things...

    BRANDON SANDERSON

    Well, I guess this means that the proofreaders did not add the "L" when I marked the error on the manuscript.(sigh). Yes, the correct spelling is Adonalsium. I will try to get this fixed for the paperback, but I've been trying to get that blasted steel/iron error in the back of book one fixed for two years now. . .

    If it helps, Sazed would probably under-pronounce the "L" as that letter, like in Tindwyl's name, is said very softly in Terris.

    As for your other question, you will have to wait and see. Now, you could search my old books for clues, but I would caution against this. While there are hints in these, they are not yet canon. Just as I changed how things were presented in the Mistborn books during editing, I would have fixed a lot in these books during revision. Beyond that, reading them would give big spoilers for books yet to be released. White Sand, Dragonsteel, and Way of Kings in particular are going to be published some day for almost certain. (Though in very different forms). Aether of Night should be safe, as should Final Empire prime and Mistborn prime, though of those three, only Aether is worth reading, and then only barely. (It is still pretty bad).

    Footnote

    Peter's quote is from Elantris. It's the pool that Raoden finds in the mountains above Elantris.

    Tags

  • 25

    Interview: Oct, 2008

    Qarlin (16 October 2008)

    Who were Ruin and Preservation? I mean, when they died, they had bodies, like Vin. And you went as far as to describe their hair color (Red and Black, respectively). Preservation even had a prominent nose. Why describe their dead bodies, if they weren't at one time mortals themselves? They created humans, but were at one time human themselves?

    Brandon Sanderson (17 October 2008)

    RAFO. (Sorry.)

    Tags

  • 26

    Interview: Oct, 2008

    Qarlin (16 October 2008)

    Lemme guess, the "Mistborn" following Vin was actually Ruin, since Elend never actually saw him, and he disappeared every time Vin got close?

    Brandon Sanderson (17 October 2008)

    Yes.

    QARLIN

    Why did Ruin give off Allomantic Pulses? Because Preservation did and they're two sides of the same coin? Allomancy is of Preservation, so I figured that's why he did...

    BRANDON SANDERSON

    Manifestation of the awesome power he held, mixed with Vin's increased ability to sense these things. Allomantic pulses are like a ripple of sound in the fabric of creation itself—the power of creation being used, creating a drum beat to those attuned to it. Ruin created a similar beat when his consciousness was near.

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  • 27

    Interview: Oct, 2008

    darxbane (16 October 2008)

    In an annotation from book one, it is mentioned that The Lord Ruler needed all three magic systems in order to do what he did. I always assumed that it meant his Hemalurgy enhanced his Allomancy. Did Marsh get a double power, or is the Feruchemy-Allomancy combo enough? (a sidebar to this question is whether or not stacking abilities is possible through Hemalurgy).

    Brandon Sanderson (17 October 2008)

    He used Hemalurgy to pull off his most dramatic effects. Marsh didn't need them, but it makes things much easier.

    Tags

  • 28

    Interview: Oct, 2008

    darxbane (16 October 2008)

    Did Vin's mother actually have a spike, or was she so crazy that one wasn't necessary for Ruin to influence her?

    Brandon Sanderson (17 October 2008)

    She was crazy enough on her own.

    Tags

  • 29

    Interview: Oct, 2008

    happyman (16 October 2008)

    In one of the bumps, Sazed mentions a discussion between Vin and Ruin in which Vin asks Ruin why she was chosen to release him from the Well. Did this discussion occur in the in-between afterlife where Vin, Elend, Kelsier, etc., were, or did it occur off-screen while Vin and Ruin were busy stopping each other from affecting the world?

    DALENTHAS

    I was fairly sure she asked it while she was a prisoner of Yomen, but I could be wrong.

    Brandon Sanderson (17 October 2008)

    Yes, as has been pointed out, that's in the text—unless I cut it during editing for pacing issues. If I did, the conversation still happened, but it just didn't get shown on screen.

    Footnote

    It did get cut during the book.

    Tags

  • 30

    Interview: Oct, 2008

    Kaimipono (16 October 2008)

    What was Vin supposed to do at the end of Well of Ascension? How exactly did not-using the power, end up releasing Ruin? I still don't get how that all worked. Can you explain it?

    Brandon Sanderson (17 October 2008)

    What was she supposed to do? Well, this is difficult to answer, since the prophecies have been changed and shifted so much. Originally, the prophesies intended for a person to go take the power every thousand years and become a protector of mankind for a period of time. Someone to keep an eye on Ruin in Preservation's absence and watch over the world as he would have done. Imagine an avatar who arrives every thousand years and lives for their lifetime blessing the people with the power of Preservation, renewing Ruin's prison, and generally being a force for protection. (Note that Ruin wouldn't have gotten out if the prison wasn't renewed, he'd simply have been able to touch the world a little bit more.) Obviously, it changed a LOT during the years that Ruin was playing with things.

    What should she have done? Well, Ruin's release was inevitable. Even if she hadn't let him go, the world would have 'wound down' eventually. The ashfalls would have grown worse over the centuries, and the next buildup of the Well might not have come in time for them to do anything. Or, perhaps, mankind would have found a way to adapt. But Ruin was going to get himself out eventually, so the choice Vin made was all right. There weren't really any good choices at this point. She could have decided to take the power and become a 'good' Lord Ruler, trying to keep the world from falling apart. Of course, she would have had to make herself immortal with Hemalurgy to make that work right. And since she was already tainted, chances are good she wouldn't have ended up any better than the Lord Ruler himself.

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  • 31

    Interview: Oct, 2008

    Kaimipono (16 October 2008)

    If Sazed is the Hero of Ages, then who is the Announcer?

    Brandon Sanderson (17 October 2008)

    The Announcer was a fabrication of Ruin intended to reinforce the person HE wanted to be the Hero.

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  • 32

    Interview: Oct, 2008

    Kaimipono (16 October 2008)

    Allomancy is fueled by Preservation's body? How exactly does that work? And how does that interact with Atium—it's fueled by both gods' bodies?

    Brandon Sanderson (17 October 2008)

    The powers of Ruin and Preservation are Shards of Adonalsium, pieces of the power of creation itself. Allomancy, Hemalurgy, Feruchemy are manifestations of this power in mortal form, the ability to touch the powers of creation and use them. These metallic powers are how people's physical forms interpret the use of the Shard, though it's not the only possible way they could be interpreted or used. It's what the genetics and Realmatic interactions of Scadrial allow for, and has to do with the Spiritual, the Cognitive, and the Physical Realms.

    Condensed 'essence' of these godly powers can act as super-fuel for Allomancy, Feruchemy, or really any of the powers. The form of that super fuel is important. In liquid form it's most potent, in gas form it's able to fuel Allomancy as if working as a metal. In physical form it is rigid and does one specific thing. In the case of atium, it allows sight into the future. In the case of concentrated Preservation, it gives one a permanent connection to the mists and the powers of creation. (I.e., it makes them an Allomancer.)

    So when a person is burning metals, they aren't using Preservation's body as a fuel so to speak—though they are tapping into the powers of creation just slightly. When Vin burns the mists, however, she'd doing just that—using the essence of Preservation, the Shard of Adonalsium itself—to fuel Allomancy. Doing this, however, rips 'troughs' through her body. It's like forcing far too much pressure through a very small, fragile hose. That much power eventually vaporizes the corporeal host, which is acting as the block and forcing the power into a single type of conduit (Allomancy) and frees it to be more expansive.

    Tags

  • 33

    Interview: Oct, 2008

    Kaimipono (16 October 2008)

    Did Zane get spiked intentionally? Did someone else (Straff?) know about hemalurgy?

    Brandon Sanderson (17 October 2008)

    Zane spiked himself. It was...a very twisted and messy process. Note that Ruin tries to get Spook to do something similar. It's much easier for him to work with someone to get them to spike themselves than it is to arrange the exact circumstances where someone gets spiked.

    Tags

  • 34

    Interview: Oct, 2008

    GreedyAlgorithm (17 October 2008)

    Brandon, I'd like to see a timeline of when you fleshed out the parts of the cosmology we know about. I'd imagine Allomancy came before you fit it into the bigger picture, right? What was your method, come up with a cool image of hammering spikes through a living being, figure out how to integrate that into a larger picture, and then think about the implications of your new cosmology? Or what?

    Brandon Sanderson (17 October 2008)

    Boy, this is a hard one to ask because it's been such a LONG process. There were bits of all of this popping around in my head almost twenty years ago, so it's going to be hard to define where what fit into place when.

    Allomancy and Feruchemy were originally planned separately. I linked them together into this book when I realized that the 'focus' items that could store attributes could be metal, and therefore work wonderfully with the Mistborn book I was planning.

    Hemalurgy came from the image of Inquisitors first, then developed as a need to integrate it in with the other two in a way that evoked the power of "Ruin" rather than the power of Preservation. I figured that Ruin would steal, and it was a great way to add a third magic without having to overload people with a whole new set of powers. The process of writing this series, since I did all three books together, was an interesting one, and I made a lot of connections as I went. Some of the latest things on the timeline were figuring out how to fit atium and the Preservation nuggets into the already built framework. But I don't know if I can give you an exact list. Partially because there would just be too many spoilers in it.

    Tags

  • 35

    Interview: Oct, 2008

    Czanos (17 October 2008)

    Preservation can fuel Allomancy, (Minus Atium.) but can Ruin fuel Hemalurgy? (Or Atium?) And could Sazed fuel all three Metallic Arts?

    Brandon Sanderson (17 October 2008)

    Both gods could, if they wanted, fuel all of the metallic arts. Preservation is stronger at fueling Allomancy, Ruin stronger at fueling Allomancy or Feruchemy when it has been given via a spike. Both are balanced when it comes to Feruchemy. But this rarely comes up in the books, as it required expending power in a way that the gods were hesitant to do.

    Tags

  • 36

    Interview: Oct, 2008

    Czanos (17 October 2008)

    Are Atium and the External Temporal Pulling metal really the same?

    Brandon Sanderson (17 October 2008)

    You are on to something.

    Tags

  • 37

    Interview: Oct, 2008

    Chaos (17 October 2008)

    Would the Three Metallic Arts operate in other worlds, or are they direct results of Ruin and Preservation and thus only operate in Scadrial?

    Brandon Sanderson (20 October 2008)

    To use Feruchemy or Allomancy in almost every case, one must have the right spiritual and genetic codes, imprinted upon people during the creation of Scadrial by Ati and Leras. To use Hemalurgy, one must first have someone with these right spiritual and genetic codes, then take the power from them. Other people on other worlds are not going to simply discover the Three Metallic Arts by accident.

    Tags

  • 38

    Interview: Oct, 2008

    firstRainbowRose (18 October 2008)

    Is Sazed effected by the metal blindness, or can he see thing written in metal?

    Brandon Sanderson (20 October 2008)

    He is blinded by metal.

    Tags

  • 39

    Interview: Oct, 2008

    Andrew the Great (19 October 2008)

    Why can Vin fuel Elend's atium-burning, even though Atium is Ruin's Body and Vin is using Preservation? Or did I misread that and he was just burning atium and had run out of everything else?

    Brandon Sanderson (20 October 2008)

    Yes, as has been pointed out:

    A powerful peace swelled in Elend. His Allomancy flared bright, though he knew the metals inside of him should have burned away. Only atium remained, and the strange power did not—could not—give him this metal. But it didn’t matter. For a moment, he was embraced by something greater. He looked up, toward the sun. (From the text.)

    As a note here, the powers granted by all of the metals—even the two divine ones—are not themselves of either Shard. They are simply tools. And so, it's possible that one COULD have found a way to reproduce an ability like atium's while using Preservation's power, but it wouldn't be as natural or as easy as using Preservation to fuel Allomancy.

    The means of getting powers—Ruin stealing, Preservation gifting—are related to the Shards, but not the powers themselves.

    Tags

  • 40

    Interview: 2012

    Kilomtrs (June 2012)

    So in the trilogy, we see that when someone has a Hemalurgic spike implanted in them, they can hear Ruin talking to them, both as a vision and in their head. However, we learn in the Hero of Ages that Ruin cannot hear a person's thoughts no matter how much under Ruin's influence they are.

    In Alloy of Law, we see that Wax (and other Pathians) uses an earring to "pray" to Harmony, and we see that Harmony can hear his thoughts and respond.

    So I guess this leads to three questions:

    1. How does Harmony hear the thoughts of Wax, when it's explicitly pointed put that Ruin cannot?

    2. Are the earrings that the Pathians use Hemalurgicly charged, as otherwise they would be of no use to Ruin, and therefore Harmony?

    3. Or did Harmony completely change how that aspect of Hemalugy works?

    Brandon Sanderson ()

    How this all works dates back to the original design of the Magic system.

    I wanted Ruin and Preservation to be complimentary opposites, like many things in the Mistborn world. Allomancy, for example, has Pushes and Pulls were are less "negate one another" opposites, but instead two sides to the same proverbial coin.

    Ruin is invasive. The power is more "Yell" than "Listen." The philosopher would probably have some interesting things to say about the masculine symbolism of Hemalurgy and its spikes.

    Ruin can insert thoughts. That power, however, can't HEAR the reactions. It's about invasion.

    Preservation, however, is the opposite. Preservation listens, Preservation protects. (Perhaps to a fault—if there were no Ruin, there would be no change to the world, and life could not exist.) Because of this, Preservation can hear what is inside people's minds. It cannot, however, INSERT thoughts. (This is important to the plot of Hero of Ages.)

    Harmony is both, the two complimentary opposites combined. And so, he inserts thoughts with Ruin and still uses Hemalurgy. He can also listen.

    Yes, Wax's earring is Invested. (Or, in other terms, it's a Hemalurgic spike.)

    Tags

  • 41

    Interview: Jul 29th, 2006

    Brandon Sanderson

    Oh, and by the way. People often ask me how far ahead I plan my novels. Well, I've noted already in this annotation that some things—such as the Kelsier-Marsh-Mare relationship—come to me as I write. They appear when I need something to fill a particular hole in the story. Other things, however, are quite well planned. Want an example?

    Kelsier's warning about not flaring metals too much is a foreshadowing for book three of the trilogy. You'll see what I mean in a couple of years. Also, there's something very important about Vin's brother that will be hard to pick out, but has been foreshadowed since the first book...

    Footnote

    He's talking about Spook, and Ruin's whisperings disguising as Reen's whisperings.

    Tags

  • 42

    Interview: Jul 29th, 2006

    Brandon Sanderson

    I'd just like to point out that Sazed heard Kelsier approaching before Vin did. That should mean something to you. This is also the first time we get Vin wanting to ignore Reen's voice in her head. That is, in my way, an acknowledgement to the progress she's achieved during the last few months.

    The mists and Allomancy feeling right to Vin have something to do with the ending, where she draws upon the mists for an extra burst of power. I'm afraid I can't say more until we get to future books.

    Tags

  • 43

    Interview: Sep 22nd, 2012

    Zas

    So what's up with the regeneration issue?

    Brandon Sanderson

    [looks confused]

    Zas

    With Shards? Because they only have so much power they can access at a certain time, but yet they still have more energy. So how does that work? Is it just they have so much power they can use at any given time?

    Brandon Sanderson

    [still slightly confused] What are you talking about? Like which shards?

    Zas

    Ruin and Preservation. Since we know the most about them.

    Brandon Sanderson

    Ruin and Preservation were a specific instance, because almost all their energy was thrown into resisting each other. Keep that in mind. Even after Preservation was only a shadow, basically all of it was "Let's keep Ruin from destroying the world". So they were polar opposites. Set in balance. But slightly unbalanced in a couple of ways, that eventually, that slight imbalance [led to the Mistborn Trilogy]. They are a special case, because of that.

    Zas

    So then why are they hesitant to directly fuel Allomancy?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Why are they hesitant to? What do you mean by directly fuel Allomancy?

    Zas

    You mention in the Hero of Ages Q&A that they can directly fuel Allomancy, like Vin does with Elend, but it requires expending their energy in a way they are hesitant to do.

    Brandon Sanderson

    Because it imbalances them more. Does that make sense? So if you are putting your energy here, rather than fighting the other force, that gives them an edge somewhere else, while trying to gain an edge here. And you have to make sure that's really worth it. Like a chess game. Is it worth sacrificing my pawn here to expose myself over here.

    Zas

    That makes sense.

    Tags

  • 44

    Interview: Sep 22nd, 2012

    Zas

    So where does the power of Allomancy come from? Does it come directly from Preservation? Does that imbalance him?

    Brandon Sanderson

    [Brandon being cautious about wording] Certain things built into a world are not the same. Not used in the same way. Meaning the energy of Preservation and Ruin inside of something living and growing—yes that's "of" them, but that's not direct force that they're using at that time.

    Adam

    Would a good example of that be Allomancy versus the blessings the Kandra have?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yeah, yeah sure.

    Tags

  • 45

    Interview: Sep 22nd, 2012

    Zas

    Marsh, as an Inquisitor, can see Ruin, and Vin sees Ruin, but they're not seeing the same thing. So how does that work?

    Brandon Sanderson

    In what way? How about this. I'll give you this. I know what you're getting at. And a lot of these things I know what you're getting at, I'm just trying to force you to—I'll just give you one on this. In some cases, Ruin would manifest directly, and you would see what he wanted you to see. In other cases, that might not be the case.

    Tags

  • 46

    Interview: Feb 12th, 2013

    Mason Wheeler

    You've said that Splintering a shard is essentially the same thing as the shattering of Adonalsium, repeated on a smaller scale.

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yeah.

    Mason Wheeler

    And a while ago, someone asked you if Splintering was permanent or reversible, and you said that it can be reversed.

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yeah.

    Mason Wheeler

    And shard holders tend to take the name of the shard they hold. So you've got Sazed, who goes by "Harmony" now, after taking up Ruin and Preservation. That makes me wonder, does he hold two shards... or one?

    Brandon Sanderson

    You could really answer that either way. The distinction is a really subjective one, and you could say that he's holding both shards, or that he holds one single Harmony.

    Tags

  • 47

    Interview: Apr 15th, 2013

    Reddit AMA 2013 (Verbatim)

    Nepene ()

    If Ruin had won, what would his long term goals for the Cosmere be?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Ruin's goals and motives were about fulfilling the needs of the Shard inside of him. It overwhelmed his personality, and corrupted him. He would seek for all things to be reduced to a state of entropic equilibrium.

    Tags

  • 48

    Interview: Sep, 2012

    Stroniax

    Is there a way to harvest BioChromatic Breath from a planet, if it holds any? (If a person dies, and their body turns to dusty he dust of the earth, then doesn't the earth--or sharever planet they have--therefore hold thousands, if not millions, of BioChromatic Breaths?)

    Brandon Sanderson

    Possible. It would be the same thing as harvesting the nature of Preservation or Ruin, which--on Scadrial--took the form of nuggets of metal.

    Tags

  • 49

    Interview: Sep, 2012

    JamesW

    You said that Preservation created the Terris Prophecies. Why couldn't ruin see into the future and counter Preservation's plan? Is it because Ruin's intent has him focusing more on the present than the future, while Preservation (wanting to preserve forever) looks more into the future for that goal.

    Brandon Sanderson

    Looking into the future was not something Ruin was good at doing. That ability is confined to certain shards, and not others.

    Tags

  • 50

    Interview: Sep, 2012

    Master_Moridin

    Why does Preservation fueling Allomancy not weaken Preservation compared to Ruin?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Because the power, once used, returns to him--much as water, after passing over a turbine, continues on in its system.

    Tags

  • 51

    Interview: Oct 30th, 2012

    Lance Alvein

    You've said that "The Pits of Hathsin were crafted by Preservation as a place to hide the chunk of Ruin's body that he had stolen away." How does one Shard steal a portion of another Shard and create a Physical outlet for it, like the Pits were for Ruin's power?

    BRANDON SANDERSON (paraphrased)

    It has to do with clash between the two shards power. When pressed, he then said that it was "kind of" like splintering

    Tags

  • 52

    Interview: Apr 15th, 2013

    Reddit AMA 2013 (Verbatim)

    Phantine ()

    Would it have been theoretically possible to create thinking life by adding excess Ruin instead of excess Preservation?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yes.

    Tags

  • 53

    Interview: Apr 15th, 2013

    Reddit AMA 2013 (Verbatim)

    Thanatos17901 ()

    Thanks so much for all your writing, Way of Kings is the best book I've read in the last decade.

    If Sazed were to die, would he drop the shards Ruin and Preservation, or would he drop the shard Harmony?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Excellent question. The shards are now intermingled, and would take effort to split apart. He would drop Harmony. (This is what Odium feared would happen, by the way.)

    Tags

  • 54

    Interview: 2013

    Autarchk (March 2013)

    If I can ask a question, I just read the Mistborn trilogy and, were Preservation and Ruin two different shards or a single one with their power split somehow? If they were two shards, does that mean a single person can hold more than one, since Harmony apparently holds both now?

    Brandon Sanderson

    They were two shards.

    Yes, one entity can hold more than one. Remember that holding a shard changes you, over time. Rayse knows this, and prefers to leave behind destroyed rivals as opposed to taking their power and potentially being overwhelmed by it.

    Nepene

    I have a question, if you are willing. Would Ruin be more compatible with Rayse, would he pick up that shard had he visited Scadrial and shattered him? All the shards we have seen that he has shattered seem rather different in intent than him—Honor, Cultivation, Love, Dominion. But Ruin seems more in line with Odium. Rayse has ruined the days of quite a few people.

    Brandon Sanderson

    Technically, Ruin would be most compatible with Cultivation. Ruin's 'theme' so to speak is that all things must age and pass. An embodiment of entropy. That power, separated from the whole and being held by a person who did not have the willpower to resist its transformation of him, led to something very dangerous. But it was not evil. None of the sixteen technically are, though you may have read that Hoid has specific beef with Rayse. Whether you think of Odium as evil depends upon how much you agree with Hoid's particular view.

    That said, Ruin would have been one of the 'safer' of the sixteen for Rayse to take, if he'd been about that. Odium is by its nature selfish, however, and the combination of it and Rayse makes for an entity that fears an additional power would destroy it and make it into something else.

    Tags

  • 55

    Interview: Jun 20th, 2009

    Andrew the Great

    Before the Ascension, why did the mists appear just as the Well was gaining power? Did they come out at other times?

    Brandon Sanderson (paraphrased)

    This one is trickier. From what I got out of it, it's because the mists are a manifestaion of Preservation, and physical manifestations of Preservation (including Allomancers) are intended to do two things - stop Ruin, and protect the Well of Ascension. Which are kind of the same thing. So, when the Well was dormant, the mists didn't really have much to do. The Deepness form of the mists is a result of the conscious part of Preservation freaking out and trying to produce a way to protect the well, mostly by producing more Allomancers. That's why the mists do all the funky things in the Well of Ascension and Hero of Ages - they're trying to produce more Allomancers to combat Ruin.

    Tags

  • 56

    Interview: Mar 17th, 2012

    Zas

    Is there some reason why both Vin and Kelsier are half-skaa, half-noble, both natural Allomancers, both end up overthrowing the Lord Ruler, and have siblings that are seekers.

    Brandon Sanderson

    Both were heavily influenced by Ruin in doing what they were doing. So there is a connection there, maybe not the one you’re looking for, but Ruin was looking for talented Mistborn that were easy to manipulate and talented Mistborn tend to come from talented Mistborn lines, and so Ruin is looking for that, and they both end up fitting that role. And the thing is, is that the half breeds ended up being easier for him to manipulate and easier lost in the shuffle of things, so they weren't paid attention to as much by the ministry, because the ministry didn't know about them.

    So it's mostly coincidental for what Ruin's trying to achieve.

    Tags

  • 57

    Interview: Mar 17th, 2012

    Zas

    A question that has it’s roots in Dragonsteel. When Ruin changes words, is he actually changing words,or is he changing what people see?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Did we canonize this question Peter? I’m pretty sure we did. I thought we answered this one already.(It’s not in our records if he did)

    Let’s just say that most of the time, Ruin was searching for a place to transition, where he could change what was being trans-transcribed. Or what was being heard, or what was being said.

    ZAS

    That’s pretty interesting.

    BRANDON SANDERSON

    So the easiest time for him is when a scribe is writing in a new book, he’s copying a new book down, and he just pops in and changes the words.

    ZAS

    Okay. That makes sense.

    Tags

  • 58

    Interview: Oct 1st, 2013

    Question

    Ruin and Preservation were often represented in the Mistborn trilogy in terms of black and white. Is this imagery limited to that series, or do other Shards also have an associated hue?

    Brandon Sanderson

    This (Ruin & Preservation's colors) was because of the specific world and their perception of the world and themselves. Essentially, because of the dynamics of the interplay between Ruin and Preservation, they "chose" to view themselves as black and white respectively, so that's how they were represented. Also, because the only two Shards on Scadrial, and their natures were opposites, after the long period of time they spent on the same planet, they kind of "polarized." If a similar thing happened on another world, a similar coloring effect could happen.

    Tags

  • 59

    Interview: Oct 5th, 2013

    Question

    Feruchemy is the "balance" between Ruin and Preservation. Would any combination of Shards create a "balance" magic, so to speak, or are only certain Shards compatible?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Feruchemy ended up being a balance system, because of how polar Ruin and Preservation were. Any world with at least two Shards will result in a similar phenomenon.

    Question

    Like Roshar?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Like Roshar. There is something like that going on there.

    Tags

  • 60

    Interview: Oct 5th, 2013

    Question

    Are there still no Splinters on Scadrial, after the events of The Alloy of Law?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yes, there are no Splinters on Scadrial. Unless they've been brought. There are no Splinters of Ruin or Preservation.

    Tags

  • 61

    Interview: Aug 13th, 2014

    Question

    As Feruchemistry is the magic system combined from Ruin and Preservation's powers, and they created humankind on Scadrial, how is it that it only occurs in persons with Terrispeople in their ancestry?

    Brandon Sanderson

    RAFO. :)

    Tags

  • 62

    Interview: Dec 6th, 2014

    Zas678

    Can Odium influence people the same way that Ruin can?

    Brandon Sanderson (Paraphrased)

    [misunderstands question as a question about kandra/koloss/parshendi] Well, you see, the kandra and the koloss have a "hole" in them that allows Ruin to come in and take over. The Parshendi naturally are protected from this, but when they expose themselves to the storms, and the spren come in, many of these spren have that kind of "hole" in them, and that’s what allows Odium to take control of them.

    Zas678

    No, I'm talking about how Ruin was able to push people, place things in their minds, stuff like that. Can Odium do the same thing?

    Brandon Sanderson (Paraphrased)

    Well, Odium wasn't around when those people were created [Here it sounded like the mankind that's on that planet, not the specific generation], so it's a little different for him than Ruin. So if he influences people in that way, it's through the Unmade.

    Tags

  • 63

    Interview: Sep 4th, 2014

    Question

    And does he [Odium] control the Voidbringers through the spren in the same way that the Inquisitors were controlled by Ruin?

    Brandon Sanderson

    There are definitely-- In fact what you have just seen with Eshonai shares an awful lot with what happened in Mistborn.

    Tags

  • 64

    Interview: Mar 21st, 2014

    Question

    The epigraphs for The Way of Kings, that were talking about how the various Shardholders are influenced by their shards over time--how does that impact someone like Harmony, with multiple shards?

    Brandon Sanderson

    The main effect it's having on Harmony right now is his inability to act sometimes, because his two sides are pushing, and so he is having trouble being proactive. It'd take a long time before it really becomes manifest, but he's had several hundred years, so it's starting to have an effect.

    Tags

  • 65

    Interview: Feb 20th, 2015

    Question

    Was Vin’s mother under Hemalurgic influence?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Vin’s mother was under influence of Ruin.

    Tags

    Vin, Ruin,
  • 66

    Interview: Oct 12th, 2015

    Question

    Allomancy is of Preservation, correct?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yes...

    Question

    What are Feruchemy and Hemalurgy of?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Hemalurgy is definitely of Ruin.

    Question

    Is it of pure Ruin?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yes. That's a very Ruin thing. And Feruchemy is more of a blend. Though… there is more philosophy to that and human construct—like the Allomantic table—than I think I’ve made clear before.

    Tags

  • 67

    Interview: Oct 12th, 2015

    Question

    If another Shard came to Scadrial, would that be enough to create a godmetal?

    Brandon Sanderson

    If another shard just came to visit, probably not.

    Question

    If they brought a spren or-

    Brandon Sanderson

    If they came and completely Invested the world, then things might start happening. But there's some special circumstances, remember. Ruin and Preservation created that planet. Specifically. And so there's some goofy things that happened because of that. For instance Roshar was not made by Honor, Cultivation, or Odium. That's one of the big differences about what's going on there.

    Tags

  • 68

    Interview: Oct 7th, 2015

    Cadmium

    Well, yes. hmm. We... we've seen someone with a hemallurgic spike communicate or under the control of Ruin or Harmony. Can other spikes communi, sorry no people, well Shards... ugh so nervous." (Trying to get it accurate.) Brandon looks a little confused at me, but smiles. "Can other *Shards* communicate or control those individuals?"

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yes. Good Question. Yes... *scribbles* They can certainly communicate...

    Question

    (I excitedly, but rudely, interrupt a bit) To what extent?

    Brandon Sanderson

    not to the extent that Ruin did. The others could communicate but it'd be vague or faint, not as direct as Ruin was. He connects to us, well, them through the little bit of Preservation that he had or could touch. Because the spike pierces the soul.

    Question

    What about on other planets than Scadrial?

    Brandon Sanderson

    It'd work the same way. but again probably vaguer or fainter. Might go unnoticed.

    Tags

  • 69

    Interview: Feb 17th, 2016

    Question

    How is a new Feruchemist made?

    Brandon Sanderson

    What do you mean?

    Question

    Well you can make a new Mistborn by lerasium--

    Brandon Sanderson

    Oh, okay. Other than through birth?

    Question

    Yeah.

    Brandon Sanderson

    That’s a RAFO, good question though. Right now, as far as anyone knows, it’s by birth only. But-- Well we’ll leave it there. You know that the extra Preservation instead of Ruin had some effects on people on Scadrial.

    Tags

  • 70

    Interview: Feb 27th, 2016

    Paladin Brewer

    Are Shard vessels able to have children?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yes they are.

    Paladin Brewer

    Even Sazed, with his body being a eunuch?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yes, though technically all of Scadrial are the children of Preservation and Ruin.

    Tags

  • 71

    Interview: Feb 27th, 2016

    Paladin Brewer

    If Preservation and Ruin created life on Scadrial but did not create Feruchemy, where does it come from? The Planet?

    Brandon Sanderson

    All magic systems come from Shards power in some way.

    Footnote

    WSB: I thought there were magic before the shards originated from the shattering of Adonalsium

    Tags

  • 72

    Interview: Feb 19th, 2016

    Dirigible

    "Could someone who's never been to Scadrial be Connected to Ruin, Preservation, or Harmony?"

    Brandon Sanderson

    "Possibly. Depends on the strength of the Connection. But yeah, Connection's not an on/off switch."

    Tags

  • 73

    Interview: Apr 8th, 2016

    Blightsong

    Can Odium change written word on Roshar like Ruin could on Scadrial? (I was wondering this because it would make it easy for him to manipulate Mr.T that way.

    Brandon Sanderson

    *apprehensive* This is not really a thing that Odium does. Um, yea.

    Tags

  • 74

    Interview: Apr 8th, 2016

    Blightsong

    Can you shed some light on why ruin's last words were "Vax".

    Brandon Sanderson

    No, I can't, I mean I can but I'm not going to.

    Tags

    Ruin, Vax,
  • 75

    Interview: Apr 8th, 2016

    Blightsong

    Is it normal for people to become connected to an area after being there for a bit, like with Kel and wherever he was when he found the Ire, or is something special going on?

    Brandon Sanderson

    It is normal for a cognitive shadow to get stuck to places, because they exist through investiture it is normal for them to get tied to an area. Kelsier was still in Scadrial when he found the Ire. This happened with Odium and the two shards on Roshar, Preservation to Ruin, and the Heralds (To Roshar? Braize?). (I think this is basically what happens with shards when they invest on a planet, so this same thing happens at smaller levels than shards.)

    Footnote

    (After about an hour and a half he started answering more questions, so I sat nearby and wrote the gist of the questions and answers he was getting. Thsi next part is going to be paraphrased, but fairly accurate. It wasn't as rapid fire as it had been, as I and other people didn't want to keep interruption him while he was playing magic.)

    Tags

  • 76

    Interview: Apr 23rd, 2016

    Question

    Does hemalurgy require intent to steal the stuff? Or could somebody in theory just stab through in the exact [...] ...happen by accident?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Here’s the thing, you have seen it happen without the intent of the person holding the spike.

    Question

    But I think it’s commonly accepted that Ruin was sort of manipulating some…Totally taking the Spook example off the table, I’m just saying, someone by accident stab - whoops! stab - whoops! and have a power?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Again, Ruin was involved in that. Every spike that you saw had Ruin’s intent behind it. I’m not going to answer your question, RAFO. You tried, you got me to admit that I was trying to wiggle around it, and I’ll tell you, today I wiggled around one question that none of you saw me wiggle around, really well, today. Today. I’m not going to tell you which one it is but there is one here that you all thought, you’re all like “woo!” but you didn’t realize you’d given me so much wiggle room.

    Question

    So about that space station.

    Brandon Sanderson

    It’s not that one.

    Tags

  • 77

    Interview: Nov 22nd, 2016

    BYU Bookstore (Paraphrased)

    Question

    Second, I asked if Rust is a separate person than Ruin. I may have asked this question before, but it popped in my head.

    Brandon Sanderson

    He said good theory, but NO.

    Tags

  • 78

    Interview: Oct 8th, 2016

    Question

    I also asked if hemalurgy could be performed anywhere in the Cosmere. Pretty sure that's something we knew already, but I asked if anyone could do it if they knew what they were doing.

    Brandon Sanderson

    He said Yes.

    Question

    So, I continued, hemalurgy is unique because not only can the power of Ruin be accessed anywhere (not just on Scadrial), but also by anyone (not just someone who's invested).

    Brandon Sanderson

    He said it is weird that way.

    Footnote

    :-) It is interesting: I can't think of any other Shardic power that's so universally accessible.

    Tags

  • 79

    Interview: Nov 30th, 2016

    Borderlands SF-AU Tour (Paraphrased)

    Question

    What would have happened if Kelsier hasn't taken Preservation or later Sazed hasn't taken Ruin and Preservation powers? Would the earth have been destroyed due to so much raw power much before the actual destruction due to Ruin's actions?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yes. Bad things would have happened (Me - "Like Sel?" Him - "Not going to answer that. Just bad things would have happened")

    Footnote

    Scadrial, not Earth

    Tags

  • 80

    Interview: Dec 6th, 2016

    Question

    So, in Secret History, Kelsier is in the pool and looks at Ruin. Are you intentionally making a Lovecraftian reference with the looking into the abyss and the abyss looks back?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yeah, sometimes I have to specifically phrase things. I write it and I’m like ‘Oh yeah, that’s neat!.’ And I’m like ‘Ohhh, I probably shouldn’t quote Nietzsche.’ So I have do have to reword these things sometimes.

    Tags

  • 81

    Interview: Dec 6th, 2016

    Question

    Is Ati Ruin’s original Shardholder?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Ohh, good question. I’m gonna go ahead and RAFO that.

    Question

    I have a big theory that someday we are gonna see something more about him.

    Brandon Sanderson

    You will see something more about him for sure! Because Dragonsteel includes--But that’s not what you meant, and I know what you meant.

    Question

    Thank’s for that Reddit comment earlier today about ‘Yeah, if you read Dragonsteel it’s super obvious!’

    Brandon Sanderson

    Well, if someone is asking a question about Cephandrius, I assume that they know about Dragonsteel, because, how else would they hear the name Cephandrius?

    Question

    Secret History.

    Brandon Sanderson

    Ohhhh, I did, that’s right!

    Tags