Titan Arum

I tell them to first read the Mistborn series as a starting point after asking a series of questions, especially if they don't typically read fantasy books: 1a) Do you enjoy or think you enjoy the idea of fantasy novels? 1b) If yes, then ask if they like or would like novel forms of magic systems that aren't "wizard shoots fire balls" 2) Do you like books that have well-written and relatable characters? 3) Do you enjoy when authors don't follow genre tropes? 4) Do you like books that are plot and character driven? 5) Do you like books with rich, complex, and deep worlds that are well thought out? If they seem to say yes to most of these, I then tell them about Brandon and physically hand them my copy of The Final Empire. It's worked so far with my mother and two colleagues. Oh, and don't forget, my colleagues always see me reading books and ask me what I'm reading since it's on a Kindle. That just gives me an easy in to describe the awesomeness of the Cosmere.

spikey, the truth should NEVER be negative. I think we're all Airsick Lowlanders, unless we live in Nepal. Case in point: I got altitude sickness recently at 4400 meters. Maybe Airsick Lowlander should be a low positive number?

That's a fair point with regards to Roshar and Warbreaker. I feel like we should look at characters on Nalthis more because we have precedence for a Scadrian there with the Terriswoman. It just occurred to me that it would be VERY easy for a kandra to infiltrate the War Camps with the plethora of available bodies in the chasm that the kandra can use without murdering anybody. Do we have evidence of any Bridge Four members who are missing/unaccounted for at times? I feel like it would be easy for one of Bridge Four to be a kandra, stash a body from the chasms somewhere, and change bodies every once and awhile to infiltrate other war camps to spy or do whatever kandra do. Also, don't get me wrong, I love speculation as much as the next guy, but I like to present speculation with hints (of the tin foil hat variety OR realistic) from the text instead of dropping random names without much thought behind it. Granted, that's just my personal preference.

From the OP: It seems that everyone is caught up on finding the kandra on Roshar. Unless there is a WoB out there saying that the kandra worldhopper is currently on Roshar, why would we assume it's just a character there? Maybe our kandra worldhopper has been seen on other planets as well. Also, we know there are multiple kandra worldhoppers. As a result I'd bet we've seen them on other planets besides Roshar. From the San Jose/Menlo Park SoS Signing: I'm sure this has also been said before, but as a reminder the kandra(s) have taken both male and female forms, so we should also consider female characters. source I feel at this point, though, it's moot to speculate without any evidence for any one character. Unless some of you fine sleuths CAN find evidence for a given character.

Just like Fuzzy Wuzzy the Bear, axehounds aren't very fuzzy was they?

When I first saw this thread's title, I thought you were going to ask us for hypothetical names for pet axehounds. So, I'm going to answer it like that: 1) Fluffy 2) Yeti 3) TenSoon 4) Sakisa 5) Shshshsh 6) Balat 7) Bear 8) 'Ilio 9) Cremlin 10) Jasnah My own "axehound" at home is named SiMon.

All WoB with regards to Drehy are how he's based on a gay friend of his. I'm not sure how much we can deduce from that either, but Demoux is also based on a friend of his and is also a Worldhopper, for what that's worth. Also, Peet, the bridgeman, is based on Peter. But I don't think he's a Worldhopper.

Edgedancer, well we do know that there is a Terriswoman world-hopper out there. And Demoux. And if the Terriswoman isn't Demoux's wife (though I think they're the same), Aslydin as well. Also, Demoux is still alive somehow so aging can be affected somehow.

I never said that's how genetics works and I agree with you that you don't pass on a missing limb. Which by the way is not hormonal. Do this Drehy could be 1) a eunuch still, who world hopped after the Great Catecandre 2) A healed eunuch that worldhopped. Since Harmony knew that most of the surviving male Terrismen were eunuchs, he healed them so that they could potentially mate and save the population from extinction. 3) A child of a healed eunuch who genetically was predisposed to longer limbs. Maybe when the eunuchs were healed, their physical characteristics that were originally hormonal were some how made genetic? Anyway, I'm more inclined to believe the first two than the third. To Winter Cloud: I understand that if it looks like and sounds like a duck it could still be a goose. However, I find it odd that multiple different people on Roshar comment about his long limbs. When Brandon does stuff like that I hesitate to say it's coincidence when there is a precedent for long limbs elsewhere in the Cosmere.

What if he just took out OreSeur's spikes when he was changing bodies and vulnerable? We have evidence of the Kandra taking out their own spikes to kill themselves, so why not kill another Kandra with this method and consume his/her body?

Hmm. You are correct. There is a quote about his long-limbs being a result of castration. But this doesn't mean that Drehy isn't a Terrisman. If I recall correctly, after the Great Catacendre, Harmony made the eunuch men into whole men again. Maybe their long-limbed genes were then passed down to their offspring? Also, we know that Alloy of Law is set after the first SA series, but the Great Catacendre was 300 years prior to Alloy of Law. I wouldn't be surprised if Harmony sent one of these healed eunuch Terrismen to Roshar immediately after the Great Catacendre when he became aware of the Cosmere as a whole after ascending. Thus, Drehy could still be a Terrisman.

I think I've discovered a potentially new Worldhopper on Roshar that has never been hypothesized before: Drehy. And I think he's a Terrisman! (Yes, somebody once before theorized that Sigzil was a Terrisman Worldhopper, but we know from WoB that's not possible.) There are plenty of quotes throughout both Way of Kings and Words of Radiance that describe his appearance as tall, long-limbed, and lanky. He even has a faint accent. But first, let me provide book citations for what a Terrisman looks like, anything bolded is done for emphasis: Alendi on Rashek's appearance in his journal: I know what you're thinking, height isn't enough to say Drehy is Terris, because not every tall person is going to be Terris. But would every tall person also be described as lanky and long-limbed too? Probably not. So lets find descriptions of Terrismen that show them as lanky and long-limbed. Vin on Sazed when he taps pewter, The Final Empire, Chapter 37: Sazed's own description of his self when he's digging a grave, The Well of Ascension, Chapter 4: Sazed is tall, lanky, and long-limbed. He also has a shaved head. All of these characteristics are used to describe Drehy at one point or another in Way of Kings or Words of Radiance: Way of Kings, Chapter 49: "To Care" First, I'm not sure if Terrisman can be blonde and second we do not know what his skin color is. However, many western Rosharians do have darker complexions such as the Emulis, Makabaki, and Azish. Additionally, he has an accent, and I'd assume that many off-worlders would have an accent...unless they have an ear for language, which, for example, Demoux does not but Blunt/Baon does. Anyway, let's look at more descriptions of Drehy from other character's perspectives: Kaladin observing the Bridge Four members as Rock shaves them, Words of Radiance, Chapter 2: "Bridge Four" Usually, when we see his hair mentioned it is blond and balding, but here we see Rock shaving his head. Not his chin. His head. The members of Bridge Four seem to regularly shave themselves to feel like their old selves. Or in Drehy's case, his Terris-self. This interpretation is obviously a stretch, but he is getting his head shaved here. Adolin observing Drehy after being told about additional scratched glyphs after a Highstorm, Words of Radiance, Chapter 50: "Uncut Gems" While we don't get his name directly in this scene, it's obviously Drehy, because nobody else has such a description on Bridge Four. Shallan interacting with Drehy as they approach the central plateau of Stormseat, Words of Radiance, Chapter 80: "To Fight The Rain" Again, we don't get his name, but this has to be Drehy. No other member of Bridge Four has this description, and we know that on the march out to the Parshendi plateau that Drehy is guarding Adolin. So I assume Adolin sent him in this scene to get Shallan. Okay, given all of the evidence from the books, I think it's highly likely that Drehy is a Terrisman Worldhopper. What do you all think?

Is this the first time Brandon has talked about Connection, with a capital C or has he done so before? I know that a Duralumin ferring can store connection, but that seems just on the spiritual side. Here Brandon talks about it across all realms, assuming time is of the Cognitive realm.

I just finished watching SAO. I have to say that the first arc is by far the best out of the two seasons. I agree with the assessment that the second ALO arc was a bit forced, but I didn't mind the Asuna/Kirito relationship as much as others seem to, especially when they were still in Aincrad. SAO II was not nearly as good as the first season because it seems the show is just recycling ideas. While the GGO arc was entertaining, I felt like we didn't spend enough time getting to know the world. I could have done without the Calibur side story, which to me just screamed of a filler episode. I thought I wouldn't enjoy the Mother's Rosario side story, but I ended loving how emotional it was and how it truly touched Asuna. She was very human and relatable in these episodes. I'm now on the hunt for my next show to watch. I started watching Mushi-shi Zoku Shou, and I love how beautiful and touching it is. It reminds me so much of the first season but with less major emphasis on the mushi themselves (granted I've only watched two episodes so far). It's such a great series and I really enjoy that it's not serialized so that I can watch an episode here or there when I need a break from something more fast paced. After seeing that Peter enjoyed My Love Story, that may be my next series to watch on the Crunchyroll Roku app, unless Scott you think I should watch Samurai Flamenco?

Hmm, I've begun to think that Angel Investor Wayne may invest in a radio project since we did see telegraph-like technology already. I'm imagining Wayne visiting the research team as they spin their dial on the airwaves...and suddenly they hear chatter or music. From Southern Scadrial. And that's how the North first learns about the South.

Dates have not been announced yet. If I recall correctly, TOR announced the tour dates for SoS around August 10th or 11th. Roughly two months in advance of the release. If we use that as a metric in conjunction with Bands of Mourning being released Jan. 26th...I'd assume they'll announce tour dates at the end of this month. Probably just after Thanksgiving. If I were a betting man, I'd say look for the release of tour dates Nov. 30th.

Here's your WOB, from the 6-month AMA that Brandon gave: source

The Windows OS question is rather thorny and non-specific. Are you counting each iteration of a given number base? Are you including Windows Phone and Windows Mobile (which themselves had multiple releases). I'll answer using a base level, and if there were multiple editions of a given level, I'll denote it with an x: 1) Windows 1.0 2) Windows 2.x 3) Windows 3.x (my first version of Windows growing up was 3.1!) 4) Windows 9x (i.e. Windows 95 and 98...also included Windows ME) 5) Windows NT (this has multiple versions, and technically XP is one of them and Windows 2000). 6) Windows Vista 7) Windows 7 8) Windows 8 9) Windows 10 10) Windows Mobile 11) Windows Phone (the version of Mobile for Smartphones, which includes 7.x, 8.x)

I would recommend Elantris then Warbreaker. Because Warbreaker is great to read right before Way of Kings and Words of Radiance, for reasons that I would hope are obvious to many. Nonetheless, you started with the series that I always recommend first, so you're off to a great start. I'm jealous of you though, because I would love to read these books with a fresh take again! Granted, doing my re-reads I always find something new that I missed previously.

My Economist brain started thinking of functions as well...unfortunately I couldn't come up with eight: 1) Cost Function 2) Utility Function 3) Cobb-Douglas Production Function 4) Profit Function 5) Revenue Function 6) Depreciation Function 7) I've run out of functions... 8) Wait, I need another? Sigh.

Kipper, you're never gonna give this up, are you? But in all seriousness, let me put on my dad hat for a minute: I don't think creating a big joke like this (even if I think it's well executed) is appropriate in the Cosmere Theories thread because it's not obvious it's a joke until you Rick Roll us in the 10th post and in addition, less-informed readers may think you're on to something and believe you.

I never saw this thread before, but there are other hybridized animal species that are fertile. Many animal species today are most due to hybridization, but there is one hybrid creature right now that is thriving and breeding on its own that is overtaking the US: the coywolf, wolf/coyote/dog hybrids. Wolves in North America were hunted to near extinction within the US and primarily live in forested areas across the US. Coyotes thrive in scrub-land and prairies out west. Dogs, of course live everywhere. With a minimal number of suitable partners due to a number of things (including deforestation and hunting), wolves started breeding with both coyotes and dogs. These hybrids are now so prosperous, that they have expanded from each of these individual species' preferred habitats into new territories...including cities. There are an estimated 20 of them living in NYC and several have been seen living in Rock Creek Park in Washington, DC. According to one researcher, there are now millions of them living on the east coast where until recently there weren't any coyotes or wolves. So...hybridization can and does create viable offspring in some cases. So, of course Listeners and humans can breed and probably do create viable offspring. Even now, I'd assume, since we have the Horneaters and Herdazians.

[Double Post] I'm only making a double post because it's been several days since Orlok posed the last question. We, as a group, have no responses, other than the one answer we probably all know: Genghis Khan. Orlok, can you give us a new question? [/Double Post]

If every poor person did sell their Breath, then there would be a lot of Drab's about. Vivenna doesn't really notice other Drabs and thinks that Jewels is the anomaly. This makes me assume that most people don't sell their Breath and probably keep it as "savings for a rainy day" in case they are really desperate for money.

So this has been discussed before. I've thought something similar as well. They are Listeners, but they sing everything thing with the Rhythms. Other theories about the Dawnsingers: they are Radiant bonding spren. I haven't decided which camp I may belong to, but I do like both ideas.