TheBlueShifting

From the interview, I got the impression that the Perpendicularity was not destroyed by Kelsier, Yes the mini ones were, but I doubt the little ones would work to send someone into the Cognitive Realm anyway. I think the "dark pool" still exists deep in the pits, which would have provided a means to travel had it been found. I might be reading into things, but he answered the question in a way that made it seem that the perpendicularity was still accessible.

Hello and welcome to the most pointless post you will probably ever read on 17th Shard! I was just enjoying the warmth of my apartment while the snow blasted outside making the landscape a winter wonderland from out of the songs. As I was musing on the various aspects of the first Elsric Short story that I am writing, an odd thought struck me. Susebron from Warbreaker is one of the characters I find most dear to me. Unlike most of my other favorite Cosmere characters I simply enjoy the fact that his is pure and devoted to doing what is right because that is his nature. I mean the man has the mentality of a teddy-bear who also happens to hold enough Breath to break a kingdom. As I was contemplating, I suddenly asked myself, "What if the God-King was to step outside in the middle of a snowstorm? Not only is the ground solid white, but each flake of snow suspended in the air is about as pure white as you can find in nature. By Hoid's left buttock! It would be like watching an atomic color bomb!" Now that is a paraphrase, but essentially such an event would be one of the most interesting things to observe in the Cosmere. I added to this post a couple attachments that I think help capture what such an event might look like. I hope you enjoy this little mental image! This post is utterly useless other than to wish you a Happy Holiday my fellow Cosmere Scholar. If you find any other conceptualization of what a God-King color apocalypse would look like please post them below for our amusement! Until the next random post, have a great end to the year!

This is nearly an impossible question. i love so many for so many reasons. However, if I am forced to pick one, it's Syl. She is such a beautiful character. (Also intelligent and articulate ) Having any spren as a companion would be awesome, I like Pattern a lot as well. However the cute attitude and obvious devotion is simply too endearing.

Mine was the moment when Sazed was kneeling next to Ati and Vin's bodies. He started to bond with Preservation and Ruin and everything was finally clicking into place. I had been dancing right on the edge of the truth, but it hit me then like a train loaded with trucks and explosives. As I realized what Sazed was and as he fixed the world, I felt blown away to my very core. It was the moment I realized just how good an author Brandon is and how much the whole story had impacted me. It might sound strange, but that moment changed the way I saw the series.

Actually The Outsider might behave similarly to how Dominion might have acted. You know, making worthy people strong and watching how they use that power over others?

I actually posted something similar about Dragon Age a few months ago. here is the link if you are interested!

If you have ever been confused about what Shardpools are, this is the Letter for you! This may be once of the fundamental aspects of the Cosmere, and something all of us need to be familiar with. If you would like the physical transcript, here it is: I wish life never prompted me to violence. If a situation has degraded into an all-out brawl, then I believe that all attending parties have failed. Forget achieving a positive result, at that point survival is about the only victory possible. Diplomacy, economics, and policy crumble in the face of open warfare. Sure people will cling to these things, convinced they are protecting their way of life. Yet this is a deception, a lie that one can profit off of fighting. The only victory in war goes to those who win, and those who get on the good side of the winner. I detest the boot licking that follows a powerful military leader. Besides death is a hefty price no matter what is gained. There are far better ways to fight an enemy or shape one’s fortunes. And often the poor or unnoticed are the ones who suffer the most from the wars of nations. I have learned that the keys to victory fit into three distinct locks. First, knowledge is power. Secrets and whispers can be bought from the right ears. In a world of subtly and misdirection, knowing your opponents mind is the single greatest weapon in an arsenal. I always find my sources, and am not afraid of doing my own listening. Next a weapon should never be apparent, but hidden in plain sight. I was trained in the art of the knife, a messy if effective tool. I prefer the quarterstaff or cane. Many will overlook a stick of hardened wood over a sword or knife, yet in my hands I find the hardwood to be more than adequate in a pinch. I believe people should be like that, effective, efficient, and unobtrusive. Subtly is an art, and a deadly one at that. Finally, always have a bolt hole. All plans can fail no matter how well crafted. From Slum Lords to Emperors, the ones who last are the ones who always have a backup plan to their backup plan. A bolt hole or a getaway carriage. This is the greatest advantage to being a… traveler, and might be the reason why we are so hard to kill. We all know there is a way out that practically no one can follow us through. Shard Pools. Obviously you are aware of what I speak about, but I feel a need to clarify my own thoughts. I still know so little beyond speculation. For instance, I know I can use these Shard Pools safely with the proper care, but could never explain how I do this, nor would I dare take another with me. The Cognitive Realm is a very dangerous place, and I don’t know how many can survive the process of traveling there. Shard Pools, as I like to call them, are more commonly known as Perpendicularities. This is the realmatic term most often used to describe the strange phenomena that occurs in these pools. It is apparent that Shard Pools are not lakes of water, but of raw Shardic Investiture in a liquid form. These pools are present on worlds where a shard resides and are a collection point for their power. Why these Pools appear is beyond recorded history, and why they reside where they are physically being yet another enigma. Perpendicularities contain so much raw power that they tear a hole in the universal fabric that usually separates the three realms. The Cognitive and physical realms bleed into one another, and I believe the Spiritual realms is also broken into. I have not ever stepped into that relm, so I can’t be sure. But I am in no hurry. Without knowing what makes up the Spiritual Realm in great detail, I dare not risk it. Perhaps someday, but for now I have a lot more to learn before I attempt such a journey. Shard pools are often caught up in the lore of a people or nation. Surprisingly most cultures that I have discovered don’t seem preoccupied with these strange wellsprings. I wonder if anyone ever notices travelers like me climbing in and out of them from time to time. I try my best to avoid all contact when I emerge. Naturally my lack of language will only hinder me. On that note, I will forever be grateful for my father’s tutelage and my quick wits. I know how to learn and can do so quickly. While I feel I’ll never keep up with a fraction of the languages that I’ve encountered, I make it work where I can. That might be the most difficult aspect of my travels, perhaps only surpassed by the strange foods I have to try. Can you believe that there are people who eat the horns and shells of animals? I was flabbergasted when I first tried the food of the Unkalaki. These pools seem, for the most part, to be locked into a location physically. We know that on Scadreal the Lord Ruler shaped the world, but upon reflection it seems that civilization was moved to the pools, rather than the pools themselves moving. However, this is only conjecture, and I highly doubt we could know for sure ourselves. The only other fact I know for sure is that Shard Pools are not on every world. In the Cognitive Realm you can see that there are other worlds out there. I’ve glanced through the fog of thoughts into their worlds, and yet there was no way to pass into their worlds physically. These Shard Pools, as they are named, seem to be a consequence of a Shard’s presence on a particular planet. It makes me wonder how these other worlds became populated by humans. Is there so form of travel that has been lost to time? Are there ways to reach out and escape our worlds in the physical realm? More importantly I think is the question, if all these worlds have people who are so similar, did they all come from some original home? Why did they have to leave? Ah but I tread into the obscure, more of my personal musing rather than theories based on observation. I just note how odd it is that while each planet has diverse cultures and histories, yet we are still so similar. Perhaps there is something to these thoughts. For now, I will continue to establish myself here. The current state of events on this continent is appalling. Normally integrating myself is a lengthy process, but the current chaos in the nation of Jah Keved has made assimilation almost unnecessary. War is ripping this people apart and there are so many forgotten refugees. It’s the most I can do to organize some few of these people into something productive. Their rulers are off fighting for succession, and those whom I find simply need a little guidance. I will not draw attention to myself, but I cannot leave them to be trampled and forgotten. Despite all of that, there is a breathtaking beauty to this world. I wish I could put into words the sights and smells of Roshar. The crisp air and large open skies are the superlative aspect of this world. Everything here is rock, the massive High Storms blasting away anything that is not protected. These violent storms are dangerous, and somehow majestic. They fling boulders and scatter life into hiding among the rocks. But when the storm passes there is a refreshing scenes of clean renewal. I find myself stopping often to admire the alien beauty. And don’t even get me started on the moons. The three crystalline orbs that arch through the sky at night are impossible to forget. I cannot help but watch them as they glide across a starry canvas. This journey, these years spent away from home, have been filled with wonder and beauty beyond anything I could have imagined. Perhaps the paths through the Shard Pools have been filled with sorrow and failure, but I cannot regret the things I’ve seen. I may never wish to leave Roshar save for the knowledge that there are more wonders to explore, and new peoples to learn about. For now, there is a work to do upon these stones.

I have a camera and a tripod stand that I could get there if getting equipment is difficult. It's a little far for me to bring along but I'll be driving myself so it's not like the burden is getting the equipment there, its making sure its safe. Well mostly its the carrying it around downtown that I hope to avoid...

He actually just announced two other tour dates and locations that might be close to you in a couple more months. 1. Feb 17th - Boston, MA USA 2. May 5th - Toronto, ON Canada http://brandonsanderson.com/upcoming-events/#10946 I actually have some friends who are from your neck of the woods and they were super excited that he was finally heading out that way.

So I just looked for this conversation on a whim, but I'm excited that so amny of you will be there! I'm going to be coming myself. BTW Funny that you will be there as well Hopefully we'll run into each other. I wanna ask some probing Cosmere questions, but sadly I need what time I have with Brandon to ask some questions about the "Letters from the Cosmere." I work independently on the project, but I like to make sure I am working within the bounds he helped establish with me... If you want, I'll post my questions if you want to try them, just please message me if you get an answer. 1. Would a Chromium Misting drain Investiture from people from other worlds or even objects such as awakened cloth or infused spheres? (In Broadsheet in BoM, the story implies this and I want to know if it's true) 2. Why doesn't Harmony change script writing in order to communicate? This doesn't seem more invasive than taking to someone through a hemalergic spike, yet would not have such limitations? 3. If another Shard learned how Hemalergy worked, could their servants/splinters use Hemalergy on other worlds? Has this ever happened? Will "Trell" share this knowledge? 4. We know that worldhoppers can't just use investitures from other planets, unless they learn about the "hack" needed to do so. If world hoppers cannot use Breath to Awaken, could they still receive Breath and benefit from achieving the different hightenings? 5. (This is a Physics Question so might not be as exciting to you as to me) What happens to the matter involved in Soulcasting? Do the atoms gain or lose atomic mass? its the matter displaced or is it actually created? I know how the stormlight and cognitive mind works, but not the physical transformation. Oh, and how do cognitive minds of inanimate objects comprehend what they are being asked to change into? [Remember at first Syl had no concept of emotions and death, how could simple spren grasp the concept of changing?] Well that seems like enough. Look for me when you are there! If you like the Letters series go ahead and ask me any questions that you have. See ya!

No, but that is not the same because we are talking about the singes surrounding Splinters. As far as we know, Stormlight gives off a white light that is colored by the gem stone that holds them. Firemarks are just a red filter on the white light stormlight. However you are right that we cannot know for sure, this is just a theory based on my observations.

You are right on this point. Further reflection after the post I made has brought me to another conclusion. If you are right that different shards manifest in similar ways despite the difference in their callings, then I would agree that Odium is not the most likely choice. Remember the motivation behind Bleeder, and Miles Hundred Lives were both motivated by fighting the restrictions that others put on them. They sought freedom from rules and oppression and control. This MO better fits with Autonomy, who would find these people good and willing disciples. So I amend that if the pattern I noticed is not significant, then Autonomy is most likely Trell.

Hurt Autonomy, Heal Honor 3. Preservation: 14 4. Ruin: 14 6. Honor: 14 9. Autonomy: 8

This might be the most important of Cosmere topics. Now we understand that the different magics and peoples of the Cosmere are fascinating and amazing. But even more so are the entities that were never alive, yet have a personality and drive of their own. These Splinters are pockets of Shardic Power that develop a type of intelligence. It is apparent that these beings are critical to the overall narrative of the Cosmere, while some are likely the perpetrators of some of the greatest evils seen so far. What are these Splinters and how do you recognize one? Transcripts: I wish my father could have come to Roshar. Things that seemed mundane to others fascinated him to no end. The rocky hills and the crustaceous life that seems to make up this entire world are so different from the home I once knew. He would have written enough dissertations and filled enough sketchbooks to drown a man in the first week alone. He was odd, but he had a love of discovery, and visiting other worlds would have been a dream come true for him. And my brother…. He would have loved seeing all the different shapes spren come in. The spren are small spirit looking entities that appear around the planet. Forces and states of mind that normally too subtle to observe clearly are manifested visually making their study far easier to perform empirically. I believe that a spren is a physical representation of a cognitive entity. They are not physical in the sense that you can touch them, or that they have any sort of measurable mass. But they remind me of the simple minds that exist, attached to the objects in the Cognitive realm. However, these are not attached to any one object, rather they are bound to a purpose or intent. For instance, if one is provoked into anger, anger spren seem to be drawn out, and serve as a secondary indicator of the being’s intent. There are also Spren tied to more ecological forces, such as flame spren and river spren. I’ve even observed spren that seem to account for things unseen, such as wind spren and life spren. This aspect of spren and their natures yields promising potential in the fields of science and sociology. It must be far easier to consult or comfort someone when fear spren manifest their anxiety. In my personal journals I have been writing up my observations of the spren and their forms. My notes are far from professional and I doubt anyone but myself would be interested in these notations. I feel there must be some connection between the existence of spren and the High Storms which bring great rushing surges of Investiture. These cataclysmic storms occur most weeks if not multiple times a week. Such a rush of raging power must have metaphysical effects along with the violent weather phenomena that is the storm wall. Now while I would love to chat about spren all day, this letter is a particular note because I have a theory about what these spren actually are. You see they take up a form that is far too intelligent to be just a stray consciousness. Some of the larger spren are able to interact and mimic people, such as wind spren. They have an almost playful attitude towards life and have been known to play pranks on humans they encounter. No, there is something far greater at work here. As you know from my previous letter, I am now aware of the former existence of Adonalsium and of the shattering. These fractured Shards left and later developed a drive or fundamental nature to themselves. Shards are immense in scope and power. This power yields abilities that seem only limited to the imagination. In fact, we know from the “Words of Founding” that Shards have created life from their power. Now getting back to the topic at hand, these spren do not act like any animal I have ever come across. They seem to thrive on ideas and concepts of the human mind. By observing and often mimicking what they interact with, spren reveal that they have a core nature. They are drawn to some kid of theme or purpose. This tendency, to have and hold true to an idea or states of environment that reflects what they themselves are. In this way they remind me of matured Shards. As you recall, the Shards seem to have a compulsion to see out a particular ideal, usually summarized by the name they adopt. The spren seem to mimic this type of behavior and single-mindedness. I postulate, based on these observations that spren are little pockets of Shardic power. Unlike raw Investiture, which is simply harness-able energy, spren are power with a measured intelligence and will. They are like Splinters of a soul. It is easier to understand this position when you visit the Cognitive Realm. There the Spren seem far more complex, and even dangerous. There are whispers of larger spren that have intelligence and memories who live there. I hope to do more direct observing as soon as I have established myself with the peoples here. I have seen enough to recognizes that there is something nearly supernatural about these beings. It seems reasonable to assume that these spren are pieces of a greater whole. Splinters are entities of power that were never alive as a humanoid, but attain a level of… consciousness. This is where things are still a bit fuzzy. It cannot be denied that the spren are intelligent, at least in a broad sense. By contrast the Returned on Nalthis also carry with them a Splinter in the form of a divine breath. In fact, all breath might be considered a splinter since they are portions of a Shards power, but a Divine Breath is unique. Yet it must be asked, are the Returned a person brought back from death by infusing their soul with a splinter, or does the Splinter itself inherit the body of a dead person? The answer to this might simply be both, and for this particular argument the distinction is not important. What matters is that there is an intent behind both a spren and Divine Breath. I would then also guess from my studies that Seons could be considered Splinters. They are far more than just a symbol of Aon-dor, and they exemplify obedient intelligence with a profound memory and distinct personality. In this way they might be the most advance form of documented Splinter to date. However, there is a potential in the spren, and if the Nightwatch and Stormfather can be confirmed as massive spren, they might be the most powerful Splinters known to man. I am particularly intrigued by this Nightwatycher. There are rumors that she can grant requests that come with an associated boon. If this is more than a myth, the implications are… staggering. Regardless I plan to make the journey to see this being. I also hope to find a good location to watch a High Storm, hopefully I will be able to observe this Storm Father for myself. As I’ve pondered these findings, my thoughts turned to Scadreal. At first I couldn’t think of any beings or entities there that would count as Splinters. In fact, I still feel that Scadreal has never seen a Splinter according to the historical records that we have. Yet I pause at the thought of the Kandra. The shapeshifters are intelligent beings that once were mindless creatures. They gained their intelligence via the powers of two hemalergic spikes. This was when I made the connection between spikes and Splinters. This may be an unrelated correlation, but the similarities are strong, and only separated by scope. Most hemalergic spikes are simply a form of spiritual surgery, ripping one soul apart and splicing pieces of that soul into another person. But with the kandra, they grant actual consciousness as if they were a Splinter themselves. Perhaps they are. However, I abhor the thought of anyone performing an investigation. Any testing with Hemallergy will be destructive beyond the point of rationality. What troubles me are the whispers of these Voidbringers. On Roshar there are tales of monsters built of stone and darkness that once sought the destruction of all sentient life on this world. The rumors are whispers at best, but I have made several well informed connections. If my discoveries here are accurate and these void spren are actually real, then we are dealing with splinters that are openly hostile. My guess is that these spren move with an intent and were created purposefully by a destructive Shard. I see now why I was sent here, for history seems ripe to repeat itself. I wish to be absolutely wrong about this, but my gut feeling is that there is a great destruction coming. To you, I suggest the following caution. Should I prove right, and find that there are evil spren sent to do the work of a destructive shard, be sure to look for the patterns. These splinters seem to be mimics or replicas of what already exists here. This goes against all that I have observed on other worlds where the Shards manifest uniquely when exerting their respective Investiture powers. If this Dark one seeks to mimic his fellows, then his touch may be subtle. Look for the signs of madness or corruption of what already exists. Red eyes… perhaps this is another sign to watch for. There are reports that the people who wage war here have recently been seen with glowing red eyes. This might be the only reliable way to recognize the servants of this being. Then again, it is possible that there are multiple Shards attempting to cause upheaval and destruction. That thought alone sends a shiver up my spine. I will continue to look into these Void bringers, and there are more reports coming in all the time. Something inside me feels as if there is a great bell just beginning to toll the final hours of this place. The air almost hums with tension and I fear that someday this world will break. I hope your messengers can find me amidst what is to come. Perhaps I am wrong, but this seems all too familiar. I wish I had more time, but I am afraid… afraid that I will once again watch innocent lives be snuffed out. I don’t want to watch another world die. Elsric

Hey @Brandom Glitch So yeah, I was asking myself the same thing. I had just started my channel and had been toying with the idea of doing a Cosmere related show. But I wanted to make it more, something I could write and make feel like a part of the Cosmere rather than just a guy talking about his favorite books. I was lucky enough to meet Brandon and pitch him the idea, which he gave me permission to do. He also helped me set up the narrative a little, although it's mostly me. I say go for it! There is too little Cosmere YouTube content out there. Honestly, I would love to help out, share ideas, and even collaborate if you have something good to work with. Just DM me if you are interested! I also can be a soundboard if you just want another pair of eyes looking over your scripts or whatever. Go crazy with it! I look forward to seeing what you put together.