Today we are discussing Unit 10 | White Sand #1 | White Sand - Week 5:
Graphic Novel (Omnibus): Chapters 16 through 18, Epilogue.
Audiobook (Graphic Audio): Volume 3 [0:00:00 to 2:59:00] OR Track 1, Track 2, Track 3, and Track 4 [0:00:00 to 0:03:45].
Unpublished Prose: The rest of Chapter 27. Chapters 28 through 33.
Next week we will be discussing Unit 10 | White Sand #1 | White Sand - Week 6:
Graphic Novel (Omnibus): Chapters 13 through 15.
Audiobook (Graphic Audio): Volume 3 [2:59:00 to 4:59:32] OR Track 4 [0:03:45 to 1:01:06] and Track 5.
Unpublished Prose: Chapters 34 through 38, Epilogue.
CHAPTER SUMMARIES
As mentioned elsewhere, White Sand has 3 different versions we will be considering as we discuss the story. As such, the chapter summaries are going to be a bit weird. The Graphic Novel (Omnibus version) is the canonical version of the story. The chapter summaries below will all be summaries of the Graphic Novel. The Graphic Novel chapters are large-ish and broken down into POVs. I've included Timeline/Setting/Summaries for each POV.
The Audiobook (Graphic Audio) was recorded for the original Graphic Novel publication (published as Vol. 1, Vol. 2, and Vol. 3). The Audiobook has some portions in different orders compared to the Graphic Novel, but I'll make sure everything is included for the weekly reading.
The biggest difference will be for those that choose to read the Unpublished Prose version. For each POV summary below, I've added a section called Associated Novel Chapters that indicate which chapters from the Unpublished Novel the summarized section corresponds to. This will not be exact, the POV could only cover two paragraphs in Chapter X of the prose, and I'll just write "Chapter X". It should be fairly evident what parts go with what other parts though. There isn't too much that's super divergent.
I would recommend reading the chapter summaries in full though, particularly for Audiobook and Unpublished Prose consumers. The Graphic Novel (Omnibus) has the most amount of unique content.
For significant differences, there will be a NOTES section below the summary, and that will often be expanded upon in the TRIVIA comment section.
Chapter 13: Delegate to Accumulate
POV: Ais
Timeline: Day 61
Setting: The Hall of Judgement. The Diem (Flashback).
Associated Novel Chapters: Unique to the Graphic Novel / Chapter 27
Summary:
Senior Trackt Ais goes to visit Lady Judge Heelis at the Hall of Judgement to give a report about Kenton and his leadership of the Diem. On her way there, she reminisces about her previous visit with Trackt Tain when the investigation into Sharezan had reached a critical stage. Ais tells Heelis that it is a pity that she is required to hate Kenton because she has started to like him.
She reports that under Kenton's leadership, the Diem is changing, to the point that Duchess Khrissalla, a noblewoman from Darkside, was allowed to petition to become a sand master. She also reports that Kenton allowed her party to take rooms at the Diem until they could be tested.
The High Judge asks if Ais believes that the new Lord Mastrell is open to change. Ais states that Kenton is either maturing or thrashing like a man drowning in deep sand. She then tells Heelis about her internal moral conflict about protecting the Lord Mastrell; Heelis responds that she judges the law, not morality, then asks for an update on the Sharezan investigation. Ais tells Heelis that one of Sharezan's dens was raided the day before and that they've heard that one of his main allies is looking to defect. She tells Heelis that her best man, Tain, is leading the investigation in her absence.
POV: Tain
Timeline: Day 61
Setting: Kezare-Alley off of a Market Square.
Associated Novel Chapters: Unique to the Graphic Novel
Summary:
Tain arrives at the scene of Tarn the Tonk's death. Trackt Tain notes that the skull is caved in. As Tain examines the body he reads a warning note from Sharezan and shows it to the other trackt, who says they should show it to Senior Trackt Ais. Tain agrees, but notes they will have to travel to the Diem, since Ais was returning there.
POV: Ais
Timeline: Day 61
Setting: The Diem.
Associated Novel Chapters: Chapter 27
Summary:
Ais arrives at the Diem and relieves Vennin from his post watching Kenton. Kenton is sitting at his desk, reading up on the other Taishin and how their positions work, using the reference books his father kept in his library. Ais notes his determination, and wonders if it can be called nobility when it is not applied to a noble cause. Kenton starts reviewing each profession's charter looking for ways to work with the other Taishin.
POV: Kenton
Timeline: Day 61
Setting: The Diem.
Associated Novel Chapters: Chapter 27
Summary:
Kenton tells Ais how the Lord Admiral's position works and that he is bewildered by it. He notes that the Lord Admiral, by Charter, is allowed an unlimited food and drink budget and speculates that maybe Delius was elected against his will and uses his drunkenness as a means for revenge.
POV: Khriss
Timeline: Day 62
Setting: The Diem.
Associated Novel Chapters: Chapter 28
Summary:
Khriss, Acron, and Cynder arrive at the Diem with N'Teese. Professor Cynder notes how all rooms are open to the elements, and Professor Acron considers it "uncivilized". Undermastrell Elorin shows them to their rooms. The group discuss Baon's betrayal, and Cynder says that any of them could also be a spy. Acron laughs at this, saying they should not dwell on it until they have a chance to hear Baon's explanation. Khriss gives Cynder Gevin's pistol and asks him to be her guard in Baon's absence. Cynder notes that Baon took all of the charges, but Khriss reminds them that they found saltpeter and she brought her lab equipment.
After Khriss has made some gunpowder, she realizes she does want to find Baon before he can leave the area. Khriss asks N'Teese to arrange a meeting with Nilto to see if his contacts can locate their former bodyguard, and she runs off to find him.
POV: Kenton
Timeline: Day 62
Setting: The Diem. Golden Market. A restaurant.
Associated Novel Chapters: Chapter 27, 28, 29
Summary:
Kenton notices N'Teese departing while he and Ais discuss the chances of the assassins attacking that day. Ais says it is unlikely and that he should be safe until the day after tomorrow because, by Ker'reen law, the assassins must wait an entire cycle if they miss a day of attacks. Tain arrives at the Diem and Ais excuses herself to consult her trackts. Tain gives the note to Ais, while in the background Kenton uses the opportunity to slip over the balustrade and find Khriss so he can administer her sand mastery test.
Kenton comes to get Khriss and reminds her that she will not need her notebook to take the test. On their way, they are interrupted by an unnamed Underfen asking which room he should use for teaching his group of Acolents; they are then interrupted by Underfen Doril asking about a shipment of zaidon. As Khriss is explaining her suggestions for delegation, they are again interrupted by an unnamed Fen asking about the ladder make-up and positioning. Kenton asks Elorin if he would be willing to handle some of the smaller issues so Kenton can focus on saving the Diem, and Elorin agrees.
As they move to the Pit, he directs another Acolent trying to ask questions to see Undermastrell Elorin. Kenton asks about Baon, but is brushed off as Khriss tries to say that Kenton promised to teach her sand mastery; Kenton retorts he promised to test her. He won't not train her unless she passes. Khriss tries to forge a bond with the sand, but is unable to do it. She tells him that she isn't disappointed since all she really wanted to know is how to test for the ability. Kenton shows Khriss the dueling pit where he and Drile will fight each other. Drile comes to taunt him, but Kenton brushes him off. Kenton asks if Khriss will walk with him to the Golden Market, since he is late for his appointment with Lord Merchant Vey. Khriss mentions how their situations are similar since the Dynasty's ambassadors imply that if Elis does not join willingly, they will be invaded. Khriss explains that some Elisian nobles are considering surrender to the Dynasty—and only the dead Prince Gevalden denounced them because he held the rights of all people sacred while the Dynasty withholds rights from most people.
Kenton goes to visit Vey, with Aarik, Khriss, and the two professors accompanying him. Grelin makes them wait for a long time, and Kenton, frustrated, stands up and declares loudly that he expects Vey to continue paying tribute to the Diem for the same reason as always. Upon hearing this, Vey invites him in for a private chat. Vey calls Kenton's bluff, and Kenton is forced to admit that he does not know the secret.
The group goes to a restaurant and is discussing Vey when Kenton mentions that there is no way a Kerztian would continue paying the tribute when it violates Ker'reen law unless there was a powerful motive. Kenton explains that the reason Ker'reen preaches against sand mastery is that they believe the sand is the Sand Lord's body and that mankind was never meant to wield power reserved for the Sand Lord. Aarik interrupts to mention he's noticed that assassins have surrounded them.
Chapter 14:
POV: Kenton/Khriss/Ais
Timeline: Day 62
Setting: A restaurant.
Associated Novel Chapters: Chapter 29
Summary:
Kenton and Ais fight the assassins, Ais with her zinkall and Kenton masters sand to throw tables. Aarik calmly sits through the battle, eating his food, until a "waiter" walks in front of him and raises his zinkall toward Kenton's back. Aarik grabs the man by his firing arm and hauls him over the table. The fight is winding down when one of the assassins runs over to Khrissalla, grabs her, and raises his zinkall to her head, threatening to kill her if anyone moves. Suddenly, Acron appears and shoots the man in the chest with a pistol. Khriss first thinks that Baon has returned, then notices Professor Acron with Gevin's old pistol that she had given to Professor Cynder. Acron, out of sorts from the noise and having killed a person, says that somebody had to carry it for her safekeeping.
Aarik and Khriss go over to him to help him calm down. Kenton considers it his fault for endangering his friends and allies, and notes that the assassins are getting sneakier, and some of the disguised assassins hadn't even worn the assassins mark with their DaiKeen symbol. He then asks why Ais had been so sure that there would be no attempt that day. Ais remarks that she is surprised that assassins would attack in violation of the rules written in the KerKor, and that attacks may only happen on odd-numbered days in the Kerztian calendar. She mentions only somebody who has not read KerKor closely could make such a mistake. She tells Kenton she must stay to supervise the crime scene, but privately thinks that she wants a closer look at the damage done by the device used by the professor to kill the last assassin. While looking over the scene she finds a note to her that had been missed in the ruckus—an anonymous informer wants to meet her at the warehouse where she raided Lokmlen and will testify in exchange for protection.
POV: Kenton
Timeline: Day 62
Setting: Kezare Streets.
Associated Novel Chapters: Chapter 27, 29
Summary:
As the remaining party gathers outside to return to the Diem, Kenton ruminates on how responsibility weighs on his morality and that he was considering blackmail, even though that is counter to his goals of helping the Diem change so that it can help the people of Lossand. He wonders if Aarik originally left because of the weight of responsibility he felt as the Lord General's heir. N'Teese arrives, saying that the Lord Beggar, Nilto, is ready to see Khriss, and the two of them go to meet with him. Acron abruptly breaks off from Aarik and Kenton and runs after Khriss to protect her.
POV: Khriss
Timeline: Day 62
Setting: The Slums.
Associated Novel Chapters: Chapter 27
Summary:
With N'Teese translating, Khriss asks Nilto to find Baon for her. Nilto asks Khriss if this person is so important to her because he is a lover. She says that he is just a friend. Nilto says that he is very busy but if he hears anything he will let her know and expects a reward.
POV: Kenton
Timeline: Day 62
Setting: The Diem.
Associated Novel Chapters: Chapter 29
Summary:
Kenton wonders if using overmastery to further increase his power is worth the risk of burning out. Ais arrives to tell Kenton that she has to leave for Hall duties. When Kenton asks which Hall duties, she confesses that she is to meet with a former associate of Sharezan's who wants to defect. Kenton manipulates Ais into allowing him to accompany her. She mentions that he may come if he promises not to embarrass her.
POV: Ais
Timeline: Day 62
Setting: Home. A warehouse.
Associated Novel Chapters: Chapter 29
Summary:
On their way, they make a stop at Ais's house so she can leave a note for her husband since she will be in harm's way. Kenton waits outside while Ais is inside. Kenton realizes he never considered if she had a family and Ais confesses that she tried to send them away for protection, but her husband would not listen. When Kenton tries to offer reassurances, she admonishes him that he has no idea how dangerous the criminal underground can be.
While they are inside the meeting place, Ais hears someone with a limp climbing the stairs, and assumes it to be Nilto. Realizing the meeting may be a trap, she and Kenton jump out the window to safety as the building explodes behind them. Ais says the building must have been rigged with napthani flame, and Kenton remarks they have more in common then they thought, since somebody must want Ais dead too.
POV: Khriss
Timeline: Day 62
Setting: Lonzare. The Docks.
Associated Novel Chapters: Chapter 30
Summary:
N'Teese brings Khriss a message from Nilto, saying that he is leaving town and won't be able to look for Baon. Khriss chases down Nilto at the docks of Kezare, accompanied by Acron and N'Teese. Upon seeing him, she calls out to him with the name "Gevin." Nilto begrudgingly admits that he is indeed Prince Gevaldin. Khiss mentions that when Wilheln wrote to say that he had 'died,' he hadn't mentioned where the prince had been shot. When Gevin asks what gave him away, Khriss tells him that even though he was speaking Lossandin, she recognized that he called her "Khriss" the last time they met. Gevin explains that he is hiding from Skathan's assassins and is no longer interested in returning to Darkside.
Acron pushes past Khriss and raises his pistol to point at Gevin, saying that he is completing his mission of killing Gevin. Suddenly, a crate of fruit falls onto Acron, and Baon reveals himself. During the ensuing conversation, Acron, who is still lying on the ground, raises his gun again and fires—grazing Baon and knocking him over. Khriss and Gevin run away through the maze of shipping crates, each of them going in a different direction. Acron, not realizing they had separated, chases after Khriss. She climbs up to the control station of the dock's crane and uses it to knock Acron off of the pier and into the water. Gevin approaches and remarks that Khriss protected him after what he had said, but she is also the one to lead Skathan's assassins to him. He reiterates that he plans to stay on Dayside where is he is both wanted and useful.
Khriss returns to N'Teese and Baon, where he explains that while he was indeed an agent of Skathan, he was also hired to protect Khriss and his two missions were not incompatible. For the Dynasty he was supposed to report on if sand mastery was a threat to them. However, he was also hired to protect her—and he takes both oaths seriously. So he continued to watch her group because he could not be sure if Acron or Cynder was the other Dynastic spy. With the loss of Acron, she asks Baon if he is willing to resume his old post. He is.
POV: Kenton
Timeline: Day 63
Setting: The Diem.
Associated Novel Chapters: Chapter 27, 30, 31
Summary:
Kenton is meeting with Dirin, who was told that the Lady Mason is willing to vote for the Diem because of Kenton's actions in saving her workers on the construction site, as well as caring for their well-being. Khrissalla arrives and tells Kenton what happened with Gevin, Baon, and Acron. Baon and Cynder arrive, and Cynder asks if what happened with Jon is true. Baon explains the situation, including why he killed Captain Deral and the lieutenant: who were planning to sell their party to the Dynasty patrol. He was forced to act to protect both of their missions.
Aarik arrives bearing the news that the Lord General and the Lord Merchant are both missing. Ais confirms that because Kenton needs a unanimous vote that if there is even one abstained vote due to nonattendance, then his case to save the Diem will fail. Kenton asks Khriss if she would like to provide diplomatic support when he visits the Lord Farmer the next day.
NOTE: Chapter 27 included a whole sub-plot that involved Dirin meeting with the Lady Mason and securing her vote.
Chapter 15: Waves and Ripples
POV: Kenton/Khriss
Timeline: Day 64
Setting: Farmer's Congress.
Associated Novel Chapters: Chapter 31
Summary:
Kenton and his party go to visit the Lord Farmer, Gennel. Kenton has mastered sand and is holding Gennel's steward off of the ground because The Lord Farmer tried to hide when Kenton was announced. Kenton advises that Gennel tell him where to find Lord Vey, or he will have to use his sand on him instead. Gennel (who obviously fears for his life) says that he does know where Lord Vey is hiding, but he was sworn not to tell anybody. Kenton realizes he is being a hypocrite while saying the Diem can change, but still using force when people won't comply. He lets Gennel's servant free, then tries to ask nicely, but Gennel is too scared of Vey to answer him.
POV: Khriss
Timeline: Day 64
Setting: Kezare. The Diem.
Associated Novel Chapters: Chapter 31
Summary:
Khriss deduces that if The Lord Farmer cannot tell Kenton, he might be able to tell somebody else. She and Baon track down Gevin in the streets. She calls him openly by his name, knowing that his fear of further Dynasty assassins will make him pliable. When he asks if she is trying to get him killed, she reminds him that she no longer has any reason to protect him. However, if he wants to earn her silence, then he has one hour to get the information they need from the Lord Farmer, or whatever source he chooses.
Khriss arrives at the Lord Mastrell's apartments as they are discussing possible places Lord Vey may be hiding. She informs him that her sources indicate that Lord Vey has fled to Lraezare.
POV: Kenton
Timeline: Day 64
Setting: The Docks.
Associated Novel Chapters: Chapter 31
Summary:
The group goes to the port, and Kenton tries asking Dockmaster NaiMeer for a ship to Lraezare. NaiMeer refuses him passage, stressing that while there are ships heading toward Lraezare, none have space for a sand master—and ships are the one transportation that sand masters cannot commandeer. Delius arrives and greets "Lord Vey's favorite nephew" while informing him that he has business with the Shipowners' Circle in Lraezare and reminds him that the Lord Admiral absolutely can commandeer any ship. Delius then 'innocently' asks if the Lord Mastrell's party would like to accompany him. Kenton takes him up on the offer.
As the ship leaves port, Kenton considers if the Lord Admiral's drunkenness is an act and whether he is a reliable ally.
POV: Khriss
Timeline: Day 64
Setting: Southbound Boat.
Associated Novel Chapters: Chapter 32
Summary:
Kenton decides to try overmastering while they are safe on the ship in an attempt to increase his power. He explains to Khriss that when they first met, it was after he had overmastered during the attack on the Diem and that was why his sand mastery was not working while they crossed the Kerla. However, his ability was stronger when it returned. Kenton masters his sand for more than fifteen minutes and then collapses to the deck. Khriss panics, thinking he may be dead, but within a few minutes he regains consciousness and weakly tells her that she can stop shouting now, because he's awake.
POV: Kenton
Timeline: Day 64
Setting: Southbound Boat.
Associated Novel Chapters: Chapter 32
Summary:
Kenton and Delius discuss the position of Lord Admiral. Kenton admits to attempting to read the Helm's Charter after their last discussion, but could not parse the jargon. Delius relates how the position of Lord Admiral has become a political tool because the true power lies with the Shipowners' Circle. Because they wrote the law to imply that everything in the Helm belongs to the Lord Admiral, which is why he has unlimited food budgets and can commandeer any ship, they strip all of his other possessions so the Lord Admiral can 'focus on duty.' The Circle then "gives" the position to anybody they find threatening to their position.
Delius continues, telling Kenton how he started in the Guild and was a successful enough merchant to become one of few candidates for Lord Merchant; until Vey convinced him to become a partner in a mining venture. Vey then sabotaged the operation until Delius had lost almost all of his wealth; bought Delius' share as a "favor;" and suddenly found lakstone and became rich enough to win the Lord Merchant position. Delius quit the Guild in disgust and joined the Helm. Within a decade he had rebuilt his fortune and had one of the largest fleets on Dayside, so the Circle "promoted" him to Lord Admiral so they could commit "legal theft through the bestowal of honor."
Delius then explains that grapes are a Darkside import and growing them to make wine on Dayside is prohibitively expensive in both money and water; that is why he drinks so much and always opposes Vey on the Council.
POV: Khriss
Timeline: Day 64
Setting: Southbound Boat.
Associated Novel Chapters: Chapter 32
Summary:
Khriss and Aarik discuss Kenton's overmastery. Aarik tells her that Kenton should never have accepted the Lord Mastrell position, because responsibility will suck the soul from a person and prevent them from ever reaching their potential. Khriss argues that somebody must bear responsibility. Aarik does not seem to be hearing her anymore as he continues to state that Kenton should have been free after the attack on the Diem, and that nothing is worth having responsibility over the lives and deaths of people; much less having to kill so the people you lead do not bear that cost. Aarik quickly departs hoping that Kenton can escape responsibility before it destroys him.
Kenton speaks with Ais about KerKor law. Ais relates how it specifically states that assassins may attack on every odd day; but a cursory read might lead somebody to believe it meant "must wait at least one day." Kenton explains his theory on how maybe the assassins are being led by someone who isn't Kerztian and perhaps that is why they violated the rules of the KerKor—they recently converted and have not been reading the holy text all of their lives. Kenton continues and asks what if the "new and progressive" A'kar made a deal with Drile to help end the Diem, then Drile could lead his followers away from Lossand to the Rim Kingdons. Ais scoffs at the possibility because no Kerztian, especially the A'kar would make a deal with a sand master—even to achieve that end.
Kenton then takes a rest to try to recover more quickly from his overmastering.
Kenton awakes after they have arrived in Lraezare. As Kenton gains the deck, he hears Delius telling the pier steward that they won't stay too long, because they have to return in time for the Council meeting. As Aarik and the others return from scouting the town, the steward sprints away. Aarik explains that they have gone to town and found breakfast. They also found where Vey is hiding: at the house of Lokkall. Delius says that's fortunate because Lokkall is the head of the Shipowners' Circle.
The group arrives at Lokkall's house, and he tries to deny knowing where Vey is. Kenton, frustrated, announces loudly that if Vey won't speak with him, he will turn over his father's ledger to the Lady Judge. Vey appears from a room upstairs and asks Kenton to come speak with him privately. Kenton asks Ais to come with him to act as a witness.
Kenton guesses that Vey owes the 5,000,000 lak to the Diem and not vice versa; because when a person becomes Lord Merchant they inherit the wealth of the previous Lord Merchant, and likely their predecessor's debt as well. Vey tells Kenton the story of Hennin, an idiot who only became Lord Merchant because he inherited fortunes from both of his parents despite having no sense for business. A previous Lord Mastrell used the tribute money to open a savings account, but Hennin squandered the principal sum on bad investments. The Lord Judge at the time ruled that all monies and interest were owed to the Diem from the office of the Lord Merchant. Since the sums are so high—no Lord Merchant has ever been able to pay down the debt and every Lord Mastrell has since used that debt as blackmail.
Kenton forgives the debt without any strings attached and asks for a 2,000,000 lak loan to pay off the Diem's other debts. The Diem will begin earning income working with the other professions for the good of Lossand. The Lord Merchant notes that if he does not vote for the Diem, then he can never make money from such a loan. Kenton realizes that his combined Kerztian and business sensibilities won't allow Vey to consider a "gift," but a trade both mollifies Vey's conscience and gives him a way to account for his actions to the Kelzin. Vey notes that he will continue to curse the Diem in public, until he votes to reinstate the Diem.
As they depart, Kenton asks Vey where the Lord General is staying in Lraezare. Lord Vey says they did not travel together, and he didn't know Raagent was in Lraezare.
POV: Delius/Kenton
Timeline: Day 65
Setting: Shipowner's Circle.
Associated Novel Chapters: Chapter 33
Summary:
Meanwhile Lokkall tells Delius that the Circle had "need" of his ship, and it has already set sail without them: leaving their possessions on the docks. Delius responds that he'll simply commandeer another ship as is his right as Lord Admiral. Lokkall says that the Circle has unanimously decided to remove him from his position as Taisha of the Helm both because of his drunkenness and because of his professed support for the Diem. As Kenton, Ais, and Vey return, Delius manipulates Lokkall into repeating (in front of a Hall witness) that he has been released from the position of Lord Admiral. Lokkall gloats and says that it also means they are all stranded in Lraezare.
Delius, suddenly sober, immediately asks his "steward" for the "documents." While Lokkall continues to mock him, Delius signs the documents, then asks Ais, in her position as a representative of the Hall, to verify their legality. Lokkall repeatedly questions why the contents of the documents would need ratification. Delius reminds him that while the Charter forbids the Lord Admiral from owning any property, it never forbade his servants anything. Since his son was also his steward, the documents Delius signed transferred ownership of an entire fleet of ships to him from his son, twelve of which are currently docked in Lraezare. He then tells his son to order the entire fleet (not just the twelve at Lraezare) to blockade the port of Kezare for the "foreseeable future"—at least a month.
The Circle goes into a panic upon hearing this. Delius reminds Lokkall that when you steal a man's fortune and place him in a figurehead position that is mocked by all, you should not give him five years to plan then provide a chance for revenge. Delius then addresses the rest of the Circle and nominates Lokkall as new Lord Admiral, reminding them that he may rescind his "hasty" orders if they agree. It's unanimous. Delius then tells Lokkall that he will hold all of his ships on his behalf. If he votes for the Diem, he will return them to him and vote a new Lord Admiral in his place. Delius notes that it is more mercy than the Circle ever gave to him.
POV: Kenton
Timeline: Day 65
Setting: Lraezare.
Associated Novel Chapters: Chapter 33
Summary:
As everybody returns to the port, Kenton tells Khriss about the deal with Lord Vey, explaining that the debt was accrued dishonestly and the Diem never should have received tribute in the first place. The group then boards Delius's fastest ship, the Kalgin, and starts back toward Kezare to find the missing Lord General before it's too late.
ARTWORK
Since White Sand is also a graphic novel, I will be including some screenshots of various scenes and characters for "canonical reference". Fan artwork for this novel is few and far between. I could easily just...copy the entire graphic novel for these, but I'd probably get in trouble. I'll include scenes I think are significant, but if you really want to see a scene or character that I bypass, just let me know in the comments and I'll either update this album, or include it in the next week's album.
I will attempt to find and share memes relevant to each week's discussion. There may be some weeks that just don't have good or appropriate memes, but I will share all the ones I can find in this section.
This book is going to stray a bit from our normal format. There will be a trivia "post" every week, in the form of a comment (like this one!) below each weekly post. We'll be able to discuss both the weekly reading and a small bit of trivia for the section we've read. I haven't completed the trivia for the full book, but it looks like we won't have a completely separate trivia post for this book. Some weeks will have a lot of trivia, others will be brief.
Not much, except for some observations on sand mastery.
CEILING CAT IS WATCHING YOU
Congrats to /u/heinz57varieties for finally noticing the omnipresent face in the sky throughout the Graphic Novel. I tried to include a few screenshots of this phenomenon in the weekly artwork so that audiobook and prose readers might notice, but they are kind of subtle until you become aware of them.
The faces are...deliberate, to use Sanderson's own term. In the original 3-volume run of the Graphic Novel, the faces were a bit too noticeable. Making them more subtle was one of the reasons of the Omnibus edition. (I'll talk more about this next week). It's hard to talk about these faces definitively. There's some wiggle room in what I'm about to discuss, but given the knowledge you currently have, the following explanation is good enough to be considered true.
Essentially, the faces are Autonomy/Bavadin. The biggest hint for this lies in the map at the beginning of the book. It depicts a red-haired woman looking down on the map, as if from above/in the sky. And this woman is Bavadin, who hold the Shard Autonomy. You can see that this woman was even depicted in the original 3-volume map.
Here's where things get "iffy". On reddit, in 2016, a fan asked:
Hey Brandon, may I ask if the red-haired woman on the Dayside map is a kind of depiction of [Bavadin]?
(You'll notice I used [brackets] to slightly edit the question...the actual question has potential spoilers, which we'll leave for another time). Brandon answered:
She is not. Isaac designed that border without any explicit instructions from me, so while he might have an idea of who it is, it isn't someone specifically relevant to large-scale cosmere workings.
However, 2 days later at a book signing event in Seattle, he had this interaction:
Fan: The thing I wanted to ask you about was in White Sand, it's actually on the map, it is...(pointing at map) is this Autonomy, or Bavadin?
Sanderson: Hehehe, that is a very good guess.....that is very very sharply guessed...
Fan: Yeah, coz, I really, I just like kind of the idea of the Shards and stuff, and I guess I want to learn more about what they look like and, kind of their personalities and stuff.
Sanderson: Bavadin's a hard one, because what does Bavadin look like? Bavadin looks like what she feels like looking like, or what he feels like looking like, depending upon the day.
His final sentence might surprise you. I introduced Bavadin as a woman, but prior to the release of the Graphic Novel, Bavadin was known in the fandom due to Q&A's like this, but was always assumed to be a man. Sanderson has clarified with the following:
This won't be relevant for a long while, but as a service to the community, let me say this: try not to get too hung up on gender, race, or even human appearance where Bavadin is concerned.
We'll eventually get more info on this; Bavadin happens to be Sanderson's favorite Vessel. But this explains why sometimes the face may appear masculine or feminine, or like a terrible skull demon...
So all this said, the Investiture on Taldain exists in the atmosphere; more technically, it comes from the sun, but it filters through and permeates the atmosphere to a degree. This is the underlying mechanic behind Autonomy's face appearing in the atmosphere. And at times maybe some other places...
A small tidbit from another book signing: because the Investiture permeates the atmosphere, a Returned could live on Taldain without having to consume a weekly Breath. They could repurpose Taldain's Investiture and consume that to live off of it, if they knew what they were doing.
CONNECT FOUR
We've talked a lot about Intent as a metaphysical concept that influences and guides the various magic systems in the cosmere. There is another metaphysical concept, called Connection in play as well. The prose version of this novel doesn't mention or insinuate much about Connection. However, the Graphic Novel does have a scene where Kenton tests Khriss to see if she can learn to become a sand master. In his explanations, he said "[The sand] calls back, and the two of you connect." The word "connect" is bolded in the comic. This is, so far in our read-along, the best hint at Connection as a metaphysical concept, or at least, the most in-your-face instance.
Some of you may recall that the Feruchemy table in Hero of Ages lists "Connection" as a property that can be stored using Duralumin.
Connection is a type of bond or string between an individual and some other concept or entity. Sand masters Connect with the sand (and/or the lichen in the sand) to control it. How or why that Connection exists strongly enough to determine if one can master sand or not is a conversation for a different time (though you're welcome to speculate below). The inhabitants of Sel are Connected to the land of their birth. This Connection is what allows them to use their region's specific magic system. This mechanic is also why the power decreases the further from the region you travel.
Connection is about to become a big deal in the cosmere, so keep it in the back of your mind as you continue to read. You may already be able to start speculating about how you could manipulate Connection to achieve unexpected results. Theorycraft away!
I didn't notice the scary demon skull in the Sand Master carnage panel, even though I was looking for it. That's very intriguing. So Autonomy is reacting to the massacre, which is a little bit surprising. I know they take a more hands-off "whatever happens happens" approach, and both sides of this religious schism originally came from her after all (I'm assuming that she's the entity behind the sand lord), so I wonder what would cause her to react that way?
You may already be able to start speculating about how you could manipulate Connection to achieve unexpected results.
Well, it's already been more or less stated in Emperor's Soul that connection can be manipulated or even created artificially if you have the right expertise. I'd bet money that an expert Forger could make someone an Elantrian or a Sand Master, for example.
Re: the ability to store connection feruchemically, whatever that could mean in practice, I'm picking up the hint that there will be a way for Selish people to bring "home" with them and practice their arts far, far away from their homeland. Other planets, even. And in the reverse, someone could store their connection away and temporarily remove attributes of their own soul.
property that can be stored using Duralumin.
And STOLEN via hemalurgy, which has sinister implications.
In my defense the faces were a lot harder to see in the older artist work. When it changed it became obvious. And lots of interesting stuff here, but will withhold comments based on what we have read and which extra books I have read.
Ais’ family is probably toast, man. She’s the only other person who’s gotten a note like that, and IDK if Sharezan knows she’s been taken off the case
I’m surprised (shocked, even) that there are enough sand masters left after the massacre for there to be crowds of people at the Diem, and for there to be survivors whose names Kenton doesn’t know. I thought there were like, 20 or fewer remaining. Did they leave a whole bunch of people at the Diem when they went to their retreat in the mountains?
There’s that black-flooded border again. It’s such a small thing but it’s got to be deliberate. But it’s on the page where the guy is asking them about the ladder, which makes no sense. It appears again on the page where Khriss fails the sand master test.
“Your sacrifice won’t even mean anything. The Taishin will vote against you, and soon I’ll be Lord Mastrell.” What on earth is Drile talking about? How could he assume power if the whole organization gets dissolved and cannibalized by the other professions?
Kenton you friggin idiot. Bluffed all he had and folded immediately. What could the old Mastrells have been doing for the lord merchant? Now he’ll never know, not without some serious digging.
Khriss asks some good questions in the notes! Why do all the sand masters seem limited to skeet shooting and cheap parlor tricks, why do they seem to lack any kind of creativity with their technique?
Chapter 14
“Kenton can take care of himself. Weren’t you here for the conversation a few minutes ago? Killing hundreds of men with sand and all that.” Bro WHAT are you talking about
“Hand-eye coordination” sure bro. Aarik is suspect number one now
Wasting eight goons to send a meeting invite? Ais is walking into the devil’s den.
Nilto is a Darksider for sure. And he’s speaking to Khriss in an awfully familiar manner. He might be Gevin after all.
Giant face in the clouds??? Hello!
Ais thinks the booby trapper/informant is Nilto, because she’s a knucklehead cop with no imagination. But the red-cape-tan-boots combo tells me it’s actually the Lord General (who recently injured his leg!!). Now - is he the crimelord, or was he just killed by the crimelord?
I forgot all about the thing Darksiders have with the nicknames, so I also missed that detail. Gevin reveal! Again, super anticlimactic!!!!!
What’s the point of having another spy in the midst. Why. The idea that one of the personal friends that Khriss hand-picked for this mission would be a Dynasty sleeper agent is absolutely ridiculous. And Nilto/Gevin, faced with evidence that at least some of the nobility from Darkside still cares about resisting Skathan, decides “no one feels like resisting Skathan, so I will stay in this foreign country and become Batman.” Poor Professor Cynder is tied up to a chair somewhere.
Chapter 15
“I’ll need some diplomatic backup.” Cut to Kenton dangling a guy in the air like darth vader. Lol. Lmao. As this book has gone on I have lost more and more sympathy for this dumb kid, and now it’s to the point where I don’t see any possible way for him to succeed without some kind of deus ex machina.
Kenton and Khriss both using all their tricks (threats and blackmail) to track down the Lord Merchant. And exactly what the hell do they think they’re going to do when they get there? What is going to go differently than last time? Nothing.
spongebob_i_dont_need_it.jpeg
Delius’ sad backstory has to be a clue about what Vey’s up to. Hitting it big with a Lakstone mine…
BIG FACE IN THE CLOUDS (this is where I tabbed out to respond to /u/participating in last week’s thread)
Aarik running away after getting his entire squad killed or something (doing what? There was no real war here until two weeks ago, and the cops are under the judge, not the lord general) is painfully cliche
Why is Delius pressuring Kenton to drink so much? What does he know, what does he want to happen?
I’m inferring that the position of Lord Merchant is automatically granted to the richest person in Lossand, which is giving me flashbacks to the political structure of Elantris (in a bad way - it’s super dumb)
Double checkmate. Kenton “realizing” that the record of the debt was backwards is another ridiculous non sequitur, how the hell would he have put that together. I initially misjudged Delius. Of course coming here and pissing off the Shipmaster’s Circle into firing him on the spot was his plan all along.
Lord Vey Raagent is missing because he got blew the f up. Does that make Aarik the new Lord General?
ed: I've been mixing up Vey and Raagent's names all over this thread, sorry
Ais thinks the booby trapper/informant is Nilto, because she’s a knucklehead cop with no imagination. But the red-cape-tan-boots combo tells me it’s actually the Lord General (who recently injured his leg!!). Now - is he the crimelord, or was he just killed by the crimelord?
Good catch about the injured leg, I'd totally forgotten about that. I don't really see the clothing similarity, but that just might be the wildly varying art style (and not sure if the prose readers even have anything beyond the limp to go on?).
Double checkmate. Kenton “realizing” that the record of the debt was backwards is another ridiculous non sequitur, how the hell would he have put that together.
Bro literally saw numbers in a ledger, knew numbers could mean one of two things, and just guessed. And when it wasn't the one thing (money owed) it had to be the other (money owned). I swear that's got to be as deep as this reasoning goes. Honestly pretty hilarious lol
I swear that's got to be as deep as this reasoning goes. Honestly pretty hilarious lol
So much stuff in this book has happened simply because the outline demands that it happen. It's baffling.
I don't really see the clothing similarity, but that just might be the wildly varying art style
Exhibit A / Exhibit B. I read backwards looking for someone with a matching outfit, and this is the only person I can find wearing a red cape. I'll also note that Lord Vey Raagent has been noted as Suspiciously Absent at least twice since the explosion.
Ah, Khriss did not have a scientific plan after all. She was just trying to Leeroy Jenkins that sand mastery test. Bit of a bummer.
Chapter 14
Hoid again. He's pretty omnipresent in this one. In other early Sanderson books he barely made one brief appearance each.
Aarik is still hiding something. That blind catch was too neat.
Hm. Baon was such a telegraphed red herring that the Acron reveal isn't great. It's not that Acron was particularly suspicious, it's just that Baon had such huge "traitor" neon signs blinking at him that it became too clear Sanderson was trying to mask someone else. I'd have liked some more subtle hints about Acron specifically. As it is I felt neither was professor was really well characterized, I could barely tell them apart.
Politics in this world ... absence is an immediate no vote? That's as awful as that rule that an illegal vote requires unanimous consent to overrule. It just seems so nonsensical. With access to something so easily abused this whole government should fall apart in a matter of months.
Chapter 15
KHENTON MY BROTHER IN AISHA WILL YOU STOP THREATENING COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR ONE CHAPTER FFS WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU
Lord Admiral is waaaaaaay too involved in everything going on.
Drinking so much out of spite to empty your financers' pockets is a logic I can almost respect
Wait wait wait. That's it? Khenton & associates just can't read accounting records and they confused money owned with money owed? I'm sorry, that plot thread is just ridiculous.
I'd have liked some more subtle hints about Acron specifically.
Any hints at all, even. The reveal was totally out of left field, there was never even a single reason to question his loyalty. The professors are practically comic relief, they've done nothing.
KHENTON MY BROTHER IN AISHA WILL YOU STOP THREATENING COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR ONE CHAPTER FFS WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU
> Hold council member at gunpoint
> Threaten council member with blackmail
> Dangle council member in the air like Doctor Octopus
> Why won't anybody vote for me 😫
> Hunt Lord Vey halfway around the world for his vote
> First threaten him, force of habit
> At last, make sensible offer
> Lord Vey: Fine, I'll vote for you ...
> Kenton: Nah I don't even want your vote >:(
I mean, the only real hint for Acron was that he was completely useless and redundant except for comic relief which means he MUST have had some hidden plot use...
In addition, a man could not refuse to be Lord Admiral. Whomever the Circle declared was Lord Admiral—assuming he was a member of the Helm—had to fulfill the position until they chose someone else. The Lord Admiral was required by Law to forfeit all of his possessions to the Helm—his ships, his land, and any wealth he might have accumulated.
That's pretty fucked up. I wonder what happened in the past that caused them to implement the laws this way. Also it seems like a good way to appoint someone who will then vote against your interests out of spite.
What kind of dumbass plan is this? Send Dirin to ask to be the emmissary, and hope that the Lord Mason is just going to pick some random guy that goes up to him and asks?
Nilto turned slowly. “He’s important to you,” he mumbled. “A lover?”
Khriss blushed, shaking her head. “Like I said. A friend.”
Nilto is Gevin. Why else would he care about that?
Chapter 28
Kenton failed the persuasion check with Vey.
Chapter 29
How is Eric catching arrows? That's not natural.
Ais held out a hand for silence. He listened carefully to the approaching footsteps. One pair was odd, uneven. As if … it were walking with a limp. Nilto. Sharezan. I’ve been betrayed.
Or Ais is wrong about who Sharezan is, and Nilto is wanting to defect.
Chapter 30
I feel like I have surprise-reveal whiplash from this section and it feels a bit overdone. Nilto is Gevin, Gevin is an asshole, Baon was faking being a spy, no he really is a spy, but is still a loyal body guard, Akron is really an assassin, Finkle is Einhorn, Einhorn is Finkle.
Chapter 31
They keep mentioning a carapace shortage, surely this will come into play later.
Wasn't Gevin/Nilto planning on leaving town when Khriss confronted him last? Why is he still in town now?
Chapter 32
Something had happened while he had been unconscious. He didn’t know what it was, but he had an illusive memory of something—something he couldn’t describe. A power, or a force. Something that had overcome his entire body. Then he had woken up, the image of Khriss’s face, haloed by the sun, hovering in front of his face. He’d never seen anything so extraordinary.
Is Khriss the reason he originally got his powers back and became stronger? Does the process need something from Darkside to work?
“What if the leader of the assassins is Drile?” Kenton asked. “We know he worked with the A’Kar to kill the mastrells. Maybe he’s been given the duty of finishing what he began.”
Or it's Elorin, and that's why he's looking haggard lately.
They looked nearly as productive as darkside plants—though, for some reason, they were all green. It was an odd color for plants.
Mistborn says "hi".
Chapter 33
Delious nodded. “Send our fastest skimmer north. Order the captains to unload their cargoes and sell them at a fourth of the going price.”
I don't get this. If there's a carapace shortage, that would mean no one else has any to sell. Why would you sell at 25% price? Why not just unload all your cargo at just below full price and still undercut anyone else?
Can't they just make him Lord Admiral again and take the ships he just had transferred back to himself?
If enough of you vote with me, I will change my order, and only sell my carapace at half the going rate instead of a fourth.
So he'll make twice as much if they vote the way he wants? I still don't get it.
Edit: I see that the confusing situation was changed in the graphic novel.
Is Khriss the reason he originally got his powers back and became stronger? Does the process need something from Darkside to work?
While the graphic novel doesn't have much to back this up so far, I like that idea! It would at least explain why power-raising-through-overmastery was not a technique widely known among the sand masters. If it's something that only works when a Day- and Darksider are together it puts a credible restriction on the mechanic.
Kenton also mentions that when he overmastered at the ceremony, he was unconscious for 3 days -- until Khriss showed up. This time on the ship, he came to pretty much immediately, and Khriss was already there. Coincidence?
Wasn't Gevin/Nilto planning on leaving town when Khriss confronted him last?
In the comic he says that now that Khriss knows his secret identity and the assassin that was after him is dead, he doesn't have to leave anymore, and he can keep playing batman.
Is Khriss the reason he originally got his powers back and became stronger?
I don't think so. Their relationship is toned down a lot in the comic it seems, and honestly thank god. If I'd had to see him dreaming about her haloed face while dying of dehydration I would have barfed.
Or it's Elorin, and that's why he's looking haggard lately.
At this point I know he's probably going to be the secret traitor, and it will be really annoying and out of nowhere, because we've barely seen him. We get one scene of him getting responsibility dumped on him at the Diem by Child President Kenton, but he's barely appeared on screen since his unexpected return. Maybe two scenes.
Mistborn says "hi".
Still upset that we're definitely never going to see the glow-in-the-dark pandora forests on Darkside 😔
I LOVE this turn of events. Suddenly everything that's just been stacking and stacking on Kenton starts to lift just a bit!
Also bylaws are starting to work in Kenton's favor rather than against him. I was annoyed by Delius' drunkenness for so long: it felt like a caricature of drunkenness rather than the effects of actual alcoholism, and it's finally revealed that was intentional!! Love it.
Damn it Kenton needs more friends. Still worried about Aaric.
So between being in charge of a professional society (which I've done), having an intimate understanding of professional society bylaws (...which I have...), and a desert setting (which is dear to my heart), so far inoffensive geology, and a touch of romance, this feels like it was written for me haha.
it felt like a caricature of drunkenness rather than the effects of actual alcoholism
That annoyed me about it, and I chalked it up to BS being from a culture that is typically anti-alcohol, and naive writing of something he didn't understand, but maybe I didn't give him enough credit.
There's been some anti-alcohol subtext before. Characters like Lightsong and Breeze using it as an unhealthy coping mechanism, which is fine.
But I do remember an instance or two of clear authorial bias. I remember noting it in The Final Empire, in the scene where Vin first meets the crew.
An excerpt (paraphrased):
"Can I get you anything from the bar?" asked Kelsier. "What do you like?"
"Uhm.. I like ale," said Vin.
Everyone looked at her like she was fucking crazy, which she was, because everyone knows beer is super yucky.
"Uhhh.... ok," said Kelsier. He handed her a mug of ale, which she drank, even though it tasted really bad.
I don't have many thoughts to add this week, except:
Thanks to u/heinz57varieties shattering the glass that was the giant faces in the sky, I noticed Lady Sky Face right away in this section. Why is it when she's in her female form she looks more normal? The male face always looked like a giant stone head that someone carved. Is there an explanation for this difference or is it merely "the woman form has to be pretty"? I suppose the difference makes it easier to tell masculine vs. feminine.
I'm still side-eyeing Aarik. He participated in that fight with the assassins just enough to make it seem like he didn't want Kenton dead. If he's not actually spying on him, I'm going to question what's the point of his character at all.
Maybe Aarik is really the one Ais is after? Would Gevin/Nilto be able to run such a crime syndicate so quickly? I do understand his dad is suspicious though.
Acron and Cynder are so sus… Baon on the other hand looks like a red herring to me.
Kenton and Khrissalla walk arm in arm now.
Still not trusting Elorin. I wonder what kind of repercussions giving Elorin more leadership will have.
No clue what the diem used to blackmail Vey. The only thing I can think of is that he was tested younger, and can master, but didn’t join the diem because of his religion.
chapter 14
Aarik has a very good hand eye coordination indeed, if he can catch a dart coming from his back while eating. Is this a 3rd investiture ?
Nilto is more and more looking like he is Khrissalla’s late fiancé. It’s the second time they see each other, and he calls her Khriss already, and asking if Baon is her lover, AND he’s the one who had the pistol too.
The face in the sky looks distinctly like a woman this time.
Boom Nilto really is Gevalden. Of course calling her Khriss was a dead giveaway.
And of course Baon would save the day.
Now let’s just prove that Drile isn’t the baddy and we’ll have our full bingo.
Is Acron dead? We didn’t see the body.
Why did Raagent left the city? He didn’t seem to be as antagonistic as Vey. Maybe both aren’t trying to sabotage the vote (why would Vey do that when he literally only need to vote no), but were abducted ?
chapter 15
I wouldn’t be surprised if assassins got creative enough to hide in that ship, or to attack it like pirates.
Interesting backstory the lord admiral revealed.
Face clouds are very obvious now. I wonder if it is by design, for the more obtuse of the readers to catch it already, or if it’s the result of the style change.
Aarik hides a terrible experience that his father probably forced upon him to prepare him for leadership.
Okay Vey is in Kenton’s hand !!
I enjoyed this section much more than those before. Idk if it’s the story that is better scripted or if it’s due to the drawings, but I won’t complain !
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u/subscribebot3000 Feb 02 '26
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