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(Added information on Parshendi gemhearts.) |
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|universe=[[Cosmere]]
|books=[[The Stormlight Archive]]
}}
A '''gemheart''' is a gemstone found in many native animal species on [[Roshar]], including the sapient species called [[singer]]s.
== Origin and Purpose ==
Gemhearts form naturally within some of Roshar's organisms. The [[crem]] that falls with Rosharan rains is full of minerals, which the creatures absorb by drinking and then use to grow the gemheart.{{wob ref|13335}} Their formation is also influenced by [[Investiture]] leaking into the anatomy of certain Rosharan species, creating an effect similar to the formation of [[atium]] on [[Scadrial]].{{wob ref|4678}} Creatures with gemhearts still have normal hearts.{{wob ref|15302}}
Like any gemstone that is one of the ten [[Polestone]]s, gemhearts can glow with either [[Stormlight]] or [[Voidlight]], suggesting that an animal's gemheart is the thing that enables the types of Investiture that many such animals utilize, usually involving a [[spren]] bond. A singer's gemheart, for example, contains the spren that gives them their current [[Singer#Forms|form]], which varies depending on the type of spren
Humans on Roshar, even [[Surgebinder]]s with spren bonds, do not have gemhearts,{{wob ref|2685}}
== Size ==
In general, the bigger the animal, the bigger the gemheart. Those found in
==Singer Gemhearts==
[[Venli]] utilizing [[Envoyform]], advises new [[singers]] that if they don't "want" the new power offered, it won't be able to take place in their gemheart.{{book ref|sa3|i|6}}
[[Listeners]] consider gemhearts sacred and personal, however a [[Fused]] mocks this, saying that gemhearts were just another part of a singer body.{{book ref|sa3|i|7}}
It is possible for [[singers]] to hold more than one [[spren]] in their gemhearts simultaneously, including both Radiant and Voidspren.{{book ref|sa3|120}}
Singer gemhearts are cloudy white.{{book ref|sa3|i|7}}
== Gemheart Harvesting ==
{{image|Chasmfiend Hunt by Eccos.jpg|side=right|width=300px|[[Elhokar]] extracting the gemheart from a [[chasmfiend]]}}
Just as
Some species have gemhearts that are of just one gemstone type, while others vary. Species that only have one type of gemheart are considered more ideal for harvesting.{{wob ref|3772}}
[[Gumfrems]], small chull-like animals, are raised by some farmers in [[Alethkar]] for their small heliodor gemhearts that can be harvested and used to [[Soulcast]] meat.{{book ref|sa3|10}}
Chasmfiends have emerald gemhearts. The ability to Soulcast grain from them, combined with their relatively large size, makes
=== The War of Reckoning ===
The discovery of
During the War of Reckoning, Highprince [[Roion]] was the one who captured the fewest gemhearts.
=== Ecological Effect ===
The hunting for chasmfiends to gain gemhearts will harm [[Roshar]]'s ecology in the long run.{{wob ref|1204
== Known Species With Gemhearts ==
{{columns|
*[[Chull]]
*[[Chasmfiend]]
*[[Gumfrems]]
*[[Axehound]]{{wob ref|13039}}
*[[Cremling]]{{book ref|sa4|114}}
*[[Yu-nerig]]{{book ref|sa1|40}}
}}
== Trivia ==
* Gemheart is used as a term of endearment
* [[Kandra]]s with a crystal [[True Body]] can use their crystal bones like a gemheart.{{wob ref|15733}}
== Notes ==
{{partial}}
{{stormlight}}
[[es:Gema corazón]]
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