Cultivation's Perpendicularity
| Cultivation's Perpendicularity | |
|---|---|
 by Yen Shu Liao
| |
| Related to | Cultivation |
| Use | Travel between Roshar and Shadesmar |
| Region | Horneater Peaks |
| World | Roshar |
| Universe | Cosmere |
“ I used a portal between realms. Cultivation's Perpendicularity, they call it. ”
Cultivation's Perpendicularity is the only known stable perpendicularity on Roshar.
Overview
Cultivation's Perpendicularity is located in the Horneater Peaks on Roshar. It is either one or all of the Horneater Oceans, warm bodies of water that allow people to live there despite the high altutide. It's filled with ordinary water at the top; however, beneath this layer, it appears to be made of something else, likely the liquid Investiture of the Shard Cultivation.[2] It's possible that living near Cultivation's Perpendicularity can affect people, as among the Unkalaki--the Horneaters--there are people called alaii'iku, capable of perceiving spren that are normally invisible to the human eye.[3][4]
Like all perpendicularities, Cultivation's Perpendicularity allows for travel between Roshar's Physical Realm and Shadesmar. Although it is possible to enter Roshar through other means, they are known to be highly unstable; as such, this appears to be the main method by which worldhoppers arrive at the planet.[1]
History
Rock mentions that his people can sometimes visit the "place of the gods" when swimming in the Oceans, implying that the Unkalaki will sometimes travel through the perpendicularity, albeit briefly.[2]
Both Wit and Azure use this perpendicularity when arriving on Roshar. The former comes through while Rock is still in the Peaks, while the latter likely uses it some time later, chasing a "criminal" (presumably Zahel).[2][1]
During the True Desolation, the perpendicularity is assaulted from the Shadesmar side by the Voidbringers, who take control of it and blockade it, halting anyone approaching its area and demanding tribute. Because of this, most spren choose to avoid coming near; however, Honorspren warships are willing to attempt to run the blockade, and Azure still believes it to be the safest way to leave Shadesmar.[5] Though it seems that the Voidbringer presence in the region is limited to the Cognitive Realm, it still has some sort of impact on the inhabitants of the Peaks.[6]
Notes
- ↑ a b c Oathbringer chapter 93#
- ↑ a b c Words of Radiance chapter 46#
- ↑ The Way of Kings chapter 21#
- ↑ However, it's also possible that this is the result of their Singer ancestry, as Singers have been shown to perceive spren more than humans do.
- ↑ Oathbringer chapter 102#
- ↑ Oathbringer chapter 37#