Cultivation
Cultivation | |
---|---|
by Kyle Pearson
| |
Vessel | Unknown |
Slivers | None |
Splinters | Spren |
Status | Whole |
Magics | Surgebinding[1], Old Magic |
Residence | Roshar |
Universe | Cosmere |
“I control all things that can be grown, nurtured.
That includes the thorns.”
Cultivation is one of the sixteen Shards of Adonalsium.[3] The Shard's Vessel is female.[3] She is located on Roshar, and originally came to that planet with Honor, before Odium arrived there.[4] She is still alive,[5][6] and was romantically involved with Honor.[7] Currently, "the Stormfather reminds her of certain things about someone else she knew, and she feels the same way about the Stormfather in some ways as this person that she knew."[8] Hoid mentions to Adolin that she is the only woman on Roshar who is anywhere close to his own age, and that she never liked him.[9] Though it is not the Vessel's real name, Hoid calls her Slammer.[10]
Appearance
She appears to Dalinar as a woman with brown skin the color of darkwood bark and a matronly build, wearing a sweeping brown dress that seemed to meld into the undergrowth. Her voice is described as sounding like tumbling stones.[2]
Cultivation by Kyle Pearson
Cultivation and the Nightwatcher by Kyle Pearson
Abilities
Honor says that Cultivation is much better at seeing the future than he was.[3] She is also able to grant boons similar to the Nightwatcher. This power is shown when she grants Dalinar the boon of forgetting his wife.
Influence
Spren are either of Cultivation, of Honor, or a combination of the two.[11] Spren of Odium are also known to exist, but these are named Voidspren as a distinction.
In Words of Radiance, mankind is referred to by some spren as 'sons of Honor'. This could suggest that spren are not part of Honor.
It has been theorized that Cultivation is the reason why Shinovar is so strange compared to the rest of Roshar.
Something about her presence on Roshar, be it intentional or otherwise, makes it easier for animal life there to attain a degree of sentience.[12] In Arcanum Unbounded it is said that the sentience comes due to some animals bonding to a spren.
Many people in-world might consider her to be in hiding in the conflict with Odium, but Brandon doesn't consider her to be actually hiding.[13]
A type of Investiture tied to Cultivation the way Voidlight is to Odium may exist.[14]
Old Magic and the Nightwatcher
The Nightwatcher is a spren and a powerful Splinter of Cultivation.[15] Cultivation allows her to grant boons to those who visit her, as Cultivation believes doing so helps her understand mortals.[2] Every boon, however, comes with a curse.[2] Her powers are referred to as the Old Magic by the people of Roshar.
On rare occasions, Cultivation intervenes directly when someone requests a boon, likely when the boon will be of great importance to Roshar, particularly in Odium's war. She has done so with both Dalinar Kholin and Taravangian.[2][16]
Theories and Speculation
It was speculated that Reya, who was said to have shed a single tear and had a star named after it, may be the name of Cultivation's holder, however that is not the case.[17] Hoid calls her "Slammer," though that is not her real name.[10]
Notes
- ↑ Boskone 54
— Arcanum - 2017-02-18# - ↑ a b c d e Oathbringer chapter 114#
- ↑ a b c The Way of Kings chapter 75#
- ↑ 17th Shard Forum Q&A
— Arcanum - 2012-09-26# - ↑ Rithmatist Albuquerque signing
— Arcanum - 2013-05-22# - ↑ Arcanum Unbounded Chicago signing
— Arcanum - 2016-12-06# - ↑ Rithmatist Albuquerque signing
— Arcanum - 2013-05-22# - ↑ JordanCon 2014
— Arcanum - 2014-04-11# - ↑ Words of Radiance chapter 55#
- ↑ a b General Signed Books 2016
— Arcanum - 2016-01-01# - ↑ Writing for Charity Conference
— Arcanum - 2012-03-17# - ↑ Shadows of Self Denver signing
— Arcanum - 2015-10-06# - ↑ Oathbringer London signing
— Arcanum - 2017-11-28# - ↑ Read For Pixels 2018
— Arcanum - 2018-09-01# - ↑ JordanCon 2016
— Arcanum - 2016-04-23# - ↑ Tel Aviv Signing
— Arcanum - 2019-10-18# - ↑ General Signed Books 2014
— Arcanum - 2014-01-01#