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These are cropped versions of a couple Cosmere pieces I just did for myself. I started one with the Stormfather yesterday so I might post that one here sometime in the near future.

Hey guys, I've been gone for a bit but with Graphic Audio releasing version 1.5 of White Sand (I'll explain that in a moment :wink:) and me getting my tax return, I decided to grab them. So first off: Version 1.5. This may confuse some people but this is just the number I've decided to use between Brandon's Draft of White Sand and what we got in the Graphic Novel. On the page for the first Volume of the GA version of White Sand it confirms that a lot was cut in order to make the GN, whether this stuff is still canon or not someone should definitely ask Brandon one day. The Script used in the Graphic Audio version IS the original edited script for the Graphic Novel before things started having to be chopped. I decided to record some of the difference just to see how different they are. Now for the Differences, I'll try and be thorough but I probably will end up missing some things here and there. Volume 1: Kenton is shown running the whole gauntlet from beginning to end instead of picking up around the forth sphere. Unlike the Graphic Novel which makes it very hard to tell there are indeed both men and women in the Diem and they comment about Kenton throughout his trial. Khriss's story begin with her on the ship from Darkside and seeing the sun and port for the first time. We get to see some of the hostility between Baon and the soldiers due to Boan being in charge. Most of the Ceremony is the same for Kenton's sash, with the exception that after he blacks out, we cut to Khriss and company attempting to buy supplies in port as well as a guide. They discover that the language they'd been taught as Daysider is the Holy Language of the Priests. The Story matches up quite well from here up to the ambush after the marketplace. The assassin's attack and Baon's acquires one of their casters. Kenton then explains how it works to him. Before they reach the city, We see that the area around it is very lush with life surprising Khriss. Then the story switches to our favorite, Ais, who is planning to raid to capture Sherizane or their conspirators. It switches to Lokmlen who is trying to persuade his cohorts into a job. He's wanting to sneak into the Diem and steal what's there since the Sand Masters are no more. After get the others to agree, Ais and her team, with expert timing, enter and their operation. Lokmlen escapes much to Ais annoyance. The back wall then opens up and a kill squad begins to pick off the tracts. Ais rushes the wall and grabbing the arm of the of men, then proceeds to use him as a battering ram to bring down the wall. She then picks off the shocked men and takes off after Lokmlen. The GN picks up with their chase and is completely the same except for one small detail: Aarik has sheath not a sword, as he had thrown the sword away years ago. Speaking of Airik, his introduction is actually a bit different in the GA version. We meet him on a boat heading towards Kezare to mourn his friend Kenton, whom he believes was killed. He talks to himself and the Gondolier driver questions whether he should have ferried him. From here the graphic novel and Graphic audio play continue the same, right up til Kenton reaches the diem, which is confirmed to be on it's own little island seperated from the rest of Kezare. Kenton enters the Diem and spends a good while searching. Every room that he could reached, screaming at the top of his lungs before he collapses at the entrances and Dirin Finds him. Things continue the same until we reach the Judgement hall. Where we see our musician friend for the first time, singing about the current situation to no one in particular. It is noted that he has long hair similiar to Aarik and that he reminds Kenton of him. The only other remarkable difference is that Ais has a bad habit of Digging her nails into her skin as a skin of frustration which is shown in the GN version, but is very hard to pick out. The rest of the volume is the same with Kenton fighting it out with Drile, Aarik Arriving at the Diem, and Khriss paying N'teese, going to meet people and eventually learning that Kenton is a Sand Master which she is none too happy about

The epic fantasy genre is still relatively young, at least compared to other literary genres. The foundational work of creating an entirely new category of literature, one defined by the creation of an entirely new fictional world where the story takes place, is attributed to J.R.R. Tolkien. Everything Tolkien had done have become standard fantasy tropes: dark lords, medieval settings, elves and dwarves. Of interest here is the medieval settings part, which defines so much of the fantasy genre: fantasy world settings are mostly based on Europe, around the medieval time period in thought and technology and the nobility. I'm not referring to the quality here, which is it's own trope, but the idea related to class & bloodline & the divine right of kings. Brandon Sanderson is Mormon, so the portrayal of religion in his works is something that has been discussed a lot. You can find answers to most questions you might want to ask him regarding this on his site itself and there's plenty of discussion here on the forums, on reddit, etc. The trope of nobles and commoners in his works, however, is something that is not discussed enough in my opinion, and when it is, it's usually mentioned as a throw-away comment: "yes, we get it, Brandon, not all nobles (are bad)" This trope has evolved over time from its origin, the divine right of kings. In the Lord of the Rings the only difference between the line of Kings and the line of Stewards is their pedigree. Some people are apparently inherently superior and thus have the right to rule over the rest of them. Let's not get into the other critiques of LoTR like race or apologetics (I suggest looking into CS Lewis for more on this). Denethor was a bad ruler not just because he was a bad ruler but because he wasn't the rightful ruler. Aragorn comes and he's the rightful heir and everything's chill now. The themes are still kinda there in Sanderson's works too, the trope has been transformed but not truly subverted. In Mistborn era 1, book 2, Elend institutes a constitutional monarchy which is still very skewed with only 1/3 of the representatives being skaa. This assembly then boots him out, rightfully through Elend's own laws but Vin goes on a rampage of murdering and/or forcing his competitors to submit to his rule. In book 3, he decides that the time for debates and legislatures is later somewhere in the indeterminate future when the crisis is over. I do understand what the stakes were that motivated him to do the things he did. I'm simply pointing out a plot point. In era 2 of Mistborn, the legislative branch is divided into two halves: half elected and half aristocrats. The main protagonist is one of the aristocrats and one of the overarching character arcs for him was about accepting the responsibility of being an aristocrat. There are forces from outside of Scadrial who are involved in trying to topple this system. In Warbreaker, the God-King of Hallandren, Susebron was a figurehead ruler with the power being concentrated in the Court of Gods. The other main characters all belong to the ruling classes as well: two princesses, one of them also the queen, a member of the Court of Gods, and an enigmatic former ruler. The antagonists wanted to overthrow the system but are thwarted at the end by Susebron who comes into his powers after having been educated by the princess-queen and given back his tongue by magic. Hallandren's future looks just a bit brighter with its rightful ruler in power. In The Stormlight Archives much of the story revolves around the Kholin family, who reunified the broken kingdom of Alethkar. The idea of fighting against the Lighteyes does exist but that stuff is less important than unifying under them to face a greater threat. Also, Lighteyes are mostly descended from the ancient Knights Radiant whose eyes glowed the colour of their Order, that's where both the colour and the notion of superiority came from. In Elantris, the kingdom of Arelon moves on from plutocracy to monarchy, but we shouldn't worry because Raoden is pretty chill. ~spoilers for Aether of Night~ I'm not saying that these issues might not get resolved in future sequels. The Mistborn era 2 broadsheets seem to be hinting at civil unrest and discontent. And if @asmodeus's theory* is right, it might become a major plot point in eras 3 & 4 Stormlight might not just be about the fight against Odium but a fight against hatred. And again, I'm aware of the plot, circumstances and characteristics behind these noble characters. I'm just pointing out that these were actual plot points in the stories. Brandon has broken quite a few tropes in his prolific career but for now at least, it seems, that this is the trope that would not break *asmodeus' theory: Also, go read Powder Mage you guys! Edit: There is a subversion of this trope in Sanderson's work: White Sand. Making the Diem less dictatorial and more accountable is one of the most integral parts of the plot.

At the end of White Sand [prose version] Kenton decides to chase after Khriss, and we're left without knowing how that turns out. As we know, Khriss later becomes a notable worldhopper. Has anyone here spotted anyone else fitting Kenton's description in other Cosmere works, indicating that Kenton also became a worldhopper?

There is a Kenton Street in Luthadel. Khriss. What did you do to Kenton. My idea is that Kenton died, and that Khriss was there while Luthadel was built, then wrote down Kenton Street as a memorial to him. Thoughts?

Hello all! White Sand graphic novel vol.1 is coming soon! I'm so excited about it and just drew something. Here's my take on Khriss and Kenton, the two main characters. I hope this will tide you over until the book comes out =)