Questions tagged [stormlight-archive]

For questions about "Stormlight Archive", an epic fantasy series by Brandon Sanderson. In a unique setting filled with stone and storms, a king is assassinated and a vengeance pact sworn. The Everstorm is coming. The lost Knights Radiant need to be reforged, and old oaths spoken again, to find the power to fight it. Always use in conjunction with the [cosmere] tag.

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Is Nightblood a Shardblade?

In Warbreaker, Vasher uses Nightblood, an Awakened sword with enough Breaths infused in it that it has sentience. People who draw the sword end up dead and towards the end of the book when Vasher uses ...
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14 votes
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What boon did Dalinar Kholin receive from the Nightwatcher when he pursued the old magic?

We know that Brightlord Dalinar Kholin was cursed to forget all memories of his deceased wife when he asked the Nightwatcher for a favor. Was it ever mentioned or hinted in the Stormlight Archive ...
Dan Burden's user avatar
11 votes
3 answers
15k views

Do you need to read Edgedancer before Oathbringer?

I'm listening to the Stormlight Archive series by Brandon Sanderson and next in line is Oathbringer - due for release on the 16/11/2017 (in the UK). I've noticed (via Audible) that there's another ...
Pat Dobson's user avatar
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10 votes
1 answer
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What pumps blood through a listener's body?

On Roshar much of the native animal life, including the listeners, have gemhearts where a normal organic heart would be. Besides that, and their orange blood, the general make up of a listener's body ...
Mark Rogers's user avatar
10 votes
1 answer
5k views

Brandon Sanderson - Words of Radiance - Blocks of numbers in chapter prologues

I've recently finished listening to the audiobook version of 'Words of Radiance' by Brandon Sanderson. Throughout the book (and the preceding book) each chapter has a quote or snippet from another ...
Pat Dobson's user avatar
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9 votes
2 answers
2k views

Why would it possibly be a good idea to brand Kaladin?

Kaladin is branded with the "shash" brand, meaning dangerous, for trying to escape and being overall dangerous. Sanderson has mentioned that, among other things, it diminishes is value as a slave, ...
CHEESE's user avatar
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8 votes
3 answers
2k views

Why is Dalinar's Blade screaming?

Spoilers for the Stormlight Archive. At the end of Words of Radiance, when the Stormfather bonds with Dalinar, he asks Dalinar to divest himself of that "monstrosity", the Blade he's currently bonded ...
muru's user avatar
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8 votes
2 answers
424 views

Why would Roshar adopt Stormlight-infused gems as a currency?

How do you justify using Stormlight-infused gems as money more valuable than dull gems? I can understand why gems - even dull ones - would qualify for currency: for the same reasons we value gold, ...
Oren_C's user avatar
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8 votes
1 answer
536 views

What affects spren gender?

How is gender generated among spren? Example: Kaladin's spren Syl manifests as female. Was she female before bonding with him? Or did she choose to manifest as female because Kaladin is a lonely ...
Misha R's user avatar
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7 votes
1 answer
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Why is there no sex in Brandon Sanderson's books?

I've read Brandon Sanderson's Mistborn and Stormlight Archive series, and I noticed that there are hardly any (if any) references to sexual activity between characters. I find that the author paints ...
jamaicanworm's user avatar
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What does “sample is considered questionable” mean?

In The Way of Kings, some of the death rattles have the note “sample is considered questionable” in the description of the subject. Shouldn’t all of the people have Why are some of these quotes “...
Stormblessed's user avatar
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Who was this spren going to choose?

At the end of Oathbringer, Hoid grabs a spren (a Cryptic, it seems) from the ruined Alethi palace. “I know you’d rather have someone else,” Wit said, “but it isn’t the time to be picky. I’m certain ...
Adamant's user avatar
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1 answer
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Why is Odium the most dangerous shard?

In the Stormlight archive, Honour describes Odium as "the most dangerous of the 16". However, Ruin from the Mistborn destroys multiple settlements for no reason at all, and this is before he ...
Mark Gardner's user avatar
7 votes
1 answer
273 views

What happened at the beginning of the calendar?

In The Way of Kings, the death quotes have years they were recorded in, such as 1171. The Gregorian calendar is based on the birth of Jesus as year one A.D. What event is the calendar on Roshar based ...
Stormblessed's user avatar
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6 votes
2 answers
7k views

Is this Eshonai or Dalinar on the cover of The Way of Kings?

Michael Whelan’s very nice cover for The Way of Kings depicts two characters in the Shattered Plains. One in the right foreground is wearing Shardplate with alight red cloak with a somewhat crab-like ...
Stormblessed's user avatar
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6 votes
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8k views

What is the meaning of a safe hand?

In the Stormlight series by Brandon Sanderson the women have something known as a safe hand. Does the series ever explain? If it does please list the book first and anything in the first book behind ...
chcuk's user avatar
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6 votes
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Why does Teft say "Why me?"

In chapter 38 "Envisager" of The Way of Kings in The Stormlight Archive, Teft hands unconscious and dying Kaladin three Stormlight infused Spheres to test his theory that Kaladin might be a ...
Renge's user avatar
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6 votes
1 answer
2k views

How did Kaladin break his oath?

Throughout Words of Radiance, a lot of Kaladin's arc is dedicated to his struggle to come to terms with Elhokar's incompetence as king. He listens sympathetically to Moash's arguments about why the ...
Mason Wheeler's user avatar
6 votes
1 answer
875 views

How does Vasher stay alive on Roshar?

One of Vasher's more useful abilities as a Returned is his immortality. However, there is no Breath on Roshar, so how does he survive?. From what I can figure there are two possibilities: either he ...
Matrim Cauthon's user avatar
5 votes
2 answers
3k views

Who is the woman of a similar age to Wit?

In Words of Radiance, chapter 55, after Shallan hugs Wit (aka Hoid), Adolin jealously tells Wit: Stick to women your own age. To which Wit cryptically replies: Well, that might be a little ...
Beofett's user avatar
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Can aluminum block a Rosharan Shardblade?

We know from Oathbringer that Does the same hold true for Shardblades from Roshar?
Antheloth's user avatar
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5 votes
1 answer
342 views

Why doesn't Syl remember her past?

In The Way of Kings, when Syl bonds with Kaladin, she has no memory of her past when she chose to form the bond. Other Nahel bonded spren like Wyndle (Lift's spren) remember where they came from (...
Neithan's user avatar
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5 votes
1 answer
196 views

Do plants on Roshar that move use nervous systems?

In The Way of Kings, many plants, such as grass, retreat into the ground when disturbed for protection form highstorms. Have the books or Brandon said anything about how this works? Do Rosharan plants ...
Stormblessed's user avatar
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4 votes
2 answers
729 views

What did Kaladin draw in Shallan's sketchbook in Oathbringer when in Shadesmar?

Kaladin drew something in Shallan's sketchbook in Oathbringer around chapter 95-105 I think. While at the reverse Thaylen city in Shadesmar, I think. What was he drawing? There is an illustration at ...
tread's user avatar
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4 votes
1 answer
453 views

On Roshar, can humans have a light eye and a dark eye?

In the Stormlight Archive series, there are lighteyes, the ruling class of Alethkar, and darkeyes, mere peasants. I know that genetics are different in these books from in real life, so here’s my ...
Stormblessed's user avatar
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4 votes
1 answer
1k views

Are Shardblades "God Metal"?

We know that the "God Metals" in Mistborn are investiture from Shards in physical form. We also know that Shardblades are Spren, which are basically sentient investiture, manifesting in the physical ...
Antheloth's user avatar
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4 votes
2 answers
266 views

Once a surgebinder drains a sphere, can it be recharged?

I had a hard time understanding this but I've not yet finished book 2 (maybe 75% of the way through). Seems like Kaladin was constantly finding new spheres as opposed to just recharging what he had.
ycomp's user avatar
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4 votes
2 answers
390 views

How much do the other Sanderson "Cosmere" series explain what is going on in the most recent "Stormlight Archive" books?

I started reading Sanderson with The Way of Kings and worked my way up to Rhythm of War. The first three books in The Stormlight Archive, with few exceptions, pretty much explain with growing clarity ...
Liam Kelly's user avatar
4 votes
1 answer
782 views

Did Gavilar and the Sons of Honor just get lucky?

Warning: major spoilers from Oathbringer in this question During Oathbringer we learn that Gavilar and some of his friends called themselves the Sons of Honor and sought to bring back the Parshendi ...
jamaicanworm's user avatar
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4 votes
1 answer
205 views

Can plants "hear"?

In the Stormlight Archive series, most plants in the East freak out if you step near them: grass retreats into stone as you step on it, rockbuds pull their vines into their shells if you are close, ...
Stormblessed's user avatar
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4 votes
1 answer
603 views

How did Lopen do this?

At the end of Words of Radiance, Lopen draws in Stormlight. The problem is that in Oathbringer, we find out that a Knight Radiant's squires can only use Stormlight when within a few miles of ...
Antheloth's user avatar
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4 votes
1 answer
221 views

Why is Kharbranth independent?

In the Stormlight Archive series, Kharbranth is a city-state independent from the bordering Frostlands. I've read the first book and don't recall anything being mentioned about its history with the ...
Stormblessed's user avatar
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3 votes
3 answers
884 views

What color is Stormlight?

Dalinar began to pant, and when he moved quickly, he left trails of blue stormlight in the air. From Way of Kings Chapter 56, page 977 of my edition. And then, 14 pages later in Chapter 57: All ...
CHEESE's user avatar
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3 votes
1 answer
296 views

Does Odium’s control depend on Spiritweb damage?

We know that Ruin, on Scadrial, could mainly only influence those who had been given Hemalurgic spikes. Those with one, such as Vin, could be subtly influenced and spoken to. Those with multiple, such ...
Adamant's user avatar
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3 votes
1 answer
409 views

Who is the character bonded to multiple spren?

According to a recent discussion, it is possible to bond multiple spren at once: Q: Can you have multiple spren at once? A: This is theoretically possible, to have multiple spren. They would both ...
Adamant's user avatar
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3 votes
1 answer
468 views

How did Mraize get an Aviar?

As seen here Mraize has an Aviar. The problem is that First of the Sun, the planet that Aviar come from, does not have a Perpendicularity, as stated in Arcanum Unbounded. This being the case, how did ...
Antheloth's user avatar
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3 votes
1 answer
616 views

Why doesn't Wit's Breath make the colors around him richer?

We know from Warbreaker that people with large amounts of Breath make colors richer around them, and that to achieve Perfect Pitch one needs enough Breath to reach the second Heightening. In Words of ...
Antheloth's user avatar
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2 votes
1 answer
320 views

How did this happen to Dalinar in the visions?

In The Way Of Kings, Dalinar is in a vision which has him fighting against Midnight essence creatures. While he is fighting, he is helped by "the Thrill". The thing is that So how did it affect him ...
Antheloth's user avatar
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2 votes
2 answers
257 views

Were the fabrials like soulcasters and regrowth casters made from hemalurgy by killing Radiants?

Were the fabrials like soulcasters and regrowth casters made from hemalurgy by killing Radiants? I looked on the Coppermind and they say very little on the creation of the fabrials.
Elijah zzstu Cook's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
2k views

Why does this character not get a spren to bond with or a Blade? [MAJOR Stormlight Archive spoilers]

At the end of Words of Radiance, when Szeth dies and gets revived, Nale, Herald of Justice, gives him "a replacement Shardblade" which is actually Nightblood, Vasher's sword in Warbreaker. If Szeth ...
Neithan's user avatar
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2 votes
1 answer
175 views

Can Fused heal with Voidlight?

Book three in The Stormlight Archives introduces new creatures called Fused, who can use Voidlight (the opposite of Stormlight) to accomplish similar things as one using Stormlight might do - like ...
Hoid's user avatar
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2 votes
1 answer
197 views

Where did the Alethi get new gems before the War?

The "War of Reckoning", which started out as a way to to avenge King Gavilars assassination, quickly turned into a political competition for gemhearts once the Highprinces discovered the amount of ...
Hoid's user avatar
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2 votes
2 answers
710 views

How did Jasnah's Soulcaster gem crack? [Spoilers]

In The Way of Kings when Jasnah uses her Soulcaster to defend herself and Shallan against the 4 thugs in the alleyway, the book describes how one of the gems on her Soulcaster cracked from the strain ...
Hoid's user avatar
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2 votes
1 answer
393 views

Why is Szeth allowed to sully his grandfather’s reputation?

Szeth says in The Way of Kings that, as he is Truthless, he doesn’t go by Szeth-son-Neturo, so as not to insult his father. Instead he goes by Szeth-son-son-Vallano. Why is it alright, in his mind, to ...
Stormblessed's user avatar
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2 votes
1 answer
266 views

How does Odium's Intent influence how his magic is obtained?

We know that in the Cosmere, the method of obtaining Investiture is tied to the Intent of the Shard it comes from, although the use of the Investiture is not. For instance, Knights Radiant make oaths (...
Adamant's user avatar
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2 votes
0 answers
297 views

Can one really swear the third Ideal without even knowing his spren?

At the end of Oathbringer, The problem is that when the Skybreakers explains how the process of swearing the Ideals works, they say that to swear the third Ideal you need to attract and bond a spren. ...
Antheloth's user avatar
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2 votes
0 answers
90 views

Does the precision of the gem affect the amount of Stormlight it can contain?

We know that an uncut gemstone holds much less Stormlight then a cut one. Does this mean that the more precise the cut, (more facets), the more Stormlight it can contain?
Hoid's user avatar
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2 votes
2 answers
181 views

How do Fabrials work?

`In Oathbringer, Fabrial's are explained as working by means of trapping a spren. But there are multiple instances of Fabrials requiring Stormlight (Spanreeds, etc.) to work. So which is it?
Antheloth's user avatar
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1 vote
1 answer
220 views

How did the levitating platform work?

In chapter 35 of Words of Radiance, Navani oversees the experiments around a levitating platform. The experiment actually involves two wooden platforms (A and B), each having a set of stormlight ...
Liquid's user avatar
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1 vote
1 answer
367 views

How does Kaladin confront Roshone?

Throughout book 1-2 of the Stormlight Archives Kaladin talks about how he is going to confront Roshone back in his home of hearstone. Do we know how he ends up confronting him?
Himarm's user avatar
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