Difference between revisions of "BioChromatic Breath"

→‎Types of BioChromatic entities: Proofreading. The first instance of 'Lifeless' should be bolded if you're going to reuse it as a title throughout the article.
(→‎Types of BioChromatic entities: Proofreading. The first instance of 'Lifeless' should be bolded if you're going to reuse it as a title throughout the article.)
(10 intermediate revisions by 8 users not shown)
|world=Nalthis
|universe=[[Cosmere]]
|books=[[Warbreaker]], [[The Stormlight Archive]]
}}
{{updatespoilers|sa4tsm}}
{{update|sa4|tsm}}
'''BioChromatic Breath''', also known simply as '''Breath''', is the common form of investiture on [[Nalthis]].
 
'''BioChromatic Breath''', also known simply as '''Breath''', is the common form of investitureInvestiture on [[Nalthis]].
 
==BioChroma==
 
Breaths are not inherently connected to Nalthis since they are freely given gifts, thus they do not limit [[worldhopping]].{{wob ref|14226}}
 
Breaths can be forcibly transferred by Shards, but doing so would leave them vulnerable, and there would still be some [[Connection]] between the original owner and the Breath.{{wob ref|16491}}
 
==Awakening==
 
===Type II===
'''Type II BioChromatic entities''' are Mindless Manifestations in a Deceased Host, or more commonly known as "'''Lifeless'''", and are non-sentient reanimated animal remains. They have a functioning brain, and are able to interpret old Commands and have new Commands given. These creatures are made via complex Commands that reanimate a dead person or animal. These Commands are guarded closely by those who know them.
 
Type II entities are cheap to make, even with awkward Commands (used to cost 50 breaths before the Manywar). This is due to the Law of BioChromatic Parallelism. However, Breath sticks so firmly to the construct that it is impossible to remove afterwards.
Once a '''Lifeless''' is created, it will obey any instructions given to it that include a pre-determined '''Command Phrase'''(similar to a password). Human Lifeless are able to understand more abstract instructions than animal Lifeless. However, the skill of the [[Awakener]] who Awakens the Lifeless also affects its ability. Any Lifeless will retain a level of skill that it had in life. For example, a soldier's corpse would make a better soldier Lifeless than that of a farmer's.
 
The Lifeless can function for a long time if cared for and repaired. Lifeless can withstand otherwise mortal wounds, but too much damage will eventually cause the Lifeless to cease activity, which means that Lifeless bodies need to be maintained and repaired (e.g. by sewing its wounds shut) when needed, otherwise they are going to need a new Breath. One innovation in Lifeless maintenance is the use of [[ichor-alcohol]], a substance discovered by [[Yesteel]] that could act as blood for Lifeless and that greatly prolongs their viability.
 
[[Vivenna's Blade]] might also be a Type IV entity, though it has not been confirmed.
 
The Father Machine that held the planet Komashi prisoner under a shroud of discarded souls for over 1700 years was likely a Type IV Biochromatic Entity. It may have been given a command along the lines of 'Use Spirits as a power source'.
 
==BioChromatic Laws==
 
If someone is made into a [[Lifeless]] before [[Endowment]] [[Returned]] that person, Endowment's gift of a divine [[Breath]] would come down, strike the Lifeless, and 'all kinds of craziness' would occur. They would end up as a 'Drab god'.{{wob ref|1138}}
 
== Breath Equivalent Units ==
The '''[[Breath Equivalent Unit]]''' ('''BEU''') is a unit of measurement for Investiture based on BioChromatic Breath.{{book ref|tsm|13}}{{wob ref|9685}}{{wob ref|15777}}
 
Even on highly Invested worlds, a person’s soul typically isn’t more than three BEUs.{{book ref|tsm|24}} A normal Threnodite from [[Canticle]] has only one BEU.{{book ref|tsm|23}} A sunheart made from a Threnodite on Canticle contains at least about two hundred BEUs.{{book ref|tsm|24}}
 
==Trivia==