Shardblade Wounds and Nalthis

[Aerandir]

Ok so I was thinking about how awakening draws color from things, turning them gray, and shardblade wounds also turn things gray. I was also pondering how Nightblood leeches the color from people when they wield it. So I have a few questions on this topic and I am curious to hear what other people think. I have no idea if this is supposed to be a discussion or under questions (as I have multiple questions). A lot of this is probably theories only, and some of it may have already been discussed.

First, how is the lack of colour related between the two (Awakening color-loss and Shardblade wounds)? Is it related at all? If a Lifeless is cut by a shardblade is it cut in one swing?

Second, if Nightblood bled someone's hand gray could said hand be cut off in one swing from a shardblade?

Third, how is colour related to the soul? Color is lost when the soul is disconnected by a shardblade, and why is this color-loss happening?

Fourth, can people killed by shardblades be turned into Lifeless? Do shardblades need multiple swings to cut through awakened objects? If something was invested with enough breath (say Vasher's cloak but it is given more breath than necessary to protect him), would it block shardblades?

[alder24]

1 minute ago, Aerandir said:

First, how is the lack of colour related between the two (Awakening color-loss and Shardblade wounds)? Is it related at all?

There is a connection between these events, we don't know much more

Spoiler

theleadingman

Objects used for awakening turn gray. A limb cut with a shardblade turns gray. You mentioned earlier in this thread that the color of gemstones on Roshar is important. Is there a connection between these?

Brandon Sanderson

Between those two things? Yes.

/r/books AMA 2015 (July 3, 2015)

 

1 minute ago, Aerandir said:

If a Lifeless is cut by a shardblade is it cut in one swing?

Lifeless would act like a living body in contact with a Shardblade

Spoiler

Questioner

Shardblades cut organic and inorganic matter differently. How would they interact with an animated construct like an Awakened straw man? What about a Lifeless?

Brandon Sanderson

So I walk kind of a fine line here. Something that's animated as a construct, like an Awakened straw man, is likely going to block the Shardblade to some extent, as powerful Investiture would. A Lifeless is probably just gonna act like it was a living being.

San Diego Comic-Con@Home 2020 (July 23, 2020)

 

2 minutes ago, Aerandir said:

Second, if Nightblood bled someone's hand gray could said hand be cut off in one swing from a shardblade?

No idea tbf, likely not, as their soul still wasn't consumed, if it was, they wouldn't be able to use that hand, so the soul is still there, so it will likely react like a regular living flesh.

 

4 minutes ago, Aerandir said:

Third, how is colour related to the soul? Color is lost when the soul is disconnected by a shardblade, and why is this color-loss happening?

We don't know. In Awakening, turning to gray color is a physical change, but that also is changing the soul of that object

Spoiler

tallakahath

So, on Nalthis, in the Warbreaker universe, when the color's pulled out of something, is that a physical or chemical change or is that a perceptual change?

Brandon Sanderson

It is actually a physical change, but the spirit of the thing is changing, and it's filtering through to the Physical Realm.

tallakahath

So, if I do that on a carrot, I can break beta carotin? If I do that on a piece of metal, I can reduce it and charge my battery that way?

Brandon Sanderson

Potentially, yeah! Yeah, that would work, you're changing it's Spiritual nature.

DragonCon 2019 (Aug. 29, 2019)

 

7 minutes ago, Aerandir said:

Fourth, can people killed by shardblades be turned into Lifeless?

Yes

Spoiler

little wilson

Can a Shardblade-killed body be turned into a Lifeless?

Brandon Sanderson

Can a Shardblade-killed body be turned into a Lifeless.  Yeees, it can be re-Invested. Yes.

little wilson

Are there any side-effects to doing so?

Brandon Sanderson

Uhhh, there would be side-effects. I won't tell you what they are. They would be minor, minor, mostly inconsequential side-effects.

Holiday signing (Dec. 12, 2015)

 

Spoiler

Darth Vizious

Could you make a Lifeless out of someone killed with a Shardblade?

Brandon Sanderson

Shardblades sever the soul from the body, but Awakening makes a "fake" soul for a body, so how the soul left doesn't matter.

General Twitter 2015 (Nov. 1, 2015)

 

7 minutes ago, Aerandir said:

Do shardblades need multiple swings to cut through awakened objects?

It will resist a cut of an Shardblade

Spoiler

Questioner

Shardblades cut organic and inorganic matter differently. How would they interact with an animated construct like an Awakened straw man? What about a Lifeless?

Brandon Sanderson

So I walk kind of a fine line here. Something that's animated as a construct, like an Awakened straw man, is likely going to block the Shardblade to some extent, as powerful Investiture would. A Lifeless is probably just gonna act like it was a living being.

San Diego Comic-Con@Home 2020 (July 23, 2020)

 

Spoiler

Questioner

How would an Awakened with Breath piece of cloth react if it got hit with a Shardblade?

Brandon Sanderson

A Shardblade would probably be able to cut it, but it depends on how much Breath we're talking about.

Questioner

So if it had enough, it might be able to block it

Brandon Sanderson

Yes.

FanX 2018 (Sept. 7, 2018)

 

7 minutes ago, Aerandir said:

If something was invested with enough breath (say Vasher's cloak but it is given more breath than necessary to protect him), would it block shardblades?

Potentially, that's what Nightblood and Vivenna's blade are. This means 1000 Breaths are needed for this, at least (we don't know how many Breaths were used for Vivenna's blade).

 

[alder24]

13 hours ago, Aerandir said:

Ok, thank you! Do you happen to know what would happen if a person was made into a lifeless the second after they died (if they were invested with enough breath would the false soul be a cognitive shadow of them?)

The amount of time that passed after death likely has no effect on Lifeless. But how much they were invested when they died is affecting Lifeless after creation. Arsteel was invested, he was given Breaths by Vasher right before he was killed. This had an effect on him as a Lifeless, making him more self-aware than other Lifeless.

Spoiler

Joeh42

In Warbreaker, is Clod the Lifeless body of Arsteel? I like this idea because Arsteel would have had some Breaths within him when he died, as this is how Vashir defeated him and Denth, and this could help explain why he seems to be a little more self-aware than most Lifeless. Could you respond to this idea?

Brandon Sanderson

I confirmed in the Warbreaker annotations that Clod is Arsteel.

Clod is more self-aware than most Lifeless. There is something left of Arsteel within Clod. The Breaths that Vasher gave him when he killed him do have an effect on this.

Tor.com Q&A with Brandon Sanderson (Jan. 10, 2011)

But making Cognitive Shadows is something more. As far as we know, you can't make a Cognitive Shadow when making Lifeless.

[Aerandir]

Ok, thank you! Do you happen to know what would happen if a person was made into a lifeless the second after they died (if they were invested with enough breath would the false soul be a cognitive shadow of them?)