Rosharan Shards

[Renarin Kholin he/him]

Dalinar has now seen Honor, Cultivation, and Odium, and all three seem to be human. However, in the Scadrial essay, it is specifically stated that both Ati and Leras were human, and the same is not stated in the Roshar essay, which leads me to wonder whether one or more of the Shards on Roshar were Sho Del or Dragons. I don't know much about the Sho Del; did they or could they look like humans? Or could dragons alter their appearance to appear human?

[Honorless he/him]

2 hours ago, 18th Shard said:

I wouldn't say that means he was human. I read that as more of a RAFO. 

I think Brandon meant that Rayse, the Vessel of Odium was once a Yolish human and that Vessels don't count as humans anymore

[Karger he/him]

It is worth noting that Cultivation's name remains a mystery.  However she and Honor were romantically involved and Honor and Odium are confirmed to be human.

[18th Shard he/him]

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Chaos

Is Uli Da a Sho Del?

Brandon Sanderson

Yeah.

Chaos

Can we post that?

Brandon Sanderson

Yeah you can go ahead and post that. That's fine.

Chaos

I figured that from the...

Brandon Sanderson

Right, the naming convention makes it really obvious. 

Chaos

But that's not posted on the Dragonsteel sample so...

Brandon Sanderson

Right. But that's canon. It's pretty obvious to me... And so it's fine with me canonizing it. I mean, I've been coy with it for years. But when I say there are Shards that aren't human. There are three races on Yolen... Adding the math together is going to get you a pretty obvious answer.

Salt Lake City signing (Dec. 16, 2017)

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Questioner

The second question is about dragons! One race, on Yolen, are dragons with the ability to shift. I'm positively sure that we haven't seen any dragons in dragon form around yet. How about in human form, and would it be possible to actually recognize a human dragon?

Brandon Sanderson

So, the question is, I haven't written the book yet, but one of the books I've talked about that is the origin of all of this is called Dragonsteel, and there are dragons in it! 'Cause, like I said, 'Why not? Why wouldn't you?' And she's asking about Dragonsteel. Have we seen dragons hidden among the characters in the books that we have seen. You have very likely seen -

Questioner

A letter.

Brandon Sanderson

Yes, you have seen a letter from a dragon. And you... there are some that are off-world, and so you might have seen them. I won't tell you for sure, but you would not recognize them.

Leipzig Book Fair (March 24, 2017)

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Questioner

You recently said that dragons in the cosmere can take the form of humans.

Brandon Sanderson

Yes.

Questioner

A kandra from Mistborn can do something very similar. Is there a meaningful connection between what the dragons and kandra can do?

Brandon Sanderson

Noooo, except for on fundamental cosmere rules stuff, but that's-- I would say no, in the same way that if you're like, "Is there any similarity between the way that bats fly and birds fly?" Well, there is some similarity 'cause-- But there is [convergent] evolution and stuff like that.

JordanCon 2016 (April 23, 2016)

 

[Honorless he/him]

The Sho Del were humanoid but completely white. Yolish Dragons had shapeshifting abilities.

Rayse is a human:

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Questioner

I wanted to ask, is the Shardbearer [Vessel] of Odium a human?

Brandon Sanderson

Not any longer.

Questioner

Ok, that's... I didn't expect that one.

Brandon Sanderson

 But what the answer to your question you really want to know is, was he originally human?

Questioner

Yeah.

Brandon Sanderson

Yes. That's a good question! But I don't think he counts anymore.

Footnote: Rayse is the Vessel of Odium
Kraków signing (March 21, 2017)

 

[18th Shard he/him]

I wouldn't say that means he was human. I read that as more of a RAFO.