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How do the Cosmere's worlds connect to each other?Fiction

In-universe lore. Claims are judged against the fiction's own canon, not the real world.

Brandon Sanderson's Cosmere novels share one universe, and the published books plus the in-world essays of Arcanum Unbounded set out how its planets touch: three Realms, a shared Cognitive space, and travellers who walk between worlds.

9 established, 1 disputed, 2 debunked, 2 unresolved. We do not pick an answer; the evidence places each claim. How we decide

30 citations from 5 independent sources - 25 echo the same voices and count once. Graded A1-D1.

Added 5 Aug 2026 - canon current as of 5 Aug 2026

What the four states mean
  • Establishedsupported, uncontested
  • Disputedcredible sources disagree
  • Debunkedrefuted by the evidence
  • Unresolvedno settled answer

Established 9supported, uncontested

  • Vasher is Zahel from The Stormlight Archive.▰▰▰▱▱ likely3 points
    Supports
  • Perpendicularities are in general created by the presence of a Shard on the planet, and at those points Physical matter, Cognitive thought and Spiritual essence become one so that a being can slide between Realms.▰▰▰▱▱ likely2 points
    Supports
  • Khriss is described as reliable but as not knowing everything, so there are some things that she does not quite get right, and as trustworthy as much as most experts in their field. On the question of Investiture on Sel, the Ire may know more, but they are not speaking on the topic and have repeatedly denied requests for collaboration.▰▰▰▱▱ likely3 points
    Supports
  • All things exist in three Realms, named the Physical, the Cognitive and the Spiritual. The Physical is what is felt and what is before us. The Cognitive is how an object is viewed and how it views itself. The Spiritual Realm contains an object's essence as well as the ways it is connected to the things and people around it.▰▰▱▱▱ likely2 points
    Supports
  • In Shadesmar the empty space between planets does not really have any human interaction, so it does not really have an aspect in the cognitive realm, and all of that place gets shortened immensely. A traveller can walk to the other planets, which are at least days away.▰▰▱▱▱ likely2 points
    Supports
  • Shadesmar is all one plane, and a subastral is a region of Shadesmar.▰▰▱▱▱ likely3 points
    Supports
  • Nalthis is described as great to go to, and as even having customs that a traveller can go through. Sel is described as really dangerous to go to, because there is a dead Shard, two of them, in the Cognitive Realm that will destroy you.▰▰▱▱▱ likely1 source
    Supports
    • I would recommend that if you want to go on vacation in the cosmere, like, "I want to go somewhere different," go to Nalthis. Go to Nalthis. Nalthis is great to go to, right? They even have customs that you can go through. You can like, arrive, and things like this. Don't go to Sel. Sel is not good to go to. Sel is really dangerous to go to. There's a dead Shard--two of them--in the Cognitive Realm that will destroy you.JordanCon 2018, 21 April 2018, Words of Brandon entry 9501 Word of God
  • Investiture from different systems acts in different ways. Roshar is extra sticky with Investiture, so getting Investiture off that world is a problem even though collecting it is not.▰▰▱▱▱ likely2 points
    Supports
  • Quotes and answers given at signings are described as not always being as deliberately thought out as intended, and the phrasing can be bad in retrospect. The needs of telling a great story are said to trump things that have already been said about what is planned.▰▰▱▱▱ likely2 points
    Supports

Disputed 1credible sources disagree

  • Accounts differ on whether planets can be reached without going through the Cognitive Realm. One answer states that faster than light travel does not currently exist in the cosmere and that there are no current faster ways than getting there through Shadesmar. A separate account states that travel between planets within the cluster can be achieved without using either of the other Realms, through purely Physical superluminal travel that various civilizations have developed.▰▰▰▱▱ roughly even chance2 against3 points
    Supports
    • If there were FTL travel or something then yeah, you would pretty instantaneously notice a difference, but that currently does not exist in the Cosmere. People who are getting between planets either are individuals with no physical form as it's currently... basically just the Shards, right, or are getting there through Shadesmar, basically by walking or riding or something like that. There are *hesitantly* no current faster waysYouTube Spoiler Stream 2, 3 June 2021, Words of Brandon entry 14738 Word of God
    Against
    • Due to this, travel between planets within the cluster can be achieved without using either of the other Realms through purely Physical superluminal travel. Various civilizations have developed such Physical Realm interstellar travel, through unknown means.Coppermind: Realmatic Theory, Physical Realm section analysis
    • As a result of these difficulties, people look for other methods of travel. While it may be possible to worldhop using the Spiritual Realm, the primary other method available is faster-than-light travel through space in the Physical Realm.Coppermind: Cosmere, Worldhoppers section analysis

Debunked 2refuted by the evidence

  • The reading that the only two ways to worldhop are the Cognitive Realm and faster than light travel is rejected: the answer given is that it was never said there are only two ways.Refuted byYes. I said, if you couldn't use Shadesmar, is there another way. I did not say there are only two ways.refuted1 against2 points
    The claim rested on
    Refuted by
  • The idea that the oozy black manifestations of corrupted Investiture on different planets are all related in some way to Odium or Ambition is answered no.Refuted byThe question is: all of these different manifestations (we've got the Midnight Essence, we've got the shroud, we've got Nightblood), are they connected? Are they all related in some way to Odium or Ambition? The answer is no to the second.refuted1 against2 points
    The claim rested on
    Refuted by

Unresolved 2no settled answer

  • How Hoid was able to leave Roshar with his spren bond intact is still not known.▰▰▰▱▱ likely2 points
    Supports
  • Whether the crossing to Shinovar from Ashyn went by way of Shadesmar has not been canonized. The working answer is that it was not via Shadesmar, but the mechanics might not work out and Shadesmar might have to become the default.▰▰▱▱▱ likely1 source
    Supports
    • By the way I'll just say to the tape recording that I haven't canonized, like for instance if they traveled to Shadesmar to get to Shinovar from Ashyn. Right now I have that not being via Shadesmar, but the mechanics of that might not work out, and I might have to default to Shadesmar. So there's certain things, you'll see, where I say, "This isn't the canon answer, it's where I have things right now."Emerald City Comic Con 2018, 1 March 2018, Words of Brandon entry 9307 Word of God

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cosmerebrandon sandersonstormlight archivemistbornworldbuilding

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