Difference between revisions of "Invested Art"

[[Initiation]] is the process by which a person is chosen to gain the ability to access a manifestation of [[Investiture]] (and/or the process of actually gaining such access).{{book ref|elantris|part=ars}} [[Vessel]]s can choose to alter how Initiation for their Shard's magic works to some extent, subject to some limitations determined by the underlying mechanics.{{wob ref|2716}} The method of Initiation varies between different manifestations, but there are [[cosmere]]-wide principles underlying the different methods: in order for a person to be Initiated, it is generally necessary for their soul to have some degree of "damage", creating cracks in their [[spiritweb]] that Investiture can rush into and fill, thereby linking them to the magic.{{wob ref|4597}} Some magic systems make it much easier than others to achieve this.{{wob ref|2716}}

The [[intent]] of a user is very important to several magic systems; these magic systems require a mental component to function. Some, like Hemalurgy, simply require that someone intend to make a spike when they do it, and others, like Awakening, require complex images created in your mind with the spoken command to function. Hemalurgy has only one known mental component: that the user or [[Shard]] must be trying to do Hemalurgy (this is [[Ruin]]'s intent when [[Spook]] temporarily gains the ability to burn pewter). This mental component, if not present, renders the spike to a normal metal spike and simply harms the victim. When present, it controls what is stolen when used in conjunction with the correct binding point. Awakening is almost as much mental as spoken. If the visualizing of the command is not firm, the Awakened object can behave in a unknown manner or not at all. The more complex the command the more important that mental component is. In [[Surgebinding]], the mental component has varying degrees of necessity depending on the [[Surge]] used. [[Surgebinding#Illumination|Lightweaving]] requires an extremely clear image in a user's mind to create an illusion with the appropriate appearance, but with Surges like Gravitation the user does not have to have any idea of what they are doing; the Surge will do the same thing regardless. Some Surges do require simply that the user wish it to happen. Often with Surgebinding this can be accomplished by instinctively pushing [[Stormlight]] into something.