Q&A with Brandon Sanderson

[Brandon Sanderson Nightwatcher]

Hi Mr. Sanderson.

Thank you for doing this, you're awesome . My questions:

1.) Are there any racist jokes in the Mistborn world?

Yes, I would think there are lots of racist jokes everywhere. It's more of a thing on Roshar, however, where the races are more distinct and rub each other the wrong way more often.

2.) What do the Terrismen who aren't stewards or breeders do? Are there castrated Terris craftsmen around in the Terris dominance? what do the terriswomen who aren't breeders do?

Lots of things. There is a full society up there. Lots of small villages.

3.) If there's really no upper limit to feruchemy for practical reasons* , why didn't Sazed just fill steel at ridiculous levels for a few minutes in WoA, and then go back to running instead of leaving his steelminds there?Say, being some 100,000 times slower than he would normally be for about a minute. Meaning that a feruchemist should be able to fill a given metalmind in very short periods of time if you fill at a high enough rate.

The low end is bounded. You can pull out tons--but in filling, you can only go so far. I didn't ever explicitly talk about this in the series, but the implications are there. Not all have the same bounds, but in your example, the body just can't slow beyond a certain point. Think of it this way--you can only fill a weight metalmind with as much weight as you have to give. So you can become very, very light--but you only add to a time for doubling your weight. You can't make yourself 100,000 times slower and gain 100,000 times multiplication. You can give up all of your normal speed, and so when you tap that speed out you are at 200% for an equal period. (And that's a theoretical maximum; realistically, you can only go to down around 75% slower or the like.)

4.) If tapping heat means your own body gets hotter, does it also mean you become immune to hot temperatures so long as you're tapping it, or should you fill heat and grow colder for that to happen?

As everything in Feruchemy, you become immune to the effects of the ability only. Like weight doesn't crush you, but at the same time doesn't have a net gain in strength. Growing colder, however, would be more helpful in this regard.

[Swifftalon Ardent]

Brandon! Hey, it's the evil twin of the A-team. Okay, so I've been asking this around for quite a while and since you have a couple of your own, I figure you can give me a decent, enlightening answer. Keep in mind, this is to satisfy my own personal curiosity and (hopefully) answer one of the great mysteries of the universe. Every time I've tried asking I asking, I either get a vague answer or get told to ask when I'm older.

Well, I'm older now so maybe you can tell me, where exactly do babies come from?

[Brandon Sanderson Nightwatcher]

Hey Brandon, thank you so much for doing this

Would you be willing to write a Ketek in High Imperial? It's just something that's been going around in my head for a while, I think it'd be pretty cool XD.

Ha. I...really would rather pass on this one. Getting the Ketek right in KINGS took weeks of writing and rewriting. I'm not sure I'd like to try something, even for fun, in a quick forum write like this.

On a slightly more serious note, are we going to be seeing Eastern Slang/High Imperial throughout the whole of the mistborn sequence? How about on any of the other shardworlds?

RAFO. (But you will see it again.)

Is there any relationship between Hemalurgic bindpoints and the body focuses in Surgebinding? Specifically, the eyespikes and the eyes being a body focus in Surgebinding?

The relationship is there, but it's not a very strong connection.

Can a misting burn the god-metal alloys of their metal? If not, do the god-metals even 'exist' if there are no full mistborn?

There are metals which exist that any Allomancer can burn, regardless of their own orientation.

PS: what do you think to a Sadeas and Zane pairing? Not many people seem to like the idea, but I think they'd get on swimmingly

Sadeas would make great use of Zane. Far better use than his father did.

[Brandon Sanderson Nightwatcher]

Thanks so much for being so involved with your fans, it really means a lot to us.

1. How has writing Shallan as the focus character been compared to Kaladin in the last book? Easier? More difficult?

So far, I've only done her flashback sequence--but this was a little easier than Kaladin's, as I've been kind of chomping at the bit to tell her story.

2. Will the point of view characters be the same as Way of Kings?

Main viewpoint characters will be the same, with a touch more Navani. We will have a glimpse from a few side characters as well, including a sequence of Parshendi viewpoints.

3. Can Knights Radiant of one Order see the spren of someone from another Order?

RAFO

4. If a Shardblade was used on an awakened object, would it physically harm the object, destroy the Breath, or a combination of the two?

You will someday know.

[nejaa Spearman]

Thanks for answering all these questions! I think most of my serious questions have been answered, so I've just got an odd one:

Since you don't like "The Book of Endless Pages" for the Stormlight Archive, what are the chances of seeing it pop up in the last Alcatraz?

[Brandon Sanderson Nightwatcher]

Dear Brandon,

First of all: I love your books and the original magic systems.. Your worldbuilding is something I prefer in my campaigns as a Dungeon Master: complex, which turns the traditional themes of the genre upside down.

And the questions:

1.A few years ago you posted a long post about your future plans on your website:

Do you plan a post like this again or could you perhaps describe the current version of your plans right here?

Sure.

BOOKS YOU WILL SEE SOON: (The books that are done.)

AMOL: January

The Rithmatist (once named Scribbler): Summer 2013

Steelheart: Fall 2013 or spring 2014.

BOOKS YOU WILL SEE SOMEWHAT SOON: (Working on right now.)

Stormlight 2: Hopefully Fall 2013.

Shadows of Self (New Wax and Wayne): 2014

OTHER:

Alcatraz 5: I own the rights again now, and hope to write this book sometime in the near future.

Stormlight 3: Goal is to write this soon after Stormlight 2

Steelheart and Rithmatist Sequels: I will probably try to do one of each of these between Stormlight 2 and 3.

MAYBE MAYBE:

Elantris 2: I'd still love to do a sequel for 2015, the 10th anniversary of the book's release.

Warbreaker 2: Long ways off.

STALLED PROJECTS

Dark One: Unlikely any time soon.

The King's Necromancer: Unlikely any time soon.

I Hate Dragons: Unlikely any time soon.

Death By Pizza: Turned out mediocre. Won't be released anytime soon.

The Silence Divine: Will be written someday.

White Sand: Will be written someday.

Mistborn modern trilogy: Will be written during the gap between Stormlight 5 and 6.

The Liar of Partinel Didn't turn out well. Scraped.

Dragonsteel: Won't be written until Stormlight is done.

Not a lot of changes from back then, except that Steelheart got finished and Rithmatist got a release date for certain.

2. According to the Second law of Sanderson your characters have flaws, weaknesses. What is the reason, that in a lot of them (Vin, Elend, Kaladin, Dalinar, Spook, etc) the most significant weakness is the lack of self-confidence?

It's because of mode-shifting. The people you noted have been doing one thing for a long time, and are now forced into something else. The self confidence is a side effect of that. However, I wouldn't say it's the primary character attribute for any of them, however. I think you're blanketing self confidence as a larger issue, when it's the smaller part of something larger for each character.

Vin: Trusting Others

Elend: Idealism

Dalinar: Conflict between the killer he was and the man he wishes to be.

Spook: Self Worth

3. And related to this last question: most of your heroes are true traditional "heroes", because they want to be useful for the family/society/other, and they often lack selfish, "dirtier" motivations. Will we sometimes see characters, who are not villains but are rather egocentric?

Kelsier.

Expanding that, however, I feel that in general, other people are telling stories about "dirtier" characters and doing it well. I don't feel characters who are generally good characters are any less realistic, however--in fact, almost everyone I know is more like Vin or Dalinar. They want to be good people, they TRY to be good people. Fantasy has taken a very dark turn in many ways, and this is fine, but it is not the type of story or characters in which I am interested.

That doesn't mean I won't ever do it. There are some far more borderline characters mixed into some of the series, but they are more the exception than the rule.

4. Do you plan a magic system which enables the character to manipulate the four elements with their will? I mean not so bounded, like Allomancy with Pushing or Pulling but shaping/summoning the elements according to the wishes of the person. I ask this, because in the whole fantasy genre I rarely find something like this (except: Arc Magica RPG), so I had to develop it myself at home . But from the authors I know you are the person who has the creativity to do this without doubt.

Maybe, but there are a few problems here. For one, "Four elements" magic has been done over and over in books and video games, so it feels hard to make fresh. And in what you describe, it sounds like the characters would be very powerful, which makes for a challenging story to write.

5. Are the intelligent sprens like Syl the “seons of Roshar”?

What a clever question. Gold star for you.

6. As Dalinar gave his Shardblade to Highprince Sadeas, was his motivation only to free the Brigdemen as “Thank you” for the help? Or did he already plan to build a team from soldiers who are loyal only to him?

He certainly saw the side benefits. However, his primary motive was to make a statement. Not just as a thank you, but as a way of proclaiming to all of the Alethi "What we have been doing is wrong. This wealth is not worth the lives of men."

7. When will be see the whole Cosmere-concept (Shards, the plans of Hoid) at the level of the books? In the third Mistborn trilogy or earlier? In which books do you plan to finish the “hidden story” which connects all your earlier books?

Third Mistborn Trilogy will certainly include some of this. We shall see if I do any of Hoid's stories before then.

8. A bit RAFO but: Is Szeth bounded to the Oathstone (master) with magic/force or just with his honour? As I can remember, in the end of WoK he nearly killed Taravangian.

RAFO.

At last, I want to say thank you for your work, for your wonderful books.

Balázs, a Hungarian fan of yours

It is, as always, my pleasure. Thank you for supporting my writing.

[Brandon Sanderson Nightwatcher]

Hey Brandon, thanks for doing this. My question is only tangentially related to your books. See, I've already read all of them. What book (or series of books) would you recommend while I wait for the next one?

Current "Brandon Suggests" list:

Anything by Guy Gavrial Kay (Tigana in specific.) Slight content warning.

Dragonsbane by Barbara Hambly

A Fire Upon the Deep by Vernor Vinge

Anything by Robin Hobb, but particularly the Fitz books.

Brent Weeks (Black Prism in particular.)

Going Postal is my favorite Pratchett right now. (If you read him, don't start with the first book. Start here or with Guards Guards.)

Anything by Daniel Abraham under any of his various pen names.

Anne McCaffrey if by some miracle you haven't read her yet.

The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by N.K. Jemisin (Slight content warning.)

And, of course, Pat Rothfuss--who is a genius.

[Brandon Sanderson Nightwatcher]

Hey Brandon thanks so much for this!

1. When did the events of Elantris occur relative to mistborn, centuries before? or was it earlier? (Just read a transcript where you answered that

2. What would happen if you allomantically burned an awakened piece of metal?

RAFO.

3. Would an Archivist who was sufficiently practised be able to store memories at different strengths? (Keep a vague recollection of the memory as well as a stored copy which would degrade faster)

I don't think this is outside of reason for one to do, if they wanted to. I'm not sure if they would want to, but it's plausible.

[Brandon Sanderson Nightwatcher]

Hiya Mr. Sanderson! Thank you very, very much for doing this.

[*]Does aluminium have any effect on the other Allomantic metals aside from iron/steel and zinc/brass? If yes, does that include god metals and their alloys?

Yes and no.

[*]Are there more kinds of kandra blessings than just the four we've seen?

Potentially, yes.

[*]Did Sazed do anything with the bodies of Ati and Leras after he ascended?

No, I'm afraid not. Those might have been useful to have around, though.

[Brandon Sanderson Nightwatcher]

Hey Brandon,

Thanks so much for giving us the opportunity to ask some questions. Love all your novels, can't wait for Stormlight 2, and I have to thank you for visiting Australia. I, unfortunately, didn't get a chance to see you, but one of my friends got a book signed by you for my birthday as a surprise. Hope that the next time you're in this sunny little country I get to see you in person

Now, to the questions.

1) Before Adonalsium was shattered, was there magic in the Cosmere and what form did it take?

Yes, and when I write Dragonsteel, you shall see the answer to this.

2) With Stormlight being in your mind 2 five book arcs, is there still a single "through-line" so to speak (aka, the Everstorm, A clash with Odium, or the like).

Yes.

3) Are there any other shards on Nalthis aside from Endowment

Thank you again!

I suppose I can answer this if I haven't already. No, it is only Endowment.

[Brandon Sanderson Nightwatcher]

Wow, thanks for taking the time to let us ask questions! Your books are awesome and it's always a pleasure to read them- I can't wait for Stormlight 2!

Are the Parshendi of Honor?

RAFO.

If Kasbal hadn't been trying to kill Jasnah, would him and Shallan have gotten together?

It's uncertain. He actually did care for her, but he was an assassin trained to infiltrate and gain the trust of people like Shallan. If he hadn't been trying to kill Jasnah, he would never have had a reason to begin spending time with Shallan. However, I assume your question is if they had somehow started interacting, would they have gotten together. It's possible, but I don't think--in the end--it would have lasted.

Are the lighteyes descendants of the first people who took the Shards after the Knights Radiant abandoned them?

I'm afraid I have to RAFO this too.

[Brandon Sanderson Nightwatcher]

Hey Brandon, Will here. Welcome to the humble little den of inanity that has somehow become home to a growing portion of your fanbase. We're delighted to have you, and thrilled stupid that our members have this opportunity. I wanted to have a special graphic done up for this - and still might manage it, if the day magically extends to include about seven extra hours and I develop the ability to operate Photoshop while asleep - but my classes have made all other arting virtually impossible.

Sounds like you need a metalmind or two.

Now, I know everyone is expecting me to ask something enlightening about whether or not waffles on Roshar have retractable syrup or confirmation on the Theory of the Epic God Metal, but I had something different in mind. (Although feel free to give any insights or secrets on waffles in the cosmere; any information will aid in the development of the all-important Wafflematic Theory).

• A few months ago, I discovered listening to classic jazz just really got me into the mindset for my current novel, and I think it might be because the story is set in a time similar to the America in the 1920's; do you ever try to match the music with the setting of a specific book or scene? Is there any one artist or style of music that works no matter what?

Yes, indeed I do. I actually listened to era-appropriate music when working on Alloy of Law. In general, a good stoundtrack can work no matter what, but for some scenes I need something more powerful. (Szeth's scenes in TWoK were usually to Daft Punk.)

• Sort of following up on one of Kerry's questions, what aspect of a new setting do you find to be the most difficult to develop?

Hmmm.... The everyday stuff is actually the hardest. For example, the question about racist jokes. They'd have them in world, but getting everything like this into a novel can be tough--particularly since it has a chance of squeezing out the story if you do too much.

• Finally, do you have any of the Power Nine, and if so, which ones?

Pearl, Emerald, Ruby, Time Walk, Recall. Four left to go. I try to pick them up at times when it means something--for example, I bought my Ruby in Taiwan during my visit there earlier, and my wife gave me one as a gift...that sort of thing.

That's all for me. Thank you again for this opportunity. We know you're a busy guy, but the fact that you're taking the time to do this makes you all the more awesome.

(...yes, guys, I know I said I would only ask one, but the Power Nine question is important! )

[EHyde Stormwarden]

Hi Brandon, I hope you don't mind me posting here again to ask a question on behalf of my sister, who's just started reading your books (she has read the first and second Mistborn novels). She asks "Why did you choose to make the protagonist of Mistborn a very broken young woman--arguably a characterization quite difficult to pull off without first-hand experience of abuse or womanhood?" I feel like you've talked about writing female characters in interviews before, but I had trouble finding anything I could link her to, so I figured I'd just post her whole question here.

Thank you again!

[Tellingdwar Prelan]

Love your work and have to say it was absolutely amazing and surreal seeing you at GenCon this year. Oddly enough, most of my questions are about Feruchemy

1. It's mentioned in the RPG that aluminum feruchemy can be used to tap someone else's metalminds. Would this involve Storing in your own aluminum metalmind while also Tapping another's aluminum metalmind?

2. Can a bendalloy Feruchemist store any type of fluids, such as alcohol, poisons, or medicines, in a metalmind to avoid poisoning/intoxication, or store medicine for future use? If so would each type of fluid require a separate metalmind?

3. Will you be doing annotations for Alloy of Law?

4. Hmm, looks like all of my questions about Shards and Cosmere have already been asked... Shall I fetch you another bottle of imaginary wine, my good sir?

[lyssie95 Babsk]

Hi there Mr. Sanderson-

No specific topic for my questions, just random things I think about. Sorry if they get annoyingly detailed

1)So, what would happen if someone stole Sazed's copperminds and beat them all to death with a hammer, to the point where they are in multiple pieces? Would anything detrimental happen to the investiture? Along a similar note, what if a metalmind gets rusted or corroded or some kind of chemical-change style damage rather than physical-change style damage?

2)Just for clarification, what exactly happens when a shardblade cuts through a limb- I think TWoK mentioned the whole limb went dead, but where are the cutoff points? If I cut below your elbow, would the deadness just go to the elbow, or up to the shoulder? Below the wrist? If I hit your finger, would it go to the base of the finger or the whole hand or the whole arm?

2b) Would shardblade-arm-slice be effective in a battlefield medicine situation to deaden the arm before an amputation or something?

and now for something completely different

3)Can you confirm the existence of squeespren? Because I can guarantee you that they are flocking to the chatroom right now, as they do every time you do something as wonderful and cool as this.

aaaaaand to go for some totally irrelevant information

4)I recently have become obsessed with Doctor Who (and the Tenth Doctor), and was wondering if you liked the show/who your favorite Doctor is?

To repeat what others have said, thank you so much for doing this. I can't wait to participate in what I'm sure will be the first of many campouts outside the BYU bookstore for SA2

See you next year!

[Zas678 Listener]

Okay, quickly before the deadline closes.

First off, I want to show you two things that are a great reflection on your work. First is our Gallery. It's got a lot of really really great fan pieces in there. Often one of us will find an awesome work and ask for their permission to post it here.

Second, here's my favorite response to the mistborn trilogy. Really, it's fantastic. (Though there is some language) And Way of Kings if you're wondering too.

Thanks for answering so many of my questions already! Some long standing debates were settled on Saturday. Feel free to RAFO any of my remaining ones.

So here are my questions.

1. What do you think of the Interview Database? Are you glad for it? Have you ever used it?

2. Is the holy grotto that Ishikk mentions covered with Stormlight-filled gems?

3. How could Preservation actually alter what the Allomantic metals were (replacing cadmium and bendalloy with atium and malatium)?

4. How far have the languages deviated on the various cosmere worlds? We noticed that the character Shash was common, and the fact that the worldhoppers in the Purelake scene seem to be able to communticate with each other.

5. Is Jezrien still a normal-looking human being?

6. Is the "Expanse of Density" Scadrial? And is there supposed to be another one where the word "Shadesmar" is?

7. How does the body know what to heal to using magic? And why aren't permanent scars (like Sazed being a eunuch) healed by it? Does it have to do with their cognitive view of themself?

EDIT- (Cause I'm an Admin and I can. ) I crossed out 4 because you've answered that question enough. I should've read everyone else's questions before posting my own! Instead I'll ask this:

How does weeks like this (Where you're doing things like Q&As, annotations, and prewriting) differ from weeks where you're primarily writing (while editing something smaller), or revising (while writing something smaller)?

Thank you so much Brandon. We realize that this took longer than you expected, and we're so glad that you could be here. Not to mention the fact that you Shattered our previous record for Reputation with only 10% of the posts.

[Chaos Adonalsium]

Okay guys, thank you for all of your questions! You all astound me with how intelligent and astute you are! We're going to close it up now. Thank you so much!

And Brandon, thank you so much for being here. Seriously. I try to type how appreciative we all are, and it just comes out like a rainbow vomiting on a keyboard. Or something. Bizarre metaphors aside, thank you. How about I just leave it at "you are the best" and call it a night, hm?

(Brandon: Though the topic will be closed, we've given you and Peter rights to post here. We've tested and it should be fine. Just FYI.)

[PeterAhlstrom Sliver]

Fluttershy. Those eyes.

[Brandon Sanderson Nightwatcher]

Brandon, thank you again for writing such truly wonderful books.

a ) Now that you have finished writing WoT, how does it feel going back to telling your epic story that you have wanted to share with the world and being able to write a story naturally without the outside constraints that came with WoT?

What if anything has been the biggest challenge getting back into writing Stormlight Archives after working so hard on WoT?

It feels great, though it's a feeling I've felt before. It was the feeling I had when jumping out of the Mistborn world after finishing all three books and instead doing Warbreaker. For most of the process with the WoT, I didn't feel 'constrained' really. It was more a sense of difficulty--it was difficult to do for unique reasons. Matching RJ's story, making certain to keep characters consistent, that kind of thing.

It is refreshing to move to a new project, but this one presents difficulties of its own. I have to follow up The Way of Kings, which I feel is the best book of my career so far. I poured twenty years of effort into that book. Now, the sequel needs to be equally awesome, which is a real challenge.

Also, I keep wanting to use WoT curses.

b ) What are the chances of another tour here in Australia in the next five years?

Keep writing and we'll keep reading!

The chances are pretty good. Supanova says they want to bring me back, so theoretically I should be joining them again in a couple of years.

[Brandon Sanderson Nightwatcher]

Heyy Brandon

Thanks for taking the time to answer some of these questions! We will all be very appreciative I am sure

1. When Dalinar and Honour are having a "chat" at the end, Honour says "I don't know who you are, or how you found your way here." Does Dalinar visit the Spiritual realm in his dreams then?

RAFO. (Sorry.)

2. Does the world map in the Way of Kings show all of the landmasses of Roshar? Does that make the continent on Roshar a Pangaea-like supercontinent? And as I think about it, are there tectonic plates on Roshar?

It is a supercontinent. I won't say there is NOTHING out there, but (unlike Scadrial) there is not another full continent. Plate tectonics are not a factor on the supercontinent.

3. You once told me that Roshar is the name of the planet from the cosmere-literate point of view. Were the dawnsingers cosmere-literate?

There are various levels of cosmere awareness.

4. Is there any use to being a Copper compounder, from a feruchemical point of view? I think the same point would also apply to an Aluminium compounder.

Thanks again!

Some combinations, like some abilities themselves, aren't really that useful. That said, being able to compound copper...that could do some things. Aluminum, not so much.

[Brandon Sanderson Nightwatcher]

Hey Brandon,

first, let me thank you for giving us this occasion. Unless you're planning to come to Germany in the next few years it'll be hard to ask my questions.

Well, Dan (my friend from Writing Excuses) lives in Germany now, so there has been talk of going to visit him.

If you're going to answer all of these questions it probably will take much time (even knowing that lots of them will get RAFOd) so if you don't it will only permit you to continue with the Stormlight Archive 2, which will be very good as well.

- is one of the symbolhead-spren (or maybe all of them) responsible for Shallan's ability to Soulcast (in the way that Syl is responsible for Kaladin's Lashings)?

There is indeed a similar relationship there.

- When Surgebinding, the person is Binding a Surge (the elemental force). Are those Bindings (the spiritual link) the focus for Surgebinding on Roshar?

RAFO

[Brandon Sanderson Nightwatcher]

Dear Brandon,

I have many questions, and I'll try to get all the best ones out.

1. Do Stephen's aspects exist in the way bonded spren exist (independent Spiritual and Cognitive aspect but tied to a human.)?

Legion does not exist in the cosmere, so Realmatic Theory is not at play in the story.

2. Did Razon's camera use the same spiritual gravitational anchors as time bubbles?

See above.

3. If two people grabbed the hilt of a Shardblade at the same time and then it got knocked out of their hands, which one could resummon it?

The one it's bound to.

4. How do worldhoppers communicate on all the Cosmere worlds? Is there one universal language? Do they just learn a new language for each world?

There is not a universal language.

5. What would happen if Nightblood and a Shardblade hit each other?

RAFO

6. What would happen if, right after someone died, they were made into a Lifeless, and then Endowment tried to Return that person?

Oooh...now that's a spicy one. Endowment's gift of a superpowered Breath would come down, strike the Lifeless, and all kinds of craziness would occur. You'd end up with a drab god, which would be hilarious.

7. Is Soulcasting mass-conservative (Soulcast a 1kg goblet, you get 1 kg of blood.)?

In most circumstances, yes.

8. Could vampires survive on Soulcast blood?

Yes.

9. Does chocolate exist in the Cosmere?

Yes. Not on Roshar, though.

Just remembered two more:

1. Is it at all possible for Kelsier to be reincarnated/posess someone/show up as a ghost/whatever and become a character in a future Mistborn book?

He's shown up before, so I'd say that's a pretty good indication for the future.

2. Can a Feruchemist store an attribute in a metalmind that someone else has already stored in and if so, do the charges affect each other in any way?

Yes, but the charges are just stored in separate pieces of the metal, and don't really influence one another.

[Brandon Sanderson Nightwatcher]

Thanks from yet another fan for your wonderful writing.

1) Do Honorblades have the same sort of relationship to Honor (possibly to a much greater degree) that Shardblades do?

You're on the right track.

2) Is it necessary to touch a Shard -not necessarily to become its Holder, but to at least touch it briefly- to Splinter it?

RAFO

3) Some dictionaries list two meanings for the word "odium": the feeling of strong hatred, and that which provokes hatred from others. Do both of these apply to the Shard with that name?

Yes.

4) Does the Shard Odium seek to separate things, much like the Shard Honor seeks to bind things together?

An interesting theory.

5) Can a Shard tell the difference between itself and its current holder?

Tricky question. Depends on the circumstances. The power as a whole, no. Pieces of it, yes. (Ala Spinozism.)

[Brandon Sanderson Nightwatcher]

Hello Mr. Sanderson. I'd like to add my thanks for you being an amazing author and also for obliging our craziness. Though if you hadn't been so very awesome as to have your Cosmere make sense and be fundamentally understandable, then we probably wouldn't be so crazy about figuring it out, so...

I've been foolhardy enough to try to deduce your Unifying Theory, so you'll have to forgive me for some of the minutia I'm about to ask. I'm torn between "I really shouldn't ask that much: he's being such a good sport about this and it's really too much to expect for him to read/answer relatively trivial questions" and "Must. Get. Answers!"

Okay, this is a big post, and I'm going to warn you--many of these things are things I don't want to talk about yet, as the time is not right. So I'll answer what I can, but be warned that you might get a large number of RAFOs.

BioChroma:

Do Breaths inherently possess the ability to interpret and carry out commands, or does the Awakener need to impart that decision making ability on Awakened objects?

If the Awakener does need to impart the decision-making ability, then does Awakening consist of an Awakener copying a portion of his/her Cognitive aspect (as determined by his/her visualization and verbal Command) onto the Cognitive aspect of the object being Awakened, with Breath then providing the "juice" for the object to actually follow its Command: powering both physical motion and "cogitation" based upon the copied Cognitive aspect?

-If so, is that copying what drains color?

You're very close here.

Time Bubbles:

If you are standing inside of a time bubble, and throw a spear out of the bubble, what happens to that spear as it traverses the border of the bubble? Are different parts of the spear ever in different "time zones," going fundamentally different speeds?

On that line of reasoning, what would happen to a train and its occupants if Marisi stood next to railroad tracks holding up a Cadmium bubble while that train sped by?

In general, a large object going through a time bubble is not going to notice. An object is either in or out, and it depends in part on how the object views itself. People inside the train would be inside of its influence, and wouldn't notice the bubble. The spear would go from one to the other, but would never be in both.

Misc.: (These ones aren't my ideas originally, but I like them)

What is/was Endowment's gender? Is Endowment the same being as Austre (making him male)?

RAFO

Is Wax's hemalurgic earring in Alloy of Law giving him slight Allomantic Pewter, enabling Harmony to fuel Pewter Allomancy directly in the final fight sequence?

RAFO

Can Hemalurgy be used to steal Shardblades directly, transferring ownership from the victim to the spike's recipient without a need for the recipient to physically take the Shardblade first?

A novel use of Hemalurgy which is not outside the sphere of its powers.

And also to give cats various powers through Hemalurgy, resulting in uber-powerful Catquisitors forming a Caton of Inquisition and taking over the Cosmere (then renamed the Catsmere)?

Of course. They'd have to fight the Mistborn Llamas, though.

RAFO Bait:

Would it be fair to describe the three realms as the Spiritual realm providing motivation/general directives (gravity, desires, energy, etc.), the Cognitive realm interpreting and applying those directives, and the Physical realm as where these directives--as interpreted by the Cognitive realm--are actually implemented? All of this with interactions/change flowing back and forth between the realms as well (Physical phenomena affecting thought affecting the spirit, for example).

P.S. Wow that's longer than I thought it would be. Feel free to pick and choose, although (obviously) the question about Catquisitors is the most pressing. Thank you again.

Last One: Ha! That's a very interesting way to look at it. The theory isn't all there, but it's thinking along the right lines.

[Brandon Sanderson Nightwatcher]

Hi Mr Sanderson! Thanks for doing this!! I am glad you are taking time out to do this...

1. We know that there are 10 orders of Radiants and 10 different powers, with each order having access to 2 of them. Any reason why this "class restriction" exists (they are lot more combinations possible with 10 powers)?

There is a reason. I don't know when I want to get into it, however.

2. How is Harmony balanced when a part of Preservation's power is expended on human sentience? Isn't that what caused all the trouble to begin with?

Indeed. Hm... What could Sazed be doing with that extra power...

3. You have told us there are more than 30 magical systems on Roshar. I am assuming there are 10 surgebindings and 10 voidbindings. Do the next 10 belong to another such classification? If yes, can you give us the name for it.

Fabrials are part of it.

4. If I used a hemalurgic spike charged with allomantic powers on a person on say Nalthis, will the focus of allomancy change because the power is being used on another planet?

RAFO