Includes SPOILERS for The Stormlight Archive through Wind and Truth, Mistborn eras 1 and 2, and other standalone Cosmere novels.The Stormlight Archive book 5, Wind and Truthbrings several references to other Cosmere characters. The Cosmere book universe is one of the most exciting worlds in contemporary fantasy, but It can be a huge challenge to navigate the growing number of connections between Brandon Sanderson's projects. Especially for those who only read The Stormlight Archivethe numerous mentions of the character in Wind and Truth may have left feelings of confusion. The author is deliberate in his references, but they can still be somewhat vague.
Not only does Wind and Truth mention characters who originated in other stories, but the book series also includes several Worldhoppers, most notably Wit. There are some characters in the series who have traveled to Roshar from other worlds, although they are first mentioned in The Stormlight Archive books. For example, Axindweth is a Feruchemist, presumably from Scadrial, but her first appearance was in Rhythm of War instead of Born from the mists series. Similarly, Iyatil was first mentioned in Bright words. Characters first introduced in The Stormlight Archive will not be included.
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Hoid
The Cosmere's best-known Worldhopper
Hoid is the most apparent Worldhopper appearing in virtually every Cosmere story, although he passes through Wit in The Stormlight Archive. He originates from the planet Yolen, which will be the main location of Brandon Sanderson's plan. Dragonsteel series. Hoid arrived at Roshar along with the would-be Heralds long before Stormlight Archive timeline, passing through a portal from the doomed planet, Ashyn. As Wit, Hoid maintained his position as an ally of Dalinar and the humans of Roshar, helping with advice and perspective, though never directly intervening in any conflict.
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Thaidakar
From Mistborn Era 1
One of the biggest revelations The Stormlight Archive book 4 was that Thaidakar, the leader of the Ghostbloods, was actually Kelsier from Born from the mists trilogy. After dying in The Final EmpireKelsier is reborn in the soap opera Mistborn: Secret Historyand he became an immortal being manipulating events across the Cosmere. His main objective on Roshar was to transport Stormlight back to Scadrial as a form of Investiture, although his main agents, Mraize and Iyatil, were killed by Shallan in Wind and Truth. Kelsier will likely be seen in the next Mistborn: Ghostblood trilogy.
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Sazed
From Mistborn Era 1
Too early in Wind and TruthWit names one of the main characters of the original Born from the mists trilogy: Sazed. Since then, Sazed has become Harmony, the combination of Shards Ruin and Preservationmaking him the god that hovers over Scadrial. However, the reference in The Stormlight Archive considers his life mortal, with Wit praising him as a “man who lost all the beliefs he thought he had and then started again.” This refers to Sazed's arc in The Hero of All Agesfollowing Tindwyl's death and his rise to become the titular hero.
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Vin
From Mistborn Era 1
Vin is not mentioned by name in Wind and Truthbut her plot is referenced by Wit, and she's such an iconic character that she's worth noting. Wit refers to Vin as the only mortal he has ever seen giving up the power of a Shardreferring to his opportunity to assume the power of Preservation at the end of The Well of Ascension. By not taking power, she released Ruin into the world. Importantly, Wit says this to Dalinar, foreshadowing his choice to give up Honor's power in Wind and Truth end. Read Wit's full quote below:
“It wasn't a complete Ascension, but a mortal gave up power once. It proved to be the wrong choice, but it was the most selfless thing I believe I've ever witnessed.”
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Ruin
From Mistborn Era 1
Ruin is one of Scadrial's Shards, who ends up being the original's greatest antagonist. Born from the mists trilogy. The power of Ruin is currently held by Sazed, held in balance with the power of Preservation. However, The chapters of Tanavast on the 9th of Wind and Truth references the original ship, Ati, describing it as “perhaps the kindest among us, who bravely took on the Ruin.” He also describes Ati as one of “strong” referring to how Tanavast viewed Ati as a mortal. It's fascinating how each of the ships described in this chapter has a counterintuitive personality in relation to its Shard.
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Preservation
From Mistborn Era 1
Preservation is another Fragment of Scadrial, held by Kelsier and Vin for brief periods of time before Sazed takes its power. Preservation is mentioned in Wind and Truth in the same paragraph as Ruin, with Tanavast describing his original ship, Leras. He states that Leras “I've always had such a strong nature“, listing it among the ships that, in their mortal lives on Yolen, were considered the “heroes” by Tanavast. Similarly to Ati with Ruin, Leras' described nature is notably opposite to that of her Shard.
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Demoux
From Mistborn Era 1
Demoux is another character readers may remember from the original Born from the mists trilogy who became a devoted follower of Kelsier and later a general in Elend's army. He survived the Final Ascension and went on to join the Seventeenth Fragment, a mysterious organization that exists throughout the Cosmere. He appears in Wind and Truth Interlude 11, alongside Galladon and Baon, other characters from Cosmere, on their mission to look for Hoid.
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Ulanã
From Mistborn Era 2 and Tress Of The Emerald Sea
Ulaam appears at the end of Wind and Truth when Wit is electrocuted by Retribution, appearing again in Scadrial. Ulaam is a Kandra who first appears in the Born from the mists romance The Lost Metal but then appears most prominently in Emerald Sea Treeone of Brandon Sanderson's secret projects. Ulaam has a cell culture for Wit, which would keep him alive if his body were destroyed, allowing Wit to reform him from the cell.
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Dlavil
From Mistborn Era 2
When Shallan discusses Iyatil's fate with Thaidakar, he expresses that he will have to inform Iyatil's brother, creating future conflict.
Dlavil is a character introduced in The Lost Metal as a member of the Ghostbloods. Like his sister, Iyatil, he hails from the Cognitive Realm city known as Silverlight, but is descended from South Scadrian, a region explored in Born from the mists era 2. He only appears briefly, but proves to be ruthless, which makes everything even more ominous when he is mentioned in Wind and Truth. When Shallan discusses Iyatil's fate with Thaidakar, he expresses that he will have to inform Iyatil's brother, creating future conflict between Dlavil and Shallan.
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Galladon
From Elantris
Galladon is one of the characters in the book Elantristhe first novel published by Brandon Sanderson. As an Elantrian, Galladon is from the planet Sel and has since joined the Seventeenth Fragment. It is mentioned in Wind and Truth that Galladon has silver skin. This is due to a process called Shaod, which occurs in Sel and turns people into Elantrians. Importantly, he and his companions decide to leave Roshar after failing to find Hoid in Interlude 11.
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Baon
From the white sand
Baon is another character from the Seventeenth Fragment who appears in Wind and Truth Interlude 11, and the characters he interacts with mistake him for Herald Nale. He comes from the comic strip Cosmere White Sandwhich takes place on the planet Taldain. He was a soldier who could use the sandbending, magic system, and Investiture form on White Sandand he previously appeared in Interlude 1 of The Way of Kings with Galladon and Demoux.
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Donation
From War Breaker
The endowment and its ship, Edgli, are mentioned by Tanavast in chapter 115, and he describes it as “the most compassionate woman I have ever met.” Endowment is the only fragment on the planet Nalthis from the Cosmere standalone novel Warbreaker. This is also the planet where Zahel, formerly known as Vasher, and the sword Nightblood come from. Unlike other Shards, Endowment is not a major character in the Warbreaker romance, although sometimes she is involved indirectly.
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Autonomy
From White Sand, Sixth Of The Dusk and Mistborn Era 2
Bavadin, the ship of Autonomy, is described by Tanavast in chapter 115 as “cunning and capable.” Autonomy is the Fragment in Taldain of White Sand comic books, although their influence is noted in Born from the mists era 2, where he begins an attack against Scadrial. In the series, Autonomy uses Wax's sister Telsin Ladrian as its avatar, leading the organization known as Set to overthrow Scadrian society on Elendel.
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Devotion and Dominion
From Elantris
Devotion and Dominion are the Fragments of Sel and are grouped together as they are mentioned together in Wind and Truth. Their ships respectively Aona and Skai were killed by Odium, who “drew them into conflict with each other and finished them off when they were weak.” Importantly, her powers were then pushed into the Cognitive Realm of Sel to prevent anyone from adopting them. This created the Dor, an Investiture force that creates the various magical systems of Sel and makes the planet a challenge to the world. Wit explains the concept to Dalinar in chapter 21, saying:
“In another, the god's power has been stuffed into a metaphorical closet – packed away in Shadesmar, left to rot.”
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Ambition
From shadows to silence in the forests of hell
In Tanavast's POV chapters, Rayse explains that he killed Uli Da, the ship of Ambition, saying, “You knew ambition would be a problem.” In The Stormlight Archive Book 5, Chapter 147, it is also mentioned that Ambition's death resulted in the destruction of several worlds. After the Shattering, Ambition and Odium fought near the planet Threnody, which is the location of the novel Shadows for Silence in the Forests of Hell. The remains of Ambition's destruction distorted the planet and its people, creating the basis for this story.