The Coppermind

Difference between revisions of "Spren"

Spren (edit)

Revision as of 18:39, 17 September 2019

5,732 bytes added ,  4 years ago
Expanding, reorganizing
m (→‎Surgebinders' spren: Putting in columns)
(Expanding, reorganizing)
|universe=[[Cosmere]]
|books=[[The Stormlight Archive]]
}}{{spoilers|book=sa3}}{{update|book=sa3}}
{{quote
|Spren appear when something changes—when fear appears, or when it begins to rain. They are the heart of change, and therefore the heart of all things.
}}
 
'''Spren''' are fragments of the [[Adonalsium|powers of creation]] that have since then gained sentience through the influence of sapient beings on [[Roshar]].{{book ref|sa2|3}} They are vastly varied in their appearances, characteristics, and levels of intelligence.{{book ref|sa2|1}} MostThey sprenare consistdeeply ofconnected with the essences of [[Honor]]Knights and [[CultivationRadiant]], oras a mixture of both that leans towards either one [[ShardNahel Bond]] orbetween the other. Spren that are attracted to emotions, like angerspren or fearspren, have more of Honor than Cultivation,humans and the spren that are attractedwhat toallows natural phenomena, like decayspren or windspren, vice versa.{{wob ref|6454}} Emotion spren willthe reactformer to emotional Allomancy.{{wob ref|2740}} There is also another spectrum of spren known asuse [[VoidsprenSurgebinding]] that presumably consist of only [[Odium]]'s essence.{{book ref|sa2sa1|357}} SomeThey sprenare predatealso the arrival of Honor and Cultivationused to Roshar, and perhaps even thecreate [[Shattering]]. These are [[Splinterfabrial]]s of [[Adonalsium]] itself that it left behind intentionally and that have attained sentience on their own since then.{{wobbook ref|10563sa3|33}}
 
Some spren predate the arrival of Honor and Cultivation to Roshar, and perhaps even the [[Shattering]]. These are [[Splinter]]s of [[Adonalsium]] itself that it left behind intentionally and that have attained sentience on their own since then.{{wob ref|10563}} All spren dwell mostly in the [[Cognitive Realm]], as it is there that the powers of creation come alive, shaped and given cognizance by the ideas and concepts of the collective experience of sentient creatures. Over time, those ideas and concepts become personified as an external entity, becoming spren.
They dwell mostly in the [[Cognitive Realm]]. It is where the powers of creation come alive, shaped and given cognizance by the ideas and concepts of collective experience of sentient creatures being personified as an external entity over time into spren. They have their own societies, politics and cities there. Though [[Shadesmar]] was created by humans and other sentient species, the spren shape, rule, and live there.{{book ref|sa2|1}} The transition of spren into the [[Physical Realm]] leaves holes in their memories,{{book ref|sa2|i|9}} impairs their cognitive functions in some ways, and even alter their appearance.{{book ref|sa2|3}} Once they make the transition, they cannot affect the Physical Realm except in very minor ways.{{book ref|sa2|i|9}}
 
Spren beingare far more extensive and numerous than the closest comparable entities, [[seon]]s and the [[skaze]], Splinters of [[Devotion]] and [[Dominion]] respectively,. This is one of the reasons Roshar does not have the same problem with travelling to the Cognitive Realm as [[Sel]], even though Honor is [[Splintering|Splintered]] just like the other two Shards. On Roshar, spren act as a "release valve" for the uncontrolled power of Honor.{{wob ref|4129}}
 
Spren are deeply connected with the [[Knights Radiant]] and [[Surgebinding]] with the [[Nahel Bond]], and spren are also used to create [[fabrial]]s.
 
<div style="float: right; padding-left: 1em">__TOC__</div>
| [[Sylphrena]] on the nature of spren{{book ref|sa3|91}}
}}
There are said to be thousands of different kinds of spren, each named for a different type of phenomenon.{{book ref|sa1|49}} There are actually several different varieties of spren. Everything has a "spren" based on how it is viewed cognitively and how long it has been viewed that way.{{book ref|sa1|37}} These spren are the cognitive aspects of objects in the Physical Realm and can be "spoken to" in the [[Cognitive Realm]]. [[Soulcasting]] works by "bribing" this type of spren with [[Stormlight]].{{book ref|sa1|48}} The other main variety of spren are those that manifest in the Physical Realm and are the ones people most often interact with. They are the personification of certain cognitive ideals and concepts, such as natural forces or emotions.{{wob ref|4135}} These cognitive ideals are similar to those that determine the appearances of the [[Returned]] on [[Nalthis]] and the plausibility of [[Forgery| Forgeries]] on Sel and are based off of human perception.{{wob ref|4110}}{{wob ref|4048}}
 
For Rosharans, the term "spren" has broad application. Entities such as [[Shard]]s, [[Cognitive Shadow]]s and other entities existing beyond the [[Physical Realm]] would be considered spren by the Rosharans.{{book ref|sa3|4}}{{book ref|sa3|38}} Among those are Cognitive aspects of objects. Those Cognitive aspects are based on how they are viewed by the surrounding entities and how long they've been the way they currently are.{{book ref|sa1|37}} These "spren" can be spoken to in the Cognitive Realm and bribed with [[Stormlight]], which forms the basis of [[Soulcasting]].{{book ref|sa1|48}} In [[Shadesmar]], they usually take the form of small beads, akin to [[sphere]]s that serve as Roshar's currency. A skilled person can "manifest" a bead, making it take the form of its Physical counterpart.{{book ref|sa3|99}}
Larger spren have the ability to shape-shift, often mimicking faces, as well as being able to mimic voices. Apart from a few sentient sub-types, spren are not intelligent and therefore speaking with them is an exercise in futility; a fact often learned as a child. Spren are often ignored because of this.{{book ref|sa1|2}} Larger spren also have the ability to pick up small objects and give small pinches of energy.{{book ref|sa1|6}}
 
In the strictest sense, however, spren are [[splinter]]s of one of more Shards, with a single spren being composed of one or more types of [[Investiture]]. Most spren are [[splinter]]s of [[Honor]] and [[Cultivation]], or a mixture of both that leans towards either one [[Shard]] or the other.{{wob ref|11949}} There are said to be thousands of different kinds of spren, each named for a different type of phenomenon.{{book ref|sa1|49}} They vary vastly in size, with the smallest being the size of a thumbnail, while the largest can dwarf buildings.{{file ref|Rosharan Wines.jpg|Rosharan Wines}}{{book ref|sa1|i|5}}
 
Larger spren have the ability to shape-shift, often mimicking faces, as well as being able to mimic voices.{{book ref|sa1|i|5}} They also have the ability to pick up small objects and give small pinches of energy.{{book ref|sa1|6}} They will often appear to a singular person, who they will taunt and play with.{{book ref|sa1|2}} Some humans, such as [[Rock]], have the ability to see these spren, even if the spren in question does not explicitly reveal itself to the viewer. These people are called ''alaii'iku'' by the [[Unkalaki]].{{book ref|sa1|21}}
 
Spren are generally personification of certain cognitive ideals and concepts.{{wob ref|4135}} These cognitive ideals are similar to those that determine the appearances of the [[Returned]] on [[Nalthis]] and the plausibility of [[Forgery| Forgeries]] on Sel, and are based off of human perception.{{wob ref|4110}}{{wob ref|4048}} Spren are also related to the physical phenomena of [[wikipedia:wave-function collapse|wave-function collapse]] -- one can fix a spren's dimensions simply by the act of measuring it.{{book ref|sa1|i|8}} The causal link between spren and their namesake is not fully understood on Roshar. Some spren, such as rotspren, are said to cause their namesake, whereas others, such as windspren, are merely attracted to it.{{book ref|sa1|57}}
 
Spren do not need to sleep{{book ref|sa1|14}}, but they can die.{{wob ref|96}} In Shadesmar, they appear to feed off [[Stormlight]], growing more lively and energetic when one passes over them.{{book ref|sa3|101}} Among their vast variety, several main types can be discerned.
 
[[File:Shadesmar Spren.jpg|thumb|left|220px|Several types of lesser spren, as seen in Shadesmar]]
 
=== SanthidLesser sprenSpren ===▼
Vast majority of all spren is non-sapient. Although some can speak, talking with them is generally an exercise in futility, which leads to people ignoring them a lot of the time.{{book ref|sa1|2}} Spren of the same sub-type are essentially the same individual, with no differences between any two entities.{{book ref|sa1|17}} They are capable of forming a bond with humans, though it is different from the Nahel bond of true spren.{{wob ref|4783}} As creatures of nature, spren are not particularly concerned with good and evil.{{wob ref|9780}}
 
Lesser spren vary in the degree to which they appear in the [[Physical Realm]]. Some, like windspren, exist almost entirely in the Physical, having almost no imprint on Shadesmar. Others, like angerspren, exist mostly in Shadesmar, with only parts of them visible in the Physical.{{book ref|sa3|95}} There are also spren like [[mandra]]s (luckspren), who will often and easily switch between existing in the Cognitive and the Physical. In Shadesmar, this phenomenon is called "dropping", as the spren appears to drop out of existence, and then drop back in.{{book ref|sa3|99}}
 
==== Nature and emotion spren ====
Lesser spren are divided into '''nature spren''' and '''emotion spren'''.{{book ref|sa2|3}} Emotion spren are attracted to sensations like anger, joy or passion; they are composed of more Honor than Cultivation. Nature spren are attracted to natural phenomena like wind, decay or rain, and have more Cultivation than Honor in them.{{wob ref|6454}} Emotion spren will react to emotional Allomancy.{{wob ref|2740}} While they are often invisible, they are said to be ever present and will appear around the phenomenon they are named for.{{book ref|sa1|7}} The exception is in [[Shinovar]], where spren rarely appear.{{book ref|sa1|i|4}}{{wob ref|8714}} Some spren are easier to find than others, however even the most common will, at times, fail to appear.{{book ref|sa1|i|5}}
 
==== Odium's influence ====
Lesser spren can be corrupted by [[Sja-Anat]], a process which she refers to as "enlightening".{{book ref|sa3|97}} Such corrupted spren will appear to be misshapen compared to their regular counterparts, with various parts of them exaggerated to a more painful degree - for example, a hand becoming more wiry and bony, or petals turning into shards of glass.{{book ref|sa3|77}}{{file ref|Kholinar Spren.jpg|Kholinar Spren}}
 
Separately, there exist '''[[voidspren]]'', spren made up of the essence of [[Odium]]. The lesser voidspren are, like their native Rosharan counterparts, non-sentient. They can, however, form bonds with [[singer]]s, granting them [[Regal]] forms, which often includes supernatural powers and a change in mindset in the singer.{{book ref|sa3|i|7}}
 
=== True Spren ===
Spren do not need to sleep{{book ref|sa1|14}}, and spren can die.{{wob ref|96}}
Spren that do possess sapience are referred to as true spren.{{book ref|sa3|4}} They seem to all represent higher concepts, such as honor for [[honorspren]] and truth and lies for [[Cryptic]]s. Nine types of true spren bond with humans to grant them [[Nahel Bond]]s and thus, the power of [[Surgebinding]]; however, more types of sapient spren exist.{{wob ref|9539}}
 
While true spren can transition into the Physical Realm, they do so rarely, and only when seeking to bond a prospective [[Knight Radiant]]. This is because transition between the Realms leaves holes in their memories, impairs their cognitive functions in some ways, and even alters their appearance.{{book ref|sa2|i|9}}{{book ref|sa2|3}} Once the true spren make the transition, they cannot affect the Physical Realm except in very minor ways.{{book ref|sa2|i|9}}
The causal link between spren and their namesake is not fully understood on Roshar. Some spren, such as rotspren, are said to cause their namesake, whereas others, such as windspren, are merely attracted to it.{{book ref|sa1|57}}
 
WhileIn [[Shadesmar]], true spren arehave oftentheir invisibleown culture, theypolitics areand saidnations; tothough bethe everCognitive presentwas andcreated willby appearcreatures aroundof the phenomenonPhysical theyRealm, arespren shape and namedrule forit.{{book ref|sa1sa2|71}} TheSome spren, exceptionlike isCryptics inor [[Shinovarhighspren]], wherehave nation-states, composed wholly of spren rarelyof appear.their types;{{book ref|sa1sa2|i|4epilogue}}{{wobbook ref|8714sa3|47}} Someothers, sprenlike arehonorspren, easierseem to findrule thana others,nation howeverof eventheir the most common willown, atbut times,also failallow toother appear.{{booktype ref|sa1|i|5}}of Largertrue spren, willlike often appearmistspren, to alive singularwith person, who they will taunt and play withthem.{{book ref|sa1sa3|2108}} SomeThere humans,are also city-states such as [[RockCelebrant]], have the ability to seewhere thesevarious spren, evenlive if the spren in question does not explicitly reveal itself to the viewer. These people are called ''alaii'iku'' by the [[Unkalaki]]together.{{book ref|sa1sa3|21102}}
 
[[File:Glys Bonnie Johnson.JPG|thumb|left|200px|<center><small>by {{a|Bonnie Johnson}}</small></center> [[Glys]], a corrupted [[Truthwatcher]] spren]]
As creatures of nature, spren are not particularly concerned with good and evil.{{wob ref|9780}}
 
==== Odium's influence ====
Many types of manifested spren dwell in Shadesmar.{{wob ref|1092}}
Some spren of Odium are also sapient, and thus can be called true spren. Unlike regular true spren, sapient voidspren are capable of retaining their higher functions in the Physical Realm without bonding a person.{{book ref|sa3|31}} Those spren are usually imprisoned on [[Braize]], along with the rest of Odium's forces, but they are capable of escaping and travelling to Roshar.{{book ref|sa3|i|3}} They tend to look like [[Shin]] humans, and have colors such as yellow or red.{{book ref|sa3|31}}{{book ref|sa3|i|3}} Whether sapient voidspren are capable of granting powers is uncertain.
 
Recently, Sja-Anat has also gained the ability to corrupt true spren -- something she was unable to do in the past [[Desolation]]s.{{book ref|sa3|77}} Spren corrupted by Sja-Anat undergo the same type of physical change as the lesser spren.{{book ref|sa3|115}} Such spren can still form Nahel Bonds, although the bond will behave somewhat differently in a manner that remains poorly-understood. Notably, the corruption does not force the spren to turn to Odium.{{book ref|sa3|117}}
Lesser spren can also be capable of forming a bond with humans, though it is different from the Nahel bond of true spren.{{wob ref|4783}}
 
=== Unique Spren ===
Spren are related to the physical phenomena of [[wikipedia:wave-function collapse|wave-function collapse]]. One can measure a spren and fix a spren's dimensions simply by the act of measuring it.{{book ref|sa1|i|8}}
There is a small number of spren that are one of a kind, with no other like them in the world. Those include the native spren of Roshar, such as [[Nightwatcher]], [[Stormfather]], [[Cusicesh]] and the [[Sibling]], as well as ten great spren of Odium called the [[Unmade]]. Each of them appears to have a unique power or ability -- for example, Nightwatcher can grant boons and banes, [[Moelach]] can induce [[Death Rattle]]s, and the Stormfather commands the [[highstorm]]s. The intelligence of unique spren varies greatly -- while some are of humanlike intelligence, others are animalistic and act more as forces than they do as people.{{epigraph ref|sa3|104}} The former are capable of communicating with humans, and picking who can and cannot hear them.{{book ref|sa3|83}}
 
At least some unique spren can be bonded. [[Bondsmiths]] gain their powers from such bonds, with Stormfather being one of the three great Bondsmith spren.{{book ref|sa2|89}}{{epigraph ref|sa2|44}} Some Unmade also bond with people -- [[Yelig-Nar]] grants the use of all ten [[Surge]]s to whoever swallows a gem containing him, and [[Re-Shephir]] attemts to displace a Nahel Bond.{{epigraph ref|sa3|95}}{{book ref|sa3|30}} Whether an Unmade can become a Bondsmith spren is unknown at this point in time.
Spren of the same sub-type are "essentially the same individual."{{book ref|sa1|17}}
 
==Symbiotic Relationships==
== Known Subtypes ==
===Alespren===
[[File:Rosharan_WinesAlespren.jpg|thumb|right|159px200px|Alespren]]
{{quote| Test successful. Have noted spren who appear only when one is severely intoxicated. Appear as small brown bubbles clinging to objects nearby. Further testing may be needed to prove they were more than a drunken hallucination.| [[Axies]] the Collector{{book ref|sa1|i|5}}}}
A rare type of spren that appear only in [[Iri]]. They appear occasionally to people who are under the influence of alcohol. They appear as "small brown bubbles" that cling to objects close to the observer. They were given the name "alespren" by Axies the Collector, a scholar who studies spren, after considering the name "intoxicationspren". The locals refer to them as sudspren.{{book ref|sa1|i|5}}
 
Axies theorized their existence but was only able to observe them once, leading him to doubt theirwhether existencethey're real. As there are other stories of people seeing them, their existence is likely.{{book ref|sa1|i|5}}
 
They may also be called winespren.{{citefile ref|Rosharan Wines.jpg|Rosharan Wines}}
 
===Angerspren===
 
===Cryptics===
[[File:Pattern Animation.gif|thumb|100px200px|Drawings of [[Pattern]] by [[Shallan Davar]]]]
:''Main Article:'' [[Cryptic]]s
 
A type of sapient spren that formed Nahel Bonds with the Knight Radiant Order of [[Lightweavers]], granting them their powers. Cryptics grants the [[Surgebinding#Surgebindings|Surges]] of Transformation and Illumination to the bonded human.{{file ref| TWoK Front Endsheet.jpg | Surgebinding Table}} In the [[Realmatic Theory#Cognitive Realm|Cognitive Realm]] they have the appearance of figures in robes that hang "too stiffly" as if they were "made of glass" and instead of heads they have a floating symbol full of "impossible angles and geometries."{{book ref|sa1|29}} In the [[Realmatic Theory#Physical Realm|Physical Realm]] they take the shape of a complex and constantly shifting geometric pattern slightly raised off a surface or object.{{book ref|sa2|3}} They can also manifest as a floating three-dimensional mass of twisting lines.{{book ref|sa2|42}}▼
A type of sapient spren that formed Nahel Bonds with the Knight Radiant Order of [[Lightweavers]], granting them their powers. Cryptics grants the [[Surgebinding#Surgebindings|Surges]] of Transformation and Illumination to the bonded human.{{file ref| TWoK Front Endsheet.jpg | Surgebinding Table}}
 
▲A type of sapient spren that formed Nahel Bonds with the Knight Radiant Order of [[Lightweavers]], granting them their powers. Cryptics grants the [[Surgebinding#Surgebindings|Surges]] of Transformation and Illumination to the bonded human.{{file ref| TWoK Front Endsheet.jpg | Surgebinding Table}} In the [[Realmatic Theory#Cognitive Realm|Cognitive Realm]], they have the appearance of figures in robes that hang "too stiffly" as if they were "made of glass" and instead of heads they have a floating symbol full of "impossible angles and geometries.".{{book ref|sa1|29}} In the [[Realmatic Theory#Physical Realm|Physical Realm]] they take the shape of a complex and constantly shifting geometric pattern slightly raised off a surface or object.{{book ref|sa2|3}} They can also manifest as a floating three-dimensional mass of twisting lines.{{book ref|sa2|42}}
 
===Cultivationspren===
:''Main article:'' [[Cultivationspren]]
A type of sapient spren that formed Nahel Bonds with the Knight Radiant Order of Edgedancers, granting them their powers. Cultivationspren grant the [[Surgebinding#Surgebindings|Surges]] of Abrasion and Progression.{{book ref|sa2.5|2}} They appear in the physical realm as a growing vine with crystals. [[Wyndle]] refers to himself as a cultivationspren.
 
[[File:Deathspren by Marianne Eie.jpg|thumb|right|x150px|<center><small>by [[Coppermind:Artists/Marianne Eie|Marianne Eie]]</small></center>Deathspren]]▼
 
===Deathspren===
▲[[File:Deathspren by Marianne Eie.jpg|thumb|right|x150px200px|<center><small>by [[Coppermind:Artists/Marianne Eie{{a|Marianne Eie]]}}</small></center>Deathspren]]
{{quote| Only the dying could see deathspren. You saw them, then died. Only the very, very lucky few survived after that. Deathspren knew when the end was close.| The Way of Kings: Chapter Thirty-Eight{{book ref|sa1|38}}}}
A type of spren that appears only to people near death. Very few people survive after seeing deathspren, and due to their rarity, some considered them to be a spren that actually did not exist.{{book ref|sa1|45}} They have the appearance of many-legged fist-sized creatures, and are black with glowing red eyes that leave trails of light. They whisper with voices like paper being torn.{{book ref|sa1|38}} [[Lirin]] said that deathspren are repelled by water.{{book ref|sa1|10}}
 
===Gloryspren===
[[File:Shadesmar_Spren.jpg|thumb|161px|Upper left: gloryspren, Bottom left: fearspren, Right: anticipationspren, by [[Shallan Davar]]]]
{{quote| Below, his men cheered, sending up calls that rose above the Parshendi war chant. Gloryspren sprouted around him.| The Way of Kings: Chapter Sixty-Five{{book ref|sa1|65}}}}
A type of spren that appear around people when they experience pride in their accomplishments. They appear as golden orbs of translucent light.{{book ref|sa1|12}}
 
===Honorspren===
[[File:KaladinSyl andPortrait Sylby Marie Seeberger.jpg|200px|thumb|The<center><small>by honorspren{{a|Marie Seeberger}}</small></center> [[Sylphrena]], withan her bond-mate Kaladinhonorspren]]
:''Main Article:'' [[Honorspren]]
A type of sapient spren that formed Nahel Bonds with the Knights Radiant Order of [[Windrunners]], granting them their powers. Honorspren grant the [[Surgebinding#Surgebindings|Surges]] of Gravitation and Adhesion.{{file ref| TWoK Front Endsheet.jpg | Surgebinding Table}} They were said to be quite "discerning" in deciding who they would bond with.{{book ref|sa1|60}} Sylphrena is a honorspren.{{book ref|sa1|67}}
 
===Luckspren===
[[File:Luckspren.png|thumb|right|Sketch of [[Luckspren]] by [[Shallan Davar]]]]
:''Main Article:'' [[Mandras]]
 
 
Unlike most spren, which most Rosharans believe are only attracted to their namesake, rotspren are said to be the cause of sickness and infection.{{book ref|sa1|57}} They are seen to be repelled by water and antiseptics such as [[Lister's oil]], [[Knobweed|Knobweed sap]], and [[Larmic mucus]].{{book ref|sa1|10}}{{book ref|sa1|22}}
 
▲=== Santhid spren ===
 
=== Shamespren ===
:''Main Article:'' [[Stormfather]]
He is the Cognitive manifestation of peoples' impression of the Storm that travels [[Roshar]]{{book ref|sa3|31}}. He was changed by Honor just prior to Honor's death providing him with more awareness.{{book ref|sa3|113}}
 
[[File:Oathgate_Spren.jpg|thumb|161px200px|Uncorrupted Oathgate Spren by [[Shallan Davar]]]]▼
 
=== The Sibling ===
 
=== Oathgate Spren ===
▲[[File:Oathgate_Spren.jpg|thumb|161px|Uncorrupted Oathgate Spren by [[Shallan Davar]]]]
Oathgate Spren reside in the [[Oathgate]]s and Provide the means of instant travel between [[Oathgate]]s at a cost of [[Stormlight]]. In the past it may have been possible to use the [[Oathgate]]s to travel to and from [[Shadesmar]]. [[Honor]] before His death commanded them to not allow travel from [[Shadesmar]] to the Physical realm.
 
Rasarr
Editors, Keepers
8,240

edits

Retrieved from "https://coppermind.net/wiki/Special:MobileDiff/110075"