Editing Crem

|image=Crem cleanup by Marie Seeberger.jpg

|type=Substance

{{update|sa4}}

== Appearance and Properties ==

Crem is a light brown, sediment-like substance. It falls along with the heavy rains during [[highstorm]]s, while the lighter rainfall during the [[Weeping]]s does not carry it.{{book ref|sa2|81}} It gives stormwater a metallic taste.{{wob ref|8491}} Consuming it can cause sickness, making highstorm water unsafe for humans to drink;{{wob ref|11570}} however, after about a day, it will settle on the bottom of the container, leaving clean water above.{{book ref|sa1|16}} When dried, it can turn into dust.{{book ref|sa3|71}}{{book ref|sa3|82}} Water mixed with crem is known as '''cremwater'''.{{book ref|sa2|47}} '''Cremslime''' - a thicker mud formed of water mixed with crem - has an unpleasant stench.{{book ref|sa1|60}} Densely-packed, accumulated crem forms '''cremstone''', which is tannish brown in color.{{wob ref|6268}}

Highstorms cause crem buildup on all structures, whether unnatural or natural, such as buildings, plateaus, and even corpses.{{book ref|sa1|69}}{{book ref|sa2|51}} Unless cleaned regularly, everything on Roshar eventually becomes covered with crem, and any overhangs will grow crem stalactites.{{book ref|sa1|25}}{{book ref|sa1|69}} In fact, the entire continent is slowly "migrating" leeward, thanks to the highstorms depositing crem as they travel.{{wob ref|5712}}

Despite being above the storms, even [[Urithiru]] has some crem built up on the [[Oathgate]] platforms.{{book ref|sa2|86}} This is because the height of highstorm varies periodically, sometimes being higher than Urithiru.{{book ref|sa4|i|1}}

Crem is currently influenced by [[Cultivation]], despite predating her.{{wob ref|460}}

== Applications ==

=== Ecology ===

Crem is utilized by native [[Roshar]]an flora as source of nutrients, as well as structural reinforcement. [[Jella]] trees absorb crem to strengthen their wood against [[highstorm]]s.{{book ref|sa2|45}} [[Shalebark]] feeds on crem, and [[lavis]] polyps grow from seed-crem (which can be presumed to be crem mixed with lavis seeds).{{book ref|sa2|52}}{{book ref|sa3|5}}

Rosharan fauna derive the minerals used to grow [[gemheart]]s from drinking crem-infused water.{{wob ref|13335}}

=== Human uses ===

Crem is one of [[Roshar]]'s most versatile materials. Historically, humans have used it in construction, in the form of bricks.{{book ref|sa1|19}} '''Crembrick''' buildings can be found even in the present day, and some cities, such as [[Kharbranth]], have walls plastered with crem for insulation.{{book ref|sa1|3}} [[Singer]]s, too, utilize crem and stone as building materials.{{book ref|sa1|45}}

To filter crem out of rainwater, the people of Roshar use storm cisterns, which can do so automatically.{{book ref|sa2|40}}{{book ref|sa3|10}} The crem filtered out of water is often used as clay.{{book ref|sa1|16}}{{book ref|sa4|i|11}} Among others, the people of [[Sesemalex Dar]] are renowned for their expert crem pottery.{{book ref|sa1|55}}

In scholarship, crem can be used for geological and archaeological dating, by measuring the strata and the crem buildup. However, this isn't practical in areas that experience strong winds, as crem pools unevenly there.{{book ref|sa2|68}}

Crem is a go-to derogatory term for most Rosharans, and features in a number of insults, such as "cremstained", "crem-crusted" or "the crem of something".{{book ref|sa1|60}}{{book ref|sa2|50}}{{book ref|sa1|14}} The small crustaceans of Roshar are collectively called [[cremling]]s; this, too, is used as an insult.{{book ref|sa1|60}} This being said, while it is generally considered a nuisance, [[Rysn]] finds crem superior to [[Shinovar]] soil, if only slightly.{{book ref|sa2|i|3}}

==Trivia==

* The word "crem" is a transliteration, rather than translation, of the Rosharan word for it.{{wob ref|3993}}