Difference between revisions of "User:Chaos2651/Cosmere"

The '''cosmere'''{{qa ref|428|73|Is this "character" a common link between your books for religion or magical or maybe even both?|date=July 2009}} is a fictional universe where Brandon Sanderson's adult epic fantasies (including [[Elantris (book)|Elantris]], [[Mistborn (series)|Mistborn]], [[Warbreaker]], [[The Stormlight Archive]]) are all set.{{qa ref|680|14|I thought I saw somewhere that you said that all your books (yours not WOT) are connected somehow|date=Jan 18th, 2010}} It does not contain Earth.{{tweet ref|22409638968295424}}

Brandon has said that it is not important to know about the cosmere to enjoy his books, and that they can be enjoyed separately.{{qa ref|1044|6|The first, most important thing to say to the person who's being sent there is to enjoy the story you're in.|date=Mar 24th, 2014}} Elements of the cosmere slowly be added into the books, suchbehind asthe inscenes, until it comes into the forefront with [[Dragonsteel]] books, and the final Mistborn bookstrilogy.{{qa ref|1076|7|Are you going to expand on the cosmere in its own book?|date=Mar 6th, 2014}}

The underlying mythology of the cosmere, so far, revolves around [[Adonalsium]], the power of creation, which was broken into sixteen pieces called [[Shard]]s. The Shards are effectively gods, and magic is derived from their power.

[[File:Shadesmar (TWoK).jpg|thumb|right|350px|A map of [[Shadesmar]]--a part of the Cognitive Realm{{qa ref|1070|3|Is Shadesmar just a name for the Cognitive Realm or is there a difference?|date=Mar 4th, 2014}}--from [[Roshar]]'s perspective. Individual itemsExpanses on this map represent other planets in the cosmere.]]

There are ten primary planets in the cosmere, sometimes called [[Shardworld]]s, as the [[Shard|Shards of Adonalsium]] play major roles there.{{qa ref|718|8}} There are inhabited worlds with no Shards on them, and some planets may only have [[Splinter]]s of a Shard on them.{{qa ref|718|8}} Planets without Shards are generally referred to "minor Shardworlds". On all cosmere planets, magic is called [[Investiture]], a word that means something has gained a portion of Adonalsium's magic.{{qa ref|1086|3|What you can tell me about Investiture?|date=Mar 4th, 2014}} All magic we've seen has been derived from the Shard's--or Adonalsium's--power.{{qa ref|979|160|Are there any magic systems in the cosmere that aren't shard based?|date=Apr 15th 2013}} Specific magic systems, like [[Allomancy]] or [[Surgebinding]], are termed "manifestations of Investiture."{{book ref|mb4|part=ars}} On minor worlds, people don't utilize Investiture directly, and magic is more something people interact through nature.{{17s ref|news|201|What differentiates a minor shardworld like First of the Sun?|date=Dec 19th, 2014}}

There are currently ten known planets in the cosmere. Two of these, Threnody and First of the Sun, are minor Shardworlds.{{17s ref|topic|7544|Names of minor shardworlds|date=April 12th, 2014}} Note that the following chart lists Shards currently on the planet, and may have had other Shards there at other points in time.

| [[The Stormlight Archive]]{{17s ref|post|62323|Ashyn and Braize|date=Aug 9th, 2013}}

| [[Warbreaker]], [[Nightblood (book) |Nightblood]]{{qa ref|428|106|One other question, what is the name of the planet that Elantris is on?|date=July 2009}}

| [[Honor]], [[Cultivation]]{{qa ref|985|6|Were Cultivation and Honor romantically involved?|date=May 22nd, 2013}}

| [[The Stormlight Archive]]{{qa ref|428|106}}

| [[Preservation]], [[Ruin]];{{qa ref|727|19|Is Scadrial the name of the Mistborn world?|date=Oct 10th, 2008}} [[Harmony]]*

| [[Mistborn (series)|Mistborn]]{{qa (including [[Mistborn Adventures]])ref|428|106}}

| [[Devotion]], [[Dominion]]{{epigraph ref|sa1|22}}

| [[Elantris]] & sequels,{{qa ref|428|106}} [[The Emperor's Soul]]{{qa ref|749|38|On the second day he read from a new novel set in the Elantris world|date=April 2012}}

| [[Bavadin's Shard|Unnamed ShardAutonomy]] held by [[Bavadin]]{{qa ref|622|78|Will we see Bavadin sometime?|date=Aug 31st, 2011}}

| [[White Sand]]{{qa ref|428|106}}

| [[Dragonsteel]]{{qa ref|428|106}}

| [[Shadows for Silence in the Forests of Hell]]{{17s ref|topic|7544}}

| [[Sixth of the Dusk]]{{17s ref|topic|7544}}

Little is known of the extremely distant past of the cosmere: the time before the Shattering of [[Adonalsium]] and the [[Shard]]s. It is not even clear who or what Adonalsium exactly is. Is it a god, the God? Is it a force, or person? It isn't clear if it was self-aware or not. Regardless, it is sometimes described as the power of creation,{{qa ref|727|45|The powers of Ruin and Preservation are Shards of Adonalsium, pieces of the power of creation itself.|date=Oct 16, 2008}} possibly a thing with incredible amounts of Investiture (since Investiture is a piece of Adonalsium{{qa ref|1086|3}}), and a power which does not vanish.{{qa ref|977|196|Why does Preservation fueling Allomancy not weaken Preservation compared to Ruin?|date=Sep 2012}}{{qa ref|1116|3|Investiture can not be created or destroyed|date=Mar 25th, 2015}}

Humans existed on worlds before this time,{{qa ref|1115|5|Were any of the central cosmere worlds inhabited by humans?|date=Jan 17th, 2015}} though how many is unknown. At the very least, the first humans were on [[Yolen]].{{qa ref|977|198|Where did humanity originate in the cosmere?|date=Sep 2012}} [[Hoid]] in particular is from Yolen.{{qa ref|622|135|He is a primary viewpoint protagonist of '''Dragonsteel'', but that happens before all of the other books|date=Aug 31st, 2011|interview=Reddit AMA 2011|asker=Eric}}{{qa ref|1086|11|Would that be Hoid?|date=Mar 4th, 2014}} All cosmere planets existed prior to the Shattering, and their names existed before the Shards got there.{{qa ref|700|3|Who names the planets?|date=May 31, 2011}}{{qa ref|718|4|Roshar's name predates the Shards' arrival|date=Nov 24, 2011}} Magic ([[Investiture]]) also existed prior to the Shattering, though its form was different.{{qa ref|977|51|Before Adonalsium was shattered, was there magic in the Cosmere and what form did it take?|date=Sept 2012}} The technology level of this society prior to the Shattering was less than present day Earth's.{{qa ref|988|20|What is the technology level of the singular society that existed when Adonalsium Shattered?|date=Dec 6th, 2012}}

Adonalsium split into sixteen pieces, referred to as Shards of Adonalsium, each taking a particular facet, or [[intent]], of the greater power of Adonalsium. Sixteen people took up those Shards, effectively ascending into godhood. Hoid and [[the Recipient]] knew these sixteen people prior to their Ascension, as they were familiar with their original names.{{epigraph ref|sa1|23}}{{epigraph ref|sa2|69}}{{epigraph ref|sa2|70}} Some of these individuals and the Shard they took up are: [[Aona]] ([[Devotion]]), [[Skai]] ([[Dominion]]), [[Ati]] ([[Ruin]]), [[Leras]] ([[Preservation]]), [[Tanavast]] ([[Honor]]), [[Rayse]] ([[Odium]]). Another individual who took up a Shard was [[Bavadin]], though their Shard is not known, and there is another Shard, [[Endowment]], whose holder is not known.

It turned out that, though the power of a Shard required a mind to control it, the specific [[intent]] of the Shard would slowly warp the mind of those that hold it.{{epigraph ref|sa1|18}}{{qa ref|944|8|Remember that holding a shard changes you, over time|date=March 2013}} It is not known whether the holders of the Shards knew this would be the case initially. Eventually, the people who took up the Shards would simply be referred to as their Shard's name, and referred to as Shards.

Endowment was the only Shard who traveled to [[Nalthis]].{{qa ref|428|59|The Voice is, indeed, one of the Shards of Adonalsium|date=Jul, 2009}}{{qa ref|689|25|There's just the one system in Warbreaker, and it's also a world with only one Shard on it|date=Nov 8th, 2011}} At some point during the history of Nalthis, Endowment began intentionally splitting its power, creating what are called Splinters,[[Splinter]]s. thatThese turnedSplinters intowere the [[divine Breath]], which made the [[Returned]].{{qa ref|428|59}}

Bavadin was the single Shard to travel to [[Taldain]].{{qa ref|622|78|Will we see Bavadin sometime?|date=2011-08-31}}{{qa ref|1076|18|He is the only shard on the planet|date=Mar 6th, 2014}}

Preservation attacked Ruin with his mental power--the distinct mind controlling the Shard's power, rather than the power itself. This would trap Ruin's mind, making him mostly impotent.{{epigraph ref|mb3|55}} However, it cost almost all of Preservation's mind. Preservation knew that the moment he did this attack, he would not be able to help life on Scadrial. Preservation saw the future, creating the [[Terris Prophecies]], to give hope to humanity, and to let humanity know that he had a plan in mind.{{annotationwob ref|mb3|chapter=818056}} He also altered [[Allomancy]] so that there would be [[atium]] (and [[malatium]]) Mistings,{{qa ref|428|82| So he took out the most unlikely (difficult to make and use) metals for his sign to his followers|date=July 2009}}{{17s ref|post|89033|They were designed and created specifically to do what they did|date=Jan 23, 2014}} and set up his power--the mists--to Snap those Allomancers.{{epigraph ref|mb3|81}} And with that, Preservation gave up his mind, imprisoning Ruin in the newly created [[Well of Ascension]].

At some point--perhaps before Odium's actions on Sel, or after--Honor and Cultivation went to [[Roshar]] together.{{qa ref|985|6|Were Cultivation and Honor romantically involved?|date=May 22nd, 2013}} Later, Odium went to the [[Greater Roshar]] system.{{qa ref|836|49|Is Odium native to Roshar?|date=Sep 22nd, 2012}} Before this, Odium did not settle on a specific planet, but on Roshar, he Invested his power, and his magics are felt there,{{17s ref|post|150659|Odium never really settled on a planet|date=June 10th, 2014}} and perhaps other worlds in the system. Devastating wars called the [[Desolation]]s were fought over Roshar, between Odium's [[Voidbringer]]s and Honor's [[Herald]]s and [[Knights Radiant]].{{book ref|sa1|42}} Cultivation's exact role in the Desolations is not clear, but Honor and Cultivation were a romantic item.{{qa ref|985|6|Were Cultivation and Honor romantically involved?|date=May 22nd, 2013}}

Odium eventually killed Honor, using the same method as he did with Devotion and Dominion.{{book ref|sa1|75}} However, Honor was crafty, and even though Honor perished, Odium was then trapped on the Greater Rosharan System.{{epigraph ref|sa2|69}} At some point, Odium ended up being on Braize, which he is currently located, prior to the [[True Desolation]].{{qa ref|1041|4|Odium's presence is felt on Roshar, but he is on Braize, the 3rd planet in the system|date=Aug 8th, 2013}} Cultivation, on the other hand, survived Odium, and is still alive.{{qa ref|985|5|Is Cultivation's holder still alive?|date=May 22nd, 2013}} Odium has not killed another Shard after this point.{{epigraph ref|sa2|70}}

Before Odium's confinement on Greater Roshar, at an some unknown time, he also killed another Shard in addition to Devotion, Dominion, and Honor.{{qa ref|1091|3|Odium has killed at least one more Shard than the ones we know about|date=Nov 29th, 2014}} There is also a [[Survival Shard|Shard who just wants to survive]], presumably against Odium's onslaught.{{17s ref|topic|2652|Give us the name of a Shard's intent we have not seen before|date=09Dec December9th, 2012}}

There is also [[Khriss]], a Worldhopper who is the most knowledgeable person in the cosmere, by far.{{qa ref|1069|16|Khriss is the most aware by a long shot|date=Mar 11th, 2014}} She writes all the Ars Arcanums,{{qa ref|988|10|Are they all written by the same person?|date=Dec 6th, 2012}}{{17s ref|topic|23181|He is kind of like a cosmere special agent, who gathers things for the person who is writing the Ars Arcanum|date=Feb 7th, 2015}} and as such, is a member of the Seventeenth Shard.{{qa ref|632|4|It's either Hoid or a member of the 17th Shard|date=Nov 11th, 2011}} She has an employee, [[Nazrilof|Nazh]], who, among other things, draws and annotates maps, and collects other things for Khriss.{{17s ref|post|167585|Khriss is Nazh's employer.|date=Aug 8th, 2014}}{{17s ref|topic|23181|He is kind of like a cosmere special agent, who gathers things for the person who is writing the Ars Arcanum|date=Feb 7th, 2015}} Their motivations--and exact relationship with the Seventeenth Shard--are not clear.

On Scadrial, the [[Well of Ascension]], that power that came from Preservation's mind, could be utilized by humanity. For much of Classical Scadrian history, a person called the [[Hero of Ages]] by the [[Terris Prophecies]] would take up the power and become a protector of mankind. They would live the rest of their lives blessing people with the power of Preservation, renewing Ruin's prison, and watch over the world.{{qa ref|727|43|What was Vin supposed to do at the end of Well of Ascension?|date=October, 2008}} The power did not vanish, instead returning every 1024 years.{{qa ref|691|3|The well refills every 1024 years|date=May, 2010}}

Ruin was keenly interested in the Well of Ascension. If he could get a person to hold the power there, but instead of utilize the power, release it, then the prison on Ruin's mind would vanish, and he would then be free to finally destroy the world.{{epigraph ref|mb3|46}} To do this, Ruin manipulated the Terris Prophecies over a long period of time. He made it so the Hero of Ages would include the "sacred piercings," actually [[Hemalurgy|Hemalurgic]] piercings, so he could influence the Hero.{{qa ref|727|30|Alendi's "Piercings of the Hero"?|date=Oct 16, 2008|asker=VegasDev}} More importantly, Ruin changed the Prophecies extensively so that the Well and the Hero's purpose was obscured.{{qa ref|727|43|What was Vin supposed to do at the end of Well of Ascension?|date=October,Oct 2008}} Now the Hero was supposed to take the Well's power and release it.

Ruin saw the Lord Ruler's poor use of the power and saw that the Lord Ruler would be an agent of spectacular destruction.{{book ref|mb3|63}} So, subtly, Ruin manipulated him to destroy. The Lord Ruler did do things to stymie Ruin, such as hiding [[atium]],{{book ref|mb3|71}} but Ruin's subtle manipulations took a toll on the man, and led to him subjugating his own people, among other atrocities. But as destructive as the Lord Ruler was, a thousand years later, the Well of Ascension was about to refill. The Lord Ruler planned to retake the Well's power,{{annotationwob ref|mb3|part=2|chapter=638006}} and Ruin would not have that happen.

Ruin could now directly affect the world, but the power of Preservation--in the form of the mists--still protected the planet.{{epigraph ref|mb3|58}} Ruin had been weakened since the Lord Ruler hid his essence, [[atium]], and so Ruin and Preservation were balanced again. Ruin could not find the atium personally, as he could not see metal, and the [[Steel Inquisitors]], had spikes in their eyes, and so had this same flaw. So, Ruin continued to use his pawn, Vin, along with Elend, to find the atium for him.{{annotationwob ref|mb3|part=2|chapter=638007}}

In those final days, the shadow of Preservation's mind that remained communicated with Elend, and then passed.{{book ref|mb3|55}} This had the potential to be a catastrophic event: when a Shard lacks a mind controlling it, and the power has no "release," it is incredibly dangerous, as happened on Sel when [[Odium]] destroyed [[Devotion]] and [[Dominion]].{{qa ref|944|7|Does Roshar have a similar problem, with Honor being Splintered?|date=March 2013|asker=Windrunner}} Fortunately, Kelsier, who had not passed on beyond the [[Realmatic Theory|Three Realms]], held onto Preservation's power for just a little longer, until Vin could take it up.{{qa ref|727|50|HeroYou may want to note that the moment Preservation dropped out and let the last of Ageshis Q&Aconsciousness -die, TWGsomeone was waiting in the Cognitive Realm to seize the power and hold on for a short period until Vin could take it up more fully.|date=Oct 17th, 2008-10-17}}

{{quote|Preservation could never destroy you! He could only protect. That's why he needed to create humankind. All along, Ruin, this was part of his plan!|[[Vin]] to [[Ruin]]{{book ref|mb3|81}}}}

Now under the control of one mind, Ruin and Preservation's power began to intermingle, and Sazed became known as [[Harmony]].{{qa ref|979|174|If Sazed were to die, would he drop the shards Ruin and Preservation, or would he drop the shard Harmony?|date=Apr 15th, 2013}} It is considered a single Shard, much like a king of two countries is still just one king.{{qa ref|642|10|Were Ruin and Preservation two shards or one?|date=Nov 21st, 2011}}

There is a distinct beginning, middle, and end to the cosmere sequence, and a clear sequence Brandon wants to tell.{{qa ref|1052|52|there's a beginning, middle, and end to the shattering of Adonalsium and the involvement there.|date=Mar 21st, 2014}} There's about 36 main cosmere books, and Brandon has three "core" cosmere series: [[Dragonsteel]], [[Mistborn (series)|Mistborn]], and [[the Stormlight Archive]],{{qa ref|1077|17|How many series in the cosmere?|date=Mar 7th, 2014}}{{qa ref|112|30|Is it safe to say The Stormlight Archive will become the backbone series of the story of the cosmere?|date=Apr 16th, 2014}} which are well-planned out.{{qa ref|622|120|How much of the Cosmere and its story would you say you already have a plan for?|date=Aug 21st., 2011}} Dragonsteel is the start of the cosmere sequence that will tell [[Hoid]]'s backstory{{qa ref|689|5|When will we see a Hoid book?|date=Nov 8th, 2011}} and, presumably, the Shattering of [[Adonalsium]]. Mistborn will have three big trilogies, its last one being science fiction, deals heavily with the cosmere{{qa ref|977|206|When will be see the whole Cosmere-concept (Shards, the plans of Hoid) at the level of the books?|date=Sep 2012}} and has travel between the different planets of the cosmere.{{qa ref|1076|8|Will you ever have characters use the different systems of magic openly in front of each other?|date=Mar 6th, 2014}} Stormlight Archive is set in the middle of the cosmere sequence.{{qa ref|988|4|What time period do they all fit in, do they all fit in time- at the same time?|date=Dec 6th, 2012}} Generally, the cosmere will not come into the forefront until Dragonsteel or the final Mistborn trilogy,{{qa ref|1076|7|Are you going to expand on the cosmere in its own book?|date=Mar 6th, 2014}} and the final Mistborn trilogy is one of the last cosmere series, if not the last. Brandon has said it will all fit together, and thinks we'll be impressed.{{qa ref|675|5|Do you ever feel stifled?|date=Nov 14th, 2011}}

One of the key easter eggs is [[Hoid]], a character who appears in each cosmere novel, is one such easter egg. It is not random where he is; Brandon has said that if Hoid appears in a place, that place is about to be very dangerous.{{qa ref|1044|6|What basic concepts regarding shards, magic systems and world hopping do you think are most important?|date=Mar, 24th, 2014}} Hoid is doing things behind the scenes, and at some point, we might have Hoid short stories explaining what is doing and why.{{qa ref|680|29|Will Hoid have a short story, novel or will we have to try and piece it together?|date=Jan 18th, 2010}}{{qa ref|622|135|When will we see a book that basically revolves around the concept of the Cosmere and the shard-travelers?|date=Aug 31st, 2011}} There are also other people who cross between worlds that eventually Brandon thinks will be much clearer later, once we see those characters more.{{qa ref|1078|5|Are there going to be other characters other than Hoid that will be crossing over between books?|date=Oct 14th, 2013}} But for now, they are easter eggs.

| [[The Bands of Mourning]]

*[[The Lost Metal]], the fourth and final Era 2 Mistborn novel.{{bws ref|state-of-the-sanderson-december-2014|State of the Sanderson: December 2014|date=Dec 18th, 2014-12-18}}

*[[The Silence Divine]], a novella{{bws ref|state-of-the-sanderson-december-2014|State of the Sanderson: December 2014|date=2014-12-18}} that will take place on [[Ashyn]],{{17s ref|post|62280|Q&A at Spokane Barnes & Noble|date=09 August 2013}} a planet on [[Greater Roshar]].

*[[Elantris sequel]] and [[Elantris finale]], the sequels to [[Elantris (book)|Elantris]]. These will be written in between the break of Stormlight 5 and Stormlight 6, and needs to be written before the next Mistborn trilogy can be written.{{bws ref|state-of-the-sanderson-december-2014|State of the Sanderson: December 2014|date=2014-12-18}}

*Era 3 Mistborn trilogy, the trilogy with Allomancy in a modern, 1980s technology level. This will be written in between the break of Stormlight 5 and Stormlight 6.{{bws ref|state-of-the-sanderson-december-2014|State of the Sanderson: December 2014|date=2014-12-18}}

*[[Dark One]], a young adult "series" that is centered on the individual destined to destroy the world, rather than save it.{{bws ref|state-of-the-sanderson-december-2014|State of the Sanderson: December 2014|date=2014-12-18}}

*[[Dragonsteel]], the origin story of [[Hoid]]. This will not be written until after the Stormlight Archive is finished.{{bws ref|state-of-the-sanderson-december-2014|State of the Sanderson: December 2014|date=2014-12-18}}

{{17s ref|post|42426|Physical structure of cosmere|date=Sep 28th, 2012-09-28|asker=Karkat Vantas}}

{{qa ref|718|8|Tell me something new about the cosmere|date=2011-11-Nov 24, 2011|asker=FireArcadia}}

{{tweet ref|22409638968295424|Are you going to cameo in the cosmere?|date=Jan 4th, 2011-01-04}}

|date=Nov 16th, 2013-11-16

{{Cosmere|cats=}}