ZenBossanova

That is possible. Taking a close look look at Arcanum Unbound, Khriss has very detailed information about Yolen, to where she can compare Scadrial in terms of size and gravitation very specifically.

I just realized that the Fainlife has to either be in the Cognitive Realm, or on other planets, because Khriss is familiar with it, and she doesn't even know where Yolen is. Unless she is referring to stories she has heard, but it didn't sound like that in Arcanum Unbound.

Excellent, @Pagerunner There is a lot there that is new to me. I like your suggestion that the fainlife has something to do with the Cognitive Realm. It is surprising to me that Yolen has not been found, but if the Fainlife makes the Cognitive Realm difficult to traverse, especially in interstellar space, then this really isn't surprising at all. We know there are plants that grow entirely in the Cognitive Realm, so growth in the CR really shouldn't be surprising. If it really was that resistant to Adonalsium, then it might even be in all three realms, Physical, Cognitive, and Spiritual. Corrupting the CR might be how it is killing stars. If this is true, then it might be a more ominous and visual threat in the CR, than what we see here. Further, it would give it a very natural way to spread to other worlds (or stars).

Thanks, @maxal

Where is that recording at, please? I will be sure to put disclaimers around it.

Very interesting! Is this available for public consumption, or something For your eyes only?

Bullets are really just bits of lead. They are easily made. Not complicated at all. It would amaze you just how low tech many bullets are. So, regardless of whether she does or does not have a firearm, the complexity of soulcasting isn't much of an argument.

The Ancient Fabrials (Soulcasters, Nin's Resurrection Machine, Oathgates) do seem to be very different. I think part of it, is that Humans interact with the magic by Surgebinding and Parshendi interact with the magic with forms and rhythms. I expect that Ancient Fabrials are simply the Aimians form of Magic. Interestingly, Brandon has referred to fabrials as a distinct magic system, even though the things that Navani does seems related in spirit, to the Surgebinding we have seen from humans. Perhaps (highly speculative) only the Aimians can make these soulcasters, because there is part of them left in it.

There does seem to be some kind of difference between modern fabrials and the ancient ones, which cannot be replicated.

That is a good idea, @jofwu I will do that soon! And thanks to you and @iamstick for the posts.

I really can't argue that, except to point out that there was more than one form of Fainlife, apparently. Still, I wouldn't use that to completely rule it out.

We need a place where we can put excerpts and readings from the upcoming book. This is not exhaustive... Not yet anyway. This is every revealed bit I have been able to find. If you know of any others, please post below! Kaladin Chapter (Returning Home) Source: http://www.tor.com/2014/09/30/brandon-sanderson-stormlight-archive-book-3-first-chapter/ Video/Audio: none? Kaladin (and Tarah) Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GlDHUCemF9U&ab_channel=MichaelMiller Dalinar Flashback #1 (Battle) Source: http://www.tor.com/2015/10/23/brandon-sanderson-reveals-a-dalinar-chapter-from-stormlight-archive-book-3/ Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uNJiQROElck Dalinar Flashback #2 (Dinner Party) Video #1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMFx9hFkDzs Video #2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4o-dWiwgqI Transcript: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1TgW20NgNsPnMe1nxCxMu7jib2Bf9dZGMjaYgZJfKnM8/edit Note: Two more Dalinar flashbacks in "The Thrill" for those who have purchased "Unfettered 2" http://www.17thshard.com/news/brandon-news/dalinar-flashbacks-in-unfettered-ii-and-stormlight-fan-film-r309/ Prologue: Eshonai Audio (older, early draft): http://www.17thshard.com/forum/applications/core/interface/file/attachment.php?id=14217 Video (newer revision, but incomplete): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TNHscNkg2Ws Transcript (based on older audio): http://www.17thshard.com/forum/topic/57932-oathbringer-prologue-spoilers/?do=findComment&comment=533740 Eshonai #1.5 (attached to the end of the previous reading) https://www.reddit.com/r/Stormlight_Archive/comments/5saeg6/oathbringer_prologue_read_by_brandon_at_signing/dde6khz/ Eshonai #2 (Chasm) Source: no source to reference. Read at your own risk. Jasnah - this scene is legitimate, but may not be included in Oathbringer. Source: http://www.tor.com/2014/08/06/stormlight-archive-scene-after-words-of-radiance/ Interlude #1: Ardent Alista Source: http://www.17thshard.com/forum/topic/56954-2017-02-17-boskone-54-boston-ma/#comment-511614 Audio: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9fo0ba8ynPxLWpJYjQxVlZVRFk/view Transcript: http://www.17thshard.com/forum/topic/56954-2017-02-17-boskone-54-boston-ma/?page=4#comment-538486 Interlude #2: Soulcaster Kaza Source: http://www.17thshard.com/forum/topic/58578-ad-astra/?page=4#comment-561711 Audio: https://soundcloud.com/user-254460900/ad-astra-reading-and-qa Transcript: http://www.17thshard.com/forum/topic/58578-ad-astra/?page=5#comment-563497 Adolin Flashback (Ryshadium) This is an unverified third-hand account courtesy of @She Who Cannot Be Named , with additional concerns voiced by @maxal Other Stuff: Brandon's last update on Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/Stormlight_Archive/comments/5zidxz/oathbringer_spoilers_stormlight_three_update_7/ Brandon's Latest update on Reddit: http://www.tor.com/2017/03/16/revealing-the-cover-to-oathbringer-the-third-book-in-brandon-sandersons-stormlight-archive/ Cover reveal: http://www.tor.com/2017/03/16/revealing-the-cover-to-oathbringer-the-third-book-in-brandon-sandersons-stormlight-archive/ Amazon Blurb: If there is anything else, please post here and let us know!

If we find out that the Common Cold was what scoured Aimia..... I do like the idea that the Unmade destroyed Aimia, but that would either be back in the Last Desolation, or very recent. Very recent doesn't fit the evidence, but I am not sure that it was that ancient either. There was an interesting few lines in the last interlude that Brandon read.

Brandon has been notoriously hard to pin down on whether the person who showed up at the end of The Way of Kings is actually the Herald Taln. Brandon only refers to him as, the man called Taln. But why? In his latest FAQFriday, Brandon suggested that who he is will be answered soon, presumably in Oathbringer. Since that is still months away, this is my theory. The Taln that returned was the real Taln, except that the thousands of years he spent fighting Odium has literally burned away his Identity, so that what is left is mainly a shell. If this is true, then the question is, what do you do with a Herald, that has no Identity left?

Interesting! I never considered it might have been created on purpose to destroy Adonalsium. There are some WoB suggesting there were attempts (plural) to destroy Adonalsium.

While this particular method may or may not work, I don't see a problem in general with triple compounding. I expect that the number of interesting ways to compound will increase factorially, or by (n-1)!, where n is the number of magic systems you have access to. Actually, taking regular double compounding, triple compounding, and multiple compounding, we would have (n-1)!+(n-2)!+(n-3)!+... Hoid can probably do some pretty crazy things with this.

Being able to use one magic system does not automatically make you able to use another. Vasher is smart enough to have an idea of how to work with it, but mostly all he has been able to do, is use it to survive. He has not been able to use it for the kind of things he is used to doing, eg Awakening.

Mold is just the best way I can describe what it looks like. That is what it reminds me of. But what it is, is the Fainlife. I presume this means imitation-life, or fake-life. In any case, it has desolated the planet where Adonalsium lives, and no one has found a way to stop it. Humanity is just barely still surviving. Are there beings that can exist in stars? Yes, we know that Autonomy lives in a star for instance. Now, if you have a thing that can grow in spite of everything every magic user can throw at it, and even live around Adonalsium, then yes, I think it is capable of leeching life out of a star. There could be an ordinary astronomical explanation of why the Red Rip is all red dying stars, but even that is relatively improbable. And notice, that Brandon regularly RAFOs any questions about the Red Rip. This would also explain why Hoid is willing to go so far as to allow Roshar to be destroyed, in order to further his goals - because he knows that unless he is successful, all those planets will be destroyed eventually.

There is a non-canon version of The Liar of Partinel and it talks about a thing that is killing the planet, Yolen, called Fainlife. Imagine the white mold that grows on cheese, on steroids and investiture, and made of poison. Even with the magic of Adonalsium, no one can find a way to stop it. Next, the best guess where on the star chart (in Arcanum Unbound) that Yolen is, is a constellation of red stars sometimes called the Red Rip. <<Now, my speculation>>

This WoB is suggestive From Pagerunner's collected Reddit WoBs

The consensus is that Hoid is collecting powers from each magic system, and it is suspected that he wants to reform Adonalsium. What is unknown is why. Or for that matter, exactly why (or what motivated) the Shattering of Adonalsium in the first place. I have my suspicions though.

They may well know whose blade it is, at least once the blade is back in Shinovar. But yes, Panic, at least at the upper levels of government. And I can easily imagine them not telling anyone, to prevent the nation from panicking (or make those in charge look bad).

There was a mention of the Shin retrieving Szeth's Honorblade, so they are certainly capable. And if retrieving such a powerful weapon doesn't worry them in the least, then I expect we will see them as fantastically skilled ninjas, similar in form to Szeth.

The Shin, as they have already collected the other remaining honorblades.

In Jim Butcher's Dresden Files, the White Council is too busy with more important matters. What would ruling the world do for them anyway? They are already wizards. Power and status have more to do with your magical power and knowledge.