2018, March 1-4 Seattle Comic-Con

[Khyrindor]

Brandon is on the roster for ECCC coming up in a few months, and I'll be going down with my dad and a friend for the Sunday (the 4th). Is anyone else going to be going? I'd love to meet a few Sharders to swap questions.

Speaking of which, what's the policy for signing lines at Cons? Will we get to ask questions? How many books can I bring to get signed? Are we allowed to record?

Some other authors will be there as well, including Patrick Rothfuss, Terry Brooks, and Jim Butcher.

I'm still looking for some good questions to ask, so if anyone has any, I have a while to pick and choose 

Here's my ongoing list of questions to ask. Most of them might be RAFO bait and I'd appreciate help in phrasing them. Spoilers for everything:

Spoiler

On narrowing down Shards (my obsession):

1. Would it be feasible to put the 16 Shards into groups of four?                                                                                                                                                                                                              -[If no] Are they more random, then, and we're just looking for Patterns where none exist?

2. The Intents/names of Shards have often appeared on-page without referencing the actual Shards themselves (for example, Ambition being a theme in Elantris long before we knew of Shards; Endow and Devotion being common words). Is this ever intentional?                                                                                                                                                                                    -[If yes] Have you done this (intentionally) with Shards we haven't yet seen?                                                                                                                                                                                -[RAFO-bait-but-maybe-I'll-get-lucky-or-at-least-a-grin] In Oathbringer, when Hoid says "he and wisdom are often at cross-purposes", is he referring to the Shard that just wants to hide and survive?                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          -In the same scene Hoid also mentions Kindness and Cynicism, are these possible synonyms for the names of other shards we don't know about yet?

3. As of writing the essays in Arcanum Unbounded, does Khriss know the Intents of all 16 Shards?

Autonomy/Trell Questions:

1. As of Sixth of the Dusk, has Autonomy abandoned First of the Sun?                                                                                                                                                                                              -Why doesn't Khriss recognize Autonomy's influence on First of the Sun in her Essays?

2. [assuming Trell is Autonomy, maybe I'll trick him] Is Trell an "avatar" of Autonomy (like the one she mentions in the Letter in Oathbringer) or is he an agent working with the Set?

3. Was Autonomy directly involved in killing Aona and Skai (as in present, working with Odium)?                                                                                                                                                    -[If yes] Could Odium have done it on his own?

Assorted Questions:

1. What does Endowment think of Nightblood?                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    -[RAFO bait] Did she directly interfere with or influence his creation?

2. [has been RAFO'd but might be good to ask again] Is Edgli a dragon?

3. You've mentioned that the Dor is like a "plasma storm" and is very dangerous to travelers. Yet, we've seen many Elantrians on other worlds (Galladon, Riino, the Ire). Do Elantrians have an inherent immunity to the Dor as practitioners?                                                                                                                                                                                                                        -[if no] If the Ire had successfully taken up Preservation, would they have been able to restore the Dor, holding three Shards?

4. Was the infamous Worldhopping Kandra seen on-page in Oathbringer?

5. Can Shards have multiple Shardpools? For example, can Harmony have one in the basin and one on SoScad?                                                                                                                        -[If yes] Is this specific to Harmony as he holds two Shards, or could any Shard maintain multiple Shardpools?

Expanding List (hand out questions?)

1. How old is Silverlight, at the time of writing the Essays?

2. Do Cognitive cultural expectations affect a peoples' physical DNA? For example, Rosharans think of the Alethi as tall, dark-haired, lightly tanned. Does this make them more likely to grow to look that way?

3. What would happen if someone took a fabrial into Shadesmar? Specifically, what would happen to the spren?

4. Would a spanreed in the Physical Realm be able to communicate with its conjoined spanreed in the Cognitive Realm?

5. What would happen if an Elsecaller tried to transition to the Physical Realm while holding a glass bead from Shadesmar?

6. Is the first planet in the Iriali Long Trail Yolen?

*I will add/subtract questions. I'm okay with a few RAFOs. I'll also hand some questions to other attendees, and I have two other people with me. Additions are welcome*

 

9

2

 

 

Edited January 30, 2018 by Khyrindor

[Isilel]

The question that immediately comes to mind:

Was the Thrill originally a splinter of Dominion, that was corrupted and co-opted by Odium? Because it is often mentioned how the Thrill is a contest for "dominance" and, of course, it is red, which is a sign of corrupted investiture.

P.S. and here is another one:

How old is Silverlight? I just had an idea that  some of the Radiants, particularly the Elsecallers, Truthwatchers, Lightweavers and Willshapers may have assuaged their fears of inadverently destroying Roshar by leaving it and settling in the Cognitive Realm outside of  their native system, instead of participating in the Recreance.

 

 

Edited January 21, 2018 by Isilel

[The One Who Connects]

Excerpt from my Fabrial Questionnaire:

On 10/9/2017 at 3:05 PM, The One Who Connects said:

• Can a Dual-Purpose Fabrial be created? Ex: A Heating Fabrial that doubles as a Cooling Fabrial if you alter something on it(rotate something, tap a gemstone, pull a lever, etc..)
• We have a Fabrial in a Dalinar Flashback with two different gemstones on it(Topaz and Heliodor^[12]). Is there a set pattern for what each gem/gem combinations allow a Fabrial to manipulate?
• Augmenter and Diminisher Fabrials work best with "forces, emotions, or sensations." Would it be possible to make Rioter/Soother Fabrials for specific emotions?

[Stark]

If someone gets the chance, I'd be extremely appreciative if they would ask a question or two about this quote:

Quote

Brandon Sanderson
So, basically, in my original notes I was trying to decide if I should call them [something else?] but they-- eventually we ended up-- It's basically, they have a male neuter and female neuter, and then a male and a female. So yes, there are four genders. [...] And, if you can't tell, the malen and femalen are both asexual, completely.

Given that the singers were trapped in slave- and dullforms for thousands of years, and that malen and femalen are completely asexual - how did the species survive?  Is it that mateform makes it easier to successfully procreate, and the other forms it is possible, but not easy?  Because if mateform is the only form with male and female traits and the ability to procreate, how did the species not die out?

We know from Sah talking to Kaladin that slaveform could have children, so if mateform is the only procreation form, did Cultivation intercede on their behalf as a boon/curse situation to help them escape their gods?  Remove their forms, and by extension their gods, but allow them to procreate in any form until mateform is rediscovered?Because if memory serves, the original council of five were all dullform, because that is all they had for generations?

[Landis963]

2 hours ago, Stark said:

If someone gets the chance, I'd be extremely appreciative if they would ask a question or two about this quote:

Given that the singers were trapped in slave- and dullforms for thousands of years, and that malen and femalen are completely asexual - how did the species survive?  Is it that mateform makes it easier to successfully procreate, and the other forms it is possible, but not easy?  Because if mateform is the only form with male and female traits and the ability to procreate, how did the species not die out?

We know from Sah talking to Kaladin that slaveform could have children, so if mateform is the only procreation form, did Cultivation intercede on their behalf as a boon/curse situation to help them escape their gods?  Remove their forms, and by extension their gods, but allow them to procreate in any form until mateform is rediscovered?Because if memory serves, the original council of five were all dullform, because that is all they had for generations?

Well, we know that the parshmen (i.e. the singers in slaveform) were put out to stud whenever a fertile female was found.  And their masters were highly motivated to keep their workforce at a stable population. 

[WeiryWriter]

2 hours ago, Stark said:

If someone gets the chance, I'd be extremely appreciative if they would ask a question or two about this quote:

Given that the singers were trapped in slave- and dullforms for thousands of years, and that malen and femalen are completely asexual - how did the species survive?  Is it that mateform makes it easier to successfully procreate, and the other forms it is possible, but not easy?  Because if mateform is the only form with male and female traits and the ability to procreate, how did the species not die out?

We know from Sah talking to Kaladin that slaveform could have children, so if mateform is the only procreation form, did Cultivation intercede on their behalf as a boon/curse situation to help them escape their gods?  Remove their forms, and by extension their gods, but allow them to procreate in any form until mateform is rediscovered?Because if memory serves, the original council of five were all dullform, because that is all they had for generations?

Slaveform has the capability to breed (but not as effectively as mateform), just like workform can swing a sword (but not as effectively as warform). The forms are just specializations. Cultivation did not need to be involved.

[Stark]

40 minutes ago, WeiryWriter said:

Slaveform has the capability to breed (but not as effectively as mateform)

Do we have confirmation on which forms are capable of breeding?  I assume slaveform, dullform and mateform are on the list.  Potentially workform as well.  But if all forms are capable of mating, it makes me question the asexual nature of malen and femalen genders in non-mateforms.  If all forms can reproduce at differing capacity levels, then why have a non-reproductive gender designation?

 

I assume that warform, and likely many of the Regal or fused forms are incapable of mating, but it would be nice to get a bit more information on these distinctions.

[WeiryWriter]

1 hour ago, Stark said:

Do we have confirmation on which forms are capable of breeding?  I assume slaveform, dullform and mateform are on the list.  Potentially workform as well.  But if all forms are capable of mating, it makes me question the asexual nature of malen and femalen genders in non-mateforms.  If all forms can reproduce at differing capacity levels, then why have a non-reproductive gender designation?

 

I assume that warform, and likely many of the Regal or fused forms are incapable of mating, but it would be nice to get a bit more information on these distinctions.

 

Quote

RenegadeShroom

You said earlier that Parshendi are primarily asexual, does that extend to all Listeners -- parshmen, and those descended from Listeners, like Horneaters and Herdazians -- or is it just the Parshendi?

Brandon Sanderson

Most Listener forms are asexual, but several forms are different, including slaveform. Horneaters and Herdazians are not, as a rule, though there are higher instances of asexuality among them.

uchoo786

I was actually wondering about how Parshmen would reproduce if they are only in slaveform? I thought one had to be in mateform in order to reproduce?

Also, could Horneaters and Herdazians change forms as well?

Brandon Sanderson

For the first, mateform is not the only form capable of producing--any more than warform is the only one capable of swinging a sword. The forms are specializations.

For the second, RAFO.

source

This is all we have. I'm not sure I understand your questioning of the asexual nature of non-mateforms though?

[RShara]

Is the Shard correctly named Odium, or would Passion be a possible name if it had another Vessel?

Does a region or culture's expectation affect their sDNA?  Like, Rosharans think of the Alethi as tall, dark haired, lightly tanned.  Does that make it more likely they will actually look that way?

Confirm that Eshonai is dead and gone Beyond.

[Stark]

1 hour ago, WeiryWriter said:

This is all we have. I'm not sure I understand your questioning of the asexual nature of non-mateforms though?

Understanding or not, you have answered my question.  My question mostly came from the line:

Quote

Most Listener forms are asexual, but several forms are different

I'm curious which forms, including mate-, slave, and dullform were not asexual, as opposed to the forms that are asexual and incapable of childbirth.  This confirms that not all forms can have children, which solves my question.  Now I just want to know what forms, that we've seen, can or cannot reproduce.  I'm curious if there is a pattern to what forms are reproductive-ly viable, at any level, versus completely asexual and non-viable for reproduction.

 

Maybe there is a parrellel to the Shin culture, the one who adds versus the one who takes away, or the Horneater culture that seems to place a higher value on non-soldiers.  Forms that add/build/create are viable versus forms that destroy/break down/remove are non viable for reproduction.  I'd be curious to see if there is a pattern along those lines.

[WeiryWriter]

3 hours ago, Stark said:

Understanding or not, you have answered my question.  My question mostly came from the line:

I'm curious which forms, including mate-, slave, and dullform were not asexual, as opposed to the forms that are asexual and incapable of childbirth.  This confirms that not all forms can have children, which solves my question.  Now I just want to know what forms, that we've seen, can or cannot reproduce.  I'm curious if there is a pattern to what forms are reproductive-ly viable, at any level, versus completely asexual and non-viable for reproduction.

I think your mistake is that you are assuming "asexual=cannot give birth", which isn't the case? Asexual just means they don't experience sexual attraction, not that they are incapable of childbirth.

[Oversleep]

On 21.01.2018 at 1:45 AM, The One Who Connects said:

Can a Dual-Purpose Fabrial be created? Ex: A Heating Fabrial that doubles as a Cooling Fabrial if you alter something on it(rotate something, tap a gemstone, pull a lever, etc..)

Already done? Navani's pain diminisher/tazer knife.

[Stark]

13 hours ago, WeiryWriter said:

I think your mistake is that you are assuming "asexual=cannot give birth", which isn't the case?

I'm going to disagree with you in this context.  We use asexual to refer to a person who has no sexual attraction/desire, or action that has no sexual motivation.  From a genetic perspective, Asexual reproduction results in a child that is the clone of the single parent.  So a single cell dividing in two - no exchange of gametes or change to the chromosomes.  As the parsh clearly have a male/female parent set when they reproduce involving two of the genders, male and female, and a child that is the result of chromosomal exchange - a blend of both parents.  They also have the neutral genders, malen and femalen, described as asexual.

In this context, even though it is a choice to take a form that is considered asexual, and given the WOB does not explicitly state that all forms can reproduce, I do not think the asexual forms can reproduce.  Mateform is better at reproduction, but not guaranteed to succeed, and there are other forms that can reproduce, albeit much less efficiently, and there are the neutral, asexual forms that cannot reproduce.  I would assume that warform falls under the later category.

Your interpretation that asexuality in this case applies as it does in our own inter-human interactions, rather than a more genetic connotation may well be right, but I do not think so.  In the absence of a concrete WOB, both options could be valid interpretations.  But I'm biased towards mine.

[The One Who Connects]

12 hours ago, Oversleep said:

Already done? Navani's pain diminisher/tazer knife.

Was this in OB, or am I completely forgetting something from WoR? (I only ask because I made those questions pre-OB and thought I did my research)
Edit: Forget I asked, it's OB, and the Painrial page wasn't updated till late November. That's on me for being lazy starting the preview chapters.

16 hours ago, WeiryWriter said:

I think your mistake is that you are assuming "asexual=cannot give birth", which isn't the case? Asexual just means they don't experience sexual attraction, not that they are incapable of childbirth.

It's the use of the word "Neuter" in the first WoB he provided. That term still feels pretty nonnegotiable to me.

Edited January 23, 2018 by The One Who Connects

[+Hoiditthroughthegrapevine]

EDITED, Some of these have been answered already, they have been stricken out, thanks @RShara! Some have been updated and modified.

Awesome offer @Khyrindor, I have some Cognitive Realm related questions, spoilered below:

Spoiler

Question Chain 1:

1. We know from Mistborn Secret History that if an Object in the Physical Realm was manifested in the Cognitive Realm and that later if this object was changed in the Physical Realm the CR manifested version of this Object would likewise change and would return to it's original location, is this the reason the Fused were demolishing Kholinar castle, to change and relocate manifest objects in Shadesmar?
2. If (1) is true, is this an indirect assault on a particular Spren City in the Cognitive Realm?
3. If (2) is true, is this an assault on the Cryptics city in Shadesmar?
4. If (3) is true, is the spren that Hoid rescues a Cryptic escaping from the Cognitive Realm and not Elohkar's spren?

Question Chain 2:

1. With how travel around Shadesmar works, and how travel between worlds in the Cognitve Realm works, would it be correct to view Shadesmar as part of a large Cosmere wide continous topology?
2. Does the depth of the sea of glass beads in Shadesmar correspond to the density of thought in the same location in the Physical Realm? (i.e.would the sea of glass beads be deeper in the area in Shadesmar that corresponds to Kholinar than the area that  corresponds to the Horneater Peaks)?
3. Can the Cognitive Realm be described as a 2-Dimnesional elastic surface that is warped by densities of thought (like space time is warped by Mass)?
4. If (3) is true, does this imply that the Spiritual Realm is below the Cognitive Realm, and that these desnsities of thought pull the surface of the Cognitive Realm towards the Spiritual Realm, and the lack of densities of thought causes the Unreflected areas of the Physical Realm to project upwards towards the Physical Realm?
5. If (4) is true, would it be correct to view the Spiritual Realm as a single Point, like the One of Parmenides, and that thought is energy that draws you closer to the Spiritual Realm?

Question Chain 3:

1. At the Shadows of Self Release Party, You said that "Roshar is a little bit easier to get to than some of other (planets)", and then later said that "There are places in the Cognitive Realm that are somewhat nexus-like", and there are 3 Nexuses on the Shadesmar map in TWoK endpapers, are these in fact representations of the 3 shards in the Rosharan System's perpendicularities?
2. Is there significance to the fact that the Nexus of Imagination appears to project into the Long Brow Straits/Sea of Arat in southern Roshar?
3. The Nexus of Transition on the Shadesmar map seems to project into the Purelake, is this how the Worldhoppers from the 17th Shard came to Roshar, through this Nexus and directly into the purelake?
4. Is the Nexus of Transition Cultivation's perpendicularity?
5. If (4) is true, is the purelake heavily Invested by Cultivation's Investiture?
6. If (4) is true, is the Reshi Sea heavily invested by Cultivation's Investiture?
7. Is the Nexus of Transition Odium's perpendicularity? It's the only one at the edge of the Shadesmar, heavily implying that is not in fact on Roshar, is this perpendicularity on Brayse?

 

Edited January 24, 2018 by hoiditthroughthegrapevine
Edited to remove answered questions

[RShara]

On 1/23/2018 at 0:35 PM, hoiditthroughthegrapevine said:

Awesome offer @Khyrindor, I have some Cognitive Realm related questions, spoilered below:

  Hide contents

Question Chain 1:

1. If an object has been manifested in Cognitive Realm (like the stones used to build Celebrant) and the object that it was manifested from is destroyed in the Physical Realm, would the Cognitive Realm object be destroyed as well?
2. If (1) is true, is this the reason the Fused were demolishing Kholinar castle?
3. If (2) is true, is this an indirect assault on a particular Spren City in the Cognitive Realm?
4. If (3) is true, is this an assault on the Cryptics city in Shadesmar?
5. If (4) is true, is the spren that Hoid rescues a Cryptic escaping from the Cognitive Realm and not Elohkar's spren?

Question Chain 2:

1. With how travel around Shadesmar works, and how travel between worlds in the Cognitve Realm works, would it be correct to view Shadesmar as part of a large Cosmere wide continous topology?
2. Does the depth of the sea of glass beads in Shadesmar correspond to the density of thought in the same location in the Physical Realm? (i.e.would the sea of glass beads be deeper in the area in Shadesmar that corresponds to Kholinar than the area that  corresponds to the Horneater Peaks)?
3. Can the Cognitive Realm be described as a 2-Dimnesional elastic surface that is warped by densities of thought (like space time is warped by Mass)?
4. If (3) is true, does this imply that the Spiritual Realm is below the Cognitive Realm, and that these desnsities of thought pull the surface of the Cognitive Realm towards the Spiritual Realm, and the lack of densities of thought causes the Unreflected areas of the Physical Realm to project upwards towards the Physical Realm?
5. If (4) is true, would it be correct to view the Spiritual Realm as a single Point, like the One of Parmenides, and that thought is energy that draws you closer to the Spiritual Realm?

Question Chain 3:

1. At the Shadows of Self Release Party, You said that "Roshar is a little bit easier to get to than some of other (planets)", and then later said that "There are places in the Cognitive Realm that are somewhat nexus-like", and there are 3 Nexuses on the Shadesmar map in TWoK endpapers, are these in fact representations of the 3 shards in the Rosharan System's perpendicularities?
2. Is there significance to the fact that the Nexus of Imagination appears to project into the Long Brow Straits/Sea of Arat in southern Roshar?
3. The Nexus of Transition on the Shadesmar map seems to project into the Purelake, is this how the Worldhoppers from the 17th Shard came to Roshar, through this Nexus and directly into the purelake?
4. Is the Nexus of Transition Cultivation's perpendicularity?
5. If (4) is true, is the purelake heavily Invested by Cultivation's Investiture?
6. If (4) is true, is the Reshi Sea heavily invested by Cultivation's Investiture?
7. Is the Nexus of Transition Odium's perpendicularity? It's the only one at the edge of the Shadesmar, heavily implying that is not in fact on Roshar, is this perpendicularity on Brayse?

 

 

Some answers for you.  OB and SH spoilers.

 

Spoiler

1.  Some of this is answered in Secret History.

Quote

When an object was recovered—or worse, destroyed—in the Physical Realm, its Identity changed and the spirit would return to the location of its body.

So basically, the object would change to what it was now, and if its soul was moved, it would go back to where it was in the Physical.

3.  Land here is water in the Cognitive and we saw Kholinar as a lake or bay, no city.  There's also a map in OB that shows where some of the cities are.

5.  It is Elhokar's spren

 

1.  Definitely.

4.  I view the Spiritual Realm as above, rather than below the Cognitive, if they can be defined in a three dimensional way at all.

 

 

4.  Cultivation's Perpendicularity is in the Horneater Peaks.

 

[+Hoiditthroughthegrapevine]

22 minutes ago, RShara said:

Some answers for you.  OB and SH spoilers.

Spoiler

  Some of this is answered in Secret History.

Quote

When an object was recovered—or worse, destroyed—in the Physical Realm, its Identity changed and the spirit would return to the location of its body.

So basically, the object would change to what it was now, and if its soul was moved, it would go back to where it was in the Physical.

3.  Land here is water in the Cognitive and we saw Kholinar as a lake or bay, no city.  There's also a map in OB that shows where some of the cities are.

5.  It is Elhokar's spren

 

1.  Definitely.

4.  I view the Spiritual Realm as above, rather than below the Cognitive, if they can be defined in a three dimensional way at all.

 

 

4.  Cultivation's Perpendicularity is in the Horneater Peaks.

 

Thanks @RShara, I modified some of the questions, I did have one question though about your answer to Question Chain 3, item number 4 (OB Spoiler):

Spoiler

I knew that Cultivation has a perpendicularity in the Horneater peaks, but can shards only have more than one perpendicularity?

The best understood perpendicularities (as far as I know) are Ruin's and Preservations on Scadrial, but these may be outliers because both shardpools were part of Preservation's plan to trap and contain Ruin, so the fact that each shard only had one could have been by design.

The Shadesmar map uses cloud images to suggest something. Note how the Nexus of Truth has no clouds around it (because it's most likely Honor's perpendicularity and has no fixed position), and how the clouds for the Nexus of Imagination come from the sub-astral margin, as if this is projecting into Shadesmar from a separate sub-astral, and how the cloud images from the nexus of Transition are in the Reshi Sea and extend into the purleake. The 17th sharders ended up in the Purelake, the Purelake has magic fish, and the Reshi islands are gigantic sapient great shells. All of these things hint at a high level of cultivation investiture (to my way of thinking), and it would be interesting to hear if a shard could potentially have more than one perpendicularity.

 

[RShara]

8 minutes ago, hoiditthroughthegrapevine said:

Thanks @RShara, I modified some of the questions, I did have one question though about your answer to Question Chain 3, item number 4 (OB Spoiler):

  Hide contents

I knew that Cultivation has a perpendicularity in the Horneater peaks, but can shards only have more than one perpendicularity?

The best understood perpendicularities (as far as I know) are Ruin's and Preservations on Scadrial, but these may be outliers because both shardpools were part of Preservation's plan to trap and contain Ruin, so the fact that each shard only had one could have been by design.

The Shadesmar map uses cloud images to suggest something. Note how the Nexus of Truth has no clouds around it (because it's most likely Honor's perpendicularity and has no fixed position), and how the clouds for the Nexus of Imagination come from the sub-astral margin, as if this is projecting into Shadesmar from a separate sub-astral, and how the cloud images from the nexus of Transition are in the Reshi Sea and extend into the purleake. The 17th sharders ended up in the Purelake, the Purelake has magic fish, and the Reshi islands are gigantic sapient great shells. All of these things hint at a high level of cultivation investiture (to my way of thinking), and it would be interesting to hear if a shard could potentially have more than one perpendicularity.

 

Spoiler

I guess it's theoretically possible that a Shard could have more than one Perpendicularity.  The way they're referred to in the text, though, it doesn't sound like Cultivation has more than one,  The spren should know about it if it existed, and it's heavily implied there's just the one in the Horneater Peaks.

Also....I always thought those were mountains instead of clouds.

 

[+Hoiditthroughthegrapevine]

OB spoilerified:

Spoiler

7 minutes ago, RShara said:

I guess it's theoretically possible that a Shard could have more than one Perpendicularity.  The way they're referred to in the text, though, it doesn't sound like Cultivation has more than one,  The spren should know about it if it existed, and it's heavily implied there's just the one in the Horneater Peaks.

Also....I always thought those were mountains instead of clouds.

But if you look at the Expanses they have the same visual representation, and we know from some WoBs that those are compressed patches of the CR between the Cognitive Realm of different inhabited Cosmere planets. I think from MB:SH, Kelsier's trip across the vast ocean of glass to reach the IRE (which are either in the Selish CR or likewise at an outpost in one of the expanses, that the terrain is not particularly mountainous, so I think it's safe to assume that the cloudy/mountainy looking shapes are coded symbols for something else.

That's a very good point about the Spren only talking about 1 shardpool, but maybe the areas in the Reshi Sea and the Purelake that are heavily invested are semi-permeable membranes through the Spiritual realm, that only accomplished Worldhoppers can use (like Hoid and the 17th Sharders).

Definitely worth asking Brandon about I think.

 

Edited January 24, 2018 by hoiditthroughthegrapevine

[RShara]

22 minutes ago, hoiditthroughthegrapevine said:

OB spoilerified:

  Hide contents

 I think from MB:SH, Kelsier's trip across the vast ocean of glass to reach the IRE (which are either in the Selish CR or likewise at an outpost in one of the expanses, that the terrain is not particularly mountainous, so I think it's safe to assume that the cloudy/mountainy looking shapes are coded symbols for something else.

That's a very good point about the Spren only talking about 1 shardpool, but maybe the areas in the Reshi Sea and the Purelake that are heavily invested are semi-permeable membranes through the Spiritual realm, that only accomplished Worldhoppers can use (like Hoid and the 17th Sharders).

Definitely worth asking Brandon about I think.

 

 

Spoiler

He was at the boundaries of Scadrial space, not very far from the actual planet.  Something like in orbit, definitely still within the solar system.  https://wob.coppermind.net/events/87-white-sand-vol1-release-party/#e5671

 

It's your question  

 

Ah, and this is why I thought those were mountains:  https://wob.coppermind.net/events/160-words-of-radiance-dayton-signing/#e2889

 

[Khyrindor]

@RShara @hoiditthroughthegrapevine I do plan on asking Brandon on the possibilities of Shards manifesting more than one Shardpool. Is there any specifically-phrased followup wither of you would like that could shed light on anything? I could try to insert it into that question thread of mine.

[+Hoiditthroughthegrapevine]

Rad! Indeed I do:

On 1/18/2018 at 10:20 AM, Khyrindor said:

6. Can Shards have multiple Shardpools? For example, can Harmony have one in the basin and one on SoScad?                                                                                                                        -[If yes] Is this specific to Harmony as he holds two Shards, or could any Shard maintain multiple Shardpools?

I would suggest you use the term "perpendicularities" in place of Shardpools, because there might something akin to miniature perpendicularities that wouldn't necessarily constitute a shardpool.

Here's the Question Chain that I would recommend:

1. Can Shards have multiple perpendicularities? (For example, can Harmony have one in the basin and one on SoScad?)
2. If yes, is this specific to Harmony as he holds two Shards, or could any Shard maintain multiple perpendicularities?
3. If a non-dishardic Shard can maintain multiple perpendicularities, have we seen any Shards that have more than one?
4. If we have, does Cultivation have more than one perpendicularity?
5. If so, are these shown on the Shadesmar map extending as cloud like forms from the Nexus of Transition?

Possible other tangentially related questions that would be awesome to know about (depending on how the conversation with Brandon goes)

1. Can an area in the Physical Realm be heavily invested by a shard enough to facilitate transition from the Cognitive realm without necessarily being a pooling of Investiture (like the well of Ascension on Scadrial or The Pool in Elantris)?
2. If so, would this be similar in effect to how Jasnah is able to use the surge of teleportation to transition to and from Shadesmar?
   (This is kind of a follow up to this very interesting WoB):
   Spoiler

   Questioner

   Is there any way it's possible that somebody could have gotten to the Cognitive Realm on Scadrial without the Well of Ascension?

   Brandon Sanderson

   Yes.

   Questioner

   And can we know how?

   Brandon Sanderson

   Well, how many Shardpools would Scadrial have?

   Questioner

   Two, so the Pits of Hathsin would be so? That's what I theorized.

   Brandon Sanderson

   Yes. So you've adopted the term "Shardpool". That was never really my term, but I've started using it. What happens with a Perpendicularity is large concentrations of Investiture, particularly purely attuned to one of the Shards, will create an access point. You've seen another one in--

   Questioner

   Yeah, yeah I know these.

   Brandon Sanderson

   You know which one I'm referencing?

   Questioner

   Yes.

   Brandon Sanderson

   That you didn't see a Pool from?

   Questioner

   Oh wait--

   Brandon Sanderson

   Okay, he knows, so… We'll move on. *general outcry* Okay, fine. Umm, at the end of Words of Radiance.

   Argent

   There has to be one there because Jasnah has to leave somehow, right?

   Brandon Sanderson

   Yes, but Honor's Perpendicularity moves.

   Questioner

   Woah...so...Highstorm?

   Brandon Sanderson

   *makes non-committal noises*

   Questioner 2

   Kind of related to that, I don't know if this is a RAFO kind of question, but you call them Perpendicularities, are we going to see this sort of thing created? Could there be, like--

   Brandon Sanderson

   Yeah, Perpendicularities can be created. You'd need a lot of Investiture, right? You'd need a ton of Investiture. But, basically what Jasnah does is create a little mini Perpendicularity, right? And slips herself into the Cognitive Realm.

   Questioner 2

   So it's just a question of skill, not a question of--

   Brandon Sanderson

   Yeah. It's hard to pull off, but some of the powers are built to do it.

   source

   Then this gem too, which shows it's the use of the teleportation surge:

   Questioner [PENDING REVIEW]

   Did Jasnah's body die, and she made a new one?

   Brandon Sanderson [PENDING REVIEW]

   No, she actually transferred her body to the other side... I actually even wrote the scene where it happened, but I didn't end put it any books... That's what Elsecallers do, is they teleport. That's one of their things.

   source

3. If so, is the Purelake one such area in Roshar where transition from the Cognitive Realm to the Physical Realm is easier because of concentrated (but not necessarily pooled) Investiture?

A couple general Perpendicularity questions:

• Is it possible for an active, unconstrained Shard to create a temporary perpendicularity wheverever they want it, or does a perpendicularity require a more durable Connection to a specific location in the Physical Realm through Investiture invested in that location?
• The Pits of Hathsin was a location where Ruin's Investiture slowly accreted, but the indiviual nuggets of Atium were widely dispersed, did the Perpendicularity that was created there have something to do with the cognitive idea of the Location that the Scadrians had of the Pits? Or is more of a function of there being a threshold limit of Investiture that is necessary for a perpendicularity to form?

[The One Who Connects]

8 minutes ago, hoiditthroughthegrapevine said:

Is it possible for an active, unconstrained Shard to create a temporary perpendicularity wherever they want it, or does a perpendicularity require a more durable Connection to a specific location in the Physical Realm through Investiture invested in that location?

I'd think the act of shoving enough Investiture into a spot to make a Perpendicularity would invest them into that planet/moon/etc... thus making that connection.

Quote

Argent
Can a Shard choose to just instantly invest in a place?

Brandon Sanderson
Yeah, they just need to start making some stuff.

They can choose to Invest by snapping their metaphorical fingers, after all.

14 minutes ago, hoiditthroughthegrapevine said:

The Pits of Hathsin was a location where Ruin's Investiture slowly accreted, but the indiviual nuggets of Atium were widely dispersed, did the Perpendicularity that was created there have something to do with the cognitive idea of the Location that the Scadrians had of the Pits? Or is more of a function of there being a threshold limit of Investiture that is necessary for a perpendicularity to form?

Considering the hand Preservation had in the Atium game, that could have something to do with it too. And my personal theory blames TLR, of all people.

On 4/21/2017 at 0:30 PM, The One Who Connects said:

Quote

So if the pits didn't exist prior to TLR, why did TLR decide that he needed to create the pits? Why didn't Preservation create a similar metal condensing mechanism when he first trapped Ruin?

It already existed, but TLR changed the landscape, burying Ruin's Pool and building a fortress above the Well. As a side effect (most likely), the Atium began to grow above the Pool, and TLR took full advantage of that once he found out what Atium did. Thus; the Pits came to be.

Odds are he probably collapsed whatever cave the Atium was previously growing in while terraforming, so it picked the next closest open area to continue growing. (Magic, much like life, will find a way)

[Khyrindor]

5 hours ago, hoiditthroughthegrapevine said:

Rad! Indeed I do:

I would suggest you use the term "perpendicularities" in place of Shardpools, because there might something akin to miniature perpendicularities that wouldn't necessarily constitute a shardpool.

Here's the Question Chain that I would recommend:

1. Can Shards have multiple perpendicularities? (For example, can Harmony have one in the basin and one on SoScad?)
2. If yes, is this specific to Harmony as he holds two Shards, or could any Shard maintain multiple perpendicularities?
3. If a non-dishardic Shard can maintain multiple perpendicularities, have we seen any Shards that have more than one?
4. If we have, does Cultivation have more than one perpendicularity?
5. If so, are these shown on the Shadesmar map extending as cloud like forms from the Nexus of Transition?

 

10

The problem with using "Perpendicularities" is that we know characters can create them, or they can exist when there's a build-up of Investiture, so the answer would be an obvious yes. There is a distinction between those and Shardpools, so I'm hoping to find out if a Shard could have multiple "Wells of Ascension" for example, or if a Shard could have a Shardpool on two different planets.

I'm a bit confused as to what you want to know about the Nexus? I too was under the impression that they were just fauna, like mountains or trees, not clouds. I've seen theories before that the Nexus of Transition is the way to Braize, which I find more likely.

My perpendicularity question is more to find out if Autonomy has left behind a few, or if she is limited to one and that's why Taldain is inaccessible. Also if the SoScads have their own Shardpool. I also want to know why Honor doesn't have a conventional Shardpool if they are more natural manifestations.

[+Hoiditthroughthegrapevine]

7 hours ago, Khyrindor said:

The problem with using "Perpendicularities" is that we know characters can create them, or they can exist when there's a build-up of Investiture, so the answer would be an obvious yes. There is a distinction between those and Shardpools, so I'm hoping to find out if a Shard could have multiple "Wells of Ascension" for example, or if a Shard could have a Shardpool on two different planets.

I guess the distinction I was trying to get to through the questions was if a temporary perpendicularity could be created by a Shard, because like @The One Who Connects pointed out with his WoB references it is heavily implied that the act of Investing by a Shard, if enough Investiture is used, can create a perpendicularity. But I don't think that Investiture once invested can be easily reclaimed, so it would interesting to know if there is some mechanism by which a shard can create a temporary perpendicularity.

As far as shardpools go, we only (totally correct me if I'm wrong) understand the mechanics somewhat for the formation of 2 shardpools, Preservation's and Ruin's. These seem to fit the Water Model of Investiture, where free Investiture has a tendency to condense (like water vapor) into pockets of Investiture. But I think (and it may be worth asking Brandon about) there are enough hints that Investiture actively invested, if in great enough quantity, can create something like a perpendicularity.

7 hours ago, Khyrindor said:

I'm a bit confused as to what you want to know about the Nexus? I too was under the impression that they were just fauna, like mountains or trees, not clouds. I've seen theories before that the Nexus of Transition is the way to Braize, which I find more likely.

I think that their was a lot of intentional information put into the shadesmar map, I think that the cloud looking shapes are coded symbols for travel to different subastrals. The Shadesmar map is spoilered below:

Spoiler

All of the Expanses are in the corner of the map, and we know that these are regions of heavily contracted space in the Cognitive Realm that lead to other Invested planets sub-astrals. All of the expanses have the cloud like symbols.

Here is a sketch of a unwrapped Roshar that I did to show how these match up somewhat with the cognitively empty portion of Roshar (i.e. no sapient beings are thinking about anything in the vast seas of Roshar, so they would effectively shrink in the Cognitive Realm:

The planet of roshar was divided up into octants, and then unwrapped like a soccer ball cut up. You can see that the 4 corners where the Expanses are on the Shadesmar map roughly correlate to regions that are all water and would therefore be shrunken in dimension in the cognitive realm.

My theory is that the Expanse of Imagination is Odium's perpendicularity because the cloud like images that are symbols for facilitated travel through the cognitive realm (whether through dimensional shrinkage or projection of Investiture) are contiguous with outer margins of the map, which implies that it is emanating from outside of Roshar (like the Expanses lead outside of Roshar and outside of the solar System).

The Nexus of Transition on the other hand is fully contained within the Cognitive Realm of Roshar, and furthermore those cloud symbols look to be projecting into the Reshi Sea and the Purelake. So I would really like to know if this is because Cultivation is heavily invested in the Reshi Sea and in the Purelake.

7 hours ago, Khyrindor said:

My perpendicularity question is more to find out if Autonomy has left behind a few, or if she is limited to one and that's why Taldain is inaccessible. Also if the SoScads have their own Shardpool. I also want to know why Honor doesn't have a conventional Shardpool if they are more natural manifestations.

These are both awesome questions! Can't wait to hear what Brandon says.

Thanks again for taking the time to get questions for Brandon, it's incredibly awesome of you.