Hint from Brandon

[Aether he/him]

"Expanse of the Broken Sky" could easily refer to Taldain as well. I am not sure if I am allowed to give up this titbit, as innocent as it is, so I hereby ask the Admins to edit it out if not:

The planet doesn't rotate around its axis, leaving one side perpetually shrouded in darkness (= Darkside) and one side perpetually shone upon by the sun (= Dayside). The sky is "broken" in a more permanent way than on Scadrial.

Edited January 10, 2014 by Aether

[The Count he/him]

I would definitely guess Scadrial for Densities and Vapours would be Nalthis.

 

Since we are in Shadesmar I was thinking about a cognitive analogue of the various magic vectors of the worlds.

 

Density is a property of matter, therefore Densities could well imply an area associated with different types of matter that are 'magically' significant. Therfore different metals, therefore Allomancy, therefore Scadrial.

 

Vapours implies gas, air, therefore Breath, therefore Nalthis (not so certain of this one...)

 

If this pattern were to hold, the Roshar would be in the Mists of ideals (maybe)

[Oudeis he/him]

I like your theory that the idea that it describes how the world looks in shadesmar.

 

Wow, you actually understood that? I was posting at like 1:30am my time.

[firstRainbowRose she/her]

Aether, I like the idea that broken sky refers to Taldain.

 

Also, please keep in mind that Brandon said "to the casual observer".  That prompted me to ask there at the signing if it was a published book, and he just kept on repeating it until I followed the logic through.  A casual observer would likely be someone who knows that the worlds are connected, but not do a lot of theorizing.  They also wouldn't have access to a ton of WoB details, nor any of the unpublished works.

 

So, by that logic it has to be Sel, Scadrial, Nathias, or Roshar.  (Yes, I know I can't spell).  It MIGHT be the world of Shadows for Silence, but I doubt it since even knowing that is cosmere is not something a casual observer would realize. 

[Aether he/him]

Ah, ok. My list was more intended to show the plethora of planets the other expanses was referring to anyway. So that means that "Expanses of Densities" has to refer to either Sel, Scadrial or Nalthis, given that the Rosharan Shadesmar probably wouldn't be connected to itself.

 

In that case, I think Sel or Scadrial are the best candidates, for the various reasons presented above.

[Morsk he/him]

Since we are in Shadesmar I was thinking about a cognitive analogue of the various magic vectors of the worlds.

 

Density is a property of matter, therefore Densities could well imply an area associated with different types of matter that are 'magically' significant. Therfore different metals, therefore Allomancy, therefore Scadrial.

I also think Densities is Scadrial for this reason. The Mists are iconic, but there's misty stuff on other worlds, like Breath and the white Stormlight that leaks out of Surgebinders. I see that as a cosmere thing not a planet thing. Scadrial has more because of Preservation's sacrifice, not because of the planet's nature. The planet's thing is that metal is power. Edited January 12, 2014 by Morsk

[Khmauv he/him]

Something stood out to me when I was thinking about how Scadrial would appear in Shadesmar. I recall reading that places where there is no intelligence will not be represented in Shadsmar. In other words if there is empty space between worlds, Shadesmar sees it as no distance between the worlds. I imagine this would result in a continuity jump in the appearance of the surroundings. If I misinterpreted this idea please stop reading and correct me.  

 

Now I realize things will have changed since Harmony was born but at least in the beginning of Mistborn life was only found on the north and south poles. So I am thinking to myself, "How would that appear in Shadesmar?" The North pole, a continuity shift, and then the South pole. Right?

 

I present to you "Expanse of the Broken Sky" 

[Oudeis he/him]

Something stood out to me when I was thinking about how Scadrial would appear in Shadesmar. I recall reading that places where there is no intelligence will not be represented in Shadsmar. In other words if there is empty space between worlds, Shadesmar sees it as no distance between the worlds. I imagine this would result in a continuity jump in the appearance of the surroundings. If I misinterpreted this idea please stop reading and correct me.  

 

Now I realize things will have changed since Harmony was born but at least in the beginning of Mistborn life was only found on the north and south poles. So I am thinking to myself, "How would that appear in Shadesmar?" The North pole, a continuity shift, and then the South pole. Right?

 

I present to you "Expanse of the Broken Sky" 

 

Not certain I'm convinced... but your reasoning is sound, and it's a fascinating theory.

[Aether he/him]

I do not find this entirely convincing, as it is more the area between the poles that would be diminished, not the sky itself. I still find it more likely for Taldain to be behind "the Expanse of the Broken Sky".

[Khmauv he/him]

I do not find this entirely convincing, as it is more the area between the poles that would be diminished, not the sky itself. I still find it more likely for Taldain to be behind "the Expanse of the Broken Sky".

I am not entirely sure how things are manifest in shadesmar but I imagine clouds in one pole and not on the other. that would stand out quite starkly in my mind. 

 

That being said, my gut does tell me that Scadrial is the Expanse of Densities. Though I can't justify it logically.

 

EDIT: For clarification...My minds says Scadrial is EoBS but my gut says it is EoD.

Edited January 21, 2014 by Khmauv

[Aether he/him]

EDIT: For clarification...My minds says Scadrial is EoBS but my gut says it is EoD.

Your body doesn't seem like it can agree with itself. Maybe you should try following your heart instead? 

[Awesomeness Summoned he/him]

EDIT: For clarification...My minds says Scadrial is EoBS but my gut says it is EoD.

 

Your body doesn't seem like it can agree with itself. Maybe you should try following your heart instead? 

As long as he only listens to things above the waste line, he shouldn't get into too much trouble.

[Khmauv he/him]

As long as he only listens to things above the waste line, he shouldn't get into too much trouble

I beg to differ. If I don't listen to my knees every once in a while that will CERTAINLY cause trouble.

 

EDIT: emphasis

Edited January 21, 2014 by Khmauv

[Aether he/him]

As long as he only listens to things above the waste line, he shouldn't get into too much trouble.

What about things just at the waste line? An ignored bladder can often prove troublesome.

[Two McMillion he/him]

I have the kindle edition of WoK and can't find this map in it. Could someone post an image?

[PorridgeBrick he/him]

http://static4.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20130603162623/stormlightarchive/images/e/ec/Shadesmar.jpg

Behold! The power of Google!

[Khmauv he/him]

My immediate thought is that the Expanse of Vapors refers to Mistborn's Scadrial due to the mists, which would mean the Expanse of Densities is either Elantris' Sel or Warbreaker's Nalthis. Neither makes any particular sense to me.

 

Frankly, Expanse of Densities could be Scadrial too.

 

For anyone who wants an image: http://stormlightarchive.wikia.com/wiki/Shadesmar

Moogle already did...

 

edit: and now I see that PorridgeBrick has also.

Edited January 22, 2014 by Khmauv

[Cromptj he/him]

Having read Aether of the Night, I think it's safe to say that it won't be published, at least, not in any recognisable form, because Brandon has used too many elements from it in other stories. Taldain has to be broken sky.

[Sart he/him]

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that the Expanse of the Densities corresponds to Sel, not Roshar. My theory is that the different magic systems are caused by population density, which explains the name of the expanse, and also how all of these different magic systems formed from two shards (Devotion and Dominion both deal with the formation of cities and nations).

In regards to the other expanses, the Expanse of Vibrance makes sense for Nalthis (The magic deals primarily with colors and sound, so the name fits). Scadrial makes the most sense for the Expanse of the Vapors because of the mists, but that one is shaky. I have no clue on the Expanse of the Broken Sky, so it might be for a book that isn't out yet.

Edited January 22, 2014 by a smart guy

[Aonar he/him]

@a smart guy: Ask and ye shall receive:
 
(source)
 

ROSHTAFARIAN
There's been enough speculation that an Elantrian world hopper appears in Way of Kings and that an Elantrian world hopper wrote the Ars Arcanum in Alloy of Law to make it likely that by the time of both books, at least some Elantrians can world hop. So my question is, at the time of Way of Kings, does Sel have the most cosmere-awareness out of any of your shardworlds (including ones we have not seen yet), or is there another Shardworld that's more aware of the greater cosmere at this time?

BRANDON SANDERSON
Sel is very cosmere aware at this point, but getting to and through Shadesmar (that's not the local term, by the way) is very difficult on Sel. That stunted them for a long while. They're still fairly far ahead.

(source)
 

PUCK
...
Instead of having him personalize it to me, I asked him to write a clue about the Cosmere in my worn copy of Elantris (it's my first Sanderson, and is literally falling apart; the cover is scotch taped on ).

BRANDON SANDERSON
He wrote "Do not go to Shadesmar on this world (really, I'm not kidding)" on the title page, then said to me "You guys can chew on that for a little while."

(source)
 

SUFFICIENTLYADVANCED
It says that it's dangerous to travel to Shadesmar on Sel. Why?

BRANDON SANDERSON

It has to do with the Dor and the lack of an entity controlling much of the power Odium left in his wake on Sel.
PHANTINE
Woah, that's interesting. I had no idea Odium left little bits of his power on Sel... I guess it kinda makes sense for evil monks to be powered by pure hate, though.
BRANDON SANDERSON
Odium did not leave his power behind, one should note. He left several other powers which are now, to a large extent, mindless...

Edit: Quote troubles.

 

To be a bit more on topic, I think Sel would most likely be the Expanse of Broken Sky because of how Devotion and Dominion's currently mindless powers must have affected shadesmar there. (from what people are saying, I'm wishing that I had some way to get my hands of White Sand so I could know for sure.)

 

Nalthis makes the most sense as the Expanse of Vibrance, but I have no idea on the other two.

Edited January 22, 2014 by AonarFaileas

[Moogle]

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that the Expanse of the Densities corresponds to Sel, not Roshar. My theory is that the different magic systems are caused by population density, which explains the name of the expanse, and also how all of these different magic systems formed from two shards (Devotion and Dominion both deal with the formation of cities and nations).

 

This makes sense to me. I'm not very sure that it's correct, but it would make sense. I like it.

[Sart he/him]

I deleted my wild speculation on why traveling to Sel was difficult. The WoB about excess power causing craziness in their Cognitive Realm makes a lot more sense, and somewhat explains why traveling in Shadesmar (of Roshar) has been more dangerous recently (since Honor is dead, and Cultivation is under siege by Odium). Still, I think the first part of my theory stands. We'll probably have to ask Brandon to settle this debate.

[dyring]

I think your all going to far trying to put names to all of them.

 

Brandon pointed at the expance of densitys in a special way. I think the other three are worlds that we have not seen major books about.

(yes, Iv seen some other thought the same,a bout Taldain and such )

 

Why I think this? What is close in the real world is likely to some degree closer in shadesmar aswell. Thus, the other two planets in the Roshar system is likely two of the expances shown.

[Voidus]

I'd have to throw in that Sel is the EoD, the pressure of the Dor just seems like such a good connection to density for me, it was the first thing I thought of when I saw the map of Shadesmar.

[Oudeis he/him]

I'd have to throw in that Sel is the EoD, the pressure of the Dor just seems like such a good connection to density for me, it was the first thing I thought of when I saw the map of Shadesmar.

 

This raises an interesting point, actually... who named it the Expanse of Densities? And when? Sel was presumably not difficult to travel in before Devotion and Dominion Splintered. Does this name refer to what it looks like now, or what it looked like before? And to who? Hoid? Another worldhopper? Is it the word the Shards themselves use?

 

If Densities is the word that the Shards know it by... perhaps it refers, then, to which Shard settled on that world? Do any of the Shard names so far sound especially "dense" to anyone?