Question and Answer

[Kurkistan]

If Kaladin went to Nalthis, would he have a Breath to give away?

 

Not by virtue of just being a dude from not-Nalthis, no (there's quite a few WoB's on this, one here, several here, some more scattered about). It's another question whether his Radiant-ness would change anything in this regard, but I'm very heavily betting no, since Breaths are explicitly Endowmenty in nature.

[WeiryWriter]

Well the lines aren't actually visual, or it would be useless for Inquisitors, so I imagine it's only blue because of some instinctive perception of the ability to specially track metal.

The power itself seems uniform in behavior for all metal besides aluminum though, so I wonder if the "metal sense" can differentiate between all metal elements, alloys, and trace residue. Maybe even compounds and ions. That's a lot of things.

 

I've always imagined that the lines being blue had something to do with Prussian blue.

[emilylime]

What does cfsbf stand for??

Edited May 5, 2015 by Lady Eowyn

[Zas678]

Where did you see it referenced?

 

Oh I know- 

 

It's Cosmere Fandom iS the Best Fandom.

 

It's the tumblr tag for the cosmere fandom in... tumblr. 

[WeiryWriter]

Technically it's "Cosmere Fandom Still Best Fandom" but Zas is right it's the fandom tag for the cosmere (and other Brandon stuff) over on tumblr.  It was originally FeatherWriter's but it eventually got co-opted by the (tumblr) fandom at large.

[emilylime]

oooh, okay. A very true initialism tbh

[Zas678]

Oh! That makes WAY more sense. Always better to capitalize the first letter than letters willy nilly. 

[Turos]

OK, this one got me on a reread of The Final Empire. What do Atium shadows look like to an inquisitor? Any word on this?

[Kurkistan]

This is the nearest we have on it, I believe.

 

Source:

HEROWANNABE ()

I recently picked up the Mistborn Adventure game and am loving it. I made a character who is a blind Mistborn because hey, I thought it would make for some interesting possibilities. As I understand Allomancy, he can hear/sense well enough to get around with Tin, plus even though he's blind he can still "see" Steel lines (like the inquisitors), and I assume Atium would work the same way—that is, he could still "see" Atium shadows. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

 

BRANDON SANDERSON

No, you're right. That works. He'd have to burn metals a LOT though. It might warp him a little.

 

HEROWANNABE

The metal that's stumping me is Gold—what happens when a blind person burns Gold—especially if he "sees" a version of himself that isn't blind? Can he see the other version or just hear/feel/sense him? What about the other version, can it see things? Could a blind person use gold in this way to see the world around him?

 

BRANDON SANDERSON

A blind person would indeed sense these things, but not have the vision with the eyes. In the same way that a blind person still dreams, but doesn't "See" in them. (As I understand it.) I'd suggest talking to someone who is blind and getting their take on how this would work.

Edited May 6, 2015 by Kurkistan

[Turos]

Thanks Captain Kurk!

 

Hmm. He's not very specific, huh? I wonder if Atium shadows can be adapted to other senses, too. You see them, but know they aren't real. Could you smell them and recognize you aren't actually smelling it? Or feel? Hearing would be a very useful version of it.

 

So many questions...

[XenosHg]

1) Someone mentioned that Hemalurgy can transfer not only Allomancy and Feruchemy, but other magic powers from Cosmere. So, can it steal Awakening powers? And, since their respective shards are on different planets, do you need to transfer an Awakener from Nalthis to Scadrial for hemalurgy to work, then kill the donor with a spike and pierce the acceptor, and after that - to send the resulting Hemalurgical Awakener back to Nalthis for his new powers to start working? And, since Breaths need to be given voluntarily, are they lost when you hemalurgically kill their host? And, since someone mentioned that Hemalurgical Feruchemists might have access to the metalminds the original Feruchemist filled - can Hemalurgic Awakener take the Breaths back from something the original Awakener invested into?

 

2) What gives off allomantic pulses that Seekers hear while burning bronze? Each metal has a static one, Preservation|Mist spirit has a changing one, and I believe that Reen|Ruin also had one - but that might heve been a deception. So, are those pulses connected to the Powers? Does Atium give a pulse? What do you hear when listening to a Mistborn burning different metals together, do they overlap? Can he make a melody by burning and extinguishing different metals? Or use different metals like a Morse code for a fellow Seeker?

 

3) Where was a story about the specifics of Kelsier's Snapping and escape?

 

4) If there's an afterlife in Mistborn books, then did Kelsier meet Mare again, and if yes, what does she think of his adventures? (and of his kinda being a god-voice for a couple of weeks between Preservation's death and Vin's ascension?)

 

5) I'm a bit afraid to ask this question due to site rules forbidding anything sexual.. But still, since author's annotations for HoA mention that Snapping is all about powerful emotions - not necessarily pain, fear or, maybe, as i suspect in Kelsier's case, despair, but, rarely but possibly, something like very strong laughter..  Does physical arousal count as an emotion, and could some woman orgasm into Snapping?

[Zas678]

1) Someone mentioned that Hemalurgy can transfer not only Allomancy and Feruchemy, but other magic powers from Cosmere. So, can it steal Awakening powers? And, since their respective shards are on different planets, do you need to transfer an Awakener from Nalthis to Scadrial for hemalurgy to work, then kill the donor with a spike and pierce the acceptor, and after that - to send the resulting Hemalurgical Awakener back to Nalthis for his new powers to start working? And, since Breaths need to be given voluntarily, are they lost when you hemalurgically kill their host? And, since someone mentioned that Hemalurgical Feruchemists might have access to the metalminds the original Feruchemist filled - can Hemalurgic Awakener take the Breaths back from something the original Awakener invested into? 

 

1) Hemalurgy questions are interesting. Let's use Hoid, as the most well known world hopper. As far as I understand, Hoid could go to Nalthis and spike someone there and gain the ability to transfer breaths, or an individual breath itself. I believe that without it, he could receive breath the normal way, and receive the benefits (like perfect pitch), but he couldn't Awaken. 

 

I believe that you can gain Breath (maybe even all the Breaths someone has) through spiking, but it's... less efficient than just asking them for it (or even threatening to spike them).

 

It's possible that someone who spiked the ability to transfer breaths would be able to receive the breaths from objects that person invested. I'm not sure, and it would be kind of interesting, but I bet it would be possible.

 

 

2) What gives off allomantic pulses that Seekers hear while burning bronze? Each metal has a static one, Preservation|Mist spirit has a changing one, and I believe that Reen|Ruin also had one - but that might heve been a deception. So, are those pulses connected to the Powers? Does Atium give a pulse? What do you hear when listening to a Mistborn burning different metals together, do they overlap? Can he make a melody by burning and extinguishing different metals? Or use different metals like a Morse code for a fellow Seeker?

 

2) I bet that burning bronze looks into the Spiritual Realm some, and allows you to "see" or "hear" someone drawing on the power of creation/investiture. I imagine all magic users would give off a type of pulse, and I bet that Atium, most definitely gives a pulse (I'm pretty sure it says so in the book).

 

And I bet that a very talented Mistborn could "hear" two types of metals being used by someone, just like we can see two different types of lights, or hear two instruments at the same time. I bet they could communicate, but it would be difficult. It would be like communicating by alternating playing the viola and the cello. Someone very practiced could do it, but it would be hard. 

 

 

 

3) Where was a story about the specifics of Kelsier's Snapping and escape? 

 

I don't think there was one about his snapping and escape (besides the little there is in the Final Empire), but there is one about his training in the Mistborn Adventure Game (a RPG game).

 

4) If there's an afterlife in Mistborn books, then did Kelsier meet Mare again, and if yes, what does she think of his adventures? (and of his kinda being a god-voice for a couple of weeks between Preservation's death and Vin's ascension?)

 

Kelsier didn't meet Mare. She moved on a long time ago. Kelsier could choose to "move on", but we're not sure if he did or didn't by Alloy of Law. Mare would be one of the biggest draws to move on. 

 

 

 

5) I'm a bit afraid to ask this question due to site rules forbidding anything sexual.. But still, since author's annotations for HoA mention that Snapping is all about powerful emotions - not necessarily pain, fear or, maybe, as i suspect in Kelsier's case, despair, but, rarely but possibly, something like very strong laughter..  Does physical arousal count as an emotion, and could some woman orgasm into Snapping?

 

I bet it could. But it would have to be so intense that it would be literally the most emotional moment in their life, by far. Something to be soul shattering. 

[Moogle]

1) Someone mentioned that Hemalurgy can transfer not only Allomancy and Feruchemy, but other magic powers from Cosmere. So, can it steal Awakening powers? And, since their respective shards are on different planets, do you need to transfer an Awakener from Nalthis to Scadrial for hemalurgy to work, then kill the donor with a spike and pierce the acceptor, and after that - to send the resulting Hemalurgical Awakener back to Nalthis for his new powers to start working? And, since Breaths need to be given voluntarily, are they lost when you hemalurgically kill their host? And, since someone mentioned that Hemalurgical Feruchemists might have access to the metalminds the original Feruchemist filled - can Hemalurgic Awakener take the Breaths back from something the original Awakener invested into?

 

To add on to zas' answer:

 

Awakening powers are not like other powers. Anyone with Breath can Awaken:

Brandon Sanderson

So Awakening is not a magic, then? Awakening's a science? Because anyone can Awaken if they get the breath.

(source)

 

Now, everyone does have a "Breath", even those not on Nalthis, but only the people with natural Investiture which "belongs" to Endowment can use it:

ZAS

After several more signings, I asked my other question. "Do people in the Comsere, besides Nalthis, have Breaths?"

Brandon Sanderson

"No." He then signed a person's books, then said "To elaborate a little more, that's not to say they don't have a life force, because they do. But if someone not from Nalthis were to suddenly gain the ability to become an Awakener, they could not use what they have to Awaken something. That's not to say that they can't receive breaths though."

(source)

 

(Note that this WoB contradicts my assertion that Awakening is not really something you get an ability to do, you just get Breath and can do it. However, it's really old, and the first one is much newer, and, presumably, canon.)

 

Hemalurgy works on any planet with any metal (and possibly non-metals, like gemstone spikes - we've been RAFO'd consistently on that). You have to have an Intent to do it, though, so people not from Scadrial aren't going to do it by accident:

Q: Could a Nalthian with the proper knowledge and skill create a hemalurgic spike by spiking a Rosharan having some spikeable attribute?

 

A: Umm, Hemalurgy is of great interest in the Cosmere because it was designed and can be used by anyone on any of the planets who has the right intention.  It is of great interest to people for that reason so the answer to your question is it can be done.

 

Chaos (17 October 2008)

Would the Three Metallic Arts operate in other worlds, or are they direct results of Ruin and Preservation and thus only operate in Scadrial?

Brandon Sanderson (20 October 2008)

To use Feruchemy or Allomancy in almost every case, one must have the right spiritual and genetic codes, imprinted upon people during the creation of Scadrial by Ati and Leras. To use Hemalurgy, one must first have someone with these right spiritual and genetic codes, then take the power from them. Other people on other worlds are not going to simply discover the Three Metallic Arts by accident.

(source)

Breaths are lost when you die, becoming part of the environment. If you were not specifically trying to steal Breaths when spiking someone, they'd be lost. You can steal Breaths, though. You can steal anything encoded on the soul, in fact:

The_Vikachu ()

Another hemalurgy question: Is it possible to steal more than just spiritual DNA with hemalurgy? If you, say, infused someone with a hundred hemalurgic spikes charged from people who liked chicken, would the spike person enjoy chicken as well?

Brandon Sanderson

You can steal quite a lot with Hemalurgy. Anything encoded on a person's soul, really. Not sure if chicken liking counts, though...

(source)

 

As to taking back the Breaths from something someone Awakened after getting a spike made from them, that's an open question - specifically, whether or not you gain enough of their identity with one spike stealing a random attribute. The answer is, however, likely 'yes'. If nothing else, you could use the spike to steal their identity (copper apparently can do this, according to the MAG), and then use it on yourself. You should then count as them for the purposes of taking their Breaths back. (Your mind might be a little messed up, though.)

 

Here is a relevant WoB:

Kurkistan: Could a Feruchemist manipulate their identity such that they could make a metalmind that anyone could tap?

Brandon: Ah.. RAFO.

Kurkistan: Okay; could they manipulate their identity such that they could pull Breaths out of something that somebody else Awakened?

Brandon: Ah.. ahahah, Awakened, oh yeah... That one's going to be harder, but you're thinking ar- You're thinking with portals. <smiles> Do you know what that means.

Kurkistan: Yes, I know what it means-

Brandon: You're starting to think with portals.

Kurkistan: I'm thinking with portals, okay, thank you.

Brandon: Yes. In other words you're wrapping your head around the way that the magic system is working, so.

(source)

 

---

 

2) What gives off allomantic pulses that Seekers hear while burning bronze? Each metal has a static one, Preservation|Mist spirit has a changing one, and I believe that Reen|Ruin also had one - but that might heve been a deception. So, are those pulses connected to the Powers? Does Atium give a pulse? What do you hear when listening to a Mistborn burning different metals together, do they overlap? Can he make a melody by burning and extinguishing different metals? Or use different metals like a Morse code for a fellow Seeker?

 

Almost all of Investiture is "waveforms" or has a "frequency". A Seeker, can, for example, hear magic being used by anyone:

Question

Could a Seeker who was properly trained and experienced detect AonDor or Awakening? Similarly, does a Coppercloud block an Awakener's life sense?

Brandon Sanderson

A Seeker could sense somebody else using magic not native Scadrial. RAFO on the Coppercloud blocking similar magic.

(source)

 

Here's a smattering of WoBs on it being a frequency:

Q:  Is there a way to tell between different Investitures?

A:  [brandon misunderstood the question a little in the beginning - he thought the question was "can every Shard's magic detect other Investitures?"] Most of the magics have built into them that ability, but I wouldn't say that everyone does. I am trying to remember if all of them have... A lot of them have a power that would allow you to do that, but I don't know if every one of them does.

Q:  [Clarification]

A:  If you were really good at burning bronze, you could use bronze to distinguish between different types of Investiture from different planets even. And that sort of skill does exist in other magic systems.

Q:  Is it like a wavelength kind of thing?

A:  Yeah, that's exactly what it is.

(source)

 

Some theorists described the process [of the Dor's power only entering the world through properly-shaped Aons] using unfamiliar words like "frequency" and "pulse length."

(shamelessly stolen from Kurkistan's post finding this)

 

Qarlin (16 October 2008)

Lemme guess, the "Mistborn" following Vin was actually Ruin, since Elend never actually saw him, and he disappeared every time Vin got close?

Brandon Sanderson (17 October 2008)

Yes.

QARLIN

Why did Ruin give off Allomantic Pulses? Because Preservation did and they're two sides of the same coin? Allomancy is of Preservation, so I figured that's why he did...

BRANDON SANDERSON

Manifestation of the awesome power he held, mixed with Vin's increased ability to sense these things. Allomantic pulses are like a ripple of sound in the fabric of creation itself—the power of creation being used, creating a drum beat to those attuned to it. Ruin created a similar beat when his consciousness was near.

(source)

 

The power of bronze just seems to be to turn these frequencies (in the Spiritual?) into sounds your mind can actually hear. Interpreting them seems to be the tricky part.

 

As zas said, doing a melody should be possible, and it should be possible to set up an insecure communication system this way.

[Zas678]

 

 

Brandon Sanderson

So Awakening is not a magic, then? Awakening's a science? Because anyone can Awaken if they get the breath.

(source)

 

I think you're taking this quote out of context. He wasn't talking about cosmere-level magic, he was talking about individual planet-level magic, specifically about counting how many magic systems vs if it's science or not. 

 

 

 

 

ZAS

After several more signings, I asked my other question. "Do people in the Comsere, besides Nalthis, have Breaths?"

Brandon Sanderson

"No." He then signed a person's books, then said "To elaborate a little more, that's not to say they don't have a life force, because they do. But if someone not from Nalthis were to suddenly gain the ability to become an Awakener, they could not use what they have to Awaken something. That's not to say that they can't receive breaths though."

(source)

 

 

And this doesn't directly confirm or deny either- it just says if you become an Awakener, you don't have a breath- that's something native to Roshar.  I suppose it is possible that having a breath has the "spiritual coding" inside of it to allow for Awakening, but it's not really stated in either of these WoB.

 

Nice WoBing. I was looking for some of these, but I couldn't find them. 

[Moogle]

...

 

Looking things over, I'll agree with you that it's more unclear than I originally thought. I definitely made a mistake in stating things how I did.

 

However, I don't agree with your interpretation. Brandon is trying to bring up an issue with trying to differentiate between science and magic. The questioner brings up fabrials, which can be made by everyone (as in literally everyone, including non-Rosharians, since spren are attracted to anyone regardless of origin and all you need is a gemstone), and then Brandon counters with a magic system that can also, in his words, be used by everyone. If non-Nalthians can't Awaken without Breaths, that completely shoots his own point in the foot, because Awakening would be a clear example of a magic system because not everyone could Awaken. (Also, everyone on Nalthis starts with a Breath, so they can Awaken anyways. No need to include "if they get the Breath" if he was being Nalthis-specific.)

 

I'll agree, I think, that there may be a way to Awaken without having Breaths in you (your WoB is clear on this, and it makes some sense to me). I still lean heavily towards gaining Breaths granting you the ability. Either way, I stated things much too confidently when there is a decent measure of doubt. I apologize.

[Turos]

From what I understand, when Shallan enters Shadesmar, she retains her physical form. If her physical realm element is carried over to the cognitive realm, can she take the cognitive element of an object, say, a bead representing a stick, back with her into the physical realm?

 

Also, what happens to her cognitive element when she enters the cognitive realm? Aren't people represented as beads, too?

 

Ha ha! Can you guys imagine asking these kinds of questions once the last Cosmere book is published? Would we even care?

Edited May 10, 2015 by Turos Stoneward

[Zas678]

I don't know. Ask the WoTers- they're STILL asking Brandon/Harriet questions. 

[AerionBFII]

At the risk of sounding dense....

 

Ok all the Cosmere books are linked with each different series featuring new characters on a different Shardworld. My question is the story in the background, the story spanning the whole cosmere involving Hoid, The 17th Shard and Adonalsium. I have been looking around the forums for a while but i can't find a thread dedicated to the story going on in the background?

 

Does anybody know where i can find a thread strictly dedicated to this?

[natc]

It would mostly concern Dragonsteel if it should ever be made (or if it actually exists), and I don't think people are allowed to talk about Dragonsteel.

Not much has happened yet anyway from what I can tell.

Edited May 13, 2015 by natc

[Turos]

It would mostly concern CENSORED if it should ever be made (or if it actually exists), and I don't think people are allowed to talk about ALSO CENSORED.

Not much has happened yet anyway from what I can tell.

 

 

Fixed it for ya.

[Zas678]

An old one that you can look at is Cosmere 101 (it was done before WoR). 

 

You can also check out the Coppermind Cosmere post. Or Hoid. 

 

EDIT- 

 

Basically, a long time ago on Yolen (Dragonsteel world), there was someone/thing named Adonalsium. Attempts to made to destroy it, possibly by an enemy force. Adonalsium was destroyed (whether by self or by other, is unclear). Supposedly 16 people/intellgient life forms (there are 3 different types on Yolen) who knew each other picked up the pieces. Hoid was offerred a piece but rejected it. These became the Shards of Adonalsium, each of which embodied an ideal. (The Principle of Intent, if you will).  

 

They then moved to different planets, some of which had intelligent life on it, others didn't (Scadrial). Some shards (like Ruin and Preservation), created man in their own image. 

 

But there was one shard that was malicious. Odium (which means hate), started changing worlds. It destroyed the shards on Sel (Elantris world), shattering them so that they couldn't be picked up. He then eventually traveled to Roshar where Honor and Cultivation were, and made a deal with them, which kept Odium nearby for thousands of years. Eventually Honor died. 

 

Odium was very nervous when he heard what occurred on Scadrial. Both Ruin and Preservation died, which he was delighted to hear, but a new person (Sazed) took both shards, and became (essentially) Harmony. This "new" shard was in charge of both Ruin and Preservation, and thus had double the power of any other shard. 

 

Meanwhile, other people were going from planet to planet as well. Hoid made appearances at many planets, eventually catching the attention of the Seventeenth Shard, an interworld organization. Hoid is determined to interfere to stop Odium, however he can. Others (such as the Seventeenth Shard in WoK and the recipient of the letter) are determined to not interfere. Others, such as Nazh (and possibly Khriss), seemed more interested in cataloging information than acting. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

That's what we pretty much know about the Cosmere, up to the time of WoR. The books have been mostly chronological, and we'll learn more as we go along. 

 

Also, if anyone notices something wrong in what I said (or wants to add something), go ahead and speak up. There's a lot of WoB out there, and it's very possible I got some things wrong. 

[Turos]

Very nice to have it all laid out so cleanly!

 

Oh, you forgot the Shard Goat, though. It's OK. That's an easy detail to forget.

[AerionBFII]

OMG thank you guys! You are awesome!

I've taken some time from the Cosmere recently because it revives the wait for SA3 but i can feel myself being dragged back.

 

Thank you for the ultimate refreshers page!

[AerionBFII]

Ok ok something else that I have been wondering,

Now that Sazed has fused Preservation and Ruin are their Shardpools (like the well is ascension) still individual??

And will they still refill for somebody else to use? Or since Sazed is still consciously using them nobody else can use the Shards power?

[Curiosity]

The two Shards are entangled, but they are not one Shard. Their Shardpools are still separate, though where they are and their affects are unknown. The likelihood of atium regrowing from Ruin's Shardpools is significant, but since Ruin is no longer trapped by Preservation, it's not a certainty.

 

Don't know about Sazed's conscious use of the power of the Shards and whether that directs the use of the Shardpools. Good question.