History ComicBook / WhiteSand

* TheAgeless: Skathen, the man whose magical powers are what prompted Khriss and her fiance to seek out the "Sand Mages" is apparently unaging - Baon mentions him looking exactly the same when he himself was a child and when he left for Dayside as an adult.

* ArtisticLicenseBiology: Darksiders have dark skin and lightsiders light. That's the opposite of the way it should be; even if the people had only settled on their respective sides a single generation ago (which is incorrect), the darksiders should be very pale and the lightsiders very tanned. WordOfGod explains it as Darksiders having their own "dark star" that emits powerful UV radiation and little visible light.
* ArtShiftedSequel: The final chapter in volume two has a drastically different art style, owning to a change of artist. By extension, the same will apply to the entire volume three.
* AssassinOutclassin: The A'kar sends assassins to kill Kenton so that the diem would fall. Kenton deals with them quite easily after the first fight.

* BequeathedPower: Kenton is convinced that his father's last action [[spoiler:transferred his power to Kenton.]]

** Drile, demoted during the deadly graduation ceremony, pops up later [[spoiler:as the man behind the poisoning.]]

* DistantPrologue: To Literature/TheCosmere, taking place a few thousand years before ''Literature/{{Elantris}}'', chronologically the next in the sequence.
* TheDreaded: Skathen, a mysterious man whose influence and power is apparently the purpose behind Khriss and Gevaldin's journey to acquire "Sand Magic".

* SchizoTech: It's pretty hard to nail down the tech level. On one hand, Daysiders seem like a fairly straightforward medieval society in a desert setting, but Nightsiders have guns and dynamite, and there's something akin to a radio visible in one panel when Kenton's recuperating in his father's tent.

* DishingOutDirt: Sand Masters are all about this. They can control sand, travel on it, use it offensively and defensively, form it into static constructs and even transmute it into water. Their only limits are dehydration and the fact that sand turns black and useless after being used.

''White Sand'' is a graphic novel created by Creator/BrandonSanderson and Creator/DynamiteComics. It's part of Sanderson's ''Literature/TheCosmere'' 'verse and the first Cosmere work not to be a prose work[[note]]As a matter of fact, ''White Sand'' was originally written as a book (and can be obtained via email) and was supposed to be released as one, but when Dynamite asked Sanderson if he wouldn't like to adapt any of his unpublished works, ''White Sand'' was remade as a graphic novel instead[[/note]]. It'll be released in three parts, with the first having already been released. Previews can be seen at [[http://io9.gizmodo.com/one-of-brandon-sandersons-unreleased-fantasy-novels-is-1765541486 io9]] and [[http://www.newsarama.com/29004-brandon-sanderson-s-fantasy-epic-comes-to-comic-books-with-white-sand-preview.html newsarama]].

%%* DistantPrologue: To Literature/TheCosmere, taking place a few thousand years before ''Literature/{{Elantris}}'', chronologically the next in the sequence.

** Kenton manages to preserve the Sand profession for two more weeks thanks to remembering the loophole that renders the Taishin's decision to dismantle the diem void.

* TheHeretic: The common opinion about Sand Masters seems to be that they're either heretics or flat-out infidels.
* TheLostLenore: RareMaleExample with Gevaldin, Khriss' fiance, whose death motivates her to travel to Dayside to seek out the "Sand Mages".

* PrideBeforeAFall: The Sand Masters are haughty, refuse to use their powers for money or to help anyone else, and keep to themselves, thinking themselves above the rest of society. In fact, they think themselves untouchable and thus [[spoiler:lack combat training that would have saved them when the Kerztians attacked. Their unsociability and unwillingness to help others plays a key part in why the other guilds are willing to vote to disband them.]]

* YoungFutureFamousPeople: ''White Sand'' marks the first chronological appearance of Khriss (here initially known as Duchess Khrissalla), known to Cosmere afficionados as a scientist, explorer of Shardworlds, employer of [[ButtMonkey poor]] Nazh and author of ''Ars Arcana'' found in Cosmere novels. Here, she's apparently still before her worldhopping days.

* DistantPrologue: To Literature/TheCosmere, taking place a few thousand years before ''Literature/{{Elantris}}'', chronologically the next in the sequence.

* ThirstyDesert: Dayside seems to be a giant desert surrounded by an ocean, according to the [[http://www.17thshard.com/forum/uploads/monthly_04_2016/post-6459-0-46206700-1459658434.png map]]. Khriss and her group are in early stages of dehydration when they meet Kenton, as their guide has run off with most of their water. Kenton finds it hilarious - it turns out that spilling just a bit of water on the sand brings out water vines, which store the precious liquid as a defense measure.

* AdaptationDistillation: In the original novel, Praxton is mentioned to have several children, with Kenton being the youngest; in the comic, they're never alluded to.

* SchizoTech: It's pretty hard to nail down the tech level. On one hand, Daysiders seem like a fairly straightforward medieval society in a desert setting, but Nightsiders have guns and dynamite, and there's something akin to radio visible in one panel when Kenton's recuperating in his father's tent.

* MeaningfulBackgroundEvent: Pay attention to the clouds. [[spoiler:A face - and at one point, a skull - shows up during many significant events.]]

* PrideBeforeAFall: The Sand Masters are haughty, refuse to use their powers for money or to help anyone else, and keep to themselves, thinking themselves above the society. In fact, they think themselves untouchable and thus [[spoiler:lack combat training that would have saved them when the Kerztians attacked. Their unsociability and unwillingness to help others plays a key part in why the other guilds are willing to vote to order their disbanding.]]

* SchmuckBait: During his training, Kenton finds the last sphere in the midst of a perfect round plaza of deep sand, and goes for it, wondering only what kind of winds would create structure like this. Of course, it's a sandling den.

* PrideBeforeAFall: The Sand Masters are haughty, refuse to use their powers for money or to help anyone else, and keep to themselves, thinking themselves above the society. In fact, they think themselves untouchable and thus [[spoiler:lack combat training that would have saved them when the Kerztians attacked.]]

* CallARabbitASmeerp: The Darksiders call dynamite "zinkallin."

Taldain is a TidallyLockedPlanet - one where on one hemisphere the sun never goes down, and on the other - never appears. On the Dayside, the sunlight imbues the sand with magic properties. This enables a group of people called Sand Masters to control it and form it on grand scale, although the sand used this way turns dark until the sun "refuels" it again. One of those Sand Masters is Kenton, who just happens to be the weakest of them - which is slightly embarrassing, seeing how his father is one of the most ''powerful'' Sand Masters. Kenton soldiers on, though.

* HeroesPreferSwords: Kenton uses a curved sword to aid him with sand control, to disdain of his father.

* FlatEarthAtheist: In a universe of sixteen godlike Shards creating worlds from ground up, on a planet full of magic, the Sand Masters practice atheism. Subverted in that they (or at least [[TheObiWan Elorim) still turn to the Sand Lord when it comes to lost causes like Kenton.

* FlatEarthAtheist: In a universe of sixteen godlike Shards creating worlds from ground up, on a planet full of magic, the Sand Masters practice atheism. Subverted in that they still turn to the Sand Lord when it comes to lost causes like Kenton.

* ChekhovsSkill: Kenton's experience as RulesLawyer and his obsession with finding loopholes lets Kenton get the upper hand during his argument with the Taishin.

** Sand Masters were apparently too disdainful of "brute" and "vulgar" weapons like swords to forbid them from being used on Mastrell's Path, which Kenton utilizes to take his own blade - which he uses as a crutch to aid him with his magic - to the test.

* PeekABangs: Aarik's hair cover one of his eyes; it's the "solitary" variety.
* PrideBeforeAFall: The Sand Masters are haughty, refuse to use their powers for money or to use them to help anyone, and keep to themselves, thinking themselves above the society. In fact, they think themselves untouchable and thus lack combat training that would save them when Kerztians attack.

* WeakButSkilled: Kenton thinks of himself this way, noting that his ability to control the sand in highly precise fashion lets him overcome the fact that he's one of the least powerful Sand Masters.

* YouAreInCommandNow: As the only person with Mastrell's sash left, Kenton gets coerced into becoming the leader of [[spoiler:the survivors.]]

** Invoked; higher-ranking Sand Masters keep their head bald.
** Baon has bald head.

Taldain is a TidallyLockedPlanet - one where on one hemisphere the sun never goes down, and on the other - never appears. On the Dayside, the sunlight imbues the sand with magic properties. This enables a group of people called Sand Masters to control it and form it on grand scale, although the sand used this way turns dark until the sun "refuels" it again. One of those Sand Masters is Kenton, who just happens to be the weakest of them - which is slightly embarassing, seeing how his father is one of the most ''powerful'' Sand Masters. Kenton soldiers on, though.

However, not all is fine. The Sand Masters are ambushed and slaughered, and Kenton's apparently the sole survivor of the massacre. Teaming up with a mysterious Darksider Khriss and her entourage, he sets out to uncover who orchestrated this attack on his kinsman - and escape before the enemy can finish the job.

* AlchemyIsMagic: High-level mastery over sand apparently lets you do stuff like turn sand into water.

* BedouinRescueService: Zig-zagged. After being buried in sand, Kenton is rescued by Khriss' caravan, but who's the local "savage" and who the inexperienced foreigner is reversed.

* CallARabbitASmeerp: The Darksiders call dynamite "zinkallin".

** The Sand Master's ranks are visible as colours of their sashes.

* ComboPlatterPowers: Sand Mastery generally revolves around telekinetically manipulating the sand into tools, weapons, and shields. Even their NotQuiteFlight is accomplished by using the sand to lift themselves. And then there's slatrification, which is turning sand into water.

* DarkestHour: For Kenton, it comes when, after hearing the rumours of survivng Sand Masters, he crosses the desert to Kezare and finally reaches the diem, only to find it empty. He slumps under the wall, curls up and, for the first time in the story, just plain gives up. [[spoiler:Dirin shows up a moment later, revealing that the Sand Masters are still alive, but there's so few of them, they occupy very small part of the diem now.]]

* DishingOutDirt: Sand Masters are all about this. They can control sand, travel on it, use it offensively and defensively, form it into static constructs and apparently even transmute it into stuff like water. The only limit is dehydration and the fact that sand turns black and useless after being spent.

** Kenton has heard opinions that his Darksider mother has "poisoned" the bloodline, leading to his lessered Sand Mastery.

* {{Foil}}: Under-mastrell Elorin seems to be one to Praxton - he openly notes that the Mastrell's Path was specifically designed for people to make themselves feel better, raises objections to Kenton's plan to prove himself without resorting to ''ad persona'' and is generally kinder towards Kenton. He also uses the rules to support Kenton rather than bend them to hinder him, like Praxton tries to do.
* FunctionalMagic: Sand Mastery. A Sand Master can control sand, and how much he or she can control depends on their power level. Only white-coloured sand can be controlled, and after being spent, it turns black and is unresponsive until sun refills it and it turns white again. Using sand dehydrates a Sand Master, so unless he drinks, he can quite literally die of thirsty over course of minutes.

* MeaningfulBackgroundEvent: Pay attention to the clouds. [[spoiler:A face - or, once, a skull - shows up during many significant events.]]

* SchizoTech: It's pretty hard to nail down the tech level. On one hand, Daysiders seem like a fairly straightforward medieval fantasy in desert garb, but Nightsiders have guns and dynamite, and there's something akin to radio visible in one panel when Kenton's recuperating in his father's tent.
* SchmuckBait: During his training, Kenton finds the last sphere in the centre of a perfect round plaza of deep sand, and goes for it, wondering only what kind of winds would create structure like this. Of course, it's a sandling den.

* ThoseTwoGuys: Acron and Cynder, the two scientist who travel with Khrisalla and continuously bicker with each other.

* YoungFutureFamousPeople: ''White Sand'' marks the first chronological appearance of Khriss (here initially known as Duchess Khrissalla), known to Cosmere affictionados as a scientist, explorer of Shardworlds, employer of [[ButtMonkey poor]] Nazh and author of ''Ars Arcana'' found in Cosmere novels. Here, she's apparently still before her worldhopping days.

* ObviousJudas: Drile's EstablishingCharacterMoment is when he's caught attempting to sell his Sand Mastery for money. When it turns out he's [[spoiler:survived the massacre]], it's pretty obvious - for both the reader and Kenton - who's to blame for it.

* YouHave48Hours: Kenton is given two weeks to prove that the Sand profession should be preserved rather than dismantled.

''White Sand'' is a graphic novel created by Creator/BrandonSanderson and Creator/DynamiteComics. It's part of Sanderson's ''Literature/TheCosmere'' 'verse and the first Cosmere work not to be a prose work[[note]]As a matter of fact, ''White Sand'' was originally written as a book (and can be obtained via email) and was supposed to be released as one, but when Dynamite asked Sanderson if he wouldn't like to adapt any of his unpublished works, ''White Sand'' was remade as a graphic novel instead[[/note]]. It'll be released in three parts, the first one coming up in late June 2016. Previews can be seen at [[http://io9.gizmodo.com/one-of-brandon-sandersons-unreleased-fantasy-novels-is-1765541486 io9]] and [[http://www.newsarama.com/29004-brandon-sanderson-s-fantasy-epic-comes-to-comic-books-with-white-sand-preview.html newsarama]].

* ShiftingSandLand: Dayside seems to be a giant desert surrounded by an ocean, according to the [[http://www.17thshard.com/forum/uploads/monthly_04_2016/post-6459-0-46206700-1459658434.png map]].

* ThirstyDesert: Khriss and her group are in early stages of this when they meet Kenton, as their guide has run off with most of their water. Kenton finds it hilarious - it turns out that spilling just a bit of water on the sand brings out water vines, which store the precious liquid as a defense measure.