Questioner
Thanks for the answer, not sure if you do follow-ups, but Northstrider very clearly wants a 'subordinate' mind, is Dross suborindate to Lindon? Or a partner? What if Lindon wants to do something Dross doesn't want to do.
I guess that might too detailed... is Dross what Northstrider wants in terms of independence i guess is my question
Will Wight
Northstrider thinks of a Presence as something like an extra mini-brain, which is not entirely right. A Presence is more like a committee of experts inside your head that speak with one voice. In Dross’ case, there’s one dominant personality speaking for that committee. Dross and Lindon could disagree, and Lindon might lose the benefits of having Dross around, but Lindon could also kill Dross. Plus, Dross still has his essential nature as a memory construct; he doesn’t really mind doing what he was built for.
The Last Reader
When will Lindon get a drudge?
Will Wight
When he builds one.
Windrunner
Was wondering a bit about Dross and Northstrider, I've read the WoW and we were discussing it last night. I know you've said that Northstrider would think Dross was a failure because he doesn't have the depth of information as a Abidan presence, but I was also wondering if Dross is a bit more aware/independent than Northstrider would like/how the Abidan Presences are
Like Suriel's keeps giving distance units to various places, even when clear context would say not to do that, until she tells it to stop.
Will Wight
We’ll get more into the nature of Presences as the series progresses, but basically they’re each very individual. Suriel’s is very different from Makiel’s in both specialty and personality, etc.
TransEmo
Cradle map as some point? I love having visual maps to help localise where everything is in relation to each other.
Will Wight
I might be persuaded to do it someday, but I don’t like maps and I don’t like making maps. I have a map for my own reference.
I would give everyone in this channel $100 and a crystallized drop of my blood if I released a map and didn’t get a slew of complaints like “But this region seems like it should be farther away,” and “There’s no way the weather would be like this there,” “Those don’t look like natural rivers,” “Why don’t the roads have a more logical layout,” and so on and so forth. Drives me crazy, and I don’t want to deal with it, so no maps.
Sancus
You could publish the map as drawn by some character who is explicitly mentioned as really bad at maps and without any sense of direction.
Will Wight
I tried something like that with Traveler’s Gate, and still got a ton of the very nitpicking I was trying to avoid.
So NO MAPS! I’m hearing that in the voice of Edna from the Incredibles. “No capes!”
Kalani
Is Dross's "physical" form just an illusion of dream madra or can it interact with other objects like dream tablets? And if it can interact with other physical things, can other people somehow capture him if he strays too far from Lindon?
Will Wight
Dross’ physical form is now a projection that can’t move far from Lindon. He can interact with small or light physical objects, but if he were to be captured and taken away, he would dissolve and be reborn from the seed inside Lindon. Although it might hurt him, he couldn’t be stolen.
The Last Reader
So will Lindon go back to SV a freshly minted Underlord or even more powerful then that
Will Wight
You know I can't answer that. We all know.
Your Benevolent Dictator
And could a pocket world like Ghostwater be used like a territory in TG
Will Wight
Why yes, yes it could.
Your Benevolent Dictator
What was your favorite reference in Ghostwater?
Will Wight
I don't know, that's a good question. Frankly, I'm not sure how many of them I can admit to.
Greg
Do Sages ever become Heralds?
Will Wight
Yes, however... [meta answer warning] ...I might change my mind on that.
Kazology
Did Yerin get another sword arm when she advanced? I didn't see any explicit mention of it one way or another.
Will Wight
No.
Terrible
What is the history of the Broken Star path (its techniques and their function, madra composition, formation of the Jai clan, etc)
Will Wight
I'm not going to answer that here, mainly because it would be too much effort right now, and I need some time off. But there's been enough interest in the Broken Star that I'll probably do a proper exploration of the Path at some point.
Terrible
How would someone go about healing Ziel, Lord of Depression? Would they have to get rid of all the toxic aura in his body first?
Will Wight
Can't comment on that
Decadakon
Did dross just make more ghostwater in the end by mixing all three vials together and ghostwater or was that supposed to be a different substance all together?
Will Wight
That process in the end is just how you make more ghostwater.
Questioner
Will, why do none of your books still not have the number nineteen in them? I'm beginning to think @Hjorth may be onto something...
Will Wight
Question not the greatest number, the holy number, the number before which all lesser digits must bow.
Questioner
If Orthos was a Pokémon what type(s)would he be???
Will Wight
Fire / Dragon, hands down.
Questioner
How soon should we be expecting the return of Harmony? Or is that too spoilery?
Will Wight
Never, he's dead.
Questioner
In how much detail have you outlined the future of the cradle series, and possibly travellers gate series if that is to continue?
Will Wight
I've outlined a lot of the key events and players in Cradle, but idk when or how I'm going to get to them. Traveler's Blade I just have a bunch of ideas, very little of which I would call an outline.
FifthDreadgodLindiego
Was there any specific reason why Northstrider denied Harmony’s pleas for salvation from the collapsing Ghostwater, such as having seen a desire for vengeance in Harmony, or something to that effect, or did Northstrider just not care enough to save him?
Will Wight
Nope, he just didn't care. I initially had him not acknowledging Harmony at all, just walking in and walking out, but then readers were confused about whether Harmony survived or not.Also, I thought the "No." was funny.
Tievel
Is Lindon left-handed or right-handed?
Will Wight
Right-handed, unfortunately.
Questioner
So, is Dross Lindon's Presence, now? Can Dross change "hosts"?
Will Wight
Dross is now tied to Lindon. And effectively yes, he is a baby Presence.