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This is a terrible theory. -Vasher has no memories of his prior life. -That's probably not true. Lightsong had hints of his former life. They influenced his dreams. They shaped his second life. -Vasher helped make Nightblood. -Nightblood is "based on" shardblades to an unknown degree. -Seems like if Vasher knew how to worldhop for the last 400 years (leading up to the events of Warbreaker), he wouldn't be sticking around. Sure, maybe Shashara was secretly the worldhopper. But what if Vasher was? What if the designs for Nightblood were guided by an intuitive understanding granted in a previous life? For all we know, what if he was a Herald? Think about the offer Endowment could supply a Herald: "You, who cannot die and cannot forget. I can take these tortured memories, relieve you of your guilt. I will remake you." I'm probably not right. But 15 years down the road, if I turn out to be right, maybe someone will see a cache of this page and go "that guy was right." And then move on with their lives.

So, I know I am in for a long wait, but after finishing WoR and loving it, I just have to know: Does anyone have any information about how the work-schedule of Mr. S looks for next few years, and when can we expect the next book in the Stormlight Archives?

I've just run into this Q&A, and cannot help but wonder what can be recognized as alive and be detectable to the people with Heightenings. It looks like the Returned is not alive, which is OK, as they're merely "Spontaneous Sentient BioChromatic Manifestations in a Deceased Host"s. However, spren can be sensed, so they should be considered alive? Then what about Nightblood? It's defniitely less alive than the Returned, right? Also, if spren can be sensed by life sense, what about ghosts on Threnody? Or dead but still active people like Kelsier? What about splinters like Seons and Skaze?

My wife and I went to a masquerade ball for New Year's Eve. She surprised me with this Shen mask that she'd painted (she used one of my old masks from Sleep No More for it). I was quite tickled. Hope you guys enjoy! (I'm very new, so I hope that this is an ok place to post this. If not, just let me know). - Andrew Stirling MacDonald

If you have not read Words of Radiance, stop reading here. So, after reading a post about how the Listeners (or Parshendi) could have been the inhabitants of Roshar Pre-Shattering (found here), and thinking about the fact that Shards have been known to make humans (Mistborn - I don't have the exact reference, as I'm at college and don't have my books), I figured that it is likely that either Honor or Cultivation made humans. (I couldn't see Odium doing it) Then I remembered that in Words of Radiance, the Listeners seemed to believe that the spren left them for the humans or the humans stole them (again, I can't don't have the specific reference, but I will put them in ASAP). This makes it seem like they were able to surgebind the way the Knights Radiant can once upon a time. But now, they instead have the Voidspren. In another topic, I mention how the magic systems existed without the influence of the Shards (cite here, last thing Brandon says #5), but have since been modified by the Shard's intent, (found here). So here is my theory: Pre-Shattering, the Listeners lived on Roshar and were able to surgebind, or something similar. Then, after Adonalsium shattered, the shards of Cultivation, Honor, and Odium made ended up on the Greater Roshar System. Here, their influence, (specifically Honor and Odium as we don't have examples of Cultivation yet) changed the spren into the Surgespren (as I refer to Honor's spren), Voidspren, and possible some Cultivation version. Most likely, Cultivation, with some possible influence from Honor, made humans on Roshar. Honor became associated with humanity, Odium chose the Listeners. He drastically changed the spren the Listeners could bond, but Honor's spren still granted very similar powers, making the Listeners think that the spren betrayed them and that they had to turn to the Voidspren. Let me know what you think, and I'll work on getting those references in there.

So I just finished reading Words of Radiance and started thinking about Nazh and all the work he has put into the books with his maps as well as other things. As I looked over information on his wiki page it said his powers are unknown and I figure it will all be revealed one day when we actually meet him. But I started thinking and am leaning towards him being a Windrunner. This is in part for him creating such detailed and articulate maps of towns and areas. With a windrunner ability you could lash upward so high till you could sketch the location. I know maps arnt created like that but it would be a little neat quirk of his to get a perfect view of an area. My other thought to this was when he recovered the document from the sunken ship Shallan survived. He stated you have no idea what I had to go through to get it from the bottom of the ocean. What if he lashed himself down into the depth of the water to scavange the boat like a diver would with weights. Then using his storlight invested body to see in the darkness of the ocean floor. This may already be debunked but it was something I walked away with last night thinking about the character.

Just for the Rule of Cool: who would you (most) like to see with our favourite sociopathic Awakened sword in their hands and why? Including the original owner. My personal choice is Lift, because a ) they have kinda similar style of dialogue/humor, b ) she's awesome and c ) it could lead to some Realmatic mess, because of her peculiar abilities. Also, she'll feed him. With food.

I was just sitting around thinking about our pal nightblood and had this thought. What if nightblood is a lifeless shardblade. WoB stated that nightblood is exactly the same as a shardblade. I need to reread warbreaker for some names and a refresh of events. From WoR we know Zahel/Vashar is a worldhopper. In warbreaker we learn at the end he is the king from the past who caused a major war and stopped it. Then he gave his massive store of breath away to the god king left his stone army and vanished. During his absence Him and his lady friend I dont remember her name created nightblood. What if during that time they worldhoped over to Roshar and got their hands on a shardblade, possibly a skybreakers old blade and awakened it. Thus creating a lifeless spren. With the command destroy evil complimenting the skybreakers. The spren awakens with limited intelligence like a human lifeless but is no longer in a state of agony. Also giving him such a large amount of investiture and from 2 different worlds, therefore different shards makes him something more. This would also open the door to him giving szeth surgebinding and the ability to draw stormlight without the honour blade. His power being born of 2 shard worlds would explain why WoB ay hes so much more then a shardblade. This probably isn't true but was fun thinking about but I there i the slim chance I might be on to something. What do you guys think, Any other ideas about how some of the worlds magic systems could cross like this. I just found this thought i would add it. Q: If Nightblood were on Roshar would he be a Shardblade? A: Yes, they are exactly the same thing. He is a Shardblade that is twisted and is a lot more powerful than normal.

The following is a fan fiction I wrote about how Zahel became known as a swordmaster. It is set in Alethkar before the death of King Gavilar. This story is probably more wrong than my other one, according to cosmere theory, but at least I spelled the title correctly. Vasher wanted to tell Dalinar that he was a stupid, stubborn drunkard that was too concerned with his own reputation. The man was brother to the king and he should be more concerned with helping him in the impossible task of uniting Alethkar, rather than trying to compete for glory as a great warrior, the Blackthorn. Yet Vasher found himself sitting on a stool across from Dalinar, in a private room of the Kholin palace, listening to his concerns about his reputation. It was one of his duties as a house ardent. “Even you have to admit the child isn’t anything like my other son, nor even like any other lighteyed child I have ever met,” said Dalinar. Vasher suppressed a disgruntled grumble and replied, “Sometimes you just have to accept the fact that your cloak is the wrong color and wear it anyways.” “What?” Dalinar looked very confused. I have to stop using analogies like that, Vasher thought. “What I meant is that maybe Renarin isn’t Called to be a warrior like you and Adolin. There are many other noble Callings, I think, and he still has a while before he has to pick one. So just be patient and don’t drive him too hard in one direction.” “You are the worst ardent I have ever met Zahel. Sometimes I wonder if you even know what Vorinism is about.” “Yes, a lot of people say that about me,” replied Vasher, “so the question is, why did you send for me?” Dalinar picked up the Shardblade that had been resting on the ground beside him; it was from the King’s collection, meaning anyone could use it with permission. “You were once a warrior, and you seem to have quite the knowledge about many different kinds of swords,” he nodded pointedly to Nightblood, the black sheathed sword that rested by Vasher’s own chair (it had taken a lot of effort to get the head ardents to allow him to keep it), “and I can trust you to keep this matter and the conversation to yourself, being my ardent. My problem is this: I’ve been trying to get Renarin to hold it and feel its power, so that he’ll be inspired to work harder in his training, but he’s afraid of it. He says that it hurts his ears to touch it. Have you ever heard anything like this before? Is this Blade defective?” He handed the Blade to Vasher, who took it and started to study its surface. “Just think about it for a little while and we can talk again after my duel. I’m sure you can return the Blade yourself.” After Dalinar left, Nightblood’s voice spoke up in his head, I think she used to be like me, but it’s like she’s dead now. You mean this Blade? asked Vasher. How do you know it’s a she? Can’t you feel her? She’s not completely dead. Do you think you can wake her up with a Breath? It would be like having my own sister. That might be pretty cool You know we have to return it eventually. Yet, I could ask it about how it was made, that could be interesting, I guess that would be worth one Breath. He grabbed a ruby sphere from a bracket on the wall, and with it one hand and the Shardblade in the other, he said “My breath become yours”. The red light coming from the sphere became duller, and he felt a Breath escape him. Suddenly, a new feminine voice spoke up inside his head. What? Where am I? Who are you? Where is my master? What happened? Nightblood responded through Vasher, your old master is probably dead. This is my master. He just awakened you with a Breath. Get Away! Get away from that whoever you are, that blade is evil. Hey, I’m not-, Nightblood was interrupted by Vasher, that is Nightblood. I practically made him. He has been commanded to destroy evil. He will do me no harm. What he meant was that a long time ago, your master broke his oath with you and- Hey, that man looks like a Returned, interrupted Nightblood. What? Vasher looked up at a group of armed men walking through the hallway just past the doorway. There were five of them. Four of them had on leather armor and held various weapons; Vasher knew by instinct that the fifth man was the one Nightblood had mentioned: he wore a black and silver uniform and had a strange crescent moon shaped scar on his face. They look evil, we should destroy them, said Nightblood. They look like they are going to hurt people who can’t protect themselves, said the Shardblade, you should kill them so they can’t do it. I’m beginning to like this Shardblade better than you already Nightblood, Vasher thought as he stood up and strode off toward the group, a sword in each hand. A quick look proved that there was no one else around. “Hey,” he called to them, “what is your business here?” The group stopped and turned around. The man with the scar on his face said “we have come for the life of Renarin Kholin. He is wanted for reasons that I don’t have to explain to you, ardent.” “I’m sorry but I don’t believe you, and my friends here don’t either.” Vasher tossed Nightblood onto the ground before the five men. As usual, it started a bloodbath as one of the men took the blade and started to kill his friends with it. However, it didn’t end up with everyone dead as usual. The scar-faced man summoned a Shardblade and killed the man with Nightblood in his hand, just as he finished off the third warrior. He was now the last man alive out of the five. He turned and charged at Vasher, wielding his Shardblade with expert skill. Fortunately, Vasher was able to parry, using his borrowed Shardblade with equal skill. However, the fight ended abruptly after a couple of minutes when the scar-faced man touched his pants and he found himself stuck to the ceiling with Stormlight leaking from the pants. “I don’t know who you are, but thank you for the cool new sword. I must be going now.” The scar-faced man stooped to pick up Nightblood and then dashed off down the hallway towards the living chambers. I can’t let him get to Renarin, thought Vasher, but I don’t know what to do. He examined his pants with the Stormlight leaking out of them, and an idea came to him. He put a hand on his pants and commanded “Let go of things”. The red light in the hallway, which came from some ruby spheres placed in brackets along the hallway, became much duller, and some of his breath left him. His pants straightened and made themselves loose, so that his legs slipped through them and he fell onto the floor. His pants were still stuck to the ceiling by the Stormlight. He could hear the screams and calls of alarm as people witnessed the unknown Shardblade-wielding assailant dash through the halls. He focused on his life sense to tell him where the killer was. He could sense the servants milling around in hysteria, the guards running in groups down various hallways, and—there! The scar-faced man was in a hallway directly above him, running back in his direction. Okay friend, Vasher said to the Shardblade in his hand, I’m going to throw you, and I want you to maintain your form, all the way through the ceiling. I really shouldn’t listen to you, because you’re not my master, but I guess you are trying to protect people. I’ll do as you say this once, just let me chance my shape. The Shardblade shifted, so that the crossguard disappeared and the sides became narrower at the tip and broader at the base, like a viciously long spearhead. Just as the scar-faced man was approaching the point just above him, Vasher threw the Shardblade at the ceiling. It went all the way through. Vasher sensed the man stop, he was not dead, but had probably been injured. He stayed there for a while as a large guard group approached him, and then suddenly whipped down the rest of the hallway with incredible speed. Vasher could no longer sense him with his life sense. Vasher dashed up to the hallway where the scar-faced man had been. There was a group of guards by the spot where he had thrown the Shardblade and another group looking out a window at the far end of the hallway. Dalinar was with them. He approached Vasher with the Shardblade in his hand; it had gone back to its previous shape. “Zahel, did you throw this through the floor?” Dalinar asked. “My men here said that there was a man running through the hallway with a Shardblade in one hand and your black sword in his other hand. They said this Shardblade came through the floor and struck his leg. Unfortunately, the man flew out that window before we could get to him though.” “Maybe,” replied Vasher. “That is the most incredible feat I have ever seen done with a Shardblade before. Were you a swordmaster before you became an ardent?” “Maybe” “Huh. A swordmaster ardent who takes his pants off in the middle of a battle,” Dalinar looked pointedly at Vasher’s bare legs, “you are an interesting person Zahel. I want you to take over Adolin’s sword training from now on. Also, I’ll talk to the head ardents about letting you keep this sword, since you lost your other one.”

The following is a fan fiction I wrote about some the known members of the 17th Shard: Galladon and Captain Demoux. It occurs somewhere in Roshar after their meeting with Ishikk in Way of Kings. I don't know much about the 17th shard or the cosmere theories, but I don't think I made any blaring mistakes. "I'm kind of glad that this entire land will get obliterated like he said," said Temoo in the usual grim tone that seemed to be his normal speaking voice, "these people deserve it. Understand?" His bowl of soup sat cooling on the table in front of him. He had meticulously stirred through it with his knife to observe its contents and had apparently disapproved of them. Captain Demoux did not recognize any of the ingredients in the soup, but his soldier's training kicked in and he ate anyways. As a soldier, you needed to keep yourself fueled at all times, no matter how bad the food tasted. "If it were up to you Temoo," Demoux replied, "every land we visited would get obliterated." He did not know if Temoo was this man's real name, nor did he know where he came from. In fact, of the few members of the secretive seventeenth shard he had met so far, there was not a single person whose identity he could be sure of. But, he did know two things about Temoo that the man could not conceal: the man was a cynic and he had a secret power that involved drawing symbols in the air. Those symbols were the means by which they could travel between worlds. He knew far less about the other man on the mission with them, Vao, who was currently in a different part of town picking up some supplies. Sometimes Temoo's pessimism could make him quite angry, mainly because it was one of the main things that Kelsier had fought against when he was alive. Kelsier always had a smile and an optimistic attitude, even when the rebel army that he had been building for months was nearly destroyed in a day. However, Demoux was the leader in this mission, and he would not let the attitudes of his subordinates get the better of him. "Okay friend, maybe I do have a strong bias about what makes a good land good, but you have to admit that this place is just pitiful. Understand?" Temoo made a wide gesture at the bar they were sitting in. It was true; the place fit Temoo's description. Everything was carved out of grey stone, from the tables to the chairs. Even the mugs were of a greyish color. The other patrons sat at tables with grim expressions that fit the grey atmosphere. The only color in the place came from the sphere lanterns behind the main bar; they gave off dull reddish light that also seemed very gloomy. "The land that I came from was once very similar to this," replied Demoux. "We were once oppressed by a tyrant emperor who enslaved most of us and created large ashmounts everywhere that spewed ash onto the land constantly. However, we killed him and eventually fixed the land so that everything was colorful and full of life. These people are oppressed, but by their own tradition. They can't simply kill someone and-" He was interrupted by a loud crash as the door to the bar burst open and five men aggressively walked in. They had the look of warriors; four of them had leather armor and various weapons. The fifth man made a sight that immediately made Demoux forget about the gloominess of this land. He was armored in majestic crimson and gold armor from head to foot, and there were no gaps, just smaller interlocking plates. This man spoke to the bartender from behind his greathelm, ornamented with spheres on the outside that gave a bright golden glow, "Where are those foreigners I asked you to tell me about?' "Th-there," the nervous bartender was pointing straight towards them. "Idos Domi!" exclaimed Temoo, "they're after us!". He immediately drew one of his magic symbols in the air. It grew brighter and brighter until it exploded outward towards the soldiers. The four in standard leather armor were thrown across the room and hit the wall with such force that they were probably dead. The man in the majestic armor took a step back to steady himself, but was otherwise unaffected. Temoo swore again as the man in armor laughed and brought his hand to the side as if grabbing an invisible pole. "Let me take care of this one," said Demoux as he grabbed his knife from the table. He also drank a vial of atium. He had been given many of those in the black space between worlds, they seemed to have a lot there. He burned the atium and world became alive with shadowy specters resembling people and moving objects, showing him where everything would be a few seconds in the future. He started to approach the man in armor. Suddenly, the man's specter thrust at him with the hand that he had been holding out. A shadowy sword appeared in that hand which pierced his heart. What the-? Demoux thought. But he took a step back anyways to clear the blade. Sure enough, the man made the same motion with his hand and a real sword appeared out of nowhere. The blade misted on the sides and was unusually long and bright looking. The end was just an inch from his chest; it was a good thing that he had stepped back. The man grunted in surprise, but stepped forward and continued his attack with barely a moment of hesitation. Demoux saw the next swing long before it actually came and easily dodge it, the blade passing within inches of him. The man then took the sword in two hands and aimed a powerful downward swing at him. Demoux used the time bought by this costly swing to spin around to the man's back. There's not even a weak spot in the back. I guess I'll have to go for the eyeslit, he thought. The man's spectral image swung around and slashed at him, so he ducked before the real sword came around in the exact same motion, passing over his head with an inch to spare. Demoux jumped up and tried to thrust his knife into the eyeslit, but the man tilted his head back and avoided the knife. Demoux made another dodge and another thrust for the eyeslit but was again unsuccessful. I can dodge quickly, but my attacks are not helped by the atium at all. He is too good to let me stab him through the eyeslit. I need a better weapon. Knowing his opponent's next swing, Demoux took a step back and actually turned his back to the man in armor. He was looking at the four dead men on the other side of the room for a reliable weapon. The man swore as his blade passed by Demoux's back. "Fight me you cremling coward," he yelled as he tried to thrust at Demoux's back. Demoux simply rolled and ran over to where the other four soldiers had fallen. He picked up a heavy metal mallet and slammed it into the man's back with all his strength after dodging and spinning around another attack. The mallet barely affected the armor at all, but he thought there was a slight crack. From there on the battle consisted of Demoux dodging and spinning around to the man's back where he would slam in the mallet. The other bar patrons had mostly fled by now, but there were a couple gawking in open amazement. The man swore often, but did not change his tactics, he did not know what to do with an atium misting. There really wasn't a whole lot he could do. After about twenty hard swings of the mallet and downing two more vials of atium as his level got low (all while dodging the strange sword), a hole finally appeared in the armor on the man's back. Demoux grabbed his knife and then stabbed the man in the back through the hole. The man gasped and fell forward. He dropped the strange sword and it disappeared. Demoux quickly rolled him over onto his back, dodged a slow punch, and then stabbed him through the eyeslit with a powerful thrust. The man died and his sword appeared at his side. "Way to not show off your powers, friend" said Temoo from the back corner. "You're the one who made a magic symbol in the air that killed four men" said Demoux, through gasps. The fight had left him quite out of breath. "Oh well, I guess we're both in the wrong here then. Are you going to take that armor and sword? I'm pretty sure those are some of the legendary shards of this land." "Yeah, I guess they could be pretty useful," replied Demoux.