Difference between revisions of "Aviar"

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{{quote
|The world is changing, Sixth of the Dusk. The people of the mainland grow hungry for Aviar companions; things once restricted to the very wealthy are within the reach of ordinary people. We've learned so much, yet the Aviar are still an enigma.
|[[Vathi]]{{book ref|sotd}}
}}
'''Aviar''' are birds that have gained magical powers, or "talents", on the island of [[Patji (island)|Patji]] on [[First of the Sun]].{{wob ref|8900}}{{book ref|sixth}} They are capable of sharing their powers with humans. Aviar were long thought to be exclusively native to the [[Pantheon]] archipelago, but other birds can become Aviar if they visit the island and ingest the fruit of [[Patji's Finger]]s.{{book ref|sixth}}
Aviar are more intelligent than ordinary animals.{{wob ref|13847}} Wild Aviar exhibit behaviors similar to other birds. They live in flocks, roost in trees, and build nests where they lay eggs and raise their young. Their mating behavior somehow involves long single feathers known as "mating plumes", which are usually found near nests. Although their powers give them some protection from predators, they will quickly flee if startled. They are known to eat fresh fruit, and will also eat seeds, dried fruit, and fish.{{book ref|sixth}}
 
They display distinct personalities; for example, [[Kokerlii]] is oblivious and happy, while [[Sak]] is far more reserved. They seem to understand some human speech, as they can respond to commands or other sounds from their master.{{book ref|sixth}} They can be trained to perform specific behaviors, such as returning to their master if they whistle,{{book ref|sixth}} or even to attack other animals.{{book ref|sa4|i|5}}
 
=== SourceNature of Abilities ===
TheJuvenile birds can gain magical powers, or "talents", by consuming special worms nativethat tolive on the island of [[Patji (island)|Patji]]. whileAviar theyfrom arethe veryvarious young.islands In particular,of the worms[[Pantheon]] feedmigrate offto thePatji fruitsto fallengain fromtheir thetalent. The worms infest fruit that falls from [[Patji's Finger]]s trees that grow next to [[Patji's Eye]].{{book ref|sixth}} Aviar from; the variousbirds islandsthen ofconsume the [[Pantheon]]worms gowhen tothey Patjieat tothe gain their talentfruit. Birds that are not native to the Pantheon usually do not develop these unique powers. However, [[Sixth of the Dusk (character)|Sixth of the Dusk]] raised a non-native bird on the isles, [[Sak]], and found that she also developed a unique talent.{{book ref|sixth}}
{{sidequote|side=right|size=300px
|The Aviar are special. Everyone knows the separate breeds and what they do. Why assume that a fish would learn to breathe air, if raised on land? Why assume a non-Aviar would become one if raised on Patji...
|Vathi, after learning of Sak's talent{{book ref|sotd}}
}}
The abilities of the Aviar stem from a symbiosis with the worms that they eat. The Aviar can then serve as an intermediary to allow humans to use certain powers granted by the Invested worms.{{wob ref|12621}} Aviar are able to share these powers with humans through a Spiritual [[ConnectionInvestiture|Invested]]; similaronce toeaten, the [[Nahelworms bond]]. Their bond is not as powerful asgrant the Nahelbirds bond,access butto becausecertain ofmagical thatpowers itdepending canon betheir shifted between people at its owner's willspecies.{{wobbook ref|11628sixth}} The natureAviar ofcan thethen bondserve allowsas somean Aviarintermediary to shareallow theirhumans talentsto withuse peopleor otherbenefit thanfrom their usual master. Most people bond a single Aviar, but some trappers have bonded at least three Aviar at the same timepowers.{{bookwob ref|sixth12621}}
 
Aviar do not seem to have to continue eating worms to allow their powers to function, as they are often exported from the Pantheon to the distant mainland. Trappers have established that the birds must be juveniles to gain talents;{{book ref|sixth}} it is not clear what would happen if an adult bird ate the worms. Aviar can even be transported to other planets in the [[cosmere]], although this is difficult and very rare.{{wob ref|10820}}{{wob ref|11689}} It is unclear if taking Aviar to other worlds has an effect on their abilities. However, individuals that are not native to [[First of the Sun]] are able to bond Aviar, even individuals that have access to other manifestations of Investiture such as [[Feruchemy]].{{book ref|sa4|77}}
 
A human cannot eat the worms or an Aviar in order to gain powers, as the symbiosis is specific to the worms and the birds.{{wob ref|8768}}{{wob ref|11627}} It would be theoretically possible for other organisms to evolve a similar symbiosis, but it would take many generations.{{wob ref|11627}} A [[kandra]] in the form of an Aviar would not be able to gain their powers, even if they ate the worms.{{wob ref|12602}} It is possible to steal an Aviar talent through [[Hemalurgy]], but it would be very difficult to do so.{{wob ref|9527}}{{wob ref|3347}}
 
=== Abilities ===
The power obtained by Aviar is different for each species of bird.{{book ref|sixth}} Many Aviar have abilities related to the [[Cognitive Realm]], but [[Spiritual Realm|Spiritual]] and even [[Physical Realm|Physical]] powers also exist.{{wob ref|10820}}{{wob ref|8449}} Some abilities work passively, while others must be intentionally activated by the Aviar, sometimes at the request of a bonded person.{{wob ref|11793}}{{book ref|sixth}} Aviar are able to sense the location of the person they have bonded with.{{book ref|sa4|i|5}}{{book ref|sa4|77}} At least one unknown Aviar ability could assist with "navigation".{{wob ref|7447}} Aviar abilities are usually very reliable, although they were disrupted by an unusual device that was given to the [[Northern Interests Trading Company]] by the [[Ones Above]].{{book ref|sixth}}
 
==== Bonds ====
Aviar are able to share their powers with humans through a Spiritual [[Connection]] similar to the [[Nahel bond]]. This bond is not as powerful as the Nahel bond, but because of that it can be shifted between people at its owner's will.{{wob ref|11628}} The bond includes a mental connection; Dusk refers to Sak "sending" him her visions.{{book ref|sixth}} Aviar are also able to sense the location of the person they have bonded with.{{book ref|sa4|i|5}}{{book ref|sa4|77}} The nature of the bond allows some Aviar to share their talents with people other than their usual master. Most people bond a single Aviar, but some [[trapper]]s have bonded at least three Aviar at the same time.{{book ref|sixth}}
 
====Cognitive Concealment====
[[Kokerlii]] and [[Mirris]] have a Cognitive ability to conceal their mental activity and those of others around them. This ability seems to work passively, as Dusk never needs to ask Kokerlii to use it or wait for him to do so. Some version of this ability appears to be relatively common, as flocks of wild Aviar are able to conceal themselves from mind-sensing predators such as [[nightmaw]]s. [[Krell (cosmere)|Krell]] are known to sleep near Aviar roosts in order to take advantage of the mental shield that they provide.{{book ref|sixth}}
 
Additionally, Aviar Cognitive concealment hasimpedes similaritiesthe ability of others to sense the use of Investiture, much like an Allomantic [[copper]]cloud.{{wob ref|1556}}{{wob ref|9437}} They would be able to block an [[Awakener]]'s [[Heightening|life sense]]{{wob ref|7436}} and interfere with other methods of detecting Investiture, such as Allomantic [[Smokerbronze]]s and [[voidspren#secretspren|secretspren]].{{wob ref|8897}}{{wob ref|9437}}
 
====Future Sight====
[[Sak]]'s ability allows her to glimpse into the future, using the property of [[Fortune]] to glimpse the [[Spiritual Realm]].{{wob ref|792}}{{wob ref|10298}}{{wob ref|10820}} She is able to see potential deaths of a person, and manifest these potential deaths as visions of corpses wherever they could be killed. The corpses are only visible to those with whom Sak chooses to share her talent. If the danger passes, the pertinent corpse will disappear. Sak is able to turn this ability on or off at will. She is even able to show Vathi the visions whenat Dusk's asks her torequest. Sak, whose species is not native to the Pantheon, is the only known Aviar that has ever possessed this ability.{{book ref|sixth}}
 
====Other Abilities====
 
== Ecology ==
Many species of birds in the Pantheon can become Aviar;{{wob ref|11631}} neither [[trapper]]strappers nor scholars are immediately familiar with every species. Each species is typically found on a specific island. They can be sent to live in the [[homeisles]] or the [[mainland]] without issue, but wild Aviar are only found in the Pantheon.{{book ref|sixth}}
 
== Domestication ==
Aviar is presumably an [[Eelakin]] term, and throughout First of the Sun's history they were found only in the Pantheon. The magical abilities and the various species of birds had been well documented by the people of First of the Sun, and centuries passed without the discovery of a new type of Aviar. The people who were most familiar with Aviar were the trappers, who underwent extensive training in order to survive on the islands and had no qualms about killing each other when they got there. They were strongly bound by tradition, and had a reverence for the islands, particularly Patji. Trappers were notoriously reticent and stubborn, and detailed information about the Aviar and their powers remained their secret.{{book ref|sixth}}
 
At some point, several Aviar were taken to other planets. During the [[True Desolation]] on [[Roshar]], Aviar were seen in the possession of [[Mraize]] and [[Gereh]], both [[Worldhoppers]] that were not from First of the Sun.{{wob ref|14529}}{{wob ref|8807}} It is not clear how the Aviar were taken off-world, as this was very difficult at the time.{{wob ref|10298}} Gereh's Aviar was later cared for by [[Lift]].{{book ref|sa4|116}} Like other birds, Aviar are referred to as "chickens" by most Rosharans.{{book ref|sa4|i|5}}
 
On First of the Sun, Aviar had always been exported from the Pantheon exclusively by trappers. Mercantile companies long desired to find a way to set up operations on the islands so they could raise Aviar and sell them. However, trappers refused to help them, and commercial expeditions to the islands failed due to [[deepwalker]]s and other dangerous animals. Aviar therefore remained relatively rare in the homeisles and the mainland, since trappers could only provide a limited supply. After the arrival of the mysterious [[Ones Above]], companies quickly developed new technologies such as warships with marine propulsion. This emboldened the Northern Interests Trading Company to undertake the [[Patji expedition]].{{book ref|sixth}}
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