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Mundane forgery, not the Invested Art
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{{item
|image=Moon Scepter by botanicaxu.jpg
|type=Scepter
|world=Sel
|universe=[[Cosmere]]
|books=[[The Emperor's Soul]]
}}
The '''Moon Scepter'''
== Description ==
The shape is similar to a Chinese scepter known as a [[Wikipedia: Ruyi_(scepter)|ruyi]] and it is pale blue in color, echoing the color of Sel's moon [[Oem]].{{wob ref|3826}} It has [[Aon]]s written or inscribed on one side of it.{{wob ref|9626}}
== History ==
The origin of the Moon Scepter is unknown.
[[Shai]] wanted to swap the real scepter with her own forged copy as a test of her skill, because it was the most famous piece of art in the whole empire.{{tes ref|42}} After an elaborate plan that also included the theft and forgery of a painting by [[Han ShuXen]], she was betrayed at the last moment by [[Hoid]] (whom she knew as the Imperial Fool) and imprisoned.{{tes ref|2}} Shai assumed that the Fool escaped with the original scepter and that her forged version now sat in the gallery.{{tes ref|2}} Hoid did take the original scepter{{wob ref|9626}}{{bws ref|date=2014-03-31|name=tes-del|the-emperors-soul-deleted-prologue-imperial-fool|Deleted prologue from ''The Emperor's Soul''}} but its fate after that point is unknown.
== Use ==
===Translation Device===
The Moon Scepter is not simply ornamental; it is a translation device between sets of symbols that are used to access [[Investiture]] in the various Selish magic systems.{{wob ref|5302}}{{wob ref|9626}} This is significant because Sel's numerous manifestations of Investiture are similar to computer programming languages.{{wob ref|1768}} The scepter presumably has other symbols written or inscribed on it that correspond to the Aons known to be on one side. A knowledgeable individual would therefore be able to use the translations to gain an understanding of the symbols that are integral to various types of Selish magic.{{wob ref|9626}}
===Access to Investiture===
{{theory}}
Selish magic is particularly powerful,{{wob ref|10728}} but despite a common power source (the [[Dor]]),{{wob ref|7114}} each type of magic is usually only usable by people native to specific areas of Sel.{{wob ref|8516}}{{wob ref|1768}}{{wob ref|1473}} Additionally, Selish magic typically gets weaker as the distance from its homeland increases.{{book ref|elantris|19}}{{wob ref|3920}} These properties vary for each specific magic system,{{wob ref|5190}} but Selish magic generally does not work on other planets.{{wob ref|868}}{{wob ref|1473}}{{wob ref|6164}} This is a problem that some characters are actively trying to solve.{{wob ref|10728}}
Although the Moon Scepter does not remove these geographic restrictions,{{wob ref|11410}} thus far it is the only known object that could make this task "less daunting".{{wob ref|868}} Someone that is able to use at least one type of Selish magic might be able to use the information on the scepter to gain access to one or more additional types of magic (including [[AonDor]], [[Forgery]], [[ChayShan]], [[Dakhor]], Invested potions,{{wob ref|826}} [[Bloodsealing]], and more).{{wob ref|3441}}{{wob ref|11244}} Alternatively, the translation could allow the powers of a magic system to be accessed using different symbols in non-native locations (for example, an [[Elantrian]] traveling to [[Fjorden]] might be able to use AonDor with Dakhor glyphs rather than Aons). Notably, the scepter provides information about Selish magics, but it does not inherently grant the holder access to any of its manifestations.{{wob ref|10728}}
The scepter is a piece of a much larger puzzle that could theoretically allow conversion between different types of [[Investiture]], even beyond those found on Sel.{{wob ref|12672}} The translation information on the scepter was the reason for Hoid's interest, and he has already gotten what he needs from it.{{wob ref|9626}}
== Trivia ==
*Brandon has not confirmed whether or not the scepter itself is Invested,{{wob ref|868}} but it is unlikely since it does not seem to have particular value to Hoid.{{wob ref|9626}}
*The Moon Scepter is likely to reappear in a future book, at least as a cameo.{{wob ref|9626}}
*[[Shallan]] sees a stick with unreadable writing on it in [[Mraize]]'s "trophy room",{{book ref|sa2|43}} but it is not the Moon Scepter.{{wob ref|7931}}
== Notes ==
<references />
{{complete|[[User:Big Smooth|Big Smooth]] ([[User talk:Big Smooth|talk]]) 16:01, 30 March 2022 (UTC)}}
{{The Emperor's Soul}}
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