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I was with a group of people talking with Brandon for two hours in a hallway, and it was fantastic. A lot of what he said was awesome, and I retained some of it, but it would take some time to say it all specifically. Here are some random details. - Dalinar's wife isn't some minor character who's been mentioned somewhere else. She's someone completely new. - In one of the Interludes in Oathbringer, there's a character reading a bad romance novel, and he went nuts with the purple prose. - He hates the Hobbit movies. - His youngest son, Oliver, watches a ton of YouTube videos, and now believes that when you stop playing with something, you have to give the "Please like and subscribe" spiel, so he does that all the time. - He says the secret to approaching an editor is to ask them about what books they're editing, then pitch your own book at the end of the conversation. When he sold his first book, he spent three hours talking to the editor before he pitched his book at the end. - There are beta readers who are only just realizing in Oathbringer that Kaladin has depression. - His cat has a really long name. It starts with Pine Cone, and that's what they can the cat, but I think the full name is Pine Cone Neko Hello Kitty Chan Sparkle Oliver Sanderson. - I mentioned asking him about the Shardfork in the AMA, and he said, "Oh, so you're the Shardfork guy. You put that idea in my head." He said that he'll draw a fork in my copy of Arcanum Unbounded. - He said that foreshadowing is actually one of the easiest parts. His sweet spot for twists is 1/3 people guessing it ahead of time and most of the rest figuring it out on the page before. - Sixth of the Dusk is roughly 200 years after everything else in the Cosmere. - When working on Wheel of Time, he asked how Morgase was pronounced, and the two people he was talking to disagreed on how Robert Jordan pronounced it. Also, he had recordings of all the pronunciations sent to him, which he put on his iPod and shuffled with his songs. - He mentions fan theories and drawing the lines before fanservice when taking over The Wheel of Time. He mentioned that a lot of people wanted to see Narg, and he could have put him in there, but he didn't, obviously. But lots of people were asking about various things like sideways gateways, and he thought, "If 9 out of 10 fans are thinking about it, somebody in world should think about it." He gave my Shardfork as an example. - Sazed counting down the religions in The Hero of Ages wasn't originally there, but he added it to give the character a sense of progression. He says that negative progression can be as interesting as positive progression. - He finds Indian names difficult. - Another author, Kay Hawkins, showed up to give him a copy of her first book, The Stars Will Rise. She said that she met him earlier when she was going through a rough time, and now she's better and has her book out. All in all, it was great talking to him. He's really nice, and I would recommend. My brother is going to be there with people playing Magic with him tomorrow. I don't play Magic, but I'll be hanging around there.

LG33: Term 3, Month 1 - Work Telar stood in the dark and cold, looking around him. He wasn’t even sure where he was now, and probably wouldn’t be able to do anything until morning. All he knew is that he’d followed… something… here, and then it had vanished without warning. He walked over to the nearest wall and slid down it. Seemed he had a lot of waiting to do… He slipped into thoughts of the past. The Chancellor’s speech, his work, the meaning of life. Perhaps his work, that which he created which no one else had thought of before - perhaps that was the meaning. He wasn’t sure. He’d have to consider it at length later, when he wasn’t freezing cold in a strange alley at night. He tried to doze off, but something more than the cold kept him awake. A sense of being watched. He suddenly started to full wakefulness and looked around. That was his last movement, but for falling to the ground. He gave a gasp, and then silence filled the night again. Varda was angry. “What did you boys think you were doing?” Medicus Novis, Greyson, and Darian looked at her with the same guilt. “We didn’t mean to, Chancellor, honestly,” Greyson said. “You didn’t mean to cause a student to die? You were the ones who led him down into the streets and left him there.” “It was just teasing him and making him a little scared,” Darian protested. “That may be true. I, unfortunately, can’t afford to believe that. Telar was found dead the next morning. There is absolutely no proof you didn’t have foreknowledge of what would happen. “I’m sorry, if you’re innocent. You are henceforth expelled from the University, and may never set foot on its grounds again after today.” William Opuscule glared at the bars. They were the obvious way to escape. Too obvious. No doubt they had been reinforced in some way. The walls and floor would be the same. The door? Well, maybe. He’d check that out later. It would have to be clear enough that the warden, as he’d taken to calling him, could get in with the food. Of course, he’d been told not to escape. But he figured that didn’t apply to him. That instruction really only applied to insane people. “And I’m not insane, right, Bart?” Yep. Well then. Out the ceiling he’d go. He grabbed the wooden spoon provided with his meal. “Care to give me a lift, Bart?” Yep. They’d told him that nobody had escaped from the crockery in over 20 years. That suited him just fine. It would mean that he’d be the first. *** William stumbled out onto the roof of the crockery. Hah! He raised a triumphal arm weakly. That’d show them. It had taken him over a month of scraping, but they didn’t pay attention to the ceiling as they had the walls. Once he’d gotten the rhythm down, it was easy enough. Now he just had to escape to… Hmm. The university suited him like nowhere else he’d known. “And plus,” he reasoned, “There’s things going on here. Real interesting things. No need to leave just yet. Maybe when things cool down, eh, Bart?” Yep. Randuir was killed! He was a Student! Arinian, Drake Marshall, and Straw were expelled! PK has broken out of the Crockery! (All credit goes to him with his writeup.) A name was used. Arinian, Aonar, BrightnessRadiant, Eolhondras, Joe, Jondesu, Orlok, and Ornstein were elevated! Term 3 has begun. You have 42 hours to submit all orders (actions, Imre, elevation points, etc). Player List 1. Queensteph - Vintish Noblewoman 2. Randuir (Telar Pike) - Yllish Commoner Student 3. Hemalurgic Headshot (Noremac Quwester) - Aturan Nobleman 4. Aonar (Aodhan Breacadh) - Edema Ruh 5. Wilson (Sloan Walker) - Cealdish Commoner 6. Straw (Medicus Novis) - Yllish Commoner 7. Paranoid King (William Opuscule) - Yllish Commoner 8. Ornstein (John Springer) - Aturan Nobleman 9. Jondesu (Vell) - Yllish Commoner 10. Drake Marshall (Greyson) - Cealdish Commoner 11. Assassin in Burgundy (Jurdaan Longfell) - Yllish Commoner 12. Burnt Spaghetti (Dele Fajro) - Vintish Noblewoman 13. Orlok (Locke Alveron) - Cealdish Commoner 14. Magestar (Magestar) - Vintish Nobleman Insane 15. Alvron (Stryker Nox) - Cealdish Commoner 16. Arinian (Darian) - Aturan Nobleman 17. Stick (Stick) - Aturan NobleStick 18. Darkness Ascendant (Balthazar Myrrh) - Yllish Commoner Student 19. Cluny the Scourge (Cluny) - Aturan Nobleman 20. Silverblade (Ryth) - Cealdish Commoner Insane 21. Amanuensis (Esuan) - Yllish Commoner 22. BrightnessRadiant (Amelia) - Aturan Noblewoman 23. Eolhondras (Eolah) - Yllish Commoner 24. STINK - Yllish Commoner 25. Hael (Glavion) - Edema Ruh Insane 26. Sart (Titud) - Edema Ruh 27. Joe (Chalks) - Yllish Commoner

Brandon is now running a Magic tournament, and the Winners will be in Oathbringer. I'm not in it, because I don't play Magic, but I'm hanging around because my brother is there. EDIT: My brother asked for Pink Pinkness's power, and Brandon didn't have one. I asked if I could make something up and it would be canon. He said okay, so I said she could distort your vision so that you can only see pink things, and nothing else is visible to you. That's canon now. (It was a group effort, though.) EDIT 2: I asked him about the Weeping. By the end of the Weeping, all spheres are dun, so there's no Stormlight. This would have been a problem for the Radiants, so did they do anything special to get Stormlight. He said that with the information I have now, there would be weeks where they would be without Stormlight. I asked if the Highstorms and Weeping used to be different, with the bells of Kharbranth as evidence. He RAFOed me.

The reading was cool! I didn't record it (I might have if I had space on my phone), but I'll give you the gist of it. Also, at the signing, he answered my question and my brother's question at the signing. Mine relates to the reading, while my brother's is about Reckoners. My question: My brother's question:

Well, here we go. My date starts in a couple of hours. Wish me luck.

His Imperial Majesty, he who I am honoured to address, my future self. I write, as is now custom, to remind you of our journey. The keystone of this month, of course, is our elevation. I told you of the complaint we received last term, made as I understand by a student envious of our glory and majesty. I will have my revenge upon them, when I discover their identity. I trust, in your omnipotence, and righteous anger, that you have also taken action to make an example of their family, as is fair and proportionate? I eagerly await discovering what we have done to them. I was summoned to the Horns, following the complaint. We are fortunate, however, to live in enlightened times. The Chancellor, whilst weak willed, is capable of recognising my power and potential. Perhaps hoping for mercy when I come to rule, instead of punishing me, elevated me. She's entirely wrong, of course. There will not be mercy, but it is entertaining to watch her seek it. The chair of the psychologists' society contacted me, today, suspecting unusual behaviour in my mind, and wishing to observe me. It is greatly pleasing to me for another to recognise the magnificence of my mental functions, and it will be an honour to demonstrate my superiority to them. I hope that they can learn from studying me, and that we can raise a new generation of Vintish children cultivated in my image. With warm regards, and wishing you an entertaining day, Locke Alveron, in the second month of our second term at The University.

His father's letter had filled Telar with a sense of guilt. He hadn't been completely truthful about how well his studies had been going in the last letter he'd sent home, and he hadn't been able to bring himself to write another one since. Still, his studies had bee going somewhat better since then, though Telar still couldn't imagine himself becoming a doctor, like his father wanted. With a sigh, Telar put the letter down and started looking for some paper to write a response. AS he did so, he noticed a new scrap of paper on the floor of his room. He picked it up, and was surprised to recognize the graceful writing of his aunt. Telar wasn't sure how long he'd been staring at the letter. It must have been a long time though, as the room seemed to have gone all misty. He looked at the blank appear he'd picked up to write a reply, but he couldn't think of anything to write. Instead he packed something light to eat and headed to the archives. There was probably some additional assignment or exercise he should really be doing, rather than writing letters, or thinking about home or...

The Cognitive Realm is one of the best-kept secrets of the Cosmere. Sometimes it almost feels crowded considering how little people know about it. Between the Physical and Spiritual Realms, the thoughts and ideas of intelligent beings take shape in this dimension. Worldhoppers use Perpindicularities to enter this realm physically and take shortcuts to other worlds. It is also the home of the spren of Roshar. In this Letters from the Cosmere Elsric takes a solid look at the Realmatic Theory about the Cognitive Realm and how its rules work for a Worldhopper. Here is this episode's transcript: I wonder if writing two letters back to back for the same person makes me conceded, or desperate. It seems haughty that I would already have something apparently so important to inform you about. Yet I waste your time with frivolous sentences about what I happen to be thinking at any given moment. The fact that I am enjoying the thought of you forcing yourself to read this right now seems to establish the point quite nicely. Well now that we have that out of the way, you must understand that the scholar in me cannot simply let my first letter be whisked away with only a generalized version of “The Cosmere.” I mean the fact that you found me in my little Manor on Nalthis proves that you understand that much about the Cosmere already. But I needed to start somewhere and I cannot help but think that someday someone will be reading these words who has never learned Realmatic Theory before. So, to you my future reader, turn back now before the insatiable curiosity grabs you by the throat and drags you away screaming. It will be easier for you to just move on, living your life. Now that I have your attention, dear reader, and your annoyance dear recipient, I wish to better define the Cognitive Realm and its import on my life. I first discovered a perpendicularity by accident. I had been delving into the secrets my rivals were trying very hard to keep. Let me remind you that a perpendicularity is a location or event where concentrated investiture creates a hole between dimentions. I like to think of them as Shard Pools. Call me simple minded, but they are places where investiture pools together all at once. I have thought long and hard about this. We exist in three (known) levels of existance simultaneously. We are very familure with the physical nature of our existance for it is the one we we are born interacting with directly. We are also existant in the spiritual realm where our essence is at it’s most pure. Somewhere between these two realms exists the Cognitive realm. This realm exists as a smoky mirror of it’s more substantial counterparts. The Cognitive realm reflects the physical realm in general shape, but is maluble and easily changed with investiture, which essentially is energy from the Spiritual Realm. The three realms exist in states that are fundamentally different from each other, despit the fact that they are intertwined. The physical worlds upon which we live are large planets suspended in around suns. We live on globes where if we travel in a strait line for long enough, we will end up right where we started. These spheres are the separated from others like them by vast distances in space. The Cognitive realm follows a different set of ruls. Everything there essentially exists on a 2 dimentional plane. Now it’s not literally two dimentional, for when you visit it will feel similar to the surface of your homeland. If you think of a planet as a globe, then the cognitive realm is like a map of the globe. Essentially they are same in shape, but the Cognitive Version of the world has edges that extend into the beyond. When you move off the cognitive world, you step into a dark zone where little to nothing exists. This essentially is leaving the planet. In fact, all cognitive realms are connected to every other world populated with intelligent beings. Because the landscape is created and maintained by intelligent, cognitive thought, it means that the gaps between worlds is relatively small. This two-dimensional existence and connection between the various worlds is what allows worldhoppers like myself to travel across the void and into other nations and cultures. One of the great secrets of the Cosmere is not just the fact that there are other worlds with people on them, but that there are more than can currently be visited. In my travels, I have passed over worlds with populations that are isolated from the rest of the Cosmere. Worlds where there are no natural perpendicularities. Someday I hope to visit these worlds somehow, perhaps discover how humans came to live there without the intervention of a Shard. I’d even assume that they have no access to investiture, but that would be presumptuous of me. I also need to note something that I forgot last time. Each world looks different in the Cognitive Realm. Now there are consistencies, like how bodies of water tend to be represented as stable landmasses in the Cognitive Realm while typical landmasses are large churning oceans of thought that can be quite deadly to a worldhopper who is not careful. However, each world’s cognitive realm has it’s own flavor. For instance, much of Scadrial’s Cognitive Realm is made up of massive seas of mist, whereas on Roshar the ocean seems to be made up of tiny glass beads. Naturally I will be able to tell you more about the Rosharian landscape and Cognitive Realm once I get there. Now you need to remember that these oceans are not a natural phenomenon like a lake or river. These swirling depths are manifestations of the millions of minds that live in the Physical Realm. All things that have a name, a concept, or dream are manifested as tiny intelligences in the Cognitive Realm. The more personification or sentimental value that people give their objects in their world create larger, and more powerful cognitive minds. It is the use of these cognitive minds that, make living in this Realm possible for these cognitions can often be enlisted to help you, especially when you have investiture to offer. Lastly, I wish to comment on the freaky pale sun that hangs ever present over the Cognitive realm. Here there is no night or day, it’s just constantly a dull grey. The ball of light that you can see is the Spiritual realm. Honestly I’m not sure how that works but the other worldhoppers I have run into have mentioned that fact. Somehow that is what connects us all together. It’s strange, and I am sure I will have more to say on that eventually. I know I come off bitter in these letters, but you must understand my reluctance to getting involved. I don’t think I am any better at sharing information that you and your kind must be. Yet, your master’s proposal was intriguing to say the least. Besides, I owe him for saving my life. Don’t get too comfortable back there, you’ve reawakened the scholar in me. Once I get to Roshar I will locate and use a perpendicularity to return to the Physical realm. I hear it is quite a place to visit, although the rumors coming from that direction do not bode well. Until the next letter, Elsric

The Term is over. Term 3 will be posted in 6 hours.

Also, I haven't seen it mentioned, he did a reading from an from Oathbringer Interlude.

So basically, they can detect the movement of electric charges, yes? Then yes, they would in theory be able to see impulses in human nervous systems, but it would be very very VERY dim. If electric current is visible to them, then their sight would only tangentially be related to voltage. A rough analogy is to think of water flowing down hill. The voltage is the slope of the hill, but your character only sees the water flowing. Voltage is in fact a bit more complicated than that, since voltage in a circuit is only really used up in resistors, and not in wires. Which means, if they are able to see current moving in a wire, then they will be able to see electricity without knowing anything about the voltage. Of course, you could decide to let them see both voltage and current, which would be pretty damnation useful. So what does this mean for his vision abilities? Well, human nerves have a voltage across their inner and outer surfaces of about 0.07 volts. That's small, but not too tiny. It's something you might be able to come across in everyday life. Now, for the actual current of a nerve cell. I did some Googling around, and found that the average movement of charge across a neuron sell membrane is 10e-12 amps. That is tiny. incredibly tiny. Like, a millionth of a millionth of a standard amp. So, of the two, your character would be better able to see nerve impulses using voltage. However, if you limit yourself to just being able to see voltage, your character wouldn't be able to see actual electricity, just places where electricity is being used. I.e they'll be able to see the light bulb, but not the wires. I would recommend letting them see both, as that would give them a pretty wide spectrum of electrical phenomena they could detect. As for the heart, yes, it is regulated by electrical impulses, but they are very week. You could easily disrupt the flow of charges across a cellular membrane, prevent the neurons from firing, and lock up the muscles. Strokes are a completely different beast. They occur when the brain is deprived of oxygen carrying blood, usually via a blood clot getting stuck in an artery, or internal bleeding in the brain. Neither is really caused by a problem with electrical infrastructure in the body.

Hmmm... none with the same name, got a couple with powers that might fit? Border: Can manipulate the strong nuclear force in a 2 dimensional area, causing anything which enters this area to be disassembled at a subatomic level. Achieves this by drawing a line with some part of his body, a wall of faint green light is then projected upwards from this line, disintegrating anything that touches it. (Energy not completely conserved, decay produces only mild radiation, light, heat and mild lower wavelengths) Whitespace: Can manipulate written text, cannot change individual letters but can freely move the letters around so long as they don't collide with any other letters. Given the spacing of most documents this usually limits him to increasing the spaces between words or lines. (Highly restricted telekinesis, non-mentalism) Shatterswing: Can extend the range of force from blunt weapons, usually carries a metal mace which he can use to strike opponents up to a distance of 100m away. (Non-conserved, applied equally across area at strength of swing, opposing force acts on air, not Epic.)

The problem is again that Harmony didn't know the Spike's metal and this is really really strange if the Spike was made as part of his own power. But if we considerate Harmony as a liar (possible but unlikely in this context), it remains the problem of Harmony as unable to detect a Spike fueled by his own power.

I'd guess I have most in common with Shallan, too. I've slightly curly red hair and freckles, I'm an artist, and I can go on and on about random facts of flora and fauna. In school I work best when the teachers use visual aspects. I can remember pictures better than most other things, besides random facts that have nothing to do with anything. In my own mind, I run through possible witty conversations, and when I type or write, I can come up with clever things to say, but when it comes to talking to people face-to-face, I go quiet. I do lie to myself, and that's a problem in my life. I know that all this might seem a bit too much like Shallan, but it is the truth. Here, I have proof of my artistic ability. I'll hide it in the spoiler. Don't look at it if you're going to be judging me for bragging. And it's sideways.

I'm there at Ad Astra, and it seems pretty cool. I was on a elevator, and Brandon was walking by. I said, "Hey," because I wanted to greet him or something. Then my mom screamed, "BRANDON SANDERSON!" (She hasn't even read any of his books until The Emperor's Soul just today on the drive.) I'm still feeling ridiculously embarrassed.

@Oversleep Your move, flat earthers.

So, we have a small group of cosmere fans on fb and we were talking about ships and all, and one thing let to another and we came up with weird shardic realizations. A little NSFW, so putting up a warning. And if such posts are not allowed in this forum, by all means let me know or delete it. It's chill. Endowment would be the hottest of all shards because she is obviously well 'endowed'. If Devotion and Dominion were a couple, It would be pretty safe to assume that they were into bondage and stuff. If human x spren is possible, then shallan is the luckiest teenager in Roshar. Cuz pattern vibrates. If there is a survival shard, and the shard holder was female, it is very possible that "there is always another secret" refers to Kelsier and The shard holder's children. There were other way more nsfw stuff, but I am kinda hesitant to put them here :"D

You don’t want to play this game. No really, there are plenty of far better games to play than this one. Games that take place in the Cosmere, or Starwars, or I hear that Herowannabe is making an MLP game? Seriously, that game will be a lot funner than this one. This one doesn’t have Lightsabers, or Ponies, or even killing! It just has some namby-pamby sleep sticks and weird looking glasses. But, since I can’t discourage you from playing this game, I might as well tell you something about it. My Country, Nallhalla, has been infiltrated by Hushlander Spies. They’re still following Biblioden’s teachings, about how the world is scary, so we should ignore it, and not learn anything. They’re trying to put you to sleep. That’s not a Euphemism, they’re literally going to put all dissenters into Coma’s. But hey, as long as you’re woke, they can’t win. But, they’re not going to lose unless you can capture them, or put them in coma’s. Coma’s are a *very* civilized way of fighting. Much better than the barbarous guns and swords that can only kill people. So, you know. Get your friends together, hold them down, and zap up with a sleep spear. Or just punch them really hard. Or they’ll do the same to you. Luckily for us Free Worlders, we’ve got help. Those rascally, Devilishly handsome Smedry’s are on our side! They’re all talented, and deserve to rule the world, but they’re nice and don’t. Some of them can Dance really badly (I once saw Folsom punch a guy into a Coma on accident once.) While others can do things like trip, or look ugly. Oh! And we have a bunch of knights on our side! An honourable order of Paladins, tinted blue, who are extremely lawful: The Sapphire Guard The Knights of Crystalia! They’re lead by an incorruptible council of three, who can legally capture and hold people for indefinite periods of time. And there’s absolutely no way any of them are Working for the Librarians. Nope! All safe roles them. Definitely. . . Anyway, our last resource are the defectors, who were won over by our beauty and grace, and decided that they wanted to live here in Nallhalla, without elevators, or complex machinery, or video games, or, convenience stores. . . Man, I kind of want to defect to the Librarians now. But Smedries would never defect, so i can’t. Right? *Off-stage whispering* Oh! I’m being told I can defect. That’s cool. Uh, I just remembered, I have to go, uh, bake a casserole, yes. I’ll definitely be back later, and not at the head of a librarian Army. Bye! With love, Sabaneta Smedry Actual Rules: Player List: Bridge Boy (Squirrelmort) A Squirrel wearing glasses and wizard robes. Magestar (Ratsegam the Bold) A man who was Tagged Seonid (Shem Smedry) The master of the Archives. Cloudjumper (Fodder) A hard to distinguish man Ecthelion III (Aaron) A very contradictory man Yitzi2 (Jack) A Videogame Engineer Ornstein (Pavelock) A Physiologist who trains locks. Herowannabe (Herbert) a Micropachycephalosaurus (type of dinosaur) scholar who delights in regaling people with obscure trivia, usually about his own species. DroughtBringer (Master Namer Smedry) A Smedry with a talent for not being around when needed. BrightnessRadiant (Jemma) A Completely not Evil Bibliophile Randuir (Rand) Not the Chosen One of an Ancient world ending Prophesy. TheMightyLopen (Celica) A Seemingly Naive little girl. OrlokTsubodai (Orlok) An average citizen who does his best to ignore politics. Queensteph (Alex) A Girl who despises, and is despised by, Librarians Sart (Thomas) An Occulator with a n extensive collection. _stick_ (Stick) A Mokia native. Unodus (Agent Deuce) A detective, skilled at sleuthing out criminals. Elbereth (Ella) A cute, innocent little girl) Cluny the Scourge (Cluny) A collector of books and Lard Spectator List: (Btw, Spectators have no influence on the game, and cannot be targeted.) Alcatraz Mr. Sanderson himself Little Wilson Signups end: Quick Links: FAQ/Rule Clarifications:

I find this interesting. I have read many commentaries of people relating to one character or the other, but I think this is the first time I read someone stating their relate to Kaladin because they too were forced into a career they didn't want. I have often stated how I felt Kaladin never really wanted to be a surgeon, even when he appeared to have settled for this path, I still didn't believe he truly wanted it, so to hear another reader relating to him for this reason, well, I find it very interesting. This being said, I thought this aspect of Kaladin's life hasn't been given a strong enough focus. I thought it was interesting, but it sort of took a back seat with other stuff which is a shame as I find parents forcing their kids into a given career to be an interesting story arc to have within a work of fantasy. It is a hard phenomenon to explain and I feel it remains hard to comprehend: how can someone so social, so outgoing, so readily talking to everyone have trouble making friends? It defies people's expectation. How can it be true? Even to this day, I dare not make anything more than a superficial contact with others, I am still mindful as to whether or not they like me (or not) and it is quite painful at times. I thought with time, with age, it would all go away, but it remains, it lingers. It just doesn't go away: I still struggle with these things and while I am old enough to be able to talk about it, to phrase it, to analyse it, to write a 10 pages report as to why it happens, I still cannot solve it. So yeah, when Adolin realizes nobody actually likes him, it really gets to me. This being said, having a blunt personality does have advantages. It is terrible when it comes to interpersonal relationships, but it does wonders within the work environment. Being a straight-forward, a get down the basic and a results oriented individual are valuable assets within many professions, providing you can learn to manage people's emotions more efficiently. This being said, I think diversity is what makes those stories appealing: everyone can find a character they can relate to.

I just left. I was the metal head in the second row. That was a lot of fun, it was my first con/signing. When he signed my books I asked in SoS I look forward to doing that again and getting him to sign the rest of my books, which are in storage awaiting a pending move.

The Cosmere character I relate the most to is Adolin. I relate to his outgoing, social personality combined with his inability to form meaningful relationships with his peers: everyone knows him, he knows everyone and yet, he has no friends. I was very touched to see an author attempt at dropping such a character into a work of fiction as, typically, authors wanting to represent hardships into personal relationships will choose to broach it from the awkward introverted character (such as Renarin). The truth is, yes, extroverted talkative individuals can have problems with relationships too: some of us are too intrusive, too blunt, take too much space without intending too and others do not like it. As a result, yes, some of us will just close up onto ourselves, but closing up for an extroverted isn't the same as for an introverted: you are still very talkative and social, but not about the things which are important because important things are weapons to be used against you. Worst, if you were to make a move to actually develop a meaningful relationship with someone you actually enjoy spending time with, then this person might as well reject you and then where would you be? Left with no one to talk to, to spend time with: better to ignore it, to not try and to stay within the blissful ignorance as to whether or not others actually like you. I also relate to his blunt honesty, his straight-forwardness into calling a stone, a stone without attempting to sugar-coating it. I also relate to him not being a blind follower, to question before believing and to him being downright pragmatic. No, Dalinar, even if you think they are true, it does not make sense to base your decision making on visions. So yeah, I loved how Brandon tried to write this character and I found it extraordinarily refreshing.

I'm confused, I thought it was certain her spike was trellium?

You won't be disappointed. ... About the book that is. If the GM is to be trusted this game will surely disappoint.

I'm gonna have a new nephew in November-ish. That's in addition to a niece within a couple weeks and my own son in July (kids in my extended family always seem to arrive in sets of three).

Hey, when a cat decides they're going to push something off a flat surface, no kill squad in the world can stop them.

I' m going to my school prom with my crush.............. I feel electrified.

No, you have to say, "One is an evil, murderous insect, and the other is a chasm fiend."

We know they broke their oaths, trapping their spren in Blade form and abandoning them and their Plate. We know from the in-universe Words of Radiance that some number of the forsworn Radiants were killed after the fact and also that one Order out of the ten did not participate in the Recreance and 'entertained great subterfuge at the expense of the other nine'. The Diagram suggests that there is a secret of some sort which broke the Radiants and could be employed against them in the present day if it becomes necessary to destroy them. What we definitely do not know at this point is why.

Hey, did you see Vasher? Who Zahel you talking about?

Q: How do you get a one-armed herdazian out of a tree? A: Wave! Disclaimer: This joke was told by Brandon to a fan at a signing, so it's not originally mine.

You guys can upvote me for that here, if you want. You know, or not.

Quoting someone:

Q: What do you call a fight between to coinshots? A: A boxing match!

We have confirmation it's non-Harmony metal: While this WoB: suggest that much like atium's additional property in Hemalurgy is "keeping the charge better", that of trellium is "hiding".

@queensteph Yeah I kinda get where you're coming from, I just don't really agree. Even the tiniest hint of suspicion is enough for us to want someone hampered from taking action against us if they are a skindancer, so we should be voting for even the little things. I just thought your post seemed to be defending him and that was weird to me when he did seem suspicious. I'm not totally sure he's evil, but that's true of everyone up to this point. (even you...*gasp*...suspicious of my own sister?! lol ...don't want no one pulling a grant ward on me )Hail Hydra now for some RP: Amelia sat in her classroom trying to listen to what her professor was saying, but failing quite miserably. She scolded herself for losing focus, when she had been so eager to come to the university in the first place. She couldn't help it. Her mind was constantly filled with thoughts of skindancers. When she looked at her professor, she saw a skindancer trying to feed them lies. When she watched her fellow students, passing notes in class, she saw skindancers plotting against her. She even saw skindancers on her way home from school. They were everywhere...and no where. She had been trying so hard to learn everything she could about everyone here, that she had begun to suspect literally everyone. "Miss Amelia? Could you give us the answer, please?" Amelia almost fell out of her seat. She hadn't even heard the question. How could she give the answer? Her heart rose into her throat, and she sheepishly looked down at her desk. "I'm sorry Professor. I'm afraid I didn't hear your question." The professor looked over his glasses at her, disapprovingly. "Well then, can anyone else tell me what the answer is? A student who was actually paying attention?" Several students snickered, and Amelia ,blushing furiously, slumped lower in her seat. Great. All she needed now was to offend a master, and never get elevated. If she wasn't careful she might even end up in the crockery before too long. She forced herself to focus on her lesson for the rest of the class, setting aside her worries of skindancers for later.

Two words:

LG33: Term 2, Month 2 - Studying and Power Glavion was in the library, as he always was, working and studying. Always wanting more knowledge, more time to study. That was the most important thing in his life, after all. Studying and learning. He had found another report on the Skindancers. This one was a bit more useful than the last. He hadn’t gone out into the world to share its contents yet, but perhaps once he needed food again he’d go and share a few potential signs for Skindancers with those he thought he could trust. He strolled through the Archives, a long arm deftly picking out books from this side or that, stacking them into his arms until he had a big enough pile to leave them on the floor to pick up later when he finished his stroll. He had wandered further than usual today, and wasn’t in fact sure what area he was in, except that the books on either side of him were either travelogues on distant lands or books covering obscure fruits. Then he saw something different. A high-level book on Naming? That was news… He didn’t think he’d entered the banned books section, but not every banned book was there? But think how useful it could be, how much he would learn. He set down his current stack of books and reached up for that one, opening it. His eyes skimmed the contents of a random page somewhere in the middle. Glavion’s eyes rolled up in his head until they only showed white. Slowly, he collapsed to the ground, book still in his hand, mercifully closed for the sake of those Archive students who found him. He did not speak again. William Opuscule knew what he wanted, when he came to the University. Mastery. Power. That was the meaning of life, he thought, while listening to the Chancellor’s speech. To be able to control the world around him. Change the world how he felt like changing it. He threw himself into his studies ferociously, made key friends, was doing everything right. Ignoring Naming and the other arcane arts beyond the bare minimum, of course. They made no sense, and were likely just tricks to dissuade new students. But the others… He even tried approaching Chancellor Varda once, though she was not particularly pleased with the interruption to her work. He was almost there. So close to being elevated, one more step on his way to Mastery. “Isn’t it a pity you’ll never be able to achieve those dreams,” a voice said as he studied in his room, daydreaming about power. He started. “What? Who’s there? And how did you-” he stopped himself, as a mocking laugh filled the room. “How could you have wanted power? How could you want anything? You don’t understand this University at all. Thinking Sympathy is a trick?” The sympathy lamp in his room went out, shadows in the corners fading into complete darkness, silence within silence and no sound of footsteps even as the voice from everywhere increased in volume. “You’re insane, William. Just like the poor students in the Crockery. You, having power? You don’t have anything. Nothing but a few empty dreams and your mind.” He felt… something, and then it faded in an instant with his dreams of power. “And now, you don’t even have that much.” Sloan entered the room gracefully, examining the long, crescent-shaped table in front of her. She’d never been on the Horns before, and it was certainly new. “Sloan, Student of the University,” she was announced to the Chancellor and the Masters. She walked up to stand in the assigned spot, smiling. It was either that or tremble so much she couldn’t do anything, after all, so she treated this like any performance. Smile, and keep dancing, and no one will ever know you’re wrong. “You have been charged with gathering other students together into an unsanctioned society and creating a ‘flash mob’ in the center of the University. Do you deny these accusations?” “No, Chancellor,” Sloan said softly. “I do not.” “May I ask why you would do such a thing?” Varda asked in exasperation. “Why not, Chancellor? It entertains them, and they enjoyed it.” “It also pulled them away from their studies and disrupted life here, and is unfitting for the students of the greatest center of learning in the world.” Varda stopped her protest. “You are hereby charged with Undignified Mischief, and must publicly apologise for your actions before the school.” “...yes, Chancellor.” Sloan curtseyed carefully, for exactly the proper time, and left the room. “E’lir Locke Alveron.” He entered confidently and nodded to the Chancellor and the Masters, just deeply enough to be properly deferential. “You have been charged with causing distress to your fellow students and attempting to convince them of your own apparently bizarre beliefs.” “Yes, Chancellor,” he responded. “I had no intention to cause distress, of course, but is not the purpose of the University to develop our own beliefs through learning in each field and to spread them as befits a center of learning?” “True…” Varda said slowly. “What beliefs, specifically, were you spreading?” “Nothing terribly ‘bizarre’, as you so kindly put it. Merely that we students are the future of this University and of the world, are we not? And so we need to work towards our future however we can, to become the best generation under the best leaders of our time.” “A remarkably reasonable ideal, given what I’d heard.” “Blatant lies, to tarnish my reputation and try to defame me,” Locke dismissed. Varda smiled. Locke had dangerous qualities, perhaps, but if he was promoting the University and studying, perhaps he was worth keeping around for the moment. “Very well. You may go, Re’lar Locke.” A raised eyebrow was his only show of surprised. He inclined his head again, a bit more deeply, and exited as confidently as he’d entered. “E’lir Dele Fajro and Student Esuan.” “Dele, again?” Varda said. “It’s barely been a month!” Dele looked down sheepishly. “Sorry, Chancellor…” “Very well. You are both charged with…” Varda examined the paper in front of her more closely. “Creating a great array of… some sort of device, which you then lit on fire in order to…” “Create pretty patterns, Chancellor!” Dele interjected. “See, we made a great wheel out of wood and metal and some other interesting things and set it up so it’d make a giant circle of flames shooting upwards, and then we put it out in the middle of the square and lit it from a safe distance with Sympathy and boom!” “A leaf then blew through it, caught on fire, and hit another student.” “Well, yes, we didn’t think of that. But still. It was so cool! Varda looked at her for a long moment. “You are both charged with Reckless Use of Sympathy, and will receive ten lashes at noon, tomorrow.” “But-” “No.” There is a meaning of life, Balthazar Myrrh mused as he stared across the river, leaning on the light rail that separated him from a watery death - or, at least, a rather cold bath. “The meaning, of course, is to exist,” he said aloud to himself. It wasn’t exactly like anyone was listening, and he didn’t particularly care about madness at this point. “The most valuable thing in the world is existence, because without it we would have nothing else. The meaning of life is simply to exist, to go on about our lives not considering this and just living. The steps on the way to work or school, the scratching of our pen creating words which will outlive our existence, every little imprint we make to shape the world. Those are the meaning.” “Maybe,” a voice drawled behind him. “Or maybe it’s just death.” Balthazar froze and turned. “I don’t think so,” he replied as politely as he could. “What gain is caused by dying? Existence benefits the world, pushes it forward, advances it. Existing leaves the world different than it was when you entered. What does dying do?” He looked at the mercenary across from him, a stocky woman wearing a club. “But think about what they all have in common,” she argued. “Everyone dies.” “That doesn’t make it the meaning,” he noted. “Why not? It makes sense, doesn’t it?” She took out her club. “And who are you to be arguing with me, anyway? Just a little street rat?” “Um… no, I’m a student! A student of the University!” Balthazar said, desperately. He’d only been a student there for one term, but hopefully that would be enough… “Dressed like that?” the mercenary sneered. “Let me prove to you how the meaning of life is death.” He dodged her blow, but she wasn’t aiming for him. She knocked out a few feet of the rail behind him, the one protecting him from the river. He tried to run, but her second blow knocked him backwards, perfectly through the hole and down, and down, and down… He fell and sank like a stone, the encrusted mud from his clothing rising up around him and blinding him, so he couldn’t even open his eyes for a last glimpse of sunlight. He held his breath as long as he could, but the current was strong and he couldn’t surface. Eventually, he had to breathe, and seal the doom and the end of his existence, forever. Blackness. Paranoid King and Haelbarde went insane! Wilson was brought on the Horns and charged with Undignified Mischief! Burnt and Amanuensis were brought on the Horns and charged with Reckless Use of Sympathy! Orlok was brought on the Horns, but charges were dropped! Aonar, Arinian, Drake Marshall, Jondesu, Hemalurgic Headshot, The Only Joe, Orlok Tsubodai, and STINK were elevated! Darkness Ascendant was killed by a Mercenary! He was a Student! Also, someone used a name. Term 2, Month 2 has begun. You have 36 hours to send in all actions (Imre, role actions, impressing, lodging). Do not forget lodging orders. Player List 1. Queensteph - Vintish Noblewoman 2. Randuir (Telar Pike) - Yllish Commoner 3. Hemalurgic Headshot (Noremac Quwester) - Aturan Nobleman 4. Aonar (Aodhan Breacadh) - Edema Ruh 5. Wilson (Sloan Walker) - Cealdish Commoner 6. Straw (Medicus Novis) - Yllish Commoner 7. Paranoid King (William Opuscule) - Yllish Commoner Insane 8. Ornstein (John Springer) - Aturan Nobleman 9. Jondesu (Vell) - Yllish Commoner 10. Drake Marshall (Greyson) - Cealdish Commoner 11. Assassin in Burgundy (Jurdaan Longfell) - Yllish Commoner 12. Burnt Spaghetti (Dele Fajro) - Vintish Noblewoman 13. Orlok (Locke Alveron) - Cealdish Commoner 14. Magestar (Magestar) - Vintish Nobleman Insane 15. Alvron (Stryker Nox) - Cealdish Commoner 16. Arinian (Darian) - Aturan Nobleman 17. Stick (Stick) - Aturan NobleStick 18. Darkness Ascendant (Balthazar Myrrh) - Yllish Commoner Student 19. Cluny the Scourge (Cluny) - Aturan Nobleman 20. Silverblade (Ryth) - Cealdish Commoner Insane 21. Amanuensis (Esuan) - Yllish Commoner 22. BrightnessRadiant (Amelia) - Aturan Noblewoman 23. Eolhondras (Eolah) - Yllish Commoner 24. STINK - Yllish Commoner 25. Hael (Glavion) - Edema Ruh Insane 26. Sart (Titud) - Edema Ruh 27. Joe (Chalks) - Yllish Commoner

To put it briefly, Cryptics are more of Cultivation than Honor, which explains the physical attributes and the references to nature. In addition, the order of Lightweavers have Shallash as their patron, and one of her associated attributes is honesty. Shallan's bond with Pattern strengthens as she becomes more honest with herself and admits the truth.

I definitely understand this. I get really anxious (ranging from mild jitters to full out hyperventilating panic attacks) I have found that reading really helps. It's one of those things where I started to escape my anxiety, but eventually books became part of who I am. Even if my anxiety attacks stop, my reading won't. Books are kind of like friends that help you through the bad times; you don't just leave them behind because you don't need them anymore. (Sorry if this was irrelevant, it just seemed like the right thing to say)

Nono it's a different situation, the Mist Spirit killed Alendi's friend to avoid them to go too close to the Black Lake (Ruin's Perpendicularity), Alendi was no near to the Well of Ascension, therefore the "heal it with the power" doesn't apply there. Much more, Preservation stabbed Elend under...."peculiar circumstances" it would be unable to do something like that without those oddities.

When Dalinar pulled the shardblade on Amaram, no mention of 10 was given. Its reads very well at that point. I've been in battle a few times. When things go kinetic, they slow down for an experienced warior, but I'm here to tell you, your heart speeds up. PARTICULARLY in a hand to hand fight. He took a surprise hit. deflected the next, stepped back, took a stance and observed her standing in the rain and had time to remember her name and be grateful for a challenge and smile. Quite easily 10 heartbeats. Gratitude of the challenge was written in here very well. I do not dispute the future of Adolin as a radiant, (we shall see), but I do not see here proof of such from this scene.

EDIT: i should have inserted the spoiler earlier, but i mistakenly assumed we were in the calamity spoiler board. My fault. I can't unspoiler to the spoilered guy, but at least i can avoid other people being spoilered in the future.

Okay, so I maybe don't have a spare table at the moment, but I have definitely metaphorically flipped many tables in this discussion, right?

A Feruchemist was storing attributes in a boxing, but then he changed his mind.

Just to warn you, I'm about to post pretty far-fetched thoughts on the matter. I doubt that the 'evil' has much to do with Odium. What interest would he have in Threnody? There are no shards there. I'm currently sitting on the belief that it is actually the location of whatever hit Adonalsium, recovering from the encounter. I'm probably wrong, but hey, it isn't a shard, it certainly isn't warm and fuzzy, and I'm almost positive it would have some nasty effects on the local realms. In this case, it seems to me like the cognitive/spiritual realms are in chaos on Threnody. The souls of the dead are unable to move on, presumably because something is blocking them. A large spiritual power could be to blame. And these "deepest ones" could perhaps be the 'evil' itself leaking out. Why would it care about breaking the simple rules? That's pretty simple to explain. It may not be a shard, but it would probably operate on similar principles, since they seem to be pretty universal. We've seen examples of shards having weaknesses (ie. not being able to see certain things), and we've seen examples of natural investiture being able to hide cognitive processes (Aviar), so I don't believe it would be too far a reach to say breaking these simple rules is mostly just you lighting a beacon saying "Hey! Hey, you evil thing! I'm right here!" Now, you may be wondering what that has to do with the shades and the simple rules, which could easily be explained by the cognitive realm. If something powerful enough to challenge Adonalsium is chilling in the cognitive realm, that could understandably warp the other beings around it to similar thought processing. If you've read WoK/WoR, it touches more on the cognitive realm, and I don't want to spoil anything if you haven't read it (And I can't figure out how to do spoiler tags at the moment, and don't have the energy to look it up), but it isn't out of the realm of reason to warp cognitive essence into another purpose, like draining energy from the native species to heal, perhaps? I apologize for the rambling nature of this post, and as I said, I'm sure I'm wrong, but I like to think that Threnody might actually be slightly more significant than simply showing off some cosmere afterlife, and hey, Adonalsium's 'rival' had to go somewhere didn't it?

It will be kind of funny if she plays with both Kal and Adolin for a while only to marry Renarin. Though I honestly don't want any love triangles, let alone.. ummm.. squares. And I certainly hope this doesn't go some wierd WoT style with Shallan having more than one guy.

So I have browsed stuff on 17th Shard from time to time, read a lot of the coppermind wiki, and even dug out little tidbit from Brandon here or there that has made it onto the site (to the best of my knowledge, I was the first one to ask Brandon if Hoid has any Breaths- which he does). But I have never actually created an account or posted anything directly onto the site. Until now. Count me in for round 2! I love me a good old game of Werewolves Mistborn Elimination. I'll be Hew Nabs, the town furniture maker. He specializes in carving elegant details into his work and selling it to those of the noble class who appreciate his craftsmanship. Edit: and though I just skimmed through it, I loved the first game. Congrats to the Spiked victors and my condolences to the deceived and slain villagers! I do have to say though, if you had a Kandra power, it would have to be some sort of thing where it could take over the corpse of someone recently killed (ie: that same night) and then write posts as if they were that person. It would be tricky to do- perhaps through PMs that the deceased player posts on behalf of the Kandra? I dunno, probably wouldn't work.