Difference between revisions of "Investiture"

The term '''Investiture'''{{wob ref|1072}} has only seen in-world use in or by the [[Seventeenth Shard]], [[Scadrial|Scadrians]], [[Vasher]], [[Riino]], the [[Herald]]s, and [[spren]]. Most who refer to Investiture use terminology specific to the world in which they reside; Feruchemists refer to the process of Investing a [[Metalmind]] as 'chargingfilling', and [[Windrunner]]s refer to the process by which they create [[Lashing]]s as 'infusing'.{{wob ref|5528}} Most characters using this term understand more cogently that the [[cosmere]] encompasses worlds and systems of magic other than their own.

Investiture transcends the three realms: Physical, Cognitive, and Spiritual that comprise most of the cosmere. In the Physical Realm, Investiture is known to exist in solid, (i.e. [[atium]] and [[lerasium]]), liquid ([[Perpendicularity|Shardpools]]), and gaseous material forms (Preservation's Mists, Stormlight, BioChromatic Breath). For some reason, all solid Investiture is metallic, the result of one of the laws governing the cosmere.{{wob ref|9291}} Most often these appear due to influence by a [[Shard]] holder, however some formations occur in a more natural way. Investiture works in a similar fashion to energy in that it follows its own laws of thermodynamics. It is not possible to destroy Investiture; it can only be redistributed.{{wob ref|1649}} Large amounts of Investiture concentrated in a specific location tend to pierce a hole in the three realms (Spiritual, Cognitive, and Physical) and create a Perpendicularity. Large amounts of Investiture can also create a time dilation.{{wob ref|13425}}{{wob ref|13453}}

While a key is generally used, [[Shard]]s can also choose to use their Investiture to power magic: [[Endowment]] breaks pieces off itself to resurrect the [[Returned]], and [[Preservation]] powers Vin's Allomancy with the Mists; some magics, such as [[BioChroma]] and [[Feruchemy]], deal with the use of power that already exists within a human (be that naturally or by Shardic intervention). Others lack an explicit key; instead of pulling power directly from a Shard, Surgebinders draw from the Investiture of highstorms, and direct it through their bond with their spren, similarly to [[fabrial]]s.

The intent of a user is very important to several magic systems, these magic systems require a mental component to function. Some, like Hemalurgy, simply require that someone intend to make a spike when they do it, and others, like Awakening, require complex images created in your mind with the spoken command to function. Hemalurgy has only one known Mental component and that is the user or [[Shard]] [[Ruin]] must be trying to do Hemalurgy (It's Ruin's intent when Spook temporarily gains the ability to burn pewter). This mental component if not present renders the spike to a normal metal spike and simply harms the victim. When present it controls what is stolen when used in conjunction to the correct binding point. Awakening is almost as much mental as spoken. If the visualizing of the command is not firm then, the Awakened object can behave in a unknown manner or not at all. The more complex the command the more important that mental component is. In Surgebinding, the mental component has varying degrees of necessity depending on the [[Surge]] used. [[Surgebinding#Illumination|Lightweaving]] requires an extremely clear image in a user's mind to create an illusion with the appropriate appearance, but with [[Surge]]s like Gravitation the user does not have to have any idea of what they are doing; the Surge will do the same thing regardless. Some [[Surge]]s do require simply that the user wish it to happen. Often with [[Surgebinding]] this can be accomplished by instinctively pushing [[Stormlight]] into something.

;'''Elantrians''': Elantrian are able to heal themselves quickly and survive fatal injuries, such as decapitation.{{wob ref|13084}} This ability doesn't function if the massive Aon Rao of [[Elantris (city)|Elantris]] is non-functional. [[Reod]] Elantrains' wounds will refuse to heal; nonetheless, a Reod Elantrian can only be killed by decapitation or burning, while remaining immune to hunger or most fatal wounds, as the [[Dor]] keeps their bodies functioning.{{annotationwob ref|Elantris|chapter=10|link=annotation-elantris-chapter-101942}}

'''Sentient Awakened Entities in an Inorganic Host''': Also known as Type IV BioChromatic Entities. The only known entity of this kind is [[Nightblood]]. [[Nightblood]] is a sentient sword made using 1000 breaths and the command to destroy evil. It makes a bond with anyone with whom it wishes to communicate, and it is able to read and speak with minds directly.{{wob ref|6928}} Distance appears to be a factor, but this may be a limitation of the mind of [[Nightblood]] and not its ability. While idle, [[Nightblood]] reaches out to other people, tempting them to draw the blade. "Pure" people who cannot be tempted would feel great nausea, even induce vomiting. Anyone who is able to wield [[Nightblood]] and survive, bonds with the blade to a greater degree and is no longer repelled by or abnormally drawn to use it.{{annotationwob ref|wb|chapter=457404}} Those unable to control [[Nightblood]] are controlled by it, in effect [[Nightblood]] wields them killing everyone around and absorbing all of the [[Investiture]] from the victim including the spark of life (i.e. the soul). This bond may grant additional powers on Roshar.{{wob ref|6892}}

It has been confirmed that at least one BondBonds other than the [[Nahel Bond]] will provide powers to the constituent entities of that Bond. What these powers are is unknown, and will not be of the ten [[Surge]]s. At this time only theThe seon bond is confirmed to do this, as the Nahel bond and the seon bond are very similar.{{wob ref|6928}}

In the ''[[Alloy of Law]]'' Ars Arcanum, the [[Khriss|author]] categorizes the three [[Metallic Arts]].{{book ref|aol|part=ars}} Every type of Investiture can be classified along these categories.{{wob ref|1084}}

Invested objects are harder to affect with any magic system, the more Investiture the more difficult to affect.{{wob ref|4207}}{{wob ref|4074}} Once an object has been Invested it is very hard to Invest it with a different kind of Investiture as well.{{wob ref|10416}} Sometimes when an object in one of the Realms has a large amount of Investiture it can gain sentience (see, for example, [[spren]] and [[Nightblood]]).

It is possible for a natural force to become Invested. On [[Roshar]], [[Zahel]] states that the [[highstorm]]s are Invested.{{book Whether this is the result of purposeful design by a [[Shard]], or the continued maintainence of another entity such as the [[Stormfather]], has not been revealed.ref|sa2|i|6}} The [[Stormfather]] also states that a central point of Honor’s power is located in the highstorm. This has been theorized to be Honor’s [[perpendicularity]]. It is also not clear whether the storm is Invested in and of itself, or if it houses another form of Investiture.{{cite}}