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'''Spren''' are a type of transformative cognitive entity native to the planet [[Roshar]] and its Cognitive Realm analogue, [[Shadesmar]].{{book ref|sa2|part=ars}} They are fragments of the [[Adonalsium|powers of creation]] that have attained a form of awareness and, in some cases, sentience.{{book ref|sa2|3}} They are commonly thought of as "living ideas", elements of the Cognitive Realm that sometimes leak into the Physical.{{book ref|sa2|1}}
The majority of spren are a result of the investiture of the Shards Honor and Cultivation, some have more of one or the other but the rest are a mixture of the two. These, for the most part, can be divided into two main groups: emotion spren, which are derived from Honor, and nature spren, which are derived from Cultivation.{{qa ref|747|5| Are all spren that can Nahel Bond called honorspren or just Windrunner spren?|date=?}} Another category of spren is the Voidspren which are a result of Odium's investiture.{{book ref|sa2|1}} There are also spren which are a result of Adonalsium's investiture which have attained sentience, but not much is known about them.{{ref|name=adospren}}
'''Spren quote dipository''' - [[User:WeiryWriter/Sprendex/Quotes]]
{!{Magical Entities
|world=Roshar
|books=[[The Stormlight Archive]]
}}
{{quote|
'''Spren''' are a type of magical entity that live on the planet [[Roshar]]. Most are a combination of the powers of the [[Shard]]s [[Honor]] and [[Cultivation]]. Some are more of Honor; others, Cultivation; the rest are a mixture of the two.{{qa ref|747|5| Are all spren that can Nahel Bond called honorspren or just Windrunner spren?|date=?}} Some spren however pre-date the arrival of Honor and Cultivation, which are [[Splinter]]s of [[Adonalsium]] itself and have achieved sentience.{{ref|name=adospren}} Spren act as "release valve" for uncontrolled shardic energy, like the [[Seon]]s and [[Skaze]] of [[Sel]].{{qa ref|944|7| Does Roshar have a similar problem, with Honor being Splintered?|date=?}}
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>
==Physiology==
There are said to be thousands of different kinds of spren, each named for a different type of phenomenon.{{book ref
Larger spren have the ability to shape-shift often mimicking faces, as well as being able to mimic voices.
Spren do not need to sleep
The causal link between spren and there namesake is not fully understood on Roshar.
While spren are often invisible, they are said to be ever present and will appear around the phenomenon they are named for.{{book ref
As creatures of nature, spren are not particularly concerned with good and evil.{{qa ref
Cryptics are not the only
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}}
Spren of the same sub-type are "essentially the same individual."{{book ref|sa1|17}}
==Symbiotic Relationships==
Some types of spren live in symbiotic relationships with various other creatures extant on Roshar.
The "magic fish" of the [[Purelake]] are another example of Rosharan flora forming symbiotic bonds with spren.{{ref|name=magicfish}}
Each Order of the [[Knights Radiant]] formed a [[Nahel Bond]] with a different type of spren. This bond is similar in nature to the bond between a [[Seon]] and its master.{{ref|name=nahelseon}}
{/{theory}}
It is also possible that the [[Ryshadium]] breed of horses get their unique traits from bonds with spren.
==Known Subtypes==
===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
A rare type of spren that appear only in [[Iri]].
Axies theorized their existence but was only able to observe them once, leading him to doubt their existence. As there are other stories of people seeing them, their existence is likely.{{book ref|sa1|i|5}}
===Angerspren===
{{quote| Vamah was watching them stand there, and his expression was as thunderous as a highstorm, angerspren boiling up from the ground around him like small pools of bubbling blood.| The Way of Kings: Chapter Fifteen{{book ref
A common type of spren that appear around people experiencing anger.
===Anticipationspren===
{{quote| A few
A common type of spren that appear around people looking forward to something.
===Awespren===
{{quote| A single awespren, like a ring of blue smoke, burst out above him, spreading like the ripple from a stone dropped in a pond.|Words of Radiance: Chapter Seventy-Eight{{book ref|sa2|78}}}}
An extremely rare type of spren that appear around people feeling awe. They appear as rings of blue smoke that spread out from the individual, like ripples in water.{{book ref|sa2|78}}
===Bindspren===
{{quote| He thought he could faintly make out tiny spren, dark blue and shaped like little splashes of ink, clustering around the place where the rock met the wall.| The Way of Kings: Chapter Fifty-Seven{{book ref
Spren that appear around objects bound with a [[Full Lashing]].
===Captivityspren===
{{quote|He stood, waving away some strange spren like taut wires crossing before him...| Words of Radiance: Chapter Sixty-Two{{book ref|sa2|62}}}}
An apparently rare type of spren that appear around people being imprisoned against their will. They appear like taut wires stretched across the area the person is confined to.{{book ref|sa2|62}} Axies the Collector has spent years attempting to observe them, unsuccessfully.{{book ref|sa1|i|5}} A theory as to why this may be the case is that due to the fact that he is actively searching them out, he does not feel emotions necessary to attract them.
===Coldspren===
A type of spren mentioned in [[Navani's notebook]]. They can be captured in gems of a certain cut and used in fabrial machines.{{file ref|
===Comet Spren{{ref|group=fn|name=notcanon}}===
A type of spren about which very little is currently known
===Creationspren===
{{quote| Her drawing gathered about a half-dozen of them, pulling them by her act of creation just as a bright fire would draw flamespren.| The Way of Kings: Chapter Seven{{book ref
An uncommon type of spren that appear around creative acts such as painting or drawing.
When drawing, the more skilled one is, the more likely creationspren are to appear.{{book ref|sa1|7}} The number of creationspren that appear relates to the difficulty of the creation. When [[Shallan Davar]] draws her spren, a [[Cryptic]] named [[Pattern]], whose form is an incredibly complex and detailed design, for the first time, she draws hundreds of creationspren.{{book ref|sa2|3}}
Creationspren seem to be held in low regard by the Cryptics. Pattern dismisses them because they do not ''do'' anything, merely observe and admire. Where most spren have a purpose, creationspren are only attracted to another's purpose.{{book ref|sa2|78}}
===Cryptics===
{{for|Cryptic|more information}}
A type of sentient spren connected to the [[Knights Radiant]] [[Order of Lightweavers]]. When Nahel Bonded, they grant access to the Surges of Illumination and Transformation.
In the 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 Physical Realm they manifest as an ever-changing fractal pattern that is an approximation of its "head" in the Cognitive Realm, in a similar way to how a circle with a few lines can approximate a human face. This pattern usually manifests as an embossing that moves across objects two-dimensionally, however they can bring themselves into three dimensions where they form a ball of dark lines.{{book ref|sa2|3}}{{book ref|sa2|6}} They cannot disappear completely from sight unlike other some other sub-types of spren.{!{cite}}
===Cusicesh===
{{for|Cusicesh|more information}}
A unique spren, the only known member of its sub-type, that appears in [[Kasitor]] Bay at the same time each day.
===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
A type of spren that appears only to people near death.
===Decayspren===
{{quote| I didn't know men got this old. You sure he's not decayspren wearing a man's skin?| Sylphrena to Kaladin{{book ref
A type of spren referenced by [[Sylphrena]].{{book ref
===Exhaustionspren===
A type of spren that appear around exhausted people.
===Fearspren===
{{quote| Fearspren—wiggling and violet—sprang up through the wood and wriggled in the air.| The Way of Kings: Chapter Six{{book ref
A common type of spren that appear around people experiencing fear.
===Flamespren===
{{quote| Tiny flamespren danced around [the torches], like insects made solely of congealed light.| The Way of Kings: Prologue{{book ref
A common type of spren that appear around fire.
The [[ardent]] [[Geranid]] was studying flamespren when she discovered that if she measured them in someway the spren seemed to be "stuck" by that measurement.{{book ref|sa1|i|8}} This is similar to the physical process of [[wikipedia:wave-function collapse|wave-function collapse]] in [[wikipedia:quantum mechanics|quantum mechanics]].
===Gloryspren===
{{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
A type of spren that appears around people experience pride in their accomplishments.
===Gravityspren===
A type of spren mentioned in [[Navani's notebook]].
===Greatshell Spren===
A type of spren that has a symbiotic relationship with greatshells, they, in part, enable them to grow to such large sizes.{{qa ref
The [[Tai-na]] of the [[Reshi Sea]] have an extraordinary variant of spren, referred to as the "soul" of the greatshell by the [[Reshi]], that allow them to grow to truly gargantuan sizes. These "souls" will sometimes show themselves to people and do such things as slowing a person's fall.{{ref|name=rysn}}
===Groundspren===
A type of spren to which Rosharans attribute the pull of gravity.{{book ref
===Heatspren===
A type of spren mentioned in [[Navani's notebook]].
===Honorspren===
[[File:Kaladin and Syl.jpg|thumb|The honorspren Sylphrena with her bond-mate Kaladin]]
:''Main Article:'' [[Honorspren]]
A type of sentient spren that formed Nahel Bonds with the Knights Radiant, granting them their powers.
===Hungerspren===
{{quote| As he spoke, he attracted a few hungerspren. They looked like brown flies that flitted around the man's head, almost too small to see.| The Way of Kings: Chapter Two{{book ref
A type of spren that appears around people experiencing extreme hunger.
===Laughterspren===
{{quote| A few laughterspren—minnow-like silver spirits that darted through the air in circular patterns—began to zip about them.| The Way of Kings: Chapter Fourteen{{book ref
A type of spren that appears in the presence of laughter.
===Lifespren===
{{quote| A few lifespren—tiny, glowing green specks—floated around the shalebark mounds. Some danced amid the rifts in the bark, others in the air like dust motes zigzagging up, only to fall again.| The Way of Kings: Chapter Thirty-Nine{{book ref
A common type of spren that appears around plant-life, particularly just after highstorms.
===Logicspren===
{{quote| There were said to be logicspren—in the form of tiny stormclouds—who were attracted to great arguments...| The Way of Kings: Chapter Seven{{book ref
A rare type of spren that appear around great arguments.
===Luckspren===
A type of spren that flies around [[
===Musicspren===
{{quote| Musicspren zipped through the air around [the drummers], the tiny spirits taking the form of spinning translucent ribbons.| The Way of Kings: Prologue{{book ref
A type of spren that appear around musical performances.
===Painspren===
{{quote| Painspren swarmed the ground, like small orange hands or bits of sinew, reaching up from the ground amid the blood of the fallen.| The Way of Kings: Chapter Forty-Seven{{book ref
A common type of spren that appear around those experiencing pain.
===Passionspren===
{{quote| Passionspren, like tiny flakes of crystalline snow, floated down in the air around them.| The Way of Kings: Chapter Sixty-One{{book ref
A type of spren that appears around those experiencing romantic passion.
===Rainspren===
{{quote| [Rainspren] were said to be the souls of raindrops...| The Way of Kings: Chapter Forty-Four{{book ref
A type of spren that appears most often during the [[Weeping]].
===Riverspren===
{{quote| [The Purelake] was filled with tiny fish, colorful cremlings, and eel-like riverspren.| The Way of Kings: Interlude One{{book ref
A common type of spren that appear in bodies of water such as rivers or the Purelake.
===Rotspren===
{{quote|
A common type of spren that appear around infected tissue and rotting corpses.{{book ref
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}}
===Starspren===
{{quote| It was the time between moons, and so he was lit mostly by the firelight; there was a spray of stars in the sky above. Several of those moved about, the tiny pinpricks of light chasing after one another, zipping around like distant, glowing insects.| The Way of Kings: Chapter Forty{{book ref
A rare type of spren that appear at night amongst the stars.
===Windspren===
{{quote| Windspren were devious spirits who had a penchant for staying where they weren't
A common type of spren that appear in the presence of wind. As one of the larger types of spren, windspren are able to change their appearance at will, though they often appear as "ribbons of light without form."{{book ref
The leading edge of a highstorm is home to "thousands upon thousands" of windspren.{{book ref
Windspren are closely related to [[honorspren]], such as Sylphrena.{{qa ref|979|61| Are all windspren really just unbonded honorspren?|date=?}} This perhaps evidenced by their ability to "stick things together"{{book ref|sa1|2}} although that could be restricted to unbonded honorspren.
==Possible Spren==
===Dawnsingers===
According to the
===Nightspren===
A type of spren believed to exist by more traditional, rural followers of Vorinism.
===Nightwatcher===
Most Rosharans believe the [[Nightwatcher]] to be a very powerful type of spren.{{book ref
===Voidbringers===
During the Era of Solitude on Roshar, most people living in cities believed the [[Voidbringer]]s were a type of evil spren.{{book ref
==Notes==
{{columns|<references>
<ref name=eshonai>[https://docs.google.com/document/d/1cDGlSyePKuiyYb_e0yBHzTYCvvqQgoPweEh_EM3sRlE/edit| Eshonai Interlude]</ref>
<ref name=rysn>[https://docs.google.com/document/d/1UxIvoJRwOXRWBBgALFMw_Wej_Gxv6l4bkJofAJlBpIU/edit| Rysn Interlude]</ref>
<ref name=poopspren>[http://www.reddit.com/r/Stormlight_Archive/comments/1bflq6/dreamworks_has_acquired_the_film_rights_for_the/c96sk1x| Are there poopspren?]</ref>
<ref name=nahelseon>[http://www.17thshard.com/forum/topic/4220-chicago-signing-1/?p=66166| Is the bond between a Seon and its master similar to the Nahel bond between a Surgebinder and his spren?]</ref>
<ref name=adospren>[http://www.17thshard.com/forum/topic/4258-questions-for-seattle-signing-1014/page-6#entry68628
<ref name=luckspren>[http://inkthinker.deviantart.com/art/The-Way-of-Kings-Skyeels-180124400| Skyeel Illustration Description]</ref>
<ref name=magicfish>[http://www.17thshard.com/forum/topic/4884-havent-you-always-wanted-magic-fish/#entry80010| Are the magic fish of the Purelake a result of symbiotic bonds with spren?]</ref>
</references>|count=2}}
'''Footnotes'''
<references group="fn">
<ref group="fn" name=notcanon>This is a fan-created placeholder name and is not canon. It will be replaced when Brandon canonizes the name.</ref>
</references>
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