Question about awakening

[Doomdrinker]

So I've  been re reading warbreaker and thinking about how awakened objects imitate life and I've been wondering if we know why this occurs?

 

Also if a non human where to become an awakener, a sleepless for example, would awakened objects they make try to imitate hordlings rather as human forms? 

[Scion of the Mists]

Yes, it is related to the Awakener's identity.  

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EarthRester

In Warbreaker, the closer an inanimate object is to a humanoid shape, the easier it is to awaken it.

Hypothetically, say a race of sentient quadrupedal canines had access to BioChromatic Breath. Would they have an easier time awakening objects if they were closer to a canine shape, or is the rule still that it needs to be more humanoid?

Brandon Sanderson

Closer to canine.

source

 

[RShara]

I think it's more related to the Awakener's perception, but yeah.  I love the sentient quadrupedal canines.

[Stark]

So... Kandra Awakeners need things to resemble amorphous blobs to be able to awaken them?

 

Or is it more closely linked to their self perception?  IE: Tensoon would need canid forms, Melaan humanoid forms, Vendell dusty-old-coat-rack forms, and that one kandra to into horror would need cthulu-oid forms?

[The One Who Connects]

On 4/12/2018 at 0:13 PM, Stark said:

Or is it more closely linked to their self perception?  IE: Tensoon would need canid forms, Melaan humanoid forms, Vendell dusty-old-coat-rack forms, and that one kandra to into horror would need cthulu-oid forms?

Alternatively(because I remember this from the reddit comments on that WoB):

There's a "breath tax" for things further from the form they have an affinity towards(human for humans, canine for canines, for example), and a "breath discount" for things closer to said affinity. Kandra are much more fluid than other races, so there might not be a form they have a proper affinity for, thus negating the tax and discount and making every awakening the "default" value, whatever that may be.

[Weltall]

Here's something Brandon has said on why Awakened objects 'imitate life'

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Questioner [PENDING REVIEW]

So, in Warbreaker, Awakened items have to emulate humans. Why is that?

Brandon Sanderson [PENDING REVIEW]

It's a matter of perception on the people using the magic. And there are ramifications on the fact that the Shards themselves were all once humanoid.

source

 

[shadowwisp]

So theoretically, awakening a cloth in a shape of a human would take less Breath than awakening a cloth in the shape of a dog which would take less Breath than a square piece of cloth right?

 

Oathbringer Spoilers:

Spoiler

If that is the case, then would awakening steel with the intention of imitating a Spren take less Breath than one would normally expect? Are Spren considered alive? I would say yes but idk if there is a WoB on this. This might partially explain while Nightblood was able to be created with "only" a 1000 Breaths.

Thoughts?

Edited May 2, 2018 by shadowwisp

[The One Who Connects]

9 hours ago, shadowwisp said:

So theoretically, awakening a cloth in a shape of a human would take less Breath than awakening a cloth in the shape of a dog which would take less Breath than a square piece of cloth right?

This sentence is correct, although how much less is "less" is up for debate.

Your actual question though... I'm not sure that your intentions affect the breath cost that way. Wanting to do a less complex task would probably cost less breath, sure. But I don't think you'd get a discount by awakening something to try and imitate a living thing.

9 hours ago, shadowwisp said:

Oathbringer Spoilers:

Spoiler

Are Spren considered alive?

Spoiler

They are valid targets for Hemalurgy, so I'd assume they count as "alive." Might depend on your definition of alive, but I'd say yes.

[Random Reader]

Also, what is his definition of biotic and abiotic? Biotic should take less breaths, right?