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A Forum “well-established theory” (WET) states a User powers magic with Fuel and shapes the magical effect through a Focus. I agree with WET, with some tweaks. I believe there are different types of magic systems that share different WET components. IMO, all magic systems have Focus and Fuel. All “people with magic” systems additionally have a User. “Catalytic people with magic” systems add what Khriss calls a “Catalyst.” I detail each magical component in related posts to isolate those topics for separate discussion. In this post, I’ll first summarize the differences among magic systems. I then state how I think the components relate to one another and how they apply to specific magic systems. I call “revised” WET, “Re-WET.” Types of Magic Systems I theorize there are two main types of magic systems: "Interaction with nature” systems and “people with magic” systems. IMO, the “people with magic” systems – systems where sapient beings can direct the magical effect – are subdivided into those that use “Catalysts” and those that don’t. I think Catalysts are substances Users consume to Invest themselves with Shard “power” (Spiritual Realm Investiture not part of a Spiritweb – IMO the cosmere’s Spiritual energy). Shards created “people with magic” systems post-Shattering, and they are found only on Major Shardworlds. In summary: “Catalytic people with magic” systems – Sapient beings (“people”) can direct Shard power. Examples: Allomancy, Surgebinding, and Awakening. “Non-Catalytic people with magic” systems – People can direct local Shardworld Investiture, but not Shard power. Examples: Feruchemy, the Returned, and non-Awakening Breath Transfers. “Interaction with nature” systems – People can interact with local Shardworld Investiture, but cannot direct magic of any kind. Examples: Threnody’s shades, the Patji’s Eye ecosystem on First of the Sun, and Roshar’s pre-Shattering magical ecosystem. Preliminary Thought IMO, Adonalsium created the “interaction with nature” systems when he formed the cosmere. The first WoB above states, “There is inherent Investiture on every world created.” Shards later added their Investiture to some of these systems, but these systems are still “natural” in the sense they are built into their planets, part of their planets’ Spiritwebs. “People with magic” systems OTOH are IMO artificial constructs the Shards created to approximate how the Shards themselves make magic. Shards think, and magic happens. “People’s” minds are too weak to direct large amounts of power by themselves. Magic system components IMO are “work-arounds” to fill this gap. For this reason, some components don’t fit neatly into a model. Focus, for example, overlaps other components like a User’s commands and Catalysts. WET Here’s @Spoolofwhool’s succinct and representative expression of WET: Re-WET Here’s my suggestion to revise WET’s components. I discuss each Re-WET component in the linked posts. User: A person whose mind directs the Fuel. Focus: A component that determines which power is available for magic. Fuel: The power or local Investiture that causes a magical effect. Catalyst: A substance Users consume to Invest themselves with Shard power. Note on “User”: I think a User must be a sapient being, a “person.” I also think the User component includes magical “Identity,” “innate Investiture,” and “Initiation.” Identity IMO is the relationship between the User and their native Shardworld’s Investiture. Innate Investiture is the Investiture grafted onto a User’s soul that makes them a User. Initiation is the process by which a potential User becomes an actual User. I discuss these in the “User” post. Note on “Focus”: I believe a Focus determines the power available for magic. IMO, local Shardworld Investiture cannot be further Focused. It already embodies the “essence” of the power that created it. Note on “Fuel”: I follow WET’s convention of naming magic-causing Investiture “Fuel.” As so defined, upper case “Fuel” seems more of a magical engine than that engine’s “fuel.” Lower case “fuel” is a substance consumed to provide energy to a process, like gasoline energizes a car’s motion. I believe all magic does have such “fuel,” which I discuss in the “Fuel” post. Please bear in mind, though, that both WET and Re-WET identify “Fuel” as the substance that causes magic to happen, not the substance consumed to add energy to the magical process. Note on “Catalyst”: I believe each Catalyst is made from a Shard’s “essence,” the Shard’s converted power. On Scadrial, metal is Preservation’s “concentrated essence” (BoM, Chapter 28, Kindle p. 359). On the other Major Shardworlds, I believe that “essence” is a form of the Shardworld’s local Investiture. I theorize this Investiture is found in Roshar’s highstorms, Taldain’s irradiated oceans, Nalthis’ electromagnetic radiation (EMR), and Sel’s ground. Catalysts add energy to the magical process (and hence are “fuel”); but unlike chemical catalysts, the process consumes them. Note on “magic systems”: WET equates the term “manifestation of Investiture” with “magic system.” While I don’t think it matters much, I’m unconvinced the terms mean the same thing. In the Mistborn Ars Arcana, Khriss describes the Metallic Arts as “manifestations of Investiture.” She doesn’t describe magic systems in other books that way, which suggests the term isn’t definitional. I interpret the term literally – a “manifestation of Investiture” is how Investiture manifests in a planet’s Physical Realm. Thus, I see Stormlight and Radiantspren as Rosharan “manifestations of Investiture.” Neither is a “magic system.” IMO, they are components of the Surgebinding “magic system,” its Catalyst and Focus, respectively. I believe the “interaction with nature” systems have only the Fuel and Focus components, and non-Catalytic “people with magic” systems add a User. IMO, the Catalytic systems have all four magical components and work as follows: A. The User consumes a Catalyst, like metals, Stormlight or body water. B. The Catalyst causes a Shard’s power to “begin [and ‘keep running’] an Investiture” of the User (BoM Ars Arcanum – “On the Three Metallic Arts – Allomancy.”) The Investiture ends when the User fully consumes the Catalyst. C. The Focus determines which power Invests the User. D. The User’s mind then directs the Invested power to “shape” the desired magical effect. Specific Systems @SpoolofWhool’s post includes examples of how WET applies to some magic systems. After quoting Spool’s WET examples, I suggest how Re-WET would apply to the same systems. Allomancy: The User is the Allomancer. I think the metal they burn is both a Catalyst and a Focus. Any Allomantic metal will act as a Catalyst to enable the Allomancer to Invest himself with Preservation’s power. The specific metal chosen will act as a Focus to determine the specific power the Allomancer Invests himself with – rioting, soothing, leeching, etc. IMO, the Allomancer himself shapes the power’s specific effect – how and when to use that power to riot, soothe or leech. While metal Catalysts are consumed in Allomancy, its Fuel is Preservation’s power. Feruchemy: The User is the Feruchemist. He directs Feruchemy’s magical effect when he chooses to time-shift an attribute. IOW, I think the conversion of “some of themselves into investiture” is Feruchemy’s magical effect, not its Fuel. I think the Fuel that causes this magical effect is the Feruchemical gene, the Feruchemist’s “end-neutral” internal Investiture. I believe even “end-neutral” Feruchemy consumes a “fuel” to make the magic. IMO, Brandon confirms this when he says “end-neutral” systems rely on a “facilitating power.” I believe this “facilitating power” keeps the Feruchemist’s internal Investiture “end-neutral” and thermodynamically sound. I think each Feruchemical metal is a Focus for the specific power that “facilitates” time-shifting the corresponding attribute. (I discuss this more in my Fuel post.) Awakening: The User is the Awakener. Brandon says Awakening’s Focus is the visualized command. The User’s command both selects the power to Invest the User and directs that power to Awaken the object for the visualized task. “Draining color” (as I describe it below) Catalyzes Awakening and Invests the Awakener with Endowment’s power. I don’t believe Awakening’s Fuel is Breath (though maybe I missed a WoB that clearly says that). I think Breath is Endowment’s Invested “life-force,” the target of the Awakener’s command, not its Fuel. Breath held by the Invested object just gets old and loses potency like Breath does in humans. IMO Breath decay is not consumption. Color loss from simple Breath Transfers (an end-neutral magic) comes from the transferor’s reduced Breaths, lowering his Heightening. IOW, color loss from simple Breath Transfers does not act as a Catalyst that summons power. I think Awakening’s Catalyst is the Invested electromagnetic radiation (EMR) colored objects absorb. Awakening’s Fuel is the Endowment power that Catalyst summons through the Focus of the Awakener’s command. “Draining color” withdraws the absorbed Investiture from the colored object. Awakeners can easily “drain” black (fully absorbed EMR), but cannot drain white (fully reflected EMR). This Investiture withdrawal causes colored objects to turn gray, just like a Shardblade-severed limb that’s lost its connection to the soul. I theorize Endowment Invested the Tears of Edgli with vivid color because that narrows the reflected light EMR spectrum (and is more noticeable). The broader absorbed EMR spectrum remains, leaving more Investiture for an Awakener to withdraw. The “sticky” dyes the Tears create mark where an Awakener can find Investiture. Surgebinding: The User is the Surgebinder. I agree with @SpoolofWhool that it probably doesn’t matter whether the Focus is the spren or the bond, but IMO spren are Roshar’s Focus. Each “natural” (pre-Shattering) spren personifies a different power, like life, fire, or gravity. These “natural” spren can Focus “anti-gravity” power, for example, into sky eels and greatshells. I believe Radiantspren’s mixed Investitures make them dual Focuses. (I haven’t thought through whether gems are soulcasting’s additional Focus and don’t address that.) IMO Surgebinders consume Stormlight to Catalyze Honor and/or Cultivation’s Investiture of them. The Radiantspren determines which power Invests the Surgebinder. I think the Surgebinder “binds” the Surges by cognitively directing the Invested power to create some magical effect – choosing gravity’s vector or drawing a new persona. Conclusion I analyze each Re-WET component in detail in my posts on Fuel, Focus, Users and Catalysts. Those are the threads to post your comments about the components themselves. Here I try to address how I think these components fit together. In summary, All systems have Fuel and are Focused. Shards added a User and Catalyst. Mortals now can direct Their own magic effect, Like becoming a soul-forging analyst. [Da-dum… The first of several such summaries. Blame @Calderis, the Adonalsium of cosmere limericks. He inspired me to summarize theory in verse and even write an English sonnet about my three favorite fantasy writers. I enjoy writing theory, but @Calderis has added some entertaining challenges. He’s also the source of the phrase “well-established theory” I use to describe the “User-Focus-Fuel” model.] Regards!

I suggest you read Magic System Components – General Theory before reading this post. Introduction I define a User as a “person” (a sapient being) whose mind directs the Fuel. “Fuel” is the power or local Shardworld Investiture that causes a magical effect. “Power” is Spiritual Realm Investiture that’s not part of a Spiritweb – IMO, the cosmere’s Spiritual energy. I think Users should exercise some control over the magical effect. Otherwise, magic happens to them. They don’t make magic happen even when they expose themselves to magic, like First of the Sun’s trappers and Nightwatcher boon seekers. I believe the “people with magic” systems have Users, but the “interaction with nature” systems don’t. IMO Dusk is not a User but a passive beneficiary of Aviar magic. His Aviar choose to encompass him in their protective shield. For the same reason, I think Nightwatcher boon seekers are not Users – they have no control over the magical effect, only the decision to seek her out. IMO, “User” includes the magical concepts “Identity,” “innate Investiture,” and “Initiation.” I discuss these concepts below. Users Are Sapient Beings Sazed and Brandon say power needs a mind to direct it. I think a User must be a sapient being – in Brandon’s words a “person.” I’ve seen suggestions that non-sapient objects can also be Users. I think a non-sapient object is incapable of directing magic. Mere sentience involves feeling, not thinking. Brandon says commanding magic is “like your mind reaching into the Spiritual Realm and you have to like conceive something.” IMO, non-sapient objects can’t conceive and, thus, can’t be Users. I believe understanding the magic is a critical aspect to using it. This idea underlies Khriss’ definition of magical “Intention” (Elantris, 10th Ed., Ars Arcanum, “Intention”), that a User must intend to perform magic before his actions can cause magic. In this WoB, Brandon hints that even Shards, whose Vessels were mortal, have trouble understanding the divine concept “omnipresence.” Sazed also says how difficult it is to use power without experience. Identity I define Identity as the relationship between Users and their native Shardworlds’ Investiture that enables Users to use that Investiture. Brandon says, for example, “People born on Scadrial have an Identity tied to it and its magic.” I believe this “lock-and-key” relationship is built into each User’s soul. Scadrians normally can’t use Stormlight, and Nalthian Returned normally can’t survive on Roshar or Taldain. Vasher instead must change some aspect of his soul to survive on those planets. Identity and Hacking I define “hacking” as the method by which non-natives of a Shardworld use native Investiture to achieve some magical effect. I believe hacking always involves changes to the User’s Identity. Hacking may also change other magical attributes, but to use non-native Investiture I think hackers must change their Identity in some way. Breath, though it meets my technical definition, IMO is not hacking because it automatically adjusts to its holder’s Identity. IIRC correctly (and I may not), Vasher is the only known cosmere hacker. I don’t consider Hoid a hacker because he is Spiritually unique and seems capable of acquiring any magic. IMO, others can’t do what Hoid does. I also don’t consider Worldhoppers hackers because AFAIK they don’t perform local magic on their journeys. Magical entities inherently capable of absorbing any Investiture, like Taldain’s lichen, is also not hacking as I understand it. If hacking were always this easy, Brandon wouldn’t call it “jumping through hoops.” Identity and Awakening I think comparing Awakening with simple non-Awakening Breath transfers highlights how Identity works. Some background: starting with the third post of this thread, posters discuss whether it’s possible for a non-Nalthian to Awaken objects. The third and most recent WoB quoted there seems to say a non-Nalthian Breath holder can Awaken on Nalthis, contrary to what the first two WoBs suggest. I think that third WoB is wrong, and Brandon didn’t mean to say what he said. Let me explain. The first two WoBs confirm it’s possible to transfer Breaths anywhere to anyone; but an apparent ambiguity can be reconciled to suggest non-Nalthian Breath holders can’t Awaken, even on Nalthis. I see Identity as the reason for this distinction. I believe only Nalthians have the Identity to consume Awakening’s Catalyst that summons Endowment’s power. IMO, Awakening’s Catalyst is the Invested electromagnetic radiation (EMR) colored objects absorb (not the EMR those objects reflect, the color itself). I think objects drained of this Investiture turn gray, like a Shardblade-severed limb disconnected from the soul. I think non-native Breath holders lack the Nalthian Identity needed to consume Nalthis’ Invested EMR. Breaths are separate from the soul, where Nalthian Identity resides. Without the EMR’s Catalytic Investiture, non-Nalthians can’t summon and Invest themselves with Endowment’s Awakening power. That’s why non-Nalthians IMO can’t Awaken, though they otherwise get the benefits of Breath’s Heightenings. I think Brandon made a misstatement in the third WoB. There he says a non-Nalthian can Awaken on Nalthis because “It’s the easiest of magics to get the magic from, and then to manipulate. Because it has keyed into it Identity.” We know Awakening requires detailed visualization of the command to the Awakened object. I don’t think that’s “easy,” as Nightblood proves. That makes me think Brandon was talking about simple Breath transfers, not Awakening. Breaths are “the easiest of magics to get the magic from, and then to manipulate.” Breaths do have Identity “keyed into” them. It would be nice to ask Brandon this question again and hear what he says. Identity and Feruchemy We know, as a rule, that metalminds are keyed to the Identity of the Feruchemist who stored them. This makes sense, since the metalmind holds the Investiture representing that Feruchemist’s personal attributes – his strength, weight, senses, etc. IMO, this fits with my definition of Identity: “the relationship between Users and their native Shardworlds’ Investiture that enables Users to use that Investiture.” With Feruchemy, that relationship is between the Feruchemist and the native Shardworld Investiture representing his converted attributes. Innate Investiture IMO, “innate Investiture” is the Investiture grafted onto a User’s soul that makes them a User. Brandon says, “innate Investiture is when a person is a conduit to/from the Spiritual Realm.” That WoB seems to limit innate Investiture to the Catalytic systems, since IMO only those systems use Shard power as their Fuel. My definition more broadly includes Feruchemical and Hemalurgically-implanted innate Investiture. Brandon elsewhere defines innate Investiture as the Investiture a soul is conceived or born with, like Breaths and the inherited Investitures of the Metallic Arts. This definition would not consider Radiantspren, for example, innate Investiture. By whatever definition, innate Investiture seems to me an aspect of being a User. Initiation I define “Initiation” as the process by which a potential User becomes an actual User. It seems to involve the creation and/or strengthening of the Connection between the User and the Shard whose power the User relies on as Fuel. Initiation thus seems limited to Catalytic system Users. The clearest examples of Initiation are Allomantic snapping and the Elantrian Shaod, both of which are “all or nothing” events. I think Initiation may also be an ongoing process that strengthens the Shard – User Connection over time. On Roshar, for example, soul cracks allow temperamentally compatible Radiantspren to begin the bonding process. IMO, strengthening the Nahel bond through the Oaths is also part of Initiation. (This is definitional and not a big deal either way, but I throw it out there, FWIW.) Conclusion Only sapient beings are Users. Their mind directs magic and chooses The magic’s effect, And what they select Through their Spiritweb outpours and oozes. (Oh, @Calderis!) You can read the other magic component posts at General Theory, Fuel, Focus, and Catalyst. Regards!

Hello everybody, As etiquette demands, and that is a good thing, here is a short introduction of myself. My name is Mark. I live, work and otherwise procrastinate in my home town of Vlaardingen. (Which is located in The Netherlands, but you guys all knew that of course! I'm a happily married man and we have a gem of a daughter called: Wies. (what roughly translates as: Wise) My daily business is checking, repairing and otherwise manage dental problems. In other words i'm a dentist. I work in as general practitioner and as a special care dentist (for people with a disability) All books of Brandon are on the digital shelf. My favorite book is still Elantris, because of the world and the fantastic magic system. The work of Brandon on the Wheel of Time series was great. Personally I hope that Brandon will continue to write novels in het WoT universe. (but that is up to him and of course Harriet) (ed. R. Jordans wife) Well enough about myself. Thank you for reading this and I hope to meet some of you, or all, in a topic! Cheers!