Every Cosmere mention in Rhythm of War by Brandon Sanderson

So...Rhythm of War by Brandon Sanderson was AMAZING obviously. Instead of doing a review, today I'll be going through every Cosmere implication given to us...and boy was it a LOT. I'm so excited to see where all this info goes in Stormlight Archive 5...in three years. Tell me below if there was anything I missed!
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[@Chris-nw2vu]

Another connection! The name “Ralkalast” the Singers use for aluminum is actually a Sel term originally mentioned in The Emperor’s Soul 🤔

[@Bookborn]

How did I miss this! I love Emporer's soul! Makes sense since Hoid is most likely giving them aluminum (at least he did in Oathbringer) so makes sense it's off world.

[@Haxerous]

Yeah the first time Ralkalest is mentioned in the book, I was like, wait a sec where have I heard that before, and then I had to check the coppermind real quick.

[@leijurv]

Another tiny bit on top of that - "ralkalest" is referenced by the fused as the "old name" for aluminum, which makes sense because Elantris is supposed to be set FAR before the rest of the novels chronologically! That is the old word, but in Emperor's Soul, it's present day!

[@Haxerous]

@@leijurv they don't use the word ralkalest in elantris. It's only used in Emperor's Soul. So idk what you are talking about.

[@leijurv]

They are set on the same world at almost the same time but yeah sorry I should have just said "emperor's soul" twice instead of mixing in "elantris"

[@MrSparky4101]

Ruin and Preservation definitely have a tone. Remember that Vin could hear Leras (preservation) through the mists and the distant "drums" of ruin calling her while burning bronze.

[@Bookborn]

OH YEAH! Forgot about that, wow what a great detail.

[@josiah9712]

That makes me think about the seeker metal. I think they said something about distinguishing the metals by a faint tone or something.

[@ThatPash]

wow

[@twaldon1]

@@Bookborn I wonder if the parshendi would be able to hear an allomancer's pulse.

[@Bookborn]

@@twaldon1 WOB says yes - I have that in my follow up vid :)

[@Haxerous]

You missed, Gereh the steward in Kholinar palace, he is probably Terris, and the person who must have complained about Axindweth to Gavilar. He is also likely the person Lift found dead, the previous owner of the Aviar.

[@Bookborn]

AH! I was wondering who the Aviar belonged to previously. Good catch.

[@MR-YoutubeChangedMyHandle]

"I didn't like 6th of the dusk very much" 😐 I cant even with you right now. 6th was the best.

[@Bookborn]

Maybe I need to retry it. I read it right when it came out and I wasn't as Cosmere-aware as I am now, so maybe I'd like it more knowing more.

[@ryanryanryansmith]

It definitely has some really interesting implications since it takes place during Era 4. It’s the furthest forward in time we’ve seen in the Cosmere.

[@josiah9712]

I think those people from space might be from Elantris for some reason

[@philippenachtergal6077]

@@josiah9712 I guess the reason would be that it would be fitting for that empire of them (most empires actually) to be sticky about the letter of the rules but expansionist. But they could just as well be from any world without a shard that invented FTL travel.

[@DD-tt7cw]

The ending of rhythm of war Witt(hoid) says he lost his perfect pitch perfect pitch is 200 breaths in warbreaker. But he stores memories in his breaths like a keeper does in metal in mistborn.

[@samuelbeauzile5192]

But he also had that coin, and in mistborn era 2 those coins gave temporary feruchemical powers such as access to copper minds and if Hood stored memories in the copper mind instead of the breaths he should be all gud tho Ruin has changed information that was in Copper minds so idk

[@DD-tt7cw]

@@samuelbeauzile5192 in Mistborn Ruin didn’t change information in copper minds, Hes can’t affect anything in metal. Only people pierced by metal and I don’t believe feruchemical metal counts. What did happen is the lord ruler enslaving and getting rid of Terris people which led to the loss of their generational information. But if he does use feruchemi then that does explain how young he looks compared to his actual age

[@s.r.dragonreads4915]

Also at the end of Warbreaker, we find that Vasher is a returned. So he died way before events in Warbreaker

[@Bookborn]

Ahhhh wow I was thinking it was separate from being a returned. Now I realize that's just what he was talking about.

[@s.r.dragonreads4915]

As far as your asking if he could use stormlight for awakening, I don't know, though I think part of him going to Roshar is so that he can use stormlight in place of using up a breath or using someone else's breath

[@alexjones2004]

I've always thought of the ghostboods as having overall good intentions just shady practices

[@Bookborn]

It's definitely a possibility. I haven't made my mind up about them either way - and I realize we see a lot of them through Shallan's eyes. It'll be interesting to RAFO....

[@matthewdennis1739]

That does fit Kelsier's modus operandi. He did good things, but sometimes for bad reasons and very often with bad means.

[@kenthomas8168]

@@matthewdennis1739 because Kelsier is a cognitive shadow you can probably assume that he's going through the same process as Vasher. And if there's one thing Kelsier is known for, it's surviving. So I think this whole empire is focused on the accumulation of power so that he can never truly die

[@Raven_Konaim]

Kelsier being Thaidakar and the leader of the Ghostbloods blew my mind!

[@Bookborn]

I know! I gasped aloud. I was like KELSIER!!!!!

[@mikeycj7]

Wait what howd did I miss that?!

[@chilliverse7326]

Great video. I had been waiting for cosmere connection video and my wish is fulfilled. I found out about Kelsier being the leader of Ghostblood only after I finished Rhythm of War and watched couple of videos.

[@Bookborn]

I love Kelsier so the minute "scars" where said I was like WHATT KELSIER!! But my commenters have told me about things I've missed. It's hard when there is so much in such a large book!

[@raearu]

Enjoyed this video a lot. I haven’t read many other cosmere books aside from the Mistborn novels and stormlight archive but will be definitely adding warbreaker and Elantris to my tbr after this

[@Bookborn]

Oh noooo you probably got some spoilers here...hopefully they weren't noticeable enough to do anything lol. Elantris is becoming more and more important to the overall Cosmere, it seems, although Warbreaker is my personal favorite.

[@tomchisholm9467]

Vasher's death is in reference to him being a returned which was revealed in warbreaker.

[@Bookborn]

Check out my pinned comment lol

[@srspanksalot4501]

Watching this video 2 years later wondering why you're surprised about things learned in lost metal 😂. I read that before row so I didn't think about it lmao.

[@Bookborn]

😂😂 but I do love this as proof that it does NOT matter which order you read things in!

[@BrightnessKatyReads]

i love all the cosmere connections in rhythm of war!!!! so juicy hehe i think my favourites were zahel/vasher and his convo with kaladin as well as the kelsier reveal!!!

[@Bookborn]

Yeah Vasher was on DISPLAY in this book. I think my favorite part was Sazed's appearance since I love him.

[@BrightnessKatyReads]

@@Bookborn wait when did sazed appear?? 😱was it the letter?

[@Bookborn]

@@BrightnessKatyReads It was either part 2 or part 3 where all of the writing in the pre-chapter text was from him!

[@wcouch8]

Everyone gets their own speculation. Hope you have yours. My speculation is that the Cosmere books are really about 'Unite them,' referring to the Shards. Szed united Preservation and Ruin, on a planet with 2 Shards. Shelan has found an equilibrium with three personas, and might be set up to unite the three Shards on Roshar with an equilibrium (plus, first main chapter in Stormlight is a Shelan chapter). The Ghost Bloods are capturing Heralds into gems, combined with Navani discovering how to unite previously split spren from their gemstones. So RoW may have initiated the technology for the next step beyond uniting spren, into the new goal of uniting Shards. using metal, sand, sound, light, map of the galaxy (e.g. Elantris used their local geography), etc.. Eventually Rosharans travel to other planets to use the technology to unite all the Shards back into a single Adonalsium. Here's to hoping some of your speculations and mine are true.

[@Bookborn]

Yes I wouldn't be surprised if you are right about Andonalsium eventually being put back together, I've thought that myself. But I never though of Shallan's ability to control three separate personalities as translated into uniting and keeping separate shards. I think that is such a COOL and clever theory!

[@sodiumissalty7610]

So this comment is going to be a bunch of clarifications. First, regarding Navani's light research implications, I doubt it will have large effects in single places but in the long run, I believe it will be really important due to the fact that this confirms Anti-Investitures meaning even people who are uninvested can beat an invested being. Next talking about getting light off of Roshar, this is important due to the fact that stormlight is so easily assessable making it the reason people like Vasher are on Roshar as it is easier to consume investiture. Next and Finally I want to talk about the Seon. I think the Seon on Roshar are fine considering who brought them there, first is Hoid who is possibly the most knowledgeable person in the Cosmere would definitely know the way of getting past Sel's connection based investiture, the second being Kelseir who ascended giving him an expanded mind which again probably gives him the knowledge of getting past Sel's connection based investiture. My personal theory about why the Seon can be on Roshar due to the metal box which I believe to be aluminum, therefore, blocking the investiture from leaving and allowing the connection to not take effect. Anyways sorry for the long comment, I don't know if this clarifies anything, have a good day.

[@sodiumissalty7610]

Oh Also I just realized after typing this regarding Hoid's powers he has the ones listed within the video, Yolish Lightweaving, and is physically immortal due to holding a Dawnshard

[@Bookborn]

I haven't heard the aluminum box theory yet, which is super interesting! Most people are theorizing maybe it's a soulstamp, but I like the idea of aluminum...

[@maayanlaufer821]

We knew Vasher died he is a return...

[@Bookborn]

check out my pinned comment lol

[@PonderingsOfPete]

Per some WoB (not sure which), but he has said that the rhythms are a central theme throughout the Cosmere magics. I can’t remember the exact phrasing, but yes, the other Shards presumably have tones and anti-Investitures.

[@Bookborn]

Oh I've never heard that one! I'll have to go on seventeenth shard and search for that WoB. That makes me excited, I found that part super interesting.

[@trill_nathan]

Fun fact: on the first page of the first chapter which had Sazed's epigraphs, Sanderson actually used the word harmony which is Sazed's Shard name lol

[@Bookborn]

yeah that's why I figured it was him haha. And the fact that he said he was new. I was proud of that one because I"m not usually that great at predicting things (although I actually predicted a few things in this novel! I'm improving!)

[@slythawyrda]

i probably missed something, but I read the thing about vivenna chasing vasher was about nightblood, not very sure though.

[@chilliverse7326]

I am more worried after Taravangian became Odium.

[@Bookborn]

I mean the Cosmere is basically going to impload now right? Rayse was a way more knowable force. It terrifies me what Tarvangian will do to "save" the cosmere.

[@inquisitor1284]

With Vasher awakening, last we heard he had figured out how to use storm light to survive, but not awaken yet.

[@Bookborn]

Yeah I found Brandon's word on that for the follow up vid! I'm excited to see where Vasher was during the events of RoW...

[@josephmingoia4085]

IIRC, in OathBringer Vivenna looks mid-30s where she was early 20s in Warbreaker. Though she appears to have gained some control over how she appears (in addition to her hair). Vasher also started teaching Adolin when he was young (12?), so both would line up to Warbreaker happening 10-15 years before Way of Kings. This is assuming no cognitive realm time shenanigans, which would explain how Felt is hanging around (unless he is a kandra or something). If Vasher or other Returned couldnt process stormlight like breaths, then I'd guess he went to the Nightwatcher and effectively traded Nightblood for that ability. Cultivation mentions Nightblood in one of Dalinar's flashbacks and Vasher has some foreknowledge of how powerful Dalinar will be long before he becomes a Bondsmith.

[@Bookborn]

I forgot the Nightwatcher mentioning that...I feel like that's a super good theory that he went to her. We know he can't use stormlight to awaken, but just to replace his breaths...hmmm

[@josephsweijd3168]

Vasher is a returned which we learn in WarBreaker that's what he means when he says he died and came back

[@Bookborn]

ok I super need to pin a comment with my reply to this now since I've gotten it a lot lol. I know it's stupid, but I thought he died AGAIN. So I knew he was a returned, but I thought he lost his Breath and still got to come back and I was like WOW. After a bunch of people have been like...no, I realize how stupid it was to think that lol

[@skeezixcodejedi]

I've been ignoring Mr Sanderson too long .. which is the one to start with of his? He pumps out a lot of material. Funny, today I log in and see a new YT video from you, and also from Daniel Greene; you need to get some namedrops from these big channels :)

[@Bookborn]

Don't watch this video if you haven't read Sanderson lol...it's ruin everything! My personal favorite is Warbreaker. It's a stand alone and I just love it. But a lot of people like starting with Mistborn. It's probably his most famous, it's a trilogy, and it's shorter than his other novels. The Stormlight Archive (which is what this video is about) is his most ambitious project...but it's also incredible. All of Sanderson's adult novels are connected in what is called "the cosmere"; so eventually all of his novels will interconnect. That's what's so exciting about them.

[@skeezixcodejedi]

@@Bookborn Warbreaker is perhaps more accessible due to being a standalone (so far), which is appealing; during this pandemic I got onto a kick of re-reading books I'd read loooong ago as a kiddo and also starting giant series, and also pciking up some new (to me) grimdark.. Joe Abercrombie is a beast! So reading the Logan Ninefingers set was great, and 'only' 3 books...But I read a couple of the Malazan books last year, which are amazing but also beefy and terrifying (at there being what, 10 in the main series, plus another 5 or 10 side series.. omg). Lately as a re-read I hit WOT book one thinking 'this pissed me off as a kid since I knew he'd go forever, I'll read it for a laugh' (and sadly/happily, its way better than I remember, but likely because now I know its a 'done' thing...); right now re-reading the Fionivar Tapestry bvook one (Summer Tree) by Guy Gavriel Kay. Thankfully only 3 book series there.. I used ot reaed a book a week as a kid, but many years of just having no free time (you know how it goes, kiddos and RL :), but this lockdown situation has sort of mentally whipped us.. so I've found myself going back to reading and some gaming as simple hobbies, lower stress. Reading a lot this year, is great! So back around.. Warbreaker might be nice as an intro to B.S. and also standalone (whew!) ... does the 'colour' mana system hold up? The Stormlight .. is that 'near done' or one of those 'going on forever' series; after WOT burnt me out as a kiddo, I rather like tyo jump in on series after completion or near completion, so I don't binge read and then get stuck waiting forever for completion. B.S doesn't slouch on the writing, but still. So Warbreaker, Stormlight, or Mistborn .. hmmm.. Sorry, too much of a text dump for you to read but I've written it, so I can save it :) Or is this a possible video option for you.. to recommend otu of the B.S library where to start ;)

[@Bookborn]

@@skeezixcodejedi I"ve thought of doing a video like that! I did an instagram post on where to start. You could also do a novella, which are much shorter. My personal favorite is The Emperor's Soul...it's amazing. I would not recommend starting with Stormlight, personally, even though it's incredible - I think it's too big an introduction. It is a long series, but the good thing about Sanderson is he is a writing BEAST. He'll finish it. It's slated for 10 books and I think that's what it'll be. However, it's 10 books in two sort of series. So only 5 books in the first half. And four are out, and the fifth is slated to be out 2023. Wow you've read a LOT of classics this year! Wheel of Time is amazing, honestly! Even if it gets...very slow sometimes haha. It was worth it in the end. I've only read one book of Malzalan and if I went back to it I'd have to reread it because I honestly remember nothing. I plan to pick up Abercombie's First Law series next year - I'm a little nervous because Grimdark doesn't seem like my thing lol

[@skeezixcodejedi]

@@Bookborn First Law series is fantastic; the characters pop so much, and they're "fun" to read (fun as in gripping and fast and great dialog); of note though, one of the fan favorite main perspective characters - Glokta, I'm sure you've heard about - is a good person, yet is also a torturer; some of those scenes are a little _grim_, but they're not gorey per se? Like, they're freddie kruger gross, not Saw gross? I dunno. I really liked Logan Ninefingers over Glokta though.. Malazans whole thign is that 'youre' dropped right into it', so just dropping right into the second book and not even reading or remembering the first.. would work; they're also fairly well contained ovf the 4 or 5 I've read; so, like, the larger arc is happening slowly, and theres many smally arcs in each book, but the books are not linked 1 to 2 to 3 .. and usually not the same characters; but over a sequence of books you'll hear things that some of the previously used characters have done (rememebring, hearing stories of) or are doing (if still alive, or variants of alive). So, its probably okay to blunder on, un less you really want to capture it in your head. (Which is hard.. Malazan is so _big_). But book 1 and 2 are totally different characters iirc, totally different settings. They just get better and better.. its quite remarkable. Someday I'll have time to get through the rest of them. I also picked off my shelf the Belgariad and re-read book one for lulz, loved it as a kid; not great, very infantile but also very fun. This pandemic is the time for me to pick up "book one of 35" in a bunch of different sets I guess .. foolish me :) So, anyway, leave stormlight until 2023, got it! So Warbreaker or Mistborn #1 added to my Wishlist :) Cheers!

[@Bookborn]

@@skeezixcodejedi Actually that's super helpful info to hear about Mazalan because I was weary of having to reread book one...I like the idea of just jumping in to book 2. I really want to read them because they have so much cultural impact on the fantasy genre. I'm excited for First Law and even more excited to hear that it isn't very gory lol.

[@davidwelge]

OK, Here is my thought on the reason why portable investiture would be important. I believe that the power of investiture is the same across the Cosmere, it all comes from the spiritual realm. But, it depends on your connection how that investiture is manifest. Now, take that piece of understanding with the information we learn in mistborn era 1 and 2. First, powers can be transferred through heamolergy and that connection can be minipulated using the discs. Put those together and you can see a possibility where people could manipulate their connection to accept these different forms of investiture to power different or multiple powers through heamolergy... Just my thoughts...

[@Bookborn]

I like this point a lot, especially considering we think Kelsier is the leader of the Ghostbloods. He'd know all about hemalurgy...

[@JARHuygebaert]

Gonna watch this video later didn't finish the book yet! See you in a bit

[@Bookborn]

Yes come back and tell me if I missed anything!

[@maxwelljohnson5221]

Awesome idea for a video! Very much enjoyed

[@Bookborn]

Yay, thank you!

[@7nage]

I just finished RoW yesterday, i vividly remember that sinking feeling I got when Taravangean bacame Odium and qudibly said 'No' repeatedly. Truly terrifying. Please don't kill my monarch Dalinar on Stormlight 5 please. Aaaaaaa

[@Bookborn]

It's one of the best twists ever. I"m still terrified for what it means for book 5... I have a feeling we will be losing some beloved characters 😭

[@ammalyrical5646]

Hope you don't mind long comments... The whole revelation in Warbreaker is Vasher being a Returned and his Returned name being Warbreaker (oh, the implication for the Cosmere, amiright?). So I don't think Vivenna is hunting him because he is a Returned. She knew that from the point where they went to the Godking so 'Kalad's Phantoms' could be used to stop the attack on her homeland. I have a suspicion she's hunting him because she's after Nightblood (and have had it since she mentioned Vasher in Oathbringer). Maybe you should look up The Silence Divine. It's a concept Brandon came up with for a story set on Ashyn. There's apparently still people living there, just not in regular ways. The investiture now appears in a similar way to how aviars work (Sixth of the Dusk) but with pathogens. The humans managed to destroy their planet with uncontrolled surge binding. So that planet now is a mess (probably like the wound in the Threnodite spiritual realm or Sel's cognitive realm). Sixteen might be an Elantrian... I have no idea who it is though. I would be curious about how they would reunite Adonalsium. At least 4 of the shards have been splintered by Odium (hence the Seons and Skaze on Sel, those are splinters of Dovotion and Dominion). You can reunite those splintered parts but that would be a hell of a job to have. Yes, the White Sand organisms were mentioned in the story (at least in the prose draft I've read, I haven't gotten to the graphic novels yet). You must've noticed all the talk about metals in Navani's lecture on fabrial science. Those funtionings were incredibly close to what metals do in the metallic arts on Scadrial. Mostly allomancy and ferruchemy. But a little bit of hemealurgy too. Every shard has it's own god metal, tone/rhythm, and light. The whole focus on waves and frequencies in the Cosmere is interesting. And it did come up in Elantris too. Even though Brandon didni't really know what he was doing there he still made it fit in, I like that. Speaking about Sel: Khriss writes in the Ars Arcanum that the way people access the Dor is linked with Identity and birth place (I read the book twice this month because I'm hosting a readalong for the entire Cosmere up to now). At first I assumed the magic would be heavily localized as well, but Dhakor can be used everywhere on Sel and so can ChayShan and AonDor, the strength just differs. So I guess you can use it off world too (Galladon was in that Purelake interlude in The Way of Kings and the Ire are a thing too). Seons are splinters of Devotion so it doesn't seem surprising they would be able to leave the planet. It seems like the Rosharen system is an outlier. To me it looks like The Oathpact Ishar created locked all the magic in that system. And they are now finding out how to undo that (check the reading of the Sixth of the Dusk sequel, it's pretty neat and shows that they will be able to leave the planetary system after Stormlight ends. Era two Mistborn is set in between book 5 and 6 of Stormlight Archive. When exactly? Brandon hasn't set a solid time point for it yet.

[@Bookborn]

Love long comments, as long as you love long replies! Checkout my pinned comment on this video ;) That'll explain some of my Vasher stuff. I too think she's after nightblood; but I also think she has a bone to pick with Vasher, based on how she talks. I had heard of The Silence Divine, but I for some reason never connected that it was set on Ashyn! someone in the comments mentioned that, and it makes a lot of sense. Turns out nobody knows who sixteen is. Now people are thinking it's one of the shards hiding. I'm not inclined to that idea, though. I'm convinced at some point in the Cosmere there will be a way to reunite a shattered shard (Dalinar...unite them?? maybe??) but my husband thinks there is no way it'll happen. So we will see... Good to know. I've read the draft of the story but it was a while ago so I just couldn't remember. In Brandon's live it made it sound, though, that getting that Aeon off planet was a lot of work (considering it was in this box that it couldn't be removed from...) so I think it's still work to get that sort of stuff off world. But I think the Era 2 Mistborn will give us big jumps in this; or at least book 5 of Stormlight. Big things are happening!

[@ammalyrical5646]

@@Bookborn I saw that comment. Do you watch/ listen Shardcast? The newest episode had Brandon in it and it was hilarious. I don't think it's a shard in hiding, 16 was designed as sickly, this can mean a lot of things, one of which having to do with AonDor. If the pain never stops when it starts that would explain why he barely leaves that house. 17th Shard people told me at some point last year that The Silence Divine is set on Ashyn. I was complaining about all the problems in medicine and medical science that the concept can create and how it would be nearly impossible to make it work probably. I'm really curious how Brandon is going to do it. Parasitism would make the most sense, but that still would cause some glaring problems and the Cosmere does normally work really well with our worldly science (this was also the reason why when the sciency reveals in RoW started, I could predict the way it would go most of the time. Negative interference). A sidenote: Hoid apparently carried a Dawnshard at some point. He might still be carrying it, we don't know. But I'm betting that's the reason he can't anybody in the physical realm. Ruthar only worked because Hoid knew the man would walk away without any physical harm done.

[@Bookborn]

@@ammalyrical5646 Yes, someone said Hoid carried a dawnshard! I need to do a lot of research on those, even after Dawnshard I'm still a little hazy on them and their history. I haven't listened to the shardcast since I don't listen to a ton of podcasts. I"ll go check out the most recent episode though! It sounds really good. I'm hoping the science doesn't get sloppy. Like you said, it's nice that so far it's been pretty good.

[@josephnicholson2593]

How about the bag of "something" that Mraize gives to Raboniel? My initial thought was atium.

[@Bookborn]

Oh Interesting. They wouldn't have a way of burning it though, right? What chapter was that again?

[@josephnicholson2593]

@@Bookborn Don't remember the number but it was right after the Lift interlude, it's when he hands Lift over

[@josephnicholson2593]

@@Bookborn And they may not be able to burn it but I bet the metal itself would have some crazy fabrial properties

[@Bookborn]

@@josephnicholson2593 I'm going to go reread it so I remember the context, but you are right - aluminum already has crazy implications, I wonder what all the other metals would do.

[@zekespops1]

Pretty sure he gave her the sand which she later gives to Vyre.

[@terryschmitt8050]

Kelsier is interesting. On my first read through of mistborn, he seems like a hero. As I saw what he intentionally did and the ramifications of those actions, however, he becomes a much darker character. The first book isn't just a heist story, it's a con job story. It's a story about Kelsier running a con job to fool a nation into believing he's Jesus so they'll found a religion to him. It's not just an of coincidence that people are still worshipping him three hundred years after his death, he kept asking Sazed how to make religions more resilient. His goal was to create an organization that had the longevity to overthrow the Lord ruler, but preying on people's faith and lying to aggrandized yourself . . . I think Vin says it well at the end of secret history when she worries about Kelsier, his true motivations, and the unseen costs/unintended consequences of his actions. Given the theme of storm light as "journey before destination" it's not hard to see Kelsier as a villain who took the same path as Taravangian and Moash, but at a slower pace.

[@Bookborn]

It's so funny because I too just LOVED Kelsier on my first read. When I re-read the novels, I was like "wait, why did I love him so much again?" He seemed much darker and not like some grand hero. I still really like his character but it is super interesting how he comes off differently on a first and second read. I think Kelsier has the option to go either way - become a hero or become a formidable villian.

[@colbyolsen9828]

I think Brandon said somewhere that kelsier was only the hero in mistborn because of the circumstances, but in most other stories he would be the villain, which has some pretty neat cosmere implications.

[@gowish]

@@colbyolsen9828 I think someone said that in Mistborn era 2.

[@Scott-qi3wv]

Friend of mine called the odium twist during book 3. He got the theory after the whole odium the god of passion bit

[@Bookborn]

HOWWW. That is crazy-good picking up on context clues!

[@Scott-qi3wv]

@@Bookborn he had just finished the third mistborn book soooo he was in that kind of mindset 😂😂

[@DocHogan]

Seons remained and functioned post-chasm....probably not created via Selish geography based magic. The aon at their core may be sort of post- creation addition to their structure

[@Bookborn]

Yeah someone mentioned it's maybe because the Seon's come from a different shards power than the geographical magic? Which I thought was a good idea.

[@TheJcpeterman1985]

Good job ...... i cant get enough Cosmere connections ..... The woman who talks to Vinlie in the flash back is probably Terris , Marize is most likely from the southern part of Scadrial where it was too hot ..... in one of the books it shows a bunch of things he has collected from other worlds ,some of them kinds of investiture. 16 is most likely an Elantian We know Hoid has Surgebinding , sand mastery ( he uses it in warbreaker when he tells a story) , breaths , alloymancy , some form of regrowth ( supresses it to stop his tooth from regrowing) and at least one other thing that works to put him where he needs to be ( never explained) and on top of that has some kind of a deal where he cant attack people directly ( surprised when he can hit Kelsier at the well ) Ashyn , the original planet of humans in the Roshar system has a sickness based magic system The keys are kinda explained in the Bands of Mourning. You can store identity and somehow use other peoples investiture . Ok ive nerded out enough ........ Keep the videos coming

[@Bookborn]

Why do you say sixteen is most likely from Sel? Is there a clue I missed there? I had no idea that Sanderson's sickness for powers story was going to based in Ashyn! I thought it was non-cosmere, so that's cool to find out. I forgot about storing identity, that obviously will be important as investiture starts moving around. I think something big is going to happen in The Lost Metal...I'm so excited for it.

[@TheJcpeterman1985]

@@Bookborn Sixteen is described as pale skinned and he does not eat, drink or bring anything in or out of his little house ........ he might not be From Sel but we have seen two others . One was in the Purelake looking for Hoid the other runs the Lighthouse in Shadesmar ( at least I though he was lol ) Search “ Character Sixteen Cosmere” you should get a link to his description Its all speculation but it sure is fun And I could be wrong so theres that lol

[@Bookborn]

@@TheJcpeterman1985 Ahh I was thinking Sixteen as in sixteen and Scadrial. But the not eating and drinking makes sense for Sel. Hmmm so much to theorize!

[@orufus12]

Wouldn't the death of devotion and dominion be the reason Seon can get taken off world?

[@Bookborn]

It's a possible reason - but it seems like it was pretty hard to get off world so I wonder if there's more there

[@orufus12]

@@Bookborn The only reason I bring that up specifically is that its the only world we have actually been to that has no shard presence currently.

[@mikehorner5989]

What are the other books called

[@Bookborn]

What other books? All the Cosmere books?

[@Seth1459]

Taravangian is pronounced Terra-VAN-jee-an. According to the audiobooks, anyway. Other than that this is well done. Good job.

[@Bookborn]

Not just "other than that" cause pretty sure I pronounced at least 10 other names very wrong lol. Myyyy badddd.

[@Seth1459]

No reason to apologise. I'd probably pronounce it the way you did if I read it first instead of doing the audio.

[@MrNarcotix]

Did you mention that kelsier is the leader of the ghost bloods that one took me a bit to figure out.

[@Bookborn]

I did mention it! I love Kelsier so the minute I heard scars I was like... KELSIER??!

[@jimmykungberg308]

@@Bookborn Where is Kelsier mentioned? Finished the book today :) , Have read Mistborn 1- 4 and half of nr5, Warbreaker and ofcourse Stormlight Archive 1-4 Tried 50 pages of Elantris but really did not like it. What more MUST i read? Missed some of the references so i guess i must read the novellas... What is the next book? Liked Warbreaker heard somewhere there will be a second in that world. There is so much lore and i want to really dig in to the shards the planets etc is there a comprehensive guide somewhere?

[@Bookborn]

@@jimmykungberg308 We believe that Kelsier is the "Man of Scars" mentioned at the end in connection with the Ghostbloods. Generally, in the Cosmere, if "scars" are mentioned, we think Kelsier! You NEED to check out coppermind.net/wiki/Coppermind:Welcome. It is an INCREDIBLE site run by the people over at the 17th Shard. They have so much good information that helped me understand the connection in the cosmere so much better! Warbreaker is my personal favorite Sanderson, which is why I asked him at a signing when the sequel would be coming lol. He said not for a long time sadly, it's one of the last books in the Cosmere I think will get written.

[@jimmykungberg308]

So the continuation on Warbreaker in 15 years... ;)

[@MrNarcotix]

@@jimmykungberg308 check out arcanum inbounded a bunch of cosmere shorstories and mistborn secret histories to get more cosmere lore. Or look up anything you want on 17th shard podcast they do brealdown of all cosmere and brandon stuff. Unofficial official poscast group

[@Char1ynn]

Wonder if shalan will find her way to the rithmatist world would make sense

[@Bookborn]

Rithmatist isn't in the Cosmere!

[@Char1ynn]

@@Bookborn darn seems like a waisted opportunity

[@Bookborn]

@@Char1ynn None of his YA works are in the Cosmere; so no Rithmatist, Skyward, Librarians, or Steelheart. (I actually haven't read any of his YA except for Skyward).

[@majlingm]

@@Bookborn You should, Rithmatist is among his best works in my opinion.

[@jasonbailey9139]

Love your analysis, but I struggle with your pronunciation of many of the characters since they don't jive with audiobook narrators...which match Brandon's pronunciations.

[@Bookborn]

Join the club, my pronunciations have been killing everybody inside. I'm going to try to be better for future videos but honestly... no promises lol (I hate audio books so I honestly never though about my pronunciations before. I've been trying to look them up but it's hard to not default to the ones I usually use!)

[@jasonbailey9139]

@@Bookborn As someone who spent at least 2 hours commuting in a car, audiobooks were a life saver....and narrators aren't always reliable. While listening to the Wheel of Time, there were two narrators and three pronunciations of some of the Forsaken's names. Since they are not all named at one time in the first few books, I thought Moe-gah-deen, Moe-gid-ian, and some other pronunciation I've forgotten were three different characters. One might say I'm an idiot, but look at other names in the book that are very similar in pronunciation---Elaine/Egwain, Galad/Gowen, too many Aes Sidai to think about. So, I totally understand. Took forever for Hermione to go from her-mah-nee to her-my-oh-nee in my head because JK didn't give us a phonetic until the fourth book.

[@Bookborn]

@@jasonbailey9139 Oh my gosh I can totally imagine thinking it was three different characters. I've been (good naturedly) teased by my family my entire life for my terrible pronunciations so it just is something I'm used to now lol.

[@kakerake6018]

It was the honor blades ( surgebinding without rules) that destroyed the human world of Ashen.

[@Bookborn]

Do we know that for sure? I thought we just knew that Surgebinding did, not necessarily just honorblades. Were their more honorblades? Is there a WoB on this? Odium followed them, so what if it was Odium's surgebinding that did it?

[@rick5048]

The honorblades didn't exist until after humans arrived on Roshar. Honor gave them to the heralds around the time that the Oathpact was created. Surgebinding did cause a cataclysm on Asyhn, but there are still some humans that live there. It wasn't completely destroyed.

[@bensongailey7329]

SPOILER FOR LOST METAL: if you thought ROW was bad, good luck

[@Bookborn]

Wait but I loved RoW lol

[@DryBooks]

I also wanna know who Sixteen is

[@Bookborn]

Have you heard anything?? Nobody has commented on it and I really have no idea. I want to say it's someone from Scadrial because of the 16, but I know 16 is a number on other Cosmere planets too.

[@DryBooks]

@@Bookborn exactly what I thought! But I finished the book yesterday, so really your video was the first one I watched about references. So idk yet... I gotta find out now hahaha

[@Haxerous]

That and the kandra world hopper.

[@DryBooks]

@@Haxerous waaait, which one was that again?

[@Haxerous]

@@DryBooks we don't know yet. Brandon had just said in some event that there is a Kandra worldhopper on Roshar.

[@changboyz]

If your no cosmere scholar I have never met one.

[@Bookborn]

THANKS FOR THE COMPLIMENT...but let's be honest the people over at 17th shard are the true heroes/scholars

[@christianklumper1264]

Navani: I’m not a scholar. *Navani bonds the Sibling* *Bookborn taking notes* Bookborn: hey guys, so I’m not a Cosmere scholar...

[@Bookborn]

HAVE ANY SPREN NOTICED ME YET?

[@christianklumper1264]

@@Bookborn Say the Ancient Oaths: Life before death Strength before weakness Journey before pancakes

[@Bookborn]

@@christianklumper1264 Excuse you I'm an Elsecaller so no pancakes involved...

[@christianklumper1264]

@@Bookborn Aha! Now I seem to understand why your name is Bookborn. Because you’re looking to bond an INKspren and can use all the metallic arts.

[@avlost1784]

Lift definitely said "Journey before Pancakes", right? I think it was right before she said "pass the Butt-ter voidspren!". I need help....

[@josephnicholson2593]

Stormfather: "Of course I knew Taravangian would Ascend to Odium's Shard, once he did it I always knew that he did it."

[@Bookborn]

lol I'm going to start using this line

[@arshgrewal9487]

Ok Boomer

[@tanavast4140]

We actually get to see Allomancy in a way in RoW. In the beginning chapters pretexts where Navani is addressing the Monarchs of Urithiru concerning fabrials, she talks about how certain metals affect the spren within the gemstones. Everything like how Iron wire will pull things towards the spren such as pain. Or that Zinc will excite or *riot* the spren, and brass seems to calm or *soothe* them instead. It’s not directly Allomancy but it’s so fascinating to see that the physical metals themselves affect investiture the same way on Roshar s as they do on Scadrial

[@Bookborn]

WOW GOOD CATCH! I only associated the aluminum since that's been pretty obvious. Oh man, the implications...

[@typhoonzebra]

Yeah, that's great but it's not strictly allomancy. Rather, metal is much more important than we once thought. Yes it powers the metallic arts on Scadrial but it also has universal effects. For example, aluminium is magically inert everywhere. When alomancers burn it, it destroys their power, it can't be pushed by coinshots, it blocks rioters, inhibits spren, can't be cut through by shardblades, can't be awakened. Beforehand, we were kind of under the impression that aluminium was unique for having cosmere wide effects but that fabrial research shows that a bunch more metals have cosmere wide effects and attributes. Also, Odium has a god metal which implies that the other shards do too. Be interesting to see what happens if an allomancer burns Razium.

[@chilliverse7326]

Taravangian taking wit's memory at the end gave me chills.

[@Bookborn]

oh COMPLETELY. Like...rereading that chapter where he does everything the same over again... Hoid seemed so untouchable to me...

[@kakerake6018]

BUT HOWWW? I've never seen biochroma used to store memory.

[@nicolasmunoz2264]

@@kakerake6018 in warbreaker Vasher use Biochroma to "Change" the memory of the child´s priest, Vev see it

[@snowman9631]

It was upsetting... That was such a petty move and everything dalinar said about taravangian was correct

[@johnnycoleman75]

of course now Odium is "corrupted" with investiture from Endowement... so, was Hoid tricked or was Taravangian.

[@thebrotherscurtin9827]

Stormlight is easiest gained and transported. With Navani's experiments it seems like stormlight can be converted into raw investiture and transformed into any given shard's power assuming the correct tones are found.

[@Bookborn]

Thanks for bringing that all together. I agree that's where this is going.

[@bradleythompson6338]

Maybe Kelsier just needs a second Investiture to be free from Scadrial’s cognitive realm? Stormlight is easiest to get. Therefore he wants it. Could be that simple 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@bonzairob]

And the logical next step here is, what might happen if you know the tones of all 16 shards, and use a big source of investiture to mix them all together...

[@Bookborn]

OK YALL. I KNOW VASHER IS A RETURNED. I just thought he died again. I realize that sounds stupid now but I thought something crazy new Cosmere-wise happened haha. In my defense....I have none.

[@hodsinay6969]

You also seemed uncertain about him being old, we already knew he was really old at warbreaker (he said that he used at least 10000 breathes just to stay alive)

[@ammalyrical5646]

@@hodsinay6969 Go further on that: there's about 3-4 generations (Nalthian ones) between Warbreaker and The Way of Kings and we have time indications of when the Manywar happened. WoBs and 17th Shard can be so useful at times, lol... He was alive before the Manywar to the point he both started and ended it (and apparently was already a Returned at that point because he doesn't remember anything from before he Returned. I guess that would make him 350-400 years old during the events in Warbreaker? those generations account probably for 100-150 years so he's a nice half millennium old. Oh, and he hasn't done yet what he Returned for. But we could kinda know that since that would mean him giving up the Divine Breath Edgli Endowed him with. I'm curious what it is going to be he came back to do.

[@jonathanknill3877]

Vasher and Zahel are definitely one and the same. Azure and Adolin, and kaladin all have the same swordsmaster. We learned that in the last book.

[@jonathanknill3877]

Also his breaths can be used repeatedly, he only burns thrmup by sustaining life. When he fights kaladin he is described wearing the same clothes vasher wears, and gets younger for a second, thats him shifting his breaths around.

[@zube410]

He is surviving off of stormlight, but he is awakening with no command in the fight against Caledon which means he is awakening at a 10th heightening. We know he can sustain himself on storm light, but I don't think we know for sure whether or not he can awaken with it. It definitely seemed like he awakens with breaths since he had to go reclaim the investiture from all of the cloths at the end of that fight. It would be interesting to see whether or not he can achieve higher heightenings just by further investing himself even if that investiture is not breaths, so perhaps filling himself up with storm light to a higher heightening and then using only a few breaths to awaken as if he had thousands and thousands of breaths. I don't know that there's any justification for that particular explanation, but he is definitely on roshar at least partially because he can be sustained by storm light, and he almost certainly has at least some breath to have done the awakening in the fight against Kaladin, since he had to go reclaim it all, and it took the colors out of the clothing rather than making it glow

[@nepwrath]

We asked Brandon how many Cosmere references there were gonna be and he said "yes"

[@Bookborn]

lol no joke. He's like stop complaining you people.

[@brandonvangieson8087]

One thing I loved is Sazed name dropped FOUR new Shards that haven't been revealed up to this point. Invention, Mercy, Valor, and Whimsy. That means at this point there are only two Shards left that we have yet to get names for. And it makes me really curious what sort of magic system the world that Whimsy lives on has lol? First video I've found of yours, good stuff you have a new fan

[@Bookborn]

I know I can't believe I didn't mention that in this video! Everyone seems to be very excited about the kind of world Whimsy runs lol. I'm especially interested in Whimsy if another shard is there with them...

[@brandonvangieson8087]

@@Bookborn I think by the very nature of Whimsy it could get on well with a number of Shards, but I also think it probably would be off on it's own somewhere. I think Khriss in her writings on the Cosmere has said that Sel (Devotion & Dominion) & Scadrial (Ruin & Preservation) are the only Dishardic planets. Roshar is completely unique in having three (Honor, Cultivation, & Odium.) Whimsy is probably just floating from planet to planet in the cosmos, dropping little random bits of Investiture here and there.

[@Bookborn]

@@brandonvangieson8087 I'm def excited to meet that vessel

[@Phoboskomboa]

It was REALLY obvious that it was Sazed in the audiobook. Michael Kramer was doing his Sazed voice. And I LOVED that. As for Vasher, I thought what he was describing was that he had died and come back as a Returned before the events of Warbreaker. I also read it as Azure was tracking him down, but not hunting him. I assumed she was going to try and get him involved in some plot and he's just completely over being involved in anything anymore.

[@Bookborn]

Oh WOW that is so cool! I hate audio books so I had no idea. I love that so much. Yes, I'm an idiot. I thought he was talking about dying again after being Returned and several people in the comment section have been like...no that's not it. LOL. My bad. I hope Vasher and Vivenna are still on good terms. I loved their unexpected friendship a lot in Warbreaker.

[@maximeteppe7627]

who was Sazed? Sixteen was? what was the indication besides the audiobook voice. And I haven't read Wax and Wayne, but could a god with two shards move off his system?

[@readbykyle3082]

@@maximeteppe7627 Sazed was writing epigraphs to Hoid/Wit, in...Part 4, I think? I want to say Part 4. It was when the epigraphs had to do with the shards.

[@teawanpaul6208]

@@maximeteppe7627 Sazed cannot move off his system because he has two shards that are polar opposites. But I think u can if the two shards are related

[@joshuamartin1211]

As an audiobook listener as soon as the Sazed pov started you could tell because of Michael Kramer's performance. It was awesome!

[@Bookborn]

Someone else mentioned that, and I think that's so awesome! It must've been so exciting the minute his voice started.

[@leovincent7417]

Regarding the epilogue scene, I think the whole moment with the spren about sleight of hand and misdirection is there for a reason. Wit must have had his memories stored in his metalminds (which I think those coins he was playing with are), in case Todium would steal his breaths. I think Wit played Todium like a fiddle.

[@Bookborn]

I really *hope* you are right. That scene was chilling to me and made Hoid seem fallible.

[@alexandersallee1428]

Also, we've already seen people store memories in a coin in Bands of Mourning

[@alicepacheco8960]

But is Hoid a Feruchemist? I thought the Lerasium who took only gave him Mistborn abilities

[@jamestuttlebee2498]

@@alexandersallee1428 yes, but mistborn era 2 comes after stormlight 5 in the timeline - so who knows if it’s possible yet at this time.

[@pastoh1]

Vasher is going to be the key. Over and over again it's mentioned that Cognitive Shadows cannot leave their home world (system?) and that's why Kelsier can't appear in Roshar. But, not only has Vasher worldhopped as a Cognitive Shadow, he's also found a way to use another system's investiture. He also made the SuperSword (Nightblood) and both of those reasons are why everyone seems to be looking for him. If it's been done once, it can be again.

[@Bookborn]

I know, he knows too much. I'm so mad we have to wait sooo long for a Warbreaker sequel...the things we will find out...

[@SoroEyail]

I am a good Vorin man and only listen to the audiobooks, so I found myself rewinding several times just to figure out what names you were dropping lol.

[@Bookborn]

lolol myyyy baddddd. Apparently I have a worse-than-usual approach to these names I've only ever seen in print

[@isaacwright4910]

It’s a double-edged sword. You can tell who the audiobook listeners are when they try to spell cosmere words and names lol

[@DrakkanWoW]

@@isaacwright4910 This is so true... whenever i ask questions i always include (sp?) after names lol!

[@johnnyjay102]

@@Bookborn I'd definitely recommend the audiobooks at some point though. The narrations are all so fantastic

[@michaelclar3066]

Update to something Brandon actually said this past week. "destroyed" shards aren't actually destroyed. More like pulverized with the ability to reassemble over a period of time requiring Odium to "destroy" them again. This means Devotion, Dominion, Ambition, and Honor will eventually come back if not kept down by Odium.

[@Bookborn]

Ohhh was that in his spoiler live he did this week? I didn't get to watch it yet! That's a big piece of info that changes a LOT.

[@benbassist]

Once you hear it, you can’t go back: Tara van’ jee an ☺️

[@Bookborn]

This is the problem with Taravangian's name...my brain just sort of recognizes it as a jumble of letters and I'm like "oh yeah that guy" and move on. I don't think I ever pronounced it outloud before this video...and I did so very, very wrongly. oops.

[@tanavast4140]

@@Bookborn i would highly recommend listening to the audiobooks. The first 16-17 chapters of Rhythm of War are actually on KZbin to listen to and you can hear how most everyone’s names are pronounced.

[@Bookborn]

@@tanavast4140 Soooo I just can't do audiobooks. I don't process things well listening to them. And I could listen and find out the proper way to pronounce names for videos, I suppose. But it'll be difficult to change the pronunciation in my head at this point haha I'll be honest...I don't care enough.

[@benbassist]

@@Bookborn it’s a lot more expensive, but you might try the graphic audio version. It’s all acted out with different voice actors, has music, sound effects, the works. www.graphicaudio.net/our-productions/series/stormlight-archive.html

[@Bookborn]

@@benbassist I just so vastly prefer reading lol. It's hard for people to even get me to watch tv or movies. I daydream a lot so when I'm listening to something - even if there is a lot going on like in the graphic audio - I just wander off in my mind haha. I know I'm a weirdo, but words on a page just make so much more sense to me.

[@rick5048]

Love seeing a video on Cosmere! So my thoughts: The coin Hoid was messing with at the end may have been a coppermind holding some of his memories. He may have also implemented some form of "backup" to tip him off if something went wrong. Everything done up to the meeting was un-repeatable. Complex shuffling of trick coins, sending his spren away, elaborate story... We don't know how many of Hoid's Breaths were removed. But we know he is now is down to under 200 Breaths, since he lost Perfect Pitch. Since we don't know how many Breaths Hoid actually had (though I would expect them to be in the thousands), he may have brought only 200 with him to the meeting, thus setting a safeguard to know if his memory was tampered with. Speaking of Perfect Pitch.. I never knew how important that was to the Cosmere until RoW! Being able to perfectly create anti-investiture seems like a great trick ;)

[@Bookborn]

I didn't even think of that implication until you just said it! Of course having perfect pitch would be vital...I wonder if Hoid has been involved in making anti-lights at all (my guess would be yes). I'm hoping Hoid has a failsafe...I don't like the idea of him being vulnerable.

[@rick5048]

@@Bookborn let me know if you guys end up getting a discord server for the book club! I don't have any friends who are into Sanderson and it's awesome to be discuss things like this

[@isaacsmart2286]

Wait would Hoid be able to make a coppermind though? I didn't think he was a ferruchemist

[@rick5048]

@@isaacsmart2286 He is confirmed a feruchemist by Brandon here: www.theoryland.com/intvmain.php?i=895#2 Apparently it is how he always knows where to be at the right time

[@CeIinky]

Omg i knew there was something about the whistling that was important

[@rayedjualidan1504]

I love Taravangian and Kelsier the most in the cosmere. I am Hyped knowing that both will be playing huge rules in the future. By the way you did an amazing job thanks a lot.

[@Bookborn]

Thanks! I feel like Keslier and Taravangian are going to have a MAJOR show down. And they both have the egos to make it very grand lol

[@reflexjat3822]

I actually really like Kelsier but i feel like he’s going to have to go against our Stormlight protagonists at some point and when that happens idk how i’m going to feel about him

[@chickennuggets353]

@@reflexjat3822 That part! I was overjoyed when I learned he's still alive somewhere in the Cosmere. But if he's going against Kaladin and the gang... I don't know what to think about him.

[@chokog2446]

I have a feeling that our Kelsier is going to be a major villain on a grand scale....

[@zorba-d-geek]

@@reflexjat3822 Yes. That will suck but Kel’s my favourite so, sorry Stormlight Gang. It was nice knowing you.

[@voidsabre_]

Vasher can't use Stormlight to awaken according to brandon, he's still using his large collection of breath to awaken, since you can retrieve breaths from an awakened object after it's done with its job He can however use Stormlight to fuel his returned body, so none of his breaths are being used up permanently

[@Bookborn]

Yes, someone gave me the WoB on this!

[@alexisherbert687]

well, vasher is a returned, that means he died and Edgli revived him, making him a cognitive shadow

[@Bookborn]

Right...I"m just an idiot. I thought he meant he died again after being a returned and everyone's been like...no. lol

[@sanin3213]

Just finished RoW and I can finally watch these videos 🤣

[@Bookborn]

haha YESSS join the insanity!

[@ASJames]

Great list! Along with Mercy we also learned the names of three other shards. Invention, Whimsy and Valor. I can't wait to see Invention, I'm sure they're gonna have made some really cool things and wonder if they'll be where the space exploration starts/started in the cosmere. Also whimsy will be fun. I knew Taravangian was going to take up the shard of Odium from the Chapter 42 heading. "In truth, it would be a combination of a Vessel's craftiness and the power's Intent that we should fear most." As soon as I saw "craftiness" I was like oh no, oh no..... haha I'm not sure if Kelsier will be a villain. I think they'll continue to clash but there is no way Kelsier will let Odium rule. So it might be conflict with the Radiants but then they team up to take down Odium. I was so gutted when Hoid got his investiture stolen. You're right it was horrifying. Hoid just seemed so untouchable. Since Vasher has Breath I wonder if he can restore Hoid's memories using his own or if those memories are just gone now. I don't know if you've read Way of Kings prime, the original draft before he wrote before Elantris was published, but Vasher is in that. Brandon mentioned that he felt Vasher needed to be fleshed out more so wrote Warbreaker as his back story. So I think Vasher will have pretty big implications going forward. Apparently, the next mistborn book is critical to Stormlight 5. I think the Sazed chapter headings are key here again. At the start of chapter 29 "I have begun searching for a pathway out of this conundrum by seeking the ideal person to act on my behalf. Someone who embodies both Preservation and Ruin. A... sword, you might say, who can both protect and kill." My theory is that he means Wax and in book 5 of Stormlight we are going to see Wax worldhop to Roshar to represent Sazed.

[@Bookborn]

Oh I TOTALLY forgot to talk about the "a sword you might say who can both protect and kill." I immediately thought of Kaladin. Wax probably makes more sense since he's actually on Scaderial and we know that Sazed is aware of him lol. I have Way of Kings Prime but haven't read it yet. Is it worth it? Warbreaker is my fav story so I'm super glad to hear Vasher will be really important going forward. Where did we hear the new shard names? I totally don't remember hearing about "whimsy"! That sounds like a shard I actually want to get to know lol

[@ASJames]

@@Bookborn I don't think its essential at all and its obviously nowhere near as good as Way of Kings that eventually got released. I'd say skip it unless you really feel the urge. Sazed's chapter headings mention the other shards. 22 through 28. Invention on 24, Whimsy and Valor on 25. He also mentions other shards beginning to creep into Scadriel. The Shard war is definitely heating up!! Way of Kings is my favourite

[@Bookborn]

@@ASJames AHH okay so I TOTALLY remember now! I was keeping notes while I read and I just totally didn't put those down - just lumped them together with "Sazed's parts were cool and about the Shards".

[@PonderingsOfPete]

Interesting theory about Wax. I think that’s possible, but we won’t see him till SA #6.

[@PonderingsOfPete]

@Benjamin Barack I think Kelsier is unlikely. He wouldn’t be willingly be controlled or follow someone else. Could Wax have a shift of character in book 4? I also think that we’ll see the sword in the next book and it will have some bearing on the back 5 SA

[@thebrotherscurtin9827]

Vasher is a Returned, like lightsong. Revealed in Warbreaker.

[@Bookborn]

Read my pinned comment lol. I don't know if I have the heart to keep retyping this. I was just being an idiot.

[@ElijahStormblessed]

About the Seon and Elantris' geographically-locked magic: yes, Sellish magic is tied to physical place. We don't know specifics, but since this is a Connection issue, if you learn to manipulate that Connection then you should be able to bring Sellish Investiture off-world.

[@Bookborn]

Someone was saying on another comment that maybe it had to do with soul binding? I hope so because I LOVE Emperor's Soul

[@hatemteirelbar9510]

It's also possible that aluminum was used in the box to isolate the Seon's connection. I was virtually certain of this, as it would explain Mraize's warnings not to release it. But then they let it out and everything was fine... so who knows?

[@Landis963]

5:30 That would be exactly why they're so excited to bring Stormlight elsewhere. If they can get Stormlight off-world, that's a major piece of the puzzle towards powering other magic systems. And I can think of more than a few which would be top-priority hacks: Stormlight-powered Elantrians, anyone?

[@Ethan_FPV]

I think the primary reason the Ghost bloods are interested in moving light from one system to another is because of Kelsier. I think, he's highly invested and is unable to move out of his own system because he's a cognitive shadow, kinda sorta invested with Preservation's power. "Light", in the form of stormlight, voidlight, etc. seem to bee the purest forms of investiture. As we see in oathbringer, it is a form of investiture ONLY found in the spiritual realm, whether through the highstorm's/stormfather's connection to honor, or through honor's perpendicularity that Dalinar opens up that is essentially a pool of infinite stormlight, or probably a more accurate description, honor light as it's only called stormlight because it is replenished during a highstorm. Just a thought though.

[@NicholasLA1]

I like to think your repeated "I'm not a Cosmere Scholar," despite clearly knowing your stuff, was your best effort at imitating Navani throughout RoW ;-)

[@Bookborn]

lol someone else said that too and in made me laugh! It was mostly covering my bases so people didn't come at me for missing stuff since I knew I would! (Although someone implied I did it to attract a spren to bond...and can't deny it...)

[@kobbyquayson]

Guys I’ve only read Mistborn Era 1 and 2 and Stormlight. I didn’t get any of the other cosmere mentions. Can anyone recommend the rest of the cosmere books and their timeline relating to Stormlight and Mistborn

[@Bookborn]

I highly recommend checking out 17th shard's website, the coppermind (coppermind.net/wiki/Coppermind:Welcome). It has amazing stuff that helps with timelines, what to read in what order, and seriously ANYTHING you could ever want to know about the Cosmere.

[@kobbyquayson]

@@Bookborn Wow. That was a quick reply. Thanks

[@jonathonwhitington402]

One of my favorite parts in the book was all the mentions of how the different metals react when used in fabrials and trying to connect them back to the Mistborn powers. Absolutely fantastic to see all the huge connections between his books. In regards to Wit he also has some White Sand. I think it only had a brief mention in RoW, but it was mentioned a few times in Oathbringer. So, that's another type of Investiture to add to the list.

[@Bookborn]

Yeah I talked about the White Sand appearance in this novel, but during the world part! The fabrial and mistborn/metal connection is so cool and I'm super excited for the future of that!

[@rafaelgrigoryan3785]

El replaces his carapace with metal horns, so maybe hemolergy?

[@Bookborn]

Oh wow that's a good one! Has anyone been talking about this? I didn't even think of that.

[@rafaelgrigoryan3785]

@@Bookborn not sure, just give it some time and we'll hear some crazy theories about it

[@Arkhkalos]

Yo maybe! 👀

[@ENSTorres]

Bruh 🤯🤯🤯

[@keithwinget526]

Which would be made of....Raysium?........Taravangianum now?

[@Atamastra]

Your pronunciation of Raboniel as "ra-bo-NEE-el", Adonalsium as "an-da-LAY-zee-im", Taldain as "TAL-din", and Threnody as "thre-NOD-ee" is spiking my anxiety 😬

[@kakerake6018]

IS NIGHTBLOOD an anti invested sword?? If so why does it destroy all investiture not just one?

[@alexcoleman7105]

I like this theory

[@Bookborn]

This is a GREAT theory!! Never even crossed my mind. Does Vasher know the tones of Endowment? Is that how he made Nightblood? We need a nightblood backstroy.

[@colbyolsen9828]

Vasher created nightblood, he was one of the 5 scholars. Nighblood was awakened using i think atleast 900 breaths with the command "destroy evil" but because he's just a sword he doesn't know what evil is and trusts the bearer to decide. But when drawn it feeds off of any investiture it can. (I'm pretty sure atleast.)

[@kakerake6018]

@@Bookborn even if vasher knew endowments tones it was shown in RoW that each light has an anti-light but anti-void light doesn't interact with anti-stormlight. so how is nightblood using (or destroying) endowment's investiture, voidlight and stormlight? yea we do need more explanation about nightblood. the warbreaker explanation was too weak.

[@Bookborn]

@@kakerake6018 Mmm good points. I don't think the explanation was weak so much as we aren't supposed to know it yet (at least that's my theory, maybe not). There's so much we don't know yet!!

[@ElijahStormblessed]

About the Seon and Elantris' geographically-locked magic: yes, Sellish magic is tied to physical place. We don't know specifics, but since this is a Connection issue, if you learn to manipulate that Connection then you should be able to bring Sellish Investiture off-world.

[@sergeantstrings2848]

I may have to reread, but didn't Shallan say the Ghostbloods wanted to find Ba-Ado-Mishram to learn about binding the minds of a whole people like humans did to parshmen?

[@Bookborn]

Oh I think you are right, I remember her saying that. I was thinking that was mostly on Roshar but now that you put it that way...I wonder which world they are planning to bring that to.

[@richmondamoah4536]

Based on the description of 16 he is an Elantrian and the fact that he doesn't eat and all that seems to make sense

[@Bookborn]

Someone else said they thought he was Elantrian too! Which would be awesome because that's the world we've seen the least crossover from

[@harley2166]

@@Bookborn isn't 16 Galladon? From elantris Atleast thats what i thouht

[@avlost1784]

I'm sorry, I feel kind dumb asking this, but where was 16 mentioned in the book? I read all the chapters as they were released on Tor and didn't re-read them when I got my book. Is it during one of those chapters?

[@Bookborn]

Just saw this comment! (Major RoW spoilers if you haven't finished yet). Sixteen is the name of a person in Shadesmar. When Shallan is in Lasting Integrity looking for the person Mraize wants her to find, she investigates every human there. One of them is named Sixteen. We don't know much about him.

[@covya]

I'm not sold either way about Vasher using Stormlight for awakening. It will definitely be possible, I don't doubt that, but I don't know if Vasher has figured it out. I DO think he has figured out how to pay the 1 breath per week that he uses up as a returned with stormlight (I seem to recall brandon suggesting that was the primary reason he chose to retire on roshar?) but as for awakening, with the exception of creating a lifeless, he can always get the breaths he used to awaken back, so I wouldn't be surprised to find out he's still using those to awaken Edit: Also, we definitely knew Vasher died, he's a returned? :P He reveals this at the end of warbreaker

[@Bookborn]

Someone put the WoB below (I'm lazy haha). Brandon confirms both that Vasher can use stormlight for his "one Breath" but has not figured out how to awaken with it. lol YES someone reminded me of that. I knew he was a Returned but I thought he meant SEPARATE from that. I'm an idiot. I don't even know how that would work; it's obviously just referencing that he's a returned.

[@jessemartin1827]

Looking back at what vasher said about type 2 invested entities (RoW chapter 15), we need to ask what is/was Kelsier intent I don't know if 300ish years is enough to be consumed by it, but I think it would be a indicator of what the ghost bloods are after.

[@Bookborn]

Extremely good point.

[@robfuentes31]

you should do this for the other books in the series

[@Bookborn]

Oh, good idea! Maybe I could combine series together since there probably aren't as many clues in the older books...

[@ddcardo]

Maybe optimistic thinking. Suppose Hoyt also know ferrochemy. He was flipping a coin and talking about misdirection.

[@Bookborn]

I'd say a decent amount of people think this is what's happening, and honestly I HOPE you are all right! I hate thinking Hoid is fallible.

[@MT-tx2xd]

Goodness. I read all stormlight thus far I’m sure I missed most of the references to other books and worlds. I just enjoyed the story.

[@Bookborn]

Absolutely nothing wrong with that! Some of us may be too invested in the Cosmere connections 😅

[@kushu33]

Seons are like Sprens, and it could be possible to turn them into Shardblades

[@Bookborn]

True, I guess the Seon's aren't as connected as the actually Dor. I had no idea they could turn into Shardblades....wonder what that would look like

[@VoidLantadd]

And I guess they'd be made of Aonium? Or Skainium?

[@jardane]

Great video, some of the way you pronounced the names threw me off because I listened to the audio books.

[@Bookborn]

I think even compared to most book-only readers, I say them pretty poorly 😂

[@urigatt6815]

I have a tiny Elantris related theory - You know how Rlain notices the shattered plains are broken in a pattern? What if... it's an Aon? What if... it's related to how humans first arrived in Roshar?

[@Bookborn]

Loving this theory, particularly because the geography reveal at the end of Elantris is one of my very favorites.

[@urigatt6815]

@@Bookborn i know right!! Was so well designed. Right under our noses! Also... Im tryin to contact u on email, please answer when u have a minute :)

[@sanctus864]

My assumption is that it was an anti-light bomb of some kind.

[@urigatt6815]

@@sanctus864 interesting. Possibly the thing they killed Honor with.

[@urigatt6815]

@@sanctus864 but! hang on it doesn't explain the pattern. Rlain is convinced the plains are broken in a pattern an explosion wouldn't leave a pattern. I dont think, at least

[@animalbliss3713]

hello, i recalled rayse calling wit/Hoid the name CEPHANDRIUS. is that a name hoid used in other worlds? i havent read the whole cosmere books but i also if i remembered correctly, zahel/vasher told kaladin that hoid used the name "Dusk" on his world.

[@Bookborn]

Yes, Cephandrius is another of Hoid's names! He has many, and dust is another one. I won't say more so I don't spoil others lol

[@animalbliss3713]

@@Bookborn Thank you. 😊

[@GaviLazan]

7:04 - should be said Ado-NAL-see-um might make you hate saying the name less ☺ (it's based off of the Hebrew name of the Jewish God, confirmed by Brandon)

[@Bookborn]

Everyone has confirmed that is the one I butchered the most. I don't even think I even said all the letters in that one 💀

[@GaviLazan]

@@Bookborn no worries! Thought I might assist. If it helps, the Hebrew is Adonai. Adon (Ah-downe, line own) means master, and is also used as sir in a "dear sir/madam" way. I came across your videos the other day on the homepage. Great stuff, mispronunciations or not!

[@TravisGaffordBooks]

Brandon said recently that "surgebinding" is just what Rosharans call using powers, so that would consider allomancy surgebinding (in reference to what you said around 6 minutes).

[@Bookborn]

Yes! I talked about that in my update video, he mentioned it on his spoiler live, I think. He said that some people would claim any use is surgebinding, but I think he said Khriss would take issue with that definition?

[@josephmadre5590]

I've listened to all the cosmere books so hearing how different your pronunciations were was funny, except for Sazed and Axyndwith (idk how to spell it)

[@Bookborn]

Yeah it honestly never even crossed my mind to check how names are pronounced haha and apparently I'm very unique in how I do it lol

[@jeremynelson6344]

@@Bookborn A lot of your pronunciations were different from how I have always said them in my head, but made sense. The only one that really stood out to me was that you said Adonalsium as if it was spelled "Andolasium". I believe it's pronounced Ay-doe-nal-see-um. Not that it really matters though, you do you.

[@Bookborn]

@@jeremynelson6344 I need to study up before the next video for sure lol

[@choppertargaryen3024]

@@Bookborn the audiobooks are worth your time I promise, they are so good, also the shardcast is pretty good if you like podcasts

[@kakerake6018]

Yes the aviar are from sixth of the dusk.

[@Bookborn]

Yeah that took me an embarrassing amount of time to connect lol.

[@truemekad]

Nice job! Mraize also has Sand and an Aether as well. Wonder if/when we'll learn more about Aethers..

[@Bookborn]

I was too lazy to go back in WoR and read it, I forgot he had Sand!

[@voidsabre_]

Brandon is supposedly writing the Aether trilogy after Stormlight is over

[@truemekad]

@@voidsabre_ that's what I'd heard as well. What I'm starting to get concerned about and I think he is to based on some decisions he's made is how many more books he still needs to do vs how much longer he'll reasonably be alive. Crazy, but a real concern.

[@chrissymonds4109]

We know a little more about Ashyn than you say - It's described as a world devastated by some great cataclysm with small pockets of human survivors. I always imagined it as some sort of hellscape, but that's probably just me equating it with Venus as it is closer to the Rosharan sun than Roshar or Braize. We also have WoB about Ashyn, as it is the planned setting for 'The Silence Divine', which takes place in one of the floating cities. The investiture in Ashyn is apparently disease-based, with no word on whether surge-binding works there (although it probably should, being part of the Roshar system and with it being almost destroyed by surgebinding and use of the dawnshards 7500 years before Way of Kings)

[@Bookborn]

Thanks for this explanation! Someone else reminded me that the disease-world was set on Ashyn! I had known about that world but for some reason didn't realize it was that one. I've always had it in my head that it was life-less, but clearly that is wrong.

[@TheAntwain143]

Who is Andaleejiam?

[@Bookborn]

Can't tell if you are teasing me or not lol, it's my very bad pronunciation of Adonalsium 🙃

[@glitchcast4]

Kelseir is thaidakar!!!!!!!!

[@Bookborn]

I know, that's the best reveal!! I gasped outloud when I read it haha

[@yogevhadadi1069]

Wit told Thaidakar that he will come and hit him again, he referred to Secret History

[@Bookborn]

Oohhh nice catch and not a single person has mentioned that yet!

[@ViperRT99]

Brandon plans on releasing at least a novella about the humans left on Ashyn, called The Divine Silence. Apparently they contract diseases that make them lose their hearing and they gain powers from them.

[@Bookborn]

Oh I remember hearing that he wanted to do a Novella where sickness is what became magical power but I didn't realize it was a Cosmere novella!

[@dunnejos8423]

Ashyn was destroyed by unoathed surgebinders. They essentially caused a climate catastrophe on their planet and had a mass exodus. Tanavast(Honor) is the one who created the Nahel bond and oaths so that those who needed access to surgebinding were limited to a specific surge, where before if you had the skill you could access any surge.

[@Bookborn]

Right, I knew that! But it doesn't mean that it couldn't happen again; honorblades allow unoathed surgebinders, so it's still a possibility.

[@dunnejos8423]

@@Bookborn well that and it seems the oaths have changed. The bondsmith (dalinar) can do things he wasn't able to do before. And even Syl admits her bond between her and Kal is somehow making her more "real".

[@ciaranirvine]

So if all the Shards have tones and anti-tones and the tones of two Shards can be combined into a harmony....was it a combined harmony of all 16 anti-tones that Shattered Adonalsium in the first place :)

[@Bookborn]

Oooo very interesting...but did the individual portions even have a tone when it was all combined as Adonalsium in the first place? Or was there only one tone when it was all together??

[@ciaranirvine]

@@Bookborn No idea, it's just my own random theory I came up with when reading the Navani parts of RoW. But Brandon has said tones and rhythms are a big part of the Cosmere, so I'm putting $5 now on the idea Adonalsium was shattered by music. Kindof a reversal of the Music of the Ainur from Tolkien?

[@YataVSTheWorld]

Cool recap of the broader Cosmere ! Vasher died well before the Warbreaker story. When you discover he is a Returned in Warbreaker. As a consequence, you know also he died and Endowment turned him into a Returned. Same with all the other Five Scholars. Always on Vasher, we have confirmation he didn't discover yet how to power his Awakening with Stormlight, but he can use Stormlight to keep himself alive... any source of Investiture can be used for that. So he is really not expending Breath during his holyday on Roshar. Also in the fight with Kal, he wasted no Breath as he recovered them all after the sparring match

[@Bookborn]

Yes someone gave me the WoB on Vasher using Stormlight to fuel his Breath but not his awakening! And this sounds dumb but I knew Vasher was a Returned, I thought he meant he died AGAIN. Several people in this comment section have been like...no. LOL. My bad.

[@jaiafindlay4]

Your great, but as someone who's listened to the Audiobook good grief!!! Your name pronunciation nearly killed me🤣 cool info tho!!

[@Bookborn]

You are not alone in the horror at my pronunciations. I honestly just didn't even think about it because I've only ever read it lol

[@CeIinky]

Lol i get the reverse problem trying to look things up and absolutely butchering the spelling