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Royal Locks

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Royal Locks
Related to Returned
World of Origin Nalthis
Universe Cosmere

The Royal Locks are a hereditary trait of the Royal House of Idris on Nalthis.[1]

Members of the Royal House can change their hair color or cause their hair to grow quickly at will. Normally the color of the Royal Locks reflects the person's emotional state by default but this can be controlled through training and discipline. The ability to grow hair at will takes effort and leads to hunger and exhaustion.[1] Royal Locks abilities can extend to facial hair.[2]

Only members of the Royal House that are potential heirs to the throne have and can pass on the Royal Locks.[3]

Hair Color Indicators

  • Black: Calm or control[4]
  • Red: Anger, embarrassment[5], or passion[6]
  • Yellow (or Blond): Happiness or excitement[7]
  • White: Fear, intimidation, or panic[8][9]
  • Brown: Saddened or upset[10]
  • Green: Disgusted[11]
  • Pink: Unknown[11]

Wearers of the Royal Locks can imitate the grey hair of the elderly,[4] though it is unknown whether that color is associated with a particular emotion. They can also change their hair color to unnatural colors, like pink and green.[11] Which particular color that will match up with which particular emotion is based on associations that people in the culture give them and the user's own perspective.[12]

Other abilities

Although many of it’s users believe that the Royal Locks only extend to hair, wearers of the Royal Locks are able to change many other aspects of their physical appearance,[13][14] like their age, height, and body shape.[15] This requires a great deal of practice, energy and focus. Changing one’s physical appearance using the royal locks feels, at least to some users, like moving any other muscle.[16][17] Changing their appearance also makes them hungry and tired.[16] The users of the Royal Locks can’t change their appearance as much as a Returned can; they cannot change their physical features enough to look like someone else. Returned could most likely mimic the effects of the Royal Locks. Although, it is also possible to have the Royal Locks independent of being a Returned, as seen with Denth.[18]

Those with the Royal Locks have a much easier time learning Awakening, this mimics how more breaths also make it easier to learn how to awaken.[19][20]

History

The Royal Locks originally came from Vo, the first Returned. Vo was a member of a Chedesh expedition that discovered a paradise-like valley, which would later become known as Hallandren. Vo died under unknown circumstances around the same time the valley was discovered, and soon Returned in the bay adjacent to modern-day T'Telir. During the eight days he was given Vo managed to impregnate his wife. His wife would, as elected monarch of the new nation of Hanald, establish a royal line. Every potential heir in this line would have the Royal Locks, a sign of Returned ancestry.

The members of this line would continue to rule Hanald for three hundred years, all the way up to the Manywar. This war would eventually result in Vo's royal line leaving T'Telir to establish the nation of Idris in the highlands, while Hanald was renamed Hallandren and the priests there began downplaying the importance of Vo's bloodline.[21][22]

The royal line continued to rule Idris for another three hundred years. The priests, wanting to reintroduce the Royal Locks back into the Hallandren monarchy to further legitimize their regime and quiet those who believed Dedelin was the rightful heir to the throne,[1] arranged a marriage between an Idrian princess and the God King. This marriage eventually happened, although it is unknown if the two had a child, and by extension, if the Royal Locks were reintroduced into the monarchy.[9]

Known Users

Below is a list of those known to have the Royal Locks:

Trivia

Notes

  1. ↑ a b c d Warbreaker chapter 1#
  2. ↑ 17th Shard Forum Q&A
    — Arcanum - 2012-09-26#
  3. ↑ Warbreaker chapter 22#
  4. ↑ a b c Warbreaker chapter 9#
  5. ↑ Warbreaker chapter 8#
  6. ↑ Warbreaker chapter 44#
  7. ↑ Warbreaker chapter 14#
  8. ↑ a b Warbreaker chapter 11#
  9. ↑ a b Warbreaker chapter 4#
  10. ↑ Warbreaker chapter 2#
  11. ↑ a b c FanX Spring 2019
    — Arcanum - 2019-04-19#
  12. ↑ ICon 2019
    — Arcanum - 2019-10-15#
  13. ↑ Boskone 54
    — Arcanum - 2017-02-17#
  14. ↑ Warbreaker Annotations
    — Arcanum - 2010-10-26#
  15. ↑ Warbreaker Annotations
    — Arcanum - 2011-08-01#
  16. ↑ a b Warbreaker chapter 6#
  17. ↑ Warbreaker chapter 39#
  18. ↑ /r/fantasy AMA 2013
    — Arcanum - 2013-04-18#
  19. ↑ Warbreaker chapter 43#
  20. ↑ Warbreaker Annotations
    — Arcanum - 2011-02-22#
  21. ↑ Warbreaker chapter 32#
  22. ↑ Warbreaker Annotations
    — Arcanum - 2011-06-22#
  23. ↑ Warbreaker chapter 57#
  24. ↑ Warbreaker Annotations
    — Arcanum - 2010-08-23#
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