Spiritweb
| Spiritweb | |
|---|---|
| Related to | Realmatic Theory |
| Universe | Cosmere |
“The actual outlet of the power is not chosen by the practitioner, but instead is hardwritten into their spiritweb. ”
The spiritweb is the network of Connections and Investiture which make up the soul of a creature, place, or object. Residing in the Spiritual Realm, spiritwebs lack any tangible shape or size, with their borders defined by their Identity. Contained within a spiritweb are various pieces, including Spiritual DNA, the Spiritual Aspect, and one’s Spiritual Ideal.[2]
Mechanics[edit]
Spiritual DNA[edit]
A person’s spiritweb, closely related to Spiritual DNA,[3] makes up their presence in the Spiritual Realm. Measuring and quantifying a spiritweb is possible, if difficult, to do.[4] Spiritual DNA can be passed from parent to child like regular DNA,[5] yet does not function exactly the same as identical twins can have different Spiritual DNA.[6][7][8] Some ways of utilizing Investiture are written into Spiritual DNA. Spiritwebs can be manufactured, though the process of how is unknown.[9]
Damaging and Healing[edit]
A person's spiritweb can be damaged either through physical or emotional trauma. This creates "cracks" in the soul. It is easier for Shards to Invest in people who are damaged in this way, as Investiture can enter the soul through these "cracks". This is why Allomancers need to undergo Snapping in order to awaken their powers, and is implied to be the reason why Surgebinders tend to have psychological problems.[10][11][12] Spiritwebs can be damaged with weapons like hemalurgic spikes and Shardblades. Those wounds can then be healed with a graft of Investiture. The healing process does leave a permanent wound on a person's spiritweb.[13] Investing an object or person for a long period of time will warp and change their spiritweb.[14] In humans, this process leads to Savantism.[15]
Healing the Physical[edit]
Most forms of healing work by using the three aspects of the user's self; their Physical, Cognitive, and Spiritual.[16][17] Healing typically heals the Physical version by matching it to their Spiritual Ideal, which is filtered through the lens of their minds (the Cognitive aspect).[2] Almost all forms of healing in the cosmere, even natural healing, are filtered through the perception of the user, [18][19] which means that if a person hasn't accepted a wound as a part of themselves, they can still heal it regardless of how long they've had it.[20] However, even if a wound is recent, if the person has changed their mindset to see it as a part of themselves, they will not be able to heal from it.[21][22] An example of this can be found when Kaladin was unable to heal his slave brand until he swore the fourth oath and recognized that it wasn't a part of him.[12]
Interactions[edit]
All forms of Investiture which one can use are related to the spiritweb. Some manifestations of Investiture are built into a person's Spiritual DNA, such as Allomancy and Feruchemy. Other abilities, such as Hemalurgy and Surgebinding, involve manipulating Spiritual DNA. A few types of Investiture even work by manipulating or overwriting the spiritweb directly, such as Forgery.
The Dor[edit]
AonDor[edit]
AonDor requires some innate Spiritual DNA, but the Shaod that turns someone into an Elantrian involves some sort of change to the Spiritual DNA during the transition.[23][24]
Forgery[edit]
Forgery works by overlaying an object’s or person’s history and spiritweb with an alternative one. This may indicate that it is possible to remove the effects of a soulstamp, though it is currently unknown.[25]
Awakening[edit]
The ability to give Breath, which is a part of a person's Spiritual aspect, is built into a Nalthian's Spiritual DNA.[26] The ability to Awaken is not limited to Nalthians.[27]
The Metallic Arts[edit]
Allomancy[edit]
Multiple forms of Allomancy relate to the spiritweb. Allomantic zinc and brass will work only on creatures with a sufficient level of sapience and work better on creatures whose spiritweb has been damaged, as with Hemalurgic constructs.[28][29][30] The ability to use Allomancy is passed down via Spiritual DNA.[31]
Feruchemy[edit]
Several of the Feruchemical Attributes are deeply connected to the spiritweb, especially the Spiritual metals such as aluminum and duralumin, which allow for Identity and Connection, respectively, to be stored. Similarly to Allomancy, the ability to use Feruchemy is passed down through Spiritual DNA.
Hemalurgy[edit]
In Hemalurgy, portions of the spiritweb seem to be ripped off of one person and grafted onto another person's spiritweb.[32] This causes lasting damage to the spiritweb of the creature in which a Hemalurgic Spike is placed.[33]
Surgebinding[edit]
Nahel Bond[edit]
A Surgebinder's Nahel bond with a spren works in a similar way, a spren becoming spiritually attached to a certain point on a person's spiritweb, merging together as the Surgebinder progresses in their Oaths.[34][citation needed]
Soulcasting[edit]
Although it does not directly alter the spiritweb, Soulcasting can alter a spiritweb if the Cognitive aspect stays altered for long enough.[35]
Regrowth[edit]
Regrowth allows for healing both the Physical form of a living thing and its spiritweb, as does a sufficient amount of Stormlight. This likely functions by restoring one’s physical form to the state of their Spiritual Ideal.[16] Regrowth can even go so far as to reattach the soul of one recently deceased.[36][37]
Shardblades[edit]
A Shardblade can be stolen with Hemalurgy,[38][39] because it is Connected to a person's spiritweb. When a Shardblade cuts through living matter, its edge fuzzes, leaving the physical body uninjured, whilst cutting the being's Cognitive self - not their spiritweb.[40]
Fabrials[edit]
There are fabrials, that are capable of accurately reading a person's spiritweb. However, these devices tend to go haywire if the person being read is heavily Invested, such as a Returned, Elantrian, or yoki-hijo.[41]
Bondsmith[edit]
A Bondsmith that is bonded to the Stormfather is able to read a person's spiritweb.[42] The person's spiritweb appears to the Bondsmith as faintly glowing lines of varying thickness. It is currently unknown if others share this ability.
Notes[edit]
- ↑ The Lost Metal Ars Arcanum#
- ↑ a b General Reddit 2015
— Arcanum - 2015-11-20# - ↑ Firefight Chicago signing
— Arcanum - 2015-02-20# - ↑ General Reddit 2019
— Arcanum - 2019-11-27# - ↑ Ancient 17S Q&A
— Arcanum - 2010-05-01# - ↑ Steelheart Chicago signing
— Arcanum - 2013-10-01# - ↑ Ancient Lunch Q&A
— Arcanum - 2010-07-31# - ↑ Dragonsteel 2023
— Arcanum - 2023-11-21# - ↑ Mini-Con 2021
— Arcanum - 2021-11-22# - ↑ Shadows of Self Boston signing
— Arcanum - 2015-10-14# - ↑ Words of Radiance chapter 68#
- ↑ a b Rhythm of War chapter 110#
- ↑ Firefight signing Chicago
— Arcanum - 2015-02-20# - ↑ OdysseyCon 2016
— Arcanum - 2016-04-08# - ↑ Salt Lake City signing
— Arcanum - 2014-03-29# - ↑ a b Orem signing
— Arcanum - 2018-03-10# - ↑ Shadows of Self London UK signing
— Arcanum - 2015-10-19# - ↑ Calamity release party
— Arcanum - 2016-02-16# - ↑ Arcanum Unbounded release party
— Arcanum - 2016-11-22# - ↑ Skyward Houston signing
— Arcanum - 2018-11-19# - ↑ Words of Radiance Seattle signing
— Arcanum - 2014-03-08# - ↑ Oathbringer interlude I-13#
- ↑ YouTube Spoiler Stream 2
— Arcanum - 2021-06-03# - ↑ Elantris Annotations
— Arcanum - 2006-02-14# - ↑ General Twitter 2016
— Arcanum - 2016-04-30# - ↑ Orem Signing
— Arcanum - 2019-03-16# - ↑ Oathbringer epilogue#
- ↑ The Well of Ascension chapter 54#
- ↑ The Hero of Ages chapter 3#
- ↑ The Hero of Ages chapter 21 epigraph#
- ↑ Orem Signing
— Arcanum - 2019-03-16# - ↑ Barnes and Noble Book Club Q&A
— Arcanum - 2009-07-08# - ↑ Dark Talent release party
— Arcanum - 2016-09-06# - ↑ JordanCon 2016
— Arcanum - 2016-04-23# - ↑ Oathbringer Ars Arcanum#
- ↑ Words of Radiance chapter 88#
- ↑ Oathbringer chapter 90#
- ↑ 17th Shard Forum Q&A
— Arcanum - 2012-09-26# - ↑ White Sand vol.1 Orem signing
— Arcanum - 2016-06-29# - ↑ The Way of Kings chapter 13#
- ↑ Yumi and the Nightmare Painter chapter 32#
- ↑ Rhythm of War chapter 47#