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Search 1165 Signings, Interviews, etc. (13808 Entries)

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Interviews: Shadows of Self-Oak Brook, IL

Summary:

Entries

109

Date

Oct 12th, 2015

Location

Oak Brook, IL

TourCon

Shadows of Self

Links

Shadows of Self-Oak Brook, IL

Shadows of Self-Oak Brook, IL

  • 1

    Question

    Which world does Hoid enjoy visiting the most?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Scadrial almost has instant noodles. So he's very interested in Scadrial.

    Question

    Is he doing anything to push that along?

    Brandon Sanderson

    He is not as involved in that as certain other forces are.

    Question

    There are forces involved in the developing instant noodles?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yes, oh yes.

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  • 2

    Question

    From Shadows of Self, you just sort of name Hoid. Is he just not caring anymore, or is it just space in the book? [If anyone wants to make sense of what this question is asking, feel free. I can't understand it.]

    Brandon Sanderson

    In Alloy, he wasn't really interested. He showed up only for a wedding. By this, he's noticed something else is happening on-world, so he's come back to investigate, but he's not really relevant. You will see him taking a larger role as he becomes more interested in what's happening on-planet. His level of involvement is kind of directly tied to how interested he is in what's going on.

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  • 3

    Question

    Is Vasher aware of who Hoid is?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Vasher is aware of Hoid, yes. He doesn't know the whole story, but he knows that something's up with this guy.

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  • 4

    Question

    On Sel, it seems like a lot of the magic is tied in to the location on the planet. Could you take something like Soulforging and do it on another planet, or is it just tied into Sel?

    Brandon Sanderson

    It is tied into Sel, and there's this distinct reason for that, and it has to do with one of the big differences between the magic there and other places that people haven't picked out of me yet.

    Question

    So is that tied into how you can get Investiture there?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yeah. It's all tied in. I’ve only made it vaguely- It's not obvious, but I think you could pick it out if you worked at it.

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  • 5

    Question

    Are we going to get a 10th anniversary edition of Mistborn?

    Brandon Sanderson

    It's likely we will. The question is, how well does this one sell, and things like that, but the goal will eventually be to get a tenth anniversary, particularly for the ones where Peter didn't work with me yet, because when I hadn't hired him full time, we didn't get the Peter Copyedit, which is twenty times better than any other copy edit, so the typos were through the roof in some of the early ones, which is really why we needed the 10th anniversary copy.

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  • 6

    Question

    Is there a particular reason behind the spelling, or is it just coincidence that Kelsier and Kaladin are both K-names?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Just coincidence. Kaladin's original name was Merin, and it was a weak name that didn't work for me, so I changed it. It took me forever to find a good name for him. It comes from "paladin". Not the inworld origin, but that was the word that inspired it. It was more that I was searching for sounds, and I realized it sounded a bit like paladin, but I was okay with that. Just like Elantris sounds a little bit like Atlantis. It's not like I was purposely choosing it. I just liked the sound of it.

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  • 7

    Question

    Does the expansion of Jaddeth’s empire have more to do with greed and hunger for power, or the innate nature of Dominion?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Both. The innate nature of Dominion probably c0aused the greed and hunger for power.

    Question

    What would you say percentage-wise?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Well, one caused the other. It definitely started with Dominion. The Skaze are pretty thirsty for power.

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  • 8

    Question

    Favorite shade of blue?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Alethi blue.

    Tags

  • 9

    Question

    When do you think the next Stormlight book will come out?

    Brandon Sanderson

    We're shooting for Christmas 2016.

    Tags

  • 10

    Question

    For Soulforging, if you rewrite the history of an item, and it took effect permanently, would there ever be a potential to have a butterfly effect, out beyond the history of the item, that might directly affect something somewhere else in the world?

    Brandon Sanderson

    It would be very very hard for that to ever happen, because it's like spliced DNA or something like that. It's not real. It's a Forgery. Nothing else considers it, that it did that. [That sentence is slightly unclear. Don't quote it.]. The only tricky bit would be if you have children, and you've rewritten yourself in an interesting way that’s actually changed your DNA, that... might have ramifications.

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  • 11

    Question

    Ever since reading Legion, I feel like Stephen Leeds might be based off of you. Is that accurate at all?

    Brandon Sanderson

    There's a little bit of me in every character, and the me that's in him is kind of the organizing crazy voices in my head.

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  • 12

    Question

    What's the chemical definition of a metal in Mistborn? Is it the entire chunk of the periodic table defined as a metal?

    Brandon Sanderson

    It is technically that, but many of them are Allomantically inert. But things like cesium still count.

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  • 13

    Question

    If sprens are pieces of the god power, and investiture is the power of the god, then can Nightblood consume spren?

    Brandon Sanderson

    He could theoret- Yeah, he could totally consume spren. There's not even any “theoretically” to that.

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  • 14

    Question

    Are Cognitive elements like spren and seons only present on physical planes or worlds where Shards have been Shattered?

    Brandon Sanderson

    No, but it does require … alternately the shard would have to give up pieces of their power for that. But it doesn't have to be "they were Shattered by someone." Seons existed on, sorry, spren existed on Roshar before the Shattering. Not as many.

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  • 15

    Question

    Was Honor Shattered before or after the Recreance?

    Brandon Sanderson

    I believe after. I'm pretty sure. I mean, he has memories of the Recreance.

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  • 16

    Question

    Syl always sees Shardblades as dead spren, these terrible things. But she never mentions the same of Shardplate. Is Shardplate made of non-sentient spren?

    Brandon Sanderson

    RAFO

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  • 17

    Question

    The Oathgate fabrial has an opening for a living Shardblade to make it functionable. Does this mean the opening is made from a spren?

    Brandon Sanderson

    You will find more about this in a future book.

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  • 18

    Question

    Since Vasher has worldhopped to Roshar, is he still immortal?

    Brandon Sanderson

    As long as he has Breath or Investiture to consume, then yes.

    Question

    Can he consume Stormlight?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yes.

    Question

    Does Zahel gain abilities from the Stormlight?

    Brandon Sanderson

    No.

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  • 19

    Question

    Given how much they futz with time, why doesn't Wax continually reset his watch?

    Brandon Sanderson

    They really should have to, huh? That's a good reminder. I've never thought about that.

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  • 20

    Question

    Where are you going with the lunar allegory of Wax and Wayne?

    Brandon Sanderson

    There's no moon on Scadrial, and it just cracked me up that they would have these names that were a pun that they wouldn't get. I came up with Wayne's name first and then I needed a name for the straight man he played off of, and then Wax and Wayne amused me.

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  • 21

    Question

    Who's your favorite ninja turtle?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Leonardo, because I'm the bossy older brother who orders everyone around.

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  • 22

    Question

    Was Odium's original purpose to neutralize the threat of Adonalsium?

    Brandon Sanderson

    No. Good question.

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  • 23

    Question

    Is the fact that Odium can't leave Roshar a direct result of the Oathpact, or something else?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Not a direct result of the Oathpact, but the Oathpact was part of it.

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  • 24

    Question

    Are the 16 shards finalized?

    Brandon Sanderson

    I have finalized them with the reservation that I can change them when I do their adaptation if something works better. I have them all written down, but they're not canonized. I could tweak them. Once I put them in a book, they're canonized. I like to give myself a little bit of flexibility before I put them in a book.

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  • 25

    Question

    Syl identifies herself as an honorspren.

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yes.

    Question

    Would Wyndle identify himself as a cultivation spren? [Pause]

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yes. I think you could say that he would.

    Question

    By the same logic, would a voidspren follow the same naming convention, so to speak?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Here's the thing. Certain spren have decided that they are the most pure forms of honor, or that they are the most pure form of whatever, where all of them are kind of... Syl's got a good argument for what she is. But there are other spren that would be like "well, I'm an honorspren too, I'm just this variety of honorspren." Does that make sense? Syl's like "I'm an American!" and I'm like "I'm an Alaskan!" Yes, you're an American. I'm an American too. It's kind of similar to that. But she would be the most pure... many would view her as the purest form. Wyndle would view himself as the purest form of a cultivation spren.

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  • 26

    Question

    Any chance we'll be seeing further correspondence between the writers of the letters? In further books, perhaps?

    Brandon Sanderson

    You will see more letters.

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  • 27

    Question

    Is the God Beyond, or the Unknown god, one of the Adonalsium shardholders or is it another godlike entity?

    Brandon Sanderson

    RAFO.

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  • 28

    Question

    So some people were talking about your science fiction stuff, like Defending Elysium. Do you have any intention to go further with that?

    Brandon Sanderson

    I have no current intentions. I have ideas for where I would go, but I just have so many projects that right now I'm letting that one lay as is.

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  • 29

    Question

    In the Ars Arcanum of Elantris, you mention Vax, the planet? What project is there?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Good question; I'm not gonna’ answer.

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  • 30

    Question

    Can you use Feruchemy and Hemalurgy together like you can use Allomancy and Feruchemy to Compound?

    Brandon Sanderson

    There are some tricks you can play. I wouldn't call them compounding, but there are tricks.

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  • 31

    Question

    What happens if you put Shardplate in a highstorm? If you are in Shardplate and you go out into a highstorm... A:

    Brandon Sanderson

    You're pretty well protected, but a boulder flying through the air can still do some major damage to a person in Shardplate.

    Question

    What will happen to the gems in the Shardplate?

    Brandon Sanderson

    They will be recharged.

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  • 32

    Question

    Can you use a Divine Breath to Awaken a Lifeless?

    Brandon Sanderson

    RAFO.

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  • 33

    Question

    whether Shardplate is also spren

    Brandon Sanderson

    RAFO.

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  • 34

    Question

    In the Epilogue of Words of Radiance, Jasnah is talking with Hoid and Hoid mentions a nearby village. Is it Hearthstone?

    Brandon Sanderson

    No it is not. Good question. Because they're out in the Unclaimed Hills somewhere. They're not even in Alethkar.

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  • 35

    Question

    Can you write the fourth ideal of the Windrunners?

    Brandon Sanderson

    No. No no no no no no. [unimportant conversation] The fourth ideal is guessable, I feel. Much more so than... Well, you probably could have guessed the third ideal as the book progressed. I think you could guess the fourth one right now, but it's going to be hard. It's not obvious, but it's =there.

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  • 36

    Question

    Is metal a renewable resource on Scadrial, or is it going to run out?

    Brandon Sanderson

    It does run out.

    Footnote

    supposedly contradicts another WOB: I just got back from the Phoenix Comic on, where Brandon is a guest at, and I must say it was an honor to meet him. He read parts of Wax/Wayne 2, Legion 2, and the Taravangian interlude in WoR. There weren't a lot of cosmeric goodies, but I did get a couple interesting tidbits in relation to Mistborn: Ruin would have had to manifest to reabsorb the atium, the Well of Ascension did not come at a price to Preservation's power, and perhaps the most interesting one. Burned metals are turned into a different form, and will eventually return to the planet. The Pits of Hath sin are meant to foreshadow this.

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  • 37

    Question

    Are all the Ideals going to be released eventually, all five- for all the different Knights?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yes, they should all be.

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  • 38

    Question

    If you burn a Hemalurgic spike, would it graft the piece of stolen soul onto your soul?

    Brandon Sanderson

    No, but it would have... There are some interesting effects there.

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  • 39

    Question

    As of Shadows of Self, how many Shards are there on Scadrial?

    Brandon Sanderson

    (nervous laugh) There are two.... Harmony counts as two Shards. I do mean it that way, and I am giving you clarification so you don't all freak out.

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  • 40

    Question

    This is more of a nitty-gritty question about Allomancy, in particular cadmium. Would it function if it were affixed to a body smaller than a planet with its own source of gravity?

    Brandon Sanderson

    What do you mean by work [function]?

    Question

    Like a spacecraft. My thinking is that it could be used on long space voyages, because you’ve said that you're going to eventually progress into the Space age--

    Brandon Sanderson

    So are you asking if we can use that as cryogenics?

    Question

    Yes.

    Brandon Sanderson

    I actually give you some tools for figuring these sorts of things out in Bands of Mourning, so I'll refer you to that, because I'm dolling the physics of these things out, and since I know it's coming in January, just read that one. You'll get some more actual concrete laws and rules so you can start extrapolating.

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  • 41

    Question

    I have to congratulate whoever did the Soonie pup ad. Effective advertising: I want one!

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yes, lots of people have said this. It was not something we were intending to do. It would have to be more than just a little puppy, though. You'd have to be able to rip out its spikes and transform it or something. You can go get a stuffed puppy anywhere.

    Question

    But it's a stuffed TenSoon, so it's a stuffed Irish wolfhound. And you can find those in adult. You cannot find those in puppy.

    Brandon Sanderson

    I'll think about it.

    Question

    You don't have to do the spikes.

    Brandon Sanderson

    I know, but people will want the spikes. You'd have to be able to take out the spikes and turn it into a blob, so it's a mistwraith on the inside and a Soonie pup on the outside.

    Question

    It'd have to be something like a backpack dog. Maybe the spikes are clasps on the outside or something.

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  • 42

    Argent

    Can you confirm: When Bleeder died, she only had one spike made of that new metal in her, right?

    Brandon Sanderson

    What does the book say?

    Argent

    It could go either way. Because it could be either one spike of the unknown metal and one regular, or just one of the unknown metal. And we're divided right now.

    Brandon Sanderson

    I have heard this. I didn't intend you to get divided, but I've heard that you are, and part of me doesn't want the… One Week Later...". I want more time for the theories to come out! [You can hear the smile in his voice :( ]

    Argent

    There are theories.

    Brandon Sanderson

    I know. Let's give the theories a little more time and then I'll canonize it for you in a little bit. I didn't intend for there to be a division here, but obviously there is, and so I'm going to wait until I'm done with tour. Then you can write to us and we'll tell you exactly what's going on there.

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  • 43

    Argent

    Was Harmony unable to find her because the spike was made of this metal?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yeah. The spike was what prevented him from being able to find her.

    Question

    It wasn't an ability granted by the spike.

    Brandon Sanderson

    No.

    Question

    It was just the material.

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yeah.

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  • 44

    Argent

    Was Bloody Tan influenced and/or controlled by Harmony or one of his agents? During those introductory events [?]?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Controlled by Harmony? No.

    Argent

    Was he controlled or influenced by anyone outside of himself?

    Brandon Sanderson

    [Sounds like he's about to say “yeah”] RAFO.

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  • 45

    Argent

    If a lerasium spike is used to steal a trait-

    Brandon Sanderson

    You're straying way into RAFO territory here.

    Argent

    Will the recipient of the spike gain anything other than the ability stolen?

    Brandon Sanderson

    I'm not going anywhere near this one. This one’s a RAFO.

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  • 46

    Argent

    The Hemalurgic constructs Bleeder uses. Do you have a name for them?

    Brandon Sanderson

    I have not named them yet. Should I? Is it important for fandom?

    Argent

    We don't know what to call them.

    Brandon Sanderson

    I have in my head that they're kind of Hemalurgic chimaeras.

    Argent

    Okay. We'll go with that.

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  • 47

    Argent

    Can somebody travel to the Spiritual Realm, the same as the Cognitive?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yes, but it's a very different experience. It is possible… You may have seen people do it...

    Argent

    As in you're not sure, or you're being obnoxiously vague?

    Brandon Sanderson

    No...

    Question

    As in, you probably have but he's having trouble remembering it.

    Brandon Sanderson

    No no no... For instance, Elend burning atium and duralumin pulled most of him into the Spiritual Realm.

    Argent

    Oh, that's what happens there.

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yeah. He kind of got yanked into- You also have seen people ascend with the powers and dip into the Spiritual Realm for a little bit.

    Argent

    So, Vin?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yeah. But they could be on both, or either, or both at the same time. But you have seen Vin stick into the Spiritual Realm. And it happened to Sazed/Harmony...

    Question

    Oh! So is that where the gods live? Kinda?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Most of the bulk of the Shard's energy of being is contained in the Spiritual Realm, yes. [edited for clarity- Original was: Most of the bulk of what the Shard's energy of being is contained on the Spiritual Realm] Except for one notable exception!

    Question

    The mistwraith? [I would guess she meant the mist spirit]

    Brandon Sanderson

    No.

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  • 48

    Argent

    Can you get a Hemalurgic spike for writing skill?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Hemalurgy is a lot more varied than what it's been used for so far.

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  • 49

    Question

    What is your favorite word in the English language?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Rutabaga.

    Question

    Is there a reason?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Because it made me laugh when I used it in the Alcatraz books, and it became a theme of those books, which do silly things for no good reason.

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  • 50

    Question

    Is there a pattern to Spook's street slang?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yes, but it's a really loose one. It was based off of some rhyming slangs, some street slangs, and some things that I researched, where it would evolve day by day, and they would throw in some extraneous words just to confuse people that didn't speak it. It was also based on internet slang. There are rules, but the rules are kind of loose and free, and you can add weird words when you want to. You basically put everything in the past progressive and then you add lots of extra "to be" phrases. Then you reverse a few of your syntaxes, and that's it.

    Question

    So it's practicing a whole lot to sound improvised.

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yes. ... Wasing the being of complicated to be. No, complicated to see. Yeah.

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  • 51

    Question

    What's your favorite board game outside of Magic?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Ooh... I'm not a board game guy. A lot of people who play Magic don't play anything else. My brother's the board game guy. I don't really have a favorite. I'll play with him, but I'll do it for fun to hang out with my family. If I do have one, it's Sorry, because that's what my family played when I was a kid. Does Dominion count? Then that would be my favorite. I really like Dominion. Stratego's not bad.

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  • 52

    Question

    I forget where it was, but I read something where you talked about Dark One, a world where the planet generates an electric field? [Goes on about how he wrote an RPG with the same idea in college]

    Brandon Sanderson

    I have so much more research to do on that one before I write it. I have to read 3 or 4 books on bonehead electric fields and things like that, and so...

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  • 53

    Question

    Am I weird for liking The Emperor's Soul?

    Brandon Sanderson

    It's one of my most popular works.

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  • 54

    Question

    Favorite place in the world?

    Brandon Sanderson

    My home. I've been to so many amazing places that it's hard for me to pick a favorite. And I have fans in all of them, and they'll be mad if I don't pick them.

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  • 55

    Question

    We were talking about Kelsier, and how he was much more powerful than most Mistborn, and how Vin was slightly more than most Mistborn [I think this was supposed to be Kelsier?]?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Why were Vin and Kelsier more powerful?

    Question

    I know why Kelsier, but why Vin?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Vin was not more powerful. Vin just took to it very naturally. She was highly skilled. It was very instinctive to her, but Elend was actually more powerful than she was, if you count just raw power. Vin just knew her stuff. Beyond that Vin is a rare individual that for reasons I have not explained yet, was able to draw in the mists for a little extra boost at times. And there are other characters you have seen do this.

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  • 56

    Question

    So we've seen a bit that other magic systems can work on worlds that they don't originate from. Could Hemalurgic spikes be made on other worlds?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yes.

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  • 57

    Question

    Why did you call it Shadows for Self?

    Brandon Sanderson

    There are two answers to this. One is the kandra are kind of doing different versions of themselves. The other is that Wax is trying to decide which person he is, through this. The term "shadows of self" is actually a phrase that one of the kandra use in the first trilogy talking about this idea of changing who they are and things like that, so the phrase had import to me in-world.

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  • 58

    Question

    I really liked your Legion books. Is there any chance you would do a third?

    Brandon Sanderson

    I will do one more. And then if it takes off as a TV, like I've been trying to make happen, we will do some more, but if not, then... yeah.

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  • 59

    Question

    Would it be safe to assume that Kaladin is also carrying the Honorblade? Because that makes the most sense to me.

    Brandon Sanderson

    Which Honorblade?

    Question

    The one from Szeth.

    Brandon Sanderson

    That is... He's not.

    Question

    That surprises me, because to me that would be the best- That would make the most sense.

    Brandon Sanderson

    That would be sneaky of me. But that's not the case.

    Question

    So he actually has an Honorblade, since you asked which one.

    Brandon Sanderson

    He took Szeth's. So he has that one. Oh! I thought you meant Taln's, I thought. He does not have Taln's. He has Szeth's.. Yes he has Szeth’s.

    Question

    I'm assuming he found that one, because that made the most sense to keep it safe

    Brandon Sanderson

    He’s got Szeth’s, that is true. ... Sorry, I assumed you meant Taln's. Taln's is gone.

    Question

    Yeah. Taln's vanished off the face of the planet! I'm assuming Hoid grabbed that one, actually.

    Brandon Sanderson

    That is one of the prevailing theories and not one that is unreasonable.

    Question

    Well, considering. That was the one, because you had mentioned last time you were here that you could have both, and I was like, "okay, so that means he’s got Szeth's sword."

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  • 60

    Question

    Burning cadmium, is that maybe like a way to- maybe in the sci-fi novels where you can basically do your interstellar travel without, like you know dying going long distances. Is that kind of like the plan?

    Brandon Sanderson

    In [Bands of Morning] I will start talking about the rules for using these magics while you’re in motion.

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  • 61

    Question

    About Renarin's Ssurgebinding. Are [his visions] they influenced by Voidbinding instead of Surgebinding? [unclear who "they" are-possibly his visions?]

    Brandon Sanderson

    That's a RAFO. Q: And then if they are influenced by Odium the way that Dalinar's are influenced by Honor.

    Brandon Sanderson

    That's a RAFO. I'm not going to talk about stuff like that! I have dropped some very blatant hints, and that is enough for me right now.

    Argent

    I asked pretty much the same thing last time, and you pointed me to a certain page. Can I tell her what the page was?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yes. There are certain things going on with him that I feel are very blatant. He [Argent] is going to point them out to you.

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  • 62

    Question

    Do the Knights Radiant have a nahn? Are they within the nahn system or the dahn system at all?

    Brandon Sanderson

    The nahn and dahn system is a more recent construct. They would be at the very height of it, I would say.

    Question

    Okay. So the system hasn't been reorganized yet with Kaladin and such?

    Brandon Sanderson

    You'll have to watch and see what happens in the next few books. Because the culture is not used to Knights Radiant being around.

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  • 63

    Question

    Is there going to be a Hoid series? Just Hoid?

    Brandon Sanderson

    There will be several Hoid books eventually. It will be about his backstory, the main one, and then we'll have some in the present as well.

    Question

    Will it show up in scenes where he interacts with these characters [presumably meaning, in scenes we already have seen him in, but from his viewpoint]?

    Brandon Sanderson

    I'm not planning those right now. I know they would be interesting, but I'm not sure if they'd make good enough books.

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  • 64

    Question

    Are we ever going to see any more of Sixth of the Dusk again?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yes, but not planned for another story. If you watch, you will see references to them.

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  • 65

    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.

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  • 66

    Question

    If someone isn’t an Allomancer, could they burn atium? Since it’s…

    Brandon Sanderson

    They could not burn atium. They would have figured that one out.

    Question

    So nothing would have happened, or…?

    Brandon Sanderson

    No. But there’s a little more to that story, but I’m not going to get into it right now.

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  • 67

    Question

    Is this how you envisioned Wax? [on the cover]

    Brandon Sanderson

    It's pretty close, yeah. [some time later] If there's one thing in the depictions of Wax that are a little wrong, I imagine him more swarthy. Darker coloring, just a bit. He's really kind of tannish. But I like how Ben got him to look kind of ugly, which is kind of Waxish. He's not horribly ugly, but he's not a model.

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  • 68

    Question

    Is Jasnah ever going to find true love?

    Brandon Sanderson

    I'm not going to answer that.

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  • 69

    Question

    Is the Thrill related to Investiture, or heritage, or both or neither?

    Brandon Sanderson

    It is definitely related to Investiture.

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  • 70

    Question

    The metals that were formed from Shards, like atium and lerasium. Are they somewhat naturally occurring, like in [?] of power, or are they specifically [?]?

    Brandon Sanderson

    They are somewhat naturally occurring.

    Question

    [Really? Even on other Shardworlds?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Oh. They could exist somewhere else. There are some special circumstances on Scadrial, but yes. The idea is that the pools are one state of this mythological matter.

    Question

    So if you have the physical state and the liquid state, is there a less liquid state? [what does this question even mean?] Because some of that's being used.

    Brandon Sanderson

    Um... Oh. Yeah. Yeah. But, I mean, it's such a drop in the bucket compared to the actual Shards. So that it is a statistically insignificant amount, but it is an amount.

    Question

    So Harmony's pool, wherever it is is statistically larger than...

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yes.

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  • 71

    Question

    [Next book]

    Brandon Sanderson

    [talking about how Legion 3 will happen eventually, etc.] I will write it eventually, but not right now. I have a different secret novella I'm writing, which would be for next year, so Legion's probably not going to come out next year.

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  • 72

    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.

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  • 73

    Question

    Have we seen harmonium?

    Brandon Sanderson

    RAFO.

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  • 74

    Question

    What happens when you look at a kandra who has eaten another person while you're burning malatium?

    Brandon Sanderson

    RAFO.

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  • 75

    Question

    Kandra can eat nonhumans. What happens when they eat a spren?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Kandras have never encountered spren in any relevant way, except for the occasional Worldhopper, and they have never had occasion to try to eat a spren. Good question.

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  • 76

    Alterodent

    Does Shallan's bond improve her art?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Shallan's memorization is supernatural, and her memorization affects her ability to do art, so I would say yes.

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  • 77

    Alterodent

    Can Hoid safely have an MRI?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Why do you ask that?

    Alterodent

    Because if you have metal inside your body, and you have an MRI, which is magnetic, it's very bad for you.

    Brandon Sanderson

    You're just assuming that... That's a very clever way to try to get around a question that I have not answered and intentionally said I am not going to answer, so...

    Alterodent

    Also, tattoos. You can't have a tattoo with an MRI. The ink has little bits of metal in it.

    Brandon Sanderson

    You can't? Well, I assume there are tattoo inks that are not little bits of metal.

    Alterodent

    That's true.

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  • 78

    Alterodent

    How many Horneater peaks are there? Or is it irrelevant?

    Brandon Sanderson

    It's not irrelevant. You will find that out in one of the books. I’m not going to canonize that yet. Because the honest truth is, I'm wavering on how exactly I want that to look. So that's the "I don't want to canonize it yet" RAFO.

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  • 79

    Alterodent

    What happens if a Parshendi attunes Barry White?

    Brandon Sanderson

    (laughs) I think that if they attune Barry White they immediately enter mateform. That's definitely how that goes.

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  • 80

    Kurkistan

    Is it possible to Compound aluminum, or will it all just poof away the second you start trying it?

    Brandon Sanderson

    (laugh) I have actually been asked that. And I RAFO'd them, so I'm going to RAFO you.

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  • 81

    Kurkistan

    If you spiked out Miles' Feruchemical gold, would he be able to burn his Allomantic reserves [read: Feruchemical reserves using Allomancy] and heal it back?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Uhn... Okay. If you spiked out his ability to heal gold and somehow left him alive.

    Kurkistan

    Yeah, but still having Allomancy.

    Brandon Sanderson

    Still has allomancy.

    Kurkistan

    And he’s like in the middle of burning a goldmind.

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yes, that would still work. It'd still have a Spiritual connection to him.

    Kurkistan

    So if you're a Coinshot and you get [spiked] to have Feruchemical steel, and then you lose the spike after making a store, you can still Compound that for speed?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yes... Yeah, that should still work.

    Kurkistan

    Was Paalm doing that?

    Brandon Sanderson

    That's a RAFO.

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  • 82

    Kurkistan

    Is there any difference between the healing that Feruchemical gold and held Stormlight can accomplish?

    Brandon Sanderson

    There are minor differences, but they work on the same principle, so...

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  • 83

    Kurkistan

    How long does it take a newly-made chair to start thinking of itself as a chair?

    Brandon Sanderson

    It depends on how- is the perception of the people that are using it.

    Kurkistan

    So if it just drifted together in space magically into a chair...

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yes. It would not actually start thinking of itself as a chair.

    Argent

    Kind of like if a tree falls in a forest, and there's nobody there to hear it...

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yes.

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  • 84

    Question

    Which character in your books have you had the most fun bringing to life?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Probably Wayne. He's just the most fun to write. When I get in his viewpoint, the weirdness takes over and it's great.

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  • 85

    Question

    I was curious if Nightblood was the only one of its kind, or if Vasher and Shashara have made any others.

    Brandon Sanderson

    That's a RAFO. Good question. Very good question. There was a point in time when Nightblood was the only one of its kind, and it may have continued until now.

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  • 86

    Question

    What was your inspiration for Spook?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Spook was based off of a goofy internet friend. My friends and I had made a forum online. Just my friends and I: Dan, and all these people that were writers. And then this random kid showed up, who was 16 and British, and started writing this weird stuff. He was like our little mascot, and he became our friend. We never knew him. It was all these graduated from college guys, and there's this sixteen year old kid that says the weirdest stuff.

    Question

    Does he know [that Spook's based on him]?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Oh, he knows. I told him 'I'm basing a character off of you'. He said, 'I'd love it.' And he turns out to be very heroic, so I'm sure that he... I mean, he read them all. He was great with it.

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  • 87

    Question

    How did Nightblood get on Roshar?

    Brandon Sanderson

    RAFO.

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  • 88

    Question

    If the spren that bond people scream when they touch a Shardblade, but then at the end of Words of Radiance Kaladin holds Szeth's honorblade and they do not have a problem with that, why does the Stormfather force Dalinar to get rid of his Honorblade at the end of Words of Radiance?

    Brandon Sanderson

    So... He does not have an Honorblade at the end of Words of Radiance.

    Question

    He does not. Oh, I thought he got it from... [Taln]

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yes, that's what the assumption is. If you look very closely, the blade that you think he ends up with is described differently from the one that he actually does.

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  • 89

    Question

    What planet is Vasher from?

    Brandon Sanderson

    He did originate on Nalthis, but he Worldhopped very early in his life.

    Question

    And what planet did he get the ability to change his shape, or is that because he's a Returned?

    Brandon Sanderson

    That's because he's a Returned, yes.

    Question

    So it's not because he's a Lightweaver?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Nope. That is a great question, though. He is mostly what he appears to be, with some hidden parts of his past.

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  • 90

    Question

    Does Stormlight Archive happen before or after Warbreaker?

    Brandon Sanderson

    It happens after.

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  • 91

    Question

    A nicrosil Ferring stores Investiture. Would a Nicrosil Compounder be able to gain Investiture up to the power of a Shard by infinitely compounding?

    Brandon Sanderson

    I talk a lot about that in an upcoming Mistborn book. So that’s a RAFO. The reading is coming. I will explain what it does.

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  • 92

    Question

    If an Allomancer ate a Forged metal, what happens?

    Brandon Sanderson

    There is going to be some Investiture in that Forged metal, but it's not going to be keyed the right way, so it'd be like eating a metalmind... If you're asking if the metal was Forged into a different type of metal, the Forgery will take and it will believe and... that's going to get really weird. I have not considered that. That's a “let me think about it.” [Pause] My instincts say that it's going to work like the metal it's become long enough to burn for a few minutes, and then that's going to break the Forgery, and it's going to snap out of it and become the other metal. That’s my instinct, but I’ll have to think about it further. (on second thoughts) It's going to be really hard to burn a metal that's Invested like that. The magics don't mix real well.

    Kurkistan

    Eh, you can burn metalminds.

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yeah, you can, but it’s from the same “magic set”, right? So...

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  • 93

    Question

    Could you Forge an entire human? What if a kandra eats that human?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yes, you could Forge an entire human, and the kandra can eat that human as long as the Forgery takes. The problem is, once you break the seal, they're going to change back. So that kandra would have to find a way to eat that person without breaking the Forgery. In that case it would just remain.

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  • 94

    Argent

    Lerasium grants all Allomantic powers when burned. Atium, when used as a spike, can steal any power. Is there a way to create a metalmind that can store anything?

    Brandon Sanderson

    There is a way to create a metalmind that can store anything.

    Argent

    Harmonium?

    Brandon Sanderson

    I’m not saying; I gave you an answer… [AKA: RAFO]

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  • 95

    Argent

    Since both the mists and Stormlight are very similar in many ways, are there gaseous, liquid, and solid states of Stormlight?

    Brandon Sanderson

    RAFO, but you know that there is a gas and a liquid.

    Argent

    The gas is just the stuff in the storms, right?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yeah, and when it escapes from the gemstones.

    Question

    Isn’t there the lake?

    Brandon Sanderson

    The lake is liquid. So you know there’s two of the three already. So just sayin’...

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  • 96

    Argent

    When Raoden goes in the lake above Elantris, he hears a voice. Is that a voice of a Cognitive shadow?

    Brandon Sanderson

    That's an excellent question. RAFO.

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  • 97

    Argent

    Is the mist spirit in Alendi's logbooks the same as the one Vin sees?

    Brandon Sanderson

    No.

    Kurkistan

    Is it the same one Elend sees?

    Brandon Sanderson

    When? (chuckles) No. It is not the same one that Elend sees. There is a different mist spirit back then. Elend sees the same one Vin sees.

    Kurkistan

    And Alendi saw a different one?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yes. And originally my rules for what made a mist spirit were a little more lax than I eventually decided them to being.

    Argent

    But it still works…?

    Brandon Sanderson

    What is in the books, it still works and is canonized, and those are two different mist spirits. But if you find the deleted scenes—if you look at them—there are- I am exploring more with mist spirits and you’ll find out what that would have been.

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  • 98

    Argent

    On Nalthis, can aluminum prevent somebody from Returning? So if you kill somebody with aluminum and leave the weapon in them?

    Brandon Sanderson

    [Long pause]I don't think that's going to be enough. I think that…

    Question

    Different way then?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yeah there are totally ways. I don’t think that that’s going to be enough. There's a difference between being inert and blocking Investiture, and actually sucking out Investiture. If you stuck Nightblood inside of a corpse; there are certain things… if you had a larkin or whatever sitting there that ingests the Investiture as it was coming in, that would prevent [Returning]. I think with aluminum you would just have somebody that comes alive with a wound, so maybe... But I think it would just heal around [the aluminum] and you'd just have a spike in you, kind of like Hemalurgy—but not like Hemalurgy. It's inert, but you know what I mean.

    Question

    Which suggests you can't actually Awaken aluminum.

    Brandon Sanderson

    No. It's not going to hold a charge.

    Kurkistan

    I assume you can't Forge it, either.

    Brandon Sanderson

    No. In fact the unForgable metal-

    Argent

    Ralkalest?

    Brandon Sanderson

    There's an unForgeable metal mentioned.

    Kurkistan

    Could we call it aluminum if we wanted to?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Let's just say that aluminum through most cultures was considered a mythological metal, and when people could actually find some, they considered it more valuable than gold, in our culture. So just sayin’...

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  • 99

    Kurkistan

    Did Hoid conference in on Harmony's chat with Wax?

    Brandon Sanderson

    (laugh) RAFO. (more laughing)

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  • 100

    Kurkistan

    If you're on Threnody and you get withered by a shade, are you better off burning Allomantic aluminum, or tapping Feruchemical gold?

    Brandon Sanderson

    (lots of laughing) [Some clarification on the question]They would both work pretty well. I would say if you burned aluminum, that would kind of have the effect that you are wanting it to have, which is the effect- negating and sucking out, so that’s probably safer. But the gold would work, too.

    Kurkistan

    So would it be fair to describe withering as a kind of cancerous Forging-

    Brandon Sanderson

    Sure.

    Kurkistan

    That just kind of slowly takes over your soul?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Sure. That's legit.

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  • 101

    Kurkistan

    Is it practical for an Oracle to get more out of electrum than Vin and Elend tried to?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yes. It is totally possible.

    Kurkistan

    So if you could see your shadow wince when it turned left, you would think "Oh, Mrs. Peabody's around that corner. I probably shouldn’t turn left!"

    Brandon Sanderson

    It is possible to squeeze more out of it than they did.

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  • 102

    Question

    In your mind, what would constitute a Worldhopper? Is it someone who makes a single trip between worlds (for example, the exodus from Yolen—not that it was an exodus, but a single trip), multiple trips between worlds (such as Hoid), or simply leaving a particular world?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Here's the thing. I would call anyone who is aware that there are multiple worlds in the Cosmere and has visited more than one a Worldhopper.

    Question

    Do they actually have to have made it to a second world?

    Brandon Sanderson

    I think that…You’re getting at people like- I would say that they are a Worldhopper kind-of, but not fully. They’re kind of...

    Kurkistan

    The Doctor's companion?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yeah, the Doctor’s companion type thing. I would define a Worldhopper as someone who has been to another world. I would call someone who has not actually been to another world “Cosmere-aware,” but not necessarily a Worldhopper.

    Question

    I was thinking more along the lines of the Shard who does not have a planet.

    Brandon Sanderson

    Oh, Shards transcend these definitions.

    Argent

    They're kind of Worldhoppers by default.

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yes.

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  • 103

    Question

    Is it possible for a Shard or Shardholder to reproduce, other than by creating Splinters?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yes.

    Question

    Any chance we've seen the offspring of-

    Brandon Sanderson

    RAFO! (laughter)

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  • 104

    Question

    Will we see any information, book, story, or just WoB in general on the fourth shard that Odium has vanquished?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Eventually I will talk about it. I don't want to talk about it now, but I will talk about it. So no, that’s a RAFO.

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  • 105

    Alterodent

    With Stormlight, the better the gem is cut, the less Stormlight it leaks, and the longer it holds its charge. If a gem was perfectly cut, on a molecular scale, would it leak Stormlight at all?

    Brandon Sanderson

    In a theoretical flawless gem, then no it would not.

    Alterodent

    Would it actually give off light?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Ooh... Theoretically no it would not, but it's not what you're thinking...

    Alterodent

    No no no, that’s not what I’m thinking, I figured that’s something totally different.

    Brandon Sanderson

    Well, actually, it probably would still give off light, because it's drawing out of the Spiritual Realm. So I’d say it still lights, but it doesn't leak. The leaking is not where the illumination is coming from. The illumination is coming from a direct... It's basically a lightbulb screwed into the Spiritual Realm.

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  • 106

    Alterodent

    What are the dimensions of Urithiru relative to something like the Sears Tower?

    Brandon Sanderson

    That's a question for Peter and Isaac. They work out the math. It's bigger! More area, but maybe not taller. I'm not sure.

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  • 107

    Alterodent

    What happens if you Compound chromium?

    Brandon Sanderson

    RAFO.

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  • 108

    Alterodent

    With zinc, you get mental speed. How is that any different from steel, except without [physical] speed?

    Brandon Sanderson

    I think of the mental speed actually turning you into... Let's say you sped up your body, and you wanted to figure out some really complex equations.

    Alterodent

    So it lets you have intuitive leaps.

    Brandon Sanderson

    Right. It basically turns you into Ken Jennings. That's how I imagine it.

    Kurkistan

    So it's not like bullet time?

    Brandon Sanderson

    No... It'll bullet time a little bit, it certainly will, because you're thinking faster than everyone else, but it has applications beyond bullet timing. Bullet time is really-

    Kurkistan

    That’s steel’s thing?

    Brandon Sanderson

    That’s kind of steel's thing. They overlap on that one, because the steel thing... But yeah. It's more like "I think fast, but my reaction speed is not sped up".

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  • 109

    Question

    I was curious about the concept of Flow, and how the Thrill compares to that.

    Brandon Sanderson

    Expand upon that. What do you mean?

    Question

    (confusing wording)

    Brandon Sanderson

    So you mean like in the zone, in the moment. The Thrill does overlap with that a little bit, but the Thrill is something distinct. It does give you some of that focus.

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