Dominion
| Dominion | |
|---|---|
| |
| Vessel | Skai |
| Slivers | None |
| Splinters | Skaze |
| Status | Splintered |
| Magics | AonDor, Dakhor, ChayShan, Forgery, Bloodsealing[1][2] |
| Residence | Sel |
| Universe | Cosmere |
“At some point in the distant past, both Devotion and Dominion were destroyed. Their Investiture—their power—was Splintered, their minds ripped away, their souls sent into the Beyond. ”
Dominion is a Shard of Adonalsium once held by Skai.[4][5] After the Shattering, she traveled to Sel with Devotion, where both were Splintered by Odium.[6][3]
Intent
Since Dominion was destroyed well before any other known events on Sel,[7] it is somewhat unclear exactly how the Shard's intent would drive its Vessel to act. The only trace of her are her splinters, skaze, which are thirsty for power as a result of their relationship with the Shard, and driven to maintain influence over politics of Fjordell.[8] This suggests that Dominion's focus was amassing and maintaining control over others.
Associated Magics
The Dor
When Odium Splintered Dominion and Devotion, he trapped their power in the Cognitive Realm to prevent them from gaining another Vessel. Since, unlike in the Spiritual Realm, location exists in the Cognitive Realm, the power of the two Shards is trapped together as a giant, polarized storm of Investiture known as the Dor, which makes worldhopping to Sel very dangerous.[9][3]
The existence of Dor has a profound effect on Sel, as rather than a single, planet-wide magic system, the planet has numerous ones, each making its home in a particular region, all influenced in some way by both Shards.[1] An underlying similarity between all of them seems to be reliance on shape -- all forms of accessing the Dor are dependent on the user creating a specific shape, often based on the features of the land associated with a particular magic.[10][11]
This tie between the location and magic also means that the user's physical position in relation to the system's home region influences the strength of the magic, and moving further away from its origin point will diminish its effects.[12][3][13] Furthermore, in order to access a magic system, it appears one must be from the land associated with it.[14]
Magic systems using the Dor include:
- AonDor - the magic of Arelon and surrounding area; the ability to draw symbols called Aons in the air to produce a variety of magical effects. Aons can only be drawn by Elantrians, people raised to power and immortality through the city of Elantris.
- ChayShan - the magic of JinDo; through taking specific stances and forming specific motions with one's own body, the user can access Dor for increased strength, awareness, and possibly other effects.
- Dakhor - the magic of Fjordell; through chants, the bones of a Dakhor monk are induced to change shape, which grants them abilities such as increased strength, bodily transformation, and even teleportation.
- Forgery - magic usable in the Rose Empire, originating from MaiPon; accesses Dor through creation of soulstamps, which contain a specific shape that is then imparted onto an object, rewriting its Spiritual aspect to change its history and, through this, present behavior and appearance.
- Bloodsealing - another Rose Empire magic, originating in Dzhamar; using human blood, Bloodsealers can create wards and animate skeletons of the dead.
Skaze
The skaze are splinters of Dominion, and consider Skai as something of a god or parent.[15][16] The skaze are in some ways an inverse of the seons, though they assume similar shape and size -- round, about as large as a melon. Unlike seons, they are all black, seeming to suck light from their surroundings rather than emitting it. They also lack an Aon in their center; rather, they are ringed by a pattern of misty symbols. They are reliant on humans, though it's unclear precisely how.[17]
Skaze are power-hungry and controlling. They maintain a heavy level of influence over the politics of Fjordell, and were at least partially involved in the plan to wipe out Elantris.[8][13] The exact powers they possess is unknown.
Other
Dominion's Investiture seems to be allowing Wyrn Wulfden the Fourth some ability to see the future.[18]
History
“It is a pity about Aona and Skai, but they were foolish—violating our pact from the very beginning. ”
Little is known about the early history of Dominion. The Shard was created at the Shattering of Adonalsium and taken up by Skai who, for unknown reason, took it to Sel alongside Aona's Devotion.[20][3] They were not heavily involved in the creation of local cultures; however, they still ended up passively influencing them. Eventually, Odium came along and splintered both Shards, effectively killing them.[3]
Following their destruction, the Investiture of Devotion and Dominion was pushed into the Cognitive Realm, creating the Dor. Though this was done to prevent the power from ever finding its way into hands of sapient creatures again, it seems as though the Dor itself has begun to attain sentience.[3]
Influence
“May Jaddeth grant me success. ”
Though the two Shards of Sel weren't directly involved in the human civilizations of the planet, the discovery of their powers drove their development regardless. The magic systems they inspired were fundamental in the development of local writing systems and languages, and heavily impacted the local cultures.[3] In the present times, this influence is most pervasive in the form of Shu-Dereth, the state religion of Fjordell, though its god Jaddeth is also slightly inspired by Devotion.[5]
Though it's unknown how much -- if anything -- of Devotion and Dominion's original self remains, they continue to have magical effects on Sel. As Dor, they make the Selish Cognitive Realm exceptionally dangerous to travel through.[3] Their splinters, the skaze, continue to have political power over Fjordell.[8]
During the True Desolation on Roshar, Harmony sends a letter to Hoid, in which he expresses how troubled he is by Devotion's and Dominion's deaths, as he had not known that Shards could be Splintered in such a way.[22]
Trivia
- In Magic: The Gathering colors, Dominion would be black/white.[23]
- Although Skai, and therefore Dominion, was often assumed to be male in the fandom, Brandon currently plans for Skai's pronouns to be she/her, though that is subject to change until canonized in a book.[24]
Notes
- ↑ a b SpoCon 2013
— Arcanum - 2013-07-10# - ↑ /r/fantasy AMA 2013
— Arcanum - 2013-04-15# - ↑ a b c d e f g h i Arcanum Unbounded - The Selish System#
- ↑ Alloy of Law Seattle Signing
— Arcanum - 2011-11-11# - ↑ a b General Twitter 2015
— Arcanum - 2015-02-19# - ↑ The Way of Kings chapter 22 epigraph#
- ↑ Calamity Austin signing
— Arcanum - 2016-02-25# - ↑ a b c Shadows of Self signing Chicago
— Arcanum - 2015-10-12# - ↑ Arcanum Unbounded Hoboken signing
— Arcanum - 2016-12-03# - ↑ Elantris chapter 49#
- ↑ The Emperor's Soul - Day 30#
- ↑ Boskone 54
— Arcanum - 2017-02-18# - ↑ a b Elantris chapter 62#
- ↑ Elantris Annotations
— Arcanum - 2006-02-14# - ↑ White Sand Volume 1 signing Orem
— Arcanum - 2016-06-29# - ↑ Steelheart Chicago signing
— Arcanum - 2013-10-05# - ↑ Elantris postscript#
- ↑ A Memory of Light Milford Signing
— Arcanum - 2013-02-16# - ↑ Oathbringer chapter 37 epigraph#
- ↑ Mistborn: Secret History part 3 chapter 2#
- ↑ Elantris chapter 3#
- ↑ Rhythm of War chapter 26 epigraph#
- ↑ Skyward Pre-Release AMA
— Arcanum - 2018-10-05# - ↑ Dragonsteel 2022
— Arcanum - 2022-11-14#