Difference between revisions of "Investiture"

'''Investiture'''is describesa term describing the principle on which all of [[Brandon SandersonCosmere]]'s magic systems in the [[Cosmere]] are based. It means that people or objects are Invested with magical power.

Meanwhile, theThe term '''Investiture''' ishas aonly generalizedseen termin-world useduse by the [[Seventeenth Shard]] and [[spren]]. InMost thewho Cosmere,refer soto far,investiture theyuse aremagic-specific theterminology; onlyFeruchemists ones with knowledge of the term '''Investiture'''. On the Cosmere worlds different terms are usedrefer to describe the applicationprocess of magic, depending on its appearance. For example, theinvesting [[Feruchemistmetalmind]]s ofas [[Scadrial]]'charging', -- who are able to investand [[metalmindWindrunner]]s -- refer to the process asby 'charging'which thethey metalmind. A [[Surgebinder]] with access to the Threecreate [[Lashing]]s refers to the Investiture as 'infusing' a person or an object.{{qa ref|691|18|Can we change charge to imbue?|date=2010-05}}

InFor an act of Investiture to be considered end-neutral Investiture, power is neither gained nor lost{{book ref|aol|part=ars}}. TheA practitioner disposes about his amount ofmanipulates power, makingthat italready neutralexists in thator power that iscomes investedfrom into an object, can be withdrawn to reinstall the original amount of powerthemself..

[[Feruchemy]] is end-neutral, since the amount of Investiture remains constant. Awakening is also considered end-neutral, even though color is lost.{{17s ref|post|116818|Chicago Signing (transcription)|date=2014-02-22}}

In the practice of an end-negative Investiture, some power is lost.{{book ref|aol|part=ars}} It is negative in that it removes some power from someone. End-negative Investiture is very rare.{{17s ref|post|42117}}

[[Hemalurgy]] is end-negative. Investiture held in a spike outside the body decays.

Several ways to access Investiture exist. Investiture can be directly given by a Shard to fuel magic (Preservation's Mists, the explosion of Stormlight that comes with each oath of the Knights Radiant), innately extant (Scadrian potential for Allomancy and Feruchemy, the initial BioChromatic Breath) or artificial ("Cracks in the soul" are required for a Nahel Bond, Hemalurgy steals Spiritweb fragments, Snapping in Classical Scadrial), or used without "flowing" through the user (Forging, Rosharan Fabrials, Hemalurgical theft).

Generally, humans are not Invested. However, on some worlds, a Shard has invested humans. For example, [[Preservation]] gave part of his power to humans to make them sentient. On [[Nalthis]], people are born with [[Breath]]. Both cases are calledknown as '''Innate Investiture'''.{{qa ref|977|5|What do we call a Shard's power inside someone?|date=2012-09}}

Under specific conditions, some humans can become Invested with more power than others. In general, the closer the connection between a human and a Shard, the more powerful the human becomes. A normal human on Scadrial is less connected to Preservation than a [[Misting]], who snapped (chose Preservation) at some point but is less powerful than a [[Allomancer#Mistborn|Mistborn]], who either consumed Lerasium (the direct Physical essence of Preservation) or has the proper Spiritweb needed to access all the Allomantic Abilites who is weaker than a Sliver during the time they held the power of Preservation, who is weaker than a human who held the [[Shard]] permanently.

The conditions required tofor gettingbecoming invested with a biggerlarger amount of power differ from [[Shardworld]] to Shardworld. It is assumed that the intent of the respective Shard influences these conditions.

On [[Scadrial]] connection to a Shard is determined by genetics and Snapping, or choosing to live, following Preservation. On [[Sel]] it's the [[Shaod]] comes to those who live in the correct area and are Devoted to something, and on [[Roshar]] acting with Honor allows a Surgebinder greater strength.{{qa ref|608|15|A discussion on investiture|date=2011-05-30}}

An Invested objectobjects usuallytend can'tto be influencedharder to affect bywith anothermore Investiture.{{qa ref|715|1|Could Allomancy affect a Shardplate/blade?|date=2012-01-16}}