Midnight Essence

[Lightspine]

This has been a connection that's been brewing ever since we got the release of Aether of Night, but we now know for sure that the Midnight Essence produced by Re-Shephir is identical to the products of the Midnight Aether.

(SP3 spoiler)

Spoiler

We'll also probably have more connections soon with the Nightmare Painter who is dealing with suspiciously similar entities.

For now though, I think we can start speculating on some of these relationships. It seems like, much like the roseite Aether grows crystals, the Midnight aether produces this Midnight Essence and Re-Shephir can somehow produce the same Essence. What stands out to me most is that we have no reason to believe that Re-Shephir requires water to do this. Both instances of Aethers we've seen so far—in Tress and in TLM—have utilized water as a "catalyst". As Ulaam puts it:

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“This alone is dangerous, but your varieties are also highly unstable. The tiniest hint of a catalyst—water, in this case—and they pull Investiture directly from the Spiritual Realm to explosively germinate. It’s a remarkable process.”

Excerpt From: Brandon Sanderson. “Tress of the Emerald Sea.” Chapter 28

I'm curious as to what "catalyst" really means. In the magic systems we've seen so far, there needs to be a Focus and an Intent to work the magic. Is water acting as the Focus? The Focus typically filter what effects are produced—in this case that sounds more like the specific spore you're dealing with is the Focus. In addition, this interaction can happen without any Intent at all—natural rainfall can trigger the spores—although Tress demonstrates that Intent can certainly be used to shape their growth.

In the chemical sense, a "catalyst" increases reaction speed. However, without the catalyst the reactions could still happen in theory, though in many cases they are so slow that they might as well be impossible. Does this mean it is possible for spores to sprout without water? The idea that water is not necessary for producing Aethers is substantiated by Re-Shephir not appearing to require it in any way.

Given this, I think that Re-Shephir most likely grows Midnight Aether because they have another channel to pull Investiture out of the Spiritual Realm: their direct Connection to Odium. Much like Allomancers can pull Investiture directly from Preservation in the Spiritual, Re-Shephir has access to Odium's Investiture. We already have some precedent in this in the Fused, who seem to have a way to get voidlight directly from Odium. So, Re-Shephir requires no water as a catalyst.

Next, what exactly is Re-Shephir? The Aethers are still largely unknown, but we get some explanation from Ulaam, also in Chapter 28:

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“Regardless, your moons are home to a group of voracious entities known as aethers. Though the true aethers on other worlds have a symbiosis with people, the ones on your moons have become insatiable, aggressive, and fecund.”

It seems entirely possible to me that Re-Shephir is, itself, an Aether. One that inhabited Roshar in the distant past, but became corrupted by Odium. Since "Spren" is a catch-all term for living pieces of Investiture, I think it could potentially be applied to an Aether. In addition, Shallan seems to feel a willingness from Re-Shephir to form bonds, especially with Lightweavers, which lines up with true aethers having "symbiosis." 

I know it's not much, but that's all the thoughts I have on this so far. I'm excited to see what this community can think up!

[Tglassy]

I think you're on the right track, as I had the same thought. It actually made me wonder if any of the OTHER Unmade are Aethers, though I don't have enough of a grounding in the Aethers to know if that's possible.  

[lacrossedeamon]

It's also possible that rather than being an Aether Re-Shephir is just an Aetherbound. You bring up a good point about "her" not seeming to need water though.

 

As for the reaction with water, it seems to me that the spores are some form of biotic entity like the microorganisms that allow for Sandmastery. Water seems to be key in allowing them to metabolize Investiture into physical growth in some way.

[Knight Oblivion]

Water definitely used as a catalyst to give the aether spores access to investiture from the spiritual realm somehow. It is the seemingly general nature of the Luhel bond with aethers and aether spores to trade for water as the "physical" material needed for the bond.

 

But, as seen on TLM, it's also possible to outright fuel aether growth with pure investiture. TLM also tells us that constructs unattached from an aetherbound can be sustained when in an investiture field.

 

With Re-Shephir being an Unmade with Connection to Odium, it's entirely possible she has near on-demand access to Voidlight to fuel her abilities. This would align with the Fused and, at least, one other Unmade.

 

So, putting this all together, I believe Re-Shephir functions by converting Voidlight into Midnight Essence which is then sustained by the fact Roshar is frequently saturated in Stormlight. The use of direct/pure investiture being a substitute to the water requirement that is normally seen since it becomes unnecessary. Since she is referred to as the Midnight Mother, it is my current belief that she's either a prime Midnight aether or a Midnight aetherbound.

[AquaRegia]

I dislike the use of the word "catalyst" in this case.

In chemistry, a catalyst increases the rate of a reaction (usually by providing a lower energy, i.e., easier, pathway) but is not itself consumed in the reaction.  This does not match the role of water in sprouting Aether spores; water is definitely consumed.  Same for Sand Mastery.

It reminds me of the role of metals in Allomancy.  The metals are consumed and need to be replenished, but they are not directly transformed into Investiture; instead the metals are described as being a "key", unlocking the Investiture somehow.  Nobody ever refers to Allomantic metals as "catalysts".  And correctly so.

The idea of the Midnight Mother being an Aether or an Aetherbound entity is certainly tantalizing... and it seems very On-Brandon for "this thing we've seen on one planet" to turn out to be a version of "this other thing we've seen on a different planet".

[Lightspine]

3 minutes ago, AquaRegia said:

In chemistry, a catalyst increases the rate of a reaction (usually by providing a lower energy, i.e., easier, pathway) but is not itself consumed in the reaction.  This does not match the role of water in sprouting Aether spores; water is definitely consumed.  Same for Sand Mastery.

Hmm, you bring up an interesting point. The water certainly appears consumed, but I'm wondering if it actually is like, chemically consumed or magically converted into something else, or if it remains as water somehow. The main reason I'm concerned about is that I've been called out by Hoid:

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“The more meteorologically inclined among you might be wondering about the planet’s weather patterns and water cycle. If you’re one of those to whom these things are extremely important, you have my sympathies. It’s never too late to develop a personality. Maybe go to a party. But try to avoid topics like weather patterns and water cycles. Unless of course you can do it like me.”

Excerpt From: Brandon Sanderson. “Tress of the Emerald Sea.” Apple Books. 

Like, we know this planet has rainfall. If all the water that falls onto the seas is consumed, that doesn't bid well for the planet's water cycle. Therefore, the water used by the spores has to be recoverable somehow. For something like Verdant it seems straightforward since plants contain a lot of water, but the other Aethers don't make as much sense. Not that any of them seem to abide by conservation of mass since it seems like spiritual investiture --> matter conversion is happening.

My best guess is that when the materials produced by the aethers dissipate as smoke they release water vapor? Can't see any other way the planet's water cycle makes sense.

[iceblade44]

31 minutes ago, AquaRegia said:

I dislike the use of the word "catalyst" in this case.

In chemistry, a catalyst increases the rate of a reaction (usually by providing a lower energy, i.e., easier, pathway) but is not itself consumed in the reaction.  This does not match the role of water in sprouting Aether spores; water is definitely consumed.  Same for Sand Mastery.

It reminds me of the role of metals in Allomancy.  The metals are consumed and need to be replenished, but they are not directly transformed into Investiture; instead the metals are described as being a "key", unlocking the Investiture somehow.  Nobody ever refers to Allomantic metals as "catalysts".  And correctly so.

The idea of the Midnight Mother being an Aether or an Aetherbound entity is certainly tantalizing... and it seems very On-Brandon for "this thing we've seen on one planet" to turn out to be a version of "this other thing we've seen on a different planet".

Note the metals in Allomancy is also refered to as catalysts by Brandon at points. Its use casually isn't strictly kept to its scientific use

Edited January 9, 2023 by iceblade44

[AquaRegia]

Well heck, I hate being wrong.  But thank you!  My ego does need periodic deflation.

I guess if Brandon tends to use a term incorrectly, Khriss is likely to as well.  ;-)

[lacrossedeamon]

Also according to Ulaam the water doesn't seem to actually be consumed by the reaction but instead somehow transported to the Aether on the moon.

[Lightspine]

3 minutes ago, lacrossedeamon said:

Also according to Ulaam the water doesn't seem to actually be consumed by the reaction but instead somehow transported to the Aether on the moon.

It's unclear if that's what normally happens when spores are exposed to water, or specifically for the case of spore eaters like Captain Crow:

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“Earregardless, your captain’s affliction is a dire one. She is connected directly to the prime verdant aether growing on the moon. It needs water to survive, and the moon has none. So it somehow infects people on the planet.
“The vines inside Captain Crow are exceptionally thirsty, and they constantly drain her of liquid. Somehow, they use that liquid—along with that from other spore eater hosts around the world—to feed the enormous overgrown aether on the moon. I’ve been unable to discover the mechanism.”
”

Excerpt From: Brandon Sanderson. “Tress of the Emerald Sea.” Apple Books. 

I would think that if the normal spores fed the aether on the moon then spore eaters would be unnecessary. That, combined with the fact that this planet has a water cycle, makes me believe the water hangs around somehow.

[lacrossedeamon]

But it does imply that at least for spore eater reactions it doesn't consume the water which could then be extrapolated to non spore eater aether spore reactions. I'm basically on your side of this argument.

I do wonder if even if non spore eater aether reactions did water the moon aether is the rainfall too sporadic to be enough? But also if the aethers were solely dependent on spore eaters for water I feel they would be more prevalent although it could just be because Tress is rather sheltered.

[Lightspine]

1 hour ago, lacrossedeamon said:

But it does imply that at least for spore eater reactions it doesn't consume the water which could then be extrapolated to non spore eater aether spore reactions. I'm basically on your side of this argument.

Oh I see what you mean. Yeah we're in agreement that the water isn't completely vanishing afterwards.

 

1 hour ago, lacrossedeamon said:

But also if the aethers were solely dependent on spore eaters for water I feel they would be more prevalent although it could just be because Tress is rather sheltered.

Now that you mention it I am curious about that. It does seem like spore eaters should be more commonplace, maybe their numbers dwindle because of how unerringly fatal the condition is.

[+Bzhydack]

On 4.01.2023 at 1:51 AM, Tglassy said:

I think you're on the right track, as I had the same thought. It actually made me wonder if any of the OTHER Unmade are Aethers, though I don't have enough of a grounding in the Aethers to know if that's possible.  

 

On 8.01.2023 at 8:04 AM, lacrossedeamon said:

It's also possible that rather than being an Aether Re-Shephir is just an Aetherbound. You bring up a good point about "her" not seeming to need water though.

 

As for the reaction with water, it seems to me that the spores are some form of biotic entity like the microorganisms that allow for Sandmastery. Water seems to be key in allowing them to metabolize Investiture into physical growth in some way.

Definitly Re-Sephir wasnot full Aether, but just an Aetherbound, probably Corrupted (Unmade) by Odium. Also, there is another possible Aetherbound among the Unmade. Remember Yelig- Nar the Blightwing? This Unmade need host, and when absorbed (or maybe I should tell: gestate?) transforms its host into somthing rocklike, with purple color. And this is fatal. For me, it looks very much like Roseite Aetherbound, or maybe more like Roseite Spore Eater, with additional powers (Parto of Odiums power maybe).

[Treamayne]

21 hours ago, AquaRegia said:

Well heck, I hate being wrong.  But thank you!  My ego does need periodic deflation.

I guess if Brandon tends to use a term incorrectly, Khriss is likely to as well.  ;-)

On 1/8/2023 at 0:20 PM, Knight Oblivion said:

With Re-Shephir being an Unmade with Connection to Odium, it's entirely possible she has near on-demand access to Voidlight to fuel her abilities. This would align with the Fused and, at least, one other Unmade.

So, putting this all together, I believe Re-Shephir functions by converting Voidlight into Midnight Essence which is then sustained by the fact Roshar is frequently saturated in Stormlight. The use of direct/pure investiture being a substitute to the water requirement that is normally seen since it becomes unnecessary. Since she is referred to as the Midnight Mother, it is my current belief that she's either a prime Midnight aether or a Midnight aetherbound.

But also, Re-Shephir doesn't seem to be the only source of Midnight Essence on Roshar. TWoK Chap 19:

Spoiler

“The Desolation,” [Dalinar] said. “That means the Voidbringers, right? Those are what we fought this night?”

The knight sniffed dismissively. “Voidbringers? These? No, this was Midnight Essence, though who released it is still a mystery.” She looked to the side, expression growing distant. 

 

[Zapata]

On 1/9/2023 at 6:03 PM, Treamayne said:

But also, Re-Shephir doesn't seem to be the only source of Midnight Essence on Roshar. TWoK Chap 19:

  Hide contents

“The Desolation,” [Dalinar] said. “That means the Voidbringers, right? Those are what we fought this night?”

The knight sniffed dismissively. “Voidbringers? These? No, this was Midnight Essence, though who released it is still a mystery.” She looked to the side, expression growing distant. 

 

That could make sense if Re-Shephir was a Core Aether. The question of who released Midnight Essense would just be a question of who sought her out and bonded a corrupted Midnight Aether.

On 1/9/2023 at 5:42 PM, Bzhydack said:

 

Definitly Re-Sephir wasnot full Aether, but just an Aetherbound, probably Corrupted (Unmade) by Odium. Also, there is another possible Aetherbound among the Unmade. Remember Yelig- Nar the Blightwing? This Unmade need host, and when absorbed (or maybe I should tell: gestate?) transforms its host into somthing rocklike, with purple color. And this is fatal. For me, it looks very much like Roseite Aetherbound, or maybe more like Roseite Spore Eater, with additional powers (Parto of Odiums power maybe).

Additionally, this aligns with Aesudan's "Radiants". If Yelig-Nar is some kind of Roseite Core Aether, it could have distributed buds to the Queen's Guard, and to Aesudan and Amaram (assuming the crystal isn't literally Yelig-Nar). 

Edited January 17, 2023 by Ookla the Observant