Difference between revisions of "Sighted"

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It's not capitalized in the Unkalaki language
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|universe=[[Cosmere]]
|books=[[The Stormlight Archive]]
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}}{{spoilers|book=sa3.5}}
The '''Sighted''', called(Unkalaki: ''alaii'iku''){{book inref|sa1|21}} are [[UnkalakiRoshar]], refers to thoseans with the ability to see [[spren]] whichthat are otherwise partially or completely invisible in the [[Physical Realm]]. The few known Sighted are [[Unkalaki]], including [[Lunamor]] and [[Cord]].
 
== Abilities ==
Sighted can see spren in the [[Physical Realm]] even when theythe dospren does not want to be seen. RockThey hascan givensee conflictingboth reportslesser onspren theand origin(sapient) oftrue thisspren.{{book blessing,ref|sa3.5|7}} sayingThe thatspren he was born with itare butgenerally alsounaware that thethey watersare ofbeing lifeobserved areunless involvedthe withSighted thisperson abilityacknowledges them.{{book ref|sa1|21}} The Sighted do not have to activate this ability and it does not require [[Stormlight]] or other forms of [[Investiture]]. Therefore, they tend to see spren everywhere; they do not know if other people can or can't see them.{{book ref|sa2|4612}} They canconsider alsospren slightlyto seebe thegods; formtrue ofspren are considered to be more important than lesser spren,{{book inref|sa3|37}} theand other beings such as [[Cognitive RealmHoid]] Rockand showsthe this[[Sleepless]] abilityare wheneven hehigher seeson thetheir larger aspecthierarchy of anticipationspren in Shadesmargods.{{book ref|sa2|46}}{{book ref|sa3.5|379}}
 
A Sighted person sees spren as if they were visible in the Physical Realm. For example, [[anticipationspren]] and [[luckspren]] are known to have relatively large bodies in the [[Cognitive Realm]], but the Sighted see the partial manifestations that typically appear in the Physical Realm.{{file ref|Shadesmar Spren.jpg|Shallan's sketchbook - Shadesmar spren}}{{book ref|sa3|37}}{{book ref|sa3.5|7}} The same is true of sapient spren; [[Sylphrena]] usually appears in the Physical Realm at about a handspan tall{{book ref|sa1|2}} while [[Phendorana]] appears human-sized,{{book ref|sa4|91}} and this is how Lunamor sees each of them.{{book ref|sa1|21}}{{book ref|sa3|37}}
The Sighted are also considered the guardians of [[Cultivation's Perpendicularity]].{{book ref|sa3.5|15}}
 
=== Limitations ===
Sighted people have a limited ability to see "shadows" of a spren's true form,{{book ref|sa3|37}} but they cannot look directly into the Cognitive Realm like [[Knights Radiant|Radiant]]s or [[Fused]] who use the Surges of Transportation or Transformation. Sighted may not be able to see spren that are corrupted by [[Sja-anat]] since Lunamor was not able to see [[Glys]] despite actively looking for him.{{book ref|sa3|37}} Additionally, certain [[Voidspren]] such as [[chaosspren]] are thought to be completely invisible,{{book ref|sa4|56}} and it is unclear if a Sighted could see them.
 
== Origin ==
{{quote
|Oh! You did not know? I see spren, even those that do not want to be seen. He is a gift, to my family, and others of my kin.
|Cord, to Rysn{{book ref|sa3.5|9}}
}}
The abilities of the Sighted have a genetic component that is related to the partial [[singer]] ancestry of the [[Unkalaki]].{{wob ref|930}} Singers seem to be innately capable of seeing the true Physical Realm forms of lesser spren,{{book ref|sa4|48}} although their abilities may not extend to true spren.{{book ref|sa4|38}}{{book ref|sa4|44}} Lunamor has implied that he was born with his abilities,{{book ref|sa1|21}} although he also hints at the [[Horneater Oceans]] being somehow involved.{{book ref|sa2|46}} It may be possible for other people with singer ancestry (such as [[Herdaz]]ians) to be Sighted,{{wob ref|3420}} but this has not been observed. The ability seems quite rare, as it is not well-known to most Rosharans,{{book ref|sa4|15}} and may be limited to Lunamor's extended family.{{book ref|sa3.5|9}}
 
[[Cultivation's Perpendicularity]], which is located in the Horneater Oceans, does seem to have some relationship to the Sighted.{{book ref|sa3.5|15}} The [[Sleepless]] refer to the Sighted as the longtime guardians of the perpendicularity and do not wish to cause them any harm,{{book ref|sa3.5|15}} holding them in even higher esteem than Radiants.{{book ref|sa3.5|6}} Cord mentions that her people are the guardians of the pool (an Unkalaki name for the perpendicularity),{{book ref|sa3.5|19}} noting that her grandmother held the position of "watcher of the pool".{{book ref|sa3.5|15}} Lunamor has noted that the Unkalaki can commune with gods in the pool, but he refuses to elaborate on how it relates to his abilities.{{book ref|sa2|46}}
 
== History ==
The most prominent Sighted during the [[True Desolation]] were Lunamor and his daughter Cord. They knew that they had been given a rare gift,{{book ref|sa3.5|9}} but it was part of their everyday life. They tended to forget that most "lowlanders" had never met anyone who could see invisible spren and would typically be amazed to learn that this was possible.{{book ref|sa2|12}}{{book ref|sa3.5|9}} They generally did not attempt to hide the fact that they were ''alaii'iku'', although they were not very forthcoming regarding the Unkalaki history and traditions related to their abilities.{{book ref|sa2|46}}
 
Cord was selected to participate in the [[expedition to Akinah]] because she was Sighted,{{book ref|sa3.5|3}}{{book ref|sa3.5|10}} and her abilities helped to unlock the secrets of the island.{{book ref|sa3.5|16}}
 
== Known Sighted ==
* [[Lunamor]] (Rock){{book ref|sa1|23}}
* [[Cord]]{{book ref|sa3.5|7}}
* Other members of Cord and Lunamor's family,{{book ref|sa3.5|9}} presumably including [[Gift]]{{book ref|sa3.5|7}} and Cord's grandmother{{book ref|sa3.5|15}}
 
==Trivia==
* [[Zahel]] is able to see spren, but this is presumably due to his high level of [[Heightening]].{{book ref|sa4|15}}
* [[Lift]] is able to both see{{book ref|sa4|41}} and touch spren,{{book ref|sa2|i|9}} but she is not known to have Unkalaki ancestry; her ability likely comes from the [[Old Magic]].
* The planned novella ''Horneater'' will explore several Unkalaki traditions, including the Sighted.{{wob ref|14063}}
 
== Notes ==
<references />
{{complete|[[User:Big Smooth|Big Smooth]] ([[User talk:Big Smooth|talk]]) 20:14, 21 February 2022 (UTC)}}
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