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Your search for the tag 'Cognitive Realm' yielded 56 results

  • 1

    Interview: Nov 23rd, 2011

    Tortellini

    My next question was a random idea I had based on the answer about entities living primarily in the cognitive realm given here. I asked (stupidly, you'll see why in a second): "Could it be that spren and seons are basically very similar things?"

    Brandon Sanderson

    He smiled, thought about how to answer that for a second and then said... "Yes, it could be."

    TORTELLINI

    I very much got the impression that I was correct though, but I gave him the perfect opening to appreciate the question without answering it at all. Stupid me. I explained that I had the idea that seons exist primarily as cognitive entities with smaller presences in the physical world, while spren are primarily spiritual, also with smaller presences in the physical world. He just smiled for a second, and I said I'd take that as a possible yes and let him get back to signing books for the awesome Waterstone's in Manchester. I'm writing up my thoughts on that in this post.

    Tags

  • 2

    Interview: Jan, 2012

    Ace_of_Face (Reddit.com)

    Hey Brandon! As much as I want to fan-gush, I'll keep it short so you can get back to your A Memory of Light drafting.

    How was Sazed/Harmony able to communicate with Waxillium near the end of the book? During the original trilogy, Ruin could occasionally implant thoughts into people's minds, but he couldn't just listen in whenever he felt like it. Is Harmony just way more powerful?

    Brandon Sanderson (Reddit.com)

    There is interesting discussion about this one below, which I like to see. I thought this might spark some discussion. Remember that human beings were given more of preservation than Ruin during their creation, which led to Preservation eventually being overwhelmed by Ruin. That was the bargain; people would be of preservation at their core, but in turn Ruin got to claim the world once Preservation wound down.

    Another factor to consider here is that Wax was given a special earring designed for communication with a being that he actually worships.

    Tags

  • 3

    Interview: Feb 18th, 2013

    TheOneKEA

    I asked him if it was possible to enter or exit Shadesmar in interplanetary space.

    Brandon Sanderson

    He laughed nervously for several seconds with a look that suggested "Uh-oh!" and replied (as best as I can remember):

    I would say no. The Cognitive Realm does exist there, but Shadesmar is a special case.

    Tags

  • 4

    Interview: Sep, 2012

    Satsuoni

    Tell us something new about Cognitive Realm, please

    Brandon Sanderson

    You will get plenty in the next Stormlight book. But more than one type of spren live there

    Tags

  • 5

    Interview: Sep, 2012

    Kurkistan

    Would it be fair to describe the three realms as the Spiritual realm providing motivation/general directives (gravity, desires, energy, etc.), the Cognitive realm interpreting and applying those directives, and the Physical realm as where these directives--as interpreted by the Cognitive realm--are actually implemented? All of this with interactions/change flowing back and forth between the realms as well (Physical phenomena affecting thought affecting the spirit, for example).

    Brandon Sanderson

    Ha! That's a very interesting way to look at it. The theory isn't all there, but it's thinking along the right lines.

    Tags

  • 6

    Interview: Sep, 2012

    mycoltbug

    Is there a magic system that best allows people to world hop between worlds?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yes, but it isn't needed. Some do help more with understanding how to traverse the Cognitive Realm.

    Tags

  • 7

    Interview: Sep, 2012

    Odium's_Shard

    Is the Cognitive realm the only way to access the Spiritual Realm from the Physical Realm, and vice versa?

    Brandon Sanderson

    No.

    Tags

  • 8

    Interview: Sep, 2012

    NinjaMeTimbers

    How intelligent is a mistwraith? Could you raise and train mistwraiths like dogs or horses, controlling what forms they take by the bones you give them? Would you be able to train yourself a horsewraith steed by giving it only the bones of a horse?

    Brandon Sanderson

    This is feasible. One thing to keep in mind is that mistwraiths are people who have a blockage between the physical and the cognitive realm, messing with their ability to think. Think of them as mentally-stunted people. There's enough there to train, but then you have to dig into the ethics of it...

    Tags

  • 9

    Interview: Oct 5th, 2013

    Question

    Do the Spiritual and Physical Realms have names, like Shadesmar is the Cognitive Realm?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Kind of, but not really. Shadesmar is just a rough translation of "Cognitive Realm" in the language of whoever first found out about it. Other people, planets, and worlds wouldn't call it Shadesmar, they would call it whatever their words for "Cognitive Realm" are. This applies to the Physical and Spiritual as well.

    Tags

  • 10

    Interview: Mar 4th, 2014

    Leinton

    Is Shadesmar just a name for the Cognitive Realm or is there a difference?

    Brandon Sanderson

    The answer he gave me was a little confusing but he clarified it by saying that it was like San Diego was a part of the United States but the United States wasn’t a part of San Diego. I asked if this meant that Shadesmar was a location in the Cognitive Realm and he said yes.

    Tags

  • 11

    Interview: Oct 14th, 2013

    Shardlet

    (During discussion on the Surges) It's properly transportation rather than travel?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yyyes, that’s the general thing. This is the one that involves Shadesmar.

    Tags

  • 12

    Interview: Mar 19th, 2014

    darkanimereal1 (Paraphrased)

    So, the Purelake in Shadesmar is mountainous. Does this in any way have to do with the fact that the Purelake is so shallow?

    Brandon Sanderson (Paraphrased)

    I haven't yet discussed the nature of the relationship between Shadesmar and the Physical world.

    darkanimereal1 (Paraphrased)

    So, when Dalinar has his vision in what he assumes in the Purelake, he sees an obsidian fortress. Is that fortress in any way related to the fact that the Purelake in Shadesmar is mountainous?

    Brandon Sanderson

    No.

    Tags

  • 13

    Interview: Mar 4th, 2014

    QUESTION

    It seems like a movie adaptation would have just constant spren everywhere?

    BRANDON SANDERSON

    That's why I made it so that not every use of the emotion causes them-so it wouldn't get too crazy even when I'm writing them. And what's happening is the spren exist on the Cognitive plane, on Shadesmar, so they have to be attracted, they have to be nearby enough to flock to you, so it depends on how common the spren is.

    Tags

  • 14

    Interview: Mar 4th, 2014

    Leinton

    Is there a difference between Shadesmar and the Cognitive realm?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Shadesmar is a word for the Cognitive Realm specifically touching - It's like San Diego is a word for a place in America. It's a local word.

    Tags

  • 15

    Interview: Mar 22nd, 2014

    Question

    In Shadesmar you describe the beads, are they like little beads, this big, BB size...

    Brandon Sanderson

    They are bigger than BB size.

    Question

    Okay, and everything melts into beads. But when people touch them, do they form into the thing they are supposed to be, or just one bead represents the stick, and...

    Brandon Sanderson

    One bead represents the item that is seen and views itself as a cohesive item.

    Question

    Is there a picture inside it, or...?

    Brandon Sanderson

    We will get more into this as time progresses.

    Tags

  • 16

    Interview: Mar 22nd, 2014

    Question

    The prevailing theory on the 17th Shard is that Hoid worldhops using Shadesmar. Could you confirm or deny that?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Hoid has indeed gotten between worlds before through Shadesmar.

    Question

    And would you be willing to give us a hint as to how he does that?

    Brandon Sanderson

    There are hints in the books. There is a hint in the very first cosmere book I released [Elantris]. Which I thought was a huge hint, but so far I haven't seen anyone talking about it.

    Argent

    Really?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Mmhmm. I thought that once people started figuring the cosmere, they would see the massive in-your-face hint I put in that book, but so far, as far as I know, no one has. [Some chat about Brandon's tendency to drop sneaky hints and how he likes doing that] Now, the one [hint] about the map, that one I don't think is obvious. I know people have been trying to figure it out. It's something fun once you figure it out, but it's not something huge and obvious. The Elantris once was, like, enormously "HIIINT!"

    Tags

  • 17

    Interview: Dec 6th, 2014

    Brandon Sanderson (Paraphrased)

    Shadesmar- you can WALK to the other planets. It's a pretty far ways away (at least days, if not more), but you can go to Shadesmar, walk in the directions where it says "The Expanse of the Vapors" and it runs into Scadrial . In Shadesmar all of that empty space doesn't really have any human interaction, so it doesn't really have an aspect in the cognitive realm, so all of that place gets shortened immensely. Whenever a planet has enough thinking life on it that's it’s considering it a planet, it drops into Shadesmar.

    Tags

  • 18

    Interview: Mar 13th, 2014

    Macen

    The Cognitive Realm, is Shadesmar a Roshar specific term?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Shadesmar is a Roshar specific term. But when I translate from what other people are saying in these books, I just translate it to Shadesmar. For instance, when Wit is talking about it, he's going to call it Shadesmar, he's just going to use the Roshar term. But no, Shadesmar is what--it's called there.

    Tags

  • 19

    Interview: Apr 24th, 2016

    Ted

    What happened in the Cognitive realm during the Catacendre?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Um… so, um, the Cognitive realm for the Catacendre in Secret History, that’s some things that happened. Its like saying ‘what happened on Earth in 1960-yeah […] what you see is what you get.

    Tags

  • 20

    Interview: Apr 2nd, 2015

    Ruro272

    Is there a separate "Shadesmar" (cognitive realm) for each planet or is it one big place that are all connected with different regions for each planet.

    Brandon Sanderson

    It's one big place with different sections.

    Ruro272

    So since its one big place, could spren travel to a different section that correlates with a different planet, such as the cognitive segment for Scadrial?

    Brandon Sanderson

    They could do there, but they wouldn't usually...

    Ruro272

    Is that because Honor's influence is only on Roshar?

    Brandon Sanderson

    (Brandon gave sort of a noncommittal half nod, but looked doubtful himself. Maybe best to interpret this last answer as a RAFO rather than reading into it too much.)

    Footnote

    Brandon didn't say a lot about this, and unfortunately I don't remember his exact wording, but it was clear that spren could technically go to different regions within Shadesmar that correlate to different worlds, but for some reason they don't or won't. My guess would be simply because only on Roshar to the ideas of men give them power, and if they deviate away too far they lose that connection that makes them exist. Just a thought tho.

    Tags

  • 21

    Interview: Oct 7th, 2015

    Eadwina

    Will we ever get to see or experience the cognitive realm on any other planets to the extent that we have on Roshar?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yes.

    Question

    Are there inhabitants there like there are in Shadesmar?

    Brandon Sanderson

    ...yes.

    Tags

  • 22

    Interview: Oct 21st, 2015

    BlackYeti

    With regards to the Dor, whereabouts is it located exactly in regards to the Realms?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Oh you're the first person to ask this one. It is in the Cognitive Realm. I think you might be the first one to crack that one. So, that's something that I've been dancing around for a while, waiting 'til people started to figure that one out. That's not where most of them are.

    Tags

  • 23

    Interview: Feb 17th, 2016

    Question

    We’ve seen the Cognitive Realm now on Roshar, with the spheres, and on Scadrial with the mists, but what does it look like on Nalthis and Sel?

    Brandon Sanderson

    That is a big FAT RAFO.

    Tags

  • 24

    Interview: Feb 17th, 2016

    Question

    I kind of envision the Old Magic working a little bit like Hemalurgy, where some-- takes a part of the Physical DNA of the person and transmutes it onto the Cognitive DNA because everything seems to be a Cognitive shift for the person, am I thinking along the right lines?

    Brandon Sanderson

    You are thinking along very-- Yes you are thinking along the right lines. I won’t tell you exactly but you are thinking along the right lines.

    Question

    And then the curse Kelek’s Breath, is that a clue as to the origin of some of the Heralds?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Erm… Explain why you think it might be.

    Question

    Uh, well, Warbreaker--

    Brandon Sanderson

    Mmhmm

    Question

    The use of Breath…

    Brandon Sanderson

    Uhuh

    Question

    It seems like they have similar strength to somebody who has extra Endowment

    Brandon Sanderson

    Okay.

    Question

    So I’m wondering if they come from-- I can’t remember the name..

    Brandon Sanderson

    The Heralds-- You’re wondering if the Heralds come from Nalthis?

    Question

    Yeah.

    Brandon Sanderson

    The Heralds do not come from Nalthis, but that is an excellent question.

    Tags

  • 25

    Interview: Feb 17th, 2016

    Question

    Okay, so when Kelsier is in the-- Which Realm is he in?

    Brandon Sanderson

    He’s in the Cognitive Realm.

    Question

    Is he seeing people from other worlds or is he--

    Brandon Sanderson

    No, he meets some people who are traveling but Cognitive Realm is location dependent. He is on the Cognitive Realm on Scadrial and the people he runs into there-- until he kind of travels off into space, which is where he finds the fortress.

    Question

    So even though he’s tied to Scadrial could he go to the Cognitive Realm of other worlds?

    Brandon Sanderson

    He would have trouble getting to another planet, being a Cognitive shadow like he was.

    Question

    So is there some particular thing that somebody would need to have to be able to move between the realms?

    Brandon Sanderson

    A body is helpful.

    Question

    That does make sense.

    Brandon Sanderson

    Depends on what their ties are and things like that. Not always, but yeah.

    Tags

  • 26

    Interview: Feb 17th, 2016

    rani

    Hoid uses the term subastral, is that the term for a region of the Cognitive Realm, like Shadesmar is?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yeah. It’s like planet but-- That’s his term for the different-- Because Shadesmar is all like one plane.

    rani

    So wait you’re saying subastral is different?

    Brandon Sanderson

    No subastral is a region of Shadesmar.

    Tags

  • 27

    Interview: Feb 17th, 2016

    Question

    Say something is brought into the Cognitive Realm, and then the actual object is brought in through a portal…

    Brandon Sanderson

    That’s a RAFO, good question.

    Tags

  • 28

    Interview: Feb 17th, 2016

    Question

    In Secret History we learned a little about how the Cognitive Realm...could bleed into the Physical if the person was slightly broken.

    Brandon Sanderson

    Broken as Kelsier’s term is not right, and he realizes that over the course of the book, but yeah.

    Question

    My thoughts were on Wayne, so he seems to notice--and it might just be kleptomania--a connection between items that makes him feel as if he’s not stealing, just trading things for equal value. And I’m wondering if he’s noticing something in the Cognitive-- in one of the other Realms that is actually noteworthy.

    Brandon Sanderson

    He’s just goofy.

    Tags

  • 29

    Interview: Feb 17th, 2016

    Question

    In Bands of Mourning we saw the medallions that can give people Connection to the area that they are in. Two thoughts on that. One… if a person were to get a connection to one of the areas from Elantris would they be able to gain the powers from the area?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yeah that’s a good question, it’s not that easy. But it is an excellent question.

    Question

    And if there was an area where the primary language was sign language, would a person gain the ability to speak sign language to the people present by using that connection?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yes. It is definitely related to the Cognitive Realm and how people are thinking about language.

    Tags

  • 30

    Interview: Feb 22nd, 2016

    Question

    Have we seen the world mirrored by the Expanse of Broken Sky?

    Brandon Sanderson

    (long grunting and contemplation) I’m not answering that, RAFO

    Question

    What does First of the Sun look like on the Cognitive Realm? I think it’s a whole bunch of grubs, or worms.

    Brandon Sanderson

    RAFO, c’mon you know I’m not gonna reveal Cognitive Realm on the other ones.

    Question

    The Expanse of Vibrance… Nalthis?

    Brandon Sanderson

    (more grunting) You would be making a good guess, if you said that. That’s an informed guess.

    Argent

    That’s not an answer, keep pushing.

    Question

    Is the only reason that Yolen is not reachable, according to Khriss, because it doesn’t have any sentience on it thinking of it as a planet, so it doesn’t appear in the Cognitive?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Ahh, no. Good question, but no.

    Tags

  • 31

    Interview: Feb 19th, 2016

    Dirigible

    "Is the cognitive realm flat or spherical?"

    Brandon Sanderson

    "The cognitive realm is this weird thing, where it's flat, but it's distorted."

    Question

    "Yeah, 'cause I was going to say, if you make a globe flat..."

    Brandon Sanderson

    "You can walk from one planet to the next. So it's got really weird...the spatial reasoning doesn't work the same way."

    Tags

  • 32

    Interview: Feb 19th, 2016

    Dirigible

    "The Expanse of Broken Sky, is that Sel?"

    Brandon Sanderson

    (something I can't make out....it was a RAFO; I don't think he said anything more)

    Footnote

    incomplete answer

    Tags

  • 33

    Interview: Apr 8th, 2016

    Blightsong

    Last year I asked you if shadows turn the wrong way in the cognitive realm for a reason, you said to basically think of it like important flavor text. Is this happening because people are being drawn towards the Beyond?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Um, yea that part of it. Definitely.

    Tags

  • 34

    Interview: Apr 8th, 2016

    Question

    So we know how people can enter Shadesmar, or the cognitive realm, how do other places, like, we haven't seen anything for the Mistborn series. Do we know how they can enter?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Read Secret History.

    Question

    I did read that, but it didn't really say anything besides that one special case.

    Brandon Sanderson

    Right, Hoid talks about Perpendicularities on Scadrial, if you go look at that there are certain places he talks about that. ,eyes just say that large concentrations of investiture can cause a puncture through the spiritual realm straight to the physical realm. If you know how to use it, you may transition. That's not the only way but is the primary way.

    Question

    And of of Course you can soulcast (Elsecall?) to get there.

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yes.

    Question

    Now that's a very interesting analogy you just made, you said "punctured" almost as if it were a spike.

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yes, yes, that was intentional. Anyone who wants to ask questions after the Magic draft, you guys can come back in maybe 45 minutes. I'll just be hanging out and playing magic. If you’re just here to hang out and ask question, I'll be free to do that in about 45 minutes to an hour.

    Tags

  • 35

    Interview: Apr 8th, 2016

    Blightsong

    Is it normal for people to become connected to an area after being there for a bit, like with Kel and wherever he was when he found the Ire, or is something special going on?

    Brandon Sanderson

    It is normal for a cognitive shadow to get stuck to places, because they exist through investiture it is normal for them to get tied to an area. Kelsier was still in Scadrial when he found the Ire. This happened with Odium and the two shards on Roshar, Preservation to Ruin, and the Heralds (To Roshar? Braize?). (I think this is basically what happens with shards when they invest on a planet, so this same thing happens at smaller levels than shards.)

    Footnote

    (After about an hour and a half he started answering more questions, so I sat nearby and wrote the gist of the questions and answers he was getting. Thsi next part is going to be paraphrased, but fairly accurate. It wasn't as rapid fire as it had been, as I and other people didn't want to keep interruption him while he was playing magic.)

    Tags

  • 36

    Interview: Feb 20th, 2016

    Question

    Can Seons communicate across planets?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Cognitive realm are bounded by distance, spiritual realm is not. If you learn how Seons communicate, you’ll know.

    Tags

  • 37

    Interview: Apr 23rd, 2016

    Question

    Would Nightblood appear in the Cognitive Realm?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Nightblood would have a manifestation in the Cognitive Realm.
    Question

    Would it appear as a sword, or because Nightblood appears to perceive itself as something else, would it appear as something else?

    Brandon Sanderson

    You will get a RAFO. [applause] There will be some scenes in the Cognitive Realm coming up, and you will be better able to make guesses along these lines after you’ve read those.

    Tags

  • 38

    Interview: Sep 23rd, 2016

    Out of Excuses 2016 (Paraphrased)

    Question

    Does Lift’s shadow behave abnormally with respect to the sun or infused spheres?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yes, there is something going on with her shadow, but no specifics given.

    Tags

  • 39

    Interview: Nov 29th, 2016

    Question

    Does Silverlight exist solely in the Cognitive Realm?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yes.

    Tags

  • 40

    Interview: Nov 29th, 2016

    Question

    What does the Red Rip look like in the Cognitive Realm?

    Brandon Sanderson

    So this is a RAFO, in part because I haven't revealed if there are any planets out there.

    Footnote

    (MY NOTE: Brandon totally knew where I was trying to go with this one, and he doesn't want to let us know if Yolen is part of the constellation.)

    Tags

  • 41

    Interview: Nov 29th, 2016

    Question

    Could only Lift see Szeth's afterimages?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Anyone sufficiently Invested can see them. Connection to the Cognitive Realm helps, too.

    Tags

  • 42

    Interview: Nov 29th, 2016

    Question

    Was Leras bonded to a being in the Cognitive Realm?

    Brandon Sanderson

    You mean like a Nahel bond? Yes, or a similar mechanism. Well, you have to remember that Shards interact with the realms in a different way, so... Well, I more mean before Leras became a Vessel. Anything before then is RAFO. (and I got a card)

    Tags

  • 43

    Interview: Nov 30th, 2016

    Borderlands SF-AU Tour (Paraphrased)

    Question

    Is it possible to reliably deduce what a Shardworld's Cognitive realm will look like if we knew a lot about its Physical realm? For example, mists in Scadrial, spheres in Roshar etc.

    Question

    Yes, but it works in odd ways. So it may not work in the logical way that you think.

    Tags

  • 44

    Interview: Dec 3rd, 2016

    Mason Wheeler

    before, I had the general impression that there were maybe... *waves hand* a dozen or so Worldhoppers around, but this [the new book] totally blows that idea away. So, at the time that Khriss is writing the essays, approximately how many Worldhoppers were there in the Silverlight community?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Silverlight is a whole city.

    Mason Wheeler

    that could mean a wide range of sizes...

    Brandon Sanderson

    a lot bigger than a village. Not saying yet exactly how many people are there, [RAFO card,] but they're not all Worldhoppers. There are people who are born there, live out their whole lives and die there.

    Tags

  • 45

    Interview: Dec 6th, 2016

    Question

    So we know that you can’t just have someone--if someone were to do something similar to Hoid, he can’t just pop and go ‘oh look, I can now do Allomancy or now do Surgebinding’. What about Breath? Could somebody give Breath--could they still get the benefits--

    Brandon Sanderson

    Oh, good question. Yes you can, actually. Breath, once it is given to you, it is being keyed to you--your Identity. So that transfer makes it yours to use however you want.

    Question

    So you could Awaken?

    Brandon Sanderson

    You could Awaken. If you were to somehow make it there, you would be able to Awaken. It’s the easiest of magics to get the magic from, and then to manipulate. Because it has keyed into it Identity.

    Question

    [garbled]

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yes, you can take Breath onto another world. In fact, you’ve seen characters do this.

    Question

    [garbled]

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yes, it would work the same way. The only magic that is location-dependent-- the ones who aren’t interested in this, just hum to yourself, okay? You don’t need to know any of this stuff to enjoy the books, okay? I’ve [written] them so that each series can be read independently, and enjoyed. There is behind the scenes stuff, and if you want to dig, it goes pretty deep. So on Sel, we have AonDor. AonDor is based on the fact that the Dor, which is an amalgamation of Dominion and Devotion, has been pressed together and stuffed into the Cognitive Realm by Odium who didn’t want it to gain sentience, as Investiture will do if it is left alone. It will either seek someone to be its Vessel or it will gain sentience. He pressed it in there; he pressed it together, which creates the violent reaction, because those two Intents are opposed. And that is the foundation of the magic. Because it’s stuck in the Cognitive Realm rather than the Spiritual Realm (the Spiritual Realm is location-independent; Cognitive Realm is location-dependent), it makes the magic on Sel only work in close proximity to what is keyed through there to the location they’re keyed to. This has to do with Identity and Connection--mostly Connection. So that means you can’t do AonDor on another planet, but you can do other magics works anywhere, because they’re drawing the magics specifically through either the place, or they’re end-neutral, like Breath is, and don’t need any extra power.

    Tags

  • 46

    Interview: Dec 6th, 2016

    Argent

    There’s a scene in Way of Kings, where Syl appears full-sized. It’s the only time she does that, why is that?

    Brandon Sanderson

    That was a very special moment. And there’s was some matters of connection going on, but in the Cognitive Realm, she’s full-sized, and so this is echoing that, so that when, if later on you were to see her, you’d be like ‘oh, she’s human sized’, that’s how she would appear.

    Tags

  • 47

    Interview: Dec 6th, 2016

    Question

    The two Shards on Sel were kind of pressed into the Cognitive Realm. Is that what makes travel there so difficult?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yes. Because you usually travel through the Cognitive Realm, but that’s not exactly what you want to be doing on Sel.

    Tags

  • 48

    Interview: Dec 6th, 2016

    Question

    Is it possible that someone could have gotten to the Cognitive Realm on Scadrial without the Well of Ascension?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yes.

    Question

    ...Can we know how?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Well, how many Shardpools would Scadrial have?

    Question

    Two, so the Pits of Hathsin would be so?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yes. So you’ve adopted the term “Shardpool.” That was never really my term, but I’ve started using it. What happens with a Perpendicularity is large concentrations of Investiture, particularly purely attuned to one of the Shards, will create an access point. You’ve seen another one--

    Question

    Yeah, yeah I know these.

    Brandon Sanderson

    You know which one I’m referencing?

    Question

    Yes.

    Brandon Sanderson

    That you didn’t see a Pool from?

    Question

    Oh wait… [Laughter]

    Brandon Sanderson

    Okay, he knows, so… We’ll move on.

    Question

    Why??!! [general protest, laughter]

    Brandon Sanderson

    Okay, fine. Umm, at the end of Words of Radiance.

    Argent

    There has to be one there because Jasnah has to leave somehow, right?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yes, but Honor’s Perpendicularity moves.

    Question

    Woah...so...Highstorm?

    Brandon Sanderson

    [hems and haws]

    Question

    So, I don’t know if this is a RAFO sort of question, but you call them Perpendicularities, will we see this sort of thing created?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yeah, Perpendicularities can be created. You’d need a ton of Investiture. But, basically what Jasnah does is create a little mini Perpendicularity and slips herself into the Cognitive Realm.

    Question

    So it’s just a question of skill, not a question of--

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yeah. It’s hard to pull off...but some of the powers are built to do it.

    Tags

  • 49

    Interview: Dec 6th, 2016

    Question

    So, just a question here about a particular Perpendicularity, First of the Sun. You’ve mentioned that it’s dangerous? Is that because there are predators that can sense your thoughts and sense your presence in the Cognitive Realm as you’re traveling across the Perpendicularity before the--

    Brandon Sanderson

    That’s a Read-And-Find-Out.

    Tags

  • 50

    Interview: Dec 6th, 2016

    Question

    Does Silverlight have a permanent Perpendicularity?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Silverlight has...weird. So I’m gonna give a RAFO to that.

    Question

    Cause, it’s got a physical constellation map. So they’ve gotta go to the Physical somehow right?

    Brandon Sanderson

    No, no, no. That can be in the Cognitive Realm.

    Argent

    The constellation map can be a picture from the Cognitive?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Well, yeah, I mean, it can be a picture in the Cognitive. That is a picture that exists in Silverlight.

    Argent

    Right, sure, but they need to be somewhere to view those things.

    Brandon Sanderson

    Right, I didn’t say that that’s from the perspective Silverlight, but the picture is hanging there.

    Question

    Is there actually anything on the Physical end of Silverlight?

    Brandon Sanderson

    That’s the RAFO. There can’t be a Perpen--well, there could be a Perpendicularity, but then you’d have to go someplace in the Physical, and it gets all... it’s really weird.

    Tags

  • 51

    Interview: Dec 6th, 2016

    Question

    When someone is Spiked, and dies, does that affect the time they spend in the Cognitive?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yes, because if you’re extra Invested, which Spiking technically does, if you have a Spike stapling a bit of someone else’s soul to yours--

    Question

    The other way. Someone Spikes into you--

    Brandon Sanderson

    Ohhhhh, oh okay, no, that might make you go faster.

    Question

    Is that why Harmony doesn’t know who’s Spiking people?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Hmm. Yeah. I had not considered that. But yeah, sure. Suuureee. You added to the canon. I mean, the actual answer was, when you’re Spiking somebody, you’re ripping of the soul, so kind of, there’s not enough left to talk. I mean, you’re ripping off the soul, so it’s a bad thing. A really bad thing. So you go ‘who killed you’ and it’s just somebody who… But yes, they would go faster too.

    Tags

  • 52

    Interview: Dec 6th, 2016

    Question

    Is there a Shadesmar for each planet?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yes. Anything that people think about, right? And, you really have to be inhabited to get a good Shadesmar… But, yenno, you can find the gas giants in Shadesmar, but they don’t manifest as an entire plain. Um, that’s gonna change! But we’re years away from that. Shadesmar is cool and weird but--

    Question

    Ohh, there’s only one Shadesmar with different areas--

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yeah, what we call it, Shadesmar is a term that has started to stick in the Cosmere for the Cognitive Realm. But there are manifestations for all planets.

    Question

    So, they all exist, all of Shadesmars are part of the same cloth, so to speak.

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yes, you could walk from one to the other, barring some weird distortions that I’m not gonna tell you about.

    Question

    But spren can’t because they’re bound.

    Brandon Sanderson

    Right. Unless, well, there are certain ways you could do it.

    Tags

  • 53

    Interview: Dec 6th, 2016

    Question

    So ever since the Sleepless I’ve been wondering about what sentience is in the Cosmere. How would a Sleepless manifest on the Cognitive Realm?

    Brandon Sanderson

    That’s a good question, that’ll RAFO. But they are a single consciousness, but they would argue that all your cells are independent of you. So they are cells that can move around. They’re really fun, they started in a non-cosmere book when I was 22. Obviously a bit inspired by Fire Upon the Deep, one of my favourite science fiction books. And I read that book and I’m like, ‘group consciousnesses are cool!’ what if you had a species that was made up of--not like an Ender’s Game one, but like each swarm was an individual and they could breed and evolve their own things to do different stuff. So each of these little Hordelings is what I call them, but that might change since we’ve got cremling now. So each of these little bits is bred for a specific purpose, feed the swarm and stuff like that. So they’ve got a all kinds of stuff going on.

    Tags

  • 54

    Interview: Dec 6th, 2016

    Question

    When you were talking about spren being bound to the Cognitive Realm of their planet. Are Seons similarly bound?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yes.

    Question

    Could you also pull them off [knowing how]?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yeah, but you’d have to get through the Cognitive Realm. Sel’s… Yes, that is possible.

    Tags

  • 55

    Interview: Dec 6th, 2016

    Question

    So in Secret History, Kelsier goes out onto the ocean and he finds plants in the Cognitive Realm. Do they have a physical aspect, or are they just Cognitive...?

    Brandon Sanderson

    Yeah, they’re Cognitive only. They don’t follow a standard ecology that we would understand, but well, it’ll make sense, hopefully, when eventually the science of that is understood in the cosmere. And there are, and I’ve said this before, on Roshar Shadesmar there are spren cities, and a spren ecology and stuff so…

    Tags