#nazh

[onlycosmere]

Brandon Sanderson: Nazh was born, as a character and as a concept, out of Isaac annotating maps, and wanting to have somebody... 'Cause Isaac was our original cartographer, been doing the maps ever since Mistborn, of basically all of the Stormlight books, until he started bringing some people in to do some of them.

Not just Stormlight, but all of the Cosmere books.

So if there's a map, or (particularly in the Stormlight books) ephemera, Isaac has had his hands in those, and he likes to add little easter eggs, and he came up with this persona of this character who was doing this. And we knew we wanted these to be in-world artifacts, but we also knew that we needed somebody who was kind of recovering these for some thing, and I'm like, "Well, this works very well with Khriss, probably compiling these and finding artifacts from planets and bringing them back to Silverlight."

And so, that's kind of where Nazh was born. I borrowed him once before for Secret History; he makes a small appearance in Secret History. Larger appearance here. Isaac and I have talked through his history and his future, and as early as years and years ago (probably seven, eight years ago), I'm like, "What about this?"

And that's when Nazh joined Starling's crew in his current incarnation.

Isaac Stewart: I think it was with Alloy of Law where we realized we need somebody annotating some of these, now and then. One of the reasons was, when you're doing a map of a city the size of Elendel, we couldn't really put these tiny street names, and things like that.

So we're like, "Well, we need somebody annotating this." And many things crashing together, but that was one of them.

[inolienkiki]

Notes from Nazh on the new Final Empire puzzle

(Tawnson is an actual character, one of Renoux’s servants… what a cute nod. It’d be funny if this was being revealed after 20 years, but Nazh didn’t exist when Mistborn 1 was published, so it’s just a fun new detail)

[thestormlightnetwork]

Nazh and Khrissalla on Roshar

Nazh: Yeah, remember when you told me, “there’s been no progress made on this planet for four thousand years, Nazirlof, you should go and get maps of this planet for me, Nazirlof!”? Well, I get there, and guess what happens?

The little bitch from Scadrial gets there and starts moving his little agents through the planet, now all of the sudden Yolen's Cuntiest is there thirsting over some local-

KHRISSALLA ARE YOU EVEN LISTENING TO ME?

Khriss, painting her nails: What? No, yeah, totally. You were saying?

[cosmererambles]

COSTOBER ONE: LATE "Information for a Price"

It was, as it was always, a busy day. Customers, most of them world hoppers, entering and exiting the shop at a rush, picking up supplies, stopping by for obscure items, or simply to catch up. Khriss, who only wanted to focus on her research, found it terribly annoying. At the fifteen ring of the doorbell (Yes, she was counting). She stood up, crossing to the door of her study in a billowing rush of midnight robes, her braided hair tied back.

Nazh stood at the counter, admiring a rifle someone had brought in.

“Close the shop, Nazh.” “Cl-close the shop? We just bloody opened!” “I said what I said. Close it.” Nazh eyed her, as if trying to understand why she would want to close the shop after only being open for three hours. She waved a dismissive hand, settling back down in her plush chair, listening for Nazh’s footsteps to cross to the front and flip the card. She smirked as he grumbled about lost business before her she regained her focus.

It was perhaps and hour later when the doorbell rang again. It snapped her out of her focus with such alarm that she felt herself hit the proverbial ceiling, and she turned around with a snarl. Nazh began to blabber.

“You-we’re not open! You’re not welcome here, sir!” “Oh, I think you’ll be able to make time for me. I’m here on an important visit, after all.” “Appointment?” “Do I need one?” She recognized that voice. “You most certainly do!” Nazh snapped. She heard the cocking of a shotgun. Khriss flew into the showroom, hanging on the doorframe.

“Who the hell-.” A blond man with a winning smile and an eyepatch turned to her, grinning. “Aren’t I welcome, Khriss? I mean our relationship…” “We don’t have a relationship.” She curled her lip in a half snarl, unable to quash the most unwelcome feelings of attraction that rose from her. Scadrians. The lot of them were too confident for their own good, and this one fathered that entire characteristic.

“Survivor. We are closed.” He shrugged, leaning against a far wall. It was lined with bookshelves that held tomes from various worlds. The one he currently leaned on held ancient tomes that were salvaged from pre-catecendre Scadrial.

“Oh, I think you can make time for me. I’m here on a very particular visit, after all.” He stood up straight, approaching her. “Those robes look lovely on you, by the way. Taldain fashion has never really suited me, though you make it look fetching.” She felt heat rise to her face.

“Flattery, Survivor?” He stopped his approach, glancing at the windows. He crossed to them, closing the drapes, before removing the hat and eyepatch her wore. Nazh sucked in a breath.

“I wondered how you did it…” He breathed. “Still have the same man-servant, I see.” He smiled, looking at Nazh. “I’m afraid I lost your knife. Ascending to god-hood doesn’t allow you to take possessions with you.” “I found it, you insufferable blackguard. That knife was priceless.” “You found it?” Kelsier raised his eyebrows. “Prey, do tell.” “Enough with the theatrics, Kelsier.” Khriss finally snapped. She approached him. “What do you want?” “A moment of your time, Khriss.”

“My time is in short supply these days.” “Preparing for another venture off Scadrial? Tell me, why did you make my planet your base of operations?” “Is this our base of operations, Survivor?” She spoke, her voice cool. Inwardly she danced, hating every sensation. “It sure looks to be it.” He perused the shelves. “Books on Hemalurgy. Naughty. Our Shard won’t like you having those.” He turned, smirking, before resuming his examination. “Feruchemy, allomancy, ah!” He pulled a book out. “Written by yourself, Khriss. Wonderful.” His single eye danced. “A book on Mistborn. I see I am mentioned.”

“Can it, Kelsier. Enough with the theatrics.” She approached him. He had lovely blond hair, and his remaining eye, when it caught the light, shone in a dazzling array of soft colors. She had always admired hazel eyes on men.” “Shadows, yes! Make him leave, Khriss.” She raised a finger at Nazh, who quieted, cowed. “What. Do. You. Want?” She punctuated every word, hand out for the book. He didn’t give it to her.

“As I said, a moment of your time. And this book I plan to purchase.” “Purchase? It’s a book for offworlders on the history of this planet! Why would you want it?” “I collect things such as this.” He shrugged. He set it on the counter, along with a note that more than doubled it’s price. She eyed it.

“Fine. Follow me. Nazh, wrap his purchase, please.” “But-.” She shot him a look, and he grumbled but did as he was told.

“It is very strange you’d come without any warning, Survivor.” She spoke, her voice cool. “You keep flip flopping my various names. Just call me Kelsier.” He took a seat without being asked. She leaned against her study wall, eying him.

“What do you need?” “Information. On your planet, specifically. Autonomy has its fingers in many honey pots, and I plan to stop it before it notices Scadrial.” “Autonomy? The shard is held by a woman, Kelsier. Her name is Bavadin. You are correct, regardless. She has visited many worlds, including this one.” He raised a brow, cocking his head. Why was he so beautiful? She sucked in a breath, irritated, sitting down.

“She’s already visited?” “Are you familiar with old world religions?” She dug through a stack of books on her desk, somewhat embarrassed at the state of her messy study. “Sazed used to preach them to me. I remember…some of them.” She smiled, finally finding the tome she was looking for. A notebook, compiled and expanded on in book form, of every single religion to have graced Scadrial’s surface. She flipped through it, noting Kelsier looking around, smiling to himself.

“What amuses you, Kelsier?” She asked, flipping through pages to find the entry she needed. “The state of my study?” “It doesn’t amuse me, it’s just nice that mine resembles yours so much.” She looked up at him. “That…isn’t a complement.” “It isn’t?” He asked, glancing at her. “Your study resembling the Survivors own would be a high complement to those on Scadrial.” “I’m not a Survivorist…” She responded, dryly. “You could always convert. We have great benefits.” He winked at her. She paused in her searching, finger placed on her entry for Trellism.

“Is it winking, when you only have one eye?” He paused, taken aback. “Or is it blinking?” “I…” He trailed off, raising a brow. She smirked, resuming her search, determined to badger him into silence.

“I have wondered how you regained your body. Your traces are all over this planet; Nazh and I knew you must have regained your place in the physical realm, but we had no idea how. Hemalurgy, then.” “I-.” “Is it an old Inquistior spike? Or did you craft it? Perhaps an old Kandra blessing? A few I believe chose not to continue living after the Catecendre. Whom did you kill, Kelsier?” “For my particular spike, no one.” He spoke with clipped formality. Teasing out his secrets was delicious. She was getting under her skin. Khriss was determined to burrow just as deeply as he had her. “It’s as you said formerly. An old Inquisitor spike.” “Does it bother you, to have a piece of those monsters pinning your soul to your bones? Are they your bones?” He set his jaw.

“This isn’t relevant. Tell me about Autonomy.” He stood up, crossing to the window. She admired his body for a moment before realizing what she was doing, chastising herself internally. He dressed himself well; an a well tailored three piece suit with vest and cravat. High laced boots and trousers. She remembered him in the cognitive realm, dressed in a white shirt and tan trousers, a man way over his head, a man whom she had told there was no hope.

He had proved her wrong. She hated that.

“Autonomy, or Bavadin, has traces on several planets, including your own, as I said. The seed she planeted on Scadrial is known as Trellism, a religion practices thousands of years ago.” Kelsier turned back towards her, his previous irritation gone.

“I remember Sazed speaking of that. It’s real?” “They all are, Kelsier.” “You know what I mean.” He smirked. “It’s based on a Shard.” “I suppose you could said it’s “real”, though I dislike using that term for religions. It was a trace she left. Her home planet, at least the planet I believe is her home planet, is Taldain.”

“Your own planet.” She looked at him for a moment, before nodding. “Yes. My home planet. The one I am exiled from.” His smile faltered. He resumed his seat across from her.

“How does she run things? What powers does she give to her people?”

“You have many questions, I see. This is taking far longer than “a moment.” His smile returned, broader than before. “I’ve…never been good with time. Especially when among beautiful women.” “Charming.” She resisted the urge to suck in a breath, grateful for her dark skin to hide the blush in her face.

“Please, Khriss. Anything I can know about Autonomy will help me fight her.” He’d leaned forward, fingers laced together, almost pleading. “Why do you feel the need too?” He leaned back.

“The Shards I have studied…they mostly stick to their own system. Endowment stays near Nalthis. Cultivation and Honor; they stick to the Rosharan system. Ambition, I believe, stuck to the Threnodite system.” He glanced at her, meeting her eyes. “Need I continue?” “Yes. I’m curious as to where you’re going with this.”

“Those that don’t stay in their system cause trouble.” Khriss inhaled. “Odium.” Kelsier gave her a grave nod. “The Shard that slaughtered three others.”

“Autonomy doesn’t kill Shards. At least, she hasn’t showed a pattern of that behavior. Not yet.” She pushed her open book on Trellism away, fishing for another. “She does however, have a history of pushing them out.”

“So if she showed up on Scadrial?” Kelsier began. “She may try and force Harmony out. I’ve collected some information that Harmony unnerves the other shards. A vessel, holding two opposing powers…” She shook her head.

“What does she do?” Khriss studied him. “The secrets of Taldain are not something I like to speak of, Kelsier.” “Then don’t tell me about Taldain. I know the Aviar of her creation.” “The Aviar are birds native to a specific planter, who gain power by residing close to her perpendicularity. They gain power that is similar to that given by Allomancy and Feruchemy.” “Such as?” “Mental shielding. Similar to Copper, is one I can think of off the top of my head. The planet is very poorly developed. The Aviar aren’t greatly understood, and getting there is difficult. We’ve never made the crossing.”

“Tell me of Sand Mastery.” Khriss eyed him.

“Sand Mastery is a difficult art. It can easily kill those who wield it.” She pursed her lips, closing the book. “I already told you I won’t be giving up Taldain’s secrets.” “I understand.” She raised a brow.

“I didn’t think you’d be cowed so easily.” “Oh, I’m not cowed. I’ll be back.” He replaced his hat, obscuring the spike that punctured the back of his skull. “You will be?” “Of course!” He smirked. “I’ve a mind to tease your secrets out of you, one way or another.” She met his smirk with droll eyes. “A secret for a secret, Kelsier. You tell me yours, and I’ll tell you mine.” “Oh, I don’t think I have to do that.” He pulled on his eyepatch. She watched as the sun, rising to it’s noon apex, shone through the window, illuminating his hair. “Oh?”

“Khriss, the Cosmere is growing smaller. My agents are fanning to every corner, teasing out its secrets. Sooner or later I’ll get someone on Taldain. Sand Mastery is an art I can’t afford to be ignorant about.” He smirked suddenly, leaning on the table. He was close. Too close. “And when they reach Taldain, I’ll find out about Starmarks too.” He winked, or blinked, as it were, and stood up.

“You seem to already know everything you need.” “Oh, not at all. I had no idea Autonomy was held by a woman, nor how many planets she had visited. Nor that she had indeed visited Scadrial.” “You were a god for a time, Survivor.” She resumed using his title, his name too intimate for her liking. He gave her a look, but said nothing of it. “How did you not know that?” “My mind had expanded, but much of the information was lost to me. I only remember fragments, Khriss. Much of those fragments I placed into copperminds. The various religions and those behind them? That wasn’t priority information.” She pursed her lips.

“Visit me again, and you can tell me about it. In return, I’ll tell you of Sand Mastery.” He raised a brow, then smiled. A winning smile. “Do warn me before you come, though. Most of my guests are rather plain, and I need to prepare for someone so handsome.” He grinned broadly.

“All my flirting, and that was the first time you’ve reciprocated.” “Don’t get used to it. It’s not my fault you’re cute.” She crossed to the door. “Now get out. You’ve interrupted some quality research, and I want to finish it before I lose my light.”

“Fine, fine.” He stopped as he meant to exit, looking at her with authentic gratitude. “Thank you, Khriss. I appreciate it.” “You’re welcome, Survivor. You are welcome here, as long as you come during business hours and do not ignore the sign.” He winked again, slipping out of the room. She followed, watching as he spoke to Nazh.

“May I see the knife you recovered?” “No! It’s safe. I can’t believe you lost it.” “It wasn’t my fault. As I said, you don’t exactly get to take possessions with you when you ascend.” “You could have gone back for it!” “Nazh. The world was ending, and then it was completely reshaped. You are lucky you found it again and it wasn’t buried under ten tons of earth and rock.” Khriss chuckled softly, unheard by the two.

“Aluminum is hard to find. Not that you would know of such things.” Nazh looked down at the shotgun he’d been cleaning. “With your agents making the majority of the worlds supply.” “Survivor.” Khriss spoke up, realizing something. “We require Aluminum for our travels. If you could sell us some, that would be another bargaining chip in your favor.” “Aluminum for information…” He made a show of thinking about it. “I’ll consider it.” He smiled at the both of them, tucking the wrapped book under his arm and ignoring the change proffered by Nazh.

“Thank you both for your hospitality. I must be going.” He slipped out of the shop without another word, leaving behind a grumbling Nazh and a curious, and somewhat flustered, Khriss.

For the lovely @lenanika

[maspers]

10 bucks says if you were to ask Khriss and Nazh about how this law was discovered/confirmed, each of them would give you a wildly different story on how it happened.

What everyone cannot stop thinking about: Zellion

What I cannot stop thinking about:

Khriss

Khriss

[purple-egg-yolk]

Silverlight swears be like “by the merciful domi’s tenth rusting name”

[shayberri789]

Hi

I wrote a thing :)

(A short fic from the point of view of the Stick Shallan tries to soulcast in WoR, and a little bit after, because Shallan accidentally turns it into a groot)

(Kelsier is here too. He's a menace)

[cosmermaid]

The abandonment of the Oathpact predates the Lord Ruler. There was established trade between Scadrial and other worlds that the Lord Ruler knew about and allowed. Which means there were worldhoppers in the time of the final empire that KNEW what was going on with Scadrial and did not care to do anything about it.

By the time Kelsier learns of all this his planet is dying, and the Worldhoppers he meets are Hoid, who mocks him, Khriss and Nazh who threaten him and only offer a knife as assistance, and some Elantrians that are lurking like vultures to steal a shard. A shard that is NEEDED to prevent Scadrial from being destroyed.

The Cosmere at large proved to Kelsier that it would let an entire planet die at best and seek to destroy it at worst.

Despite all this, we see the Ghostbloods behave surprisingly cordially to people from other worlds. (Mraize is an ass but that's another topic.) Kelsier doesn't treat other worlds as enemies even when he's treating them as potential threats. His Scadrial first attitude doesn't seem to come from any kind of xenophobia, but because from his perspective SOMEBODY has to prioritize Scadrial or else it will die. And he isn't wrong.

[marvelousmagicalaura]

This post is gonna be part-theorycrafting, part-praise.

Leras' death in both Realms is so heartbreaking. RIP Leras, He did his best. He did what Ruin either could not or was no longer able to. He heard the thoughts of all humans. He listened to the hearts of men. Leras hoped and trusted in humanity and it paid off 😭😢💔

And I have theories on why he interacted the way he did with Kelsier and Elend. Also, reading these passages again makes me tear up.

Leras’ death in the Cognitive Realm. Leras didn’t know if the atium in the Pits of Hathsin would be burned off by the atium Mistings. He didn’t know if before the Well’s next cycle he would survive the mental decay or Ruin’s attempt to Splinter Preservation. He even disagrees with Rashek’s actions.

I theorize Leras knew three things needed to happen for the atium Mistings and The Hero of Ages to finally occur: 1) Rashek needed to die, 2) the atium in the Pits of Hathsin needed to be “destroyed,” and 3) The Shard needed to survive Ruin’s direct attacks and get to Vin. 1 is impossible without a proper rebellion (Kelsier’s persistence) and sufficient Allomantic power (Vin drawing the Mists). 2 is impossible without someone with the drive to accomplish such a ballsy move. 3 is tricky because Leras’ mind is so frayed, so he likely needed a middleman to pass the Shard onto Vin.

I think Leras saw into the future at some point, and came to the conclusion that Kelsier might be the person for the job. So in Kelsier’s darkest moment - on the night of Mare’s death - he Snapped Kelsier and commanded him to Survive. Maybe gave him metal reserves to burn. I think Leras deliberately bestowed the power of Allomancy to Kelsier and inspired him to escape the Pits; to become the Survivor of Hathsin and fulfill the next steps of the plan. Much like how Kelsier himself told Spook to Hope and keep moving, or commanded him to Survive, or brought him into a vision. Kelsier did all that to accomplish a precognitive plan to encourage Marsh to rip out Vin’s earring; thus allowing Vin to take up the Mists and Shard.

I think Leras pulled the same con on Kelsier, but on a grander scale.

Whatever the reason, Kelsier felt the end like a long, drawn-out sigh. It sent a chill up his spine, and he scrambled to find a thread of Preservation. They had been all over the ground earlier in his trip, but now he found nothing. “Fuzz!” he screamed. “Preservation!” Kelsier… The voice vibrated through him. Goodbye. “Hell, Fuzz,” Kelsier said, searching the sky. “I’m sorry. I…” He swallowed. Odd, the voice said. After all these years appearing for others as they died, I never expected… that my own passing would be so cold and lonely… “I’m here for you,” Kelsier said. No. You weren’t. Kelsier, he’s splitting my power. He’s breaking it apart. It will be gone… Splintered… He’ll destroy it. “Like hell he will,” Kelsier said, dropping his pack. He reached inside, gripping the glowing orb filled with liquid. It’s not for you, Kelsier, Preservation said. It’s not yours. It belongs to another. “I’ll get it to her,” Kelsier said, taking up the sphere. He drew in a deep breath, then used Nazh’s knife to smash the orb, spraying his arm and body with the glowing liquid. Lines like threads burst out from him. Glowing, effulgent. Like the “lines from burning steel or iron, except they pointed at everything. Kelsier! Preservation said, his voice strengthening. Do better than you have before! They called you their god, and you were casual with their faith! The hearts of men are NOT YOUR TOYS. “I��” Kelsier licked his lips. “I understand. My Lord.“ “Do better, Kelsier, Preservation commanded, his voice fading. If the end comes, get them below ground. It might help. And remember… remember what I told you, so long ago… Do what I cannot, Kelsier… SURVIVE. The word vibrated through him, and Kelsier gasped. He knew that feeling, remembered that exact command. He’d heard that voice in the Pits. Waking him, driving him forward. Saving him. Kelsier bowed his head as he felt Preservation fade, finally, and stretch into the darkness.

Preservation’s death in the Physical Realm. This is much simpler, I think.

I think he probably wanted to give Elend hints of his plan for the atium Mistings. I think he was pointing northeast to an area near Luthadel - the Pits of Hathsin and the Homeland. The waves he gave for the questions on the mists and the pointing to Elend’s metals… Leras was giving hints that the Mists were Snapping people into Allomancers.

His final, hesitant wave. The sign that beating Ruin and surviving is a tiny possibility.

The mist spirit evaporating… that’s the Survivor taking up the power to give to the Ascendant Warrior. Preventing the power from being Splintered. Freeing the god’s frayed mind from its timeless burden.

The creature fell still. It was getting harder and harder to see it in the mists. Elend flared his tin, but that didn’t make the creature any more distinct. It seemed to be… fading. “Where was it you wanted me to go?” Elend asked, more for himself than expecting an answer. “You pointed… east? Did you want me to go back to Luthadel?” It waved with half-enthusiasm again. “Do you want me to attack Fadrex City?” It stood still. “Do you not want me to attack Fadrex City?” It waved vigorously. Interesting, he thought. “The mists,” Elend said. “They’re connected to all this, aren’t they?” Waving. “They’re killing my men,” Elend said. It stepped forward, then stood still, somehow looking urgent. Elend frowned. “You reacted to that. You mean to say they aren’t killing my men?” It waved. “That’s ridiculous. I’ve seen the men fall dead.” It stepped forward, pointing at Elend. He glanced down at his sash. “The coins?” he asked, looking up. It pointed again. Elend reached into his sash. All that was there were his metal vials. He pulled one out. “Metals?” It waved vigorously. It just continued to wave and wave. Elend looked down at the vial. “I don’t understand.” The creature fell still. It was getting more and more vague, as if it were evaporating. “Wait!” Elend said, stepping forward. “I have another question. One more before you go!” It stared him in the eyes. “Can we beat it?” Elend asked softly. “Can we survive?” Stillness. Then, the creature waved just briefly. Not a vigorous wave—more of a hesitant one. An uncertain one. It evaporated, maintaining that same wave, the mists becoming indistinct and leaving no sign that the creature had been there. … I don’t know why Preservation decided to use his last bit of life appearing to Elend during his trek back to Fadrex. From what I understand, Elend didn’t really learn that much from the meeting. By then, of course, Preservation was but a shadow of himself—and that shadow was under immense destructive pressure from Ruin. Perhaps Preservation—or, the remnants of what he had been—wanted to get Elend alone. Or, perhaps he saw Elend kneeling in that field, and knew that the emperor of men was very close to just lying down in the ash, never to rise again. Either way, Preservation did appear, and in doing so exposed himself to Ruin’s attacks. Gone were the days when Preservation could turn away an Inquisitor with a bare gesture, gone—even—were the days when he could strike a man down to bleed and die. By the time Elend saw the “mist spirit,” Preservation must have been barely coherent. I wonder what Elend would have done, had he known that he was in the presence of a dying god—that on that night, he had been the last witness of Preservation’s passing. If Elend had waited just a few more minutes on that ashen field, he would have seen a body—short of stature, black hair, prominent nose—fall from the mists and slump dead into the ash. As it was, the corpse was left alone to be buried in ash. The world was dying. Its gods had to die with it.

However, putting these plans into motion isn’t the same as knowing they’ll come true. Leras probably didn’t know if Kelsier would succeed in destroying the Pits’ atium or in giving the Shard to Vin. He certainly didn’t know if Elend would succeed in leading the atium Mistings to the Homeland.

Futuresight in the Cosmere, or at least the Hail Marys and fragile distant possibilities in Leras’ plan, seem to be split into maybes because of free will. If the figures in The Plan made the “wrong” decisions, made different decisions, or lost hope in the world, Ruin would’ve easily won. Their “right” decisions required them to just… live their lives. If Rashek, Vin, and Sazed living different lives meant their Connections to the Shards might’ve been completely different from what we know. Different Connections meant they couldn't hold the powers Leras wanted them to.

Leras listened the hearts of men, gave them nudges and tools, and hoped for the best outcomes.

[stolen-stardust]

live reaction to new secret project was just (design voice) STORMS NAZH ARE YOU DEAD??

[pseudonemisis]

I think for cosmere merch they should make a gorgeously illustrated "Where's Wit" or "Where's Hoid", but the former sounds better. There could be alot of scenes that we already know he's in and some that we didn't think he was in at first but it turns out he was hanging out in the background. And maybe you could get extra points for finding other world hoppers in the background (Nazh my beloved)

[onlycosmere]

Questioner: Is Khriss in the Secret Project?

Brandon Sanderson: That's definitely a RAFO. But Nazh is there, so who knows? But Nazh has had a lot of different adventures with a lot of different people through a lot of different places.

Nazh, we should point out, is Isaac's character that I'm borrowing for this book with Isaac's permission and understanding. You can look forward to a lot more Nazh with Isaac and his things. He's on loan, shall we say.

Isaac Stewart: It's fine. The big questions are things like, "Well, how does he get to this point?"

[libralita]

New Nazh fancasting just dropped

[thestormlightnetwork]

Nazh: Khriss?

Khriss, not paying attention: hmm?

Nazh: Do we have a map of the southern continent on Scadrial? I have a theory I need to test.

Khriss: Look who volunteered to do his next job.

Nazh: No. I did not.

Khriss: You just offered to map the southern continent.

Nazh: So I assume that all of your other, very talented employees haven't done it yet.

Khriss: Yes, the very existing other employees.

Nazh: I don't exist, on any other planet than my own.

Khriss: well, that's great. Because I will assign you to map the southern continent wether you exist and wether you're a diced-up spren that was chucked into Emberdark.

Nazh: *GROANING*

[why-is-it-always-autumn]

Finished reading Sanderson Secret Project 4! Thoughts below the cut (mostly copied from me messaging my friends on Discord)

the vibes are so scifi. Like it's still Breaths and Shardblades but he's being so science about it

Spren in Stormlight: magical girl fairy companions. Spren in this: AI companion built into your scifi augments

Ooh, Nomad's been to Ashyn? That's the only planet with floating cities near Roshar, iirc

I love that Rosharans always specify shade when they mention eye color. She doesn't just have green eyes she has light green eyes. That adjective is important

Man on the run for his life hasn't slept in a week no way out keeps getting distracted by the urge to do anthropology

Another thing that's very funny is Nomad is talking about how unbelievably low on Investiture he is and it's still, like, unfathomably wealthy by Nalthis standards

Actually I'm gonna look this up. Nomad has 1500 BEUs in chapter one. He had at least 18750 shortly before that.

In Warbreaker, Vasher starts off with around 50 Breaths, which he considers low while acknowledging that many people would not. Most Returned have the equivalent of 2000. This is enough to be worshiped as gods.

Ah okay looking at the coppermind for the Heightenings this makes sense. It's all very consistent

Fifth Heightening: 2000 Breaths: fast healing, high durability, casual magic Ninth Heightening: 20000 Breaths: oh, you know ;) Tenth Heightening: 50000 Breaths: now that's just excessive

Now I will exit the coppermind before I have another "let me just check Rayse's species midway through reading RoW" moment [Fun fact: vital status is listed right next to species!]

I'm sorry did this man break his radiant oaths and then Mayalaran his shardblade back to pseudo life? Is that what's happening here?

Chapter 6 "No. Even in my head I will not admit Rock is right about the airsick lowlander thing"

I thought part of that phrase sounded like Nazh's name!

Gonna be honest, given how very dead He is, I somehow doubt that Adonalsium will remember their plight eventually

Love that "one of them is secretly a dragon" is a legitimate possibility

Huh. I wonder if they're Ghostblood Scadrians, Harmony-sent Scadrians, or just random people

Chapter 9: "Walking into a storm wasn't something usually done on [Roshar]" Unless you're in the middle of dinner and you really need a knife, of course.

I really wonder how confusing it would be to read ssp4 without reading Stormlight Archive

Oh boy. Wit's here!

Like if you only read the secret projects as if they were a standalone series how long would it take to realize that the cabin boy, the coatrack, and the hologram are the same person

"back before God died" You mean before you and your friends killed God? It didn't just happen there was a whole 17 person conspiracy

Hoid has two modes: "I am a silly little man" and "I am older than your planet and I will weep as I allow it to burn". No in between

"Adonalsium will remember our plight eventually" Man who just got off a skype call with one of the people who murdered Adonalsium ten thousand years ago:...

"Can you fly?" "Who told you I used to- oh you mean fly a ship. Yeah probably."

"The Chorus tells of our old world..." "Yes, yes, the forests of Hell, we've all been there"

The implication that there's a thriving interplanetary job market for specifically bronze Mistings...

If there's one thing that I've learned from Homestuck, it's to never turn your back on the body

Every new hint about what went down on Roshar in the back half of Stormlight just increases my fear about what's going to go down in the back half of Stormlight,

"I was destined to unite all of my people" Man who used to work for Dalinar Kholin: l, and I cannot stress this enough, ol

"Your planet shouldn't have different countries. You should have conquered and unified it all" Sir I cannot stress enough how Big Roshar is. They can barely keep the Alethi Princedoms unified there are so many more people on Roshar than here and they are so much more spread out

Now I'm just picturing that Ron Swanson meme. "I laugh at who I want - Wit"

It feels appropriate that this guy's ancestors are from the planet most closely associated with Ambition

It also feels appropriate that Mercy was there, tbh

Love that this guy is not a particularly soldier-y guy by Rosharan standards, but he's got so much soldier energy in comparison to Canticle that no one has yet noticed that he physically can't hurt anyone

Love that they talk about actual rocket science but it's interspersed with phrases like "raw investiture" and "zephyr aether" and "why take all the effort to travel the void of space when you can just walk through another dimension to travel between planets?"

Yes, yes, the plot to kill God, we've all heard of it

Khriss's Second Law :D

I'm really wondering how newbie friendly this book is. Like, they're explaining everything, but they're also throwing a lot of terms around and all of them are things I already know. For me, who read Warbreaker, when he mentions Commands as a thing on Nalthis that's just a refresher. If that's all the context I have...

The fact that this book includes both hoverbikes and a room full of angry ghosts in the same town

Oh that is a very different perspective on the whole lighteyes/darkeyes thing

Ah. Hemolurgy. From Threnodites. He's right, the cosmere is an increasingly small place

Highspren????

What did he even swear to?

I mean "Auxiliary" isn't a very Honorspren name and obviously not all of Bridge Four are Windrunners but Most Of Them Are

262 "You threw out your conscience years ago, I know, though I never had a chance to meet her" Seriously what is going to go down in the back half of Stormlight

Roshar Man: yeah you can totally go into the murder storm my friend Kal does it all the time lmao

They're called Skybreakers because they break you. Storms yeah Bridge Four!

Yessss He did the thing! I was hoping he'd do the salute!

Oh, that's who Zellion is

Hoid, Zahel, etc: I'm changing my name just for fun. Just for the vibes. New planet new me :) Also same planet new me :) Aliases are so fun :) Elegy: I'm literally not the same person anymore but I am keeping the name because it fits me really well. Dead me can change her name idc

Yeah something really bad goes down in the back half of Stormlight. They should not be that surprised to see a Rosharan.

Awakened Steelmind? This tech is so fun

"I like to think that this is all part of God's plan. That He made before He died :)" -- Tootsie Noodles, Starship (2011)

"God had nothing to do with it it was all Auxiliary." "And what's Auxiliary?" [Zellion remembers that spren are fragments of Honor and Cultivation, who are/were themselves Shards of Adonalsium] "..."

"Sigzil was a capable fighter, but far from the Order's best" -- Rhythm of War chapter 6

I'm done btw

Also I didn't talk about her much but I love how down for murder Elegy is. She loves her sister and she's learning all about different kinds of strength but she was so happy when she had that shardblade

Also, speaking of Stormlight, didn't love Nomad mentioning that glowing red eyes remind him of his friends! Hope he just meant Renarin and Rlain but I'm worried he didn't!

In retrospect it makes perfect sense that they already know about the Shattering. They fled Threnody, which is only Like That because of the Odium/Ambition/Mercy fight that killed Uli Da and Splintered Ambition. Those three only existed as Shards because they had already killed Adonalsium.

Also I hadn't realized or had forgotten that Shades are a "being from Threnody" thing, rather than a "dying on Threnody" thing

Fascinating that Auxiliary's corpse can still change forms even when his consciousness is completely gone. That implies that Maya and the others did something on purpose to lock themselves into sword form, rather than it being a direct consequence of the spen dying.

Also don't think I didn't notice Sanderson deliberately dancing around exactly what Sigzil's oaths were. He was Fourth Ideal in two different Orders and everything past Second is personalized

Of course the Scadrians don't interfere except to ruin things. That's so Scadrial

Love Nomad repeatedly going "Okay... I'm Azish, though." Man isn't Thaylen or Alethi it's a completely different culture that happens to share a planet. The Cinder King has no concept of this. The Greater Good doesn't even understand the difference between Roshar and Scadrial

I was laughing at the Cinder King for thinking that you could just conquer all of Roshar (it's so big), and then I remembered the Voidbringer reveal in... I think Words of Radiance? And just started laughing harder. They literally did conquer the entire planet, other than the Shattered Plains and a few other remote areas. That canonically happened

Adonalsium is literally mentioned more in ssp4 than all the other Cosmere books combined lol