Spiritweb
Spiritweb | |
---|---|
Related to | Realmatic Theory, Investiture |
Universe | Cosmere |
“The actual outlet of the power is not chosen by the practitioner, but instead is hardwritten into their Spiritweb.”
The Spiritweb is a rather mysterious concept in the cosmere and very little is known about it. However, it does seem likely that the Spiritweb is a person's Spiritual aspect. Evidence suggests that the Spiritweb is laid out in a specific pattern in a person. This pattern forms a network of lines and points.[2] These points are sort of Spiritual pressure points.
The Spiritweb is related to "Spiritual DNA" -- a person's Spiritual heritage from living on a specific Shardworld.[3] It is also passed down like regular DNA, from parents to children.[4] The Spiritweb may also determine which manifestations of Investiture a person can utilize.[5][4]
Some manifestations of Investiture seem to be built into a person's Spiritual DNA, like Allomancy and Feruchemy. Other abilities, such as Hemalurgy and possibly Surgebinding, involve manipulating Spiritual DNA. In Hemalurgy, portions of the Spiritweb seem to be ripped off of one person and grafted onto another person's Spiritweb.[2] A Surgebinder's Nahel bond with a spren may work in a similar way, a spren becoming spiritually attached to a certain point on a person's Spiritweb, sort of like a non-invasive form of Hemalurgy.
AonDor requires some innate Spiritual DNA, but the change that turns someone into an Elantrian likely involves some sort of change to the Spiritual DNA during the Shaod. The ability to give Breath, which seems to be a part of a person's Spiritual aspect, appears to be built into a Nalthian's Spritual DNA. As a Shardblade can be stolen with Hemalurgy,[6] it seems likely that it is attached to a point in a person's Spiritweb as well.
Notes
- ↑ The Alloy of Law Ars Arcanum#
- ↑ a b Barnes and Noble Book Club Q&A
— Arcanum - 2009-07-08# - ↑ /r/fantasy AMA 2011
— Arcanum - 2011-08-31# - ↑ a b Ancient 17S Q&A
— Arcanum - 2010-05-01# - ↑ 17th Shard Interview
— Arcanum - 2010-10-03# - ↑ 17th Shard Forum Q&A
— Arcanum - 2012-09-26#