Ashyn

Ashyn
by Isaac Stewart
Shards	None current, potential Investiture from Cultivation's past presence
Investitures	Unknown, disease-based
System	Rosharan system
Universe	Cosmere

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“There is Ashyn, the burning planet, which suffered a cataclysm long ago. ”

—From Khriss's essay on the Rosharan System

Ashyn is a planet in the Rosharan system that will be the setting of The Silence Divine. It is the first planet from Roshar's sun.

Geography and Ecology

In the past, Ashyn was largely Earth-like, with animals such as birds and horses, and plants like grapes. Although it is not known what the ecology of Ashyn was precisely like, it likely closely resembled the Shinovar region on Roshar, as the plants and animals there are ones brought by the original refugees. On Roshar, weather patterns are referred to as "seasons", despite not matching seasons in length, cause, or pattern. This presumably indicates that "season" is a linguistic holdover from Ashyn and therefore that Ashyn has seasons, and, by extension, axial tilt.

An ecological catastrophe in the past has destroyed most of the planet, annihilating its biosphere. In the present day, the planet is mostly barren, with a few fertile patches. There are some reptiles on it. The planet is called "the burning planet" but it is unknown what this means for its geography.

History

“They came from another world, using powers that we have been forbidden to touch. Dangerous powers, of spren and Surges. They destroyed their lands and have come to us begging.”

—The Eila Stele describing the Ashynite refugees.

Like the rest of the Rosharan System, Ashyn was designed by Adonalsium. It was eventually settled by humans. Originally their civilizations had access to powerful magic that was forbidden on Roshar; this magic was named the surges. Despite its name, however, this may have been a magic system only similar to the surges used on Roshar.

The use of Surgebinding on Ashyn was not controlled, and this ultimately lead to a calamity and to the destruction of most of the planet. The civilizations native to Ashyn attempted to flee, with many managing to migrate to Roshar as refugees, where they were accepted by the local populace. It is unclear how the refugees of Ashyn fled. Odium arrived on Roshar along with them. The memory of Ashyn would have a large effect on Rosharan mythology. as it is remembered as the Tranquiline Halls.

Despite the devastation, some patches of Ashyn remained hospitable. The magic on Ashyn changed after the destruction to become illness-based. This worked off a symbiotic relationship between Investiture and bacteria/viruses; by allowing oneself to get infected, one gains magical effects. Among the surviving areas of Ashyn are the famous floating cities which are held afloat due to a special disease. Some on Ashyn remain aware of Roshar's existence.

Culture

Following the devastation on Ashyn the majority of its population fled to Roshar, the nearest hospitable planet, for refuge. The remainders live on the few habitable pieces of land left on the worlds surface which includes its famous floating cities.

The destruction of Ashyn has had a major impact on Rosharan culture being remembered as the Tranquiline Halls and gaining religious significance in Vorinism. Ashyn itself has also remained aware of Roshar's existence however the impact this has had on their culture is unknown. Little can be ascertained as to how Ashyn culture functions however it is known that due to the way investure manifests upon the world disease is an important aspect of it. In particular the floating cities are held afloat by individuals infected with a disease that causes hearing loss making them essential to the cities continued existence.

Magic

Ashyn currently has no Shard, but Cultivation spent some time there. Odium also possibly spent some time there, as he followed the Ashynites to Roshar. Like most of the Rosharan system, the planet is 10-centric.

The magic of Ashyn is disease-based. As the bacteria and viruses there seek to keep their hosts alive, they provide them with access to supernatural abilities, which differ depending on the disease. The Ashynites harness this by lowering their immune systems and deliberately infecting themselves to gain various powers.

Very little is known about the specific forms of magic granted by the illnesses, though a few have been described. The most important from the survival standpoint causes hearing loss while allowing its host to manipulate gravity. As such, it's crucial to the functioning of Ashyn's flying cities, which are kept aloft by conclaves of people infected with it. Other abilities granted by diseases include flight or passing through walls. The ability lasts as long as the person is infected by the disease, and disappears when their immune system overcomes it.

Ashyn's magic system was not sickness-based from the start. The original magic, which brought about the cataclysm, wasn't exactly like Surgebinding, but shared the same basic principles. It might've also been related to Roshar's Old Magic. The Eila Stele mentions humans using the powers of spren and Surges, suggesting that the shift to bacteria and viruses as the focus of Ashynite magic might've happened some time after most people have already evacuated from the planet.

The symbiotic relationship between the bacteria and their hosts is similar to that of the Aviars and the worms that grant them powers from First of the Sun, albeit here the humans interact with the magic-granting microorganisms directly rather than through intermediaries.

Development

This page or section contains details from the unpublished work The Silence Divine!

This information has the potential to ruin plot elements of both published works and upcoming book releases for the reader. It should also be considered uncanonical and could completely change in the future.

The earliest reference to Ashyn, though not under that name, can be found in Brandon's blog post from March 10, 2006. Back then, he considered it the sillier of his two ideas for magic disease stories, the more serious of which would involve a doctor combating an illness with various magical effects on its victims. The "silly" story would later be developed into The Silence Divine, though for now, only an early version of the first chapter exists in public (it can be found here). There, several aspects of Ashyn have been established, though their current canonicity is debatable.

In the story, Ashynites do not have fabrials, but appear to have discovered gunpowder, as some are mentioned carrying flintlock pistols. Abilities granted by diseases include prophecy and changing the color of liquids, and are accompanied by sometimes-dangerous side effects, such as physical weakness, hallucinations, and deadly fevers. Occasionally, there are some symptoms left behind after the disease is over, called Echoes, which take some time to fade or don't disappear at all. People who carry the diseases are called Incubators.

Trivia

• Some of the Heralds were born on Ashyn.

Notes

This article is still missing information. Please help The Coppermind by expanding it.