| Cosmere | |
|---|---|
| Created by | Brandon Sanderson |
| Owner | Dragonsteel Entertainment |
| Years | 2005–present |
| Print publications | |
| Novels |
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| Short stories |
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| Graphic novel | White Sand series (2016–2022) |
| Films and television | |
| Film | In development with Apple TV |
| Television series | In development with Apple TV |
| Games | |
| Traditional |
|
| Role-playing |
|
| Video game | The Way of Kings: Escape the Shattered Plains (2018) |
| Miscellaneous | |
| Genre | Fantasy, science fantasy, epic fantasy |
| Notable contributors |
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The Cosmere is a fictional shared universe created by Brandon Sanderson, serving as the setting for many of his fantasy novels and related works. It includes series such as Mistborn, The Stormlight Archive, Elantris, and Warbreaker, along with novellas, short fiction, and graphic works. Individual series are set on different fictional worlds but are linked through shared cosmological elements and narrative connections.
Brandon Sanderson conceived the idea of a shared universe years before publishing his debut novel, Elantris, in 2005. Having observed that epic fantasy authors frequently launched new series that locked them into single worlds for decades, he developed a model that would grant him the freedom to write diverse, independent stories without abandoning a larger narrative continuity. He established the Cosmere as a hidden, foundational framework that could quietly link separate book series through shared physics, background characters, and an overarching cosmological plot. To ensure readers would not feel overwhelmed by required reading, he established a rule for the first several decades of publication: each series must stand completely on its own merits, allowing a reader to fully enjoy a book like Mistborn or The Way of Kings independently from a broader shared universe.
In the early stages of his career, Sanderson intentionally kept the existence of the Cosmere hidden from his publisher, Tor Books, fearing that an interconnected universe might deter them from committing to an ambitious multi-series roadmap. He instead developed the framework quietly through hidden Easter eggs in his early novels, primarily using brief cameos by a world-hopping character named Hoid. In 2008, Sanderson officially revealed the Cosmere universe and its underlying magic systems during online question-and-answer sessions surrounding the release of The Hero of Ages, after fans who noticed Hoid's recurring appearances asked for clarification. This progression from a hidden backdrop to an overt narrative framework culminated in November 2016 with the release of Arcanum Unbounded: The Cosmere Collection. As the first book explicitly marketed under the Cosmere banner, the anthology compiled separate short fiction alongside detailed planetary essays by the in-universe scholar Khriss, solidifying it as a cohesive shared universe.
Sanderson has stated that Isaac Asimov's interconnected Robot and Foundation series as primary structural influences on the Cosmere's design. However, while Asimov retroactively tied his distinct series together late in his career, Sanderson intentionally structured the Cosmere as a unified setting from the very beginning.
In spring 2022, Sanderson announced a Kickstarter campaign of "Secret Projects" to publish four secret and brand-new novels written during the COVID-19 pandemic. The campaign reached its goal within a day, and accumulated a total of $41.7 million. Three of the four secret projects take place in the Cosmere universe: Tress of the Emerald Sea, Yumi and the Nightmare Painter, and The Sunlit Man all of which released in 2023. Sanderson continued using this surprise-release model for subsequent novels, publishing a fifth secret project, Isles of the Emberdark, in 2025. A sixth secret project, The Fires of December, was released in 2026. While written as a standalone novel, December also serves as the third installment in the Hoid’s Travails anthology series, following the storytelling model established in Tress and Yumi. Like its predecessors, the anthology series contains stories narrated by the overarching world-hopper Hoid set on different planets in the Cosmere.
The fictional history of the Cosmere includes an event known as the Shattering, in which Adonalsium, a powerful primordial entity, was divided into sixteen Shards. Each Shard was taken up by a person known as a Vessel, whose power and decisions are associated with the Shard's defining Intent. Shards including Honor, Preservation, Ruin, and Odium are central to the histories of several Cosmere settings. The Shards provide a narrative connection between otherwise separate planetary settings. Their influence is associated with the development of local histories and magical systems, although the nature and extent of that influence differ between worlds. Some Shards have also been splintered, a process that fragments their power and affects later events in the setting.
Realmatic Theory is the term used within the fiction for a model of existence divided into three interconnected realms: the Physical, Cognitive, and Spiritual. The model provides a common explanation for supernatural phenomena across the Cosmere's different settings. The Physical Realm corresponds to the material environments in which most of the series' events occur. The Cognitive Realm is associated with thought and perception and provides a setting for some forms of interplanetary travel. The Spiritual Realm is associated with identity and connections between people, places, and objects. The three-realm model allows Sanderson to connect distinct magical systems through shared metaphysical principles. Its details are presented incrementally across the books rather than as a single, comprehensive explanation.
Investiture is the term used in the Cosmere for supernatural power. It is associated with the Shards and forms the basis of the setting's various magical systems, collectively known as Invested Arts. Although these systems share a fictional foundation, their rules and methods of access vary between settings. Sanderson's magic systems frequently use defined limitations, conditions, and costs to determine what practitioners can accomplish. This approach gives magic a role in both plot development and problem-solving, while allowing individual series to establish distinctive rules and imagery. The systems are connected at the cosmological level but are not interchangeable in practice. Investiture appears in different forms throughout the books, including Stormlight on Roshar and the Mists on Scadrial. Other systems use metals, colors, symbols, spoken commands, or supernatural relationships as part of their operation. The differences between these systems help distinguish the individual settings while allowing later works to explore connections between them.
Some Cosmere characters travel between planets, a practice commonly referred to as worldhopping. In the fictional cosmology, travel between worlds can involve the Cognitive Realm and locations called Perpendicularities, where the realms intersect. Worldhopping allows characters and objects to recur across different series and provides a mechanism for connecting narratives set on distant planets. These appearances range from brief references to more consequential involvement in a story's events. The practice is distinct from ordinary travel within a planet's setting.
The Cosmere's series are connected through recurring characters, shared cosmological concepts, and occasional references to events or objects introduced in other works. The degree of connection varies: some novels can be read largely independently, while others contain developments that are more significant to readers familiar with the wider setting. The shared universe also allows Sanderson to develop aspects of its cosmology across multiple publications. Information introduced in one series may clarify or complicate elements of another, making the Cosmere's overarching history an ongoing narrative rather than a single account presented in chronological order.
The works of the Cosmere take place across a distinct, star-dense dwarf galaxy, featuring numerous discrete planetary and stellar systems. Each inhabited planet is defined by its own distinct geography, historical eras, sociopolitical structures, and unique localized magic systems. While these individual settings are physically separated by vast interstellar distances, they are intrinsically linked by a shared underlying cosmology, universal physical laws, and a unified spiritual creation myth. Despite this overarching interconnectedness, the narratives within individual series remain largely self-contained, focusing primarily on local conflicts, cultural evolutions, and the immediate struggles of planetary characters rather than deep-space politics.
Roshar is the principal setting of The Stormlight Archive. Its environment is defined in part by recurring storms known as Highstorms, which influence the planet's ecology and the lives of its inhabitants. The books depict native plants and animals with adaptations to these conditions. Roshar's magical systems include Surgebinding, which is associated with spren and the manipulation of fundamental forces. The planet's history is also connected to the Shards Honor, Cultivation, and Odium. These elements contribute to the series' treatment of history, religion, warfare, and the relationship between human societies and supernatural power.
Scadrial is the setting of the Mistborn series. Its fictional history is associated with the Shards Ruin and Preservation, whose opposing principles provide a central framework for the series' conflicts. The setting features three principal magical systems: Allomancy, Feruchemy, and Hemalurgy. Each involves metals in a different way and is governed by distinct rules. The series uses these systems alongside political and social structures to explore power, inequality, and the consequences of attempts to control society. The Mistborn novels also depict changes in technology and social organization across different periods. Later installments move beyond the earlier books' more hierarchical society to explore industrial and technological development.
Sel is the setting of Elantris and The Emperor's Soul. Its magical traditions include AonDor and Forgery, which use symbols and forms of representation as part of their operation. The setting's cosmology connects its magical systems to the Shards Devotion and Dominion, whose power is described in the fiction as having been splintered. Their power is associated with the Dor, a source of supernatural energy linked to Sel's regional geography. The relationship between place and magic distinguishes Sel from settings in which magical abilities operate under different conditions.
Nalthis is the setting of Warbreaker. Its principal magical system, Awakening, involves the transfer of a supernatural resource called Breath and the use of spoken commands to animate objects. Awakening is associated with the Shard Endowment. The system's rules make color, language, and the transfer of Breath important elements of the novel's plot and setting. Its use of a transferable resource also distinguishes it from the metal-based systems featured in Mistborn.
Other Cosmere works introduce additional planets and environments. These settings extend the universe's range of genres and narrative approaches while retaining links to its shared cosmology.
| Series | Title | Year | Notes | Setting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mistborn | The Final Empire | 2006 | Era 1 | Scadrial |
| The Well of Ascension | 2007 | |||
| The Hero of Ages | 2008 | |||
| The Alloy of Law | 2011 | Era 2 | ||
| Shadows of Self | 2015 | |||
| The Bands of Mourning | 2016 | |||
| The Lost Metal | 2022 | |||
| The Stormlight Archive | The Way of Kings | 2010 | Arc 1 | Roshar |
| Words of Radiance | 2014 | |||
| Oathbringer | 2017 | |||
| Rhythm of War | 2020 | |||
| Wind and Truth | 2024 |
| Title | Year | Notes | Setting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elantris | 2005 | Sel | |
| Warbreaker | 2009 | Nalthis | |
| The Sunlit Man | 2023 | Released as Secret Project 4 | Canticle |
| Isles of the Emberdark | 2025 | Released as Secret Project 5 | First of the Sun |
| Series | Title | Year | Notes | Setting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hoid's Travails | Tress of the Emerald Sea | 2023 | Released as Secret Project 1 | Lumar |
| Yumi and the Nightmare Painter | 2023 | Released as Secret Project 3 | Komashi / UTol | |
| The Fires of December | 2026 | Released as Secret Project 6 | Miral |
| Title | Year | Type | Setting | Original Publication | Collection |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Hope of Elantris | 2006 | Short story | Sel | Digital (Free) | Arcanum Unbounded |
| The Eleventh Metal | 2011 | Short story | Scadrial | Mistborn Adventure Game RPG | Arcanum Unbounded |
| The Emperor's Soul | 2012 | Novella | Sel | Standalone (Tachyon Publications) | Arcanum Unbounded |
| Shadows for Silence in the Forests of Hell | 2013 | Novella | Threnody | Dangerous Women | Arcanum Unbounded |
| Sixth of the Dusk | 2014 | Novella | First of the Sun | Shadows Beneath | Arcanum Unbounded |
| Allomancer Jak and the Pits of Eltania | 2014 | Short story | Scadrial | Alloy of Law Campaign Setting RPG | Arcanum Unbounded |
| Mistborn: Secret History | 2016 | Novella | Scadrial | E-book (Dragonsteel) | Arcanum Unbounded |
| Edgedancer | 2016 | Novella | Roshar | Arcanum Unbounded | Arcanum Unbounded |
| Dawnshard | 2020 | Novella | Roshar | E-book (Dragonsteel) | N/A |
| Elsecaller / King Lopen the First of Alethkar (co-written by Dan Wells and Isaac Stewart) |
2025 | Novella | Roshar | Stormlight Stories Deck trading cards | N/A |
| Title | Year | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Arcanum Unbounded: The Cosmere Collection | 2016 | Cosmere anthology collection |
| Title | Year | Notes | Setting |
|---|---|---|---|
| White Sand Volume 1 | 2016 | Illustrated by Julius Gopez, Sophie Campbell | Taldain |
| White Sand Volume 2 | 2018 | Illustrated by Julius Gopez, Julius Ohta, Morgan Hickman | |
| White Sand Volume 3 | 2019 | Illustrated by Fritz Casas, Rik Hoskin | |
| White Sand Omnibus | 2022 | Collection of all three volumes with revised material |
| Title | Year | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| The Dog and the Dragon | 2026 | Hoid’s Storybook Collection, illustrated by Howard Lyon |
| Wandersail | 2026 | Hoid’s Storybook Collection, illustrated by Alexis and Justin Hernandez |
| The Girl Who Looked Up | 2026 | Hoid’s Storybook Collection, illustrated by Steve Argyle |
| The ChasmFriends Get a Pet | 2026 | Hoid’s Storybook Collection, written by Dan Wells, illustrated by Anna Earley |
Adaptations of Cosmere works were discussed within the film and television industry for more than a decade, with multiple projects entering development without reaching production. In January 2010, Brandon Sanderson optioned the rights to the Mistborn books to Paloppa Pictures, LLC. The option later ended in 2014 with the rights reverting back to Sanderson. In October 2016, the rights to the entire Cosmere universe was licensed by DMG Entertainment. By 2025, the rights to the franchise had once again reverted back to Sanderson.
In January 2026, Apple TV purchased the film and television rights to the entire Cosmere universe and announced plans for a film franchise based on Mistborn and a television adaptation of The Stormlight Archive Industry coverage highlighted the unusual degree of creative control retained by Sanderson, who was reported to serve as writer, producer, consultant, and final creative approver on major adaptation decisions. As of 2026, both projects remained in early development and no release dates had been announced.
The Mistborn Adventure Game is a pen-and-paper role-playing game published in 2011 by Crafty Games. It is a licensed release based on American author Brandon Sanderson's Mistborn novel series. Sanderson was involved in the game's creation. The game's setting, Scadrial, is the same as that of the Mistborn series. The initial Mistborn Adventure Game book was released on December 16, 2011. Since 2011, four supplementary material books have been published. The first supplement was released March 2014 and is called Terris: Wrought of Copper. The second supplement, Alloy of Law, was released on August 7, 2014. The third supplement was released on December 22, 2015 and is called Skaa: Tin & Ash. The fourth supplement is called The Alloy of Law: Masks of the Past and was released on August 8, 2017.
The Cosmere Roleplaying Game is a tabletop role-playing game developed by Brotherwise Games in partnership with Dragonsteel Entertainment, based on Brandon Sanderson’s Cosmere shared universe. First announced in 2023 and launched via Kickstarter in 2024, the project became one of the most successful tabletop crowdfunding campaigns in history, raising over $14 million from more than 50,000 backers. The game uses a modified d20-based system featuring narrative-focused mechanics, flexible talent-based character progression, and skill-driven magic systems designed to reflect Cosmere Invested Arts. Initial releases focused on The Stormlight Archive setting, with a full campaign book released in 2025, followed by planned expansions including a Mistborn campaign setting and additional Cosmere worlds.
The franchise has expanded into tabletop games through partnerships with Brotherwise Games. In 2020, the publisher released Call to Adventure: The Stormlight Archive, a standalone storytelling and character-building game utilizing the Call to Adventure system. A second tabletop game, Stormlight: War for Roshar, designed by John D Clair, launched its crowdfunding campaign via Kickstarter in October 2026, crossing $1 million in funding on its first day. It is scheduled for a wide retail release in late 2027.
In March 2018, Arcturus VR released a virtual reality experience titled The Way of Kings: Escape the Shattered Plains. The franchise's lore was further adapted digitally in 2020 through a popular, fan-developed grand strategy mod for Crusader Kings III set in the world of Roshar.
Cosmere works have received extensive recognition across major speculative fiction awards, including the Hugo Awards, World Fantasy Awards, David Gemmell Awards, and several reader-voted honors such as the Dragon Awards and Goodreads Choice Awards.
Anyway, there was a God. Adonalsium. I don't know if it was a force or a being, though I suspect the latter. Sixteen people, together, killed Adonalsium, ripping it apart and dividing its essence between them, becoming the first who Ascended.