White Sand in Elantris

[Honorless]

Presenting a pretty intriguing theory from Krox, Collector and I, Owain over on Discord

So, in RoW we got word that the microorganisms that live on the white sand particles can grow on other surfaces. Also a solid WoB:

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Yoitsthew

Are there any deserts on Roshar, and if so could the white sand organism spread? Just imagining how sand mastery might possibly migrate to Roshar lol.

Brandon Sanderson

The White Sand organism could spread on Scadrial, and on any planet, but it would need investiture to do so. It would be easier for it to spread on Roshar, for example, because of the storms.

General Reddit 2020 (Sept. 30, 2020)

It's interesting for its implications on Roshar but it's entirely possible that we've already seen this phenomena happen on another Shardworld which is heavily Invested: Sel.

After the Reod, the city of Elantris was covered in a slimy substance. A substance that was once alive and lived off the light... or Light of Elantris, of the Dor.

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"There are fungi and molds that live on light, Galladon,” Raoden said. “The Dor’s illumination was different from ordinary light, however, and it attracted a different kind of fungus. Apparently a thin translucent film grew on most things. The Elantrians didn’t bother to clean it off—it was practically imperceptible, and it in fact enhanced the radiance. The mold was tough, and it didn’t make much mess. Until it died.”
“The light faded…” Karata said.
“And the fungus rotted,” Raoden said with a nod. “Since the mold once covered the entire city, now the slime does as well.”

~ Elantris, Ch 34, courtesy of xnkvbo from over on Discord

 

For those who haven't read White Sand, it's actually a type of lichen which lives on white sand particles that is actually responsible for the colour changes and forming temporary Bonds with Sand Masters in order to power Sand Mastery. It's kinda similar to how Aviar Bonds grant powers to their humans which they get from their Bond with parasites/symbiotes that they get by eating the fruits of Patji's Fingers by the Perpendicularity.

 

The city of Elantris glowed as it's a giant Aon, with Investiture from the Dor flowing through it and these lichen fed off of it, enhancing its glow. This sounds very, very similar to how white sand is portrayed in the White Sand comics. It seems very possible that both are the same.

Both White Sand and Elantris are early works of Brandon, so he might've been playing with the idea; he had already decided on a shared universe by then as well as worldhopping between them (Hoid).

Edited June 24, 2021 by Honorless
Just saw that Krox noticed this on Discord first

[Collecter128]

I keep imagining a sand master trying to lift other things than sand now. 

[Mistcloak]

That makes a lot of sense. I never thought of that before

[Serack]

This is pretty cool.  I like the idea that the two could be tied together, although I’d rather expand it to that they may be similar flora not necessarily identical.  
 

They could be identical though.