Nale

In Taln's interlude in WOR, he is undoubtedly not sane. However, some of his thoughts seem to be semi-lucid, and one particular snippet caught my eye: Taln goes rather quickly here from insane ravings, but grammatically sound, to a sentence that makes little sense. But, it does remind me of the street dialect of Spook, that went on to be High Imperial. I'm not a timeline expert at all, so this could be something more of a common ancestor type thing, but the thought that at his weakest his mind flips to thinking to himself in this way makes me wonder if he doesn't share something with Scadrial.

I like it, Pyrrha's fighting style with pushing and pulling on metal fits right in. Ruby bursting into flower petals when she 'steelpushes' maybe a little outside the nice analogy. It's a fun comparison though, maybe Monty Oum was a sanderfan.

@Weltall mentioned Hoid using the taldainian sand as a potential Investiture radar, which is a really cool idea. But that got me thinking that generally Brandon doesn't allow investiture to be so infinitely available that someone could expend investiture (lightweave etc) at the normal rate and normal purpose, while also investing (recharging) the sand. Which made me think (without going back to look at the chapter I admit) that likely in this instance more stormlight was used up that would have been for just the light weaving normally (Shallan does seem to struggle measuring the amounts she uses). Is it possible that Hoid is using taldainian sand like an arrowcatch? Imagine all the time he saves by avoiding all that sygaldry...

I hadn't considered timeline wise how much time would have passed on Sel. We have seen a considerable number of Selian worldhoppers at this point as well, which does seem to solve a question of how easily the information can transfer. I do wonder about the confirmed Selian worldhopper from the pure lake who was both contemporary of SA (of course) and of the events in Elantris (book). Though perhaps he has become effectively immortal due to the shaod.

Steeldancer, what do you think the effect on the Sprirt-Web would be of those who remain in the CR for extended periods of time? Do those on Silverlight or people like Khriss begin to change in significant ways as they begin to identify more with being of the CR than of anything else? And can the IRE escape whatever effect this may be with their castle built of Connected blocks, explaining their purpose as a way to avoid becoming less Selish (presumably) by constantly thinking of themselves as still being in Sel, or an extension of it?

@Ookla the Indivergable Those are all really great points, it seems just as reasonable to assume that the Scholars were able to learn about the properties of different metals from the trade system as they would have been from actually going there themselves, and given that Brandon does not seem to want to say one way or another if Denth had been to Scadrial, it feels right that perhaps he had been to Cognitive-Side Scadrial for trade and information but not the physical realm. I had seen the second two Wob's but not the first, and hadn't considered them all in that way. Thanks!

Well, I would leave it at "My life to yours, my Breath become yours." But I think that's a bit of a drab reply. Thanks for the response, I suppose I'll have to make it to a signing and look for confirmation myself, Brandon was nearby where I was living twice last year but I could never make it out. I have been a lurker on site for several years, following Brandon since his incredible deliverance (in my opinion) of the close of the Wheel of Time, and have been discussing the topics from the 17th shard with a literary group of friends I am in for a few years as well, so perhaps that gives me a slight edge on first comment status. Thanks for the cookie my friend.

There is a WoB from November 13, at the Oathbringer signing party, in which Brandon confirms that Nightblood's sheath is made of Aluminum. Brandon has also previously noted that Vasher (and I assume at least also shashara if not all the scholars) where on Roshar to study investiture, leading them to attempt to duplicate shardblades on Nalthis (resulting in Nightblood). He also noted separately (sorry for not having this WoB's linked) that Nightblood's sheath was present upon Nightblood's creation to serve its obviously necessary purpose (though he does make it sound like they aren't sure what will happen). However we can pretty obviously infer there, that the five scholars are aware of at least some properties of Aluminum for them to have used it as the metal to be sure they could put Nightblood inside if they needed to. Compounding this knowledge with the presence of Iyatil (who is, I believe, a confirmed southern Scadrian) on Roshar to prove that worldhopping between the planets is fairly conceivable, it seems to me to be fairly certain that the scholars would have also visited Scadrial on their trip and brought the aluminum back with them. Do we have any other confirmation that they went to other planets? Or do we only know for sure that Vasher at least has been to Roshar and Nalthis?